WHY BATUM AND NOT KOPOEN?
by BLAZERS#52 on Jul 23, 2008 7:25 AM PDT
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Printwell i would much rathe have the finn he has improved greatly over last season and batum is such a project, but the blazers must see some thing in him that the im not seeing cause i would have signed petteri in a heart beat with the summer league he had, now i know that summer league does not mean much but i really think that he can fit into our system well.
Tell me what you think
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It's not official yet, we may sign the finnisher.
But that said, we already have a ton of guards, and Batum needs to develop his defense against NBA players, not gonna happen in the euros. His potential was great overall, but you can see even through how raw he is that he could be a very special defender. They will make him the project just like Outlaw was.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
why cant we do a sign and trade to a team that wants him ,we could add in maybe a martell or lafrenze
to get that veteren that we need
by blazerholic5 on Jul 23, 2008 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions
What veteran do we need?
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by tominhawaii on Jul 23, 2008 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions
You know, THAT veteran
The one who’s smarter than Blake,quicker than Roy, more intense than Bayless, bigger than Aldridge and better looking than Oden.
That guy.
I love it!
You have just perfectly something that has been gnawing at me for a while and couldn’t quite put my finger on. this notion that we need “some veteran” and we must keep a roster position open for him. Why?
Does anyone really think that we are going for the championship this coming season? As a bonafide homer I love to talk like that, but I don’t really believe it.
I say we should D league PK, and let him get ready right here. That way when we get ready to make the final decisions before making the push for 2009-2010, we don’t have the problem of some Euro team telling us we can’t have PK no matter how much we may want him.
Sign him up, dang it!
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
by LaMarvelous on Jul 23, 2008 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Would Orlando trade Howard?
It sounds like you are describing Superman!
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
My Guess is Racims
Some people will say that playing the race card is outrageous.
Can’t say I blame them.
Really, when you think about it, racisms shouldn’t
even be part of the discussion.
What I think is best to to see the person on the inside.
Yep, love sees no color.
Others will tell you that I’m being naive, but that’s ok, because I
understand that it takes time for people to become as enlightened as I am.
My gut feeling is that Pete has too many fundamentals to work on.
Ordinarily I would be worried about sending Pete to Europe but I think he’s four years out from being serviceable anyhow.
Really no point in sweating him for a few years.
Time will tell,
I guess.
Might as well just move on.
Everyone of us should just trust in KP.
Regardless if we agree with him or not.
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Yer on the glue?
Close the lid on that paint can and crack a window, man. yer gett’n varnish between the ears.
RipCity -- now, now ...
Nope
I’m at work and high on life and love of the good ole’ Blazers.
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good to hear ...
I’m at work too, physically. Blazersedge is like a mini-vacation every so often. Ah, beachtime.
RipCity -- now, now ...
Hahaha
Hey, I got it.
I didn’t even enter this thread till you told me you left me a secret message.
I love my message and I hope you back it up.
Blazer fans love their white Euro PGs, and Blazers management love their lanky raw SFs. Will they ever find common ground?!
Petey Koplo should run a team somewhere, either in the D-League or in an actually good league in Europe. He did better than I expected, but it’s not like he was gangbusters. He showed what we hoped he show: he’s promising.
But who would he play over? And more importantly, will he develop riding the bench? D-League is the only way, and if they felt that was the best way to learn, then I’m all for it. Otherwise, he’s the SIXTH damn player who can get called a playmaker/PG/SG type dude on the team, after Roy/Blake/Bayless/Sergio/Rudy… that’s crazy sauce.
Today is not tomorrow
Or, shall we wait too long?
Money matters matter, will Pete sing the NBA song?
What can we do though—
I can’t see how we’d use the kid
Life is tough some times
Love… love is even harder.
Under the overcast Portland sky, we cry.
Marksmen he wasn’t.
A 38% a sharp shooter does not make.
Rex has short arms but long game.
Right the choice to not sign may be,
You can’t help but feel for the Finnish Finlandian kid.
Maybe we still sign him… but it is not a priority.
Everytime I eat a raw herring sandwich, I’ll dream of what could have been.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Jul 23, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's so awesome I might just puke.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Wow
“nuff said this post is over and done w/
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
I think you have enough conText already
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Enlightened?
Im so upset I have to take a break
"Meow" --- My cat Bonzi wondering how long we must wait until the season finally starts so we can see just how good the PTB really are.
you're posting to the hug meister
reciprocated
"Meow" --- My cat Bonzi wondering how long we must wait until the season finally starts so we can see just how good the PTB really are.
I think the issue for KP & Nate was this:
Where is the ideal place for each of these two players to develop?
They have concluded that Batum will be helped the most by staying on the team and learning from our coaches and playing spot minutes during the next couple of years. PK, on the other hand, may be helped the most by letting him play starter minutes in a Euro league.
Let’s face it. Neither of these guys is ready to play more than spot/garbage minutes in the NBA. The question for KP & Nate & the coaching staff has never been, “Who is the better player right now?” If that was the right question than obviously PK would have been signed and Batum would be on a plane back to Euroland.
