Blazer Star Smackdown: Round 1, Matchup #6
by Dave on Jul 25, 2011 10:00 PM PDT
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PrintToday we continue with our bracket of 24 of Portland's better-known stars from the last 40 years. We're going to intersperse these posts with the histories to given them more flavor from now on.
You'll vote for Blazer stars in head-to-head matchups until one emerges the victor and is declared Portland's favorite Blazer star of all time! If you don't know the rules, they're right after the jump. Otherwise dig into this matchup!
Matchup #6
In the comment section below please vote for one of these players:
Keep in mind you can use any criteria you wish to make your vote. Enjoy!
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
The rules:
- Each day you'll get a head-to-head matchup. Vote for one as the winner. Use any criteria you wish: talent, contributions, effect, or just that you like 'em better.
- Consider only a player's Portland tenure in your decision. Nothing for other teams counts!
- We are NOT doing simple polls on these because polls can be spammed. One account, one vote in the comment section.
- Please label your vote clearly in the subject line of your comment. Feel free to explain at length and argue in the body of the comment. We encourage discussion (it's the point, in fact) but please do NOT cast your original vote seeded as a reply to someone else's comment.
- The *asterisk* above indicates this caveat: Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Maurice Lucas, and Terry Porter will not be a part of the Star Smackdown. By contributions or popularity they're superstars and would probably make the other voting meaningless. We're reserving a special category for them in another year.
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Sheed
"Ted Thompson's running Brett Favre out of Green Bay was the biggest mistake by a GM in the history of the league."
-Skip Bayless, November 2008
by The Cactus Leaguer on Jul 25, 2011 10:08 PM PDT reply actions
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeed
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 25, 2011 10:27 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeed
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 25, 2011 10:27 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I blame my iPhone for that double post
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 25, 2011 10:28 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Sheeeeeeeeeeed.
No worries.
///
((())) llbdll
///
ed: bumped to front page
by Oh. Em. Gee. on Jul 26, 2011 1:04 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah it should have been a triple
Fire Stern!!!
by hoodieNation on Jul 26, 2011 1:42 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
No question on this one - I have a need for Sheed!
Both teams played hard.
In spite of how he exited, he’s still one of my favorite Blazers and favorite players…
Are you a Mexi-CAN or a Mexi-CAN'T?
Question? Sheed the bad Seed
The Statistic: Technical Fouls/Game
This guy set the NBA record for foul fouls exceed ing the previous record by 30%- Then broke his own record the next year. So much for a team sport, Sheed, the God unto himself.
Pippen should have taken the punk out back, rip his mouth off and slap him with it. I know he would like to have. And had he he, there would have been a line to repeat the process.
most techs were him looking at a ref
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 7:20 AM PDT up reply actions
CTC
Rasheeeeeed Wallace
ALLLL Rudy Then!!!!!
by Miker Blazer on Jul 25, 2011 10:56 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Sheed
The technicals alone is enough to win this matchup.
by SGT Lenny on Jul 25, 2011 11:06 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Sheed
Without a doubt
The real question is not why Greg Oden went #1, but why Nicolas Batum did not
by BlazingTheTrail on Jul 25, 2011 11:08 PM PDT reply actions
Rasheed Wallace
Steve Johnson will get blitzed here is my guess. But there is no way you can’t give this win to Rasheed.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Johnson
Look, I agree that Wallace was the more talented of the two, but I can never give it to Rasheed, considering how much he contributed to the punk mentality of our team… He truly made our team seem like the modern day Denver Nuggets…
by Love_me_some_blazers on Jul 25, 2011 11:18 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Stats per 36 minutes: 20 and 8, and shooting 57% for his career
He also had 4+ TO, and shot worse from the line than the field BUT, he was NOT SHEED the WEED.
Camby got caught with weed.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't have a problem with Sheed and the herb
In fact, with a little more, Sheed might have mellowed out enough to not be a problem. No, it was the general immaturity of his attitude that caused the problems.
Steve Johnson
Came up big during a tough time for the Blazers (as a PF he was forced into center when Bowie was injured), and earned a (surprising) All Star slot in the process. After an injury, he was unhappy after being replaced by Duckworth, and was subsequently left unprotected for the expansion draft. He never seemed to fully recover from injury.
Steve was seen as inspirational and a big surprise during his run, as he played with heart in the unfamiliar center position. And to this day, he still goes to the Rose Garden to serve meals to the homeless. Last I heard, he doesn’t spend that time on his cell phone.
On a stat level, Rasheed destroys Steve Johnson.
