beav

weird I could not find the bug me not extension searching mozillas site...when I googled it, it moved me to www.roachfiend.com which had it... then when I tried to download it, mozilla blocked downloads from that site! ? On a side note... there is a reason why jerry west is jerry west I guess... he got rid of a guy he hated and brought in value... But aren't the planets more well aligned now that "Easterday" is back in Utah? I mean could he ever really fit anywhere else?

"I still don't put them ahead of the Heat, Pistons, but would you put them ahead of the Pacers?" No to the Pacers, but I would put them front and center next to the Pistons. You don't lose the best coach in the game and not see a slide. Notice what eric snow and aaron mckie did about 15 mins after Brown was out of Philly? Look for Chauncey Billups to do the same. I actually think that the Pacers will finish first if Artest gets his shite together (big if I know).

I love the tally of the number of views... they seem to spike up a bit when the "Jazz dancers" come on the scene!

Friday, July 15, 2005 'Sheed in the house Rasheed Wallace entered the gym to cries of "Ra! Ra!" He sat with Chauncey Billups for much of the Pistons game and I heard him crack on Chancey's brother, Rodney Billups who's playing for the Pistons this summer: "Looks like the talent skipped a generation, huh, Chaunce?" Then he went up in the stands, embraced Tim Grgurich and sat with him for the 4th quarter. A bunch of kids surrounded him has he went for a soda. He signed a few before telling the kids he'd sign the rest after the game. And he told one kid he couldn't sign his ball because it was Reebok... Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More) Observations from the early game Detroit's Jason Maxiell is a beast around the rim. He's extremely powerful and can create space with his body and finish with authority. Nice touch from 12-15 feet despite some troubles from the FT line today. Undersized for a PF, but should find a place with a team, if not with Detroit. Alex Acker: Detroit backcourt player can play both the '1' and the '2'...best and most confident shooter I've seen so far, nice court vision, delivers the ball where his teammates want it. Moves well without the ball, very quick feet and good handle. Darko Milicic: I overheard Chauncey Billups say he needs to get more aggressive. Totally agree. Averaging about 10 and 5 this summer...Starts the game in the low post but eventually drifts to the perimeter. Finished with 6 and 6 in 21 minutes today. Gerald Green: Slender, great leaper, terrific elevation on his jumper. Needs to add about 15-20 lbs...looked lost for much of the game, struggled from the floor, managing just one FG...didn't start or play down the stretch. Finished with 3 pts, 3 rebs and 3 turnovers in 20 minutes. Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More) Today in Vegas I'm heading over the the gym early today to scout out Gerald Green for you guys as the Celts play at noon. My camera had tech problems yesterday, and I apologize for the lack of photos from the Wizards game. I believe the problem is fixed, and I should have plenty of pics today. Finally, we've decided to cancel today's chat and will instead try to get Nate McMillan on with us next week. Stay tuned for updates later this afternoon as the Blazers take on the only undefeated team in the summer league, the Cavaliers. Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More) Damon to Houston? You guys were probably all over this story yesterday, but I missed it. T-Mac says he wants Damon Stoudamire in Houston: Swift is one of two players McGrady mentioned from his short wish list. He said Portland point guard Damon Stoudamire, who lives in Houston, also would fit well, though Stoudamire would have to accept a major pay cut to fit within the Rockets' budget. Stoudamire, who averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 assists per game last season, played with McGrady in Toronto for part of McGrady's rookie year. "He was Mighty Mouse then," McGrady said. "He's toward the end of his career where he just wants to win. It's not about being the man. Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More) McMillan gets his man This Philly.com story reports Dean Demopoulos, an assistant coach for four years under Nate McMillan in Seattle, will follow McMillan to Portland: Demopoulos, who spent 17 seasons as an assistant at Temple, confirmed the latter yesterday, saying he had accepted a position with McMillan, the new Blazers coach who had coached Seattle since Nov. 28, 2000. Demopoulos hasn't yet signed a contract, but general manager John Nash - attending summer- league games in Las Vegas, anticipated that happening soon. Elsewhere, the Trib's Dwight Jaynes provides the ying to John Canzano's yang regarding Tim Grgurich: My goodness, spare me. Free Grg? Trail Blazer assistant coach Tim Grgurich, whose friends wish to portray him as something close to the Johnny Appleseed of basketball, is under contract for next season. Well, not just under contract — he’s also being paid a substantial sum. And perhaps he ought to think about those players, too. What about Travis Outlaw, Sebastian Telfair and now Martell Webster? You just going to pull up stakes and leave them? I guess so. And if that’s the case, than I agree that Grg ought to be set free. If that’s what his loyalty is really about, why would you want him around, anyway? Finally, it looks like the Blazers and Nets might take a while to get a sign-and-trade done with Shareef Abdur-Rahim, if they get one done at all: Portland's requests for a No. 1 pick from New Jersey have been turned down, as has Wednesday's appeal for this year's second-round pick Mile Ilic. But no time ultimatum has been issued by the Nets. ****The rest that follows is just play by play of Blazers and Cavs game in case anyone is interested*** Final - Cavs 58, Blazers 54 Final stats PTS: Outlaw 16 (4-16 FG), Ere 12 (6-11), Lang 10 (4-12) Telfair 8 (3-11), Webster 3 (1-8), Sinanovic 0 (0-2), Clark 5 (1-1) REBS: Lang 10, Sinanovic 7, Webster 5, Outlaw & Telfair 4 ASSTS: Telfair 3, Lang 3, Outlaw 1 STLS: Outlaw 1 BLKS: Outlaw 1, Lang 1 Portland shot 39% from the floor in the second half to finish at 30.2% (19-63) for the game. As a team, they were 1-9 from beyond the arc, 15-24 from the line. Cleveland outrebounded the Blazers 52-43. Both teams took good care of the ball (11 turnovers for Cleveland, just nine for Portland). As soon as the team's final summer stats are available, I'll post the key ones. I'm heading to the media room to get the photos up... --- Ere picks up a loose ball, drives, misses, grabs his own reb but was out of bounds... Good front by Lang to steal an entry pass, then throws a baseball pass to Ere for two... Ere again with a jumper...all of the sudden it's a game...43-38 with 8:51 left...Cavs call a '20'. Ere then finds Clark inside for an and-one...free throw is off...43-40 with 8:07 to play. Telfair finds a posted-up Lang inside. Lang takes a drop-step, scores and gets fouled. Free throw is good...46-43 Cavs. Webster back in the game, replacing Outlaw. Bayno is imploring Webster to stick close to Udoka...one of the best shooters here. 50-45 Cavs as Telfair is getting frustrated with back-to-back foul calls on him. Ere scored again at the rim...this guy has the ability to score in bunches, and can do it from inside or out. Telfair picks up another foul, this time hacking Luke Jackson as the shot-clock was about to expire...bad foul. Jackson and Telfair trade three-pointers, but the Blazers can't keep the Cavs off the offensive glass and they won't win trading baskets at this point. 56-52 Cavs with :55 remaining. Blazers finally get a stop, Telfair hits Ere who drives to the rim and scores easily...where's the Cavs' defense? Nice take by Ere. Jump ball with 13 seconds left...Telfair had a shot at it but it goes offf Lang's foot...Cavs retain possession, and Ere is forced to foul Luke Jackson with 8.3 left and Portland trailing by 2. First FT is good...second is also good. 58-54 with 8.0 left...time out, Blazers. Telfair inbounds to Outlaw who misses a decent look at a three from the top of the key...time runs out as Portland loses 58-54. Final stats are on their way... Third quarter - Cavs 43, Blazers 34 Travis probes the defense, finds an opening and pulls up for a 10-footer in the lane...nice start to the third. Another running scoop in the lane for Telfair...32-25 Cavs with 8:27 left. Luke Jackson dribbles between his legs, shake Travis Outlaw but can't hit the 20-footer...Luke doesn't look as spry as he did the other night. Nice box out by Ned on James Thomas...Sinanovic looks akward out there at times, but at other times he's very effective. Strangely, he has a hard time finishing for a guy who can literally drop the ball through the hoop. 35-25 Cavs with 5:53 to go...media time out. Just got back from taking some photos... 