# Inside blazer info (legit too)...



## riehldeal (May 11, 2003)

steve patterson came to where i work (a golf course) and my co workers actually were able to get alot of good CANDID info from him

1) darius wants $8 million a year for 6 years, blazers would like to comprimise at $6.5 for 3 years but darius is adamant about the 6 years, still alot of work to be done on miles situation...more to come on darius

2) shareef will stay and indeed be GIVEN (in my mind given is the word of choice because he sure the hell didnt earn it over darius) the starting nod at the small forward spot...patterson told us that they believe that shareef is better than miles and can flourish at the 3 along side Zbo (see my opinion at the end as to why i feel that makes no sense at all)...steve did mention that shareef is indeed losing weight for this challenge

3) they LITERALLY cannot give away ruben patterson...steve said they have called every team and asked for anything in return for ruben, and he made sure that we understood that they would take ANY deal but there are NO takers at all, doesnt say much for ruben's value

4) absolutely feels that telfair has the ability to become a stockton type player if he continues to work hard


MY OPINION

i was very disappointed in what steve had to say esspecially concerning shareef at the 3...he says he will "flourish" i ask how??...Zbo will take up the block on offense thus we need a 3 and other players that strive else where, darius miles although not a pure shooter by any stretch of the imagination is a better shooter than shareef (doesnt say much for shareef pancake flat horrible hitched jumper)...darius also can slash to the basket and is just plain better than shareef at using his athleticism for creating scoring opportunities for other places than the low post blocks


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> darius miles although not a pure shooter by any stretch of the imagination is a better shooter than shareef (doesnt say much for shareef pancake flat horrible hitched jumper)...darius also can slash to the basket and is just plain better than shareef at using his athleticism for creating scoring opportunities for other places than the low post blocks


I agree with the second part, but disagree strongly with the first. SAR is a very good shooter out to about 20 feet... and Darius has been pretty consistently terrible from outside of 8 feet in his career.

*If* Miles's jumper is as good as it was at the end of last year, then I think that he's a better fit offensively than SAR... if he's not, then SAR is a better fit because he's such a good offensive player.

Irrespective of their offensive abilities, though, a SAR-Zach forward tandem will be a disaster against most teams. Miles's defensive flexibility let him guard the more effective of the 2 or 3 men in the game, letting DA slide over... that won't be the case now, and SAR will get abused on the perimeter defensively.

That means more blocks for Theo, I guess, but also means more losses for Portland IMO.

Thanks for posting the info, riehldeal.

Ed O.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed's post is why I'm calling bull****.


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## Backboard Cam (Apr 29, 2003)

Here are a few Western Conference small forwards that IMO Shareef can't guard

Maggette
Odom
Marion
Carmelo
Miles  
Rashard Lewis
Kirilenko
Posey
Mashburn
Jim Jackson

I guess that's stating the obvious, that even if SAR loses weight, he still won't be able to stay in front of the slashers or get out on the outside shooting SFs. And most of the guys on this list are both. IMO losing weight isn't going to increase his agility or acceleration.


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## Backboard Cam (Apr 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> steve patterson came to where i work (a golf course)


What did he shoot? What course BTW?


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> 3) they LITERALLY cannot give away ruben patterson...steve said they have called every team and asked for anything in return for ruben, and he made sure that we understood that they would take ANY deal but there are NO takers at all, doesnt say much for ruben's value


That seems hard to believe. There are no players out there with worse contracts, less talent and/or lesser 'character' than Patterson? 

I don't buy it. Patterson isn't great on any of those axes, but he isn't awful on any of them either.

barfo


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## riehldeal (May 11, 2003)

*when i said that...*

patterson was CANDID it was mostly with respect to ruben patterson...it was at portland golf club, and in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....that is what he actually said


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## dkap (May 13, 2003)

> in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....


Maybe he was being hard on himself after a bad golf game and just referencing said self in the 3rd person. Happens to anyone that spends enough time around pro athletes. Easy to confuse the last names...

