Batum Postscript
by Ben Golliver on Nov 1, 2008 1:53 AM PDT
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PrintIn the locker room tonight postgame, Batum was mobbed by reporters. After he was done answering questions, he left for the bathroom area, only to return to his locker soon after to gather his belongings. Unfortunately, the media was now swarming LMA's locker, which is near Nic's. Nic was standing behind roughly 20 reporters and cameramen, looking overwhelmed.
Channing saw Nic in distress and asked him, "What do you need?"
Nic, iPhone in hand, dressed sharply but barefoot, said meekly, "My shoes."
Underneath the mass of cameras were Nic's shoes, out of reach thanks to the media swarm.
Channing smiled, looked at the rookie, shook his head, and said, "Well tell them to move then!"
Nic, in his French accent, said softly "excuse me" (I don't believe anyone even heard him) and slithered his way between elbows and shoulders, reaching down with his long arms to finally reclaim his shoes. Soon after, relieved, he departed the locker room to chat with friends.
20,000 people cheering your every move on the court; 20 media members blocking you from reclaiming your own dang shoes. Aggressive enough to block Tim Duncan; polite enough to say "excuse me" to reporters.
Such is life for this rookie.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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Great Story!
Ben – how long do the players have to get out of the locker room when they are flying out the same night (i.e. to Phoenix tonight)?
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 1, 2008 2:14 AM PDT reply actions
Probably the same amount of time as the Spurs because they have a bus waiting in the players
parking lot.
Good post. Batum looks a lot like Scottie Pippen, only not as raw and I love those long arms. If he can get even better and more consistent with his shot sky is the limit with him. Worst case for him is a Tayshaun Prince type of career.
they are far better people than me......
and that say’s alot.
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
Boom Boom played very well
The Blazers need to keep taking advantage and get him the ball in a position on fast breaks and early offense to attack the hoop. He has shown great body control so far and I personally can’t wait to see a unit of:
Sergio
Rudy
Boom boom
Outlaw
Aldridge/Frye
That unit did a good deal of damage in the second quarter and 3 out of those 5 guys had off nights for crying out loud!
Rooo-D!
What I liked most was
That he showed no fear or hesitation in anything he did, and he did it without that Jay Bay cockiness.
P.S. How long till i can post and comment on my mobile phone? Are they even working on it?
???mobile phone? posting?...
my co worker will let me borrow her little iphone thingy every now and then if there’s something I have to let out ….. :)
it seems to work fine….
SURE HE CAN BE FEARLESS AND DOMINATE ON THE COURT….but the kid can’t shove a couple of weenie journalists to the ground, to get to his own shoes….he’s a softie….gonna need to get that kid to watch some van dam movies or somethin….wait a min….van dam….nevermind….
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
you can't post on the mobile/iphone version yet
but if you have a real browser, just switch over to the normal version and you can post.
Free Sergio! http://www.freesergio.com
TV tonight on NBA-TV (Directv 601)
Anyone know if the game tonight on NBA-TV (via Directv) will be blacked out in the Portland area? Sure hope not!!!
I'm hoping not
But if it is, I believe you’ll be able to watch NBAtv here at veetle.
http://www.veetle.com/channelList.php
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Here's the link to the NBA channel
http://www.veetle.com/viewChannel.php?cid=488fda44651b0
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Batum fits the mold
One thing that doesnt seem to fly around P-town is players with cocky arrogant attitudes. I think in general the soft-spoken let their play speak for itself player is the kind admired around here.
Listening to the game the other day, the jobbers kept bringing up a kobe in P-town trade scenario and nearly every caller repeated the same sentiment— NO WAY would that guy work with the fans, the common calling card kobe’s arrogant attitude.
I love our teams character, and Batum is already endearing himself into the fanbase.
Congrats Boom Boom for a very nice home debut and stay smug-free please.
You can't front on that
He is a perfect example of the New Blazer...
