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Mike Barrett
Television play-by-play voice of the Blazers on KGW-TV 8 and Fox Sports Net
Stream Courtside LIVE on Thursday's at 6:00pm on 750am KXL
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I think my biggest concern right now is Webster. This team needs him in the line up on a nightly basis getting big minutes.
Other than that the team shows some exciting promise. I look forward to wednesday when I'll finally get to SEE this new blazer team. I'm hearing good things about Zbo and Roy and Travis seems to be doing well but it's hard to tell just how much of an impact these players will have until I actually get to watch a game. That's the thing I'm most looking forward to.
The team is playing with energy and has been fun to watch this pre-season. But any fan has got to have grave injury concerns. Martell's back, how serious is it? Aldridge has never played a game in the league and he's already had his first surgery and rehab. Dickau has chronic injury problems, Zach is coming back from an inured knee, Darius may never get back from the same injury, Joel has had recent knee problems, Raef's calf is still recovering, and Jarrett's coming off ankle surgery that kept him sidelined all summer.
If everyone were healthy all this season, the Blazers might have something to build on heading into next year. My concern is that with the injury problems we've been plagued with lately, this may be a very, very long season. If we can get through the campaign without more injuries, I'd consider that a partial success in itself.
We didn't start the preseason with a set rotation. Unlike other teams, we basically started form scratch. We had new guys, late additions, injuries, and a crazy schedule. So, our record isn't an accurate account of what's going on with this team.
I came away from the preseason seeing one trend i believe can't be ignored. We played better using lineups that could run the floor, mostly because of defensive considerations. This is one reason why i think Aldridge will get meaningful PT this season.
I think he could see minutes with Zach. He can hit a jumper, which will create more space for Zach, and he can certainly get up and down the floor. I'm sure we'll see this combination, this year.
Turnovers will go down as the rotation gets some regularity and chemistry is built, and our offensive should be light years ahead of last season. I'm dreaming of the sick combination of Aldridge, Zach, Webster, Roy, and Jack against smaller lineups. I'm excited to see how we do.
The talent seems quite raw and the players very specialized in what they are good at offensively.I expect the team to look much better when Miles gets back.
Wasn't sure that relying so much on posting up Zack was a good idea but then again it's getting the opponents into the penality first and this might be the key to early success. Hope we don't wear him out.
I like this team but then again I always do. Because nobody else is saying it I will. They will make the playoffs. Have to think that way, I'm sure some of the players do. I might as well join them. A great coach could pull it off and Nate might just be one of them.
Bingo Bango Bongo !
MB,
With all of the offseason moves and the picks Portland made, how can you not be more excited about this years 2-6 record than last years? We should have expected a poor pre-season record because these guys are still trying to get used to playing with one another. I believe the first half of the season the guys will struggle a little, but after the All-Star break, I expect them to be much more effective playing as a team since they'll have some chemistry built.
I would not be one bit surprised to see this team finish close around .500 and we all know that would be a TREMENDOUS improvement from last year. Some say they see the Blazers in playoff contention again in about 3 or 4 years. I think that they will be flirting with the playoffs by next season. If we make one or two more moves, we'll be good to go. Brandon Roy is the PERFECT guy to build a franchise around.
I do have a major concern. Obviously Darius Miles and his health are a concern. Another question is, does he really want to be here this season? If Portland gets off to a bad start, I have a feeling we'll be seeing the same old Miles from the end of last season and we definitely don't need that attitude around with the young guys we have. Another concern is, will Zach stay out of trouble? I knew right away when we decided to let Randolph get playing time a few years ago that Rasheed's bad attitude and complaining would effect Randolph in the future. Same with Damon Stoudamire. How hard is it to do something you love (professional basketball) without getting into off-court trouble? My last concern is Jamaal Magloire. He seems a little slower than everyone on the court and likes to turn the ball over a lot. How hard is it to not travel? I can understand traveling in some situations but come on, you're in the NBA.
Although I feel better than a year ago, the low assist per turnover ratio and inconsistency on defense in this year's preseason are major concerns.
Hey Mike, long time reader, first time blogger. I am very optimistic about this year. The pre season doenst really translate into reg. season performance anyway, however if it werent for those couple games with horrific amounts of turn overs, we could easily have finished 4-4 or even 5-3. I chalk much of the turn over problems to a new group of players still getting to know each other and the system. Hopefully after 10-15 games, we will really start to play cohesively and efficiently. If we can do that, we might just see an exciting season.
everyone that commented here has great views! i saw an article by the espn prediciting the outcome of the blazers and that had blazers on the bottom of everything. anyway, there was a blogger that said he would get a blazers tatoo if blazers win 10 a row.
this year, i think it can be done. im actually starting to think about using the old vintage blazers logo...mmm...hey, that reminds me...dont forget, the blazers were the worst team a season before the '77 championship. im getting an another tatoo if blazers win the champs like they did in '77. oh it was an amazing year! bill walton=lemarcus aldridge=championship. what do you think?
nate
I am hands down the biggest Blazers fan outside Portland. I am from Brazil and will follow every single game listening it on KXL on my computer. I am very excited and think at least this year we can count on guys to have passion and heart on the court.
Best regards to all,
Ricardo Santos
Turnover, turnovers, and more turnovers.
We just don't have any margin for error and not one preseason game with more assists than turnovers is the biggest thing that jumps out at me. I love JJ, but he's got to do better in this area if he's the starter.
On a positive note, I love the effort and it feels good to like most of the guys on the roster again. It's been a while and I can't wait for Wednesday.
Go Blazers!
Hey Mike,
Definitely feeling better this year than last. My one major concern is lack of a clear starter at small forward. This could hurt the teams ability to find its identity and develop some chemistry. Hopefully one of the guys will step up and make themselves the obvious choice for the starting role.
Hey Mike,
Definitely feeling better this year than last. My one major concern is lack of a clear starter at small forward. This could hurt the teams ability to find its identity and develop some chemistry. Hopefully one of the guys will step up and make themselves the obvious choice for the starting role.
Hey Mike,
Definitely feeling better this year than last. My one major concern is lack of a clear starter at small forward. This could hurt the teams ability to find its identity and develop some chemistry. Hopefully one of the guys will step up and make themselves the obvious choice for the starting role.
Mike,
As I was thinking about the team last night, there are many positions which are improved from last year. Starting with Center, unlike last year we have, I believe, Pryzbilla who will not suffer as many injuries as before, a Backup Center in Magloire who will be a low post scorer and enforcer, and a shooter in Raef who can spread the floor. In many ways this team has many more dimensions to it than it did last year.
The Power Forward position will also be improved. Zach is ready to have an All-Star year with his health not in question this year unlike last (remember, he has a room already reserved in Las Vegas for the All-Star game). Travis Outlaw's play has been much improved and will serve well as a backup power forward as well as Raef who could see some time. How can we forget our #2 pick? He will be able to contribute some as well. Compared to last year when we had an unhealthy Zach, and Ruben and Skinner playing the 4 this is a much better position.
The Three is probably the one position I am most concerned about. I know Ime has played great in the pre-season, especially on defense. But with Martell's injury, and his youth still present, it seems as though this position could be a little inconsistent. Last year With Ruben, an unhealthy Miles, and not knowing what you'll get from Outlaw and Martell every night I still think this position has improved. Especially if Ime can contribute right away and gain the confidence of his coaching staff to use him on a regular basis. I believe Ime is that calming consistent force that the team needs at the 3.
The 2 is maybe the most improved over last year. While Dixon did a serviceable job last year, seeing Roy step in makes me believe that we have a true off guard of the future, and now. Yes, he will make his rookie mistakes, like everyone, but I believe his learning curve will be much faster than most. Don't be surprised that by the end of the year, the offense will run through Roy, especially late in games. Compared to last year the offense is more geared to attack the basket as opposed to streaky outside shooting. Dixon is a great outside shooter/scorer who I believe is best when coming off the bench. I see a possible lineup of Dixon coming off the bench, and Roy sliding to the point. This would take any defensive liabilities with Dixon at the 2 and negate them.
At the point, the loss of Steve Blake may be the biggest hurdle to overcome. I am a big Jack fan and I believe that he will do a great job for team this year. My only concerns are at the end of game ball handling situations. Last year's game against Denver where he was stripped in the last few seconds of the ball game shows me that ball handling might be a concern. Dickau coming off the bench will be good, as I like the energy he brings to the game (I used to play with him a little in Vancouver before he turned pro, and he does not lack confidence). If Dickau or Jack gets hurt this position could be a concern. I would rather not put Sergio in the game except for mop up duty or 5 minutes here or there to change the pace of the game (too many turnovers). Roy's natural position is not the point and I would just assume not have him guard quick fast point guards. This could lead to too many fouls.
