Wow, Oden has some ripped guns!

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Who cares about the picture and the size of Greg's guns, that's a really decent article on Greg ... some of it really confirms for me that he's got one of those introspective, glass half-full kind of personalities, when it comes to looking at himself and his performance on the court. I really hope he figures out a way to cope, because that kind of sensitivity and lack of ego -- while admirable as a human being -- probably won't serve him as a professional athlete who plays one of the most difficult and physical positions in all of sport.
 
All of this talk of him being a "downer" and not living up to expectations is going to look really silly in a few months. Greg's gonna be alright.
 
Funny, sounds kind of like Roy, he is team oriented and lack of ego too but no one says it's a negative.
 
Quick called him a downer, but that was about a week ago methinks. Now he's writing about how well he's doing, how much his team respects and enjoys him, and how the coaches are pleased with him. Quite the flip flop. :dunno:

The bottom line is this: Oden is still very young, is still recovering, and is still learning to play in the NBA. He struggles against other good centers (such as Howard last night), but does well when the other team doesn't have a strong Center. In time Greg will learn to battle with the best though, trust me.

I think the most positive thing that is happening to Greg is the fact that he's getting playing time. He's healthy, getting in better shape every game, and it's starting to feel that the "injury plagued career" remarks are a thing of the past.
 
I hate that I'm doing this, but whatever...

Greg needs to suck it up and just play. It's not as if he's the first player with these kinds of expectations, and he certainly won't be the last. Quick writing this sort of article, or the team applauding him for one good game only further puts a microscope on his life.
 
yuyuza1 said:
I hate that I'm doing this, but whatever...

Greg needs to suck it up and just play.
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What action or comment of Oden's is this a response to? As far as I've seen, he has just played. And quite well, all things considered, despite the panicked comments of some fans.
 
Minstrel said:
What action or comment of Oden's is this a response to? As far as I've seen, he has just played. And quite well, all things considered, despite the panicked comments of some fans.
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Like this for example.

Still, he has not been able to shed his sensitivity. He says he doesn't read articles, watch sports shows or listen to sports talk radio, but he knows people are out there talking about him, writing about him, analyzing him.

And that bothers him.

"I don't know why," Oden said. "That's just me."
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My initial comment was not restricted to this one quote either. It was more of a blanket statement at how he always seems concerned about what others think about him and his play. Forget all that, and just ball.
 
yuyuza1 said:
Like this for example.



My initial comment was not restricted to this one quote either. It was more of a blanket statement at how he always seems concerned about what others think about him and his play. Forget all that, and just ball.
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Forget all what? Again, I really still can't tell what you're reacting to. Forget having emotions or thoughts? It's not like he's saying it affects his play or makes him not want to play basketball. He simply said it bothers him. If he simply said "No comment" to every interviewer, he'd be villified like Rasheed Wallace was.

From all accounts, he works hard and is extremely coachable. I've seen no indications that he's not trying his best. What specifically are you advocating he do differently? Avoid interviews?
 
Minstrel said:
What action or comment of Oden's is this a response to? As far as I've seen, he has just played. And quite well, all things considered, despite the panicked comments of some fans.
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I usually avoid clicking Quick articles to avoid contributing to his bottom line, but I clicked this one without thinking.

Anyhoo, it seems Jason pumped out this article is a response to his naked asinine comments on the radio the other day about how he as the Blazer Beat reporter only wants to cover players he personally likes (cough cough Damon). What a cockroach. Here's the part of the piece that I liked (I can only hope it's true for Greg and every other Blazer)...

He says he doesn't read articles, watch sports shows or listen to sports talk radio

Think thats on management's suggestion? It's unfortunate that Portland's media is made up of ridiculous fountains of hyperbole like Quick and Canzano, but I certainly don't blame generation after generation of players for tuning them out and then being turned upon. Blazer fans deserve better then Quick... why should we be stuck with this annoying twit as our ambassador to all things Blazers? Does he have pictures of somebody or what? NEXT!