Maybe Sergio is a good lesson in the context of this type of analysis. I suspect that the Blazer coaching staff recognizes that they made a mistake by not leaving Sergio in Euroland for a couple more years. They stunted his growth and ended up hurting his confidence. Now they are wary of doing that with PK. They don’t want to bring him over precipitously.
Of course, as Noah points out, we don’t really know yet; PK might still be given a roster spot.
Where have all the flowers gone?
by bilingual octopus on Jul 23, 2008 7:47 AM PDT reply actions
Also:
PK’s league in Europe is at a much higher level than the one Batum played in. Batum simply wouldn’t see any quality competition over there, and would likely continue to float. PK might actually get a challenge and develop.
Jerryd Bayless has two emotions: Kill and Win.
"I think it’s going to be very beautiful game next year."
-Nicolas Batum
by rockingharder on Jul 23, 2008 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions
You've got it backwards
Batum’s team in France, Le Mans, plays in a much better league than Petteri’s team, Honka Espoo. Le Mans is actually in the Euroleague. I don’t even think teams from Finland are eligible for the Euroleague, but that’s a guess.
Basically, the French league, Euroleague participation aside, is a much higher caliber than the Finnish league.
by Lance Uppercut on Jul 23, 2008 8:45 AM PDT up reply actions
Is it suspected he will return to the same league?
I thought I heard he received offers from a Russian team. I obviously am ignorant of the Euro-league scenarios, have pity on me if this question is dumb.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
If KP doesn't sign Petko this summer, he's gonesville for good...
.................................. He’ll make scads more money in Europe and the NBA rookie scale will keep him there. The Blazers got IMMENSELY lucky getting Rudy to buck this fact, so to speak, and it’s long odds that they can repeat the stunt. Not to mention the fact that the dollar isn’t going anywhere but down… ($25 billion more getting ready to be rung up on the credit card to bail out mortgage speculators… Wheeeee!!!!)
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
I really wish being an idiot
was a crime sometimes.
It was obvious to me that the mortgage industry had issues when they wanted to offer me a 200k loan. I could have afforded it, barely, but it was also on a flexible rate and any person that gives it a little thought would know that rates WERE at extreme lows and it would only go up and just a percentage point or two would make the difference between make or break.
Seriously… responsible businesses should know this.
I have political thoughts too about the bail out of airlines with poor business models and mortgage lenders with bad business practices when many other educational/social reform agendas are put on hold…
but, let’s avoid all that and talk about how good the blazers are going to be because, frankly, I’d really like some positive news now!!! Politics just makes my blood boil. We’re lucky in that the blazers don’t.
Still, stupidity as a crime would just be AWESOME (except I’m sure I’d be busted from time to time too.)
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Jul 23, 2008 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Left field, bu tI love it.
I was yelling at the TV the other day when they announced I (sometimes tax-payer) would be bailing out other people’s bad business moves—as if they would do the same for me?
Ah, but as soon as the regular season opens none of these “realities” will matter anymore. SUMMERTIME BLUES!
RipCity -- now, now ...
yep
politicians can’t wait to bail people out – be it businesses or otherwise. I’ll probably get slammed for this, but we shouldn’t have given millions of dollar’s to 9/11 families – isn’t that what personal life insurance is for? And we shouldn’t have given billions to individuals in New Orleans who didn’t bother to get themselves flood insurance.
but in this country personal responsibility has gone the way of the do-do bird, and both the D’s and R’s can’t wait to “buy” votes by out-giving each other.
Rule #1 of nitpicking is to get it right.
by douglast on Jul 23, 2008 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
well
Katrina was pretty screwed up. Seems the insurance people were as guilty as the storm.
I walked around down there recently. Screwed up.
9/11 money? I don’t get it. Yeah, the people who got sick in the aftermath, they should be compensated. But for the dead? It was a terrible thing that happened, but if a tree fell on my, no one’s gonna pass legislation to ensure my wife gets a check.
Oh well … where’s the B-ball?!
Lewis & Clark got nothing on these boys next year.
Hmm
I think the political climate has changed because of public opinion. Politicians follow their constituents. Most people think that’s the right thing to do and expect their government to take that action. Bailing out businesses, or giving public aid to flood victims, or 9/11 families is a liberal concept. The fact that it’s no longer a partisan issue means that most people agree on it’s virtue. The word personal responsibility in your context has been outmoded as a concept. If there is a natural disaster, it is no longer expected that it’s on you and no one but you, to help yourself. Your definition of personal responsibility conflicts with what the country at large thinks. If Portland was struck by an severe earthquake and FEMA didn’t show up, no National Guard troops, no helicopters, no shelters constructed, people would be pissed.
In the abstract, personal responsibility in that sense is free market conservatism. Of course, free market sensibilities, and lack of Government oversight is what led to the crisis in financial sector anyways. Really, if the government doesn’t try to help alleviate the situation then the situation could progress towards a depression where you lose your job and your livelihood. And that’s when people go “do something government”. I think it’s narrow minded to say that “I don’t want the government using my money for that”, as if it banks going bankrupt has no personal effect on your life.