41-31 Cavs with 1:50 left. Ebi Ere hit a long jumper, and Telfair drove, got clobbered but found Outlaw for a short jumper. And Kris Lang is going some nice work on the glass. He's at the line now...miss and good. Stepp guarding Telfair...Blake is giving him a ton of room, challenging Telfair to shoot a '3'...Bassy didn't bite. Nice dribble-drive right drive by Ebi Ere past Udoka for two... Stepp loses track of the clock as time expires...thank goodness because right after the buzzer sounded he nailed a 40-footer. Halftime - Cavs 30, Blazers 21 Key stats PTS: Outlaw 6 (1-8 FG), Lang 4, Telfair 3 (1-5), Webster 3 (1-6) REBS: Sinanovic 6, Lang 5, Webser 3, Clark 3 ASSTS: Keys 1, Outlaw 1 Blazers shooting 6-30 from the floor (20%)...9-16 from the line..Cavs not much better at 32% from the floor and 6-12 from the stripe. Cleveland is getting the better of Portland on the glass, outrebounding the Blazers 31-26. ---- Have the refs swallowed their whistles this quarter? Outlaw can't buy a break at the rim...looked like he got hit pretty hard on a hard drive to the bucket. Webster leading the fast break, shakes and bakes past Blake Stepp, scores and gets fouled. Nice move. Free throw is off...22-15 Cavs with 8:11 remaining. Just got the first-quarter box score. Portland was 3-for-14 from the floor with no assists. 7-for-9 from the FT line kept the game close. Outlaw, who seems to be able to get a shot any time he wants, misses a baseline jumper. Webster grabs the o-reb, spins (is this one of his patented moves?) and gets fouled. He hits one of two---22-16 with 7:20 left. Another missed jumper by Martell...Blazers are really struggling from the field today. Webster uses a Dalron Johnson screen to get to the paint, tries his 'patented' spin move again, but this time Luke Jackson knows what to expect, anticipates the move and slaps the ball away. 26-18 Cavs with 5:07 to go. Telfair uses a hesitation dribble, fakes out the entire Cleveland defense but can't finish the wide-open layup. Blazers retain possession, Telfair gets back to the rim and draws a foul...misses both, Lang with the o-reb. Blazers have dropped into a 2-3 zone...Stepp is out of the game, as is Ime Udoka, the Cavs' other dangerous perimeter shooter. However, Luke Jackson is out there. Right on cue...Cavs take what the D gives them...Blanson hits a wide-open 20-foot jumper. Outlaw find Ebi Ere on a wide-open fast break as the quarter comes to an end... First quarter - Cavs 21, Blazers 13 Portland starters look familiar: Sinanovic, Lang, Outlaw, Webster and Telfair. Interesting matchup between the 7-4 Sinanovic and the 6-8 James Thomas. "Ned" got the ball in the paint but didn't look to score. Slow start for Portland, as Telfair and Webster have both missed outside jumpers. 8-2 Cavaliers with 6:59 left in the first... Martell Webster with a nice take to the rim but he just misses the running bank shot...Blazers keep possession but Outlaw can't hit a hanging 6-footer, Cavs break out, score and get fouled. Missed FT but James Thomas cleans up the mess and slams home two. Telfair comes back down, gets to the rim and finishes with a nifty left-handed scoop...12-4 Cavs with 5:30 left. Outlaw is using Ned's big body to get himself open, and Telfair finds him for a quick 15-footer...Travis draws the foul. Looks like he knows exactly what he wants to do on offense...miss and good from the line...12-7 Cavs with 4:28 remaining. Nice move by Webster, taking Luke Jackson off the dribble, going around his back and finding an open Ira Clark as the defense collapsed on him...14-9 Cavs with 4:00 left. Just listened into the Blazers' huddle...coach Bayno instructed Martell to take his man as he sees fit. He also said to take it to the Cavs "big, white dude", who turns out to be Kresimir Loncar, a 6-11 rookie from Split, Croatia. Outlaw was working on the perimeter as Webster came to screen his man. But instead of helping, it jammed up that side of the floor. Travis instructed him to cut through next time. 16-10 Cavs wth 1:20 remaining. Doesn't seem to matter who's guarding Telfair (right now it's Blake Stepp), he can get to the rim or draw a foul trying virtually every time down the floor. Travis really attacked the rim after Telfair drove and dished back outside. He drew the foul while just missing the layup..free throws are good and good. 17-13 with :41 left. Sinanovic almost took out the people sitting courtside while tracking down a loose ball...but he pretty much stepped over everyone ... whew ... that could have been ugly. Telfair can't keep Stepp in front of him as the former Gonzaga star breaks down the Blazers D and finds "the big white dude" for a bucket at the buzzer.

