to critique him for his drug abuse but not applaud his recovery. More importantly, this is a basketball blog, so let’s focus on what players do on the court, not in their personal lives. Actually, most importantly, judge not lest ye be judged.

Is character both on and off the court important? Sure it is. We don’t want a team that is better known for its antics off the court rather than its basketball ability. But if we start making “perfect” character a higher priority than ability while we pretend that people never make mistakes in their lives….well we’re going to end up with a nice team and hypocritical fans.

Basically, people who learn from their mistakes and in Birdman’s case turns his life around are people I would be proud to have on my team. On the other hand, anyone who keeps making the same dumb mistakes, isn’t improving and isn’t sorry is not welcome on this team.

I found it a little odd that your criticism of the tone here focused so much on the response to one player, (IE: It tends to make me view the argument as more protective of a player you are a fan of, and less of a general tone at all, in which case it won’t hold much weight with those who already dislike the player in question) but I still think it’s worth considering (on a micro or macro scale) and was well written.

The “culture of morality” is nothing new really to Portland. Case in point being that most of the media circus issues surrounding the “jailblazers” wouldn’t have even been newsworthy in most markets, in my opinion. Portland in general has a wonderful dichotomy of ideals (sometimes married within the same individuals) that are equal parts “good ol’ boy” and “live as thou wilt”. And things like tattoos and other outer indicia leading to spurious judgments are sometimes a part of that. It’s just our culture. And if one feels that one shouldn’t cast judgment on a culture that enjoys body art, maybe one shouldn’t cast the same on a culture that distrusts the same. I dunno.

In any case, I can pretty much guarantee if the team had kept winning, the backlash would never have become so pronounced. But once they were jerks AND losers, there was no turning back.

In any case, the current climate has definitely been magnified by the pain of the past, even if there’s a little chicken/egg quandry there. Bob Whittsett’s legacy was a repetition of giving high talent players with shadowy pasts a shot, in hoping the talent would outshine any issues, and that the player would have turned over a new leaf with a change of scenery and a new lease on their career.

This isn’t just once bitten twice shy here. This is more like being mauled by flying piranhas and being afraid to open a window.

For me personally, I just have massive issues with people who come off as cocky (intended or not) but have no other indictments on the man’s character.

No Chris Andersen for me.

Kudos to him for “pulling his life together”, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him.

you’ve taken a lot of different issues and lumped them together.

  The first issue that jumped out at me, and the one I take most issue with, is the “undercurrents of self-righteousness”. You could just as easily have said there is an undercurrent of know-it-alls, or an undercurrent of rule enforcers, or an undercurrent of feminists… My point being that this is a huge extended family and with any huge extended family you are going to have many different points of view, many different bents, many different tangents. This is the strength of the extended family.

  The second issue is the implied “haters” thing. While I think some people could be more careful (more compassionate) in how they talk about players (people), I also realize that society is made of heroes and villains. There are people we love to love and people we love to hate. There are polarizing figures on both sides. Anderson is a little more polarizing than most.

  That’s OK! That’s the spice of life. I’m going to contradict myself here and say that, in a way, it’s OK to hate on these people. We need our villains. We need people to boo on the court. We need the Rodmans, the Lambeers, the Bowens, the Rick Foxes. Just as we need the heroes, just as we need the angels, we also need the villains and the anti-heroes. Life would be boring without the mix.

  We also need the feel good story and we need the underdogs we can pull for. I love to watch the sheer brilliance of Tiger Woods, but I pull just as hard for John Daly and applaud every victory, personal and public, he can pull out. I will always love Clyde Drexler, but I will never forget how Damon Stoudamire never gave up on himself when a whole city did. And, after reading this story, I may just have a slightly warmer spot in my heart for Chris Andersen, unless he’s playing the Blazers.

  Thank you for the story on Andersen. We agree way more than we disagree. My major disagreement with your post is that I think it generalizes a community more than is warranted. This is an amazingly diverse group of people. There are good seeds and bad apples. Even our bad apples are pretty darned good people, though.

