Im starting to think Aldridge could care less

[blazerboy30]

At the time the criticism was fair, he just wasn't that good. Then we found out that it was 4 years of Roy's ISO ball that was really holding him back.

Criticism is a lot different than claiming something and being completely wrong.

People were claiming the following:
1) He just wasn't that good
2) He had played for 4 years, and hadn't improved... thus he wouldn't improve.

Combining those two means those people thought he wasn't that good, and never would be very good.

They were wrong.

Those criticizing LMA for playing outside too much, or playing too soft, or not developing his left hand were correct.

 

[PapaG]

Batum will never be anything much. He just isn't that good.

There. Now he'll prove me wrong and become a franchise small forward.

You forget to add that Batum just doesn't care.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I think Batum is better than this season; he will improve when his role on the team is more solidified.

There, that should complete the incantation.

 

[STOMP]

I've already said I was *Edited* on more than one occasion about LA; he's completely transformed himself ... But if people want to act like LaMarcus blowing up was somehow predictable, inevitable or even likely in year five, they're fooling themselves.

so those of us who'd been saying that a change in roles/circumstances might very well produce different results are the fools? This quote is from Nov. 2010...

Some people don't blossom until circumstances thrust them into the role of alpha dog, maybe LMA will be one of those players (maybe Nic too?) we'll see I guess.

http://sportstwo.com/threads/174027-Is-Aldridge-now-the-face-of-the-franchise

STOMP

 

[STOMP]

For everybody who is gloating about this thread. Are any of you on record with the thought that Aldridge could be a #1 option and a top 3 type PF in the league?

Nope.

that no one matched your negative vitriol with over the top predictions of greatness doesn't change how completely wrong you've been proven. Of course I'm sure you'll recall that I pegged LA as the #1 prospect in the 2006 draft and have supported him in numerous back and forths over how bad he sucks with you since then. Any word on your #1 from that draft since the Wizards waived him in Oct? Europe? China?

and because I'm curious, do you still pine for trading LA for Love or Ricky Davis?

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

so those of us who'd been saying that a change in roles/circumstances might very well produce different results are the fools? This quote is from Nov. 2010...



http://sportstwo.com/threads/174027-Is-Aldridge-now-the-face-of-the-franchise

STOMP

OK. I don't see anything inconsistent in those two statements. I thought LA had a small chance to turn into a really, really good player ... that chance wasn't great given the track record of other slightly above average players who have come before him (especially once they've hit year five in the league) The closest analog I can think of is Devin Harris and his monster year with New Jersey the year after he was traded from Dallas.

You must think I'm upset that I was wrong or something?

 

[THE HCP]

For everybody who is gloating about this thread. Are any of you on record with the thought that Aldridge could be a #1 option and a top 3 type PF in the league?

Nope.

me!

 

[MickZagger]

that no one matched your negative vitriol with over the top predictions of greatness doesn't change how completely wrong you've been proven. Of course I'm sure you'll recall that I pegged LA as the #1 prospect in the 2006 draft and have supported him in numerous back and forths over how bad he sucks with you since then. Any word on your #1 from that draft since the Wizards waived him in Oct? Europe? China?

and because I'm curious, do you still pine for trading LA for Love or Ricky Davis?

STOMP

....first of all, as I wait for you to pull a muscle from patting yourself on the back....

Okay, now. I have never said that he sucks. He was a soft PF, until just recently. Its not just me who thought that, its Garnett and Amare who bullied him on a reg basis. Right now, he's the player that I always wanted him to be, I think everyone wanted to be. After his first two years of play, heck 3 years of play, did anyone think he could become this player? No. If you said he would be this dominant, I would like you to link that up. It won't happen so save your time scouring old threads. Nobody imagined this transformation, lets face it. So going back and blowing snot rockets at us posters who were fairly criticizing him seems like a silly exercize.

As for the Ammo thing. Damn, lets beat that dead horse until we just can't beat it anymore... I was wrong about him, I thought we've already established that. For how can I atone for my sins?

