Flashes of Oden (another one from Simmons' Page 2)

by LicketyBrindle on May 22, 2009 12:17 PM PDT

On Greg Oden:

You can trot out every tired excuse you want to explain why a "can't miss" prospect is missing -- and remember, Oden was a "can't miss" 22 months ago -- but at some point, we have to see something. Remember when Detroit fans kept making excuses for Darko as he toiled away on their bench and looked spazzy and overwhelmed during games, and the months kept passing, and he wasn't showing anything, and, eventually, all those games added up and we realized, "Wait, Darko doesn't have it"?

We're getting there with Oden. Look how well Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah played in the 2009 postseason. Look how much Rajon Rondo grew from Season 1 to Season 3. Look at some of the beauties Durant had this season; same for Kevin Love or Brook Lopez, or even Russell Westbrook. If you're headed toward greatness, or even goodness, you're going to show us flashes of your ultimate destiny in your embryonic years. That's just the law. You can't go from "I am doing nothing" to "I'm an All-Star!" unless you're Jamaal Magloire (who immediately went back to nothing). It's a series of baby steps. And through two seasons, Oden has shown nothing other than a remarkable ability to suffer bad luck with injuries and draw empathy from his fans. I don't know what else to say. If he's good, let's see it. We could always use more blue-chippers. But he hasn't even shown hints of flashes. It's been a full-fledged blackout for two seasons. When you're clumsy, you're clumsy. We should have seen something by now. Just remember the lessons of the Darko era. After a while, it stops being an accident.

Now, I'm not super-high on Oden, and I tend to agree that Durant was the better choice, but I do feel like we've seen "flashes of goodness" from Oden this year. Even in the playoffs, against the second best center in the NBA, I think we saw some flashes of goodness. Apparently Simmons just didn't catch many Blazers games. Can somebody with adequate technology/acess put together a YouTube video for him? Or a list of games, or quarters in games, he might want to watch? We have a responsibility here, Blazers fans, and we can do this in a classy way. Go to it.

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Simmons is a total prick

He used to be a whole lot more open-minded about being wrong, but now he just goes full-bore with predictions and whatnot and then ignores what he gets horribly wrong.

I mean, he said the Mavs should start Kidd, Barea, and Terry together against the Nuggets…

by dprodigy19 on May 22, 2009 12:23 PM PDT reply actions

yeah too bad he did not get the Minny G job

he would of kept them out of contention and set them back at least 10 years and led to an easy 4 wins/season

"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." - Bill Simmons 6/26/08

by SpyderRyder on May 22, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm so over Simmons on this topic

He’s obsessed. I think he feels like somehow he’s being disloyal to Durant if he isn’t crazy negative about Oden.

In the same column he says “I still like Corey Brewer.” That’s all you need to know about his objectivity on this issue.

by Hawthorne Wingo on May 22, 2009 12:47 PM PDT reply actions

Everyone has fandom in them and Simmons does a BAD job of hiding his as a writer

Bayless fans say that he plays like Parker/Harris, who both started their careers out kind of slow, but they say Sergio is a bust.

Sergio fans say that Sergio plays like Nash/Stockton at his age (KP2 agrees) and that he just needs more playing time. Meanwhile, Bayless is a bust obviously.

It’s really easy to use the same argument for the guy you like, and disregard it for a guy you don’t. If Simmons loved Oden he would no doubt cite his per/36 stats and point out that he is a junior in college who just came off of microfracture. Meanwhile he would point out that OKC is better when Durant is not on the floor.

Instead, he’s a Durant fan so he points everything out the way he does. Not too shocking.

by Zaig on May 22, 2009 12:52 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

OK, so here's a start:

instead of whining about Simmons, let’s prove him wrong.

here’s a start:

11/18/08 against Golden State: 30 minutes, 22 points, 10 rebounds.

12/12/08 against the Clippers: 15 points, 15 rebounds, 2 personal fouls in 42 minutes played.

1/12/08 in Chicago: 17 points, 13 rebounds
1/19 against Milwaukee: 24 points, 15 rebounds

i would call those flashes of goodness.

by LicketyBrindle on May 22, 2009 1:03 PM PDT reply actions

Next year

I’d love to see some of those against good teams though! Anyway, barring injury it’s all but impossible for Oden to average less than 13/9 next year. Not All-Star numbers, but not terribly bad for a guy in his second year. Also better than a good number of the WC centers.

by Zaig on May 22, 2009 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

just flashes of goodness

not signs of a dominant player. Darko never put up numbers like that. Ever.

by LicketyBrindle on May 22, 2009 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions

It's hard to say that Oden hasn't had flashes

I mean, he was the best offensive rebounder in the NBA and he did hit 56.4% of his shots this year. Out of all the rookies the NBA has had in the last 3 years, Oden has the 2nd highest PER and is only slightly behind the leader Kevin Love. That is some pretty good production from a rookie with only 1 year of college basketball who is still recovering from microfracture surgery.