A Time For Heroes,
It's not right for young lungs to be coughing up blood
And it's all
It's all in my hands
And its all up the walls
Well the stale chips were up and the hopes stakes were down
Until Kp came into Town!
'Sing it Petey!
I agree to a point
When the free market does well, everyone praises capitalism and boos government interference. When the (!) hits the fan, they want to know where was the protection they needed.
That protection is supposed to be the National Guard, FEMA, cops, fire fighters, bla bla bla. And that’s what tax money goes for, or is supposed to go for. Also, social welfare programs are great, so long as they are used responsibly.
Bailing out giant businesses because they acted irresponsibly may save thousands of jobs, but who really benefits? The very jerks who got greedy and caused the mess. Call me a Tomas Payne Libertarian, but the formation of the concept of the “corporation” was the downfall of personal liberty.
Money lost by banks does not effect bank owners near as much as bank investors—you and me. It hurts a “corporation,” which then has to lay people off to continue to turn a fat profit in the short term.
It strikes a raw nerve when the “Haves” get bailed out for ripping off the “Have-nots.”
End rant now.
Love, peace, temperance, Lao Tzu toodle-doo …
Lewis & Clark got nothing on these boys next year.
Maybe a visit to the 1930's history books on bank failures would help
The savings and loan industry got bailed out in the 1980’s because the loss of confidence by the people would cripple the economy. perhaps that is the thinking now as well.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
I'm sure Keating 5 McCain will give us change we can believe in...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
He is an expert at carrying water for crooked lenders, after all...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Re: I really wish being an idiot
Extremely well played. I agree 100%. The only problem with criminalizing stupidity is that once all of the stupid people are in jail, there wont be very many people left on the outside. (I may be exaggerating here just a bit) :)
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
by LaMarvelous on Jul 23, 2008 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions
No I dont think you are
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Yes and who would be stupid enough to feed us?
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Response to Timbo
$25 Billion is an EXTREMELY lowball figure for the bail out. Just like a certain war we are being told about 5 to 10% of the real cost if not less then that. When all is said and done the Fannie/Freddie bail out of PRIVATE stock holders will cost in the Trillions. And it’s already been booked!
He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants
The real problem with Fannie & Freddie
is that they are neither private nor public and thus the worst of both worlds when times get tough. If they were truly private companies, their CEO and board of directors would have been on the hook regarding all the high-risk loans and the US taxpayers would not have been. If they were public/govt entities, they would have had oversight mechanisms in place, just like FDIC banks do.
Freddie and Fannie were like a shiny toy for Congress and the Congresscritters had tons o’ fun directing F&F to make all sorts of risky loans. Now the fun’s over and the politicos are all acting like, “Hey, we had no idea!” Chumps…
And the taxpayers get stuck with the bill, as usual…
Another problem is the money is all funny money anyway
Money has no basis. It was once backed by gold and silver. Long gone. It is not even printed now. A drop in the fed rate “creates” billions on the books for banks to lend. It does not really exist so they cannot expose its illusion to real working people. The value of our money is only in our willingness to accept it as a return for our property or our efforts. Once we lose that willingness there is no value in money. Hence the need to prop up the banks. This is not a diatribe about government – only a point about the reality of the economy.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
So the more he screws up the better he gets paid.
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
by LaMarvelous on Jul 24, 2008 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Yep
PK played in a league that’s probably comparable to D2 college bball. Batum played in the Euro league, which apparently blows D1 college ball away. PK looks like he could use a few years in the Euro league. I think he’s got a lot of offers, now, so hopefully he’ll step up the level of comp.
My guess is KP wanted to use a roster spot on a guy he feels could eventually be the glue guy (and Kobe/LeBron stopper) for a championship team. Right now, PK would be a developmental prospect whose upside is backup PG. Batum’s upside in 3-4 years is Tayshaun.
Bayless isn't the second coming of Jordan.
Jordan was the first coming of Bayless.
+1
We don’t want P-Kop to be the next Sergio. I actually think it would show more trust in him to let him develop across the world, compared to keeping close tabs on the pure rawness of Batum.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
As much as I liked Pete's summer league...
it is still summer league. On top of that, Bayless is the project they hope will take minutes at the point and they have Sergio who I would guess they want to see for at least one more year before they give up on him.
Batum didn’t look that great even for summer league but he plays a position the Blazers want to improve at for their title run and they only have two SFs. His signing “balances the roster.”
They also value that open spot. When trading a $12million contract, you might want to be able to take an extra player back.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
Another Small Forward balances the roster
PG Blake, Bayless, Sergio, Roy (Petteri)
SG Roy, Rudy, Bayless, Martell (Petteri)
SF Martell, Outlaw, Rudy (Batum)
PF Aldridge, Frye, Outlaw, Diogu, Lafrentz
C Oden, Pryzbilla, Aldridge, Lafrentz, Frye
That's right, but
The argument shouldn’t be “who is better for the 14th roster spot, Batum or Koponen” The real decision is between Peterri and Sergio. Which PG has the best chance of contributing to Blazer championships, down the road?
