# ESPN explains the "new" Rasheed



## Talkhard (May 13, 2003)

> *Q:* How did 'Sheed keep it together for the entire duration of the playoffs? Isn't he completely insane? Did something change? Was Larry Brown electro-shocking him before games?
> 
> *A:* This was the biggest mystery of the playoffs. How did 'Sheed go from "Creator of CTC" to "Good Soldier On A Title Team" in eight months? It's inexplicable. What about the never-ending barrage of temper tantrums, those SI pictures of his unhappy cell phone calls at charity events, all the comical incidents with referees? How many key Blazers games did he sabotage over the years? Thirty? Forty? And suddenly he was fine? This was like watching Courtney Love fill in for Kelly Ripa, then tape Regis' show for four months without a single incident. I'm still reeling from the whole thing. I can only imagine how Blazers fans feel.
> 
> (One of my favorite subplots of the playoffs was anyone saying that Rasheed is "misunderstood." Let's say you're working on Wall Street. Every two weeks, you flip out on someone and get escorted out of the building. This happens for 10 straight years. You can't help yourself. They keep fining you, you're costing the company money ... doesn't matter. You're a lunatic. Then you change firms and keep it together for four months, just long enough for the new firm to consider signing you to an extension. Well, does that make you "misunderstood," or are you just a lunatic with a convenient on-off switch? I'm going with the latter. I'm cynical that way.)


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/040617a


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## thrillhouse (Apr 18, 2003)

that article is written by known piston hater bill simmons


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## BLAZER PROPHET (Jan 3, 2003)

Why is he Piston hater?

As to the article, it was a bit one-sided. Maybe the fact Wallace was fairly well behaved in and of itself say something about his time here in Portland.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Not much of an explaination there... I can't speak for all Blazer fans on how they feel about it, but I wasn't surprised at how well he blended in and behaved. Based on how he'd curtailed his acting up the last few years, I'd predicted as much when he was traded to Detroit. He had changed IMO but the coverage hadn't acknowledged it. I guess they are starting to now, but they are still hedging/leaving the door open for him to be their fav villan again. 

JMO

STOMP


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## SLAM (Jan 1, 2003)

Sheed is happy. Detroit is happy. Why is TalkHard so glum?

Here, I found something nice from ESPN's coverage of the celebration parade in Detroit:



> Kilpatrick addressed concerns that Wallace, a free agent, might leave the team.
> 
> "Y'all show 'Sheed how much you love 'Sheed right here in Detroit," the mayor told the crowd, which responded with chants of "We want Sheed."
> 
> A grinning Wallace put down his videocamera and stood to acknowledge the cheers.


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## SKiP (Jan 28, 2004)

Why would Rasheed possibly want to leave Detroit? He has a chance to win even more championships when Darko lives up to his potential.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Yep, the TRUTH is Rasheed got his act together long ago (while still in Portland) and quite simply, no one noticed until he got to Detroit.


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## BLAZER PROPHET (Jan 3, 2003)

*NathanLane*

I agree 100%. Wallace was slowly but surely becoming a much improved person but it went largely unnoticed. 

Also, just MHO, but I think he'll stay in Detroit. The media respects him (unlike Portland's), the fans love him and they have a tremendous organization. What more could a player want?


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## Storyteller (Dec 31, 2002)

Can anyone explain to me how Rasheed's "behavior" for the Blazers this season was different than his "behavior" for the Pistons?


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Talkhard</b>!
> 
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/040617a


I couldnt agree with this guy more!!!


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## thrillhouse (Apr 18, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>BLAZER PROPHET</b>!
> Why is he Piston hater?
> 
> As to the article, it was a bit one-sided. Maybe the fact Wallace was fairly well behaved in and of itself say something about his time here in Portland.


hes a huge boston fan so he hates detroit for taking out the larry bird celtics, also he bashes darko in everyone of his columns, even when it is not relavent to the topic


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## Stevenson (Aug 23, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>NathanLane</b>!
> Yep, the TRUTH is Rasheed got his act together long ago (while still in Portland) and quite simply, no one noticed until he got to Detroit.


That is flat out incorrect. It was only last season that he stalked a ref AFTER a game and was suspended a LEAGUE RECORD 7 games for a non-violent behavor incident.