STOMP
 
Minstrel said:
From all accounts, he works hard and is extremely coachable. I've seen no indications that he's not trying his best. What specifically are you advocating he do differently?
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What I'm getting at is that his play might be affected by all the pressure he is putting on himself. And the fact the he acknowledged that "it" (comments by sports writers, shows, etc leading to more unnecessary pressure) bothers is a sign that his mind is not clear.
 
yuyuza1 said:
What I'm getting at is that his play might be affected by all the pressure he is putting on himself. And the fact the he acknowledged that "it" (comments by sports writers, shows, etc leading to more unnecessary pressure) bothers is a sign that his mind is not clear.
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I see what you are saying and Greg doesn't seem to have that "fuck it" attitude right now and isn't playing with a clear mind. Once his body comes back, his mind will follow. I'm sure Greg is feeling the pressure on himself because he knows he can be dominant, but his feel for the game and his explosiveness isn't back yet. Despite what he says, he's not 100%. It's just going to take time.
 
I would rather have that bother a player than one that didn't care. I agree it shouldn't bother him to a degree that it hurts his game, but I don't think it is. He just wants to get better and I admire that. Let him use that as incentive. I really don't think he needs it.
 
There was a great comment on that article...

Jason Quick, you are a PUTZ, and I hate you.

At first I just hated your writing style because it was so damn sappy all the time.

Then I hated the way you kept putting yourself into your articles, as though you are a member of the team.

Then I hated you because you thought you had the right to call out players on our team like you were a coach; or even paid for a dang ticket!

But after your interview, saying you hate being around Greg, now I just hate you as a person.

You have the job everyone of us wants, and you act like we are here to listen you. The only reason I would read your articles is because you have the best access to the team. I will never read another one.

YOU SUCK JASON QUICK! I HATE YOU.
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God I love OregonLive!
 
If I were Greg, I would put it simply, and say " If Jason Quick comes in the locker room I refuse to do interviews." Pretty straight forward.
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Q(uick)---stick a fork in your ass and turn yourself over!!! u r done son.
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PORTLAND PEOPLE ARE ON CRACK AND BUNCH OF WOODPECKERS....

ALL THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO IS, ON THEIR WIRELESS LAPTOP AND AT THE STARBUCKS DRINKING COFFEE.........THIS PEOPLE ARE RIDICULOUS AND HOPELESS GOT NOTHING ELSE BETTER TO DO........

PORTLAND PEOPLE WHY DO YOU WANT TO FIRE NATE? WHY? WHY? HE IS THE REASON WHY THE TEAM IS DOING WELL?
THE PLAYERS IS THE REASONS THAT THEY LOSSES GAMES.....
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:lol:
 
STOMP said:
I usually avoid clicking Quick articles to avoid contributing to his bottom line, but I clicked this one without thinking.

Anyhoo, it seems Jason pumped out this article is a response to his naked asinine comments on the radio the other day about how he as the Blazer Beat reporter only wants to cover players he personally likes (cough cough Damon). What a cockroach. Here's the part of the piece that I liked (I can only hope it's true for Greg and every other Blazer)...

He says he doesn't read articles, watch sports shows or listen to sports talk radio

Think thats on management's suggestion? It's unfortunate that Portland's media is made up of ridiculous fountains of hyperbole like Quick and Canzano, but I certainly don't blame generation after generation of players for tuning them out and then being turned upon. Blazer fans deserve better then Quick... why should we be stuck with this annoying twit as our ambassador to all things Blazers? Does he have pictures of somebody or what? NEXT!
Click to expand...

Agreed absolutely. You know, there is an emotionally needy, self-obsessed individual involved here, but it's not Oden, it's Jason Quick. The nail in the coffin was his little story of him reporting himself telling Brandon how proud he was to be voting Obama. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU, you moron.
 
If Quick would just stick to sports journalism, he'd be fine. It's when he personalizes his opinions that I become irritated. I give a shit what he personally thinks. It's not his opinion we all are clamoring for. This is why I don't listen to his podcasts are interviews on The Fan anymore.
 