  One last thing. I am pretty much an atheist. I have never once felt this was a faith based group, and I defy you to find one post where Dave has promoted it as such. Again, there is a diverse group of people here and I have to point out that for such a huge gathering this is undoubtedly the most tolerant group of people I’ve ever been associated with. This is a testament to Dave and Ben and to all of us. If any part of that diversity and tolerance is a result of Dave’s faith (and it most certainly is) then I say good on him.

I read that ESPN story last year, together with some nice reports TrueHoop had on his workouts with Joe Abunassar, a respected trainer for numerous NBA players. And it convinced me at this time he would have a good chance to rescue his career and come back. Especially his mother seems to have been a great influence in his life, she did everything in her abilities to put him on the right track while struggling herself and to get rid of the posse that had assembled around him.

Andersen is the closest thing to Dennis Rodman right now in the league. He is maximizing his abilities, and his troubles in the past might even have helped him to realize he has to work harder than anybody on his team to prove himself. He could maybe even become the closest thing to the oft-announced next white US star in the league, as PTI recently hinted at, though a few others might disagree and his looks likely both attract and reject certain people. Many younger kids seem to like this colorful guy.

For my personal taste he has a few tats too many, but e.g. I really like his wing tattoos. If he had just kept those and a few others, that would look pretty cool. What’s weirder than his looks is: Dennis was pretty crazy also off the court. Andersen looks and behaves normal in interviews and training (see e.g. this photo, but also the reports on TrueHoop about his workouts). He just styles up his hair and posing behavior for games. Is it all show-business? Getting into the mind of the opposing players? Is he protecting himself, and in reality is more introverted than he seems? Hard to say.

I wouldn’t be against having such a player on the team. For what it’s worth, I think Andersen is a more stable personality now than say a Robert Swift, Eddy Curry or Stephon Marbury. And I admittedly don’t know much about them either. I would be only against getting back into a time with players openly disrespecting fans and getting into the news for all the wrong reasons. If that means the Blazers have more guys with a clean and soft image on the roster, so be it.

As for your other points: I can’t remember to have read a statement by Dave dissing Andersen. Even if he did joke about his looks or behavior, I don’t think it would have to do with his day job/personal conviction. It informs certain rules on BE, but a lack of compassion for people with problems or a moral high ground is hardly among those.

Maybe some posters think that the Blazers and their fans are “better than thou”. That feeling might have increased with more success and a much more positive image of the organization, but also is hardly unique. Many fan bases think they and their players are misunderstood by outsiders and really the coolest and best under the sun. Groupthink is part of being a fan.

should fit right into a faith-based sports site (if this is one). What’s better than a story of salvation?

1. Posing and Preening is a trend I personally hate in the modern athlete. I hate it when “The Chosen One” does it , hate it when KG does it and I hate when Birdman does it. Just play ball dammit!

2. Tatoos and peircings. I have no problem with them (in moderation). I do wonder why, when a person elects to take it waaaaaay beyond the social norm, they are suprised that people look at them like they are weirdos. Don’t they know that they will stand out?

3. Race. I know this wasn’t part of your thesis….but I find it curious that people will play the race card if you say that your fav player is Rudy or Przy (as a opposed to Brandon or LaMarcus) but if your least favorite is a dude like Anderson you get skewered for being intolerant (my fav player is actually Brandon but I have seen this phenomenon a few times also).

4. Why is it that a recovering addict is given more social credit than someone who never lapsed to begin with? I mean it is good that someone is no longer a criminal …..but shouldn’t that be what is expected?

5. Being protective of our (team) culture is bad somehow. People will say that if you don’t learn from your mistakes then you will just repeat them. Signing this dude would be the ipitome of not learning from past mistakes….and people who say we shouldn’t sign him based on this are just being concerned about the right things…not screwing up in the exactly the same way that got the team in trouble in the 1st place.

6 Regarding BEdge being percieved as a christian site. I will tell you this is not my sense when I spend time here. I am non-religious (notice I didn’t say atheist) and pretty sensitive to this kinda thing. Occasionally when a thread will go into this area, I just ignore it (as it holds no interest to me). I would be long gone if I felt that I was being preached to by any group….christians, enviromentalists, bicyclists, rightwingers, leftwingers..so forth. This is a good group with lots of differing opinions, ages, races, genders, countries and so forth…..they really shouldn’t be called out for self-rightousness (at least no more than any other fan group).