You want to know why Sheed blended in in Detroit? 2 words:

Contract Year.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>thrillhouse</b>!
> 
> 
> hes a huge boston fan so he hates detroit for taking out the larry bird celtics, also he bashes darko in everyone of his columns, even when it is not relavent to the topic


This past finals must of been really painful for this guy. :laugh:

Anyways, Sheed f's up y'all talk ish about him. Sheed does good, y'all talk ish about him. If you don't like him just say it and get over it. Its not like you'll be able to do anything about it.


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## BLAZER PROPHET (Jan 3, 2003)

Amazing how people differ on Rasheed. 

I guess it's like he states- half the people in Portland hate him and half love him.

Interesting.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>So Cal Blazer Fan</b>!
> Can anyone explain to me how Rasheed's "behavior" for the Blazers this season was different than his "behavior" for the Pistons?


Part of the "improvement" in Sheed in Portland was the removal of the trigger fingers by the refs. Rasheed's still complaining like he used to, they just stopped calling the T's at the drop of a hat.

But a lot of the reason his behavior "is different" is because of the winning ways that Detroit had.

Remember how much nicer things were when Portland was winning in 99 and 2000 and the start of 2000-01?

golly.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Stevenson- The "ref incident" was a YEAR AND HALF AGO and that was an off court incident between two men off work and was completely legal. Otherwise, he had NO ISSUES that season and he had no issues for us this season either. His technical foul issue was long ago cleared up.

Usually, a player tries to get his stats on his contract year, but Sheed didn't care about his stats in Detroit or Portland. All he cared about was all he has ever cared about- that his team win. He didn't nothing differently in his contract year.


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

Ringbearer and NathanLane - Do you two think OJ is innocent??


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## kaydow (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm a die hard Blazer fan and I don't hate 'Sheed. The difference between him in Portland & anywhere else is & was the Portland Media. If you listen to the big show on 95.5 AM, you know what I mean. Ian & Amazon constantly rip on Wallace. I remember Ian saying he saw a "cold, look of hate" in his eyes after a Blazer practice. They go as far to say he is a bad, mean spirtied person. I never believed that for a second. Misguided at times? Absolutely. But a mean sprited, bully? Not to anyone else but Portland Media (and sometimes NBA officials!!) He's never played with a guy who didn't like him. Even Pippen, who he frustrated to no end, stated he liked the guy. Dunleavy? same thing. The Portland Media Black Balled this guy. Why? Because he wouldn't give them what they wanted--he wouldn't talk to them. They took that SO personal. They have a job to do, and how dare he blow them off--they have a right to . . . How many times have you heard a Collen Cowherd diatribe about Wallace? The rap is Rasheed got burned by media early in his career, and shut them out to protect himself and his family. Ask anybody who knows Wallace personally and they say he is a good father, husband. Dosn't club a lot. What was his crime?
(other than his temper) It was that he wouldn't give the Portland Media what they feel so entitled to--himself. I was actually happy for Rasheed after the Laker Series. I wish him well the rest of his career. Beware any current/future Blazer that doesn't give in the media demands--they will slice you up.


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## jackiejackal (Nov 7, 2002)

was the loud laughing in the locker room
made up??
was the non caring way he would walk off the court after big losses made up??

Was the time Scottie asked him to shut up 
laughing after losses so Scottie could be heard made up??

was his sour demeanor in interviews made up??

people that blame all this on the media apparantly didn't hear all this with their own ears.

He would sit there on the bench laughing
during losses...


Rasheed,please don't come back to Portland ever..
I would boo you if I saw you...

pathetic jerk !

this talk of him playing harder for a contract year...oh my god.. you mean he would actually "play har" to get even more money????

good riddance.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>jackiejackal</b>!
> was the loud laughing in the locker room
> made up??
> was the non caring way he would walk off the court after big losses made up??
> ...


:boohoo:


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>jackiejackal</b>!
> loud laughing in the locker room
> 
> Scottie asked him to shut up laughing
> ...