With Bayless and Blake around, it may be moot. But I would like to hear Nate and KP’s rationale for keeping Rodriguez over Koponen (if that is indeed the final decision) and not the default answer:
“we want to keep the 15th roster slot open in case a veteran becomes available this fall (this is a recording…)”
It's the Spurs' model
Pritchard cut his teeth in San Antonio and has wholly embraced that organization’s guiding principles, i.e. 3 stars + complementary role players.
With Roy, Aldridge and Oden, he seems to have the three stars already in place. Now comes the much more subtle task of tweaking the roster to create a championship calibre squad.
He’s already got plenty o’ instant offense off the bench (Outlaw, Fernandez, Bayless) but is still searching for that lock-down perimeter defender a la Bowen that has been so integral to the Spurs’ success. Obviously, he and the coaching staff believe Batum can be that player (as apparently San Antonio also did, based on the pre-draft rumors) It would then make sense that Pritchard and the Blazers would place a greater premium on a raw, 19 year old defensive specialist in the making than on a backup point guard whose ceiling now appears to be no higher than a Steve Blake. Better to have the flexibility of that 15th roster spot in case another, more needed complementary piece (a bruising backup power forward; a 3-point specialist to replace Jones) unexpectedly becomes available.
by knickfan on Jul 23, 2008 8:31 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Well stated, this is correct.
............................ I differ on the potential ceiling of Petko, who is bigger AND quicker than Blake, but who has a Sergio-like touch from the perimeter, at the moment.
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
I didn't look at the stats but watching all the games I thought his shot was better outside, and I think he's just a streaky shooter.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Koponen's trajectory is better than Sergio's, but he missed by a mile a few times...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Quite true,
I wonder if KP saying something to the effect of “We will have to consider signing him if he continues to improve in the rest of the games” gave him the jitters. Isn’t that about when he started throwing those 3 point passes to nobody?
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Blake's also a much better ballhandler
than Kop is right now.
The information that PK would have placed 2nd in measurements at Orlando this year
gives him a much higher ceiling than Steve Blake. Don’t know that he is better than Sergio but it raises that as well.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Exactly
The need for good outside shooting, IMHO, trumps the need for another PG project … even at the risk of having the Finn tied to a Euro contract for the next several years.
(Congraulations on being one of the very few who knows the difference between “complimentary” and “complementary”.)
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
Yeah, well
sorry. I just get tired of the abuse of the language. I usually keep my mouth shut (er … fingers still), but I’m in a lousy mood this morning.
definitely, not definately
their team, not there team or they’re team
greater than, not greater then
your team, not you’re team
And so on. Never mind.
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
Heh, heh - your FUNNY! :D
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
Yeah
One of my favorites. Colin Cowherd, back when he was in Portland, used to get e-mails from some guy in Salem who would insist that Mr. Cowherd was a “looser”.
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
I tried to find loosers in a bar, but all I found were losers...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Those following the chasers?
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Yea! somebody chattering about language. Oh yeah, this one too!
I get worked up when I see people use “yea” instead of “yeah”.
Free Joel Freeland! (with the purchase of 1 Wafer)
by LaughingJon on Jul 23, 2008 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Ooh, onetime I submitted some writing to someone with "yeah" in it,
and they corrected for me to “yea” before publishing. Argh!
Try AND instead of Try TO.
Lay instead of lie.
Assure instead of ensure.
Creamy instead of crunchy.
I do prefer shrank instead of shrunk, but that’s just me.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 23, 2008 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions
forte
I get annoyed when I hear people mispronounce forte.
From dictionary.com
Pronunciation note: In the sense of a person’s strong point (He draws well, but sculpture is his forte), the older and historical pronunciation of forte is the one syllable [fawrt]. The word is derived from the French word fort ‘strong.’
A two-syllable pronunciation [fawr-tey] is increasingly heard, especially from younger educated speakers, perhaps owing to confusion with the musical term forte, pronounced in English.
I don’t want to sound like a douche, because I can’t spell and I was a math major in college, but my mom was an english major and brainwashed me.
BTW, I hate the word snuck. Please use sneaked. Snuck is the only spoken past tense and past participle for many younger and middle-aged persons of all educational levels in the U. S. and Canada. Snuck has occasionally been considered nonstandard, but it is so widely used by professional writers and educated speakers that it can no longer be so regarded.
Thanks, that’s my rant for the day. I need coffee. ;)
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
ooh, my mom hates that one
I can’t tell you how many times she’s complained to me about that one.
Until now, I’d never seen someone else who noticed that one.
HaHa. I think our mothers would get along.
Although, I get more annoyed because I don’t know much about the English language. I could care less if someone doesn’t know how to do integration by parts, know how to find eigenvalues, or solve multivariable equations using identity matrices.
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
I'm guessing that folks don't pronouce forte correctly
because they’re afraid of the reaction they might get:
Me: My forte in the kitchen is cabbage and Navy beans.
You (laughing): I fart pretty much everywhere when I eat that stuff!
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
Ha Ha
I bet you get mad often.
I think it’s just training pet peeves onto your kids or students; kind of like racism.
