All
of Blazermania would like to take this opportunity
to thank John Canzano for allowing us to interview
him during his hectic schedule for "The Interrogation
Room".
John we hope you're having fun at the
NBA Finals, we hope our team is in that position in the coming years.
Q: Based on
your knowledge do you feel that Kevin Pritchard has
any influence or say on the coaching search or is it
a decision amongst only Nash, Patterson and Allen?
A: I know he's respected,
so I'd be surprised if Kevin hasn't been consulted,
at least casually. But the most influential member
of this decision that you've left out is Bert Kolde,
Allen's college roommate and right-hand man. Don't
underestimate how involved Kolde, and Vulcan, Inc.,
are in this coach-selection process.
Q: -
When you report on the Blazers are you trying to produce
quality news and insight, or are you just attempting
to generate excitement and tell stories? I guess some
wonder if you are more of a reporter or entertainer.
A: I'm
a columnist. That includes insight, reporting and maybe
some story telling. I honestly don't worry too much
about the excitement or impact --- positive or negative
--- generated by my columns. They're my thoughts, unfiltered.
I share them. This isn't life or death. This isn't
war. This is sport. We can agree or disagree. I'm honored
that I'm in a position to share my thoughts with readers,
bring them somewhere with me or take them with me behind
the curtain where they can't all go.
Q: – Could
you give some feedback as to last years draft picks
and how they have progressed throughout this last year?
Ha didn’t get a lot of playing time, but your
opinions about Telfair, Victor and even 2 nd year player
Travis Outlaw would be appreciated.
A: I'm
impressed with Ha. He has soft hands. And a soft shot.
And if he attends Grg's Big Man's Camps, as he's planning
to do, and works hard, he's going to play in the league
a long time.
Outlaw has special,
special athleticism. I now see what Bob Whitsitt saw
when he drafted Outlaw. What I can tell you that most
people don't get to see is how grounded he is, and
how badly Travis wants to be good. He's not the best
interview. He's quiet. Painfully uncomfortable sometimes
answering questions. But you get the sense that what
you're getting is authentic and unrehearsed.
Khryapa shouldn't
have even been back last year with the injury he had.
It spoke loudly about his work ethic that he worked
so hard to get back. And that he ended up playing. He's
probably a role player. But you need guys like
that to win in this league.
(Telfair)
needs to work on his outside shot. Everyone knows that.
I just hope he figures that out and stays with it.
It's going to be the difference between him being a
marginal NBA player and a good one. Because he can
finish. And he can handle the ball. And what I like
most about him is that every situation he's in, he
makes it out to be no big deal.
Q: – In
your career as a journalist, could you explain one
of your most difficult things to report and how do
you remain unemotional when reporting it?
A: Curtis
Williams was a tough one. You might remember he was
the Huskies football player who was paralyzed. I went
to visit him a few times, well after the accident,
after things quieted down and people had stopped coming
to see him and stopped sending flowers. It was sad.
He was just hanging on. We sat outside, alone, just
he and I, and between pumps of his respirator he once
told me that he thought he could actually hear the
sound a rose makes when it blooms. He spent hours staring
at this rose bush in his brother's back yard. His older
brother David was an absolute angel who basically worked
a regular job, then went without regular sleep at night,
because he didn't want to put his brother in a nursing
home.
Q: – When
growing up, did you have a favorite team you rooted
for and was there a player you admired? Since being
in Portland , and I assume being a basketball fan,
do you have a favorite current player or a Blazer you
have admired? |
|
A: I
was a 49ers fan and a SF Giants fan. I don't so
much root for teams anymore. I root for good stories.
Favorite player?
I really don't allow myself to think in those terms.
I still have to maintain objective. But I like Zach
Randolph's raw natural ability. I like Travis Outlaw's
athleticism. I like Ha's innocence. I admire the way
Shareef Abdur-Rahim carries himself. I like that Sebastian
Telfair thinks big. Really big. And I think assistant
Tim Grgurich might be the most loyal, honest man in
sports.
Q: – Knowing
this is a very important off-season for the Blazers,
do you see a coach and possible draft pick that you
feel will help create a strong foundation for the future?
Also if you feel the Blazers will trade the pick, any
insight on what they might do would be appreciated.
A: I think
the Blazers should hire Dwane Casey. If Telfair is
the future, why not go with a coach who fits that style
of play? If Zach Randolph is the person you want to
build around, then Marc Iavaroni is the right guy.
The draft is interesting
to me, not so much because the Blazers have the
No. 3 pick, but because they have Van Exel's
non-guaranteed contract. If they make smart moves with
those two key pieces, things could turn. My hunch is,
they're going to make a deal on draft day and move
back. But if they do nothing with Van Exel's contract,
let it expire and take the savings themselves, you
might as well take up a new hobby or move to Lotteryville
over the next two years.
Q: – In
your opinion, are there moves we should try and do
this off-season to improve other than the coaching
choice and the draft? Do you think it’s possible
to move DA? Do you think Ruben would like to-reconnect
with Cheeks in Philly? Do you see Damon as possibly
coming back?
A: Stoudamire
won't come back. He's gone.
DA could be traded
as part of another deal. No way will someone take his
contract straight up. He's just not worth the money
they'll pay him. You'd have to combine his contract
with something more attractive to get it done.
Ruben is interesting.
He'd love to play for Cheeks. But he gives you some
precious minutes. I think Portland would be dumb to
let him go, especially because he's economical salary-wise.
Q: – Being
a journalist, you obviously receive information anonymously,
how do you validate it and how do you determine if
it newsworthy? Is part of the validation process to
discuss it with Blazer players or management before
reporting it?
A: You
have an obligation to confirm information before publishing
it. And out of fairness, I would not publish something
sensitive about a person or a franchise, without giving
them a fair chance to respond. The news threshold
for getting something in the paper is extremely high.
There's no such thing as an anonymous source. You wouldn't
EVER print something that came to you anonymously.
I go to great lengths to confirm any information that
is given to me, and would never print anything that
was "anonymous." That just doesn't happen.
I can think of many
occasions when I've received information, but couldn't
confirm it, or just plain didn't think it was fair
game.
Thanks
for having me. |
