Ed Davis (The fifth annual Luke Walton All-Stars)

Damian Lillard comes to mind but according to your thoughts, he's probably just being coached to say that

 

@Natebishop3 #jaded

 

So true for ANYbody in professional sports, not just our team.

 

You can get pissy about it, but all I'm saying is that you're making a pretty big assumption about Davis. I didn't say you were right or wrong, but simply that I think you're drawing conclusions without much factual evidence to back it up.

 

Just refuting his point. Just because a player says one thing doesn't mean they're going to follow through, or that circumstances won't change.

 

Yup. I'd love for Ed Davis to finish his career here, and do like hearing that he would. But if a girlfriend says they are going to be your girlfriend 'till the end, and then bails... do you not have some trust issues with the next girlfriend? Even if you don't want to admit it?

 

I'm not pissy at all Nate...I'm just looking ahead and responding to my own observations about exactly what the Blazers are trying to do...let me ask you...do you doubt Lillard's repeated claims that he wants to play his whole career here because basketball is a business? He didn't put any clauses in the contract that would give him an out if he wanted to bail....that's not what a shrewd businessman would do but what a loyal employee might.

 

I also have context that most of the people on this board do not. I have interviewed NBA players. I know what it sounds like when they're in "Media mode" and when they're saying the right thing. They all do it. That doesn't mean they're lying all the time, but it's extremely rare to find a player who speaks candidly.

 

There are FAR more cases of bailing than of loyalty... can you really blame people for being a little weary? It's not so bad.

Lillard is an anomaly. An anomaly i'm glad to have. But I'm not about to think it's the norm than the exception.

 

They've all had girlfriends...we're not signing virgins...this is Ed's 4th team...I've got an ex...yet I've been happily married for 28 years and still going strong. Projecting failure usually ends up with....failure

 

You missed the complete psychological aspect of that. Damnit, riverman. Dig deeper!

That, and we're not talking about THEM as players, we're talking about US as fans!

GRAAAAH!

 

I think Dame is a smart guy. I think he watched Aldridge bail, so he signed for the most money he could and said all the right things. That's great, and I hope he does stay here for the rest of his career. I really like Dame as a player and as a person (from what I know of him). With that said, the rubber meets the road in five seasons, after this contract runs out. Will he stay when he's not a restricted free agent or will he go to a bigger market? I guess we shall see.

 

Now we're talking assumptions....it's a long list of players that spent the best years of their careers with one team. I think extremely rare is a bit sensationalized.

 

His is more of an educated guess than an assumption.

 

I agree that in 5 years we'll see. However, I don't agree with the assertion that he signed because of what Aldridge did, or for some PR love.

 

Nice read, summed up Phys-Ed perfectly.

and also Meyers.

 

Why are you attributing that statement to player longevity? I'm saying it's extremely rare to find a player who speaks candidly to the media, and in all my years covering the team, I only met a handful. Dale Davis was one. Nick Van Exel was another. Theo Ratliff could be candid, but not all the time. Davis was by far the best interview though. He had no filter.

 

I respect everybody's opinions around here, but being someone who really has bought into what we're doing here, I prefer the optimistic approach. I think we homers too often get cast into this stereotype of fans who just don't see the whole picture. Balance is important. I learn something all the time from you guys and your take on the team but being a fan that prefers positive affirmation is not a character flaw, contrary to a lot of opinions

 

Nate, I believe what Ed Davis and Damian Lillard say in interviews until I have a reason not to....sorry you had such a bad experience covering the team back then....I can't really comment on that

 

It's not a bad experience. It's just reality. It's an old joke about players giving interviews, and this movie was before twitter, youtube, and the internet.