Overall I am excited about this coming year. I see that Nate has softened up a little this year (although I am sure he would not want to be categorized as soft), and I believe that this team will potentially be a .500 ball club. That is the most wins I can see. Realistically I see the win total to be between the 20 last year and the potential 40. I believe this year more than last year the win total will have a lot to do with coaching. If Nate can get the right mix on the floor at the right times, I believe unlike last year that the second unit will be as strong as the first. This will allow, as Nate likes to say "to play all 48 minutes" and be competitive.
Thanks Mike for your great Blog and for putting up with Wild Rice! (just kidding, I am actually a fan of the Wild one, call me crazy I know)
Chris
Better than last year, I'm still a little sour about losing Viktor though. I was a little disapointed in Jamaal's numbers and Joel's points. Joel can catch the ball in the key and dunk it on about everyone. I didn't really see anything more than the highlights but I think our posts need to step up. I'm with Rob on the injuries, we have too many players injured.
Hmmmm. Excited? Interesting. Am I excited to see a team win 20 - 30 games and struggle all year? Does that make sense?
To tell you the truth, I'm excited to see what Branson Roy is going to do. I'm excited to see Jack, Roy, Martell, Zach, and Pryz. I'm excited to see Roy, Martell, Outlaw, Z-Bo and Pryz just to see if anyone can matchup with such a HUGE lineup.
I'm a little worried about Martell's back. That could be a damper on the season if it becomes a problem. I was actually happy that Darius' knee wasn't going to be ready so we could see Martell and Travis in the SF rotation.
I was excited to see Pryz and Magloire fight it out for Center, but Magloire hasn't showed anything except being Joel's backup.
I'm excited to see a team on the floor that I can say, "I like those guys." I'm excited to say, "Did you see that?!"
Yeah! Bring on the season. Lets see if the team can turn some heads and surprise some people. I would like to see the team grow faster than anyone thought and actually do something in a division up for grabs. I'll be excited!
Hmmmm. Excited? Interesting. Am I excited to watch a team win 20 - 30 games in a season? Does that make sense?
Actaully, I'm excited to watch what the kids can do. I'm excited to see if the kids can put it together faster than anyone thinks and make a run in a division that is up for grabs. I'm excited to see Brandon Roy and if he will be 'The Man' from game 1. I'm excited to see a team play and want to win and work hard.
Okay, you got me. I'm excited to see if JJ,Roy,Martell,Travis,Z-Bo, Jamaal, and Pryz can become a great team in a short period of time! I'm on board!
I think Mark answered his own question when asking about Mags' uncanny ability to travel..........he's in the NBA. I don't know if the traveling violations will be called as closely during the regular season as they were this preseason, but if the past gives any insight, it probably won't. Personally, i'm all for the NBA getting back to a point where players actually have to be able to play basketball to perform, well. I would be happy to see guys like Magloire forced to adjust to proper officiating or find a new line of work.
I'm really looking forward to seeing them play this year.. I think this year is going to be very telling with lots of ups and downs.. With all the great moves the front office made,I think we are one year away from being really good.. Jack is going to get a solid year under his belt, as will roy and Webster.. I hear Zach is tearing it up and making other guys better now... The presants of the new veterans like Reaf and Jamaal will be a big plus in the locker room.. Should be a fun year!!
I'm also hoping that the officiating will tighten up this year. I saw so many non calls last year it made me sick. It gets annoying to watch someone on a fast break take like 5 extra steps before they do some fancy dunk and they get no call. I understand that the referees are human and everyone makes mistakes, but come on.
I would also like to see the NFL's officiating tighten up too. I rest my case after last years Super Bowl.
Due to its youth and players unaccustomed to playing together, this team needed a pre-season much more than both.
That said, while I saw only one game, the results were promising. 2-6 is disappointing, as you almost expect a team like this one to do better than most because they're not playing 8 guys auditioning for the 11-13th roster spots, but I guess that works both ways.
As for injuries, I'd say the team is in decent shape. All teams have some problems. The exception is Martell - he is essential to the development of chemistry and roles, and the PT is important to his development. That said, players seem to be fitting into roles better than I would have expected. It is right to be concerned about the number of people who could be hurt, but this is a deep team and right now the historically injury-prone guys are healthy.
Someone mentioned the influence of Darius. While it's a concern, Darius just won't have the influence in this system. Nate controls things much more than did Cheeks, and there is a good culture here now. A guy like Darius has less influence in a healthy culture.
So am I excited? Yes! This team is dramatically improved. It has energy. It knows what it needs to work on (ie TO's). It's a bunch of good guys - this is the kind of team a city wants to root for. I will be. Go Blazers!
I’m excited for this fresh team. I like that the team is much cleaner (no more bad apples) now. I’m excited about Roy. I think he is going to be the next franchise player for Portland. I am now a proud season ticket holder.
"Roy for ROY!" Let's get this train a-rollin' folks!
it was weird to hear the show on a thursday.
btw, do you think you guys could do away with the cheesy music and sound-affects? that really was distracting.
just one mans humble.
Hi Sergio,remember when you changed the whole thing against Argentina and made a whole country worldchampions.Nobody else in the Blazers roster can say something like that, so stand up and show what you are capable of. Best luck for you and ¡VAMOS A POR ELLOS!
Hap,
You've been awfully salty lately. What's the deal? Cheer up and embrace change.
MB
am I the only one who's not seeing the comments?
I'm surely, not salty. Change is good, cept when it's bad. If you come to a fork in the road, take it.
He's some advice MB.
You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours.
Oh yeah, um...Go Blazers.
Mike I do like the new format and look forward to what you guys bring us every day. Today was great with Nate and Rafe and Kevin (I went to KU). I do agree with Hap that the sound levels need some tinkering. Antonio's interview was good and the rest was low. Thanks for bringing us a hopeful and honest look behind the scenes.
Hap
Be happy your comments are even being posted. I mention something a tad negative, and Mike won't post it.
My earlier comment wasn't fair, Mike. I apologize. I've had a lot to say here, and most of the time, it has been posted. This is a great blog, and it is your blog. I respect that.
I guess i just find it irritating when hap, a guy who can actually afford tickets close enough to the floor to be bothered by camera lighting, feels the need to complain, publicly. How dare the organization try to provide a good show for those not fortunate enough to afford coming to the game?
And, how about those crazy fans that go after those cheap t-shirts thrown and projected into the crowd (i have 3)? I guess, according to hap, it would be appropriate for people to chew out those inconsiderate kids bumping into us at baseball games trying to catch a foul ball. I mean, couldn't they just get there parents to buy them one at the store? Personally, i find his numerous complaints void of perspective.
"Money doesn't buy you happiness, but it certainly gives you more options."
Paul Allen
Hap probably has more options than 99.9% of the rest of the world, so like you said, Mike, he should cheer up.
if you're going to bump into someone, land on top of them, and knock their drink over..to catch a foul ball, I don't care if you're a kid or an adult. Thats pathetic.
If you're bumping into someone for a 3 buck t-shirt, and have no regard for the little kids around you, you are pathetic. And lets be clear about this..I was talking about ADULTS doing this, not little kids. Little kids don't know better...when you can shave and buy beer? you do.
and as for the "better options" than 99.9% of the world, way to bring something into the discussion that bears nothing inregards to what we're talking about. Bravo.
by that logic, non of us should complain about anything, since we have it 'better' than most.
Hey Mike great job on the blogs, better than any newspaper I've read. Two questions, how many games can I catch on TV this year? And is there anything we fans can do to help Outlaw get in the dunk comp in Vegas this year??
Well, I was at the game last night. It was great seeing my team close up...I was like 8 rows up from the court! I got to see Zach hit all his free throws except one. At one point I even shouted an encouraging Lets go Zach...he turned to me and nodded, everyone else around me ( all clippers fans kinda gave me a dirty look..but I was unfazed. I was not pleased by the many turnovers...and was disappointed to see sergio struggling..but I had to remind myself he is only 19. Roy looked good. Other than that everyone else did not perform to what I know they can. Outlaw got great lift on his jumps but that was about it. Wanted to see a little more of Dickau..he seemed to knwo how to run the offence well as did Roy. I twas great to see Nate yelling and pacing the court. I believe we will be strong and competitive when the season really starts. I will attend as many regular season Clipper Blazer games as I can...NO LAKER GAMES THOUGH,I CAN'T STAND THEM.
Mike..........I like this team. KP wanted the "culture" of the team to change. It has transformed from effete to one of hope and determination. Nate spoke of adding "scrap" as a team trait, something that was absent, last season. This team fights, scraps, and doesn't give up. I can cheer for this team with pride.