Basketball is a serious, life-and-death matter. Highly paid athletes should not enjoy themselves.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Just remember Sheed lovers, he didn't win anything here with vastly more talented players! Scottie Pippen, Steve Smith, Jermaine Oneal, Augman and Anthony, Brian Grant, Sabas, and even Zach.


The Piston board needs some quality posters, Sheed will soon need a fan club there once he gets paid.


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## jackiejackal (Nov 7, 2002)

well I never thought it was very funny to lose games that should and could have been won.

Life and death? don't be absurd.

But placement in the playoffs can make or break you,and I firmly believe that on many night,Rasheed gave less than a stellar effort.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Time for people to start being a little more realistic about Sheed as of late. In the playoffs he abused a lame Karl Malone who could barerly walk+ ten years his elder and a slow white guy. On top of that he actually played the low post which for many years here he would not even attempt unless bolted to the paint. He was impressive in the playoffs cause he was uncontested for the most part.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> Just remember Sheed lovers, he didn't win anything here with vastly more talented players! Scottie Pippen, Steve Smith, Jermaine Oneal, Augman and Anthony, Brian Grant, Sabas, and even Zach.


You keep stating this like it's an unrefutable fact. I actually feel the supporting cast he had with him in Detroit this season was superior to the guys he played with in Portland, especially when you consider that they weren't broken down with injuries like Scottie and Sabas were each year when the playoffs came around. Every year injuries play a big part in who is able to emerge as champions. Certainly Karl Malone's injury effected the Lakers chances this year. Who knows, with a little better luck in that regard Portland might have won several titles during Sheed's Portland career.

STOMP


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Stomp, Sheed played a totally different game in Detroit than the one he played here. In Detroit he attackes the glass, in Portland he was a #3 who wanted to be a #2. Sheed would never stay put in the paint where he was butter for Detroit. Why?

Simple, contract year and he saw an opportunity to win a ring playing against a Laker team with no hope of containing him.

Sheed lucked into a perfect series against the weakest Laker team he's ever seen with a group of refs that only blew their whistles for the Pistons. 

Doesn't get better than that!


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## Blazerfan024 (Aug 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> Stomp, Sheed played a totally different game in Detroit than the one he played here. In Detroit he attackes the glass, in Portland he was a #3 who wanted to be a #2. Sheed would never stay put in the paint where he was butter for Detroit. Why?
> 
> Simple, contract year and he saw an opportunity to win a ring playing against a Laker team with no hope of containing him.
> ...


um sheed also played 2 differnet postions, he played SF here and greatly improved once move to center and in Detroit he played PF and center. That makes a huge Difference.

TO say the refs werent fair is just like looking for an excuse to make your point more valid, which doesnt work. The Lakers did not attack nor play hard at all during the series. Attacking the hoop does draw fouls.

He won a ring cause he was on a winning team, not a under talented, outplayed had no coach trailblazer team.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Blazerfan024 after reading your last post and maybe you should again, I think you're on the wrong board. 

Pistonfan024 seem a little more honest, don't ya think?

BTW- Sheed was moved to the #3 spot because Zach would do what Sheed would not, Zach attacked the glass with passion and camped in the paint.


Sheed in Portland was far more comfortable shooting 3's and roaming around.

Once again he came up big in one game for Detroit because he was not challenged, everyone could see that.


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## Blazerfan024 (Aug 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> Blazerfan024 after reading your last post and maybe you should again, I think you're on the wrong board.
> 
> Pistonfan024 seem a little more honest, don't ya think?
> ...


First of all dont tell me what fan i am, I love the blazers but because of people who just look to point out every little flaw (Hence = You). I am going to stick up for him. I dont have to agree with you like you dont have to agree with me. 

Second who cares if there was a mis-match, isnt that what there's supposed to be um and to me he took advantage of that mismatch like he was supposed too. But wait lets bash him on that too.  

You can argue all u want but sheed played the 3 which is where he was told he opened up the middle for zach , kind of funny when he was moved to C he played inside and did what he was supposed too..

Your argumenst are old and when a FULL team says rasheed is what brought a Chamionship to the pistons because of his play and his fire, I will believe them before I believe a over dramatic fan who knows nothing.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

"Dramatic fan that knows nothing"

Fair enough 024, your opinion matches what I think of yours.

Don't need to go any further.

