Blazers vs. Kings Preseason Opener 2008

A fellow Blazer fan made this video, so I take no credit for it. It's been on my computer for a while, and I think some of you have seen it before. But it's a wonderful video showing the potential could-be, would-be season of 2008. Even though it didn't pan out like we wanted, this game was insane to watch (errr... the highlights, anyway. No local broadcast team covered it).

Enjoy.

[video=youtube;0P7l5P_CgRQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P7l5P_CgRQ[/video]

 

Dear God, just stay healthy

 

Watching that video kind of gets me annoyed at Rudy. The guy is 10x the player that he showed us after he came back from the back injury. Drama queen wanting to be the #1 option on a team when he isn't skilled enough to be.

 

Even when he was out of shape he showed signs of being able to dominate...

 

Damn, kind of depressing watching that again. I remember being at that game, sitting right behind the basket and being in awe over the potential we had. G.O. looked dominant, we knew what we had with Roy and LA, a great backup with Joel, we had the flash and ability to run with Sergio/Rudy/Webster, we had bench scoring from Travis, and then a hungry Bayless.

I know it was only a preseason game, but you could tell there could've been something special if the team stayed healthy and continued to grow. Two years later, a lot of those guys aren't here and we still don't know about G.O. Oh well..

 

I think that I have the radio feed of that game... such promise.

 

This was about the time when the team's hype was at it's highest, the excitement over Oden was boiling over and the young roster had so much potential. Hopefully the best days are still in front of us.

 

Remember, this was the Kings.

Talking of whom, how many of the players on the Kings in this video still are? Not Hawes, Jackson (!), Salmons...is that Shelden Williams!?

 

You know how we can back to that level? Two words: Steven Hill.

 

I would also like to point to this game as proof that Rudy was sand bagging it last season.

 

I think it's ridiculous to suggest that Rudy wasn't trying. I think Rudy had a hard time adjusting to life without Sergio (notice the role Sergio is playing? Wasn't Blake injured for this game?) and then had back surgery, and just wasn't the same afterwards. Even though he was struggling before the surgery (after all, he needed surgery), he was a league leader in steals.

 

I was working on the Kings broadcast that night. Everytime Greg did something I was jumping up and down screaming in the truck!

 

He looked beasty that game. My avatar is his monster block on Hawes early that game

 

I remember it pretty vividly (sitting in the second level "orange" seats) and it was like the whole arena was holding its breath anticipating something great happening after having to wait a whole year to see Greg on the court. I remember thinking that he looked pretty awkward, but Christ was he big and powerful -- seemingly a true man amongst boys.



I don't know what's worse, if he'd been a huge bust because he wasn't talented enough to play, or if he ends up a huge bust because he can't stay healthy?

 

I wouldn't trade Rudy unless it's in a package for a really good player. As I've said in another thread - Bayless, Rudy, Wesley, Camby and Joel is our 2nd-unit.

 

I LOVE that 2nd unit!

 

I wouldn't hold my breath on either Rudy or Joel being in the lineup this coming year.

 

I think we saw ample evidence that Bayless and Rudy is not a good combo.
And at this stage in his career, I don't think Camby can play effectively as a PF.

I say: Rudy, Armon Johnson, Wesley, Cunningham and Camby. Bayless and Prz have been traded along with Miller for an all-world starting PG...

 

That's a sweet second unit if Rudy doesn't sandbag it or play hurt. Even Johnson, Wesley, Babbitt, Cunningham and Camby would be pretty good.