Absolutely ridiculous amounts of talent and potential, but just as loaded with humility, respect for others and kindness. Batum is a rookie example and Frye is a veteran example.
Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA - Let the breakout year begin!
LMA puts the POWER in Power Forward!
42:22 Mins 10-22 FG 1-2 3pt 2-4 FT +6 2 Off 5 Rebs 3 Ast 1 TO 1 Stl 2 BS 23Pts - LMA vs SA 10-31-08
He now has a catch phrase for when he gets a steal
Boom-Boom after he picks Tony Parker pocket: " GIMME MY SHOES!!!!"
"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
haha, +1
First person to drop that in a Gameday Open Thread gets 50 imaginary Jersey Contest points.
Jerryd Bayless has two emotions: Kill and Win.
"I think it’s going to be very beautiful game next year."
-Nicolas Batum
NorrisHopper30: "someone injure pubert jones"
by rockingharder on Nov 1, 2008 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions
That is funny...
may catch on…
There is probably no more terrible instance of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man — with human flesh.
Paul Muad'Dib - Dune (Frank Herbert)
My Translation: My Dad is a dude just like me, and my sons are dudes like me also. I love that.
Season Tix: Section 315, with my sons
the sun's a little brighter today
and it’s raining.
Nice Observation
Illuminating anecdote. Behavior like that from American Reporters makes me feel….well just “Le Miserable”. (Pardon Moi? I would like to retrieve my shoes. Soon I will be talking about the blocking of the Mr. Timothy Duncan). – He needs to get all his stuff together while the media is kissing up for quotes not after.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
As i've been preaching on this forum of yours...
start Batum over Travis for his Defense and scrappiness. Now they need to go 2/2 for me - Have Greg come off of the bench and work his way into the starting lineup when he comes back.
And please don’t give me that ‘You can’t have a #1 overall pick coming off of the bench, are you crazy?’ routine. If LA (#2 overall) can come off of the bench for an entire season, then their’s nothing wrong with Greg coming off of the bench for now. This team will be better for it – trust me.
when i get sad, i stop being sad & become awesome again. true story.
Nate needs Batum's court confidence
Nate should have gone with Batum as a starter in the first game.
Team chemistry was needed at the start of that game.
Instead of immediately getting down by 15+………
by spencerbutte on Nov 1, 2008 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with you on starting Greg off the bench
I was preaching that last year – Joel has earned the starter’s role. Greg has not (yet). I expect Greg to have earned the starter’s role by the All-Star break, but he hasn’t (in my opinion) earned it yet.
Plenty of rookies start.
especially #1 picks. I’d love someone to look up past #1 picks and where they ended up on the rotation of their teams their rookie year. Oden should be starting-period.
Pryz has shown us what he can do. And that’s defensive toughness, tenacity and heart. I love him but he plays like he has boxing gloves on. He can’t catch a pass or finish with any regularity. Greg can bring all Pryz can and finish on those plays. Its not like anyone’s saying Oden should be avg 40 mpg or something.
Greg is out of his comfort zone...
Starting is not working well for him. He doesn’t appear to be as composed and centered as Roy was his rookie year (age will do that as well as 4 years of college experience). I think he’d be more comfortable coming off the bench and earning his way into the starting rotation rather than having it handed to him (or more accurately, dropped like a weight on his massive shoulders). Pryzbilla plays well with the Black Unit (he and Roy run a textbook pick & roll) and his lack of offensive output isn’t as much as a handicap when you have Roy & Aldridge out there.
If Nate wants Oden to come of the bench for a while, but feels he needs an excuse
then this foot injury is perfect. I think Nate will give Greg a gradual return to play, starting off the bench, and that will be good for him.
I agree that it would be good for Greg.
