Cranberry Saw Us
Symphony of the Superhero
Election Month?
Seattlest Pix 09Nov07
Around the Sound: The Week in News
As the amazing reality of the 2007 draft order settles in, it has become apparent that if you need to send a representative to the NBA Draft Lottery, pick a Garfield High graduate.
Locally everyone wonders if this amazing stoke of luck will keep the team in town, and on the basketball front what happens with soon be restricted free agent Rashard Lewis now that the Sonics are about to draft Kevin Durant.
Nationally the lottery is garnering more attention than the playoffs. The overall feeling is that Portland is again relevant and the Sonics better find a GM and coach to look over the possible trifecta of Allen, Lewis, and Durant.
DEADSPIN--For all the disappointed teams and fans this morning, Portland -- a franchise that has been trying to crawl its way back -- and Seattle -- a franchise that just found itself a desperately needed identity -- were the lucky winners. Before we delve into those whose hearts were crushed, we salute the Pacific Northwest, which might very well be the center of the NBA universe for the next, oh, 10 years ago. Well, if Seattle keeps its team, anyway.
DEADSPIN COMMENTERS-- The Decemberists have already written a hyper-literate prog rock ballad about Greg Oden slaying the dragon that lives at the bottom of the Willamette River.
This will not be Greg Oden's first time in the Portland area. I believe he tagged along with Lewis and Clark on their exposition of the Northwest.
TRUE HOOP-- It really is an amazing moment for the Portland Trail Blazers. Now Kevin Pritchard gets to do all his gamesmanship magic and try to freak out the rest of the league -- who know that he'll do some bold stuff because he did it last year.
Everyone loves to say this event is rigged. If you were rigging it, though, would you have two of the top three teams those with uncertain ownership (Atlanta) or location (Seattle)? Also, wonder if a #2 pick does anything to get Seattle feeling like they love the NBA any more.
CNNSI.COM-- Roy became the Rookie of the Year who helped the Trail Blazers win a surprising 32 games this season, earning them the No. 6 position going into the lottery -- which in turn earned them the No. 1 pick overall. Would the Blazers have won as many as 32 games with Telfair on their roster instead of Roy? The answer is a solid NO. It can now be said that the acquisition of Roy, more than any other move, helped bring Greg Oden to Portland.
I foresee a player-coach relationship in Portland not unlike what Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich have developed in San Antonio. The Blazers, just like that, are relevant again, and ticket sales should no longer be a problem.
DAN SHANOFF-- Winners (in order): 1. Sonics: Why Seattle over Portland? Because even though Portland has the luxury of choosing between Oden and Durant, it's the curse of "But what about the other guy?" Being No. 2 in this draft means never having to say "I shoulda."
FREE DARKO— Well, as usual it’s something brilliant and hilarious that we don’t understand, but should absolutely not be missed.
Still no word from Bill Simmons.
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I'm still waiting for the "Sportswriter found wandering streets of LA wearing only a Tim Duncan jersey spray painted green" story on page 2 on ESPN. You know it's 50/50 at this point.