Why?

by axel360 on Dec 6, 2009 1:13 PM PST

Why oh why oh why?

It's not fair. Greg is one of the few genuinely good guys in the league. He has done everything right. He has worked endless hours to get back on the court. And last night, he lay writhing in pain on the Rose Garden floor. All that work, gone in a second. All that pressure and criticism he already had, only amplified.

Next summer, he will become eligible for a contract extension, and the way he was playing he probably would have gotten a nice-sized contract. He might as well wave that goodbye. No team is going to give him a big contract now. And what does Greg Oden have to say, laying on the ground in awful pain, knowing everything he has worked so hard for is going to be ripped away from him?

"Sorry". He felt he was letting the team down.

This is the guy who was expected to dominate the game and, right or not, put up #1 pick numbers. He knows that. But the way he plays, it is clear he doesn't care about numbers. Just about the team.

Every single writer or person that has ever known him, has had nothing but great things to say about him. Yet this is his second season-ending knee injury in 3 years. Although I don't wish these injuries on anyone, why couldn't this have happened to Bonzi Wells or Isaiah Rider instead of Greg?

Why Greg? Why? It doesn't make sense. Just goes to show you that life isn't fair. You can be a great person, a hard worker, do everything right, already have been through more than most people go through in a lifetime and still have these kind of things happen to you. It's not fair.

Tweet Comment 16 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I never understood why...

The Blazer trainers and Greg’s doctors didnt insist on him wearing knee pads much like Olajuwon and Ewing did. It seems to me that a knee brace covering his patella’s would have prevented this but hind sight is 20-20.

by TheOdenator52 on Dec 6, 2009 2:15 PM PST reply actions

I don't think knee pads would have helped.

This injury appeared to happen due to landing awkward, with the muscles pulling the patella apart, not from an impact, like the Maggette injury.

Oden fan for life

by dario argento on Dec 6, 2009 2:20 PM PST up reply actions

it happened on his way up not down.

watch the video again, it is pretty obvious.

"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man

by PDXBuckeye on Dec 6, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions

I'll take your word for it. I don't ever want to watch that video again, but it was confirmed as not being a fracture due to impact, so still, kneepads would not have helped.

Greg’s quadriceps muscles are just so strong they pulled his patella apart.

Oden fan for life

by dario argento on Dec 6, 2009 5:05 PM PST up reply actions

"It's just a simple matter of weight ratios..."

Big guys get hurt — a lot.

That’s why you need lots and lots of them.

Ask any NFL team.

Przybilla knows this from personal experience, which is why he’s so low key every year about coming off the bench…

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Dec 6, 2009 2:17 PM PST reply actions

Why?

Because as KP said, sometimes life isn’t fair.

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

by Krang on Dec 6, 2009 2:42 PM PST reply actions

Life isn't fair

Sports certainly aren’t.

If they were. Dennis Dixon would never have gotten injured, he would have won the Heisman and Oregon would have played for the national title in 2007.

"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely

by skywaker9 on Dec 6, 2009 2:43 PM PST reply actions

Tru Dat!

by blazinagain on Dec 6, 2009 3:03 PM PST up reply actions

yup

I feel the same way about Greg as I did Dixon’s injury – doubly sad, as besides being great players they’re both the epitome of ‘class act’ on and off the field. Ahh, the vagaries of fate.

Dixon got an especially raw deal as it put his chances of even making the pros in serious jeopardy.

by dulcamara on Dec 6, 2009 4:24 PM PST up reply actions

Except that he did make the pros and just recently started a game.

Joel Robinson: "What about you Crow? What do you want for Christmas?"
Crow T. Robot: "I want the power to decide who lives and who dies."

by randommanthefirst on Dec 6, 2009 4:44 PM PST up reply actions

Ah yes, probably the second or third time I've rooted for the Steelers...

in my life. A strange feeling, as a fan of that other PA team.

I meant specifically at the time it seemed heartbreaking as it gave Dixon much longer odds. However, it’s true that he approached it very sensibly (chronicling his rehab online for NFL scouts) and managed to be a late-round pick (and possibly a very nice bargain for Pittsburgh).

by dulcamara on Dec 6, 2009 6:30 PM PST up reply actions

Greg will be fine, he will be GREAT!

He is 21 and will heal. I want him to keep his positive outlook!!! He probably will with all of the fans he has and friends/family! Hope Jarryd Bayless keeps in close contact. I thnk JB is good for Greg!

by Natsthecat on Dec 6, 2009 2:48 PM PST reply actions

“He didn’t do anything,” forward LaMarcus Aldridge protested. “People don’t understand that injuries are part of the game. We all are at risk every time we play so I think injuries are going to happen. It’s unfortunate that it’s happened to him.”

by portlandgiirl91 on Dec 6, 2009 4:40 PM PST reply actions

no....WHY

tell me WHY, cant players like greg wear a $3.99 knee pads during games. WHy cant Uncle phil with all their cutting edge technology create a modern light weight knee pads for bb players, aldridge has been dealing all season with contusions which could easily be avoidable with simple pads. lets see 3.99 or waste 5+ million, and that number could be much worse. Why do our Big guys have to run when we roll the ball upcourt and have one of the slowest pace offenses in the game. who cares if greg can run or joel or la. let the smaller faster players run. big bodies like gregs are simply not meant to be fast and when you push them they are going to break.let the smaller supposedly quick guys be quick. Why dont we have a bunch of bigs on our team incase of injuries like this. fortunately its not going to matter that much because nate never really learned how to use greg that well and im sure we can fall back into our 3 point ways. nate can coach his game, brandon can play his game and once again we can bow out in the first round

by riccc_l on Dec 6, 2009 9:53 PM PST reply actions