I'm a Salim fan, and always have been. Lord knows that I've been critical of Damon over the years, but as the article says it is ridiculous to lump Salim in with the mistakes his cousin has made. And even regarding that Damon seems like a pretty good guy, just a dumbass.

Daniels would like to follow McMillan to Trail Blazers The eight-year veteran free agent guard played the past two seasons in Seattle for Portland's new coach Thursday, July 14, 2005 JIM BESEDA LAS VEGAS -- Free agent guard Antonio Daniels is considering an opportunity to rejoin the Trail Blazers and said Wednesday he hopes to be able to make a decision by the end of the week. Daniels and his agent had dinner Tuesday night with Blazers general manager John Nash, player personnel director Kevin Pritchard and coach Nate McMillan. McMillan coached Daniels the past two seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, and the two talked briefly after McMillan took the Portland job last week. "I played my best basketball under Nate, and I don't think that was by accident," Daniels said while watching some of Wednesday's Vegas Summer League games at UNLV's Cox Pavilion. "As a former player, he understands a lot about the game, and one thing I love about him is he finds a way to bring out the best in his players. "And he's always straight up with me. I'm being honest; you can't take that for granted." The Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland, Toronto, Utah and Washington also have shown an interest in the 6-foot-4 point guard and eight-year veteran, who averaged a career-high 11.2 points and 4.1 assists in a reserve role last season. Nash rated the Blazers' interest level as "real" but downplayed the notion that an agreement with Daniels is imminent. He said Tuesday's dinner meeting with agent Tony Dutt was more of an "exploratory conversation, and we're still assessing the situation, trying to determine what options we have." The Blazers have committed to an estimated $58 million in salary for next season and have a mid-level exception worth a projected $5.2 million to spend. If the Blazers decide to use all or some of that on Daniels, it could push their payroll over the luxury-tax threshold, which Nash said the team wouldn't do. The league is still awaiting ratification of the collective bargaining agreement before it sets this season's tax threshold, and Nash said the Blazers won't make offers to free agents until after he knows the threshold. "It would be misleading for me to say we're at a point where we're prepared to make a commitment," Nash said. "We're just trying to determine what players are interested in us, and at some point we will begin to get serious, but until we get those numbers we can't be." Nash also said the Blazers have plans to meet with several other free agents before July 22 -- the first day free agents can sign contracts. And if Daniels' plan is to make a decision by the end of the week, Nash said that might not match the Blazers' timetable. "I'm afraid we're not prepared to move that quickly," Nash said. "But he has other options also, so he very well could make a decision by the end of the week. Until we know what the numbers are with regard to the collective bargaining agreement, we're still a little bit hesitant to get too serious with anybody." Daniels earned an estimated $2.2 million last season and opted out of the final year of what was a three-year contract to become a free agent. He is looking for another multiyear deal, and he doesn't seem convinced that the Blazers are as serious about watching the bottom line as Nash has said. "Honestly, I can't afford to worry about what Nash says to the media," Daniels said. "I have to be concerned with what he says to my agent and to me. "At the end of the day, they're going to do what they do. Whether or not they choose to spend the mid-level exception or not, that's totally on them." Dutt, who also represents Blazers guard Derek Anderson, said Daniels has been offered the full mid-level exception by at least two teams and also has at least one offer of a five-year deal. "We've been offered less in other places, and we've got to evaluate everything in order to make a good decision at some point," Dutt said Wednesday before huddling with Blazers President Steve Patterson during the Blazers' 79-74 loss to Cleveland. The Vancouver Grizzlies selected Daniels fourth in the 1997 NBA draft, and he spent one season with the Grizzlies before being traded to San Antonio. After four seasons with the Spurs, he played one season in Portland and signed as a free agent with the Sonics before the 2003-04 season. Notes: Minnesota Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey accused former Sonics assistant Dean Demopoulos of backing out of an agreement to join his staff to accept McMillan's offer to become an assistant with the Blazers. Demopoulos was in Las Vegas and sat with McMillan during Wednesday's game but declined to comment. McMillan said he has an opening for Demopoulos on his staff "if his heart is into it," but said nothing has been made official. . . . Former Grizzlies coach Sidney Lowe also sat with McMillan and is considered another candidate for his staff. . . . Former Blazers assistant Jim Lynam has accepted an offer to join Maurice Cheeks' staff in Philadelphia. Jim Beseda: 503-221-8380; jimbeseda@news.oregonian.com