I can't get over how well Randolph is playing. Passing out of double teams is opening up opportunities for him, and i finally feel he's buying into that philosophy. I mean, have you ever seen him play better? Wait until team chemistry starts coming together. Once players start getting to the right spots, and he gets more comfortable, hitting guys sooner, Zach could find himself over the hump and into the elite.
The work he's done on his right with Bayno is definitely showing. Imagining his game extending to either block, where he's able to turn either direction with equal effectiveness gives me goose bumps. I've criticized Randolph in the past, and rightfully so, but i'm giving him all the credit in the world for his hard work and approach, starting this off-season, to improving his game.
Are they still interested in Udoka?
Can't wait till the start of the season .... go b-roy!
We still have difficulty putting together a 48 minute ballgame. it's encouraging that even with Zach out we still were able to spot them 20 points. What isn't good is losing by 14 makes that a 34 point swing to the bad. There were positives to the game, but obviously we are not a lock down defense club yet. Once again, turnovers are a huge problem.
So Martell makes the trip, but is in such a bad way that he has to jet back to PDX a.s.a.p. without the team? Something's up. He was supposed to play the Utah game.
As I was listening to the game lastnight I was pretty impressed with Brandon Roy. This kid has rookie of the year written all over him. Eventhough last nights game was a turnover diaster which cost us the game, I however saw that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We played extremely well without Zach and Joel. So if we can limit the turnovers, we can actually put all the NBA critics to shame with a good record.
Davis scored 33 points and 13 assists in 30 minutes of play? Ouch. Granted, Davis IS one of the best NBA point-men there is... but a line like that makes it seem like Jack was sitting on the bench during Warriors' possessions.
Better bust a move, Jarret. These are the guys you need to be able to contain.
Oh, and congrats to Brandon for early recognition for ROY candidacy!
I agree, somethins up with Martell. I hope it wont be serious, but if it is...don't rush him back! Back spasms or "a strained back" could affect him all season. I want Martell...but a healthy one. In the meantime, Roy at the 2!
Hey Mike and hey fellow Blazer fans!
Just want to say how excited I am to see the Blazers scoring in triple digits!! this is great. Whats more, we are winning!! I am real excited..Wedensday I get to see the Blazers play the Clippers. I Live in Los Angeles...but have been a Blazer fan for over 15 years. You guys out in Portland are my extended family. When I am at the game Wedensday..I will be real vocal for all you Portland natives who cant be there...I will be loud for our team!! I write a post after wedensday to share my expierience. Keep up the great work Mike..and keep winning Blazers!
I do feel the team getting better. Everything Roy said was true as far as that Blazer team establishing an idenity. I just hope it continue during the season. By the way can you give me a health update on Martell Webster:THANKS MIKE!!!
....and people ask me "why" i got season tickets for the first time this year! Give 'em hell guys!
rell 87,
Martell flew with the team to Oakland last night and may play tonight against Golden State. He sprained his back a week ago and has been getting treatment.
MB
i can't believe we've won two without martel. And i'm glad to see dixon finally performing where he does best. Off the bench, we saw disastrous results last year when he started. Hopefully that will change this year.
Forget my earlier addition about Martell. He will not play against Golden State tonight. His sprained back is still too sore.
MB
hey MB, a couple of questions.
1. why do the blazers light up the RG so much during games? Those lights for "TV" are so annoying and distracting.
2. why don't they show former blazers in the audience? And when they do, why don't they show them with NAMES? I saw Jim Paxson maybe 30+ feet away from me, and not one was he on the screen (of course, he might not have wanted to be ON screen).
3. who do the blazers hire to make their "videos" etc? They need to get a re-fresher course in what draws the attention and interests of fans. Like my video (if you ever watched it)..thats more interesting than those sloppy highlight reels of Travis or Zach they've shown.
4. Whats the deal with the "hip hop dancer" junk? It's bad enough we have cheer leaders, and the scoreboard "telling" us to make noise (for what, 5 seconds and then nothing?? If you're goint tell us to make noise, KEEP it going for a while)..or fans cheering for a 3 dollar t-shirt (and in the case of the idiot behind me, falling forward into the back of a woman to catch it).
5. why no pre-season games on TV? you guys need a "pre-season" too. Well, maybe not, the "Swami" is in mid-season form year round.
hap
I'd have to go with Hap on some of those things. All of the games should be shown on KGW or Fox Sports (maybe not Summer League but all 82 reg. and the pre-season.) Maybe that's not as realistic as I would like...
Also, if you can, you should talk to the people who plan and design the things to get the fans "pumped." They do the same things at every game I go to. The reason I go isn't for that but still it gets a little old. Like at half time last season every game (almost) they would pull out the trampoline and Blaze would do some dunks. That's cool, but not every game. Some of the And 1 guys could do those dunks without the tramp.
About your blog, great job! You are an excellent writer.
I was dissapointed that Brandon Roy was in foul trouble and didn't play much, but it was fun to be the honorary team captain. I certainly didn't expect to meet Brandon Roy in person before the game.
Can I have your job when you're done with it? Until then, keep updating us; we love it.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for keeping the info flowing. Very interested in Ime Udoka right now for a couple reasons: 1) Heard that his father passed away, but don't have much background on his father, their relationship, or the impact his passing had on Ime (other than his terrific game vs. the Sonics), and 2) With Miles out for the foreseeable future and Travis slowly (but surely) improving, it seems that the Ime is capable of filling a rather dire need for the Blazers. Can you spare some time to discuss Ime in-depth in a future blog?
Hi Mike,
After watching all of the home pre-season games, Jarret Jack reminds me more and more of Terry Porter. Not only do they physically look similar, but Porter also came off the bench as a rookie and moved into the starting lineup in his second year. Jack, like Porter, can hit from the outside, can find his way to the basket and makes clutch free throws at the end of the game. He may not rack up a ton of assists, but he also doesn't turn the ball over much and is a steadying influence running the offense. The more I watch Jack, the less I miss Telfair and Blake. Great decision by Blazer management.
I hope that the Blazers will sign Ime Udoka, he is a smart, scrappy, veteran player, which is exactly what the team needs. He is also a local player, which the team hasn't had since they got rid of Stoudamire. (mistake) (Dickau, Webster and Roy are from Washington, not Oregon)
Hey Mike,
it sure was great to hear Portland get off to a better start today, huh? Putting Udoka in the starting lineup was a terriffic move on the part of McMillan. I think Portland should strongly think about giving Udoka an official contract for the season. Portland definitely needs to start Przybilla instead of Magloire. Jamaal has not impressed me one bit this pre season. I guess there's a lot expected out of someone who made it to the Eastern All-Star team a few years back. He really needs to work on his turnover issue (hopefully he will before the regular seasons starts). I've also noticed that Jarret Jack has been getting a lot of offensive fouls. I guess it's a good sign that he's taking the ball to the hoop and I'd rather see him get fouls on the offensive side of the court rather than the defensive side. I can't wait to see what LaFrentz has to bring to the table on Monday against the Jazz. Go Blazers! :]
I am going to the game against Utah on Monday and I am excited! I'll finally get to see Brandon Roy play!!!
Ime might be the Steve Blake and Joel Przybilla of this year. The hidden gem, that makes a bigger difference than we think.
Maybe Ime makes us a little closer to trading away that total waste of a roster spot (darius).
I've been a Blazer fan, through thick and thin, since 1970 and I feel more excited about this team we have today than I have since Clyde glided across the floor. I can't wait for the season to start. I only have access to radio and love listening to every game. The new Blazer site is wonderful and really adds to my enjoyment of fandom.
Tsk tsk tsk, I knew Udoka would start doing what he did for PSU, scoring, posting and just scrapping. He is one of the best players when it comes to not turning over the ball. It's quite amazing how good he is sometimes. I really love Ime Udoka ever since PSU and I hope Paul Allen and Patterson give him some serious attention because we're talking about a player who is exactly like D.A. in college (NOT pro-game). DA WAS really good in college.
Like Keepudoka said before getting rid of Damon Stoudamire was a huge mistake. Not only is he a team player he can hit threes and pass well.
Magloire isn't doing as well as I would of expected but maybe he'll get in the game and do something soon.
I've been looking forward to seeing this line-up on the court:
PG: Dickau
SG: Webster
SF: Udoka
PF: Randolph
C : Pryzbilla
Ready or not here HE comes...
Ime is somebody that I the blazers cannot afford to look past. I have had the pleasure of meeting him at one of Portland State's basketball camps and he is a genuinely nice guy with an amazing knack for playing ball. The dude is just cold, sign him and make yourselves look like geniuses.