Go Pistons!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


BTW- So you're a BlazerFan who spends his time defending a Piston?

Your words not mine!


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> Stomp, Sheed played a totally different game in Detroit than the one he played here. In Detroit he attacks the glass, in Portland he was a #3 who wanted to be a #2. Sheed would never stay put in the paint where he was butter for Detroit. Why?
> 
> Simple, contract year and he saw an opportunity to win a ring playing against a Laker team with no hope of containing him.
> ...


Well you're entitled to your view and all, and as per usual I find it weird that we've watched the same games. Wallace attacked the glass on O plenty back with that 2000 Blazer team. He was one of, if not the main low post player that featured Sabas on the high post and Steve Smith keeping the D from collapsing. Attacking Horry and Green was largely why he was getting to the line so much in the infamous WCF vs the Lakers.

http://www.lakerstats.com/scheduleplayoff.php?season=9900p

He didn't have a contract year motivating him to stay in the paint, but he did have a coach who wanted him there because he felt it was the best use of his talents in that mix of players, especially vs the Lakers. He still shot a lot of 3s though.

Over the next couple seasons as Smith and Sabas lost minutes and ultimately their starting roles, Wallace spent more and more time on the perimeter providing the outside threat for new starters (power guard) Bonzi and Dale who did their best offensive work in the paint. Whenever RW posted, defenses automatically doubled because Portland had no one who could consistently make an outside shot. 

In Detroit he spent more time in the paint because 1-3 they have other good outside threats. Still when Phil Jackson was asked following game 1 in this years championship series if the Lakers would be playing any zone D vs Detroit Phil said (roughly quoting)... "No, because they have players like Rasheed Wallace who will step out and make 3's" (I watched the press conference).

I find it sort of funny that you label me part of a Sheed lover group as I was never as high on him as you once were, or as down on him as you now seem to be. To me he's always been just an emotional, very good basketball player who generally gives a solid effort especially on D. Thats been my view when I rooted against him at UNC, was indifferent towards him his rook year at Washington, rooted for him for years in Portland, and now am more indifferent again in Detroit. I appreciate what he brings to the court, and don't get too worked up over the off the court coverage. Maybe you're the more emotional type of fan who needs heros and villains, I just love hoops 365.

As far as the refs swallowing their whistles... they didn't Tech him up like they did in Portland for like offenses, but he was in fould trouble in the first half of every game in the championship but game 4. I'll leave you to your speculations on why that was for now.

STOMP


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## Blazerfan024 (Aug 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> "Dramatic fan that knows nothing"
> 
> Fair enough 024, your opinion matches what I think of yours.
> ...


Not even worth my time, Learn how to back up your Statements, You have a horrible habit of changing subjects once you have no facts. Get some facts then debate..

Yea I like sheed and I like the pistons but I have always loved the blazers I could care less if you feel I am a blazer fan or not.




> Rasheed Wallace added nine points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-11 forward moved to small forward this season to make room for Randolph in the starting lineup.
> 
> `Zach is doing a pretty good job in the post, Mo (Cheeks) wants him there, and it is working out for us,'' Wallace said.


MSNBC 



> I think people misunderstand Sheed," Miles said. "Sheed does everything for this team. Some days he don't score all the points, but today he was the big factor on defense. Rasheed is the big key to our team. He's our leader, and he's leading us right now."
> 
> Strange things are happening in Portland. Wallace is agreeing with officials. The bench is smiling. The team is winning. And the police blotter is becoming Blazer free.


 Seattle times

Hmm..I dont see it saying sheed was moved cause he couldnt handle PF wierd...Ill post more links in a few.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Blazerfan024, If you don't care what I think than stop defending yourself to ME! As you've said I'm just an over dramatic fan that knows nothing.

Get a clue! 

Quit asking for a smack and then crying when ya get one!