by trk on May 22, 2009 1:29 PM PDT reply actions

Wait a second here

“It’s been a full-fledged blackout for two seasons.”

wasn’t Oden a rookie this year? Simmons is like the antithsis of the Oden fan boy… he is completely irrational in a whole nother wat. Most of us are just hoping Oden can stay healthy and make it into the top 10 centers list.

by Escrote on May 22, 2009 1:42 PM PDT reply actions

also I have a feeling that everytime he writes what a bust Oden is

it gets a link here and his web traffic doubles or tripples.

by Escrote on May 22, 2009 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, leading the league in offensive rebounding rate in his rookie year is nothing.

by pualo on May 22, 2009 2:05 PM PDT reply actions

There is no precedant for someone in Oden's situation.

It’s impossible to use previous examples to say what Oden will become (which is Simmons’ favorite way to analyze a situation.) All we can do is wait and see. All this analysis is fun message board material but that’s it.

by ericande on May 22, 2009 2:06 PM PDT reply actions

Why would anybody waste their time compiling a video for this (Simmons) knothead?

by LaughingJon on May 22, 2009 2:16 PM PDT reply actions

How bout a compilation to make us happy then?

by Zaig on May 22, 2009 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd watch it.

by LaughingJon on May 22, 2009 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions

me too!

maybe we could even get someone important to post it…

by LicketyBrindle on May 22, 2009 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Lets Focus On Whats Really Important

David Ortiz’s first HR! And he’s upped his Batting Average to .211

Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi

by Occam's Blazer on May 22, 2009 3:56 PM PDT reply actions

Simmons makes me wish we could swear on BEdge.

Maybe I’ll go over to dream shake and drop some F-Bombs.

Life is hilarious.

by SolGoode on May 22, 2009 4:43 PM PDT reply actions

Flashes? Simple

Oden double doubles his rookie year: 16
Darko double double his entire career (337, 6 seasons): 22

Yeah Bill, good job.

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

Founder of the "Crash Batumcoot" Movement.

by damir on May 22, 2009 7:16 PM PDT reply actions

337 games that is

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

Founder of the "Crash Batumcoot" Movement.

by damir on May 22, 2009 7:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Man I am so sick of Simmons.

I hope Oden proves him wrong bit time.

Oden+Roy+Aldridge+Rudy+Bayless=Dynasty. Believe

by OdenRoyLMA on May 22, 2009 9:07 PM PDT reply actions

"big" that is.

Oden+Roy+Aldridge+Rudy+Bayless=Dynasty. Believe

by OdenRoyLMA on May 22, 2009 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Let's see him come into the NBA at 19 and suffer a microfracture knee surgery and play at Oden's level

gooodness gracious. insert cuss word Simmons.

My first season as a Blazer... it was a memorable season.
"Thank you Blazers, for making us believers again"

by J_Lee on May 22, 2009 9:14 PM PDT reply actions

Simmons is wrong

period

by jayfisher on May 22, 2009 11:24 PM PDT reply actions

My nose started bleeding while reading this piece due to pure anger.

I know everyone has already said this but…

1) Oden was out for his entire first year. THUS, he has had one rookie year.

2) Oden scored 24 points in a game this year and his biggest weakness was staying on the court due to penalties (thats NHL for fouls). When he was on the court he was great on the defensive end.

3) Does this Simons fellow get more readers by pissing fans off or by writing with rationale? Once you answer this question adjust your temper accordingly.

4) The Wire is the greatest show of all time.

I will see everyone next year. I hope everyone is preparing themselves to be fans of the number 1 or 2 seed in the entire NBA at the end of next years regular season. I really hope you are.

by TrentEdwardsHoF2018 on May 22, 2009 11:36 PM PDT reply actions

Didn't Yao say Oden played him better than any other center in the league and in 2 years he

will be the best defensive center in the legaue? Yeah, lets just give up on Oden, makes sense ESPN…

by BRoyInThe4th on May 23, 2009 12:08 AM PDT reply actions

Thats why he was an invitee to the olympic team

Because he is no good? These national writers need to have some sort of clue.

Oden will be good, maybe he does not meet the expectations we and the national media have put on him but I will bet he has a way better season then that overhyped Bynum for you know who has next season.

I try to help with everything," Fernandez said. "If the coach says go rebound, I go rebound. I work for the team.

""If I'm playing this game to get media and attention, I shouldn't be here," Aldridge said. "I'm here to play basketball, and do what I can do to help this team win."

His stare became blank. It was apparent he was back in that place, on the Rose Garden's logo, picking up Aaron Brooks as the crowd nervously roared.

by Dragonage on May 23, 2009 10:44 AM PDT reply actions