I'm pretty sure the Camby quote I relayed ("I'm not all that concerned") undercuts your worries completely. The quote I relayed on Nate made it sound like he's never pleased during preseason as the players priorities/focus are different then the coaching staff's. He wasn't comfortable with where the team was mentally, but as an ex-player he understands how and why things work that way. it's a marathon of a season and the finish line is half a year away. Quite obviously by the results of the actual season, nothing is wrong with Roy. STOMP
In your original post, you said apparently Roy wasn't ready for the season start. Obviously he was, and you were wrong. You bringing in these quotes after that fact have nothing to do with Roy's performance. You're just trying to back peddle in a sad attempt to solidify your argument. This topic has removed itself so far from it's original premise. Did you forget the point you were trying to make? I guess the real question is: Are YOU paying attention?
Wrong. The season starts with pre-season--and Roy wasn't playing hard back then. I expect players to play hard every time they lace up their sneakers. Roy's play was part of the bigger problem of lackadaisical play in general. That was part of my original point, that Roy helps set the tone. When guys seem him coasting, they're more inclined to coast themselves. You seem awfully dense on this subject.
Nobody give a shit about the preseason! It doesn't count. Players who have a solidified role in the NBA know this, so they coast through it and try not to get injured. This isn't rocket science, dude. Do you think people ever look back and say, "whats a memorable preseason that was".
I suspect that Camby was hoping like hell there was nothing to worry about. The same probably goes for McMillan and Matthews. They all saw the lack of effort and focus in the preaseason, and were crossing their fingers that it would all go away when the season started. As it turns out, we now have a 2-0 record, so everyone (including me) is happy. The best comparison I can make is when a player takes a wild, improbable shot and it somehow goes in. You're happy it went in, but you're not happy with the way it got there. You know you dodged a bullet, and that's what the Blazers have done so far this year. They goofed off during the pre-season, but they're winning anyway, so all is forgiven. I'm pretty sure he's pleased when the team has a winning record during the pre-season and everybody is really into it. Not all players take the pre-season off; some of the biggest names in the NBA had outstanding performances during this year's preseason.
Take a look at some of the box scores from the preseason, my friend. LeBron James, Dwayne Howard, Dirk Nowitski, and a good number of "solidified" players had outstanding all-around performances during the pre-season. Roy was notable for being one who didn't.
So? I'd rather have my player bring his best game during the regular season, you know, when it actually matters.
I didn't go through this whole thread so maybe I missed something, but who the hell is Dwayne Howard?
so you only believe the quotes that fit (however loosely) the point you're going for, while quotes that run directly counter to your predilections are to be dismissed... got it! just imagine how much happier you'd be if you were truly on to something. Roy, other Blazer vets, and various Blazer coaches stated (in so many words) preseason doesn't mean shit. Turns out they were right because the club now has two blowouts under their belt from the actual season. Outside of Greg and Joel, everyone seems healthy, in great shape & good to go... which is what most here seem to root for from the time prior to the games meaning something they prepared for the actual season like professionals. No one suffered serious injuries and everyone is in shape. Ha-ray! me too, but a coach's interests aren't necessarily the same as the players or mine as a fan. As Nate stated in the quote I relayed earlier, the guys who tend to go hard in the preseason are borderline players struggling for minutes. Conversely, vets use the time to prepare themselves physically for when the games count. I'm sure it's rewarding for a coach to have a team full of overachieving youngins struggling to find their way in the league and hanging on their every word, but there is something to be said for having solid vets who know how to prepare themselves to win as well. The feel good how I got my crack at NBA superpowers stories aren't there to be written about guys 5 years in. Oh well. I appreciate these days as a Blazer fan as I'm expecting great basketball and possible contention this season... other then by injury, preseason results wouldn't raise or lower my hopes one iota. and many more of the biggest names in the league used the preseason like so many of their predecessors. Can't wait til next preseason STOMP
It doesn't. I don't understand how the lousy pre-season is harming the team. I really, sincerely don't see it after two double-digit wins with Roy playing well. So can you explain where the harm exists to the team?
I suspect you flew off the handle, made a lot of angry claims and are now desperately trying to justify them when they all proved wrong. The team was ready for the regular season. Roy was ready for the regular season. They didn't win two games by double-digits due to improbable luck...they won two games by double-digits due to being a talented team that was ready. Sorry.
But.... but.... but.... They sucked during the preseason and the preseason is the start of the season! That's gotta count for something!
You haven't been paying attention, as usual. I said more than once that my concern was a lackadaisical approach to the pre-season, regardless of whether or not it spilled over into the regular season. I expect professional NBA players to give 100% to the pre-season, not coast through it like it's a joke, as Roy did. I'm glad the Blazers are winning right now, but I'm still not happy with the way Roy treated the pre-season, which I think was disrespectful to the team and the coaches.
The Heat were 3 and 4 in the pre-season. Disgraceful according to you. The Orlando Magic, on the other hand, were perfect in the pre-season. 7 and 0. Those dudes play the right way, they are upstanding citizens who give it 110% at every moment. They vote Republican. And they love their mothers too. Last night, those two teams played. Played a game that counts for the record. Miami - that would be the team that coasted through the pre-season, took those pre-season Champions out behind the woodshed and whooped them with a bloody beat-down. It was embarrassing really. Varsity vs. JV. Pre-season means shit. There is a reason it doesn't count in the standings.
So in other words, there was absolutely no harm to the team. You just didn't like it. That's fair. You're free to like or not like whatever you wanted. You acted like there was some actual harm, which it seems you now agree there wasn't.