Hey Mike just wanted to see what's up? We'll have to hangout someday soon. Anyways just wanted to say that the team looks good this year and I'm glad Jack is going to be the starter, oh yeah and Roy is the man... Well hey I'm going to be at the game tomorrow night agains the Jazz so I hope I get to see you. Take Care.
So, I listened to this game as well as the Golden State game. What are we going to do about the turnovers? Man, those are REALLY killing us. Turnovers and free throw shooting are the main concerns for the Blazers right now. 27 for 44 just isn't good enough. I can understand being under a little pressure. First road game and all. I'm hoping to see LaFrentz, Miles and Webster back sooner than later so maybe we can get things turned around.
We will continue to start slow at the beginning of games until Nate stops trying to force the ball inside. This team is set up perfectly for a motion offense, but still tries to play an antiquated low post offense.
It's really amazing that we're supposed to be a running team mostly. But we're not running it. The Blazers have this habit of either slowing down at the beginning or at the end. It's been there for a while- nothing new. I think the team needs to cut down on the practices. I know the practices are hard-ran, but if it's game day, they're not playing eachother like Training Camp. They're going against another force a few of these guys prob'ly aren't used to. If they just keep this way (EVEN in the preseason), they're not gonna get any better a record than last season.
Nate has said he wants a slowed down, physical, halfcourt offense type of team where he can utilize his bigs to our advantage. Unfortunately so far it hasn't worked. On the bright side, we are playing teams even or better through every quarter except the first. If we can keep our turnovers down and our FT% at 70 or better we'll win games. But I'll admit I'm not sure if starting Magloire and Randolph together is a good idea.
Geesh guys, this is a brand new team. They are still learning how each other plays and where each of their individual abilities will be best put to use. This is the pre-season, this is the right time to be experimenting and figuring out what they can and can't do. Turnovers, inconsistent execution, and lapses in offense are to be expected from any new team. Looking at the effort of all of the players and their attitudes along with Nate's coaching ability I’m not worried at all. When they stop hustling and start down talking each other or the coaching staff then we can worry. A season starting @ 10-32 and ending with 21-21 would be a 31 win season and a successful one for this team. Many of our key players have 3 or less years of experience. We have a lot to root for now and if we can't show some patience and have reasonable expectations then we'll never have players want to play for Portland.
The Blazers are off to a slow preseason start but as soon as they figure out that Brandon Roy is their best player and start giving him the ball more they will DOMINATE.....maybe.
All I can say is that we need to steal Dunleavy from GS. Then we could work an inside-out game effectivley and realy utilize the big boys...plus, let's get healthy first!
Why haven't the Blazers picked up Websters or Jacks 3rd year option? They have till the 31st but whats the hold up? isn't this a no brainer?
Hey MB,
can we just throw the towel in on the belief that Darius is our 2nd best player, or that Zach is our best player?
Brandon is clearly making a claim to being our best player. Or more accurately, our more important player.
Am I the only one who hasn't been, in the least, impressed with Jamaal? I hope he's just like Joel was when he first came here. His early play wasn't indicitive of how good he really was.
Starting Jamaal only makes sense if Zach isn't starting. Both suffer from tunnel vision, and both need to have the paint to themselves. Joel at least knows what he can do, and does it.
BTW, the Suns just signed Diaw, kind of making Marion an extra player. AND their owner doesn't want to spend lux tax, which Diaw's contract makes it so they do.
What do you think of a Jamaal, Juan and Travis for Marion trade? From our end, a no brainer. From their end..well, we'd probably have to thrown in the 07 (lotto protected) pick.
What do you think Mike "Grinnon"?
Tone made an interesting comment on the radio last night regarding the Blazers slow starts. Maybe it has something to do with the way the team warms up. Coming out only 13 minutes before tip-off and just simply going through the motions in warm-ups with very little intensity. It sounds to me like Nate needs to get these guys more ready and more focused for the start of game.
Like people have said, starting Randolph and Magloire together just isn't going to work. Another thing Portland needs to work on a lot is hustling back on defense after a made bucket. Teams are obviously pushing it up the floor very quickly after a made bucket against Portland. In the western conference, if you don't hurry up and get back on defense, teams will kill you since they all LOVE to run run run.
Sorry to hear about
Sorry to hear about Ime Udoka's father...I hope that Portland will keep Ime he's been giving his all with the games he's played. I also wanted to let everyone know that I have a website on Ime.
http://imeudoka.go.to
I had the website up when he was temporarily on the Knicks. I hope y'all like it :)
Well, it's good to rest all of our players before the regular season. But then again, it would be better to have them all playing more preseason since there are 7 new faces. They need to get used to playing with each other and build chemistry. It's hard to do that with the injuries we have. Maybe we'll actually keep some guys around for a few years so they get used to playing with each other instead of trading everyone just because we aren't winning at this moment. It takes a good year or two with the same group of guys together to build good chemistry. Look at the Spurs.. They've had Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, Horry, Barry together for years now. No wonder they make the playoffs every year.
It is crazy to hear with as big as the payroll is that there are so many people injured.
Hopefully all our injuries will hit us in the preseason and we will be healthy for most of the regular season.
The blazers are my favorite team. I think they're really keen. But Martell Webster being gone will really hurt the team.
WOW! i'm on Barret's Blog
Hey Mike, Thanks again for the great info. I cant wait for the regular season to start so i can watch the games.
Really, really good stuff for a preseason game. Yes, we made some boneheaded mistakes during the game but we competed and played hard for 48 minutes. 120 points man! You have to like that. We are just flat out a better team with Roy on the floor. I love watching him play. Smoooth.
The RG crowd was awesome last night and truly was "the sixth man". It felt like the old Rip City days. I really think it does help the players in many ways when the crowd gets so into it like they were last night. The team will need that kind of support every contest.
BTW, we LOVE the new "Welcome to the Jungle" video opening during player introductions. Way, way cool.
Great final 3 quarters for the guys. Great crowd, too bad the RG staff doesn't allow fans to come on down by the court when it's so empty. Why don't businesses give their black seats to the people who want to come and watch the game? ... just a thought.
Is 71 fouls, 6 DQs, and 7 technicals a record? Especially for the preseason... seemed like the refs were trying to give the fans something to cheer (or boo) against.
Great game, loved Zach in the post. A lot of people are a bit quick to criticize him right now, maybe rightly so.
Go Blazers!
I am officially sold on the fact that Brandon Roy is our best player. The + and - with him on and off the court shows that, esp if you include the same with Zach as a comparison.
This was an old school loud crowd. Not as loud as we've been in the past, but loud for the RIGHT reasons. The Sonics game had more stand up and 'cheer' moments (as a show of appreciation) but this game had crowd actually interested moments.
I love it was loud for the right reasons, and not the lame t-shirt stuff, or the blimp things. It's turning a corner, even if a lot of the fans were there via freebies.
But think about it. It was the 2nd pre-season game, and we fans treated it like it was a very big game. The guys HAVE to be getting the vibe from the fans. This ain't like the game against the Spurs a few years ago where we beat them by like 20. That was a sell-out "seeing the spurs!" crowd.
This was a pre-season game against the Warriors, where the crowd was enthuised (at least our section. Go fighting 108th!) and people were surley, loud and cheering the right things.
MB, has anyone asked Sergio about the "goal" thing?
And yes, that was me holding up the newspaper (along with Schilly) during the Warriors introductions. I'm going to do that for the Jazz game too.
Mike, The Blazers did a good job running small and fast (or at least keeping up with a team that ran that way). Once Aldridge recovers and can start playing regular minutes a line up of 1-5, Jack,Roy,Webster,Outlaw, and Aldridge looks to me like it might be able to run with anybody!
geez, what an awesome game, i wish i hadn't been workin or i totally would have been there! sounded like the place was rocking tho (I was sneaking to the back room at work and listening on the radio) i know a lot of people think the Blazers are gonna have another disapointing season, but i think we're gonna turn soe heads, i can't wait til that opening tip off!
I loved this game because the blazers ran all over the place and scored over 100 points. With one of the youngest teams in the NBA why don't the Blazers run every night and sell a bunch more tickets. Nate's half court, feed it to the post, offense ain't working.
Mike I hope the front office takes note at the change in perspective that is due in part to your terrific work in presenting Blazer news without the attack mode. Thank you.
I cannot go to games but listened from up here in Sisters (via internet) throughout this game and it did begin to feel like much older times. The thing we still lack is the confidence in a "Clyde" to take over and win the game. Roy looks like he may become that guy but as a rookie will have his ups and downs in the process. Getting a DQ is an early lesson for him.
Why no darius news yet? staying or moving? whats the deal. And what is this? No blazers in the playoffs? Fan where is your faith :P ok so i don't think they'll do it either. But i am excited to see what these guys can do. good luck teusday BLAZERS!