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One that I really hate is when people are talking about a
“cache of weapons” but they pronounce it “cachet”. I’ve probably heard that a gazillion times since George started his nasty vendetta against the current scapegoat.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
I had a college roommate named Forte -- and he HATED to be called For-TAY.
...................................... I’m sure the makers of Porsche get this feeling a lot.
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Oh, man
I shouldn’t have said anything. This could go on forever.
OK: “shouldn’t of”. Uh, no. It’s “shouldn’t have”.
Less vs. fewer. It isn’t “10 items or less”. It’s “10 items or fewer”.
“Fewer” is used for discrete entities. “Less” is used for things that can’t be made discrete. You wouldn’t say, “There’s fewer water in that glass than this glass.”
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
"Literally" is a bad one too.
“That guy was LITERALLY, like, 80 feet tall!”
No, no he wasn’t. Literally means “actually,” but people have begun using it for emphasis.
Jerryd Bayless has two emotions: Kill and Win.
"I think it’s going to be very beautiful game next year."
-Nicolas Batum
by rockingharder on Jul 24, 2008 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Have I missed something?
Have the Blazers officially announced that they do not plan to offer Kopponen a contract this year? It was my understanding that he was going to get an invite to pre-season camp. (Does he have to be signed for that?)
Nothing's been announced
this is all just rank speculation; another vehicle for killing time ‘til training camp.
And file
The rank and file speculate while the officers plan.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
did you read the first comment?
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
The facile answer is that Batum's name is easier to spell so the Blazers kept it simple...
................................... Batman is seen as a situational defensive 3 with big potential offensive upside. Koponen is a not-ready-for-primetime VERY large 1 with immense potential.
I am at a loss at why the former is more highly valued at Blazer HQ than the latter—a 6’6” PG that can play D and pass would be the rarest of rare birds, a situational 3 a rather more common specimen…
Pritchard is hemming and hawing and giving every indication that he values an open roster spot more than Petko.
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
What I don't get is the roster spot
Granted, I’ve only been a fan since Oden was drafted but I seem to recall the Blazers always having 15 guys on the roster. Why is it so important this year?
--. --- | -... .-.. .- --.. . .-. ...
And you can still waive players when push comes to shove
Not a great option, but an option all season long. One that would cost us less than $1 million – if the player we release doesn’t get picked up.
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
The only 6'6" PG that can play D and pass...
that we have, is Roy. Peterri is not 6’6”, nor did he show lockdown D. Peterri showed great effort on D, but then again, so did Jack, so does Blake.
Koponen did good defending summer leaguers, but he isn’t the answer for D at the 1. Not enough lateral quickness.
Blazer's fan since '84, Currently exiled in Tennessee and North Carolina
by HurraKane212 on Jul 23, 2008 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Dave has declared that Bayless is 6'3", Petko is obviously 3" taller, ergo, Petko is 6'6" in NBAInflatoHeight...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Bayless is actually 6'1.75", Petko is actually 6'4.75"
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Sources: (a) NBA combine official measurement; (b) KP radio interview mentioning Petko's measurement.
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
I think you were closer the first time,
Before summer league MB said in his column that P-Kop had grown a few inches since we last saw him, and put on some muscle.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
I don't care if people call Bayless a 7-footer, personally, as long as they then call Koponen 7'3"...
................................ But this Rex = 6’3”, Petko = 6’4” nonsense has GOT to go…
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
What about 'in shoes'
We know Bayless is 6’ 1.75” in his panty hose and no shoes, but shoes add about an inch (except for the comically thick soled Kevin Love Pre-draft Orlando Camp Measurement shoes) and that puts him at about 6’3”. No conspiracy there—with normal basketball shoes he’s at 6’3”.
So if PetKop is 6’4.75”, he’s 6’6” in shoes. Sounds right to me.
I think Bayless ‘looks small’ because of his short-for-the-NBA limbs (he isn’t lanky like most players), and he’s buff. His height is GREAT to me; we ain’t talking about Damon size after all. As long as he’s defending and being defended by PGs (which as long as he’s with Rudy or Roy, that will be the case), he has great size.
Mortimer
Correct
Bayless is officially 6’3” measured in shoes.
Koponen is listed as 6’4” in his Wikipedia entry. His former club lists him at 194 cm, which is a little over 6’4”. 6’5” in his DraftExpress profile (2007), wasn’t officially measured at the pre-draft camp then. So by now he could well be about 6’6” in shoes.
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
Dave lied???
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Nah, Dave said Bayless is the same size as him and claimed to be 6'3"...
................................. 6’3” in BLOGGER SHOES, maybe!!!
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Where's that sarcasm font? Darius Miles killed it.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
I blame him for everything
... including this cold coffee. MILES!!!
RipCity -- now, now ...
by Y5k on Jul 23, 2008 8:58 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Miles is the reason your car won't start, it's the Zach Randolph bogey that causes cold coffee...
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Because KP Hearts me. thats why
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Shouldn't you be busy training for the parade, Sophia?
