Bring back Sabonis to help Oden? w/poll
by Nathan Jr on Jan 16, 2009 2:11 PM PST
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PrintI know Maurice Lucas is trying to help Greg along, and I am confident that Greg will evolve as a player at some point. I can't help but wonder what a summer with Sabas would do to Oden's game. I'm not talking about a Rocky IV pilgrimage to carry logs through the Siberian snow. I say we bring Arvydas back to Portland to teach Greg some of those ball-palming bounce passes! It seems like Greg is goofy enough to dig the Sabonis style and experience, and I feel like Greg already understands how to out-muscle folks like the Russian rarely would.
I guess my only fear would be Arvydas' interest in all of the new craft vodka micro distilleries that have sprung up since he left... but I would love to hear Greg let out a Sabas "Aghhhh!!!" when getting hit going to the hoop. I would also enjoy watching Greg throw a towel at Rasheed during a game. (To avenge his mentor's honor)
So seriously:
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EVER!!!!
"It's not who jumps the highest -- it's who wants it the most" Buck Williams
by Fund A Mental on Jan 16, 2009 2:34 PM PST up reply actions
FOREVER EVER
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
"He should have his face
shaved into the back of his head.. Then there would be no escape" OutlawisRejector on what Bayless' next haircut ought to be...
you youngens
obviously never saw Walton play
"The mounting minde that climes the hauty cliftes...Intoxicats the braine with guiddy drifts, Then rowles, and reeles, and falles at length plum ripe" .--- From Thomas Hughes’ 1588 The Misfortunes of Arthur:
Walton was a great passer
His outlet passes off the rebound and his give & go passes were things of beauty…but Sabas was like Jason Kidd in Andre the Giant’s body. Point guard passing skills and floor-reading skills to die for.
by DonkeyShins on Jan 17, 2009 12:36 AM PST up reply actions
As I recall, Walton said that
Sabonis, in his prime was the greatest playrer, aside from Kareem, he ever saw.
I am also remambering, Sabinis saying the only team he would come back with was the Blazers. If the new craft vodka micro distilleries help it happen, so much the better.
Fun fantasy.
Walton has said many times that Sabonis was the best passing big ever
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 17, 2009 3:52 AM PST up reply actions
well he's not going to say "I was the best passing big man ever"
Cmon, Bill not that self-admiring. I saw both play, and between the two Bill was the better passer. His outlets to the PTB guards off rebounds ignited the fast break Ramsay wanted and was fundamental to the teams only World Championship. He could also find cutters with his back to the basket for easy lay-ins or spot Hollins open for a 18 footer.
Sabonis was also a gifted player and passer, but not like Walton. Remember when Sabas came to Portland his best days were behind him after two achilles surgeries. Sabonis lack of mobility is what lead to a greater reliance on passing to teammates as he just couldn’t create shots like he used to. I spose the same argument could be made for Bill after his legs went out, but all things considered, there is no doubt in my mind Walton was not just a better passer, but a better player, and I loved Sabonis game!
Just sayin’, gotta defend Bill.
"The mounting minde that climes the hauty cliftes...Intoxicats the braine with guiddy drifts, Then rowles, and reeles, and falles at length plum ripe" .--- From Thomas Hughes’ 1588 The Misfortunes of Arthur:
If he had a single non-plastic knee left, sweet.
Talk about a fun locker room. A bunch of kids and an old dude from Eastern Europe that smells like cigs and BenGay. Yeah, they’ll blend for sure.
I just need a time machine. Once I get one, we’ll get young Sabas and he’ll torch the league. Even though he was old when we finally got him I still loved his game. He defended Shaq as well as anyone could back in the day. Truly a great one.
Catalina-Wine-Mixer.
Tell us about the olden days, Grandpa?
