Greg Oden Out for the Season (Again)

Déjà Vu All Over Again

It seems like we hear this story just as much as we hear stories about Brett Favre’s retirement (every year). In another heartbreaking beginning to a season, Portland Blazers’ center Greg Oden finds himself sitting on the bench for the rest of the season once again. The former #1 pick in 2007 out of Ohio State must undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee and is officially done this year. Sound familiar? Oden had to miss his rookie season, ’07-’08, because of microfracture surgery on his right knee. Over the 4 seasons Oden has been in the league, he has only played one season’s worth of games (82).

This isn’t just déjà vu for Oden, however, but for Portland as well. In 1984 Portland picked Sam Bowie #2 overall. #3 that year? Michael Jordan. 

Team USA in the FIBA World Championships

          Team USA’s basketball “B” team has been competing in Turkey at the FIBA World Championship tournament. Although no member of Team USA’s gold medal Olympic team from 2008 is on the world championship team, it is no excuse for the way they have played through their first 5 games.

Age is Only a Number

The team may be young, led by 21 year old and reigning NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant, but that is no excuse for the immature way that this team has been playing in their group stage games.

Game after game, this team has played offensive basketball as if they were in an all-star game. They attempt to run flashy fast breaks with jaw dropping alley-oops and other unnecessary moves. It’s one thing to run the fast break, which they should definitely be doing with the likes of speedsters Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook running the point, but too many times