Message to Greg Oden: Quit Paying Attention to the Media and Get Your Head in the Game
NBA December 11th. 2008, 9:00am
A reader sent us a depressing link last night - it’s a radio interview in which the Blazers’ beat writer for the Oregonian, Jason Quick, talks about what it’s like being around rookie Greg Oden. Quick is a fantastic reporter, and that’s why his words about Oden are a massive downer.
I can’t really stand to be around him. He’s such a downer. He’s not a very fun guy to be around and he’s not a very fun guy to talk to. I think his teammates like him, but that guy is not interacting with very many guys in the locker room right now. He can’t let go of being Greg Oden. I think he’s obsessing with all this expectations. Until he starts having fun again playing basketball, he’s not going to get better. I don’t know how he’s going to do that.
In a word: Depressing. We remain bullish on Oden (currently averaging seven points and seven rebounds a game) becoming an NBA force - after all, he’s only played 17 games (17 games!), missed all of last season with an injury, and he’s only turning 21 in January. Easy to peg an NBA player as a bust and a failure after 1/4 of his rookie year. Patience, people.
Here are some ideas to help him snap out of this funk: 1) Stay off the internet, especially blogs and comment sections. Limit yourself to email, and have your handlers buy all your Christmas gifts online. 2) No more watching ESPN NBA talking heads. 3) No more sports talk radio, definitely. NPR rocks! 4) Steer clear of anything Bill Simmons writes about the NBA.
Before you commence bashing, Oden did have a four-game stretch where he tallied 57 points, 39 rebounds and 12 blocks - good for averages of 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. There’s plenty of hope here, and that’s coming from someone who thought the Blazers should have originally drafted Durant.
47 Responses to “Message to Greg Oden: Quit Paying Attention to the Media and Get Your Head in the Game”
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December 11th, 2008 at 9:03 am
like the post TBL, but Im not a fan of the blazers really
December 11th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I remember teammates and columnists said the same thing about Sam Bowie.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:06 am
he’s obsessing over expectations that he cannot possibly meet because he’s not good enough to ever meet them, that’s the problem. Being compared to Bill Russell when you’re in college? Are you kidding me?
December 11th, 2008 at 9:07 am
He doesn’t think Oden will be good because he’s not “a very fun guy to talk to”?
How about because he’s just not very good?
December 11th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Lopez twins will have better careers than Oden
December 11th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Last year was his rookie year, this year he’s a disappointing second year player.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:16 am
they let you drink at work?
December 11th, 2008 at 9:16 am
he didn’t play a game last year, thus he’s a rookie this year, and eligible for ROY
December 11th, 2008 at 9:19 am
So much hype about this guy. Probably the most hype on a player since Lebron James came out. At least we all know Lebron James will go down as one of the greatest players of all time. But Greg Oden? People were so quick to annoint this guy “best center” in the league w/o him playing one game. Patience TBL
December 11th, 2008 at 9:23 am
and yes, i like the Lopez twins. You were all about Hibbert and how is that working out. We disagree on big men in the NBA and college basketball. its okay. Look at Howard and look at your favorite. It is easy
December 11th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Brook Lopez is averaging 9.5, 7.5 and just under 2 blocks.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I would say the hype was more for Durant than Oden, but yeah the hype is big either way. The funny thing is that Portland doesn’t need him to be a dominant center at all. They need him to be an Andrew Bynum-type that can rebound, defend, and not completely screw up when given the ball in the post.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Oden’s ESPN commercial creeps me out.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:30 am
thus he’s a rookie this year, and eligible for ROY
TBL: So is Luc Mbah a Moute, who has better stats than Oden, and guess what? He’s not gonna win ROY either.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Lopez also paying 26 mins a game to Shaq’s 21; also had two years at stanford, Oden just one at OSU.
http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/stanford/brook-lopez
December 11th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Yeah but he’s still 35 years old.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:33 am
What does Shaq have to do with anything?
December 11th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Here are rookie rankings at Inside Hoops. Oden is #7
http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-rookies.shtml
December 11th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Robin is the one playing behind Shaq. Brook is starting in Jersey.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Yea the Portland Media is tough to deal with.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Was he paid for last year? If so, then not a rookie to me.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:35 am
@TBL- dont get me wrong, i do think Oden will be good. In 3-4 years, if he stays healthy(big key)
December 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
@TBL- dont get me wrong, i do think Oden will be good. In 3-4 years, when he turns 40.
/fixed
December 11th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Hype Machine, Hype Machine!!!
December 11th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Wait until that MLS team get to Portland. It’ll be a mad house!
December 11th, 2008 at 9:45 am
@CRM: do they have a WNBA team? That’s the true sign of a passionate sports city.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
/tyduff’d
December 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I’m pretty sure they have a minor league baseball team. Same difference.
/waits for fetch to lose his shit
//prospects!
December 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Oden is playing pretty sweet per minute. It’s not pretty, but he does the shit that helps you win games. One of the best rebounders in the league already.
Once he’s in shape and fully recovered from the knee surgery (remember it took Amare 18 months), he’ll be in beast mode.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:56 am
its only a matter of time
December 11th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Matt Bonner is playing pretty sweet per minute. It’s not pretty, but he does the shit that hels win games. PER for Matt Bonner, 19.56
December 11th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Cowherd hates on Oden about 2-3 times a week.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:02 am
/statburn’d
December 11th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I think that if you could get him to be honest that Greg would admit he’d rather have stayed at Ohio State.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Matt Bonner’s a pretty productive player. Thanks for pointing him out.
You can win with guys like that. You can’t win with chuckers like AI, Durant, and co.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:09 am
i would love to know what Reggie Evans PER is. that guy is a huslter
December 11th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Durant
Thats not fair, seriously he plays on the Thunder.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:11 am
PER is a dogshit stat because it rewards chuckers like the aformentioned Iverson. He’s always been above average, in some cases way above average, and he seldom plays that way.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:12 am
PER is a dogshit stat
i agree. Cavs looked good last night Nick. SWAMPthang played well
December 11th, 2008 at 10:13 am
“Robin and Brook”
December 11th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Yeah irish, Swamp thang and AV played well. Need Z to be ok. Can’t have him missing games.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Unless he has changed since his days at tOSU, (possible), it seems unlikely that he is that much of a downer to be around. There was nothing but good reports about his attitude and behavior. He may be a little depressed because he knows he is not playing up to his potential now because of injuries. He was that way at the beginning of the OSU year when his wrist was injured. An athlete caring about his performance, let’s rip him.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:24 am
i cant believe matt bonner just entered an oden discussion.
or because his boy, conley, was with him all the time
December 11th, 2008 at 10:27 am
i cant believe matt bonner just entered an oden discussion
it was to make a point that Matt Bonner has a higher PER than Oden
December 11th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Discussing made up worthless stats (PER) and a backup player, is this yardwork? Imig?
December 11th, 2008 at 10:53 am
A little late to the party, I know. But I was listening to the local sports radio guys on Tuesday talking about this very story. The brought Channing Frye on to talk about it, and he basically said it was a bunch of bull. He said Oden was a great teammate and he’s just trying to avoid the media a little more these days. Could be PR spin, but I take it for what it’s worth.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am
It’s not like he and Conley were in diapers together. They didn’t pair up until high school. Granted, they spent a solid 5 years together, and that’s not to be discounted. But Greg has always had close friends outside of the Conley circle.