First of all Hello to all good people here. I'm new, so don't be too harsh. Forgive my english too. I read this forum a lot this season and there is one thing I don't really get. Since we all know there is some problem with this team, no one seem to poit out that we don't have any vets. Yet you want to built a contender adding more Noels, Okafors and Nurkices. Whiteside is the oldest guy you want here. Problem is, when you 22, you are almost always headcase. You want more "I don't know what's goin on in lockerroom"? I mean, we let go Henderson, let go BigFoot and we depend on Dame "lidership" only. Marcus Camby was 35 when came to Blazers and was 4 years after Def player of the year. Tyson Chandler is 35 now and 4 years after same (cerrect if I'm wrong). Now, there was a case few weeks ago about CJ tellin Ezeli to shut up. Can't imagin doin so to Camby or Chandler. Yet, Chandler is "to old" to most of you guys. How you want to get out of trouble without any strong voice in the team? And how you gonna run on playooffs without any vets?
Welcome!!! And good post and points!!! Where are you from? This is not an aspect I think some of us naysayers of chandler have put into consideration. If chandler can come in and provide 8/10/2blocks in 25-30 minutes a game AND provides that veteran leadership, back up support for Dame, That could translate into a lot more than just numbers alone for the team. I think the main reason many of us want to stay young is because of salary reasons. We don't have money to spend on aging vets because they are maxing out. We already spent our money. Is there a player out there that is younger for half the salary that could provide the same numbers as whiteside? Noel could be the guy. So really the question is, is that veteran leadership worth $10 mill a year? Personally I'd like to have Noel and see that extra money put into another player and an elite big man coach. Dame and NO believe they are close to contending though and probably believe chandler is a guy that could push us into contender category. Not sure I agree.
Is veteran leadership worth $10 mill a year? Well, is Justin Bieber worth $10 mill a year? (writing from Europe. u wouldn't belive how much support Blazers have in Poland
It's just obvious that with team average of 17 years old Blazers gonna hang out like Minnesota and Lillard will be our Ricky Rubio. Add some more kids. Good luck with that.
Yes. Ezeli was talking to them about how they need to re-focus and what it takes to be a contending team. He had been sharing his experiences from 2 straight Finals appearances with the Warriors. CJ got irritated with it because Ezeli wasn't out there everyday playing (at all) so shouldn't be talking. CJ may may have taken issue with the messenger but the message was the right one. There is something different in the locker room this year and I get the feeling it will come out here fairly shortly unless this team turns things around in a big way. Losing the 'veteran' leadership of Hendo and Kaman may have been part of that to be sure but Kaman rarely played and I can't see CJ saying that to him. I spoke to someone yesterday with very good team insight/connections and all he would say was, "Something is amiss." I get the feeling he was holding back a lot.
That's not the whole story. Ezeli was trying to lecture them as they were walking off the court after a tough loss and CJ was understandably upset. So basically he pointed out that Ezeli hasn't played ONCE so there was a limit to his authority on the matter. What would you have CJ be like? Totally okay with having lost? I like the fact that he was pissed so he snapped back.
I would be very pleased to see us go get someone like Joakim Noah. I don't care that he has a bad contract - every NBA contract is ridiculous. Actually, I think the reason we're keeping Pat Connaughton (indeed, the reason we got him in the first place) is his reputation as a strong lockerroom guy. That is a particular concern of Olshey's (in sharp contrast to Bob Whitsitt).
LOL, did you say hello old gorilla? Too true. My mother was Polish. When visiting her family they would speak Polish. I remember a few words, but had to look up what I posted. Hope I said, Hello, good morning? Anyway, welcome, and great first post. You need to have a talk with our GM and get him back on a good path.
Portland fans are weird. They believe in what I have named "The Golden Future" and others call "Let It Bake." They were proud, not embarrassed, when the Blazers were the youngest team in the league. Every year they are glad to calculate that we're the 2nd-youngest or 3rd- youngest or whatever we are then. When we lose, they're delighted, because to them, being crap now guarantees winning down the road. When we draft an Outlaw or Webster or Leonard, they shame anyone who tells them a year later that the scrub doesn't belong in the league...and the argument rages for 5 insanely long seasons. They are masochists who love self-punishment. At the end, after bitterly criticizing criticism for years, they say, Oh I came to agree with you 2 years ago out of the 5 years, so don't look at me. When we already suck at certain facets of the game for a couple of seasons, and then those facets completely disappear during the whole preseason, they say, it's only one preseason game. You are so pessimistic. Then when the trend worsens consistently over every game in the early regular season, they say, it's only one game in the early regular season. Then they start threads ridiculing any analysis, saying, half the posters on this board react to only one loss. In this thread, they say that a veteran adds leadership in the lockerroom. They can't imagine him playing a lot and winning games. When I first followed the NBA living near Los Angeles, my team was 10 years older than half the teams. Opponents made every mistake you could think of while we won 69 games with West, Goodrich, Chamberlain, and Hairston. When old pros like Connie Hawkins or Bill Bridges became available cheaply the next season, the Lakers grabbed them. After being picked up, older stars only lasted a couple more years at a high level, but that's how the Lakers survived at the top for many years, until the recent ownership change.
Good point. TBH don't know where their problem is. Maybe you right. My point is Chandler have more D knowlege than half of our team alltogether. So maybe he could make some classes after games? And Dame can cary all the rest
jlprk could very well be DB Cooper! Read today they found traces of factory dust on his tie....think he worked for the airline but who knows? He jumped over Puget Sound somewhere!
No, i actually meant what i said. The mere presence of Ezeli on the bench in a suit EVERY GAME is annoying to me.
