Tuned out

[illmatic99]

“Evidently, they’re not responding to me, because all these games look similar,” McMillan said. “So I asked them: ‘Is it clear what we’re asking you to do?’”

His words were met with blank states and silence.

“They didn’t say anything,” McMillan said.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2010/12/washington_83_portland_79_blaz.html

I think they're tired of listening to his crap. His double standards, and dumbass sets are growing old, not only for us fans, but it seems the players also. There's only so many times you can ask the players to go extra hard every night without rewarding them with more leeway to make mistakes. We can see guys like Rudy and Nic who are so obviously tentative right now because they're looking over their shoulders after every play.

I just hope we don't delay the inevitable.

About frickin time.

EDIT: Just one question, though. Who would be the interim coach? Does Cho have any background in coaching? I really hope Kaleb gets a shot (anyone other than Bickerstaff I'm fine with).

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Been calling for it for years

 

[Nikolokolus]

I hate the way these things end.

Although, I hate his style of play, at heart I think Nate is a guy who cares deeply about the game and even his players. I've been on the "replace Nate" kick for awhile, but the real issue isn't that he can't coach, it's that he no longer has an elite closer to run his isolation heavy offense and habits have been too deeply ingrained in this squad to easily overcome that mentality.

 

[Natebishop3]

Maybe Nate will step down.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Maybe Nate will step down.

I doubt it, but even if he did this roster is so deeply flawed that replacing him is only going to address about 20% of what ails this team.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Firing nate without a replacement in mind would be fucking stupid. Really fucking stupid.

I'm not a fan of his offense either, but he is a coach that does command respect around the league. Putting a green coach in there or even Bickerstaff would do more long term damage than axing Nate.

 

[WillG]

I've long wanted the Blazers to ship out Brandon and Nate. Nate strangles creativity and confidence, whilst Brandon is no leader, and a defensive liability, both inconducive to a free flowing and productive team.
The fact that we had to end up here to initiate change is pitiful in itself. Absolutely painful to see the team come to this sort of ending when they showed so much promise.

An injection of fresh blood/new players/staff can't come quickly enough for this team.
Nate has had his chance, and I don't really care who replaces him just as long as he's gone and he takes that frickin' ISO offense with him. . .

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

If Monty was taking over, I'd be all over it. But Bickerstaff or even Kaleb? That is NOT going to work, maybe for a season MAYBE but long term its terrible.

 

[illmatic99]

If Monty was taking over, I'd be all over it. But Bickerstaff or even Kaleb? That is NOT going to work, maybe for a season MAYBE but long term its terrible.

Ya, I'm just looking at interims. To be honest, I already think this is a lost season and we have to just start this retooling process asap. So anyone with a fresh mindset be would be good until we find our actual head coach eventually. I wonder if PA plans to (or has already) send out orders to his headhunting firm to find our new coach. Do such firms exist?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I've long wanted the Blazers to ship out Brandon and Nate. Nate strangles creativity and confidence, whilst Brandon is no leader, and a defensive liability, both inconducive to a free flowing and productive team.
The fact that we had to end up here to initiate change is pitiful in itself. Absolutely painful to see the team come to this sort of ending when they showed so much promise.

An injection of fresh blood/new players/staff can't come quickly enough for this team.
Nate has had his chance, and I don't really care who replaces him just as long as he's gone and he takes that frickin' ISO offense with him. . .

I find this emerging narrative "that Brandon is suddenly a bad apple or a selfish player and that's why the team sucks" to be a little revisionist. Let's get real, people are grousing about him because he's physically diminished but still the same player he's been for the last 4 years when people were heaping praise on him for his all-star appearances, super efficient shooting, late game heroics, etc. He's still trying to play the way he always has and it's just not working any more because his body won't let him!

Yes, Brandon still trying to be the man is probably doing more harm than good at this point to this team, and he probably does need to adapt, but it's cheap to suggest that he's playing this way because he's a bad guy or selfish. That's lame.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I doubt it, but even if he did this roster is so deeply flawed that replacing him is only going to address about 20% of what ails this team.