T_dawg's Predictions:
MVP: LeBron James
Champions: Dallas
COY: Johnson, Avery
ROY: ROY!
See ^ It was destined to be
nice addition with Wheels to the show. I think they should've, somehow, had him on the show a long time ago.
It'd be nice if KXL was more sports orientated (not counting ducks stuff) and he had his own show. But (political rant deleted), and thats what gets KXL the $$.
Come on, guys, don't make me fall asleep here. Picking Popp or Avery for coach of the year is about as safe you can get. Quite the yawner. But, i can guarantee neither of those guys will win. Avery just won it, and Popp could win it every year.
It's like predicting best actor at the academy awards a decade or so ago and always picking Robert De Niro. It could have went to him every year he did a movie, but usually didn't because they wanted to recognize someone else's achievements for a change.
I'll pick Nate for coach of the year. If the blazers somehow could squeak into the playoffs, i'd have to put him as a favorite. I don't think we will make the playoffs, but i don't think it's impossible. I pick Nate, though, because i do believe he is one of the best coaches in the league, period. My prediction might be wrong, but my evaluation of Nate is not.
i agree blazerdude...or... mr. blazer. So yea its just...its hard to call someone coach of the year when their team doesn't make playoffs.
Couple things, Mike. White was actually behind after the first quarter, 6 to 7. They didn't pull ahead until they stopped dumping the ball down into Mags. That is all i'll say on that.
I thought Roy was great, too. And, the most impressive thing to me about the move you decribed with him finishing over Joel was what happened before that. He had just gotten swatted embarassingly by Joel on his last drive. He didn't let it stop him from trying it, again. In fact, it looked like it motivated him. He went right at Joel, again, with a lot of confidence.
Roy may have been the most impressive, but for guy's like me who appreciate some of the less spectacular things players do on the court, Joel's performance was great to see, as well.
PS From the beginning i thought it was unfair to have Roy and Webster on the same team. They play together, very well.
Hey Mike,
We came to the Fan Fest this weekend and left a bit disapointed. Not that any of my complaints have anything to do with you but this is the only place I have to vent. The practice and scrimmage were great. I was very impressed with Roy, Webster, and Sergio. Webster really looks like he has been working hard this offseason, and the combination of him at SF and Roy at SG seems to work really well. The part that disapointed me was the Player fan interaction. My wife and I were really hoping to get a few signatures and meet a few players. We ended up getting none. The one time we actually got near the front of a line the players had changed and we had to switch lines to get back to players we wanted to meet. It just seemed that players were only available long enough to get a few pictures for the website and then moved along. All whining aside, the team looked great and I can't wait to get this season started.
Hey Mike...first of all, thanks for rekindling the Portland basketball spirit...your blogs are fantastic. 2nd of all, I went to the scrimmage...and left happy with the guards and small forwards (especially Jarrett, Webster, Roy and Outlaw), but really disappointed in the bigs. I thought Mags was really slow and fragile, I thought Zbo was soft and lazy, and Pryz wasn't aggressive enough offensively(but the best of the 3)...did you feel the same? Maybe its just that i had too high of expectations. Overall though, I came out of it looking forward to another season. By the way...don't think I didn't catch your voice crack on the loudspeaker...lol...you're forgiven.
Will someone tell Zach the game starts 30 minutes before it does, so he'll get there only 15 minutes late? ;)
I'd love to see the game highlights but couldn't find them. Any hints? Love the coverage here on the site, keep it coming!
btw, MB, yes that was me in the row with Wookie.
and yes it was me who started the "we're not worthy" bowing thingy-ma-bob.
and yes it was us who was "wooooooooing" at the end of the game. if anyone asks you know nothing.
Thanks for the heads up on the practice, Mike. I would not have heard about it otherwise, and usually nothing blazer gets by me. I was extremely excited about the idea. It's not very often fans get to see a practice. I'm the biggest blazer junkie there is, and i have never seen one, until now.
The actual product could have been a lot better, but that is no fault of the blazers. NBA TV had a hard time with the camera work. They should have let you do it, Mike.
I love live TV, but this was a situation where they should have let the cameras roll and then edited a nice piece. The franchise did us all the favor of letting us into the facility for a practice. I just wish NBA TV could have done it more justice.
hey mike i need some tickets to the wells fargo fan fest, i kept meaning to get tickets now the banks are closed and the ticket office i really wanna go im a big fan is there anything you can halp me with? thanks!!!
Hey mike, most of us work during the day and are only able to feast on the info that you give us at 5am before work or 9pm before bed. You have been doing a great job on your bloging and we all thank you very much. Could you please save a link or somthing when you guys have these fun videos from the blazer practice facility or any other insider cool info during the day for us working folk?
Thanks #1 out of town blazer fan!!!
p.s. sorry for all the hits on the web site I can't help it Im addicted.It's like crack for blazer fans
I for one thought the NBATV coverage on Friday was fantastic in all its unedited glory. Who wants to see edited practice coverage anyway? I never watch TV but I was riveted watching the Blazers practice. Just seeing Nate go through a whole two hour practice without cursing was great entertainment in itself. Kamla's always been kind of wierd but he knows his hoops and he likes the city of Portland so he gets a pass. Patterson seemed looser than normal during his interview but that's probably because he wasn't talking to the Oregonian.
Perhaps live would be better, Westside Erik, but if you get a chance, watch the Denver Nugget practice. The camera was elevated so you could see all the players and the entire floor much more clearly. Also, they didn't continuously go to close-ups on Goerge Karl during live action on the floor like they did with Nate. Who wants to watch the coach shouting instructions without being able to see what he's shouting about?
I thought it was interesting that Karl and Nate both ran the same kind of practice. Nate was Karl's assistant before, so maybe that's why their style is similiar. I like the fact, though, that Nate didn't embarass his players and constantly swear like Karl did. I understand it's a practice, but what if your 7 year old is watching?
I WAS THERE GETTING AUTOGRAPHS FRIDAY ME VINNY JESSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was there that game, and man was I impressed with Sergio. He's our LeBron James who can't dunk. Brandon Roy, I wasn't very impressed with. He looked a little low on confidence. Magloire has really made me a fan (of him). And Zach Randolph is in better shape than ever. His inside shot is getting MUCH better. Too bad the foul situation in the 4th didn't improve. And too bad we lost. But come on down and see this team. If you don't then yer missing out.
Hey MB,
everytime sergio scores a 3, we're gonna cheer "goooooooooaaaaaaaallllll"
hopefully it'll catch on.
also, Zach seemed to be the Zach of old. And thats not meant as a compliment. He was a momentum killer.
Hey MB, I'm just a little curious about the plans of Ime Udoka. Who in my mind is a very very good player.
Back when he was in college (Portland State) I used to watch him play and boy, he show great (mass) potential.
Now I dont wanna be "that guy" but, if I had to compare him, I'd say Derek Anderson, when he was in Kentucky ("And?" You say? Not streaky like DA). That was years ago, so I'm sure he has improved greatly, I believe he is 29, but I'm sure, don't quote me.
Nate, MB, whoever, look into this guy. You can say Roy #7, you can say Aldridge #12, maybe even Rodriguez #11, but I'll be saying Udoka #5.
Mike,
I'm pretty sure that pass Sergio made was thrown to where Juan Dixon SHOULD have been, but wasn't. I was very impressed with him, even though three times he made too good a pass to Joel. Once Joel and the others adjust to the idea of the ball magically appearing in their hands out of thin air, Sergio's assist numbers will skyrocket. Queremos mas Sergio!
I'll send you the pics I took, (the kid is adorable, BTW) and I hope our little group of loudmouths weren't too obnoxious sitting that close to you and your lovely wife.
P.S. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!
Even though we lost, the game last night was terrific. Going into the game the main attraction for me was Roy, and it was nice to see his first NBA jumper go in, even if it was just a preseason game. I also came away very impressed with how in shape Zach looked, even from the 200 section.
Nice to see the the new Blazerdancers as well, although the "Risky Business" themed number was a tad cheesy.
I have this to say about Robert Swift: is it just me or does anyone else think he resembles David Coverdale from Whitesnake?
I have been confused with both the media and the blazer oreganization's views on Zach's skills. Look back on how he earned his rep as a 20-10 player and got his contract. He was not the focus of the offense. He was a go-and-get-it offense rebounder who got some touches as an option within a balanced offense. Somehow, his attitude and the attitude fo the organization changed when his contract was signed. All of a sudden he is a go-to post player? He can score on guys, but that is not what got him here, and that is not his real strength. He is a naturaly a weak-side rebounder and hustle player who makes his own opportunities to score. We let Rasheed go. Zach is not that baseline player, a guy who you feed the ball because good things will happen. It is a shame that Zach and the organization turned him into a focal point for defenses rather than a roamer. The current philosophy on Zach drains touches from other players, and turns the offense sluggish rather than dynamic.