Had it been about how great Bayless or Oden are going to be, it would have been reced to 10 shades of green.

Personally, too many tattoos for me and btw I rooted just as hard for the Blazers to win during the Jail Blazer era as I do today (although I couldn’t stand Sheed).

If Birdman is a decent locker room guy, I wouldn’t hyperventilate if we picked him up. I also recall KP stating once our young team gets established on a firm foundation we may be able to absorb a questionable character without adverse affects.

I’m just not his biggest fan. To me, he’s just like any other player. I respect that he’s came back from a tough life and drugs and stuff, but part of the blame lies with him for going down that road in the first place. You can argue nature vs. nurture till the cows go home, but it’s rather irrelevant to me. Right now he’s a good basketball player. I respect that; I’m just not going to be the one shouting for him to sign with us.

The problem with Anderson is that, if he’s not careful, he can become an advertisement to young people which seemingly advocates the lifestyle that hobbled him.

People love him in Denver because he is white, would he really be given a second chance by the leauge or George Carl if he was a negro? How many people of color have been suspended for hard drugs in the NBA and let back in. Something to think about.

I ‘hate’ him because he is smarmy when he runs his fingers through his hair and it creeps me out, he also congratulates himself after every put back dunk, every block, and it’s just really tacky, plus besides an occasional offensive move or flop, put back dunks and blocks seem to be all he can do well, which seems pretty one dimensional to me, the psychological affect won’t change how an elite team plays denver inside, so, the ‘intimidation’ factor is overrated IMO.

The keys to beating birdman of every possession: Pumpfake.

I applaud him for coming from nothing, and making something of himself, and for quiting the snow, that stuff is rotten.

I think that it is wrong to try to separate someones personality to their game, the two cannot be disconnected. That’s why when people say “I love Channing Frye, just not as a basketball player,” they aren’t thinking about how his blandness on the court will translate to conversation, but it would. Is it a coincidence that numerous media sources have said Roy is the most interesting interview? It’s because the logical, analytical, intelligent game of Brandon’s is a reflection of his personality.

It may not be Birdman’s fault his persona is that of a sleeze-ball, but it is what it is.

but I have nothing against the guy.

is when he does that wiping his hair thing it just creeps…me…out. I don’t know why. I’ve never bothered to analyze it. It’s just some kind of primal, instinctive yuck reflex on my part.

I’m really not sure if I could balance his contributions with the yuck factor and come out ahead. That’s just me though. Totally unsubstantiated. Kind of like knowing someone would be a good match for you dating-wise but feeling zero attraction towards them for whatever reason.

—Dave

I’m the biggest Birdman fan here, let’s get him. It’s all very financially possible, very easy. I’ll say it over, and over, and over, and over. Birdman is coming to Oregon.

I asked a few people what they though about him as our #2 PF behind LaMarcus & they shot it down claiming no more jail blazers.

He hasn’t talked to his mom in three years?

Maybe she’s terrible person, there’s obviously more there. And he doesn’t necessarily owe anyone anything.
But it sounds like his mom lives close to poverty, and he doesn’t seem to care. That doesn’t impress me at all.

man just because we can’t curse and now we’re all religious?

Amazing post though. Rec’d hard.

I always have house rules at my house when watching the games: no bad mouthing the blazers. Travis turns it over? These things happen. That’s the kind of compassion I was thinking you’d reference.

Best Birdman thread in a while?

KEEP TRAVIS!

Everytime the guy blocks a shot he turns and does some stupid taunt to the crowd. He NEEDED people to approve of him for everything he did. I guessed this was because his parents didn’t hug him enough or make him feel good enough about himself growing up. From what you posted above… this turns out to be right. That still doesn’t justify the behavior on the court to me.

Just think if everyone on the court acted like him after every play. Would you want to watch a game like that?

during the first round in the playoffs and then recalling the few times I saw Denver during the regular season. Birdman has a nose for the ball. He blocks shots, rebounds, tips balls in…perfect role for him is that backup PF. I mentioned this to a couple of friends and they thought I was crazy ‘cuz his past off-court issues. I responded that the past is the past and this guy has come a very long way.
It’s been asked before, “When do we find it acceptable to sign a guy with ‘character’ issues?” To me, Birdman seems like a good experiment but I don’t think Denver would let him go. By the way, I’d take Kenyon Martin, as well. He’s getting older and maybe a little more accepting of a backup role…

He annoys me. While he is a good shot blocker he isnt much of an on ball defender.. not a huge fan of guys that prance around after big plays either. Just me tho.

