READ THE SHIRT! HOW FITTING!
Oden Done For the Year......... Again!
Can you say complete bust! At least Ryan Leaf played some games.
With the latest Greg Oden injury news, all I can think about is the money. We've already shed our tears for Oden, the nice guy whose body has repeatedly betrayed him. We've already made the Sam Bowie comparisons, rendered our verdict on Oden versus Kevin Durant, lamented what might have been for the Portland Trail Blazers if only Oden stayed on the court. Now it's time to count the lost dollars.
Oden's string of injury woes could cost him some $80 million to $90 million. Even Bill Gates cringes at the thought of missing out on $90 million.
We'll use Durant, who was selected right after Oden with the second pick in the 2007 draft, as the benchmark. This past summer, Durant tacked a five-year extension that could be worth up to $89 million onto the $6 million he'll make this season. The Trail Blazers already have declined to pick up their option on Oden following the expiration of his rookie-scale contract this season. Why would they when they already have $9.2 million committed to Marcus Camby?
So Oden would be forced to enter whatever free-agent market awaits for players under the next collective bargaining agreement, a new set of rules that is universally expected to be less lucrative for the players.
Oden reminds me of Shaun Livingston, the promising Clippers draft pick who shredded every part of his knee you could name (and some you couldn't) during his third season in Los Angeles.
Livingston received the final $4.4 million the Clippers owed him for the remaining year on his contract and didn't make $1 million total over his next two seasons.
If teams took a chance on Livingston, they'll take a chance on the 7-foot Oden, but it will be at a pittance by NBA standards. This is not about weeping for someone who already has made $22 million while playing in 82 games over the first four years of his career. It's about a man missing out on the best earning years of his life, sidelined through no fault of his own.
After he missed about one and a half seasons in his first two years in the league, the Blazers were encouraged by the work Oden put in during the summer of 2009. He was averaging 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in the first 20 games last season, then he fractured his left kneecap while defending a shot by Houston's Aaron Brooks. He hasn't played an NBA game since. We don't know when and where he'll play again. It shouldn't be in Portland. Yes, the Blazers have made the investment in him, and that's the problem. There's a sense of obligation he must feel to the team that drafted him first overall and the fans who greeted him like a conquering hero when he first got to Portland. Except at this point he'll never be able to fulfill the expectations. Not with two knees repaired by microfracture surgery.
Oden will be a restricted free agent next summer. He needs to go somewhere where any contribution he makes will be considered a welcome addition, not a comedown from what was expected from the No. 1 pick.
And it's possible he needs to be surrounded by a different medical and training staff. Oden's knee troubles are the latest in a Portland line that includes Zach Randolph, Darius Miles, Joel Przybilla and Brandon Roy, the franchise player who limped through the playoffs and currently is on the shelf for at least a week. I've had NBA people from inside and outside the organization cast wary eyes on the Trail Blazers' medical ways.
At a news conference Wednesday, the Blazers went out of their way to praise the medical staff, with team president Larry Miller saying, "We have without a doubt one of the most respected medical and training staffs in all of sports," and general manager Rich Cho's opening statement consisting of "These guys are top notch. These guys are very knowledgeable, thorough, extremely hard-working, and I support them 100 percent."
That was all unprompted, before athletic trainer Jay Jensen was asked, pointedly, whether the training and medical staff ever wonders whether it needs to re-evaluate its methods.
"Absolutely," he said.
He said team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Don Roberts is constantly seeking outside opinions while within the organization they ask themselves, "Is there anything we could be doing that we're not doing? Is there anything that we're missing?"
It was only recently that Oden's left knee began swelling after rehab workouts. Fluid was drained from the knee, but the swelling persisted.
Won't the nagging questions persist along with the nagging injuries if he stays in Portland?
It would be best for all if Oden moves on. There's always more demand than supply of big men, so there's a spot for him somewhere. We know Miami could use a big (although the Heat's medical staff also has come under question, particularly by Shaquille O'Neal, and might not be the most knee-friendly).
Jensen said that when they saw the exam results revealing the damage in Oden's knee, they "felt like we had been told somebody close to us had died."
No, no need to write an obituary. Just shake your head at the money lost and lament the potential that has gone unfulfilled.
Tyler Moeller will be Back in 2011
Ohio State safety Tyler Moeller has been granted a sixth year of eligibility and will return in 2011.
As expected, the NCAA approved Moeller's application for a sixth year, and coach Jim Tressel informed the team after practice Wednesday afternoon.
Moeller suffered a torn pectoral muscle in an Oct. 2 game at Illinois and underwent season-ending surgery days later. He missed the entire 2009 season with a head injury he suffered as the victim of an assault at a Florida bar and restaurant in July of that year.
Moeller, who played the "star" position in Ohio State's often-used nickel package this season, recorded 20 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, an interception and a sack this season.
Thursday, Nov. 18 Network Time (ET)
Georgia State at Alabama ESPNU 7:30 p.m.