JC in Stumptown
Mike, even though i was kidding, i apologize for giving you a hard time for not giving a starting five prediction. I realize, now, you probably already knew who was starting and didn't feel it was your replace to reveal.
Travis was better at the 4 than the 3. I'll eat a little crow there, but i still think his best bet to make it in the league is to develop a 3-point shot. We didn't take a lead until Martell replaced him in the first quarter and opened things up by hit shots. Travis, though, played with intensity and was cat-like at the 4 spot defensively.
Mike, when was the last time you saw a guy 19 step on the floor for the first time in the NBA and bury two 3-pointers in a row? Not to mention the passes he was bouncing off Joel's head. I predicted when we traded for him he would become a fan favorite by the end of preseason. I was wrong. He already is a fan favorite.
yea...i was overall happy about the blazers. i mean, our guards shot pretty well...i say give roy a couple of games to work out butterflies and you're good to go. And also, give Sergio some time too. he's young, and give the kid some experience and he'll blow your head off!
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
Hey MB,
Did you retire from blogging? Haven't heard from you in a few days! Just curious, that's all.
what are the dementions of the two balls? Is it just me or is the new ball smaller than the old one?
The veterans have juice, but if the league is going to make a switch, they have to do it some time. If the guys coming from other countries and college are fine with the ball, why not now?
Mike, i hope you don't think we're letting you off without a starting five prediction. Don't even think about it. It won't fly.
I'll get us started with predictions with my own. Nate said Joel, Zach, and JJ will start. So there is only the 2 and 3 spots to predict.
I think Nate will send a message that he isn't looking to dump the team in Roy's lap, right away. He'll also want to try Roy other places. So, i pick Dixon to start at shooting guard.
Since there is more urgency to see if Outlaw is going to put it together this year than Martell, my guess is we'll see Travis start tomorrow at the 3. I could be as far off with this prediction as my seat will be from the court, but i gave it a shot.
hey MB,
maybe the NBA could adopt what tennis and MLB does...change the balls often, and if one goes into the crowd, the crowd gets to keep it.
try to pass that idea onto the league offices, will you?
hellosim,
It may look like there's a difference in size, but they are exactly the same size and weight.
mrblazer,
I would agree with your prediction on the starting five. But, I also think we'll see several different starting units in the pre-season. Nate has said in the final couple of exhibition games you'll get a much better idea of what he's leaning towards for opening night.
hap,
Good idea, as always. But, are you going to start a riot if a ball makes into the third level where you sit? If you get one, at least we'll know we can get it back on EBay later that night.
MB
Mike,
LOL for your reply to Hap! Good stuff!
Congratulations to KP on his promotion. I emailed my question in for the show, and it was asked. It had to do with Kevin's duties as assistant GM vs. Player Personnel Director. I was extremely relieved to hear he will continue to manage the scouting staff. I think he has been incredible for us in that role.
So far this offseason, i've participated in this blog, and my comments have been posted. I've emailed questions, and they have been answered. I've had access to interviews, video clips, snap shots, and inside information about players, practices, charity events, and more, all through trailblazers.com.
In addition, i was able to procure season tickets at a price of less than 5$ a game. The blog, the site, the shows, the promotions, they have all been great. I don't know what more the organization can do to accommadate its fans.
I believe a congratulations is in order to you too, Mike, and all the Blazer employee's who help make what is happening, now, possible. You guys have played a huge role in making this franchise one for which fans can be proud regardless of on court success or failure. As i always say, Mike, the work done here is much appreciated.
mrblazer
mrblazer,
Thanks for the comments, as always. Our goal is to not only provide you with information you can't get anywhere else, but to directly involve the fans, and take you inside the organization and team. You're always very honest in your evaluations of what we're doing, good and bad, so the compliments mean that much more.
MB
Yes MB, I am amazed at how much info I can now recieve on blazers.com. I am away at school for most of the year and do not get to watch or go to many blazer games. I do catch most of them on the radio and I love the coverage. I think its just a matter of time before the fans and the organization turn around. I am so excited for tommarrow nights first game. Thanks so much for all the info.
Blazers2285
blazers.com has been an excellent source of preseason updates with all the Mike Barrett blogs. I went to the Milwaukee Bucks website to check up on Blake, Ha, Skinner, and Ruben Patterson, and found VERY LITTLE content. Keep up the great work!
So what are we realistically calling? win or loss...i give it 50/50. I mean, we do hafta give these guys a chance to get rolling as a team. And the sonics can be really hot if they want to. anyone elses' thoughts?
Mike,
I haven't heard much about Juan Dixon's play. Last year he started slow but really picked up his game in the middle of the season. Just like most of the team his play fizzled down the stretch. From what I hear he has improved his conditioning and shooting. Mike, what have you seen in Dixon's play this training camp, and what role do you see for him this season? Thanks for all the great info you give us loyal blazer fans.
magic merv,
Right before training camp started I talked a lot about Juan Dixon. He says he's in the best shape of his career (I know we've heard that from a lot of guys). Juan used a new off-season workout program, and has shown the results during training camp. He has had several impressive dunks- something he said he's never been able to do like he can now. He's also been very consistent shooting the ball. On a team like this, that needs a veteran sharp shooter, Juan is sure to get big minutes at the off-guard spot.
MB
Mike:
I've been in North Carolina for the past 10 days and just wanted you to know I've really appreciated Blazers.com and your daily blogs from fall camp.
It's helped me keep up with things while I'm away. By the way, I ran into Bernie Bickerstaff in the Hilton Hotel lobby in Wilmington the other day.
The Bobcats are training there -- in Michael Jordan's home town -- and he thought it odd that a former Blazer beat writer would wind up spying on the Bob-Cats. Just kidding. I'll be home in time for Wednesday's pre-season opener. Wayne Thompson
great show tonight!
sergio should try the german hams of the area will make him forget the spanish ham! :P Good news about KP and sad news about the uniforms I had been hoping they would wear a retro version of the championship era uniform for the anniversy season!
biggest ham? yeah its Wild Rice
Thanks Mike. Your work this week has been invaluable here and I do not know of any other NBA team that has such great feedback for the fans. This is hope time and you provide us with great food for hope.
Yes, Mike. Your work is awesome. Keep up the same motivation.
Nice work this week, Mike. One player you've talked about before but haven't talked about much since training camp started is Martell Webster. How is his camp going? Martell's summer league suggested to me he is continuing to blossom, but he still has a ways to go to become consistent.
I've seen a little of everything in his game. I've seen him shoot, take the ball to the hole, pass, rebound, play a little defense, and run the court. I just haven't seen him put it all together at the same time for more than glimpses.
What do you think of his handle? Has it gotten markably better over the offseason? I hope he's been working on it. He's a great kid and a hard worker. He also shoots too well not to be a player in a league thin for shooters. He'll make it.
Hey Mike. Thanks a million for all of the updates! I get up every morning excited to see what went on during that day's practice. Sometimes I'll check the site hourly to see if there's any new information. I don't know about anyone else, but when I click to see Joel's interview, it directs me to the Jarrett Jack interview... Looks like all of the interviews are messed up for me.
Hey, Mike..
I don't post in here much, but I read your blog every day. As I mention all over the place, as far as I'm concerned, this is the most comprehensive up-to-date resource to acquire anything Blazer-related. Keep up the great work! I imagine as training camp begins to wind down, so will be the amount blog entries on your part.
I find it somewhat intruiging that Travis is seemingly being "developed" as a PF. I've never thought of him as having the physical framework to handle that position. I suppose, though, that Phoenix is setting the tone/pace as a smaller, quicker team and that other (Western) teams are working towards comepeting with that style at times?
Converesly, for the most part, it appears that we'll have a big, banging, slow(?) front line which makes me all the more curious regarding the Outlaw "experiment".
Cheers
This is sort of off topic, but I was wondering if the Portland and Seattle game on the 11th is going to be televised or be on the radio? I think we're going to surprise many people this year with our team. Hopefully shut up all of the doubters that say Portland will finish last again this season.
That was an impressive dunk by Travis. I really hope he doesn't only do that in practice, and can start doing that during games.
Steve Nash is 32 years old. I can understand going out and getting a backup PG in Marcus Banks. What i can't understand is giving us Sergio. His game is taylor made for the Suns offense. Why give a player like Sergio away whose contract costs you less than a million for the first two guaranteed years? Either they didn't really do their homework, or Suns owner Robert Sarver's vision is just too near-sighted in his quest for a title (sounds a little too familiar for comfort).