Dan


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

*Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> patterson was CANDID it was mostly with respect to ruben patterson...it was at portland golf club, and in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....that is what he actually said


If that's the case, then Patterson probably isn't any brighter than Patterson, sad to say.

barfo


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## riehldeal (May 11, 2003)

*exactly my point...*

i came away from the encounter very displeased both with his strategy and personality....plus i forgot the WORST part, he definitely stiffed me on the tip...i cleaned his clubs to a shine and took them to his car and NOTHING not even a thank you


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Just when I think the Pash Natterson conglomerate GM can't be any dumber, it opens it's mouth and out comes proof that it is.

Putting square pegs in round holes hasn't ever worked and it never will. Darius is an integral piece to this team and SAR is nothing to this team. SAR must go.

Ruben may be dumb as a rock, but what does that make Steve?

If he actually said all that stuff to strangers at a golf club, he is the least professional professional I have ever heard of.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

yah, because everything you read from a "insider" source on the internet is the truth...


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## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

Ugh...SAR at SF is a disaster waiting to happen, particularly if Miles accepts a tender or signs an extension, and we can't offload Ruben for anyone.

Just give that tandem a few games to fall flat on its face before Pattersen and NAsh change their tune. Again, I think they have tested the waters for trading SAR and have not found anything to their liking and so have stubbornly (IMO) set to play him at SF, Mo Cheeks be dammed (and he may be...if it does happen, it could cost him his job IMO). But like I said, if POR starts SAR at SF and he, and the team flail b\c of it, I think NAsh & Pattersen would change their tune real quick, by that I mean SAR trade at\around the trade deadline is looking more and more likely.

AS for his comments about Ruben, I have a tough time believing he called him a piece of excrement, but I do believe he is untradeable, which sucks for POR. I can't stand the guy either.


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## stupendous (Feb 17, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Backboard Cam</b>!
> Here are a few Western Conference small forwards that IMO Shareef can't guard
> 
> Maggette
> ...


That about covers all of them!! lol

Whether SAR starts over Miles at the beginning of the season or not, I think it is somewhat irrelevant. Whoever is going to help the team have the best chance at winning is who Mo Cheeks is going to give the nod to eventually, whether it is SAR or Miles. A coach wont repeatedly give a player the starting role if he is not as effective as the next guy, it just wouldn't make sense. I just don't see much sense in worrying about who is starting at the beginning of the season. Although i agree with you, DMiles is a much better Small Forward fit than SAR would be.


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## e_blazer1 (Feb 3, 2004)

*Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> patterson was CANDID it was mostly with respect to ruben patterson...it was at portland golf club, and in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....that is what he actually said


Jeez, I guess Steve's never heard of a buying out a contract. Seems like kind of an odd thing for a top NBA executive not to know, don't you think? But then, I wouldn't expect a team president to call one of his players, especially one he's trying to trade, a "piece of ****" in public in front of a bunch of people he doesn't know.

But then, we all know that everything you read on the internet is true.


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## I_HateDamon (Aug 12, 2004)

*Re: exactly my point...*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> he definitely stiffed me on the tip...i cleaned his clubs to a shine and took them to his car and NOTHING not even a thank you


This is all a bunch of crap. If you're cleaning the guys clubs and taking them to the car, why is it that "my co workers actually were able to get alot of good CANDID info from him" and not you?

Your "co workers" named George Glass?


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## kaydow (Apr 6, 2004)

Given the situation, I like the idea of experimenting to get SAR minutes. The majority of people on this board have said they don't like any of the realistic trades that involve SAR (Wally, Kittles, etc.) If you keep him and play him 17 min/game (like last year) he will pout and it could ruin the locker room, and the season. Another reason not to pack him on the end of the bench--it would diminish his trade value even further. He needs to be on the floor so that he can "showcase" himself to other teams in the league so that A) Portland can get something for him before the deadline B) SAR can get a decent contract somewhere else after the season, and more importantly for us, not be an ***. As for the list of SF's that would abuse SAR, I take issue with some of those names---Jim Jackson?? JJ doesn't abuse anybody anymore. Besides, just because SAR starts at SF, doesn't mean he plays the whole game there. Don't get me wrong, I would love it if we could trade SAR, but since we haven't been able too . . .


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## riehldeal (May 11, 2003)

*just so everything is clear...*

i meant to say that my co workers and I were able to get candid info from steve when he finished his round of golf and was hanging around the pro shop...and the comment about ruben is EXACTLY word for word what he said so believe it or not thats what he said, i and everybody else was shocked he said that too and laughed out loud...everything i said is exactly the words from his own mouth, dont shoot the messenger.....and like i said 2 or more times, i came away from the encounter UNIMPRESSED


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

I'm choosing not to believe this report. Nothing personal, riehl. Just too much about it that doesn't make sense.