I also think it would be a nightmare for other teams. They would have to either watch their second string center be absolutely man handled by Greg or send in a now tired starter. Either way there will be mismatches due to fresh legs or the ease of penetration for the starters if Greg is matched against the starter (IE bringing Kaman off the bench instead of starting him). I think it would greatly help Greg’s confidence. As it is I think he will come back and beat up on the weak centers once the NBA’s evil schedule of meaty centers clears out about the time Greg returns.
He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants
We barely won that game at home, with Manu out.
A healthy Greg Oden might have meant a comfortable lead at the end instead of another nail-biter.
"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics
If you look at the boxscore, it's hard to see how we won.
The Spurs shot 56% from the field, including behind the arc. We had six more rebounds, but they had seven more assists. We hit four more free-throws, but we missed six while they missed only one.
The game played-out almost exactly the way Dave scripted it . They got big points from Parker and Duncan, but Mason and Finley combined for 30 on 11-18 shooting. They were one shot from the win and nearly got that. Given that this game was in Portland, it’s a good indicator of how far we have yet to go to become an upper-echelon team.
"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics
Not so sure....
I’m really not following this logic. I would have to put the Spurs in the “upper-echelon team” bracket, and we beat them, so by definition then aren’t we doing pretty good, even if it is a 1 point win? Some lucky three point shooting kept the Spurs in the game. It was close at the end, but I’m totally happy with the teams performance last night. Roy and LMA looked great, Batum and Rudy brought some serious hustle. I can only hope this is the starting signs of even greater things to come.
Batum makes me come out of lurker land
Loooooong time lurker, first time posterizer.
Batum made me believe last night, plain and simple. Playoffs? Eighth spot? Yessir. Batum is going to come to symbolize this teams hunger, their drive, and their humility.
I was supposed to be out enjoying Halloween festivities, but I made my friends come over and watch the game instead. We all had to be witnesses to this scrappy Frenchman making the first of many exclamation points in his young career. What a joy to watch.
Unable to defend a table since 2008
by stop_beating_me on Nov 1, 2008 10:10 AM PDT reply actions
I like Batum even More now
he reminds me of myself, ofcourse a much better athelete and pimp image of myself
"All our holes," says shooting guard Brandon Roy, a surprise All-Star last year in his second season, "are holes that Greg is going to plug."
He certainly making me a fan of his game
If he keeps this up, we are going to have one happy fan base.
....
Nic can play. If Nate continues to work him into the offense, Batum could be scary.
"I just know that I can't get big, I can't eat whatever I want to. I have to eat healthy, I have to stay right, I have to stay involved and ... I have to be here at practice because you know what? I can play pretty quick."
The ballad of Kaboom Batum
Out on the floor he came in a hurry
never looked back and without a worry
he dove to the hoop with a smashing Kaboom
who was this guy Nicklaus Batuuumm ?
On Halloween night when all was quite scary
The crowd was amazed and so was Jon Berry
the kid came to play and the crowd wanted more
He proved to everyone, he belongs on the floor
Nice
Too bad a DB is Berry….very
"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 Nov 1, 2008 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions
The main thing I liked about Batum
besides his defense and boards was how he attacked the basketball, both for his own opportunities and to create for his teammates (See also sweet dish to Aldridge). He also was great at streaking down the court and finishing on the break that is a HUGE asset to a team that is often hesitant to get out on the break. All in all I think Batum makes Outlaw expendable assuming Martell comes back in good form. You then have a utility defensive specialist in Batum and a 3 point assassin in Martell. Both play good defense, Martell can spread the floor, and both are good at slashing to the hoop. I just don’t see Outlaw as fitting in with the team mentality as well as those two guys.
He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants
After reading that story
All I can say is that Sophia obviously needs to give Nic a hug. I’m sure she won’t mind too much.
Favorite Player?
Nicholas is beging to become one of my favorite players. His work ethic and commitment to the team is exceptional. It’s hard not to root for him! I would like to see him start and bring those long arms out against the other teams better starting forwards. Plus I like the idea of Travis being availabel to score with the 2nd team.
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