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## kaydow (Apr 6, 2004)

First of all, defending Wallace doesn't make us "Sheed Lovers". The people that pile on this guy and talk about him laughing after losses are trying too hard to figure out a guy who can't be figured out unless you're Sigmond Frued. He is different--that is obvious. He did some weird things after losses sometimes. I do remember the story about Pippen making a coment to Sheed about his lack of professionism after a loss where Sheed was "hooping it up" in the locker room. That incident was blown out of proportion. I'm not defending his actions that night, but it is obvious to me that he DOES care about winning. Even Pippen acknowledged his competativeness being the reason for all of the T's. How about last year, when he was sitting out with an ankle injury before he got traded, and he was waving his towell all over the place in his "civis" on a Blazer road trip. The guy was uppredictable, and at times bizarre. However, the media made it worse. No matter how you feel about the guy, get over it. He's gone and there are more important things to worry about than his past behavior after Blazers losses in 2001. GET A LIFE!!


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## Blazerfan024 (Aug 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> Quit asking for a smack and then crying when ya get one!



You seem to be the one who whines when someone doesnt agree with you. 

If you dont like it when someone debates then a message board is not for you.

Im done!


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

I think that there are a number of reasons leading up to what the national media is reporting as a "transformation" of Rasheed Wallace. 

#1 - a fresh start. Sometimes a change is going to help. And it didn't hurt that just before going to Detroit he got to see a bit of losing - as an Atlanta Hawk. 

#2 - Larry Brown. LB is the best coach Wallace has played for, with the possible exception of Dean Smith at UNC. It can have an effect. 

#3 - his role. Wallace was asked to use his versatility, and wasn't depended upon to score every time down the floor. Many posters in here (myself included) said the problem with Wallace when he was in Portland was that he wasn't quite up to the task of being a #1 option on offense - Jerry Stackhouse helped him at UNC, Rip Hamilton helped him in Detroit. 

#4 - weaker competition. As others have said, this Lakers' team, with Malone injured, Payton unable to adjust to the triangle, a young bench, and an aging Shaq, is the worst we've seen in five years. The 2000-01 Blazers would've beaten them, too. 

#5 - getting away from the Portland media. I think this cause is overstated because Sheed didn't read the papers nor talk to reporters. He would hear things secondhand, but I think he was probably more upset about other things - like lack of respect from the Blazers' organization (why weren't they going to the papers and doing more to refute the characterizations of Wallace?).


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

Kaydow, If people listen to what you say than the most popular threads on this board would not continue to be the Sheed ones five months after he's been gone.

By the way I agree with what you say!

I've said move on for months, doesn't stop the Sheed threads every day though.

I for one am tired of the majority of this board worshiping a guy who won a ring for another team and wouldn't stop if he hit any of these same posters with his car.

Some of us acutally know this guy from his college years not some local radio promo or staged event to make him look good.


Is Sheed a great basketball player? No doubt, I've defended his raw ability for years. Does he only play hard some of the time? You bet!


Is he a good guy on and off the court? I guess we will all have to disagree on that.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> I've said move on for months, doesn't stop the Sheed threads every day though.
> 
> I for one am tired of the majority of this board worshiping a guy who won a ring for another team and wouldn't stop if he hit any of these same posters with his car.


 geez between ridiculous comments like this and the bashers posting new threads with every negative collumn they can dig up, is it really a wonder why Sheed discussions go on and on and on?

I don't think you really did get Kaydow's point when he stated...



> He's gone and there are more important things to worry about than his past behavior after Blazers losses in 2001. GET A LIFE!!


...after all, you're bringing up your unsubstanciated UNC heresay from a decade ago (which runs directly counter to actual quotes from those you've sited) for the umptenth time, and this worship bleep is IMO just plain insulting. Things will die out in time, but saying that Wallace would run over posters without a care isn't exactly helping matters.

STOMP


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Terrible</b>!
> I for one am tired of the majority of this board worshiping a guy who won a ring for another team and wouldn't stop if he hit any of these same posters with his car.


Sheed stop. Sheed feast on corpse. Sheed not waste meat.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>barfo</b>!
> 
> 
> Sheed stop. Sheed feast on corpse. Sheed not waste meat.



:rotf: 

They need a new emoticon for " I just ruined my shorts!"


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## SLAM (Jan 1, 2003)

barfo strikes again!

:laugh:


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Dwight Jaynes chimes in....



> ....I hope Rasheed Wallace stays in Detroit. Let them see what the other side of that guy looks like. There is a lot of revisionist history being written about him (ask Arvydas Sabonis what kind of teammate he was). I have all the confidence in the world that at some point, things will go south and he’ll turn into the Blazer Rasheed. You’re going to love him, Detroit.