PBF


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## talman (Dec 31, 2002)

I absolutely believe the comments about Rueben--perhaps not some of the language but he desire to move him out of town.

On Courtside a few weeks ago they had Nash or Patterson on (can't remember which) and were OPENLY joking about the fact that Reuben has EXACTLY ZERO value to any team at all. I was kinda shocked about how openly they disparaged Reuben and his contract.


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## riehldeal (May 11, 2003)

*i am not taking it personal....but*

just want you to know that it is 100% what he said, i just wanted everyone to know how much i didnt enjoy the encounter, partly for getting stiffed on the tip, his strategy, and his blatant bad mouthing of ruben to random golf club workers....i guess that open door policy means slammed open


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## Blaze_Rocks (Aug 11, 2004)

Ruben should start...:yes: 



As far as SAR goes, I'm glad we're keeping him.. I think He would make a good back up to Zach.. He needs to swallow his pride and remember he's the one getting paid 14 million dollars.. Am I supposed to feel bad for him?:no: SAR is a good player I watched him play in Atlanta but he needs to get over himself and except where hes at... And most importantly play basketball and shut up. who cares if you start? If I was making 14 million bucks to shoot hoops I'd be happy anywhere I played.. Even if it meant not starting or playing at all for that matter...I'm really disgusted at how the NBA has turned out over the last 10 years!


:sour: :sour: :sour: :sour: :sour: :sour:


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## KIDBLAZE (Jul 8, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>stupendous</b>!
> 
> 
> A coach wont repeatedly give a player the starting role if he is not as effective as the next guy, it just wouldn't make sense.


two words.

Damon stoudamire


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

*Re: i am not taking it personal....but*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> ....i guess that open door policy means slammed open


What, you hadn't heard of the _26th Point_?


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> patterson was CANDID it was mostly with respect to ruben patterson...it was at portland golf club, and in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....that is what he actually said


This is whats making me call BS like Hap.

BFreak.


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## stupendous (Feb 17, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>KIDBLAZE</b>!
> 
> 
> two words.
> ...


Damon had a very solid season for the Blazers last year, one of his most solid years for Portland statistically....... and who was the more qualified candidate for point guard? Dan Dickau? Omar Cook? C'mon man

At least this season we have NVE, who if stays healthy indeed will be a serious candidate to take over the starting spot. 

But last year was a whole different story.


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## I_HateDamon (Aug 12, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>KIDBLAZE</b>!
> 
> 
> two words.
> ...



Bam!


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>stupendous</b>!
> 
> Damon had a very solid season for the Blazers last year, one of his most solid years for Portland statistically....... and who was the more qualified candidate for point guard? Dan Dickau? Omar Cook? C'mon man
> 
> ...


Exactly.

But realistically speaking, there's no way NVE starts at PG as long as Damon is healthy.

Reasons (in no particular order):

1. Damon is coming off one of his best seasons as a Blazer.
2. Damon has cleaned himself up.
3. Damon has established himself as THE leader of the team.
4. Damon's returning team-mates know what to expect from him on the court.
5. More importantly, Mo knows what to expect from him on the court.
6. Damon is entering his contract year.
7. Damon has worked his way back into favor w/ coaching & management and more than a few previously disenchanted fans / media.

No, the only way NVE starts at PG this season is if Damon goes down to injury, gets traded, or relapses (or does some other monumentally stupid thing).

PBF


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>I_HateDamon</b>!
> 
> Bam!


Actually...

Thud!

PBF


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## chris_in_pdx (Jul 11, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>ProudBFan</b>!
> 
> 3. Damon has established himself as THE leader of the team.


God help us.

We're LOTTERY BOUND!!!!!!!!1


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## stupendous (Feb 17, 2003)

:sigh: We have already been lottery found my friend


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## Crimson the Cat (Dec 30, 2002)

Rahim should be given a fair chance at small forward in training camp and during the pre-season. If he outplays Miles, it's his. If not, back to the bench.