 

[PapaG]

me!

Me too!

 

[PapaG]

As for the Ammo thing. Damn, lets beat that dead horse until we just can't beat it anymore... I was wrong about him, I thought we've already established that. For how can I atone for my sins?

Is there really any true atonement for being so laughably wrong on a player? You were nuts for the guy, and lashed out at others who saw the obvious holes in his game. STOMP, as well as myself and others, were deadset against Morrison at the time of that draft. I was LMA all the way, but I did prefer Gay over Roy prior to the draft. After the Blazers got LMA, I wasn't upset about the trade for Roy.

Basically, with the depth of the stance you took at the time on Adam Morrison, it should make anyone question your knowledge of anything basketball related.

I'm not sure a poster has ever been so wrong about anything, yet argued it so vehemently for it, during all my years on ESPN, BBF, and now here.

 

[Dirty_F_Baby]

 

[THE HCP]

^ nice replays!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

^ nice replays!

I gotta agree; the way you go from normal slo-mo to Matrix Bullet-Time on the cool shit is awesomesauce.

 

[MickZagger]

Is there really any true atonement for being so laughably wrong on a player? You were nuts for the guy, and lashed out at others who saw the obvious holes in his game. STOMP, as well as myself and others, were deadset against Morrison at the time of that draft. I was LMA all the way, but I did prefer Gay over Roy prior to the draft. After the Blazers got LMA, I wasn't upset about the trade for Roy.

Basically, with the depth of the stance you took at the time on Adam Morrison, it should make anyone question your knowledge of anything basketball related.

I'm not sure a poster has ever been so wrong about anything, yet argued it so vehemently for it, during all my years on ESPN, BBF, and now here.

It was 6 years ago. I'm sure you've never been wrong about a prospect. Obviously I wasn't the only one that thought he'd be great. Charlotte took him 3rd in the draft. After looking back at some old posts, you didn't go out on a limb at all when that draft was going on. In fact, you weren't opposed to Morrison at all.

http://www.basketballforum.com/portland-trail-blazers/273231-blazers-morrison-6.html#post3596674

http://www.basketballforum.com/port...s-thomas-cancels-his-workout.html#post3681959

http://www.basketballforum.com/port...elfair-boston-7-pick-dikau-5.html#post3719877

Its pretty similar to how wrong you were about Wes Matthews.

 

[PapaG]

It was 6 years ago. I'm sure you've never been wrong about a prospect. Obviously I wasn't the only one that thought he'd be great. Charlotte took him 3rd in the draft. After looking back at some old posts, you didn't go out on a limb at all when that draft was going on. In fact, you weren't opposed to Morrison at all.

http://www.basketballforum.com/portland-trail-blazers/273231-blazers-morrison-6.html#post3596674

http://www.basketballforum.com/port...s-thomas-cancels-his-workout.html#post3681959

http://www.basketballforum.com/port...elfair-boston-7-pick-dikau-5.html#post3719877

Its pretty similar to how wrong you were about Wes Matthews.

I notice how you posted none of my LMA posts, because he was my #1 choice in that draft. Nobody thought the Blazers would end up with the #2 pick and the #7 pick in that draft.

Granted, I also never thought Gay would last as long as he would, either. I assumed Jordan would draft him at #3.

What was the point of your links? There are many other posts where I argue against Morrison, and many, many more after the actual draft.j

You were downright nasty about defending Ammo, and thinking the Blazers blew it on LMA.

As for Wesley Matthews, what have I been wrong about? He's an average NBA starter at this point who was terrible off of the bench to start the season.

 

[MickZagger]

I notice how you posted none of my LMA posts, because he was my #1 choice in that draft. Nobody thought the Blazers would end up with the #2 pick and the #7 pick in that draft.

Granted, I also never thought Gay would last as long as he would, either. I assumed Jordan would draft him at #3.

What was the point of your links? There are many other posts where I argue against Morrison, and many, many more after the actual draft.j

You were downright nasty about defending Ammo, and thinking the Blazers blew it on LMA.