So I had a choice of a guy who tried to work hard and maximize his talent, sacrificing for the team by playing out of position (and making an All Star team for it!). Or the guy with better stats, but whom I rarely associate the words “heart” (on the 90’s team, that was Brian Grant) or “inspirational” (Sabonis) or “came up big” (you tell me). On the other hand, they do have that “unhappy” thing in common. I’ll take “requested to management to be left unprotected for expansion draft” over “throws a towel into a teammate’s face during a timeout when he doesn’t get his way”.
As a player, Rasheed was significantly better than Steve Johnson. But I’ll take Steve.
The bad rap he got for throwing that towel has always bothered me
if you watched the game, directly before the timeout Sabonis did one of his famous flops when Shaq was setting up on offense. As he was trying to sell it to the refs he flung out his arms and hit Rasheed in the eye. Granted Rasheed overreacted, but it was out of frustration for getting hit in the eye!! It had nothing to do with not getting his own way.
Yeah like everything else he overreacted
Uber talented, but an uber idiot as well. One of the most fun to watch, but hardest to root for players of my beloved Blazers. From the techs to the general attitude, the weed, the towel, the reverse racism I saw within him, both teams played, you name it, Prick City, yes sir.
Sorry. I love Sheed but your post doesn't excuse the towel incident. Unacceptable.
And Sheed knew it immediately and hated himself for it.
#52--------I believe in Greg Oden
sheed
there aren’t many athletes to have played the game of basketball quite like sheed. also was the very first jersey i got.
Resident Smartass.
and my residency is Blazersedge.com
Rasheeeeeeeeed Wallace!!!!
He was the face out the Blazers for a while and he was freaking awesome!!!
Sheed
It will be easier to vote Sheed out in the next round. I vote for Sheed’s talent with Johnson’s drive and effort to get everything out of his. That combo would have been a hall of famer.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Jul 25, 2011 11:43 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Rasheed Wallace.
Every team needs a passionate kook who knows how to play basketball. Loved Sheed, except for the towel incident.
#52--------I believe in Greg Oden
I loved Sabas,
except for his stupid flops that resulted in elbows and forearms to his teammates’ faces.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Sheed
But both players played hard.
Porter, Drexler, Kersey, Williams, Duckworth. The greatest starting 5 ever.
by Bib Fortuna on Jul 26, 2011 12:37 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I think shees's 30 should be up there with porter and gross
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 1:09 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I blame my iPhone for that typo
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 1:10 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
The shees's part...
or the part about hanging his 30 up in the rafters?
Comedy font…
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Jul 26, 2011 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Johnson
I’m surprised that so many of you have so much love for Rasheed Wallace. He doesn’t have any for you. Hopefully when Sabonis comes to town next month you’ll refrain from chanting his name.
My least favorite Blazer ever.
he lives in portland
he must like the town,
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 4:04 AM PDT up reply actions
What did Rasheed ever personally do to you?
By all accounts he’s a great teammate and smart player. Detroit sure loved him…
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 7:55 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Hopefully, you'll be a fan the way you choose and not let some knucklehead tell you how to do it...
I already know how to be the fan I want to be…
Are you a Mexi-CAN or a Mexi-CAN'T?
Rasheed Wallace
only because he was mentioned in an E40 rap.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
Rasheed wallace
Easy choice.
FIRE NATE AND BLOW UP THE TEAM! (Save Aldridge and Matthews)
by easythere73 on Jul 26, 2011 2:16 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I think nearly every coach would take Wallace over Johnson
despite the headaches. One thing I heard was that — despite the technicals — was that he practiced hard and generally was a pretty good teammate. And even the T’s don’t bother me that much, because they came from him caring, not from punk plays.
Johnson was a nice player, but nowhere near as good as Wallace.
most of the T's came from him looking at a ref
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 4:04 AM PDT up reply actions
Sheed
Hmm, I like that. "Flaws are forgotten, genius endures." That's good stuff.
It reminds me of this epic line: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
"I Am Mine"
Sheed
He drove me crazy at times. But he was quite the dominant player when he wanted to be.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
i wished he wanted to be dominant in game 7's 4th quarter
quarters 1,2, and 3 he was unstoppable
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 6:52 AM PDT up reply actions
How many power forwards dominate in crunch time?
It’s really difficult to be a “go-to” scorer when you’re at the mercy of your teammates for touches and spacing.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions
true
i kind of wish anyone would have dominated, or at least played average like
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions
That was a straight up choke job
from Steve Smith to Scottie Pippen.
It’s our version of the cursed goat.
Sigh.;)
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Why did you add the smiley face?
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
It's just a game, is why.
And I was thinking about the Cubs. At least we got a title in ’77…
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 9:17 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Johnson
Sheed was a better player, had a bigger impact, but I was proud to have a man like Steve Johnson on the Blazers. Sure can’t say that about Sheed.
this is a technical for him
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 7:25 AM PDT up reply actions
longer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKvJ7gMsmOs&feature=related
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 7:37 AM PDT up reply actions
I defended him for a while when he was a Blazer
At some point it just becomes kind of hard to do. I didn’t disagree with most of his off court protests about the officiating and the NBA but at some point you just have to play ball. For as much as he brought to the team, he took away just as much by never acknowledging the technicals were a huge waste of his efforts and focus.