Thanks, but after re-reading it the article kinda sounds like it was written by me... it's actual a live blog from the Oregonian... good info though!

Post game notes Here are a few juicy tidbits that I picked up before, during and after tonight's game: I didn't see him watching the game, but Nate McMillan appeared after the game with one of his assistant coaches from Seattle, Dean Demopoulos. It has been rumored that Demopoulos would end up with Dwayne Casey in Minnesota, but perhaps those rumors were premature? I mentioned earlier that Tim Grgurich was in the house. The scuttlebutt around COX Pavillion is, unofficially, Grgs is done with the Blazers and may surface with Cleveland. If that happens, it's a shame for the young players on this team. I know Travis Outlaw has grown leaps and bounds under Grgs' tutelage, and I can only wonder how quickly Martell Webster would flourish under his wing. A fan from Portland who has attended the Blazers' last eight summer leagues says he saw John Nash and Danny Ainge sitting up in the stands earlier in the week, and they spent a good part of the day talking. Could be nothing...but a few of you asked which GMs were talking to each other, so... I chatted with a person who is very close to the Celtics for the much of the Clippers/Kings game, and he offered some opinions on: Zach Randolph: Very quick feet give him an edge in the paint and on the perimeter when he's looking to get a little room to get off his jumper. I asked if his team plans its defensive scheme around Zach when it faces the Blazers, and he looked at me, paused, and said "Every team plans its defensive scheme around Zach." Sebastian Telfair: Likes his quickness, but thinks he looks to score too much. Also concerned he's got too much NYC attitude. I asked if his team was interested in Telfair last year, but all he said was "I just work there." Gerald Green: The C's didn't work him out prior to the draft, but they had a good idea of what they were getting when they drafted him. "Do your work early. Ever hear that one?" he asked me. Apparently, they'd already scouted the heck out of him prior to the pre-draft workouts. "Was your phone ringing off the hook when it was your turn to draft?" I asked him, and he looked at me and nodded. I wonder if Portland indeed tried to get Green and Webster, as was rumored a few weeks ago. I asked if there were any vets around to show Green the ropes. His answer was surprising: "We had several rookies last year. They are the best ones to show him the way," was his answer, basically. He said it will probably take half the season for Green to learn how to play some defense and to learn some of the so-called "veteran tricks". He then said it would take the second half of the season for him to put on enough weight to allow him to play effective defense and not get knocked off the ball all the time. Finally, I asked him about the coaching situation in Portland, and if it was perceived to be one of the lesser gigs around the NBA. He seemed taken aback by that question. He said Portland is a special place that has great fans and an outstanding owner. He honestly sounded shocked when I posed that question to him. One more thing: He offered up one name that he thinks was the steal of the draft: Ryan Gomes from Providence, who was the 50th pick

