Great Feature Story on Greg Oden: Speaks on His Downfall (For the first time)

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-overall-pick-greg-oden-injury-plagued-career

some gems:

"For starters, Portland isn't a great city to live in if you're a young, African American male with a lot of money," Greg explained with an embarrassed grin. "But that's especially true if you don't have anybody to guide you. Since I was hurt the entire season, I was on my own a bunch and didn't have veteran teammates around to help me adapt to the NBA lifestyle."

"You're a fun-loving guy with a ton of personality," I said. "So why do you hate it so much when people approach you in public? Why don't you let your personality shine through and smile when you take pictures with fans?"

"Because I don't understand why they are so excited to meet me," Greg responded. "I'm just a person. I guess I didn't really mind it when I was at Ohio State and even right after I was drafted, but it just seems so fake now. Like, why are you bothering me at dinner for a picture when I'm nothing now?"

But after longing for a veteran role model the previous season, Greg got exactly what he wanted in his second year, only the results were disastrous. That's because it wasn't an NBA veteran who took Greg under his wing in his second season — it was his veteran cousin from the Air Force who moved into Greg's house in Portland.

"If you know anything about guys in the Air Force," Greg explained, "it's that they drink a ton. My cousin got wrapped up in the NBA lifestyle and threw parties at my house all the time. So I got wrapped up in it too. When I played well, I'd drink to celebrate. And when I played poorly, I'd drink to forget. That second year in Portland I pretty much became an alcoholic."

 

[Da_Eggman]

its time to turn this bum into glue

 

[Majestic Pape]

I stopped when the interviewer (surely white) told Greg that he was going to "humanize" him.

HOW THE fukk DO YOU HUMANIZE A fukkING HUMAN?!?!?!!??!!?!?!

shyt pisses me off to no end.

 

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

I stopped when the interviewer (surely white) told Greg that he was going to "humanize" him.

HOW THE fukk DO YOU HUMANIZE A fukkING HUMAN?!?!?!!??!!?!?!

shyt pisses me off to no end.

that's a common term,

if you dont understand that, maybe you should stop reading in general

 

[Steezy]

the charles hamilton of hoops

 

[GetInTheTruck]

 

[Majestic Pape]

that's a common term,

if you dont understand that, maybe you should stop reading in general

I don't think you're the educated brother from the bank that you would like us to believe. "You're so articulate" is also a very common phrase.

 

[Brock Landers]

dude has knees made out of native american peace treaties breh

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

I stopped when the interviewer (surely white) told Greg that he was going to "humanize" him.

HOW THE fukk DO YOU HUMANIZE A fukkING HUMAN?!?!?!!??!!?!?!

shyt pisses me off to no end.

I think what he means is that people often look at celebrities as almost inhuman or some type of mythical creature and he wanted to show as side that'd be more familiar to readers.

 

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

I think what he means is that people often look at celebrities as almost inhuman or some type of mythical creature and he wanted to show as side that'd be more familiar to readers.

dude bother breh, dude is a Troll or just a blithering idiot.

 

[thelonious21]

is THIS mutha fukker throwing POR under the bus?!?!? bytch what you woulda done in OKC?? i done standing up for his brittle bone ass

 

[Majestic Pape]

I think what he means is that people often look at celebrities as almost inhuman or some type of mythical creature and he wanted to show as side that'd be more familiar to readers.

I know WHAT it means, but do y'all think is just a coincidence that this term is used for Black people? Similar to the way people were saying Obama was "humanizing" Trayvon Martin when he said if he had a son he would look like him.

 

[Long Live The Kane]

It's crazy to see Conley out there hooping, actually being a solid point guard while Oden is one of the bigger ongoing punchlines in the league...

 

[Majestic Pape]

dude bother breh, dude is a Troll or just a blithering idiot.

And the argument you could make is that I'm looking too far into the racial implications of the statement. But you're not intelligent enough to make that type of argument, so I'll make it for you.

 

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

And the argument you could make is that I'm looking too far into the racial implications of the statement. But you're not intelligent enough to make that type of argument, so I'll make it for you.

naw, already knew you were race baiting, but didnt care for it.