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No. 1 UA soccer remains perfect, Zips football defeats rival Flashes
Tribe Matters:
Tribe makes roster moves
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Lewis doesn't like boycott
Kent State Sports:
Kent State falls to Akron, 20-28
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Knicks
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
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Wrestling, bowling teams prepare for season
All Da King's Men:
Bigger And Better Boondoggles
Blog of Mass Destruction:
The Shooter
Akron Law Café:
NEW U.S. Supreme Court Database
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
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Perfect Weather for an Autumn Drive
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RUMORS: Downtown Restaurant Explosion
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
Injured Blazers center says winning lifts spirits
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Jan 31, 2008
PORTLAND, ORE.: It's hard to recognize Greg Oden these days, other than that he is almost always the biggest man in the room.
He's growing out his hair, and he has added more than 40 pounds to his frame since he last was seen on a basketball court. But for now, he is a forgotten phenom both in Portland, where the Trail Blazers are thriving even without their No. 1 overall pick, and across the NBA landscape.
Left to work on short shots without jumping and free throws while his teammates practice, he even looks the part of being the odd man out. All due to the most serious of knee surgeries, the microfracture procedure he had performed on his right knee in September that knocked him out for the season.
''I want to be out there so bad. When they are winning they are all happy and I want to be a part of that happiness,'' Oden said. ''But them being that way lightens everything up, including me.''
Oden's recovery is proceeding according to plan, but he's still nowhere near ready to start playing again. He's not expected to be at 100 percent even at the start of next season.
But the former Ohio State star is trying to make the best of it in the interim. He's focused on weight lifting, which has added muscle everywhere. He has gotten to know his new town and adjusted to being a long way from his home in Indianapolis. And he's even planning on returning to Columbus this summer to take some classes.
''I'm more mature than I was; everybody has to grow up and move away from home,'' Oden said. ''It's not bad; I've got people here. Of course, I miss college life, but I'm not going to lie, this life is a lot better. I like getting a check.''
In the locker room
• Daniel Gibson on Wednesday was officially named to the Sophomore Team for the Rookie Challenge on All-Star Weekend.
''Excited isn't the word. It's a couple notches above excited,'' Gibson said. ''I'm really looking forward to it.''
Gibson is especially happy to be rejoining former University of Texas teammate LaMarcus Aldridge of the Trail Blazers on the team. The two have spent time together this week in Portland and have been making plans for the game, which will take place at 10 p.m. Feb. 15 on TNT.
But Gibson's weekend might be busy, too. Though he refused to comment on it, the indications are he will be named as a participant in the Three Point Shootout for All-Star Saturday, as well.
• The Cavs officially announced Wednesday that they expect Anderson Varejao to be out for three to four weeks with his sprained left ankle. Considering the way the schedule sets up, that means Varejao likely will miss at least nine games before the All-Star break. Varejao has a grade-2, low-ankle sprain and recovery time is somewhat unpredictable. Considering how much time is left in the season, the team will probably be conservative in bringing him back.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
PORTLAND, ORE.: It's hard to recognize Greg Oden these days, other than that he is almost always the biggest man in the room.
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