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## Storyteller (Dec 31, 2002)

I've pointed this out before, but those who continue to say that "statistically" Damon improved and had one of his best seasons ever as a Blazer need to look at the statistics again.

2003-04: 13.4 PPG, 40.1 FG%, 36.5 3-P%, 3.8 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.2 TOPG
2001-02: 13.5 PPG, 40.2 FG%, 35.3 3-P%, 3.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, 2.0 TOPG
2000-01: 13.0 PPG, 43.4 FG%, 37.4 3-P%, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.3 TOPG
1999-00: 12.5 PPG, 43.2 FG%, 37.7 3-P%, 3.1 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.9 TOPG
1998-99: 12.6 PPG, 39.6 FG%, 31.0 3-P%, 3.3 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.2 TOPG

(2002-03 left out because he was a bench player)

I ask you - where's the improvement? How did 2003-04 distinguish itself from any of the other seasons where he started at PG?

Looks to me like almost exactly the same numbers year after year after year....

All the while, he's pulling down 8 figures.


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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

*Re: Re: Inside blazer info (legit too)...*



> Originally posted by <b>Crimson the Cat</b>!
> Rahim should be given a fair chance at small forward in training camp and during the pre-season. If he outplays Miles, it's his. If not, back to the bench.


'Reef doesnt want to play SF. He tried last season, and it was a failure for both hiim and the team.


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## Storyteller (Dec 31, 2002)

Also, I know that someone will inevitably point out that Damon "had all those game winning shots".

If Damon would have played those games well throughout, that would be one story. Then a last second shot actually adds icing to the cake. 

But too often, Damon plays crappy and shoots awful throughout the game. Then hits the last shot and is declared the "hero" by Jason Quick and others.

Hey - if he would have shot better in those games early on, there wouldn't have been any need for him to be a "hero". 

Am I making sense? Making a last second shot when you've shot well all game is one thing. Making a last second shot when your crappy shooting is one of the reasons why your team needs a last second shot is a completely different story.


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## Blaze_Rocks (Aug 11, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>So Cal Blazer Fan</b>!
> I ask you - where's the improvement? How did 2003-04 distinguish itself from any of the other seasons where he started at PG?
> 
> Looks to me like almost exactly the same numbers year after year after year....
> ...


:laugh: Funny how that works, I suppose it's Damons fault that he was offered such a large contract...Damon Rules!:grinning:


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## mook (Dec 31, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>So Cal Blazer Fan</b>!
> 2003-04: 13.4 PPG, 40.1 FG%, 36.5 3-P%, 3.8 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.2 TOPG
> 2001-02: 13.5 PPG, 40.2 FG%, 35.3 3-P%, 3.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, 2.0 TOPG
> 2000-01: 13.0 PPG, 43.4 FG%, 37.4 3-P%, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.3 TOPG
> ...


the myth that Damon had a great season last year is truly amazing to me. 

just unbelievable.


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## Buck Williams (May 16, 2004)

thanks great thread


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

Just thought this was a good thread to mention that I to have inside info. I was at the barber shop sitting next to Nash on one side, pres bush and john kerry on the other. Nash said that he wants to trade zack for a nice tea set he saw at wallgreens. Bush admitted to doing loads of cocain, and Kerry said that he was actually hiding and crying when he got injured for his purple hearts. 

p.s. Elvis was the barber and said that he faked his death to live a gay lifestyle out of the press.


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## quick (Feb 13, 2004)

Why do they want to continue to experiment on something that has already failed... playing SAR at small forward.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

I'm really not convinced by the SAR at SF idea, particularly if he's specifically trying to "rebuild" his body for the job. Even if he could play the 3 as effectively as he can play the 4, the Blazers have a *ton* of guys (Miles, Patterson, Outlaw, and likely some that are getting lost in the woods) to play the three. Who's at the 4 after Zach? Furthermore, maybe I'm wrong but I'm guessing a good 4 still has more trade value than a good 3, even assuming they're equally good. This only gets worse if one believes, as I do, that SAR is a stronger 4 now than he's likely to ever be as a 3. It seems to me like the Blazer brass are basically asking him to lower his trade value while also asking/telling Cheeks to play the second (or third) best guy for the job coming out of the blocks.