I agree, Mike, Sergio could very well be the steal of the draft. Picking him up for 3 million cash is an example of why Paul Allen, as i've stated before, is highest on my list for keepers in the blazer family. It doesn't matter how good your executives are, sooner or later you have to have an owner with vision and brass if you want to reach and sustain contention for a championship. Their are only a handful of owners that could have pulled off our draft day, and i don't think any other owner would have in the situation he was in at the time. I think we have to give Allen credit, too, Mike.
Mike, this is great. Thank you for taking the time to do these Blogs. It means a lot to me as a long time Blazer Fan. I live and am fro mCalifornia..but have always been a Blazer Fan..they are my extended family. I understand they face the Clippers in the pre-season. I live close to where the Clippers play. I will be there to cheer on the Blazers. I hoep to one day get to meet them..and maybe watch a game in Portland. Thanks again Mike.
Hi Mike!!! Good to talk to you again from Spain!!! Hey, I gotta tell you you're absolutely right about Sergio becoming the real steal in the NBA draft. His quality is nothing but awesome, as you have been able to see during the training camp. My man breathes basketball, lives for basketball. No doubt about it.
It's gonna be very difficult to see any other players around the league with his court vision and handballing skills, something his teammates will take full advantage of making basket after basket. He just makes the game look outstandingly easier than it really is. He's got an ease about it. But not everything is good news: as a result of his up tempo style of play and youth, he tends to turn the ball over in numerous times, but I think coach Nate will know how to teach him to cut down on turnovers. Once he makes it, Sergio is gonna make the Phoenix Suns regret what they did not keeping him as the natural successor of Nash.
Hey MB!!
Why don´t you ask Sergio about "gofio canario" ?. That´s the secret weapon of the canary guy. :)
I absolutely agree with mrblazer. Paul Allen is a great owner and doesn't get the credit he deserves. He does the best he can for the blazers and wants the best for the blazers! I'm glad he didn't sell the blazers and I only hope that he will continue to be the owner for a very long time.
Hey Mike, I am concerned out here in the Kansas heartland! Hey, why have I seen or heard nothing of LaMarcus Aldridge? I know he is hurt, in rehab therapy, etc. I found no pics or quotes of his on the big Trailblazer Breakout Day- introductions, team meetings, dinners, etc. He can walk talk and smile cant he? I thought you'd slap him up on the side of a Metro bus anyway!! Wassup with that???
Hey Mike, I am concerned out here in the Kansas heartland! Hey, why have I seen or heard nothing of LaMarcus Aldridge? I know he is hurt, in rehab therapy, etc. I found no pics or quotes of his on the big Trailblazer Breakout Day- introductions, team meetings, dinners, etc. He can walk talk and smile cant he? I thought you'd slap him up on the side of a Metro bus anyway!! Wassup with that???
MB, you can't seriously tell me that B-Roy has been the best player on the court every day? What about that amazing shape Z-bo is supposed to be in?!
Tell me you're overstating his impact!
Thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming.
mrblazer,
Well stated, as usual. I'm glad you brought up Paul Allen. Pritchard has said repeatedly, that great draft day doesn't happen if we didn't have an owner committed to putting a winner on the court.
chinocanario,
I know Sergio is from the Canary Islands, and I'll have to ask him what you're talking about. I know he has a lot of weapons.
Thanks to all of you who write in from Spain. We're taking good care of Sergio, and he's been fantastic to work with.
kansagonian,
I've tried to include LaMarcus in this coverage, but I'll get an update for you today. I just saw him this morning at breakfast. I can tell you he's been working very hard, and he's ahead of schedule in his rehab. He's already doing some light shooting, using that right shoulder. I'll try and remember to post a photo of him tonight. We did interview him on media day, and you can get that by clicking on "Media Day" on the front page of this site, and then clicking on his name.
I'm off to practice. I'll fill you all in later on what happens today.
MB
Since you mentioned him, what exactly does John Gabriel do? I would also like to know how our bigs are doing. Jamal, Raef, and Joel. Who has improved and suprised the most?
Hey mike , Are the pre season games going to be on the radio?
WOOT! Go blazers, keep working hard! I saw some pics of miles...any updates on him mike?
Barrett,
I love the blogs, and I am VERY encouraged with what you have been saying about Outlaw. I love this kid, and I really want him to succeed here. Please, keep us informed on Travis, and let us know what you think of him and what you would expect from him this season, based on what you saw.
Keep up the great work.
Mike have you heard any discussion about if and when the team will hold an open practice?
wouldn't it be better if he swatted the ball to teammate to start a fastbreak and score then make a highlight reel?
There is excitement around the Blazers this year that has been gone for a long time. After a terrible year capping a decade of alienating publicity, a new beginning seems at hand. It would be great if the Blazers could find a truly new symbol to build around, a symbol that puts togetherness forward and links the Blazers back to the community. I have a suggestion. In Portland is the world's premier collection of Ujamaas.
The Ujamaa is an ebony sculpture of group of people linked together with supporting gestures and common tasks. The theme of the Ujamaa is that an individual maybe small alone but teamed together the group is strong. The people on top of the sculpture are held up by the support of those below them, and each member is essential to the whole. Each Ujamaa is carved from a single piece of ebony and may have hundreds of members.
There are some specific parallels between professional basketball and Ujamaa sculpture. A carver like a player begins his work with optimism.A carver approaches a new log like a player approaches a new season knowing generaly what to expect but never knowing exactly what challenges or oppurtunities will show up in the wood or the season. The carver, like a player, has extraordinary skills developed from unique talents. Both successful games and successful carvings require careful planning and technically complex execution. To sculpt a great carving takes at least as long as a baketball season.
The Ujamaa would be a great visual way for the Blazers to communicate to the community that attitudes are changing in a constructive way. A display of Ujamaas in Portland linked with the Blazers would communicate to the entire NBA that a new chapter has begun.
These blogs are great, Mike, really. I have a question about the new ball. Is it more or less like what is used for the international game? I think eventually using the same ball will be globally beneficial to the game, in general. I'm glad some of our players seem to like it.
Mike, just because we may see Travis at the PF some this year doesn't mean it isn't crazy. I have a feeling that our strategy come February will require getting TO minutes somewhere to maximize possibilities. With his contract expiring this year, he's a dead asset unless we find him some PT.
I think he's a good kid, and i hope the best for him. However, i still don't see any true future for Travis at the 4 spot. At least, not for the blazers. Eventually, our #2 pick will reign.
Hey MB,
are you allowed to take pictures? If so, you should sneak in a camera and snap away..
Also, you should tell Travis the greatness that was Bill Russel. On his blocks, he'd either grab the ball for himself to tap it to a teammate. That's almost more demeaning than just having your shot blocked into another time-zone.
tdawger89,
Check my blog on Friday (or late Thursday night) and I'll try and get an update on Darius.
thebeastboy,
Travis has been very good so far, and as I've said, he's got a real shot at the starting small-forward position. He's a great guy and we all want him to succeed.
westside erik,
Yes, there is an open practice, and it's on Sunday, October 15 at the Rose Garden. It's the Wells Fargo Fan Fest, and tickets are free. You can pick them up at any Oregon or SW Washington Wells Fargo store, or at the Rosequarter Box Office. Doors open at 3pm. Parking is free too. It's a real practice, followed by a scrimmage.
blazerbandit,
Point well taken, but with this particular blocked shot, Travis' only angle sent the ball immediately out of bounds. It was impressive.
Hap,
Where do you think these pictures on the blog come from? You know me better than to use someone else's stuff. I'm my own photographer. It's like my own little newspaper. I'm Max Mercy, Robert Duvall's character from "The Natural."
haha...thakns mike, i'll look for it. My main question is is he moving anytime soon or are we gonan give him a chance. also, do we NEED tickets to get into fanfest? last year my friends and i just walked in :P
Wow, that's great. It's exciting to know guys are working hard. Martell being the fastest on the team is excellent news. It's not like I get to go to the practices like you but I'd say he's the hardest worker on the team. In fact, I'm wearing my Martell jersey to school today.
I also like how Nate's practices are set up. Pressure free throws were something my 8th grade team did last year. It's a good way to bring the team together.
Aww, C'mon Mike. you can tell us who didnt pass.
Im almost positive that one of those people was Jamal Magloire. Lets see....Sergio? Maybe, Dan Dickau.
I know you have to let the cat out of the bag sometime.
Great blog, Mike. I don't know if other teams have someone like you covering everything under the sun that has to do with their team, but my guess would be they don't. Your work is much appreciated.