As for Wesley Matthews, what have I been wrong about? He's an average NBA starter at this point who was terrible off of the bench to start the season.

I looked through plenty of draft posts around that time and very few came up. You seemed a bit, shall we say, reserved. Terrified to possibly be wrong?

Uh, the point isn't really hard to decipher. You weren't 'deadset' against drafting Morrison.

 

[PapaG]

This was a fun thread!

http://www.basketballforum.com/portland-trail-blazers/370329-random-thought.html

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I see nothing wrong with a few posters chiming in and giving strong opinions, it makes the board fun. Easy to sit there and shrug your shoulders, harder to come out with a strong opinion about the situation, IMO. So hats off to Mic and Nic . . . even if they were wrong.

But one important thing that was confirmed for me in this thread, stats and this PERS thing is not the end all be all of NBA. I rely on posters "PERs analysis" when it comes to other teams because I rarely get to watch those games. But when you watch every game a player plays during the season, you don't need PERS nor is it as accurate in determining that person's contribution to a team or their potential as just plain old watching them play day in and day out.

So BC, you the man in this post

I would imagine that everyone is suffering from Roy being NewRoy. This is so far the worst LMA has played period, but I believe he's better than this season, and will improve as the starting lineup figures its shit out .

I got to know, what do you think of Batum and what his future?

 

[PapaG]

Why, I ask????

http://www.basketballforum.com/portland-trail-blazers/283549-why-trade-2-a.html

 

[PapaG]

I looked through plenty of draft posts around that time and very few came up. You seemed a bit, shall we say, reserved. Terrified to possibly be wrong?

Uh, the point isn't really hard to decipher. You weren't 'deadset' against drafting Morrison.

Wow, obsessed much? Anyhow, that search fuction there sucks, which I just found out as well.

Why are you so sensitive? Just own it. Taking that strong of a position, and calling out other posters for calling you out, has ramifications.

I know now to never trust your judgement on any player.

Except that Josh Wilson guy from NAU, of course. He's the next Steve Nash!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

So BC, you the man in this post

I would imagine that everyone is suffering from Roy being NewRoy. This is so far the worst LMA has played period, but I believe he's better than this season, and will improve as the starting lineup figures its shit out .

I got to know, what do you think of Batum and what his future?

lol! I'll admit I was a LMA homer who happened to have his favorite player prove him right.

As for Batum, he's definitely worth keeping around; he's streaky but young, soft but fast, and I like that he's added taking the ball to the hole this year. The step-up pop shot off the 3-point pump fake is new.

He's steadily increased the number of "good games" (marked roughly by a Game Score of 17 or better) every year:

2008-09 - 2
2009-10 - 4
2010-11 - 7 (I bet he gets one more, too, before the season ends)

He's doubling up every year, which is a clear sign of growth; we also win when he plays well -- 9-2 (.818) when he has a GameScore of 15 or better this season -- so he's obviously making an impact on the team's performance where it counts: wins. By comparison, we're 22-8 (.733) when LMA has a GameScore of 15+.

He's not Pippen or anything right now on defense, and I worry that he's getting a reputation of being a guy who fouls on defense instead of being a "good defender"; he may in fact be a good defender, but reputation is everything in the league.

I can't wait until he's 25. He will be a solid #3 option or better by then, and LMA will be 28, in his prime, and hopefully still beasting it up.

 

[MickZagger]

Wow, obsessed much? Anyhow, that search fuction there sucks, which I just found out as well.

Why are you so sensitive? Just own it. Taking that strong of a position, and calling out other posters for calling you out, has ramifications.

I know now to never trust your judgement on any player.

Except that Josh Wilson guy from NAU, of course. He's the next Steve Nash!

Its a tough pill to swallow, I know. But, you weren't opposed to Morrison at all.

 

[PapaG]

Its a tough pill to swallow, I know. But, you weren't opposed to Morrison at all.

I wanted Aldridge, and if you read my subsequent posts, I sour on Morrison before the draft.

But, whatever. I certainly wasn't pimping Morrison, and attacking posters who didn't like him.