UCLA at Washington ESPN 8 p.m.
Air Force at UNLV CBS CS 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 19 Network Time (ET)
Fresno State at Boise State ESPN2 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20 Network Time (ET)
Wisconsin at Michigan ESPN Noon
Oklahoma State at Kansas FSN Noon
Purdue at Michigan State BTN Noon
Pittsburgh at South Florida ESPN2 Noon
Penn State vs. Indiana BTN Noon
West Virginia at Louisville ESPN3 Noon
Virginia at Boston College ESPNU Noon
North Carolina State at North Carolina ESPN3 Noon
Troy at South Carolina ESPN3 12:21 p.m.
Appalachian State at Florida ESPN3 12:30 p.m.
Duke at Georgia Tech ESPN3 1:30 p.m.
Clemson at Wake Forest ESPN3 2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Buffalo ESPN3 2 p.m.
Mississippi at LSU CBS 3:30 p.m.
Stanford at California FSN 3:30 p.m.
Ohio State at Iowa ABC 3:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech at Miami (Fla.) ESPN 3:30 p.m.
Middle Tennessee at Western Kentucky ESPN3 4:15 p.m.
New Mexico at Brigham Young mtn 6 p.m.
Arkansas at Mississippi State ESPN 7 p.m.
Missouri at Iowa State FSN 7 p.m.
Army vs. Notre Dame NBC 7 p.m.
Connecticut at Syracuse ESPNU 7 p.m.
Tennessee at Vanderbilt ESPN3 7:30 p.m.
Nebraska at Texas A&M ABC 8 p.m.
Oklahoma at Baylor ESPN2 8 p.m.
Florida State at Maryland ABC 8 p.m.
USC at Oregon State ABC 8 p.m.
Buckeyes Sign Recruit After Whipping Florida
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Buckeyes were already riding high from their 93-75 win at Florida the night before, when they got the call on Wednesday.
Less than 24 hours after beating the ninth-ranked Gators in Gainesville on national television, Ohio State landed a big commitment from 4-star center Amir Williams for 2011.
“A good day just became great,” OSU assistant coach Jeff Boals said via his Twitter.com account after landing a signature from Williams on the final day of the early signing period.
The Buckeyes got 26 points and 10 rebounds from freshman Jared Sullinger and that may have been enough to hook Williams, who had narrowed his list to just Ohio State and Florida.
A 6-foot-10 , 220-pound center out Detroit Country Day High School in Beverly Hills (Mich.), Williams could end up replacing Sullinger if he decides to be one-and-done. Even if that happens, Ohio State coach Thad Matta has once again put together a top-10, or even top-five, class nationally with the recent signings of Williams and 6-foot-8 wing LaQuinton Ross.
Both were in Columbus over the weekend for official visits, and they took in Ohio State’s season-opening win over North Carolina A&T Friday night as well as the football team’s come-from-behind 38-14 win at Ohio Stadium Saturday.
It only took Ross until Monday morning to make his decision final. Williams waited a few extra days, possibly on the outcome of Tuesday night’s top-10 matchup on ESPN, but ultimately he opted to become Ohio State’s fifth and final member in the class of 2011 by submitting his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning.
“We are thrilled to cap off our 2011 class by filling a major need at the center position,” Matta said.
“He is a big man that can produce offensively and have a major presence defensively. Amir chose Ohio State for all the right reasons and I am confident he will be very successful as a Buckeye.”
Over the summer, Williams helped the U.S. Under-18 team to a 5-0 record en route to winning the gold medal at the FIBA Americas tournament in San Antonio, Tex. Prior to that, he averaged 15 points, 10.2 rebounds and nearly five blocks per game while leading Detroit Country Day to a state championship as a junior.
He is rated as the No. 2 center in the country by Scout.com (No. 36 overall) behind Syracuse commit Rakeem Christmas. He is also rated the No. 2 center by ESPN.com (No. 39 overall) and the No. 7 center by Rivals.com (No. 73 overall).
Williams becomes the second Michigan product in the class, joining Trey McDonald, a 6-9, 230-pound center from Battle Creek (Mich.) High School. The class also includes true point guard Shannon Scott (6-2, 165/Alpharetta, Ga) and Chicago forward Sam Thompson (6-7, 190).
Landing Williams was critical for the Buckeyes, who must replace senior center Dallas Lauderdale and possibly Sullinger. If Ohio State loses Sullinger and junior William Buford, the addition of the five 2011 signees would give them 12 players on the roster for next season.
If they also lose freshman Deshaun Thomas, which seems like more of a long-shot after last night, they would only return their forwards. That includes Boston College transfer Evan Ravenel, who is sitting out this season, Serbia native Nikola Kecman, who has only played one game in three years at Ohio State, and freshman J.D. Weatherspoon.
The door would then be open for Williams to move into the starting lineup at center. If the Buckeyes retain Sullinger, Williams would give them a defensive boost off the bench next season.
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