An Open Letter to Greg Oden

by Trutherlizer on Oct 20, 2008 7:50 AM PDT

I read the article that Jason Quick wrote about you. He is right. And you are right. You have been a little underwhelming during the preseason. But it is not because you haven’t tried. You feel under pressure and you’re thinking instead of playing the game. Now let me tell you some things about Portland fans that may put you a little more at ease.

We like you. We like you not just because you’re charming, but because you dedicate yourself to the game we love. From everything we hear, you work hard. You pass. You play defense. You’re not a prima donna. You’re always trying to improve. You deflect compliments. You can laugh.

And there’re some more things you need to know. Despite our fanaticism about the Blazers, we’re also realistic. We know that rookies make mistakes. Hell, even NBA superstars do. There will be times you struggle; we know that. Even NBA players are human. Sometimes they, and you, will do stupid things. Of course. The only ones who do not error are those who do not risk. The main question is: How do you recover from mistakes? Let your mistakes be opportunities to learn, not way stations for worrying. What we want to see is passion for the game.

It is, after all, a game. It is meant to be fun, to give us joy. When you can find a way to enjoy the game again, we will enjoy it with you. Win or lose. Revel in it, connecting with teammates and fans, knowing that before long we will all be older. Our step will slow, our jump lower, our quickness diminished, our joints complain. But in the meantime, you have the exhilaration of youth and the possibility of athletic excellence; not always, but in snatches. Please, while you’re in the blossom of youth, don’t let doubts intrude. Just play.

Greg, you’re on an amazing team with great teammates, a terrific coach and a first-rate front office. We fans have very high hopes for you, but not just for you; we know that one person cannot win by himself. So the burden is not on just you. We had a pretty good team last year without you. This year, besides you, Fernandez, Batum and Bayless join the team so there’ll be plenty of people responsible for the winning and the losing to come.

And finally, please remember: you’re part of the Blazer community now. You’re already doing the most important things that make us happy with our players—working hard, being a good teammate, giving back to the community, and conducting yourself respectfully. We think you’re going to be a great player, but we do not expect you to be a perfect one.

It’s a game. Play.

Tweet Comment 9 comments | 3 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I second that emotion! nm

by Lu on Oct 20, 2008 7:59 AM PDT reply actions

And that is the truth

"Fez, the foundation of any good relationship is three little words: I-don't-know.

What're you doing? I don't know.

What're you thinking about? I don't know.

Who's that under you? I don't know. "
-Michael Kelso

by 92wastheyear on Oct 20, 2008 8:36 AM PDT reply actions

-1

I get what you’re trying to do, but you’re making the same fundamental mistake Quick made. The idea that once Oden calms down and relaxes, he will start putting up 30/20 is just not accurate. Look, the guy already draws automatic double-teams and constant fouls from opposing centers. He already changes the other team’s outlook on D. Is that not enough?

Here’s my point. If you want to say Greg should calm down and have more fun, fine. I agree. Here’s hoping the big man’s playing pranks on Trout in the locker room by week two.

But the idea that, as a result, he’s going to start “dominating”? That’s a fallacy. He’s doing fine. He just had microfracture surgery. He’s 20 years old. He’s drawing double-teams in the NBA. Appreciate what the kid brings to the table without expecting him to win the MVP his first year.

Be a little more reasonable, and less “underwhelmed,” and maybe Greg will have a little easier time relaxing.

Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.

by KP Corleone on Oct 20, 2008 8:46 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

I completely agree with KP Corleone

Look at what Greg IS doing. He is playing excellent post basketball. He’s making the right decisions. He is playing way beyond his years in terms of hitting the open man out of a double team. Fans are so quick to forget what a black hole Z-Bo was in the post.

Phil

by Philski on Oct 20, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions

I agree

He hasn’t underwhelmed me at all.

by moflow on Oct 20, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm guessing your addressing . . .

one kind of general reaction to GO’s preseason rather than the content of the letter itself. The only part of it that suggested a shortcoming was to describe his performance so far as “a little underwhelming” -criticism of the mildest flavor. No where that I can see does it state or imply the expectation that Oden is “going to start ‘dominating’” or going to be an MVP his first year. So I wonder what sentiment in the letter-not your projection into it—but that can actually be found in the letter itself that you found unreasonable?

To suggest that GO is struggling some is not to not appreciate him. It is to acknowledge a common ailment of athletes and others: performance anxiety. This is particularly common among those who are most demanding of themselves. Perfectionists will recognize the symptoms. And as someone who saw Greg play in three of his first four preseason games, he looked tight. Quick’s article, I thought, was sympathetic to Oden, pointing out as it did that he feels burdened by constant attention and high expectations.

What I tried to convey in my letter—but did clearly did not wholly succeed in—was that he needn’t feel so much pressure from us fans, that we’re mostly a patient bunch, and that he needs to give himself permission to make mistakes. Fear of failure can be stifling.

Of course Oden will be okay. I was just hoping we might speed the process a little by reassuring him that our own expectations for him are in check.

by Trutherlizer on Oct 20, 2008 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Oden will be fine

I think the expectations would not be as big if he did not look like a grizzly’d vet already. As everyone points out, he is 20 years old. In pre-season, he is already doing more offensively than Joel ever has (again, it is just pre-season), and is probably equal with Joel defensively. Imagine what he could be like when he is 24 (still a child).

by clonigro on Oct 20, 2008 9:18 AM PDT reply actions

Oh!

Where do I sign? :)

by IsaacFHarris on Oct 20, 2008 2:23 PM PDT reply actions

Still young.

He has pressure and a lot of it. He’s still young. It’ll be nice if he is the next Robinson, Duncan, Russell, for us. I’d love that like the rest of us. But he is still young, and let’s not get too ahead ofourselves just yet. He’ll be fine.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Oct 20, 2008 3:52 PM PDT reply actions