Quick has been the Blazer beat guy for too long. He needs to move up to features or columns or he needs to move out. Let Joe Freeman take the reigns. Better yet, hire Brian Hendrickson from the Columbian--he's the best local writer on Blazers.
 
yuyuza1 said:
What I'm getting at is that his play might be affected by all the pressure he is putting on himself. And the fact the he acknowledged that "it" (comments by sports writers, shows, etc leading to more unnecessary pressure) bothers is a sign that his mind is not clear.
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I get the point you are making and somewhat agree . . . although I don't think it is as easy as you say. Oden has the weight of the world on him, everywhere he goes cameras are in his face. some of the media is calling him medicore and over hyped (I dread to hear the questions he is being asked on each roadtrip), each game by ESPN or TNT identifies the Blazers through Oden, his body is probably not responding the way he is used to (guessing), and then this 20 year old kid has to take the floor on national TV against a Shaq or Howard or Yao (all beasts who know about Oden and are ready to take it to him), and show the world what he can do.

How do you push all that aside?
 
maxiep said:
Quick has been the Blazer beat guy for too long. He needs to move up to features or columns or he needs to move out. Let Joe Freeman take the reigns. Better yet, hire Brian Hendrickson from the Columbian--he's the best local writer on Blazers.
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No kidding. The Columbian is supposedly on life support anyway right now. I'd love to have Hendrickson with the Oregonian and have an opportunity to actually travel with the team instead of having to do road game recaps from a TV feed (which he does a damn fine job of regardless).

I don't hate Quick, but what has it been 9 years covering the team now? I think anybody could get burned out after that much time.
 
Minstrel said:
Forget all what? Again, I really still can't tell what you're reacting to. Forget having emotions or thoughts? It's not like he's saying it affects his play or makes him not want to play basketball. He simply said it bothers him. If he simply said "No comment" to every interviewer, he'd be villified like Rasheed Wallace was.

From all accounts, he works hard and is extremely coachable. I've seen no indications that he's not trying his best.
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Actually, I disagree with your last sentence.

To my eye, it seems fairly obvious, that in some games, at some times, he is NOT trying very hard.

Not his stats, not his accomplishments, but his consistency of effort and focus is what has me concerned about his play at times.

If it looked like he was "into" each game, yet some games struggled with scoring or fouls or turnovers, I wouldn't have much if any concern.

It seems a fairly easy leap to make to guess that his "sensitivity", his emotions, or whatever IS IN FACT affecting his game on the floor, as at times during a few games he has looked very lethargic, shell-shocked, bummed or god know's what - but something going on in his head other than just ballin' hard.

Greg needs Zen Ball. Clear your mind of all distraction. Focus on the one.

"Greg push guy away"

"Greg get ball"

"Greg dunk ball in hoop"
 
maxiep said:
Quick has been the Blazer beat guy for too long. He needs to move up to features or columns or he needs to move out. Let Joe Freeman take the reigns. Better yet, hire Brian Hendrickson from the Columbian--he's the best local writer on Blazers.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Hendrickson is underrated definitely. I'd definitely like to see him in a better setting with more resources than the crappy Columbian, and see what he can do in a Quick-type role.
You couldn't get two more different writers than Quick and Hendrickson... Quick being more the looking for the emotion-type articles, and Hendrickson being the stat geek.

Anyway as for Greg... I think if you combine Greg's body with Jerryd's mental makeup and personality, you'd get a monster right now.
 
Posted for the heck of it.

medium_oden.JPG
 
Odd how Quick claiming Oden seems depressed, which many here have noted, now leads to calls for him to lose his job.

Perhaps Blaze the Cat should be the sole beat writer for the team? He could even wear poms poms while he is writing and talking about the team!
 
Funny. I happened to catch Jason Quick on "The Fan" with Isaac "Big Suck" Sukaniak, and he basically said he wished he would have thought a little more before he spoke; he really seemed to regret his choice of words when he said: "I can't stand to be around him."

I'd recommend getting the podcast from 1080thefan.com when it becomes available.
 
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