"I'll go one step further - blocks and steals are HORRIBLE measures of defensive abilities because a player that racks up a lot of steals or blocks often gambles defensively to do so." I agree about steals but not about blocks. A great shotblocker works as much by intimidation as the actual block numbers. Mutombo at his peak or Ratliff (well during a non-valley I guess) could still alter the shots of someone driving to the hoop and did so frequently. A better indicator might be opponents field goal percentage when the blocker is in.

Quote: There have been some wierd things happening here over the past couple of days. A thread about what Bob Neal said on 790 yesterday as well as a Joe Johnson thread is somewhere in cyberspace right now. Well, don't worry about the Bob Neal stuff...it's certain that he mixed up the names and dates anyway.

"Secondly, the team needs to find a center. I don't understand everyone's obcession with Tyson Chandler... he, much like Gadzuric, is a liability at the offensive side of the court." I agree about Chandler. Regardless of rumors of his newly developed baby hook shot, he is a huge liability on offense. Sure he's a great shotblocker, good defender and solid rebounder. But beyond the offense limits I would never throw long-term/big money at a buy with back problems. I'll admit that I never saw Gadzuric play much, but liked him at UCLA and wondered why he dropped as far as he did for the Bucks to nab him. He also really seemed to come on a bit last year. So if my choice was throwing 10 mil a year at Chandler or 4 mil for Gadz, gimme Gadz.

Quote: beav, do you live in portland. are you a true hawks fan? i just moved to portland. pretty cool... flava Hey Flava, welcome to Puddletown! Yes, I moved to Portland from Atlanta years ago. I grew up a Hawks fan, and now like the Hawks and Blazers. What part of town do you live in? I live in the Hawthorne area. I can give you an idea of good sports bars to see Hawks games (as long as you don't live way out in the burbs, then you've on your own!)

"Why would Simmons leave a starting role in LA, to go play on the bench in Milwaukee." Well money seems to always be an issue for the Clips... God only knows how much they lowballed him. Plus given his time here in Portland alienating virtually every player on the team Dunleavy is probably working his magic down there. Plus, he probably figures that he can beat out Desmond Mason... Mason is a nice player but Simmons really came on last year.

Quote: So Brown would know something about Damon Stoudamire? Yes, but IMO Damon played much much better the last year or two and was definitely in better shape the last two years so his impression might not be so great.

As far as inking Marvin, the draft isn't even a week old so I'd hardly see a need to panic. Isn't Chandler a RFA? If we make an offer and it is matched I believe that that money is tied up for a certain amount of time (I could be wrong, they might have changed the rules).

"Dalembert has to be a favorite of Woody and Herb Brown's. These guys coached him in Philly so they know his potential." Herb Brown was in Portland. He came with Cheeks so I don't believe he would have ever coached Dalembert. Brown was jettisoned a few years ago and landed back in DET where his brother gave him a job then fobbed him off again on Woodson to collect a favor.

"I'm telling ya'. After two years he will be a full-time, quality starter and Stoudamire will be a liability everywhere but behind the arc, including the locker room." Uh yeah right. Have you ever even seen Ukic play? I always find it amusing whenever people make these sorts of statements particularly about guys that played thousands of miles away. The Lithunian 7 footer was a consensus lottery pick in most mock drafts a month before the draft. He fell into the second round. By your logic he should be taking over the reins for shaq in a few years. Pavel Pozkoldine (sp?) was a projected lottery pick and he fell to the end of the first for dallas. Stoudamire gives the Hawks, talent, scoring, shooting and ballhandling, and some personality. Those are the sorts of things that fans might want to see.

