This is interesting. I ran across a quote by Trader Bob today. I was browsing through The Sports Bigamist's excellent Blazers-themed SI vault stories and read an article about Sabonis. In it was this quote:

"We didn't want to wind up in the draft lottery," says Portland president and general manager Bob Whitsitt. "That's like the Bermuda Triangle. Teams get in it and never get out."

What struck me about this is the thought...would you ever hear Kevin Pritchard make that statement? It seems to me that Kevin Pritchard looks at the draft as an opportunity, not as a roadblock.

It really explains a lot. Whitsitt always traded for help now, not with the future in mind. He was of the opinion that it was the only thing that kept Portland in the playoffs. True, to an extent, but anyone want to talk about the Burmuda triangle of early playoff series exits?

This is directed somewhat at Dave but also at everyone else who promoted this thing. Nothing personal but I feel very strongly about this. I rarely post diaries, but this warrants one. I also know there is one below about Odom's foul but the angle is different enough I thought I could post a new one.

You know, I'm very surprised and disappointed that Dave is acting like it was some kind of negative that our guys didn't start swinging when Odom threw Roy to the ground. That's the kind of crap that gave the Jail Blazers their name...acting like immature little 8th graders.

EDIT 4/10: To be fair, Dave did NOT advocate swinging--I took his comments the wrong way.

Why on God's green earth would you want them to throw Kobe on his can the next time down? Kobe wasn't near the play! To "send a message?" That's completely out of line and NOT what I expect from this group. I expect mature play, taking your hits, letting the officials be the officials and not trying to take matters into your own hands.

I don't have a problem with a little stare-down and bump, like Przy will do now and then. That's fine...it shows that our players care. But to encourage a fight or to get thrown out of the game? I'm sorry, but I would NOT be watching a team that does that.

We had a bit of this conversation a while ago when Odom came into the player huddle. You know, there are always going to be Odoms in the league. If you always react with violence you're playing right into their hands.

That's all I have to say about it. I'm disappointed so many here think the Blazers should start swinging when someone does a hard or cheap foul. That's not the Blazers I know or am a fan of.

How long will Nate be able to keep James Jones out of the starting lineup considering how well he is playing and how Martell Webster is slumping? I understand it is good to keep Tell from getting down, but unfortunately the gap seems to be widening between their individual productions.

I'm a big Webster fan, but I think we may see a new insertion in the lineup sometime in the coming weeks.

Jarrett actually getting some love from NBA.com...

Top 10 moves of 2007, to be exact.

http://nba-boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/top10s_specialties/best_of_2007/top10_moves_2007.asx

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Not sure if it's okay to write a non-blazer related article, but this did cross my mind and I was wondering what everyone else thought.

I find that papers on my home office desk are a net negative. I have notes from phone calls, meetings, etc. They're always getting lost, reshuffled, moved around. My kid uses them to draw green and pink cows (using my highlighters). I can't find the ones I need, and am always picking up ones I won't need for a while and moving them. My "active files" rack I rarely access, simply because most of the relevant info is in my e-mail or electronic files anyway.

I'm thinking about just scanning any meeting/phone call notes in (or retyping them) and putting them in my computer filing system. Going 99% paperless if I can. I have a decent electronic backup schedule, so a hardcopy is usually not necessary.

What do you think? Are hard copies obsolete?

From Mike Barrett's blog:

Speaking of Darius, he continues to workout at a frantic pace, and was going through drills with trainer Jay Jensen on the other court during the games Wednesday. He hasn't been cleared to play, but is running now with the team during conditioning drills. Miles, who topped out at 259 pounds following his micro-fracture knee surgery, is now down to a slim 225.(emphasis added) He has high hopes for a return, but still has a long road ahead of him. There are varying degrees of micro-fracture surgery, and Darius' was on the very serious end. Say what you want, you cannot fault his effort in attempting to get back into shape. I've seen it every day.

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Oden's NBA Live 08 rating is 75, right up in the middle of the pack for centers:

http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/8a25090114b301760114b3825aa0013a

Centers

1. Tim Duncan: 91
   
2. Amare Stoudemire: 88
   
3. Shaquille O'Neal: 87
   
4. Yao Ming: 86
   
5. Ben Wallace: 78
   
6. Brad Miller: 76
   
7. Zydrunas Ilgauskas: 75
   
8. Marcus Camby: 75
   

9. Greg Oden: 75

10. Tyson Chandler: 75
    
11. Andrew Bogut: 75
    
12. Chris Kaman: 73
    
13. Nene: 73
    
14. Eddy Curry: 73
    
15. Alonzo Mourning: 73
    
16. Jamaal Magloire: 72
    
17. Andris Biedrins: 72
    
18. Mehmet Okur: 72
    
19. Samuel Dalembert: 72
    
20. Kurt Thomas: 71

Now, NBA Live ratings obviously aren't extremely important, but I'm an NBA Live fan so I consider them to be interesting. They are certainly giving him the benefit of the doubt being as he's a rookie.

Do you think this is a realistic assessment?

Other notables:

Zach Randolph came in at 78...Channing Frye at 75...Kevin Durant at 78...

There is something that I feel like everyone puts too much emphasis on, and that's being an All-Star. That includes media and team front offices. The all-star game is worthless in my opinion--the way they are selected is just a popularity contest. It isn't a true representation of who deserves the honor. Heck, some casual fans just vote for Shaq because they don't recognise most of the other names on the list. And Yao will get in every year whether he plays well or not.

Instead, everyone should talk about whether a guy was All-NBA 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team. It isn't something that is as hyped as the All-Star game but is a much truer gauge of whether a guy is in the top of the league at his position. I'd just rather not hear someone talk about someone being a "four-time All Star" as if it really means something. "Four-time All-NBA" does mean something.

And the last thing I'd like to say about the subject is that I believe the best player should always be selected for All-NBA honors as well as MVP regardless of how his team does. A player has virtually no say in who the team drafts, trades for, or signs as free agents, so you can't put it on him that his team isn't doing well. There are just too many factors. Pick the best player overall, not just the best player on the best team.

Update [2007-7-31 22:18:6 by jamon51]: Found this article which backs up my opinion: Article

I read on Forum Blue & Gold that Webster is "incredible, a real breakout candidate." So maybe the perception of Martell outside of Portland is better than inside of Portland. And why not--he appears to have all the tools and potential.

http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/07/12/summer-league-first-person/

One of the reasons I like Martell is the fact that he rebounds so well for his size and position. Quit thinking of him as the premier scorer of the future and change your expectations. Martell is a complementary piece--a rebounding, loose-ball gathering small forward who will hit shots from anywhere on the court, make a few smart plays, make a few bonehead plays, and generally contribute without blowing up the stat sheet. I know that's a radically different view than most people see him in but I think he can (and is) easily that kind of player.

Your thoughts?