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## RipCity9 (Jan 30, 2004)

> like lack of respect from the Blazers' organization (why weren't they going to the papers and doing more to refute the characterizations of Wallace?).


There was no way to spin Rasheed's behavior - even the best PR department would have been overwhelmed.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>RipCity9</b>!
> 
> 
> There was no way to spin Rasheed's behavior - even the best PR department would have been overwhelmed.


not only that, I think that the media would've seen through it. Infact, when the Blazers DID do "positive PR" for Sheed, the media did call it just fluff.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!
> Dwight Jaynes chimes in....


I love Jaynes's pathetic attempts to justify his long-time stance.

"Just wait, Detroit... he might have helped you win a title, but you'll be sorry!"

It's like someone giving me a million dollars and laughing that some day I will need to pay taxes on it.

And as for asking Sabonis what it's like to have him as a teammate: who cares? Arvydas took an entire year off, leaving his team in a lurch... is temporary retirement what being a good teammate is all about? Sabonis is also a guy, as I recall, who pretended not to be able to speak English very well to avoid granting interviews to local press.

I'm NOT stating these things to rip on Sabas--I think he was acting perfectly legitimately and I don't blame him in either respect. Holding Sabonis up as some sort of paragon of team-first seems a bit strange to me, though.

Ed O.


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Ed O</b>!
> I'm NOT stating these things to rip on Sabas--I think he was acting perfectly legitimately and I don't blame him in either respect. Holding Sabonis up as some sort of paragon of team-first seems a bit strange to me, though.
> Ed O.


Also a bit strange to say 'go ask Sabas' when (a) there are about a dozen former teammates of Sheed available right here in River City to ask; and (b) Sabas is hardly a typical NBA player.

barfo


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>RipCity9</b>!
> There was no way to spin Rasheed's behavior - even the best PR department would have been overwhelmed.


I strongly disagree with this. I think the Blazer's PR department was simply awful. It wouldn't have been so hard to have Rasheed worshipped in Portland. Most fans will believe whatever they hear last or loudest. The blazers just didn't even try. 

barfo


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## Stevenson (Aug 23, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>barfo</b>!
> 
> 
> I strongly disagree with this. I think the Blazer's PR department was simply awful. It wouldn't have been so hard to have Rasheed worshipped in Portland. * Most fans will believe whatever they hear last or loudest.  The blazers just didn't even try.
> ...


*

True enough. And what did we see and hear loudest? Sheed screaming at refs, Sheed tossing towles in teammate's faces, sheed laughing during losses, sheed saying "CTC baby, CTC", Sheed saying "both teams played hard" again and again.

Gee, I wonder why he wasn't "worshipped" here? I wonder why the "simply awful" PR dept. couldn't get us to love sheed?*


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

if Rasheed leaves for NYC (which I doubt he will) do you think Detroit fans will love him like they do? Or just figure he was brought in to win a title and they got it..or be pissed that he left?


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Stevenson</b>!
> Gee, I wonder why he wasn't "worshipped" here? I wonder why the "simply awful" PR dept. couldn't get us to love sheed?


Like I said, they didn't try. That's why I hate them so... they had all the talent in the world, but they just didn't put out a consistent effort. I'd rather see PR done by incompetent hacks than see superstar talent that don't live up to their potential.

barfo


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JohnnyCash</b>!
> Ringbearer and NathanLane - Do you two think OJ is innocent??


Uhm, I dunno - doesn't seem like it.

Do you think the cow jumped over the moon?


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## jackiejackal (Nov 7, 2002)

well that is leaving out many many other people who also
spoke poorly of him.

During league pass games he was always the focus and the start
of the pregame stories...always !
And it always presented Portland in the old laughing stock senario.

And you know something? they always had the footage or press to back it up..and it wasn;t Portland press talking.

They always showed his big yap open screeching at someone.


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## Crazy Fan From Idaho (Dec 31, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!
> Dwight Jaynes chimes in...."There is a lot of revisionist history being written about him (ask Arvydas Sabonis what kind of teammate he was)."