I wonder how much this contributed to him being drafted where he was? Any Tech fans with insight? Jack's not nimble for summer play By Nick Daschel The Columbian TUALATIN - The battle between young point guards Sebastian Telfair and Jarrett Jack will have to wait until the Portland Trail Blazers open training camp in October. BLAZERS Portland has decided to sideline Jack, selected as the 22nd overall pick in Tuesday's NBA draft, during the summer league season. Jack will spend the time rehabilitating an ankle injury suffered during pre-draft workouts. The Blazers will work out at their practice facility through Tuesday, and then head to Las Vegas for the Reebok Vegas Summer League for games beginning Wednesday. After watching the team's first summer league practice Saturday, Kevin Pritchard, the Blazers' director of player personnel, said Jack probably could have participated, but "we're taking a really slow, cautious approach. He's got a little swelling. We want to be careful." Telfair, ready to kick off his second season in Portland after starting 27 games as a rookie, said he was "kind of disappointed" that Jack wouldn't be able to participate in summer league. Although the 6-foot, 160-pound Telfair is often labeled the Blazers' point guard of the future, Portland general manager John Nash has hinted that with the 6-3, 200-pound Jack on hand, the starting job is open, at least for next season. It would have been interesting to see the 19-year-old Telfair and Jack, who played three seasons at Georgia Tech, compete during summer league. "Oh, it's gonna happen," Pritchard said, looking toward training camp. "There's going to be a battle, and our hope is, they make each other better." Nash indicated on draft night that Telfair wasn't exactly thrilled about the Jack pick, but Telfair said that's not true. "I knew they were going to get another guard. I just didn't know who it would be," Telfair said. "I was kind of happy they drafted him, because I got an opportunity to see him play, and I know his game. I know he's competitive and a good player who can come in and contribute for us." Telfair and the Blazers got a look at the team's other first-round draft pick, shooting guard Martell Webster. An hour after signing his rookie contract - a four-year, $9.7-million deal of which the first two years are guaranteed - Webster, the sixth overall pick of the draft, went through his first professional basketball practice. Although it's difficult to conclude much from one practice, one thing is certain: Webster isn't bashful about shooting, as he fired up several three-pointers during the fast-paced scrimmage that finished Saturday's morning workout. "He looked really good, and he made shots," Pritchard said. "The game's awfully fast for him right now ... but we liked what we see so far." Neither Nash nor president Steve Patterson was present at practice, but it could not be confirmed as to whether they were meeting with Nate McMillan about the Blazers' coaching vacancy. The Sonics coach, whose contract with Seattle expired Thursday, is expected to talk with Portland, Milwaukee and New York in upcoming days. Seattle CEO Wally Walker told the Tacoma News Tribune that he wants McMillan to let him know whether he plans to return to the Sonics by the middle of this week. In other Blazers news: • Russian forward Sergei Monia, one of Portland's two first-round draft picks from 2004, was unable to obtain a visa Friday. He will try again Tuesday. If Monia is successful, he will join the Blazers for a portion of summer league. • Portland will practice twice today and once Monday and Tuesday before departing for Las Vegas for six games in the Reebok Vegas Summer League at Cox Pavilion. The Blazers' summer league schedule: Wednesday, vs. New York, 3 p.m.; Friday, vs. Golden State, noon; Sunday, July 10, vs. Dallas, 5 p.m.; Wednesday, July 13, vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m.; Thursday, July 14, vs. Washington, 1 p.m.; Friday, July 15, vs. Cleveland, 2 p.m.