Are you still going to come in for that sandwich? Remember, ask for Grant!

 

[MickZagger]

I wanted Aldridge, and if you read my subsequent posts, I sour on Morrison before the draft.

But, whatever. I certainly wasn't pimping Morrison, and attacking posters who didn't like him.

Are you still going to come in for that sandwich? Remember, ask for Grant!

I yelped the deli. I don't trust the 'mayonnaise'.

 

[PapaG]

I yelped the deli. I don't trust the 'mayonnaise'.

We don't serve mayonnaise. It's a vegan deli, Silly.

As a reminder, be sure to ask for Grant, and tell him that you're from S2!

 

[Minstrel]

I liked Bargnani, Aldridge and Gay. I thought Morrison was going to be a bust. I wasn't enamoured of Roy's upside, but I thought he would be a safely solid NBA player. It's a mixed bag.

 

[RoyToy]

I was dead set on drafting Tyrus Thomas. I was a sucker for his run in March Madness. This was before I really analyzed players though, like him being a little undersized(measured 6ft 7.5in w/o shoes) and a knucklehead. I was just enamored with his athleticism.

Once the Blazers traded Telfair (which upset me, lol) I didn't know what I wanted anymore at that point. Never wanted Morrison or Shelden. I did think the Blazers would draft Roy because he was a Seattle guy and thought McMillan liked him.

And oh yeah, I was perfectly fine with the Blazers trading Khryapa. I thought it was funny the Bulls actually wanted him.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

tidbit about LA:

I saw a few days ago somebody said my tattoos were nice. All my tattoos have important meaning to me! I never got a tattoo just to get one !

 

[THE HCP]

tidbit about LA:

I saw a few days ago somebody said my tattoos were nice. All my tattoos have important meaning to me! I never got a tattoo just to get one !

Bullshit! I dared him to get HCP on his arm and he did! It's on the bottom point of the cross on his right arm!

 

[STOMP]

....first of all, as I wait for you to pull a muscle from patting yourself on the back....

didn't you just ask who'd pegged LA as a stud? I devoted a whole sentence pointing out that I have and that you've literally been arguing with me about him for over 5 years now. Thats patting myself on the back too much? How about saying something that isn't completely over the top?

Okay, now. I have never said that he sucks.

In this thread you said "bingo" to the thought that he's "not very good" called his PER "garbage" said you wanted "a real PF", "lol'd" at someone who sited his post up game, and called rooting for him and Cunningham "sad". In umpteen others you've thrown various slights towards him dating back to before he was drafted. Was it you (or Oil Can) who called him "LaSoftridge" in the days following drafting him. "Sucks" is my one word summation of the opinions you've expressed... I don't think it's a misrepresentation but if you do, I offer my apologies.

If you said he would be this dominant, I would like you to link that up. It won't happen so save your time scouring old threads.

remember when you lost a sig bet to me? One of the quotes I dug up from myself months before drafting LA was that I thought he had AS potential. If I'm projecting a guy as an AS player I'm talking about a dominant player. There are several other posters still active here that had him pegged as the #1 overall pick back in 2006... #1 picks are generally thought to be be dominant. Since then there have been dozens of threads where many different posters expressed hopes and thoughts on why LA could/should make AS games. I've participated in those threads generally expressing that I thought he was a borderline AS talent... it certainly helps showcase his talents now that they're running the offense through him but this level of play is basically what I've thought of as his ceiling all along.

Nobody imagined this transformation, lets face it. So going back and blowing snot rockets at us posters who were fairly criticizing him seems like a silly exercize.

own how wrong you've been proven and don't lash out at those who've been proven right

As for the Ammo thing. Damn, lets beat that dead horse until we just can't beat it anymore... I was wrong about him, I thought we've already established that. For how can I atone for my sins?

I was establishing a trend regarding your prognostications... going back to that 2006 draft you also had a low opinion of Brandon's game. With that sort of track record, maybe turning down the heat on the next player debate would be a good idea?

STOMP