This.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Interims are useless unless you have a target for a next head coach, plus they are primarily for rebuilding purposes and tanking. And I'm not sure Miller/Cho will make the right hire. Only veteran coaches will win NBA championships. We're not in "blow it all up to hell" mode yet. we're injured and spinning out of control. The talent is still there, the health isn't.

 

[Minstrel]

The talent is still there, the health isn't.

In Roy's case, the talent may not still be there. He wasn't as flashy about it, but athleticism was a huge part of his game. If that's been permanently limited, he's finished as a star player.

Oden, on the other hand, may still have the talent...but it's now fair to ask if he'll ever have the health. I don't think he's a lost cause, but I don't think he can be viewed as a solid part of the team's future plans as things stand.

Without those two...you have a very good player in Aldridge, and two emerging players who might also end up very good in Batum and Matthews. That's not enough. (I think Miller is very good, but age precludes him from being a part of the team's long-term future.)

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

you have a very good player in Aldridge, and two emerging players who might also end up very good in Batum and Matthews. That's not enough. (I think Miller is very good, but age precludes him from being a part of the team's long-term future.)

We don't have a #1 option and LMA has proved he's more of a good #3 than a #2 option.

Cho has his work cut out for him, that's for sure.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I think we need to give Roy more time before we write him off completely.

I think the main cog right now is Miller really isn't syncing that well with the team, personally. A trade I would think would be mutually beneficial would be Andre Miller for Jameer Nelson. dunno, it works out as they have similar contract length and money.

I'm more in the boat of making some trades and tinkering before firing the coach, because that just signals the end of everything and official rebuild status.

 

[Blazer4ever]

I think it's a matter of things just not working, shots just not falling and mostly - me not watching games on the east-coast because it's exactly the middle of the night Israel-time. I think what Nate was describing is the reaction to an understanding that fans will demand change and either he (Nate) or one of them would probably be leaving soon. It's a sad situation to be in.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

There is only so long that players are going to put up with a flawed system. It is horribly inefficient and Nate would need a dream team to possibly win a championship. Nate can be replaced alot easier than rebuilding the roster.

Thanks for the contributions Nate, but it is time to move on. Too bad Monty is now in New Orleans. More realistic is any iterim to finish out the season (but do not be suprised to see Nate finish out the year) with Adelman taking over the next played season.

 

[illmatic99]

Here's an interesting fact that I found on realgm: if Nate stays head coach until February, he will become the second longest tenured coach in Blazer history, behind only Ramsay. He's just barely trailing Adelman now.

...Adelman taking over the next played season.

Would PA rehire RA?

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Would PA rehire RA?

Only PA can answer that. Houston is not doing well and Adelman was supposedly on the outs with their owner last year. He still has Portland ties and there is not much else out there in the way of a proven coach.

 

[Weav]

Only PA can answer that. Houston is not doing well and Adelman was supposedly on the outs with their owner last year. He still has Portland ties and there is not much else out there in the way of a proven coach.

Man, talk about my Blazer wet dream...RA gets 100% out of his players. I'd really enjoy seeing that.

 

[WillG]

I find this emerging narrative "that Brandon is suddenly a bad apple or a selfish player and that's why the team sucks" to be a little revisionist. but it's cheap to suggest that he's playing this way because he's a bad guy or selfish. That's lame.

Key word in my post is 'Long'..
Whilst I respect Brandon is a great player,and likely a good person to boot, I've never been a fan of his slow-ball, and have always wanted the Blazers to trade him while his value was high.
I wanted this because I thought he was overacheiving at the time and wasn't/isn't a particularly good leader. My opinion was formed years before we knew that his knees were shot. . .

 

[MickZagger]

I hate the way these things end.

Although, I hate his style of play, at heart I think Nate is a guy who cares deeply about the game and even his players. I've been on the "replace Nate" kick for awhile, but the real issue isn't that he can't coach, it's that he no longer has an elite closer to run his isolation heavy offense and habits have been too deeply ingrained in this squad to easily overcome that mentality.

