Sorry, PapaG, but it was ABM's shindig. I don't know if he just had a limit on the number of folks he could invite or if maybe you ticked him off sometime in the past.
Yeah, I agree with you tlong. KP wasn't ruling out making a run at Kobe, but I don't think it's real high on the probability index for the reason you mention. I mainly like messing with DaRizzle's Laker-loving mind.
that's totally awesome that ABM managed to organise that for everyone involved and it speaks volumes of the Blazer management and how accommodating they are for their devoted fans! Props 2 ABM!!!
I wish I could have gone but my wife already had me doing something for her. I'm really disappointed I didn't get to meet some of the posters plus get to listen to KP and even Nate. Thanks ABM for organizing this.
I wasn't there, but I can tell you (as ABM's best friend) that he put a LOT of effort into this thing over many months. I was very impressed as to how much time he had into the whole thing. I think the reason he didn't open it up to the full public is that he had to somehow keep it down to a certain amount of people. Also, I think he didn't want any of the press that read these boards to show up unless invited.
So let me get this straight. I come to this board because of an invitation from ABM. I abandon my old girlfriend that I have invested countless hours and come to a new scene because of him . . . and then I get dissed by the very poster who pulled me away from my old life. Man this Internet stuff has a very strange parallel to my real life. At least I get to see the pictures. : )
It is very impressive, and ABM deserves many kudos for organizing it. Obviously he couldn't just invite everyone, and obviously everyone would want to be there.
A few tidbits from yesterday's meeting with KP: He reads lots of books on leadership and motivation and keeps a private list of goals for the season on his bathroom mirror. He wouldn't reveal what they were, other than the one he's already made public of making the playoffs this year. He's been on Paul Allen's yacht (note that he always refers to him respectfully as "Mr. Allen") and says it's "nice". Mr. Allen has promised him the use of the yacht for a week if the Blazers win a championship. When asked if the challenge of rebuilding another team in a city like New York might lure him into changing GM jobs in the future, he said he'd be happy to sign a 25 year contract with the Blazers right now if it were offered to him. The team uses a variety of personality tests to evaluate players before the draft. They've already begun working on preparations for next year's draft.
Ah, there's so little to mess with, Rizzle. One other item you might be interest in: I did take the opportunity to ask KP for his thoughts on the relative strengths of Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden. He wouldn't go into much in the way of specifics except to say that he thought we should be in for the fun of watching some "classic battles" between the two over the next decade or so. He also said that he wouldn't trade Greg for anybody because he thinks he's going to be a "special" player.
Oh, one other thing: KP verified our suspicions that he does read AND post on several basketball boards from time to time. He said he mainly chimes in when he thinks a conversation is getting way out of line on things like trade proposals. He didn't mention reading S2, so I guess we need to let him know that the best posters have moved over here.
You guys made Truehoop "A bunch of internet geeks get to meet the Blazers brass, and get some weight loss tips in the process." ha ha ha http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop
