News From Around The World: September 6

09/06/12

Written by: DHawes22

September 6

Trail Blazers TV: An Evening With The Schonz

Trail Blazers TV: Bill Schonely: 2012 Curt Gowdy Award Winner

Trail Blazers: Poorly Translated Victor Claver: 'It would be nice to travel in a spaceship'
"If you followed the Trail Blazers waaaaay back in the Rudy Fernandez days, you might be familiar with Marca, the Spanish newspaper that always has an interesting take on Spaniards in the NBA. Today, they posted an 18-question Q&A with Victor Claver, who will join the Trail Blazers this season after being drafted with the 22nd pick in the 2009 Draft."

Trail Blazers: Bill Schonely: Profile of a Portland Broadcasting Legend
"When the Blazers won the championship, there were block parties all over the place, you couldn't get anywhere," recalls a beaming Schonely. "I don't care where you went in this state or in this area, it was Blazermania time, Rip City time all over." He recalls the championship parade down Broadway as, "Nothing but people. It was incredible. The grandest thing I've ever been involved in."

Trail Blazers: Bill Schonely: 2012 Gowdy Award Winner
“I am absolutely stunned. This is something I’ve only dreamed about,” said Schonely. “To be included with the talented individuals who have won this award in the past is an honor I can’t begin to put into words.”

CSNNW: Report: Blazers not bringing back Dickau, finalist for Stampede head job
"According to a source close to the situation, Dickau would very much so like another opportunity on some NBA team's staff this season, but says Dickau realizes time is not on his side right now. CSNNW.com has also learned that Dickau is a finalist to become the head coach of the NBDL's Idaho Stampede, the Trail Blazers' minor league affiliate in which they have full control over the team's basketball operations."

Blazersedge via ESPN Radio: 1050 AM: Blazers C Meyers Leonard Interview
"Everything has been great so far. I was really happy with how minicamp and Summer League went. I thought our team competed well and we did a good job out in Vegas. I'm excited to get out there soon."

Blazersedge: The Dozen Most Influential Trail Blazers: 1st-5th
"That all went out the window when Clyde exploded to national prominence behind an array of vicious dunks and 27 points per game. Fans In opposing arenas were known to take their feet when Drexler got on the runway for a breakaway jam. Portland fans couldn't help but lose their hearts and minds in the presence of soaring greatness. Clyde Drexler changed the way this city viewed basketball, dragging Portland into the 90's and delirium. There won't be another like him."

SB Nation: Looking For NBA Breakout Candidates In The Stat Sheet
"This is the white one. Babbitt doesn't play much, but he can shoot. He hit 71 of 173 three-pointers in Portland last season (41 percent), and took a stunning 6.7 attempts per 36 minutes. In college, he shot 42 percent on three-pointers. In 17 D-League games, he's hit better than 40 percent of his threes. Give Babbitt the rock."

Sustainable Business Oregon: Report on the greening of sports highlights Portland Trail Blazers, Timbers
"Being in what is recognized as one of the most sustainable cities on the planet, the Portland Trail Blazers are proud to play a role in Portland’s environmental leadership," said Justin Zeulner, director of sustainability and planning for the team, in a press release. "Ideally, we are playing a role to best represent the core values of our city and surrounding communities."

Ball Don't Lie: Mitch Richmond didn’t know Don Nelson played in the NBA
"On the latter, one cannot argue that Richmond's ignorance was anything other than blissful, though, or that Nelson's recollection of the goof is anything other than warm. It is amazing, though, how much the way we view someone can change, because I'd wager a guess that Richmond wasn't alone there. Nelson — a player who saw 25,000 total NBA minutes, scored nearly 12,500 points, won five rings as part of one of the great dynasties in league history and had his number retired by one of the league's two old-money institutional franchises — was all but wiped clean from the NBA's on-court memory within 15 years of his retirement, only to establish and occupy a wholly different space in the league's memory banks in years to come."

Ball Don't Lie: Chet Walker, Hall Of Famer
"Through the first seven years of his career (with the Syracuse Nationals, who then became the Philadelphia 76ers) , Walker was good for 16 points and eight rebounds in 31 minutes a game all while connecting on 46 percent of his field goals and 74 percent of his free throws. But during the last six years of his career (with the Chicago Bulls), Chet upped the ante to 20 points and 6.5 rebounds in 33.5 minutes a game and shot 48 percent from the field and 85 percent from the line. Retiring in 1975 at 35 years old, Chet was still on top of his game. His field goal and free throw percentage were both the second best of his career while scoring 19 points a game."

Ball Don't Lie: Sam Smith, Hall of Famer
"I've told him as much, years ago. Smith's classic 'The Jordan Rules' had nothing to do with the frustration, because as a Chicagoan and Chicago Bulls fan I was predisposed to rant 42 times at my on-court heroes before I lauded that nice jab-step. Even in the height of a six-championship-in-eight-year run, nobody criticizes a champion like their most ardent, dyspeptic fans; and this teenager (and, probably, this adult) led the league in dyspepsia back then. I wasn't aggrieved at Sam revealing the wizard behind the curtain, even before The Wizard went to play with the bloody Wizards."

Ball Don't Lie: Jamaal Wilkes, Hall of Famer
"That, as well, seems long overdue. Because before James Worthy snuck into Los Angeles after a shrewd bit of dealing by the Laker front office, Wilkes was Los Angeles' championship-worthy inside/outside scorer. Playing nearly every game for the team from 1978 to 1984, Wilkes consistently shot well over 50 percent from the floor while averaging around 20 points per game and turning the ball over seemingly only on nights that Jack Nicholson couldn't make it to the Fabulous Forum. A remarkable 2.2 turnovers for every 36 minutes of play for Wilkes, incredible numbers considering Los Angeles' lights-out pace, including three seasons of single-digit turnover rate (the percentage of possessions used that turn into a miscue) during his Laker heyday"

Ball Don't Lie: Touching video documents Royce White’s draft night, and anxiety issues (VIDEO)
"Watching this video helps. Not only does it end with the feel-good note — White was worried about slipping out of the first round after his agent relayed a list of teams that were passing on him, only to be taken 16th overall after Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale (who signed Hoiberg when he ran the Minnesota Timberwolves) convinced the Rockets' draft room to select White — but it adds insight. No matter the amount of expertly calculated medication, the self-awareness, and the talking-throughs with professionals, these sorts of things are hard to overcome. They pop up when you least expect them, or sometimes happily disappear when it seems obvious crushing anxiety is set to take hold."

Ball Don't Lie: Stephen Jackson is the best coach, basically (VIDEO)
"Based on that reputation, he's not necessarily the kind of person who would be an obvious choice as a coach at any level. However, as this video from the Stephen Jackson Academy Basketball Camp shows (via The Noc), Jackson is something of a natural with kids. Jackson has a clear connection to the kids from his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, and does his best to engage and inspire them. He gets the kids to have fun, all while competing their hardest and improving at the game. It's just the right mix of seriousness and levity."

The Basketball Jones: Video: Watch Tony Allen coach some children
"Gotta go. Moving to Memphis real quick so my future children can grow up learning basketball from Tony Allen. Please forward my jean shorts."

The Basketball Jones: Rajon Rondo is interning at GQ
"But good for him. The world needs more basketball players who are in to fashion and also more menswear bloggers, so this is killing two blog birds with one stone. And with those giant hands, he’ll be able to grab several coffees at once, which will put his Intern Efficiency Rating (IER) through the roof. Plus, if his bosses need someone to hold a ton of hangers, which it really seems like they would, each of those mitts can handle between 50-75 hangers each, depending on the article of clothing. That’s going to be a huge help."

The Basketball Jones: Video: Kevin Durant guessing rap lyrics
"And hey, if he remembers his lyrics to a Nike ad from three years ago when he was still being billed alongside guys like Rashard Lewis and Mo Williams (haha sure), then at least we know he probably won’t forget them in concert. That puts him ahead of Jay-Z and that’s never a bad place to be in the rap game."

The Basketball Jones: Have an actual look at the new New York Knicks uniforms
"There inside the collar: “Once a Knick, always a Knick.” That means all those terrible players they had — like Jerome James, Eddy Curry, Luc Longley, Moochie Norris, John Amaechi, Travis Knight, Felton Spencer, Maciej Lampe, Dan Dickau, Renaldo Balkman, Shandon Anderson and my handon handersons are tired but you get the point — they are still Knicks. You might have tried to forget about them, Knicks fans, but they are still Knicks. They are ALWAYS Knicks. You can never escape, no mater how hard you try. (This also probably explains why the team can never seem to quit Isiah Thomas. At least we finally have an explanation.)"

Thunderous Intentions: NBA Rumors: Would OKC Thunder would have passed on Royce White in NBA Draft?
"For the Thunder, they ended up drafting another highly talented player that slipped in the draft in Baylor’s Perry Jones. If it came down to a decision between White and Jones, you have to think the Thunder would have gone with White. White is more NBA ready as a player while Jones is more of a project for now. The Thunder are in the business of winning championships right away too."

SLAM via ESPN: Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau Discussing Contract Extension
"Chicago Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and coach Tom Thibodeau have resumed negotiations about a contract extension for Thibodeau, according to a source familiar with the situation. The Bulls picked up Thibodeau’s option for the 2012-13 season after last season. General manager Gar Forman repeatedly has stated that it is the organization’s intention to lock up Thibodeau for the long term, even though talks stalled earlier in the summer. Thibodeau, who won 100 games faster than any coach in NBA history, was hired two summers ago after serving as an assistant for the Boston Celtics under Doc Rivers. The Bulls have led the league in regular-season wins both years under Thibodeau, who won coach of the year honors in his first season and finished second last season."

SLAM via CBS Sports: Brooklyn Nets, Andray Blatche Agree to One-Year Deal
"The 26 year-old center, who averaged 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, and shot a career-low 38 percent in just 26 games last season, has even said he would be willing to play in the D-League if that’s what it took to get back to the pros. Well, Blatche should start sending out his thank you cards, because his second chance has arrived earlier than expected. On Wednesday night, Blatche and the Brooklyn Nets agreed to a one-year deal, paying him the veterans minimum."

DIME: The Night Allen Iverson Became A NBA Icon
"So now the same style we once idolized is getting trashed. I get it. Generations move on, and with hindsight, it’s easy to pick apart the “practice” rant and the isolation basketball, the turnovers, the fact that he never really won anything, and perhaps most of all, how his pride eventually took him from Denver to Memphis to Philly again to Turkey to God knows where else to crying at his own charity event. But still, hearing people discredit Iverson’s accomplishments hurts. It truly does. It’s like hearing someone ghostwrote for Esco. I don’t want to believe it, and hope I won’t ever have to believe it."

ESPN: Who is the next Reggie Miller?
"If you were going to say 'Who is Reggie-like?'" Jackson said, "it's got to be Klay. I do see some similarities. I don't think that can be debated. They're two of the all-time great shooters. Even now, Klay is in that class. Like Reggie, he has that gift. They have similar bodies and both guys are strong."

ESPN New York: Knicks organize early training camp
"Amare was there in 2010, then Melo came around (in 2011) and then last year with the lockout, they didn't really get to have a training camp," King told ESPNNewYork.com. "I think coach Woodson knows that it's important getting those guys to jell together and knows that they can have a championship-caliber team. Coach knows he's going to have to jell the team earlier, so a lot of the guys agreed to come out earlier in the year."

Sports Illustrated: 'Storybook' career for Nelson, even without championship as coach
"I've had one of those very special lives, really," said the reflective and relaxed Nelson, who is 30 pounds lighter than he was at the end of his career. "I've been in the NBA since I was 22. It's almost 50 years of my life. ... I'm sure there's a lot of tears when you lose and all that, a lot of down times. But I can't remember any of them. They're all positive now. Even the bad times were good. That's kind of where my mind is right now. One of those storybook lives, really."

Sports Illustrated: Bulls resume extension talks with coach Tom Thibodeau prior to uncertain season
"Of course, these are the penny-pinching Bulls — the Jerry Reinsdorf hobby that has never paid the luxury tax and may not even next season if they manage to unload Richard Hamilton along the way. They dismantled their bench in order to avoid larger tax bills both now and in the future, trading away a wing sharpshooter (Kyle Korver, who consistently lifted the team’s offense) for nothing (but a trade exception) and letting three other core players, including bench stopper Omer Asik, walk away as free agents. And Thibodeau is smack in the middle of what can be the most contentious period of negotiations for even wildly successful head coaches — the talks surrounding that second contract, earned after success in a guy’s first gig as the head man. We just saw this play out with Scott Brooks, who agreed to a four-year extension worth about $4 million annually after some surprisingly prolonged talks. Earn success on that second deal, and then you’re looking at real security — the mammoth Doc Rivers/Gregg Popovich type deals that blast past $5 million annually."

Trail Blazers: Weekend Plan: Specially Designed For Families And The Busy Nine-To-Fiver
"Built for the family-oriented fan with a busy work-week, the 12-game Weekend Pack maximizes the thrill-factor while keeping the competitions to Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A smattering of Western Conference rivals and Eastern Conference visitors during one-offs and key home stands, you can get your hands on this schedule-friendly pack for as low as $11/game and $52/game in the lower bowl."

Trail Blazers: The Rivals Plan: Two LAs, Oklahoma City And The Return Of Roy
"The smallest of the four big ticket plans, the eight game Rivals Pack packs a big punch. You’ll be in the building and eating a corndog while others are wondering how to get their hands on a way to see the return of Brandon Roy and the sure to sell out L.A. Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder."

Trail Blazers: Why The Value Plan Makes 'Cents' For You
"The Value Pack starts at just $5 a game. That’s 12 games for as low as $60! Talk about some serious bang for your buck. But that’s not even the best part about this ticket plan. Four of the 12 games take place in the month of January. And there is absolutely no better place to be during an Oregon winter’s night than inside the raucous Rose Garden. Not to mention this pack gets you into the arena to see some of the league’s biggest names and brightest young stars such as Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, and Rudy Gay."

Trail Blazers: Big Games Plan: 12 Of The Biggest Games
"This game has it all. Season opener, at home, against the loathe-inducing Lakers, in Steve Nash's first game in purple and gold and it's on Halloween night! Any game against the Lakers at the Rose Garden is going to be a lively one, but the confluence of circumstances in this particular game sets the stage for one of the all-time season openers in Trail Blazers history."