I see they let Tone and The Wild One write stories for traliblazers.com. The grammatical errors were fantastic and numerous, but i always love to hear what Rice has to say. He doesn't hold back and is almost always controversial. Keep up the great work, guys.
Mike, just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this insider info. I love being able to follow the progress of the team in the offseason. Thanks!
Mike...
I was wondering if the Blazers intend to put recordings of Blazers game broacasts up on Comcast On Demand video? I'm a season ticket holder, and I'd love to be able to watch the home game broadcasts later that night/next day, etc.
Mike,
Your posts lately have been awesome. It is going to be a GREAT week I am sure. Hopefully enough to whip the guys in shape for the pre-season games that will be here SO soon. I'm excited to see the new team chemistry, which we'll have with any team with SEVEN new players. It seems like this one will be a positive one. Fingers crossed. The Darius and Zach comments were not my favorite, but hopefully they do as promised and perform on the court. Anyway, keep up the great work and cheer our guys on at training camp. Although, i do wish it was at Linfield again :) Do you have more pictures and quotes from media day?
Is it just me, or does Darius' pose and expression in the above picture bring to mind the moment a beauty contest winner hears her name announced?
That's great. I was wishing we would invite this guy to camp as soon as we invited Aaron Miles. It would be great to have Aaron and Ime together.
Alright Mike... good to know that Ime is coming. I've only heard his name, but like a thousand times. what are his stats and personal information (ht, wt, etc.)? And, will there be some link to the webcast and where?
From what little I heard it seemed like you had a good show on your webcast today. Unfortunately, even with a good high speed line I was only able to get about 8-10 minutes of the webcast. Hopefully, we'll get filled in on Courtside Monday Night. I appreciate the effort.
Somehow I was under the impression that Cheryl Miller played in the WNBA while Reggie was with Indiana earlier than 2004?
Glad we have Ime. He has earned much respect for his perseverence and his recent play in the World's. I thought he was going to stick way back when the Lakers signed him.
Love reading your blog Mike. I think that the Blazers will get off to a good start tomorrow night with a 104-92 win. Roy might even get a double double. He will be very excited to be playing his first NBA game infront of his hometown. I do hope Martell rests that back and doesn't try to rush back.
Love reading you insights Mike. Thank You. With that the Blazers start out the season on the right foot with a 104-94 win. I think that Roy could have a double double. He will be playing his first NBA game infront of his hometown. Just keep giving him those Froot Loops. haha.
DOWN WITH THE SONICS!!!
if we have beaten them before, we can beat them again!!!
GO BLAZERS!!!
i say, 120-112, blazers.
nate
Froot Loops? Odd, I think I'd take the steak but cereal is good too.
The waiter didn't know who Mike Rice is?! I always make sure to tell people about you two when I talk about the Blazers. I'm converting everyone I can to the Portland side before it's too late (as in before the bandwaggoners come in 09-10 10-11 or so). I think it is important to convert everyone before the rapture.
Some people are just too stuborn.
I think we'll win. I could say we have a decent chance to win, but i'll just go out on a limb. WIth Swift and Forston out, i don't know what they're plan could be to try and deal with Zach. It'll probably just be the usual double team once he gets it going (which he will with single coverage) and then flash different defensives throughout the rest of the game.
If Zach continues to play as he has, i don't think it'll make a difference what they try to do. As long as Zach believes in his teammates enough to pass out of the double team, they won't have an answer for him. I'll say, too, that every time he gets the ball in a decent spot in single coverage, i hope he just goes to work. They can't stop him.
Call me crazy, but i think Seattle is going to see, for the first time this season, a true account of how difficult it is to beat us. The other games against them, we pulled guys who will now be finishing. We went a lot deeper and spread out minutes much more than we will, tomorrow. On the other hand, they played to win in our first preseason match-up. I think Seattle is in trouble.
I really hope Webster gets some minutes. He's a great guy to have when teams want to double.
I'm expecting only a handful of minutes from Dickau, Magloire, Rodriguez, Graham, and Webster (if he plays at all with that sore back) tomorrow night. The starting five plus Outlaw, Dixon, and LaFrentz will get nearly all the play.
My takeaway from the pre-season - when the Blazers rebound and take care of the ball, they can hang with most anyone in the league. They are a better defensive team than last year, and with Zach staying home in the paint so far, their offense has been effective too.
If the Blazers can keep their turnovers below 15 and come out ahead in rebounds, they win. I know what you're thinking - Allen and Lewis could go nuts, Wilcox could have a career night - yeah, that kind of thing could happen. But probably not.
I'm hoping that we can come out with a win but beyond that I'm scared to even think about it. This is the time when you can dream about the team and the season. Soon reality will set in and we'll all realize that the Blazers are going to have their work cut out for them each and every night.
Hopefully they'll have a good showing and come out on top.
I see Portland winning this game. As long as they can hopefully hold Ray Allen to 15-20 points and contain Rashard Lewis a little as well. With Fortson and Swift out, I see Portland taking advantage in the low post all night. Look for the Blazers get to the line a lot by driving to the hoop and dropping the ball down to Z-bo and Magloire. If Portland doesnt take advantage of this, it could be a long night.
Hey Mike,
Just want to let you know how much your blog is appreciated. It is great getting the behind the scenes info you always have for us. Keep it up! I predict a big night for Roy tonight and a Blazer victory. I also predict Martell will see some action despite his sore back. I think he will tell Nate anything to get into the opening night game in his home town.
Wait a minute, Rice didn't pick up a check? Gee, what are the odds of that, lol? What kind of drink was spilled on Rice?
I understand. The steak will sit with you all day. The Cereal won't. PSSSST: I like Captain Crunchberries.
I think we are going to see 3 great performances from the Blazers tonight.
1 - Zach will have a double double in the high 20's.
2 - Roy is going to be jacked up and nervous but not like the first preseason game. 20 - 24 points and pushing a triple double in rebounds and assists.
3 - Ime will put on a defensive clinic against Lewis.
GO BLAZERS!!!
R.O.Y.
I think Portland starts off with a win this year..
94-89 will be the final in a close entertaining game
Only one thing can keep the Blazers from winning tonight. Turnovers! As the pre-season progressed, out rebounding and assist numbers improved, so I am not too concered about that. The team is gonna be super hyped to get this season started. After soo many guys showed up so early and worked soo hard in the off season they should come out with A LOT of energy and overwhelm the Sonics. Add in the Roy homecoming and we will really see something special........However, i cant leave without a note of pessimism, if we dish out a healthy 20-25 turnovers, it wont be pretty. Still, I predict a beautiful 110-89 victory tonight!
As a Seattle native and fan of B Roy im expecting him to have a big first game back in his home town. I think he will stay focused and help the blazers to a win.
Another person that is going to be a factor in the win is Randolph. I think he will have a huge game agains the sonics big guys wich ever one might be guarding him.
I expect Jack to light up Ridnour early.
I think Magloire should get half the minutes at C. He to can beat up the big guys for Seattle down low. The Blazers should really utilize the former All Star.
hey this is matt the biggest blazer fan there is!! lol well i just wanted to let you know mike that i really enjoy reading these blogs of yours its nice to have someone on the inside keep people updated. i really thought that was cool when you were telling us about the schedule all of you guys have from getting to the airport to being on the plane its like a behind the scenes thing :). well to answer the question about predictions to the season opener well simple BLAZERS WIN!!!! nothing else to it right he he. Ok have a safe flight home.
Hey Mike,
I was just thinking. You should change the name of your every Thursday show to "Mike and Mike in the Evening on KXL radio"... haha
Mike and Mike in the evening, that's good. You should do that. Have it be on FSN or something for TV, played at a later time than the radio show.
WOW! I don't think I've ever been into a Portland Trail Blazer game like that in at least three years. My hands were sweating were sweating more watching the end of that game than watching my beloved Seahawks in the Super Bowl last year. What a great win for Portland.
After all of the moves and pick ups Portland made in the offseason, does anyone else agree the Ime Udoka was the biggest of them all? Getting that Offensive Rebound at the end of the game to pretty much seal it up for Portland was fantastic. Brandon Roy has an awesome game and so does Zach Randolph. Man, I could go on forever talking about all of the great things Portland did. Can you tell I'm excited for this year's team? Good luck against the Warriors!!
Hey I'm tired of hearing other Portlanders trash the Blazers. I just watched the Blazers convincingly beat the Sonics tonight !
To the nay-sayers- I say - put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Go Blazers!
Hey I'm tired of hearing other Portlanders trash the Blazers. I just watched the Blazers convincingly beat the Sonics tonight !
To the nay-sayers- I say - put that in your pipe and smoke it!
To the Blazer Players - thanks for putting your heart into it!
To Nate - you da man!
Go Blazers! Let's get the next one!
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