Matt Moore (CBS Sports) Quote on Olshey:

[e_blazer]

Does Neil Olshey go to the bargain clearance rack at a clothing store and walk out with an Armani suit perfectly tailored for $150? His free agency signings (Davis, Aminu, etc.) have been tremendous value.

About time Neil gets some recognition for what he pulled together last summer.

Moore has the Blazers at No. 15, above the No. 16 Rockets, in his latest power rankings:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/...fun-times-ahead-with-compelling-playoff-races

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Olshey taught Maclemore how to shop at Goodwill.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

It is quite funny how fast people's opinions change. I remember when a bunch of us and basically every other fan base thought we overpaid for animu. But it's obviously a bargain now and will be a tremendous bargain next year with the cap going up.

In Olshey we trust

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm a big fan of NO. He's the first GM since Trader Bob that I've really felt like he could build a winner, and he seems to understand chemistry, which Bob did not.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I'm a big fan of NO. He's the first GM since Trader Bob that I've really felt like he could build a winner, and he seems to understand chemistry, which Bob did not.

Bob understood chemistry better than he was ever given credit for. Remember, he was instructed to weigh talent above all...

 

[Natebishop3]

Bob understood chemistry better than he was ever given credit for. Remember, he was instructed to weigh talent above all...

Instructed by Paul? I find that hard to believe that he would completely disregard obvious chemistry issues simply because Paul said to maximize talent.

 

[Schilly]

Trader Bob built his teams but acquiring talent that was available at a discount due to red flags, conduct issues and off court problems. Neil is getting guys who are on the cheap and not valued by their existing franchise as highly as they should be. Guys poised to break out but underwhelming to date. He puts an emphasis on bringing in guys with solid character and work ethic. Harmless is probably his biggest gamble in that regard to date. (Alexander and Montero don't count yet).

 

[Natebishop3]

Trader Bob built his teams but acquiring talent that was available at a discount due to red flags, conduct issues and off court problems. Neil is getting guys who are on the cheap and not valued by their existing franchise as highly as they should be. Guys poised to break out but underwhelming to date. He puts an emphasis on bringing in guys with solid character and work ethic. Harmless is probably his biggest gamble in that regard to date. (Alexander and Montero don't count yet).

I don't know if this was an autocorrect, but I like it.

 

[Schilly]

Yep autocorrect. But he has fallen off the planet.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I wonder what we could trade Olshey for?

 

[BlazerWookee]

Instructed by Paul? I find that hard to believe that he would completely disregard obvious chemistry issues simply because Paul said to maximize talent.

Instructed by Paul to discount behavioral/character issues.

 

[Natebishop3]

Instructed by Paul to discount behavioral/character issues.

Where did you hear that?

 

[BBert]

I wonder what we could trade Olshey for?

His value has peaked!

Git er dun ... err... uh ... Vulcan?

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Are we overachieving at the expense of having any shot at a championship in the future though?

Conventional thinking says we need another star to contend. Is that star Meyers, Noah, a future middle of the draft pick, or free agent signing?

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Instructed by Paul to discount behavioral/character issues.

Allen wrote that former coach Rick Adelman "tied our younger players to the bench and stuck with the tight rotation of veterans who had gotten us to the Finals." He had much harsher words for former general manager Bob Whitsitt, who presided over a controversial, expensive era -- with Allen's backing. Both desperately wanted to win a title, and Allen wrote that he finally gave up on Whitsitt's approach when Whitsitt told him "half our guys are normal and half our guys are crazy. The good guys are all freaked out, but the crazy guys are crazy, so they're fine."

http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2011/04/paul_allen_lives_to_tell_his_l.html

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

We need to get the pick this year. If it's around #9-11 we could use it in a trade to acquire someone else to be that 3rd guy. Preferably a big. Then use whatever remaining cap we would have to fill out the roster with role players (depending who else would be shipped out with the pick)

 

[Natebishop3]

http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2011/04/paul_allen_lives_to_tell_his_l.html

I had never heard that Paul gave Bob permission to completely ignore chemistry. I know he had a blank check, but going for talent over character was completely a Bob thing.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Half our guys are normal and half our guys are crazy. The good guys are all freaked out, but the crazy guys are crazy, so they're fine.

We're the Bob Whitsitt of forums! :MARIS61:

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Yep autocorrect. But he has fallen off the planet.

I wonder if Olshey is hiding him to keep him cheap to resign.

