Is Oden Avoiding Portland. And Why?

Start with this small article: http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....-oden-some-advice-if-he-was-around-at-all.php

I know Greg is from Ohio, but we do have a good training staff and excellent facilities and the other players are here- why not Greg?

Well, most of his family and friends are in Ohio. I get that. He's injured and moving thru airports and airplanes is not very comfortable anyway at his size- I get that too.

But I am still surprised how much he stays away. And it makes me wonder if that is any indication of his desire to play closer to home. And sooner rather than later. We've heard no talk about a contract extension. And I suppose it's because of all the injuries, but if I were his agent I'd want to see him locked up in some sort of incentive laden extension. But not a peep. Not even a lie or two from Canzano.

So it makes me wonder...

 

I think these responses sum up my feelings nicely:

 

You may very well be right. It also makes me wonder about getting my news off the internet. Or worse, message boards.

 

"Marcus Camby would give Greg Oden some advice, if he was around at all"

Damn, it's great to see this somewhere besides a message board!

We had a thread on exactly this a month or two ago. People said, what benefit is there for him to be in town. I said he could learn from veterans. Some posters said, how do you learn without playing, so I described plays, techniques, etc. Nikolokolus was on my side, and not many others.

Every time someone like me posts about Oden's laziness and lack of ambition, we are swamped by posts saying that the poor guy deserves a summer off after a hard season of not playing... Besides, there's a rumor that someone's monkey's uncle saw Oden in town once this summer working out, so it's safe to say he's been in town for long periods... And a trainer journeyed to his home for 5 days this summer, so Oden must be working hard all summer... It's not our business anyway... He's a young man, so he should be enjoying life.

The guy has no fight in his voice. For 3 years, he has spent the very minimum possible time doing any work. The cause is management not getting after him to work. The result is his annual injury, from trying to catch up to teammates because he always reports out of shape.

 

What is your evidence that any of this is true? Answer: There is no direct evidence. All you can find is someone who says he heard it from someone else, and that person only saw him duck into a facility once, so the assumption is made that he must be training hard for months, and must be staying in town for a long time. Meanwhile, there are reports of him flying around to celebrity evenings during the same time period, with witnesses noting he spent time at all-day events unconcerned about taking a couple of hours off to work out, etc.

So there are more reports indicating that he hasn't done much than that he has. If he were really working, we wouldn't have to guess anyway. You'd hear the determination in his voice. You'd see a fierce look on the court instead of a fearful wrinkled brow completely out of breath.

 

I really never know on this site whether people are being sarcastic or not. Some of the comments are so mind-boggling.

 

I think I heard Greg was at the Bell Blazers Golf Classic today...........FWIW

 

I sometimes wonder how many people on this board actually like the Blazers and look forward to watching them play- Oden is lazy, trade Bayless, get rid of Nate. Jeeze McGeeze!

 

Been asking that same question for a couple years!

 

Yup he made a brief appearance....a friend of mine that was in the Tournament got her picture with him

 

What is your evidence that it isn't true? I am always listening to 95.5....Mike Barrett has hosted Wheels at Work numerous times this summer. I have heard numerous times that Oden has been in Portland working out. I have heard, and seen pictures that show he is looking pretty trim. The Blazers Brass have said he is doing everything asked of him and Bill Bayno has said the same. I haven't heard a thing about Camby....which makes me think he isn't in town. Yet you talk about Oden's "determination in his voice" and "fierce look on the court" (he hasn't been cleared for basketball activities yet) and his "fearful wrinkled brow". WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT!

I think it's reasonable to question Oden in some respects. He was away from the club for a good chunk of his rehab. His was overweight after his first surgery. But he is in town and in good shape, and no one has heard anything about Camby. Why you're trying so hard to tear Greg down is beyond me...

 

It's just what a lot of "fans" on here do. Get used to it.

 

isn't he taking classes?

 

I've heard about Camby being here during the offseason. I saw him on the news at a charity events he holds out in Hillsboro.

Camby also has a lot more tread on the old tires than Greg does, who is still learning the game and should be taking every opportunity to be a spounge during the offseason.

 

Maybe Camby was here for a fundraiser, but I haven't heard of him scrimmaging with the team recently. And if Camby's age is an excuse for him to not be here working out, I would think that Oden's doctors not clearing him for playing basketball would suffice for Oden to be gone. Except despite that, Oden isn't gone - he's here. In other words, I don't really get the point of your post.

 

I admire Greg Oden. For anyone who has rehabbed, it is lonely and frustrating. All I did was play college football, so I can barely comment. I just remember how boring it was and how I felt I wasn't part of the team. This guy has done it not one, not twice, but thrice. Add in the fact that all the pressure of our expectations are on him and I think he's comported himself fantastically.