This was evident in Detroit also. His game 6 technical his last season there, that would have resulted in a suspension for Game 7 had there been one, was more evidence that he never figured that out. We all have flaws so I can let it go do a certain degree, but I stopped defending the immaturity when it became obvious he would never change.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Jul 26, 2011 7:57 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
eh
not much worse than roy;s constant complaining to the refs
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions
That is not my memory of those record setting seasons for Wallace
The biggest difference is that Wallace could have been on the court in a lot of key situations when he was sitting in the locker room. Randolph annoyed me with his not getting back on D but he wasn’t even close to Wallace. You could compare Randolph and Roy and make a convincing argument but there is not any comparison between Roy and Wallace.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
Rasheed Wallace is one of the most misunderstood Blazers of all time.
He was a great player, and like Zach Randolph before him, the antics of his youth were a much bigger PR issue than they were a teammate issue. He was beloved by players and coaches alike for his willingness to pass, as well as take big shots.
Rasheed is simply the best power forward the Blazers have ever had, period.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 7:45 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
didnt z bo punch one of his teammates, and got called out by roy
while he had matured, he had teammate problems.
wallace’s teammates, on the other hand loved him
Steve Smith is my favorite Blazer of all time
by thomasikehara on Jul 26, 2011 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Z Bo was definitely an immature kid
and incapable of leading a team. But he grew up.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 7:57 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Slightly OT: How does Rasheed getting nabbed for puffing a little weed
compare to Brett Farve being (illegally) hooked on pills?
A guy chills out with some herb and he’s a thug, while another athlete develops a serious drug addiction and gets met with compassion and understanding. Neither are legal, no?
I say as long as you show up and work hard, you’re good. Showing up constantly hopped up on pain killers is a problem. Both instances should be met with understanding though. Scottie Pippen basically said “go have a party at your house” IE—don’t get caught. I agree. As far as Brett goes, addiction is a serious matter and I hope he truly recovered.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 8:39 AM PDT reply actions
Sheed also never threw his teammate under the bus
like Favre did with Javon Walker.
No, rather than throw him under the bus sheed threw the ball as hard as he could into a unsuspecting teammate's gonads
then laughed while he watched the guy writhing in pain. Sure the sort of All-Time player you want to raise up and honor.
Rasheed
One of the most talented Pf in the last few years. He was very frustrating from a fan stand point because he seemed to not care some times but the skills are undeniable.
One championship in my life time, is that too much to ask!
Sheed
Plugging nose while voting. The towel, I never got over it. Johnson had class.
You can observe a lot just by watching.
-- Yogi Berra
by Rick C in Tigard on Jul 26, 2011 9:34 AM PDT reply actions
RAWWW-SHEED! Wallace!
Regardless of how he is perceived, Sheed will always be my favorite player ever.
by RoniusMaximus on Jul 26, 2011 9:36 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Wallace...
I loved Steve Johnson as a Beaver and Blazer… But this one is easy compared to the others.
#7... GO BLAZERS!!!
Sheed
Johnson was on the team when I first became a fan as a kid, so there’s some sentimental value, but even with the juice bag factor sheed wins this one.
"Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing, and we don’t feel pressure because we know what we’re doing." – Chip Kelly
Sheed
While not a leader off the court (see the infamous SI article on the Jailblazers where he headlines the intro describing a community event), he usually was one on the court even if he never reached his full potential in Portland or arguably anywhere. And honestly Johnson was before my time as a basketball fan so I’ve never seen him play, and statistically he only seemed to have one decent playoff run with the Blazers while Sheed had two similar ones and at least two better ones, plus 2 All-Star appearances in this timeframe with the Blazers compared to 1.
sheed
disappointing figure nonetheless.
Wherever you may be; good night, eeeeeeverybody!
by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Jul 26, 2011 10:59 AM PDT reply actions
BALL DON'T LIE!!!!!!!!
SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!!!!!
LET'S PLAY SOME DAMN DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!
by Batum Shakalaka on Jul 26, 2011 11:14 AM PDT reply actions
SHEED
Brandon Roy all the way; great Blazer, injured or not: #7
by collectiveshane on Jul 26, 2011 11:34 AM PDT reply actions
Steve Johnson was one of the most efficent players in Blazer uniform
He led the league in FG% one year and was top ten for four years – lifetime was .572. When he was at Oregon State (with the Glove) he led the nation in FG%.
