The Dysfunction in Portland (and Hopefully Not Seattle)

[ABM]

http://blog.seattlepi.com/undraftedfreeagent/archives/213124.asp

It's hard not to see what's happening with the Portland Trailblazers franchise and not think, "I've seen this before."

General Managers get fired annually, that's not what I'm referring to. I'm talking about dysfunction within an organization headed by Paul Allen. I have no axe to grind with Allen, I know him as well as I know Woody Allen (for those unaware, Woody Allen is famous for making movies that I don't care for, and he also married his stepdaughter), which is to say not at all. Allen, both Paul & Woody, are rich, but Paul is Saudi-Oil-Fortune rich, and I would give up a number of my own body parts (and others as well) for a fraction of his worth. I have (crushing) law school debt and my pinky toe, or any one of them really (except for the big one, I guess) can be sacrificed for a price.

My lack of knowledge of Paul Allen personally and my covetous yearning for his money aside, it warrants mentioning that organizations under his control seem to have a bizarrely yardschoolish quality to them.

Take a look at the situation in Portland, for instance. Here you have an NBA franchise that is, without question, one of the best in the NBA in terms of current makeup and future prospects. It's a playoff team with young talent and good leadership from the coaches and players alike. They have a "franchise" face that anyone in the league would want (Brandon Roy) and they have numerous younger players who make up this perennially playoff-bound team. Granted, as currently constructed they will not win the NBA title, nor will they compete for one. They made two picks that in hindsight have kept the franchise from true elite status in the NBA: drafting Martell Webster over Andrew Bynum and drafting Greg Oden over Kevin Durant.................................

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

This guy lost all credibility with stating that passing on Bynum was the real problem with taking Webster and not Paul or Williams...

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

We'd be in a similar situation with Bynum and his creaky knees. The guy is only 23 and has them drained regularly.

Passing on Chris Paul is the one that stings.

Fuck you, John Nash!

 

[Rhal]

stopped reading the moment he said that one of the two horrible draft choices was Martell over Andrew Bynum. Would have continued if he said "Chris Paul".

 

[STOMP]

yardschoolish??? Dyslexia in Seattle

STOMP

 

[Natebishop3]

If only we had taken Bynum and not Webster!