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
HAHA
:-)
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
I hope you read the unofficial petition post,
and aren’t wondering if I was insulting you.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Oh I know
LOL That was a good one. I have to start packing, did I tell you im moving to Boise?
-Sophia
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Its DEVELOPMENT
Not DEMOTION…
Sophia
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Could be worse ...
At least your not off to OkCity!
Lewis & Clark got nothing on these boys next year.
I would move to the ends of the earth for him
worse even OkCity
Sophia
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
You ever see "Face/Off?"
After glancing at your Myspace profile, I think I’ll switch faces with Nic and give you a call.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
HAHAHA
Promise?
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
wow, it took me a minute to get that
lol, i thought you meant nic cage, not batman. i was wondering why anyone would want to look like that Mongoloid (Mr. Garrison’s words not mine). hehe
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
Didn't I hear that Batum couldn't return to Europe because of something to do with his contract
I could have sworn that on draft night I had heard that Batum couldn’t be stashed in Europe because of a condition with his contract. I haven’t heard anything about this since. Either I misheard, it was misstated or Petra never had a chance during summer league (except for the 15th spot)
Why was everyone so impressed with Petteri?
He had tons of trouble dealing with pressure against the Kings (with Douby and SIngletary) and the Wolves (with Pooh Jeter). Pressure D applied by relative scrubs made him uncomfortable. Also, this supposed “good shooter” was mostly a bricklayer in Vegas. Sure he did some good things, but he’s not much more NBA ready than Batum.
They are both projects and the Blazers see more potential with Batum and/or they feel Batum is best suited to develop in Portland/Boise rather than Europe. They may feel differently about Petteri and I’m sure they have their reasons.
Boomshakalaka
by jksnake99 on Jul 23, 2008 9:33 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree, I think people are just so bored
that they are inflating his performance to have some conversation.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
So I'll mark you all down for EMPTY ROSTER SPOT > PETKO...
.................................... Clip and save for future reference.
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
Agreed
Bayless isn't the second coming of Jordan.
Jordan was the first coming of Bayless.
by KP Corleone on Jul 23, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm okay with Petri
going back as long as he is only signed for a couple of years. If he signs a long term deal (which I would not blame him if he does) then we are hosed. He’s already an upgrade over Sergio.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
no way
There is no way Petteri is already an upgrade over Sergio. At least Sergio can dribble the ball upcourt under pressure without having to turn around and back his way down starting before the midcourt line.
Petteri can do some things that Sergio can’t and might be better eventually, but come on people- Petko shot 38% in summer league.
Boomshakalaka
He is a 1st round draft pick
His contract is dictated by the CBA for 2 years with team options twice to renew for a year.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Petko
Aside from the fact that we may still sign Koponen, given we have a roster spot available, my take would be that if we don’t its because the Blazers have concluded that they have th guards they need, and don’t feel that keeping him here will enable him to play. Not now – and not in the future. After all, Roy, Blake, Fernandez and Bayless are very skilled. Further, you have Sergio on the bench. If Mac and management believe tht Bayless can give them the complement to Roy that we’re looking for, then they have no reason to hold Petko here.
Still, the weeks not done yet, and KP said he would take three or four days to talk it over, watch film, and make a decision.
they signed him because of his Tony Parker ties
He can give inside dirt on Mr. Parker that no one else can. Therefore we give him money to be our informant!!
written by the Blazer Thoughts artist formely known as "Scott R"
I like the idea
But Batman isn’t even on the French national team. And they are not at the Olympics. And he doesn’t really know Parker yet. So…
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
I actually thought they knew eachother
im jus saying
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Probably they do, it just doesn't sound like they are close enough to know each others secrets
Blazersedge: Have you talked to Tony Parker recently?
Yeah, yeah, yeah just after the draft. After the draft he said “welcome” and “go to work” and “good luck.”
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
I remember I was only kidding
I think if anything Batum probably looks up to Tony… they aren’t exactly in the same peer group..LOL
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
If Petteri is really intent on playing in the NBA,
he will find a short term contract with an easy buyout, and the Blazers will get another shot at him. He will have to give up some money to get such a contract, but he can do it if he wants.
Pritchard probably knows that Petteri will choose to take that route, and be just as eager to play here in a year or two. Thus there’s little risk of keeping him in Europe for a while. In an odd way, Petteri’s desire to play on the Blazers will be what keeps him in Europe.
Good point
Koponen’s said his dream is to play in the NBA. He could’ve signed a LTC with a European team after last year’s summer league, but he chose to take less money and play in Finland so he would be free to come over and try to make the NBA this summer.
In a perfect world, Pritchard would trade Sergio over to Joventut to replace Rudy, and free up a roster slot for Peterri. For those who say Sergio is better now, think about this: Sergio has had 5+ years of Spanish national team experience, 2 years of Blazer practices and NBA game action and he can’t defend or shoot better than a Finn who’s played 2+ years in an inferior league.
But it’s a better idea to keep Sergio around so he can be buddies with Rudy, eh?
(whatever)
I wouldn't count on it.
What’s unfair in the situation is that the Blazer’s own his draft rights forever.
