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C Greg Oden (All B1G, All-American, Defensive Player of the Year, Butler Assistant Coach)

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Zurp;795173; said:
Congratulations to him.

Not to sound like Mr. Negative, but I just don't see it. Maybe, with all his hype, I was unfairly expecting more of him. But I don't see him dominating any games for any lengthy stretch. He can't stay on the floor for any length, either.

Granted, a 7-foot guy is going to be carrying around some weight, and for him to run up and down the court for 5 minutes, is much more to ask then for someone who's only 6-feet tall. And for someone who was supposed to be the #1 draft pick in the NBA last year (if it weren't for the one-year rule), I don't see him dominating the way I would have thought.

But I don't want to take anything away from him. I'm definitely more of a football fan than a basketball fan, so I won't argue with anyone (regardless of whether he calls himself an "expert") about whether he should go to the NBA, or whatever.

Again, congratulations to Oden. I'd love to see him at Ohio State for some more years.
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He really does make a great impact on the game defensively. You just don't see it because a lot of guys will not drive the lane because they know he will be there. He also grabs his share of rebounds but the numbers are not overwhelming because so many players are shooting 3s that many rebounds go along.

I don't think he dominates as much offensively as I thought he would but maybe that's because he is so unselfish and really doesn't get that many touches during the game.

If he would listen to Len Elmore, who graduated from Harvard Law school and played in the NBA, he would stay for a while. During the Florida game yesterday, Elmore stated that you've learned the game in college and not in the NBA but I know $$$.
 
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Fitting with today's announcement:

Memphis Flyer

FROM MY SEAT: Turn the Page
BY FRANK MURTAUGH | MARCH 26, 2007



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OSU's Greg Oden




Frank Murtaugh​
"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." -- Margaret Thatcher

As the son of University of Tennessee alumni and a Memphian for 16 years now, let me go on the record as saying the Boston Celtics can have Greg Oden. Seldom in this state's history -- sports or otherwise -- has a single force done such damage to hearts and minds from Knoxville to Memphis in so brief a period of time. Even in foul trouble, Oden was enough to keep the Vols a win shy of their first NCAA regional final and the hometown Tigers a win shy of their first Final Four in 22 years. So when the Grizzlies' brass is weighing draft options this June, I say let Oden wear green.

Cont...
 
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Sports Guy: Oden and the Mailbag

Oden and the mailbag

By Bill Simmons

Page 2

The Greg Oden-Kevin Durant battle took a turn at the end of the OSU-Tennessee game Thursday night, with the Vols trailing by one in the waning seconds and Ramar Smith driving for the game-winning bank shot. For a split second, it looked like Smith might get off an easy 4-footer that had a chance, only Oden was already flying over to contest the shot ... and he jumped ... and he kept going up ... and up ... and then he had both hands raised ... and it seemed like he was 12 feet in the air ... and then he swallowed up the shot with both hands and swatted it out of bounds before nearly breaking his neck falling over Mike Conley on his way down. Game over. Then Oden broke into his Robert Parish routine and that was that. I don't even think he pumped a fist. We might as well start calling him "The Chief" now and get it over with...
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CPD

Sizing up Oden's surprise


Wednesday, March 28, 2007Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
Columbus
- Big guys take longer, because it can be years before their agility catches up to their size. But surely, the idea of Ohio State's 7-footer, Greg Oden, as a first-team All-American is an example of time out of whack.
Oden was the last player named to the prestigious Associated Press team announced this week. He had the lowest vote total of any member of the starting five. He said he was surprised to make the team.

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I am about ready to ask for a moratorium on all news posts that reference the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Just reading Livingston's sour cynicism is making me old and bitter.

NBA general managers see how he covers ground with his length and quickness, gets the big rebounds and controls the paint like an Old Master.

Maybe, in projections at the next level, it makes up for 15.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, and (his only really impressive stat) 3.5 blocks per game. But first-team All-American this year?
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Excuse me Bill, you *&^@#!% tool, but 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds is bad for a college freshman who, at his current best, and by his own admission, is playing at about 80%?

I looked at the collegiate freshman season statistics for Olajuwon (81-82, Houston), Robinson (83-84, Navy), O'Neal (89-90, LSU), and Duncan (93-94, Wake). All four are, or will be, NBA HoF'ers. O'Neal and Hakeem are generally considered among the top 5 centers in NBA history, alongside Wilt, Russell, and Kareem. All four have anchored championship teams (or multiple championship teams) and each was a league MVP (Duncan twice).

Oden has the highest FG% of all of them and is second to only Duncan at the charity stripe, despite shooting 3/4s of the season with his wrong hand. That Oden's FT% (64) is higher than his FG% (62) is rather unusual for a big. Oden is statistically better than both Robinson and Olajuwon, by a HUGE degree, in minutes, points, rebounds, and assists. In fact, Oden's freshman season is very nearly better than the freshman seasons of The Admiral and Hakeem the Dream combined.

O'Neal's stats are skewed towards rebounds and assists, while Duncan's are better averaged across the board and reflect his superior abilities as a scorer.

Oden's numbers are on par or better than Duncan's in virtually every regard, and by Oden's own admission he isn't going after every block, he missed the entire summer/fall conditioning period, and he only played 3/4 of the season, and did so one-handed.

Bill Livingston is an ass.
 
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Matta's relaying of Oden's reaction to hearing the news of being a first-team All-American says a lot about what Greg isn't like.

ddn

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Matta told freshman center Greg Oden on Monday that the 7-footer was named an All-American. "Somebody just told me as I walked down the stairs, you were named a first-team All-American. Congratulations,' " Matta said he told Oden. "And he goes, 'Huh.' That's Greg."

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Dryden;796969; said:
I am about ready to ask for a moratorium on all news posts that reference the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Just reading Livingston's sour cynicism is making me old and bitter.
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I don't read the Plain Dealer. I don't read any paper. But the media in Cleveland is hyped about how Cleveland IS Ohio, and the rest of Ohio is just wanna-be Cleveland. If negative new about Ohio State (which is not located in Cleveland) comes out (any Maurice Clarret news, for example), you can see the reporters thrilled about it. If something positive comes out (Oden making All-America, for example), and they seem to try to find ways to make it sound not-so-great.
 
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official.site

Greg Oden, freshman center

On being selected as an All-American

"It is a great honor. I didn't even know I was being considered. I'm proud to be recognized, but my teammates deserve a lot of credit too. I wouldn't have made it without them."

On facing fellow seven-footer Roy Hibbert

"It's going to be a big challenge. He's a great player. We are similar players. We both play really strong and block a lot of shots. It's going to be difficult for sure."
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Congrats to Greg on being named one of 5 finalists for the Wooden Award.

official.site

John R. Wooden Award Announces The 2006-07 All-America Team


Top Five Players Will Come to Los Angeles for Award Ceremony; Wooden Award Winner Will Be Announced on April 7
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Greg Oden is one of five finalists for the Wooden Award Player of the Year.


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