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Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
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Complaints against officer keep coming
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Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
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Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
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.
Get the full article here.
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