I haven’t had the desire to look past that.

i hate everyone who plays for the nuggets, and his nickname is overused and annoying, what if people never said kobe and always said black mamba?

the only real negatives people can say about Birdman are in regards to his ‘image’. A few comments about his on-ball defense but that is debateable (see Nick Van Excellent comment regarding defense on Nowitski, above).
I would agree that his ‘image’ may not fit Portland’s recent ‘culture’ trend but if the money is right this guy brings great things to the court. I am absolutely positive fans would get over his hair-touching and arm flapping if he was in the red and black. Is it any worse the Mutumbo’s finger waiving after a blocked shot? Denver fans seems to go nuts when he makes those plays and we would, too….
Case in point: We go nuts over the Fernandez gimmick of holding up three fingers on both hands after every three pointer he makes while prancing back down the court…

…and that he’s pulled himself together again.

However, my problem with him isn’t his peculiar looks or his hair style(s). My problem with Chris Anderson is his attitude. He’s arrogant, and frankly I think anyone who’s come through those issues and overcome so much should be proud, but also humble. There simply is no room for a “shove it in your face” arrogance that he seems to revel in.

The reason why I think his looks and hair styles complicate the issue for fans is that it all screams “Look at me!” These are outward expressions of his inner-personality which point to the attitude and reinforce the impression of self-absorption.

There have been times where Anderson has been very aggressive – not in a violent manner necessarily – even against his own teammates where it looked to me that he was only interested in padding his stats. Don’t get me wrong, Anderson is a talented defensive specialist. He is currently one of the best shot blockers in the league, but his game should stand up on its own without the help of outlandish looks or "swagger." So from my perspective his career since he came back has been an effort to show the world he’s better than the drug use and that he’s worthwhile as a player in the NBA. That’s a noble effort, but not when it is done in an ignoble fashion.

We can all see that the boy has issues, and rightly so seeing all that he’s gone through to get to where he is now. However there are a lot of guys in the NBA who went through hard times, grew up in the projects without a Dad, etc. They didn’t have wildlife to live off of though and couldn’t just shoot the neighbor’s cat either. Yet somehow they’ve come through it and exist in the sport without going out of their way to stick out apart from performance on the court, which is how it should be.

Great article. Thanks for writing and sharing.

Forgetting Chris Andersen for a minute, tattoos are a dumb reason to dislike some one – no matter how many they have. Unless its a tattoo of a swastika you need to get over yourself and be a friend.

THIS is why some BEdgers hate the Birdman.

Or at least that’s what I would imagine. Plus you have to realize that he is a key component of a division rival, so of course there will be a negative vibe towards him.

hate the Birdman for smoothing his hair after a solid block. I think it’s creative yet subtle humor. My take on his antics is that he probably loves life and has a great sense of humor, which is what you would expect from someone who has been to hell and back.

If we can get the Birdman, we need to do that. I don’t think the Nuggets would trade with us, but I can dream.

• I don’t mind his “preening” for the most part as long as it isn’t done all the time and only in situations where he is working the crowd, like he was after swatting Rudy.
• I don’t like his tattoos, but then I’ve always thought tattoos were stupid and pointless. Just a personal opinion and it doesn’t really affect my judgment of him on the court.
• I like his energy, talent, and drive.
• I respect him for coming back from drug abuse and cleaning up.
• I don’t respect him for not having a relationship with his mother. He could at least talk to her once in a while.
• He’s not responsible for giving his mom a house, but he could help her out a bit.

The bottom line is that his track record is not good and that is a negative. The best predictor for the future that we have is the past. Sure, he’s cleaned up. Awesome. Stay that way. But the Blazers don’t need to take a chance of a relapse or that attitude that led to it coming back…there are too many other talented players out there without that past. It’s just not worth the risk. Find someone else.