Sounds like the knee isn't feeling 100% yet, but is getting better. http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/02/mcmillan_among_those_perplexed.html
Quick on the Fan today said that Nate sounded a bit exasperated about Oden. He also said that the coaching/training staff was having to basically force Greg into getting on a stationary bicycle. Has Oden started to give up on his own body? Does he LOVE basketball?
I've said it before and I've been thinking it more lately, the kid glove treatment is trashing this guy's psyche. Sure, the knee hurts, I get that, but with all of the coddling and over-protective nonsense I think they are seriously contributing to a downward spiral of lost confidence. I had an aunt that did this same kind of shit with a cousin of mine; hovering over him every time he scraped his knee, or cut an elbow and it turned him into a gigantic pussy for most of his childhood years and it wasn't until he got into sports and had a coach who was a little bit of hard-ass and didn't accept excuses that he kind of broke through mentally and stopped being afraid of the world. Greg needs a little more Sarge and less Marge.
Last thing we need is for Oden to injure himself on a stationary bike. With Greggers, anything is possible.
That only reinforces my feelings ... I'm not sure if it's fair, but does he really want to play? Is this in his head?
I can't help but wonder how different things would be right now for Oden had he not had MF surgery. That changed everything.
Where did you read that? I ask because that sounds like the complete opposite of everything I've heard/read over the past week, that it's been the training staff/management that's holding him out and being overly cautious.
Check the first post in this thread. Also it is definitely worth a listen to go to 1080thefan.com and listen to Jason Quick's interview from earlier today ... not to say that JQ is gospel and you should believe his opinion over all others, but it certainly is an interesting take.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/02/mcmillan_among_those_perplexed.html Oden said the knee is improving and that the decision to return has been left up to him. "The doctor said it depends how I feel," Oden said. "If I feel I can go out and play, I can go out and play. I'm just trying to make sure it is better. I don't want to re-injure it if I do come back." I'm with Nik. I'm not sure he wants to play. Or that he likes playing. That he wants to be a dominant force in this league.
I wonder what his work ethic was really like during his rehab. I mean, I know it it was reported he was being good with it, but look how much he ballooned up to. He had to be pushing at least 315 at one point. When he had the surgery he was around 255 I believe. I know he was on the weights, but something tells me his diet wasn't the best. edit - and if a trainer thought it was a good idea for Greg to do that, then I question their decision to do so. His upper body is now is so much bigger than his lower body, which leads to being unbalanced because your body isn't proportioned right. Huge upper body with twig legs. Not good.
I will say one thing in Greg's defense. I really do feel for him if indeed he doesn't love basketball, because then I get the feeling basketball chose him instead of the other way around, which is often the case for abnormally tall/large children. I remember in one of Greg's early interviews from around the 2007 draft when asked what he would do if he hadn't been a basketball player and he said he'd want to be a dentist ... Did we end up with Herbie the dentist? <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6DAja7-RuvM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6DAja7-RuvM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Well, can you blame the guy for not wanting to go until he's comfortable? I mean, is it unreasonable that he doesn't want to hurry it and reinjure it or injure it more?
Ya, I agree. That doesn't say to me he doesn't want to play, just the opposite, he doesn't want to make it worse and have to sit out even longer.
Rub some fucking beer and icy hot on it, put a knee pad on and get back in the fuckin' game, jesus christ!
Yes great idea everyone, come back too soon like Webster and then re-injury yourself and miss the rest of the year. The reason it's gotten as big as it is now is because he went back into the game after he injured himself. He should have just sat the rest of the game out. How can any of you question whether he likes basketball or not? I think it kills him not to be out there. There's a big difference between baby-sitting a guy and making sure you're 100%. Tonight is not make or break, but we'll definitely need him out there the last few weeks of the season.
I have to think that if any other player on the roster (with the possible exception of Brandon Roy) had been quoted as saying this, the reaction by the fanbase would be much different. Get out there and play.
The doctors/trainers have left it up to Oden, as per Oden. Basically, he's cleared to play but isn't playing.
