Ways Oden is Well-Centered and You are Not

by LaoTzu on Oct 31, 2008 11:21 AM PDT

1. Oden has demonstrated clear-headedness. His perspective is based on reality versus fantasy. Oden says that he hasn't done anything in the NBA yet. He is hopeful but he refuses to put the cart in front of the horse. We all want to be the first to recognize the next big thing. Oden knows that the next big thing isn't something to crown in anticipation. It is something to experience, to look back on in wonder. Would he like to be the next big thing? Absolutely. Does Oden have dreams of championships and NBA stardom. Duh. Does Oden feel comfortable with the idea of an SI cover photo when he has not earned it on the court? Obviously not. Oden is not that interested in potential. Oden is interested in realizing that potential. Oden will be ready to talk SI cover when they are asking him about the amazing thing he did, not the amazing thing he might do.

2. Oden is a warrior. As a warrior, he understands what Sun Tzu and Lao Tzu and others have espoused. To win, he has to know his opponent. And, as importantly, he has to know himself. Oden is frustrated. He is just getting a feel for what it is like to compete at this level. Facing injuries, he is not saying that they are keeping him from displaying his God-given dominance. He is dealing with what is, his God-given upsides and downsides, while trying to develop NBA-level big man skills that often take years to mature. When asked if there could be anything more frustrating than rolling his ankle in his first NBA game and being out for weeks, Oden said, 'Yes. My team losing by 20.'

You (include me here), on the other hand, are Blazer Fans. Fanatics. The Blazers are an escape for us. A happy land of possibility, of potential, of dominating the league from 2010 until Roy and LMA and Rudy leave the NBA on a three-pronged repirator. We see the possibilities, and see the season starting, and no matter how hard the deck is stacked against this young team in the first month, we want wins. We have been waiting!

You are also most of the Blazers players. In LA, most of the guys were so nervous to be the team everyone makes them out to be, they clutched. We gotta play loose. Gripping is a death sentence. So Sergio throws a horrible lob and makes a turnover, so what.

You are also Nate. To get his team to relax, he has to relax. This ain't even the playoffs. We are not who we think we are, yet. And we will only get to that promised land if we loosen up and ball.

QED: Oden is Well-Centered. And You are not.

8 recs | Comment 9 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Yes I am.

"People? You man Sheeple."

by Mike-Fu on Oct 31, 2008 11:45 AM PDT 0 recs

Great Post Lao

I’d hardly call a 20 year old kid a “bust”, or trade him just because he’s had some injuries. Will he ever be the next David Robinson or Shaquille O’Neal? He may not, but I wouldn’t count the kid out. He has the drive to win, and once his conditioning comes around, he should at the very least be a prescence at the defensive end, as well as on the boards. Its definitely frustrating as Blazers fans to see Oden go down with an injury, but lets hold off on calling him a “disappointment” or anything else until we see what the kid can do!

by lefty6283 on Oct 31, 2008 11:50 AM PDT 0 recs

Oden has only played 12 minutes and change

And I think he is leading with honesty and heart. Kinda cool, looked at like that.

There once was a Sea’ Cap’n Nate
Whom with Blazers did negotiate.
The pool, t’was so deep!
"That KP don’t sleep."
Gold medals and rings were his fate.

by LaoTzu on Oct 31, 2008 1:23 PM PDT up 0 recs

While Oden is a different kind of player than Yao

The fact is Yao Ming was considered a bust in 2002. Yao may not be a Shaq. or Robison but he certainly isn’t a bust even if he’s often injured and was slow to integrate in the game.

http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/bad-predictions-about-yao

by boppitywop on Nov 1, 2008 1:14 PM PDT 0 recs

I love the title of your post!

Reasons I’m not well centered that have nothing to do with Oden.

#1. The voices told me the pills weren’t working so I flushed them.

#2. I got a flu shot last week and now I imagine every twinge is the onset of a Zombie producing death flu.

#3. I’m sure there was something damaging hidden within childrens Saturday morning cartoons in the 70’s. I woke up early on Saturdays as a child.

#4. As an adult I like to sleep in on weekends but then find myself dissapointed that I’ve missed the 5am-10am breakfast specials.

#5. I have a reoccuring dream that Bayless and I are two cops working the vice division within Las Vegas. I have written entire scripts to a series I call: Bayless and Krang

#6. I get very nervous whenever Wheeler starts talking about his Lapband Surgery for weight loss. I wish him the best of results but comment about it usually results in a rebellious trip to Taco Bell for a Big Box meal. Free your Gut and your mind will follow!

#7. I think I’ve got over the pain of Sam Bowie over Jordan but I’ve never gotten over the disappointment of activating my package of Sea Monkeys just to see some mostly dead, almost microscopic brine shrimp float around in circles.

#8. I’d like a monument errected in honor of The Jail Blazers. It should be large, bronze and feature Rasheed, Bonzi, Randolph and JR. Rider in the process of ripping their jerseys off and “saluting” with fingers. Bonus points if we make it a fountain…perhaps Bonzi could spit continually? Yes, I am a Blazer fan, but I think the monument would be cathartic. We could start a tradition of fans throwing money in it after a Blazer loss then at the end of the season we take all the money out and just CTC to a deserving charity.

#9. Part of me isn’t kidding about #8.

#10. As an adolescent I thought Kiki Vandeweghes sister was hot and I watched her and Blazer games while eating “Rip CIty” Blazer frozen pizza.

"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"

by Krang on Nov 1, 2008 4:41 PM PDT 0 recs

Blaze on, Krang!

There once was a Sea’ Cap’n Nate
Whom with Blazers did negotiate.
The pool, t’was so deep!
"That KP don’t sleep."
Gold medals and rings were his fate.

by LaoTzu on Nov 2, 2008 3:20 AM PDT up 0 recs