Trades?

[Gregory Odegaard <grodeg@kalama.com>]

Tonight my wife and I , along with our rabid fan son, attended the Utah/Blazer game for Cub Scout night.  This included a pre-pre-game talk from Carlos Rogers, who came with Damon in the Anderson trade.  This Man was brilliant, speaking of all things right in the world and life.  He noted with JR sitting about 20 feet from him he, "Thank God", had never been in jail or even real trouble, because he listened and believed in people like his Mother and teachers.  Great stuff from a classic 12th man, hanging on in the league.

I am not sure how many know this, but Carlos was willing less than a year ago to give up his ball career, to give one of his kidneys to his dying sister, who he said along with his mom was his best friend.  It did not work out that he could, and she died last year.

Now this is good stuff for any kid to hear, to give a positive message, but his comments when asked how the Blazers shape up versus the rest of the conference, was that everyone is chasing LA, now they were allowed to cheat and steal Rice in the trade.  Without regard to his potential concern for his comments, he stated clearly that the league allows teams like LA to glad hand deals, in fact assisting them in making deals that might not completely pass muster.  Now I am not saying their deals of the last month weren't OK, but as a student of the league and the game, I was in shock and awe to hear such candor.  For him to say this, there must be something to it; at least the principal of the league involvement for the betterment of the teams that can best help the league as a whole (RE: $$$$$$$).  An adult asked him to elaborate, and though he hesitated on speaking further, he said, "I would bet anything that Chicago will have the first pick, or maybe NY if they make the lottery, as these teams have to succeed for the league to succeed".  Like a lightening bolt I have found my new hero and spokesman, a Man who speaks his mind on a subject I have been railing on for 15 years, since the lottery charade for Ewing.  This has been documented about many key team people throughout the league knowing of the Ewing deal at the time.

How does any of this matter to us?  Well I would see it as good if the Celts are considered of this elite group and a knock and a wink is given to our benefit, but I have doubts in light of the debacle over the cap matter after Reggie's death.  Zero favors for us then.  Or this is a huge problem, as I have several associates in Chicago who are convinced that somehow Chicago is where Walker will play out the best years of his career.  How, when, why, who knows, hell in our corner of the world out here the X-Files aren't fiction, and Big Foot is our friend, so call me crazy, but all I ask you to consider is that if a 12th man like Carlos Rogers to make his specific concerns public like he did tonight, what must the Pitino's, Whitsett's and Red Auerbachs of the world know, and why does Allen Iverson get to travel every time down the court, or why does Denny Rodman's hair seems to give off some freaky kind of electronic waves, when you try to use a pocket radio in his presence.

Maybe next time the Blazers can actually come to play, and not get spanked like tonight, or I should just not have a half dozen lattes and a couple bags of cotton candy, or go to a game on my 35th BD and sit in the next county for only 10 bucks.

Have a good one folks,
Greg ()at least last time I checked()()