What I want to know is when did Nate decide to go to an ISO heavy offense? Was that what Valvano ran at NC St? Did he learn it from Bickerstaff when he was a young Sonic? I know he didn't learn it from George Karl. Did he decide to go with it when the Blazers got Roy?

His Sonic teams always seemed to be really big penetrate and kick teams. They also had a lot of good shooters on that team and great offensive rebounders, which was ideal for that system.

It can't be all he knows, can it?

 

[MickZagger]

If Monty was taking over, I'd be all over it. But Bickerstaff or even Kaleb? That is NOT going to work, maybe for a season MAYBE but long term its terrible.

Its called an "interim" coach for a reason.

 

[MickZagger]

I would love Adelman, but I dont think its happening.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The choice for interim coach is clear. Who's the last guy who we hired to replace a long-term coach who got the team to run run run and played all the young guys? Why Kevin Pritchard of course!

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'll say this. When the message board board hacks smell blood, it becomes a frenzy.

However, some good points have been made. Nate's style doesn't fit this group. Also, this group has terrible chemistry. The team needs a full make over.

 

[NWDJ]

I'd say shut Brandon down and let him heal for real, start Matthews at the 2 and give Rudy more minutes backing up the 2 and 3. Joel is back and that helps the post. Play out the season giving Cho through January to really evaluate the team. He either makes a trade/trades in February using the expiring contracts, or not. At the end of the season, it really feels like Nate will be done and I bet it will be a mutual descision. He'll get another job right away (Miami?) as he seems well respected around the league.

This season was presented as the break-out season to compete with the Lakers all based on having a healthy team for the first time in 3 years - that obviously is not the case. So would it be better to make a move now with coach/players that won't get the team any closer to the WC finals this year (who is available right now that is better than Nate AND would do that (WC Finals) with this banged up group? What player are you going to be able to trade for that could get this team to the WC finals THIS year?) Or do you give Johnson, Mills, Batum, Matthews, Cunningham a year together to build chemistry and start this thing over next year with HOPEFULLY a healthy core of Brandon, LA, Joel, Canby and Oden?

I vote for starting over and admitting this is a rebulding project.

Just my $.02

 

[handiman]

I find this emerging narrative "that Brandon is suddenly a bad apple or a selfish player and that's why the team sucks" to be a little revisionist. Let's get real, people are grousing about him because he's physically diminished but still the same player he's been for the last 4 years when people were heaping praise on him for his all-star appearances, super efficient shooting, late game heroics, etc. He's still trying to play the way he always has and it's just not working any more because his body won't let him!

I've made my opinion of Roy pretty clear over the years: he's a talker, not a leader. Very similar to Nate, in fact. Lots of gibberish... As such, I suspect the team is tuning Roy out as much as the coach at this point. He can't lead by example anymore, so his words ring empty.

 

[Natebishop3]

I'd say shut Brandon down and let him heal for real, start Matthews at the 2 and give Rudy more minutes backing up the 2 and 3. Joel is back and that helps the post. Play out the season giving Cho through January to really evaluate the team. He either makes a trade/trades in February using the expiring contracts, or not. At the end of the season, it really feels like Nate will be done and I bet it will be a mutual descision. He'll get another job right away (Miami?) as he seems well respected around the league.

This season was presented as the break-out season to compete with the Lakers all based on having a healthy team for the first time in 3 years - that obviously is not the case. So would it be better to make a move now with coach/players that won't get the team any closer to the WC finals this year (who is available right now that is better than Nate AND would do that (WC Finals) with this banged up group? What player are you going to be able to trade for that could get this team to the WC finals THIS year?) Or do you give Johnson, Mills, Batum, Matthews, Cunningham a year together to build chemistry and start this thing over next year with HOPEFULLY a healthy core of Brandon, LA, Joel, Canby and Oden?

I vote for starting over and admitting this is a rebulding project.

Just my $.02

I don't think shutting Roy down makes a difference. He can't "heal" because his problem is that his knees are permanently damaged. Sitting him out won't grow back menisci.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I don't think shutting Roy down makes a difference. He can't "heal" because his problem is that his knees are permanently damaged. Sitting him out won't grow back menisci.

It might grow back some ball movement.