It kinda seems a little blown out of proportion to me. I mean I'd certainly hope that a number one pick of the draft would think he's better than Luc Longley. And Anstey...pretty much sucked ass in the NBA. Fellow Aussie Anstey lashes back at Bogut Andrew Bogut Sports Ticker 7/3/2005 6:17:18 PM MELBOURNE, Australia (Ticker) - Chris Anstey has fired back at fellow Australian 7-footer Andrew Bogut. Anstey, a former NBA center, put a formal challenge to Bogut, his teammate on the national squad and the top overall pick in last week's NBA draft who belittled the performance of some of his compatriots. Speaking on Australian national television, the 30-year-old Anstey challenged the 20-year-old Bogut to a 1-on-1 showdown "anywhere, anytime, and I would beat him." Anstey said he had been upset by Bogut's comments before the draft about the showing in the NBA of Aussies such as himself, center Luc Longley and guards Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal. "I would like to think there are three or four Aussies better than him (Bogut) right now," said Anstey, a former first-round pick who never averaged more than six points per game in the NBA. Bogut, who has signed a multi-million dollar contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, was particularly harsh on Longley, a fellow 7-footer with perhaps the best credentials of an Australian NBA player. Another former first-round pick, Longley won three championships and had his best seasons from 1996-98 as the starting center alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Chicago Bulls. That did not impress Bogut, who did not like being compared to Longley. "I've had a better collegiate career than anyone else from Australia that came over here," Bogut said last week. "I'm not as slow as Luc Longley, I'm more athletic, I can shoot better, I am more competitive. So I think it's not even fair to bring that name up." A clearly wounded Longley said Bogut's comments showed a lack of respect for himself and the other Aussies who had played in the NBA, including Gaze, who unlike Bogut played in the NCAA Tournament title game with Seton Hall. "I'm disappointed for him that he has made such a clumsy start," Longley told the West Australian newspaper. "He's inexperienced and got caught out. I'd like to see him do well and if he's as good as he says he is - and I'm expecting genius - he should make it. But the signs are not good so far." Anstey chimed in Sunday, saying Bogut had plenty to learn. "If he reaches the potential that Luc did, with three rings, then he will have done well," Anstey said. "But it will take him (Bogut) a while to get going. He needs a lot of court time, which is something Aussies have struggled to get."

Actually I'm somewhat partial to Eunice. I knew a lady named Eunice when I was a kid, and I'm hoping that it makes a yuppie comeback or something.

Woodson. It seems like no one ever and I mean ever talks about the coach of the Hawks. I'm curious why? I admittedly didn't see a half-dozen Hawks games last year, but it just seems strange. Every other post is something about Knight, and practically every post in the past years was about Kruger, Stotts or Lenny, but zippo on Woodson.

It's true that re-signing Pryz is a number one priority for PTL. He played great last year once he was in the starting lineup. I saw an interview with him and he said that the main reason for his surge was losing weight and spending more time in the weight room. He said that George Karl made him gain 30 pounds his rookie season and that slowed him for years. He also spends more time in the weight room than any other player and is close to the strongest guy on the team. I saw him nearly block ten shots in two different games this year! Plus he and Telfair worked on a little pick and roll move that was surprisingly effective. He supposedly likes Portland quite a bit, and I highly doubt that he would return to ATL unless they paid him big big bucks. Which as mentioned by someone else I doubt BK would do.

Can't argue with 1 and 4 there. But how can you not take Gerald Green with the 18th pick? Plus it gives the Celtics a ton of insurance if all of those rumors about Pierce being traded turn out to be true. I agree about Charlotte's draft. I like Felton...I really do, but he was a reach at 5. He just seemed more like a late lottery pick to me. May should be a nice player but might be alan henderson too. Charlotte may have just picked up Kenny Smith and JR Reid revisited. But then again maybe not. I just think that I would have wanted to come away with two lottery picks a little better than that.

I dunno about 7 mil per year for Daniels or Kwame Brown, but Chris Andersen for 3 mil per would be a nice pickup....

Yes D. Stoudamire is an UFA, and I think that ATL would be a great destination for him. I believe that I remembered hearing at one time that he had a place in Atlanta too. I can't see Damon getting a ton of interest on the open market...maybe Houston, Maybe LAL, but ATL could probably pay him more and it's worth signing him for 3 years maybe.