Steve did not have the physical talents of Rasheed. He possessed far more mental, psychological and tram-building talents that ’Weed will ever understand. I understand the contrary vote. But Steve Johnson makes my Blazer All-time better than ’Weed ever could.
Lots of players of average talent have led the league in field goal %.
Rasheed got caught smoking what—once? How that earns him a pedantic nickname is beyond me.
No diss to Steve Johnson, of course. He was a fine player. Rasheed was a primary component in a championship team though. Taking that away from him because you don’t like his personality is pretty nearsighted IMO.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 26, 2011 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Abstain from vote
Looks like we have a winner.
Rasheed was a better player, and I’m not a huge Johnson fan, I don’t even really remember him like I remember liking Kenny Carr, Kermit Washington, Calvin Natt, and tons of other Blazers, but . . .
Rasheed threw a ball across the gym, pegged a teammate in the head, and then him and his punk friend Bonzi laughed about it.
Rasheed did get all the techs.
Rasheed was never polite with the media.
Rasheed threw a towel at Sabas.
But what really made me mad about Rasheed was that he never lived up to his potential.
He had the talent to be one of the best players in the NBA. He had more talent than LaMarcus Aldridge, but Aldridge gives it his all. Rasheed just wanted to fade into the background and be just another player, and it was at a time that we needed a superstar. He was good for Detroit, because they had Billups, Hamilton, Prince, and Ben Wallace, so he didn’t have to be “the man.” We needed him to be “the man,” and he never was.
Hopefully he’ll have a harder match up next round, and get voted out.
by desperationshot on Jul 26, 2011 1:26 PM PDT reply actions
Where did you buy those rose colored glasses?
I love how the current situation alters our perception of the past. For example… If we had been asked this question years ago when Rasheed had left, most of you would have said that you were tired of the attitude and wanted character over talent… Now that we have more character and less talent, everyone pines for the days when we cared less about what kind of person we signed as long as we won…personally I like having players I can be proud of so to speak…
by Love_me_some_blazers on Jul 26, 2011 1:29 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Sheeeeeed!
Seriously Dave, did you really think this needs to be voted on. Steve Johnson vs Rasheed?!?!?!!! Are you kidding me?!?!?! Not even close. Sheed should be up there in the Roy, Porter range.
Rasheed for teh_win.
It was time to part ways when he left and yes we did need a character improvement. However, I still loved him as a player and that untapped potential while in Portland was crazy. If I understand correctly we are voting on favorite player. For me, warts and all he’ll remain a favorite.
I remember a game in which Bill Walton was commentating with some else and Bill said that Sheed could be the best player in the league whenever he decided to live up to it. The other dude was like, uh…your crazy (not in those exact words). It was a great moment.
Rasheed
I really love Jones, but Wallace (even though he’s a huge flake) is the better player. He was unstoppable (and lovable) that first year. Sheed is in a category with Isaiah Rider, but I have better memories of (the ultimate flake) J.R. – Sorry Snapper…
Johnson
RashWeed never never played up to his talent and was a major flake as well. The fact that he was the most talented player on the team and never wanted to “be the man” bothers me. Go big or go home, with Wallace they went home.
Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about. ~Sam Ewing
When they asked me how you danced, I'll say that you danced real close.
by BoogiewithStu on Jul 26, 2011 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Blazer fans wanted him to be "the man". Rasheed just wanted to play good basketball.
When he finally got the chance to focus on being a good team player he helped Detroit win a title.
nuff said.
/s
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jul 27, 2011 7:31 AM PDT up reply actions
Great players play great
Although Sheed was immensely talented, he never played up to his potential. Period. I’ll take a team of overachievers like a Kersey or a Porter over a team of talented underachievers any time. At least you know, win or lose, the effort will be there night in and night out.
“nuff said”
Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about. ~Sam Ewing
When they asked me how you danced, I'll say that you danced real close.
by BoogiewithStu on Jul 27, 2011 7:19 PM PDT up reply actions
It's not as much of a runaway as you'd think...but I'll have to vote for Sheed.
I absolutely HATE voting for Sheed in anything. I liken him to Lamarcus before this great season, only with a sorry attitude. I always thought Sheed had the potential to take it to the next level, but never did – I don’t think he had the heart and desire to do it. I really liked Steve Johnson in his time here with Portland, although some of that could be based on his time with OSU as well. His per 36 minutes numbers are comperable with Sheed, but injuries kept him for showing it on a consistent basis.
Looks like a runaway to me...
by The Penguin on Jul 27, 2011 8:39 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Rasheed Wallace
He had the longer career and pass the 1st Round of the Playoffs. He REALLY underachieve in his years in Portland. He should had much better stats then he ended up with his career. He got my vote just because of his back-to-back Conference Finals 99-00!
SCOREBOARD!!!
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