The Life of Oden

[oldguy]

Crap, wrong thread!

Go Blazers

 

[BBert]

It occurs to me that Greg Oden has one of the strangest NBA existences we've ever seen. Imagine his typical day . . .

Gets up, watches cartoons for awhile, does a little bit of stretching, calls his Mom, does some more stretching, maybe heads for the weight room, eats lunch, goes back home, plays a video game, calls his buddy back in Ohio, takes a nap, goes out for dinner and a movie, or maybe heads to the Rose Garden to watch a Blazer game from behind the bench.

And for all this, he gets paid millions of dollars. This life he leads, by the way, has been going on for years now. He must be the highest-paid player to almost never "play" in NBA history.

There are 4-year-olds running around who were born when Oden's NBA career began. George Bush was president, and the economy was pretty good. No one had ever heard of Bernie Madoff. Facebook was relatively unknown. Brett Favre was still a great quarterback.

The best part? Oden is probably going to sign another contract with Portland and continue this life of ease for another 3 or 4 years. He'll buy an even bigger house, and get an even fancier wardrobe, and spend every morning watching cartoons on his big sofa while the rest of the team is back east on a grueling road trip.

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

My god you suck.

 

[julius]

That's not true, though. Everybody who pays a state income tax is paying into and for PERS, which I think is a greater 'reward' than merely making the salary of a teacher. Also, I'm 'at work', but I'm my own boss, so I'm really only ripping off myself, if I'm ripping off anyone. As a taxpayer, I don't like the idea of my employees (PERS recipients) goofing off on the internet when they should be concentrating on their job that provides their cushy (and free!) retirement. I don't think that's too much to ask. Just as there are benefits to living and retiring off of the private sector (which I don't begrudge or want to take away), there should also be some confines, as dictated by their boss (me, in this instance).

well, it's not a "cushy" or "free" retirement, but outside of that, you have some points. They're not valid points, but they're points none the less.

Just like they have 'summers' off.

 

[julius]

No, I think you were the one struggling to understand my original point--that Oden is living the life of Reilly while making a ton of money.

Well, the "Life of Reilly" probably didn't include "Reilly" having to re-hab 3 out of the last 4 years, busting his ass to get to the point where he could potentially walk without cringing in pain.

It's still worth pointing out that Oden has made almost no contribution to this team in the last 4 years, and may not make much of one in the next 4 years, if they sign him to another contract--and yet he is becoming a very rich young dude in the process. I happen to find that ironic, and interesting, and worth commenting on.

Who really cares if he becomes rich? does it honestly have an impact on your life? And if it does, I suggest you find a new hobby to enjoy.

 

[jlprk]

It's the evil system. Some people get rich for doing nothing. That's why we need to deregulate government oversight of the private sector, so things will right themselves. If Republicans win we won't have as many lazy rich people anymore and Democrats, the party of the pauper fatcats, will disappear. How can we legislate this, Shooter? Maybe tax the undeserving rich? Either that or more regulation will be needed to prevent them from getting rich, but it's not really new regulation, it's dederegulation. Kind of like desegregation, not integration. So do we tax them or fund some dederegulation agencies? Steer me right here.

 

[julius]

It's the evil system. Some people get rich for doing nothing. That's why we need to deregulate government oversight of the private sector, so things will right themselves. If Republicans win we won't have as many lazy rich people anymore and Democrats, the party of the pauper fatcats, will disappear. How can we legislate this, Shooter? Maybe tax the undeserving rich? Either that or more regulation will be needed to prevent them from getting rich, but it's not really new regulation, it's dederegulation. Kind of like desegregation, not integration. So do we tax them or fund some dederegulation agencies? Steer me right here.

Oden should've gotten rich the American way....inherit it from his dad.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Oden should've gotten rich the American way....inherit it from his dad.

Well if you think about it, thus far most of his riches are due to his genetics . . . so in a way he did inhert it from his parents.

Good old fashion American in my book.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

'

This really gets me thinking. What if we re-sign Oden to a reasonable contract. What if after that he goes a decade without further injury, and is the true beast he seemed to be during his glimpses of health. We may look back on his early injuries as something of a minor blessing. Aldridge emerged into a superstar because there was the space to operate, and we got Oden at a bargain-basement price compared to the cash lavished on Durant.

Yeah, those are some big "what ifs." But it does make you realize there still is some potential upside to the Oden vs Durant thing.

I would suppose that if we resign him for a middle of the road contract and he suddenly pans out, he'll be asking for a new contract.

 

[Minstrel]

Well, the "Life of Reilly" probably didn't include "Reilly" having to re-hab 3 out of the last 4 years, busting his ass to get to the point where he could potentially walk without cringing in pain.

Rehab is paid vacation. Money to work out? That's almost as lame as money to play a kid's game. I wish some of these guys would get a real job.

 

[PapaG]

Well, the "Life of Reilly" probably didn't include "Reilly" having to re-hab 3 out of the last 4 years, busting his ass to get to the point where he could potentially walk without cringing in pain.

Well, Reilly also wasn't being paid ~$4.5 million/year, was he?

That said, I don't begrudge Oden. The Blazers took a risk on him, and thus far, it has been a miserable failure. Hopefully that changes over the next 5 or so years.

 

[STOMP]

I would suppose that if we resign him for a middle of the road contract and he suddenly pans out, he'll be asking for a new contract.

pretty sure its not possible to redo one's NBA contract in the middle of it. Can you think of any player who has done this?

what active imaginations some here have about GO...

STOMP

 

[magnifier661]

pretty sure its not possible to redo one's NBA contract in the middle of it. Can you think of any player who has done this?

what active imaginations some here have about GO...

STOMP

Magic took a paycut to try and bring in talent. Some payers have done this; but not even close to ones that say "Yeah right man, no paycut for me!"

 

[MIXUM]

oden obsession is now legendary.