At some point, if a team isn’t interested in signing a player they should lose the rights to him and he should be able to shop himself around. If the Blazer’s don’t want him and another NBA team does, it’s wrong that he is forced to play in a lesser league in Europe.
Im sure the risks and rewards of ENTERING the draft prematurely
were explained to him.
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
I'm sure they were, but the problem with dealing with
a monopoly is that you don’t get a choice. Euroball is in the process of revoking the NBA’s monopoly. It could be fun to watch.
Yes sir it is
however, I was infering that Petteri knew that once drafted he may not play in the NBA for years to come. I doubt he was under any illusions as far as that was concerned. I do believe he will be an NBA player someday. I also feel as if he will sign a medium pay high buy out option contract for a more competitive league in Euro and when KP says go, he’ll come back all old, like 23 and stuff, and be ready to play.
On another, unrelated note, I just read this story about Ricky Rubio...
Sophia
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
The worst kept secret in Europe...
If KP manages to somehow get Rubio without breaking the bank, the city of Portland needs to start naming streets and schools after him…
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
Funny that's exactly what I thought
I wonder if the reason we are stockpiling so many PG’s is because KP wants to trade for whoever drafts him (i am not anticipating being in the lottery)
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Is it possible to "break the bank" when PA is the owner?
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes. - Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-95AD) Roman Rhetorician, Critic
Well the US Government has done a pretty good job!
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
Sounds like KP
Will have to trade up into the top 3 of the lottery to make that happen. Are you willing to part with one of “the big 3” to draft Rubio?
Me, either. I’ll take my chances with Bayless
Is Rubio the type of PG we want?
He projects to be great, but also projects to be a slow, poor defender against NBA Pgs. Plus, great playmakers need the ball, as goes Roy. Will be a better playmaker? I dunno, I guess he could be—looks great in clips, of course.
Amlmart1 knows better how he shoots, but I kinda like the combo-esque costar route we seem to be going with Rudy and Bayless, since both can help handle the ball and hit shots, and we hope they can be decent playmakers as well.
Rubio will be drafted high probably, and then we got another rookie PG to break in while we are beginning our contending years. Maybe it’s worth it, but I dunno.
I know this isn’t a serious discussion, just treating it as such.
Mortimer
I don't think there's anything wrong with holding on to his rights for a reasonable period of time
but when the team is basically saying,” take off for a couple of years and let’s see what you’ve got in 2010” and he could be earning a living someplace else, well, I think there should be a limit on how long they can hold on to him. Two years seems reasonable. Pro athletes have a fairly short window to make a career.
my read
Is PK is going to develop into an average ball handler and shooter but an above average defender with good court vision and decision making/passing skills
by southern oregon on Jul 23, 2008 1:41 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
simple
Batum needs to become a good NBA defender.
Koponen needs to be able to run a team (or at least help Roy do it).
The first can happen in Blazer practices. The second cannot.
He has already run a team
(with championships to show for it). That is more than Sergio has done.
Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."
True dat - albeit in a pretty bad league apparently only watched by little kids ;-)
Quick, find Petteri…
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
Where is he?
I don’t see any of them sticking their tongues out…
Jerryd Bayless has two emotions: Kill and Win.
"I think it’s going to be very beautiful game next year."
-Nicolas Batum
by rockingharder on Jul 23, 2008 8:33 PM PDT up reply actions
My Best guesses
And omg they are so pale! Wow. And seriously what kind of trophy is that? Is that like a puma or something? Do they even have those in Finland? I wish we could make this into a daily contest “FIND THE PETTER!”.
A Time For Heroes,
It's not right for young lungs to be coughing up blood
And it's all
It's all in my hands
And its all up the walls
Well the stale chips were up and the hopes stakes were down
Until Kp came into Town!
'Sing it Petey!
After looking at it for like 3 minutes
I think you are right. The guy that looks like a red haired Kevin Love must be the one that’s hiding behind the banner.
PK is the one with the broken thumb bandage that I somehow didn’t see before. His face looks totally different there. Maybe it was the all the whiteness beaming off that picture, it camouflaged him.
A Time For Heroes,
It's not right for young lungs to be coughing up blood
And it's all
It's all in my hands
And its all up the walls
Well the stale chips were up and the hopes stakes were down
Until Kp came into Town!
'Sing it Petey!
wow, do all Finns look the same?
PK would be the one with the broken hand, but geez, half that team could be his brother.
Yeah, and they all speak the same language, too.
BTW: Finnish is unlike any other language in the world; sorta like having a native speaker of Cherokee on the team or something… The Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes are all like, sheesh, what the HELL is that Finnish dude saying?
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
A Finnish friend of mine says the language is related more to Russian
than any of the Scandinavian languages.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
Yeah it's a crazy mashup of a couple of languages, I've met a few Finns before
Fun fact, Russia invaded Finland in 1940 (Finland was part of the Russian Empire and the Soviets wanted to reclaim the territory). Vastly outnumbered, the Finnish Army outfought the Russians for an entire year until peace was declared 1yr later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War
Dead Finks Don't Talk
But dead finks don't talk too well
They've got a shaky sense of diction
It's not so much a living hell
It's just a dying fiction
WORD UP. STAY. FRESCO.