I might have missed something a long, long time ago, but I never remember Sabonis saying anything negative about Rasheed. 

Although naturally quite offended over the towel incident at the time, when asked later about his reaction by Lithuanian reporters he responded by brushing the incident off with a chuckle and saying that he had given Rasheed a technical foul for it. (Although he did mention that if it had been some years previous, he couldn't guarantee how he might have reacted!) In Portland he said about the incident that these kind of things happen and that the whole thing was over and behind them. My impression was that Sabonis thought the whole thing was way overplayed.

I didn't really ever get the idea that the "names earning millions" comment was directed at Rasheed. I thought it was Kemp he was talking about primarily. I certainly could be wrong on that, though.

I think it is ridiculous to keep bringing up this towel incident as any indication of Rasheed's lack of "team mentality".



> Originally posted by <b>Ed O</b>!
> 
> And as for asking Sabonis what it's like to have him as a teammate: who cares? Arvydas took an entire year off, leaving his team in a lurch... is temporary retirement what being a good teammate is all about? Sabonis is also a guy, as I recall, who pretended not to be able to speak English very well to avoid granting interviews to local press.
> 
> ...


(chuckle) 

I would hardly call taking a year off after 2 straight decades of professional BB an indication that he wasn't a good teammate!

And about interviews, I think he was still quite uncomfortable interviewing in English even after being in the States for so long. Damon said he could speak English just fine, but I'm not completely sure how reliable a judge of language usage he is.  

I heard a couple short unedited interviews with Sabonis. His English was pretty good, but on one he stumbled several times grasping for the right words and the right way to say it. Mike Barrett cut the interview short when it was obvious Sabonis was getting flustered and frustrated. By the time those quotes hit the newspaper they were greatly edited. I don't think he faked the language problem.

OK....back to Rasheed. I just had to toss in my comments about Rasheed and Sabonis.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

That's right!!!!!!!!!! It's the local medias fault that made Sheed who he is and never gave him a break.  

The same local media that made him beat the crap out of another UNC student just for being in that students own fraternity party after Sheed had made advances on his girlfriend. The same media that made him take NOOOOOOOO responsibilty for his high school girlfriend and their child to the point where he had to be brought to court for child support just to take care of his own kid. The same media that had him attack a Kentucky player in college for no freaking reason on TV!

This same "LOCAL" media than followed his temper to the Bullets where he was a hot head and then can you believe it? They moved to Portland to cover his three seasons of record breaking T's with the Blazers. They couldn't stop there though could they? The nerve of them wanting Sheed to actually be worth 150K a night to score 14 points and not get booted every third game! On top of that they had to break the story on him for driving stoned with Damon speeding down the road in a YELLOW freaking Hummer after loseing to Seattle? What nerve this local media has! If that wasn't enough they followed that "made up story" of him waiting for a ref in the parking lot, not to mention the verbal almost violent conclusion he had with former coach Dunleavy in the locker room after a game. We can all forget the Sabonis thing it didn't really matter right? Those refs for three+ years deserved Sheed glares and intimidation and screaming profanities so every fan in three rows of him could hear what he had to say nightly. It's the media who created that in him. Damn them!

Sheed wasn't just a jerk in Portland, he's been a jerk most of his adult life. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, can any of you forget that amazing interview with mamma Wallace? Still the meidas fault? Think again!!!! Sheed became Sheed at home and just like his mother making excuses for him, many of you are doing the same. 

What makes me laugh about this board is the same "SO CALLED" die hard Blazer fans who "many" have now adopted Piston avatars, would have a problem having a player like Kobe, Shaq or Karl on the Blazers yet you'd put up with Sheed and all his crap for almost eight years.

I guess we all spell hypocrisy differently huh?


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

Apparently some spell it with 10 exclamation points...


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

By the way, maybe this thread should read...

"A sports humor columnist explains the 'new' Rasheed"

Big whoop. I like Bill Simmons, but he always takes any pot shot at the Blazers that he can, just like any talk show host would take a shot at Michael Jackson if they're running out of material.


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## Terrible (Jan 3, 2003)

*Deleted.* If you want to insult someone, take it to PMs. Or--even better yet--just don't act on that desire.


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