 

[Stevenson]

The other great thing about Olshey is that is all about creating a winning culture; creating a place where players like to play. That will have long-term ramifications.

Woj did an hour podcast with Neil and it was really interesting. You can really get an idea of how he thinks about creating a winning team. Hear it here. It's long, but worth it.

 

[noknobs]

I had never heard that Paul gave Bob permission to completely ignore chemistry. I know he had a blank check, but going for talent over character was completely a Bob thing.

At the end of the day Bob the chemistry major built a team that was a 6 minute 4th quarter collapse away from winning a championship. Indiana was a sacrificial lamb coming out of the east that year. That collapse was all on the players, so however you feel about his methods he did build a championship team.

 

[Natebishop3]

At the end of the day Bob the chemistry major built a team that was a 6 minute 4th quarter collapse away from winning a championship. Indiana was a sacrificial lamb coming out of the east that year. That collapse was all on the players, so however you feel about his methods he did build a championship team.

This is how I feel about his methods.

I'm a big fan of NO. He's the first GM since Trader Bob that I've really felt like he could build a winner, and he seems to understand chemistry, which Bob did not.

 

[Chris Craig]

Bob understood chemistry better than he was ever given credit for. Remember, he was instructed to weigh talent above all...

Yeah he just had a trading problem...do they have a TA( Trading Anonymous)

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I read that linked article. What did this mean "Allen turned down a possible deal to bring Houston center Hakeem Olajuwon to Portland, in part because of Allen's friendship with Clyde Drexler."?
That doesn't make sense; anyone have more info on that?

 

[Natebishop3]

I read that linked article. What did this mean "Allen turned down a possible deal to bring Houston center Hakeem Olajuwon to Portland, in part because of Allen's friendship with Clyde Drexler."?
That doesn't make sense; anyone have more info on that?

I don't know, but I have to think that would have been when he was traded to Toronto, so thank god the deal didn't go through.

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/080201/pro_0802010068.shtml#.Vq_T3LIrLRY

''Hakeem's decision is disappointing for the entire Rockets organization,'' Alexander said. ''Hakeem Olajuwon has meant more to this franchise and this city than any other athlete in Houston history.

''We desperately wanted to keep him in a Rockets uniform for the remainder of his career and made every attempt to do so. It is with a heavy heart that we have agreed to his request.''

Alexander, in an interview with Houston television station KRIV, said the Rockets will get a first-round pick and a second-round pick from Toronto.

Earlier in the day, Olajuwon reportedly called off talks with the Rockets after rejecting the club's latest offer of $13 million guaranteed over three years.

''This has really torn him apart,'' a source who had spoken with Olajuwon told the Houston Chronicle. ''Honestly, he did not want to leave until (Tuesday or Wednesday). He has something to prove. Everybody believed he was done. But he is not done.''

 

[BlazerWookee]

I read that linked article. What did this mean "Allen turned down a possible deal to bring Houston center Hakeem Olajuwon to Portland, in part because of Allen's friendship with Clyde Drexler."?
That doesn't make sense; anyone have more info on that?

Maybe Clyde is who Houston wanted for Hakeem?

 

[Natebishop3]

Maybe Clyde is who Houston wanted for Hakeem?

Highly doubt that's when it happened. I imagine Clyde was trying to help Hakeem get the contract he wanted from Houston, but it ultimately fell apart and he was traded to Toronto.

 

[julius]

Highly doubt that's when it happened. I imagine Clyde was trying to help Hakeem get the contract he wanted from Houston, but it ultimately fell apart and he was traded to Toronto.

That happened years after Drexler was traded to Pukeston

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Highly doubt that's when it happened. I imagine Clyde was trying to help Hakeem get the contract he wanted from Houston, but it ultimately fell apart and he was traded to Toronto.

Yeah, none of this makes sense. I do recall rumors of Hakeem-to-Portland BEFORE we dealt Clyde to Houston a couple years later. But it always seemed like Clyde would still be here under those rumors.

 

[Natebishop3]

That happened years after Drexler was traded to Pukeston

Hmm.... the quote from the article actually makes it sound like Paul hadn't been the owner for very long.

"Clyde is a very intense, charming, charismatic person and an amazing player," Allen said, "and I was new to being a sports owner and so we had a good relationship back then. But it's tough, you put yourself in a tough position when you have to start talking about contract issues with someone who plays on the team and you have some kind of a nonprofessional relationship with."