:sigh:


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## Buck Williams (May 16, 2004)

IMO if we must keep SAR this would be my lineup if we make no more trades


Theo/Vladamir/Ha
Z-BO/Outlaw/SAR
SAR/D-miles/Khryapa
D-miles/DA/NVE
Damon/NVE/Bassy

I would really love to get SAR the **** out


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## graybeard (May 10, 2003)

I watched SAR play small forward while he was with the Vancouver Grizzlies. He gave Portland fits trying to guard him.
When I seen him this year as a blazer, he looked 30 lbs. overweight, was slow and his timing was off. If he loses the extra weight he could be a stud again.


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## ThatBlazerGuy (May 1, 2003)

If SAR plays anything like he did last year, no way will he become a legit SF. All I remember SAR doing is getting blocked alot, missing easy down low shots and fumbling the ball alot. 

I really believe SAR is a slightly better version of Juan Howard. They both put up good stats, but neither really helps their team win.


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## Storyteller (Dec 31, 2002)

BTW. I see no reason not to trust *riehldeal* and what he says. When has he ever shown himself to be anything but a legitimate, honest poster on this board?

Unless someone can provide evidence that I shouldn't trust what he says, I'll take his statements at face value. My interaction with him on this board gives me no reason not to.

After all, it's not like he's quoting Patterson as saying something outrageous. Ruben doesn't have trade value, Darius wants too much money, he thinks SAR and Randolph can play next to each other (something that both Nash and Patterson have been quoted as saying previously) - where's the surprise?


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>riehldeal</b>!
> patterson was CANDID it was mostly with respect to ruben patterson...it was at portland golf club, and in all honesty steve called ruben a "piece of ****" and "i would give anything for him to be off this team"....that is what he actually said


Theres a reason SoCal, thats what made me call BS.

BFreak.


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## Storyteller (Dec 31, 2002)

*Re: Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>Blazer Freak</b>!
> Theres a reason SoCal, thats what made me call BS.
> 
> BFreak.


OK, maybe that's a bit surprising...

But that's not evidence that *riehldeal* made it up.

I've never had any interaction with Steve Patterson. I have no idea what kind of language he uses when the cameras and reporters are nowhere to be found.

I have interacted with *riehldeal* on this board and have never found a reason to disbelieve anything he might say.

If true, Patterson's comment is extremely unprofessional and a bit shocking. But it's not out of the realm of possibility for me to believe, either.

Believe what you want. I've just never seen anything from *riehldeal* - including any posts on this thread - that leads me to believe that he's anything but honest.


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## Backboard Cam (Apr 29, 2003)

*Re: Re: when i said that...*



> Originally posted by <b>Blazer Freak</b>!
> Theres a reason SoCal, thats what made me call BS.


I don't get how that's a reason. 

I personally won't be repeating this as a fact, I'd call it a rumor even though I believe the story.

I once had a very close friend tell me that a close friend of his woke up in a hotel bathtub with a kidney missing. This has since been outed as an "urban legend," but my friend believed it 100%. It turns out that his friend told him it was _his_ friend, but it was actually his friend's friend's friend, and somewhere down the line someone read the story and turned into their "friend" to make the story believable.

In this case, I don't have a reason to think this guy lied about the story. However, since I don't have HARD PROOF, it is just a rumor to me.

Until Mark Amazon reads this and asks Patterson, and Patterson admits that he said exactly that, I'll call it a rumor. A rumor that doesn't seem that hard to believe.


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## KIDBLAZE (Jul 8, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Blazerben4</b>!
> IMO if we must keep SAR this would be my lineup if we make no more trades
> 
> 
> ...


I agree
with a line up like that we would get zoned out:sour:


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## azsun18 (Aug 12, 2004)

SAR at SF might work. Yes on defense he would have problems, but on offense he poses matchup problems for other teams. Those small forwards could not stop SAR down on the block. It was the same problem teams had trying to stop Rasheed when he played SF and actually went down on the block (which wasnt often enough). Yes SAR gets his shot blocked a lot, but going against Sf's vs PF's this number should go down. With either MIles or SAR at the SF, teams are going to zone us up since neither can hit the 3 pointer. Miles wants way to much money, save the money, let SAR walk (unless we get an allstar in return which probably wont happen) and bring in AK-47 next year to play with his Russian buddies. Oh I would love that!!


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