A lot of people probably have already seen this
Yet another reason why it’s good to have Batum (or at least his potential) on the team. Nike Hoop Summit 2007, dominating every US player on the court including Bayless:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=akr4jxCARXk
Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
Wait!
Does this mean I gotta stop being racist towards the French?
--. --- | -... .-.. .- --.. . .-. ...
because the board would never be the same without you
Leaders build cultures that create self-esteem, generate and sustain trust, elevate the dignity of work , create community and foster open communication, and finally encourage growth and learning.
-Warren Bennis USC Professor
No
Any country who thinks Jerry Lewis is funny, deserves to be ridiculed.
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
by RoyDrexler on Jul 23, 2008 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think Jerry was high on Percodan when he made this disturbing movie
Not funny. It’s as bad as greenlighting the comedy Hogan’s Hero? Really, a comedy about WWII?
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
.......... a comedy about a NAZI POW CAMP, come on, it's worse than that!
.............................................. I like that show, by the way, even if it does have a French dude as one of the heroes!
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
(I joke, of course...)
..................................... Remember, the reason the Bush regime stirred up anti-French nationalism was because the French stood up and said, “Your Iraq war is illegal and unnecessary.”
Americans should have been as smart.
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
The French opposed the war
not because they are so morally superior but because they had a profitable and illegal arms deal going with Saddam:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/007748.php
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
As it turned out, their
Iraq war was and is illegal and unnecessary.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
History will prove you are wrong, Ann
There have been no terror attacks on American soil since 9/11, Al-Qaeda is smashed and most of its leaders are dead, Saddam was captured and executed, and peace reigns in a rebuilding Iraq. Those are facts, and George Bush deserves the credit for them.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
how many were ther before?
were ther alot? i dont remember living in fear then, was I just nieve? any way, the only thing I fear is the price of gas.
oh yah, I think it was us who had the illigal and profitable weopens exchange with iraq, and didnt we put him in power in the first place?
"Who do the historians think (t)he best crop of rookies on one team[up until now] is?"
---sothern oregon
"I'd have to go with the 12 disciples.... They pretty much turned the world upside down in short order......."
---prezofdeath
".....Judas was a big bust, he was the Darko of that class."
---RoyDrexler
Neither Iraq nor Saddam Hussein
had anything to do with the 9/11 attack on the WTC. Saddam certainly was a handy scapegoat for George and his handlers, however. It is true that the Rovian administration did a pretty good job of fooling many people into believing that Iraq was responsible for 9/11.
Saddam was not a nice man. There are many despots that are not nice men, but most of them don’t rule countries that have oil bubbling up from the ground. It’s true that George, along with his handlers, deserves the credit for the Iraq war.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
I don't think anyone thinks Saddam
was involved in 9/11, but Al Qaeda has certainly fought us in Iraq and Afghanistan. Given how our military has crushed them, I’m glad we engaged them there.
If the war was about oil, fat lot of good that’s done us.
Okay, take your last shot, Ann, I’m done talking politics here for today. I bite my virtual tongue constantly on BE because of all the snarky political bon mots the anti-Bushies love to throw around like rice at a wedding. Sometimes I just get my fill of it.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
Dang it! I had a great rebuttle with
links and everything. I was previewing it and stupidly tried to edit some tiny thing in the preview and POOF! Gone. Oh well. I’ll just repeat what I said in the last paragraph. I don’t want or expect to change your mind because I won’t be changing my mind and I’d rather you didn’t try to change my mind. I come to the Bedge for entertainment and the camaraderie of engaging in discussion and banter with very intelligent, in some cases brilliant people, who share a love of the Blazers with me. In some ways it’s like a big, extended and fluid family. Sometimes we disagree. Nothing wrong with that. So, Mr. Animal, can we just agree to disagree on what we disagree on and agree to agree on what we agree on unless we disagree on an aspect of our shared devotion in which case we’ll discuss that to our mutual satisfaction and possible agreement while remaining Bedgy friends?
By the way, I love run-on sentences.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
I was hoping you'd say that.
Political opinions are like zits. All I ask is that folks don’t squeeze them in my face.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
I blame Timbo. He started the whole thing.
"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar
Dear RoyDrexler
I’m writing you from the front western front somewhere in France (or Belgium). The only thing that keeps me going are the Jerry Lewis movies. The Nutty Professor especially is very good. If we are lucky, Batum will lock down the German Nowitzki till the end of the war. Pray for us RoyDrexler.
WOW
this topic is creating way more of a buzz then i thought it would thanxs guys for all ur commments
Don't get cocky, blazers#52
We made you, and we can break you just as easily.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 23, 2008 11:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Never argue with a guy named B-52...
................................ on the other hand, chicks with big hair, THEM you can take on.
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
im not getting cocky
im just saying that this is a hot thread
I know. I was just being cocky.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 24, 2008 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Just because
My Dad is French,I dont hate him,he is actually a pretty cool guy.
by southern oregon on Jul 23, 2008 9:00 PM PDT reply actions
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