Well…shorts were short and people fouled hard, not like you namby-pambies with your baggy shorts and your theme music. Now get off my porch!
by DonkeyShins on Jan 17, 2009 12:37 AM PST up reply actions
Well Greg is coming up on 21
Sabonis would be an excellent teacher if Greg needs to learn any drinking games
by nikolokolus on Jan 16, 2009 2:23 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Bring back Walton to help Oden
If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language. - Crosby/Stills/Kantner
Walton would never do it
And thats good thing. He is so annoying Greg would just tune out his voice.
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 16, 2009 3:24 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah, if Greg is anything like me...about 30 seconds into Walton talking
Oden would just haymaker him.
ROFL
probably right – Elgin
If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language. - Crosby/Stills/Kantner
Walton would be a great teacher
He would be full of Woodenisms and knows plenty about how to play and pass well. The trick would be to find the Walton of old, the one who loved the blazers and the people of Oregon, who would volunteer at Native American Reservations and BIke down the Oregon coast. I am afraid to admit it, but I think that Bill Walton might just be long gone. Sabonis would be a sweet teacher, but can he even walk anymore?
Hang on everyone, we're "Red Hot and Rollin'" again!
5-7=?
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 16, 2009 5:37 PM PST up reply actions
a joke maybe?
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 17, 2009 3:51 AM PST up reply actions
Greg turns 21 soon,
so I’m not sure Sabas is the guy we want him hanging around with.
I don't know...
…suggestions along these lines pop up all the time. People want the “new” to have the attributes of the “old” that they remember. So you hear get Sabonis, Get Hakeem, Get whomever….
Maybe Sabonis would be a decent mentor for Oden. Maybe a great mentor, but who knows? One on One could the cultural and age gap be crossed? From what I hear Maurice is doing a great job. I think he’s stayed connected to the region and the league better than Sabonis, I think Maurice might have a communications edge.
Someday would I like to see Oden with some of the skills of Sabonis? Sure, but a lot of what Sabonis had can’t really be taught. Seriously. You either have it or not. Kareem has been mentoring a certain young center for a certain California based team and maybe he has helped in his development, but watching this young center I don’t see a lot of Kareem in him despite the mentoring. So whenever anyone suggests Let’s get “Whomever” as a teacher, mentor the best answer I can give is “maybe”.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Why should we teach Oden to pass
when his team isn’t even passing to him? =P
But seriously, while having Sabonis’ incredible passing skills could prove to be an amazing weapon to add to Oden’s arsenal, I’d rather have him learn how to play better defense and learn some more offensive weapons. Besides, he’s already a better passer than more centers.
by Eventine on Jan 16, 2009 4:45 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
pipe dream
But I love the “Rocky IV pilgrimage to carry logs through the Siberian snow” part.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
i love sabas
but i’d rather have greg be a more physically dominant player than sabas. then again i didn’t see sabas in his prime other than in youtube clips.
The most hated Blazer is like the least hottest supermodel - Sabonis4Ever
Yep,
clearly Greg is already more physically dominant than Sabas, at least as a Blazer. Behind the Iron Curtain, I bet Arvydas was throwing down hard at Greg’s age. No way to tell for real. I am pretty sure, based on the fanshot link, that Sabas can throw down liquor unlike anyone of the 20th Century with the possible exception of the (fanshot link) aforementioned Andre the Giant.
Arvydas is
my favorite blazer of all time and I still wish he would’ve come over sooner because numerous people, including people who aren’t associated with the blazers, say he was one of the most dominant players EVER. I’d love him to come back and hang around the team and show not only greg but lamarcus some pointers as well. or we could send all of the bigs on the team to Arvydas’ big man camp over in europe. either one would be nice
Robert Parish
I’d love to see the Blazers sign Robert Parish as their big men coach and let him work with Greg Oden. His understanding of positioning, footwork and understanding of how to use his size effectively was excellent. He runs big man camps (for NBA players) with Clifford Ray (best big man coach in the NBA? I think so) in the summer so I reckon he must also be a good teacher.
Anyway, Parish is the guy I’d love to see hired to help Oden.
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