<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Center Dale Davis has gone AWOL on the Trail Blazers, abruptly leaving Friday's practice after an exchange with general manager John Nash over a team-issued fine. Davis was upset that the Blazers fined him for being unable to make the team's flight to Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Davis, who lives in the West Hills, said he was unable to get out of his steep driveway because of the snow and ice storm that hit Portland that week. He rejoined the team Jan. 9 in Chicago. Davis was on the practice court Friday when he spotted Nash and left the workout to speak with him. The two exchanged words, and Davis left the practice facility, stunning Nash and coach Maurice Cheeks. "It's very disappointing and it's unprofessional," Nash said. "But we will deal with it." Davis was not available for comment Friday. It was not disclosed how much Davis was fined. This is not the first time Davis has left the team in protest, and it adds to a list of fines related to tardiness. In 2000, his first season with the Blazers, Davis skipped a team practice in Salt Lake City and flew to Las Vegas in protest of playing only five minutes during a Christmas Day game in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Last season, Davis was fined for missing the team's practice in Chicago after staying out late on New Year's Eve. This season, he was fined and taken out of the starting lineup for being late to the team's morning shootaround before last Saturday's game against Dallas. Cheeks said Davis will not start today against Golden State, but he expects him to play . . . if the matter is resolved. </div> Link Guess I'd better go update the probable starters in my preview, lol. This is really frustrating because things seemed to have calmed down. The Blazers are just giving the media and fans what we have come to expect: if it isn't one player it's another.
Crap! Of all the things to happen, the Blazers have it bad enough as it is. Poor Dale Davis, I feel for him, not really his fault. Can't control the weather. Crud! Man, why'd this have to happen, we need his defense.
The only thing Blazers are good at is drawing to the media attention for all the good deeds they are doing on and off court
Well, I can't say that I feel for Dale. Maybe he had a point with the weather thing, and in that case he was entitled to be upset over a fine. But to be unprofessional, especially where younger and impressionable teammates can see it, is totally uncalled for. I wouldn't be surprised to see Davis included in a deal that Portland puts down.
I don't understand how a guy that makes $10 million a year to hustle for some putbacks can justify being upset over a little (for him) fine.
I agree with dale Davis about the weather and he should not be fined. I went to the zoo a couple days before the snow storm hit and there was easily a foot of snow with a layer of ice over it. Then when the snow it we got 2 ft in the valley with frozen rain. Highways were closed and people were not going to work in the valley. In the West Hills were Davis lives probbably a good 4 ft with a layer of ice over it. Most the blazers live in lake Oswego which is a rich part of Oregon but it did not get as much snow as the west hills or the valley. I mean ever the air port was shut down for 3 days with no flights coming in or out. I am very surprised he got fined and I do not think he deserved it. Money is money and anyone has the right to be upset for someone fining them because of something they could not control.. Portland does not get a lot of snow so we were not ready. ODOT the traffic people in Portland poured over a football field 6ft high of gravel onto the roads. We did not have school for a whole week which has never happened to me.
Stuff happens--often out of your control but that's just how it is; you deal with what you get. Being angry to some degree is understandable, but seriously, this is pocket change for him. Flipping out over it, when he should know his team is notorious for immature incidents, is just stupid. What happened here is the equivalent of a snack machine eating your quarter. Sure it pisses you off, but it's certainly not worth making a big deal about.
Dale Davis is a player who demands playing time. It was a bad decision for Portland to trade Jermaine O'Neal away for him. Not worth it.
Dale Davis is doing much better. He's starting to accept his reduced role since Mo Cheeks has been starting D.Miles lately.
