Dynasty News Stories

[Shame94]

Because I'm a college student, I really don't have the time to run a dynast. However as a guy going into journalism, what I did was write some news articles about my dynasty. I'm curious if you guys think these articles are belivabe or not. Some Background Information: My Dynasty was the Portland Trailblazers and my articles range from trades, to expectations, to regular season and playoff results. Here they are. . .

Blazers Make Their Point:

Trade Telfair for Paul in Swap of Young Stars

PORTLAND – In an attempt to quickly change the dynamic of the team after and 0-1 start, the Portland Trailblazers traded Sebastian Telfair for New Orleans’ Chris Paul.

Telfair, the Blazers second year point guard was shipped off along with troubled forward Ruben Patterson yesterday to the Hornets for Chris Paul and forward Bostjon Nachbar. It was a surprising move for both teams to say the least.

The Blazers drafted Telfair with the 13th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft with the intentions that the heralded New York City point guard would become the face of the franchise.

However after last year’s 27-55 debacle, the Blazers decided to go in a different direction and according to GM H.W., Paul was the perfect fit.

“He’s been on our radar for some time now,” said GM H.W. “I think he [Paul] has the potential to be a great player in this league for a long time.” If his college resume is any indicator, Chris Paul might be just what the Blazers need.

Paul had two stellar years at Wake Forest and topped it off by being named ACC Player of the Year in his sophomore season. From there he threw his hat into the 2005 NBA Draft and was selected third overall by the New Orleans – Oklahoma City Hornets.

Paul now comes to a team in which outside of Theo Ratliff, has no leader on floor, a position Paul will be expected to fulfill although he is only a rookie.

In terms of the other player involved in the deal, Bostjon Nachbar, the Blazers are acquiring a player whose main trait is to hoist up threes and play some tough nosed defense. All-in-all the Blazers seem pleased about the trade.

“I expect good things this year from this team especially now that we have a player like Chris on our team with his leadership qualities,” said Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan.

Only time will tell how far Paul can take the Blazers this season. Already though things are looking up for a franchise that going into this season many people believed was heading for another mediocre year.




Blazers’ Rookie Earns His Stripes

PORTLAND- Branton Jacobs thought there would be many things he would accomplish and do in his rookie season. Now he believes he’s finally getting the opportunity to showcase his skills.

With injuries to starters Zach Randolph and Jerry Stackhouse, a roster spot has opened up for Jacobs who is the second guard coming off the bench.

Coming out of Purdue University, Jacobs was a career 18,3p.p.g scorer. Also Jacobs stayed all four years at college, something that’s become an abnormality these days within a league of 19 and 20-year-old men.

Jacobs knew he would be going in the first round, he just wasn’t sure exactly.

“A lot of people were telling me that I would be a potential first-round pick, maybe even a lottery pick,” said Jacobs.

He was drafted by the Blazers with the 18th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, and the move at first appeared puzzling because the Blazers were just coming off an NBA Championship, and already had a four guard rotation.

Even Jacobs seemed perplexed at the selection.

“I knew they were coming off a championship and that Chris Paul was their main guy and that they already had people in their rotation,” said Jacobs.

Coming out of college he was touted as a shooter who could hit the three point shot and create off the dribble. Despite the fact that he is listed at only 6-foot-1, he came into the draft as a shooting guard.

Early on in the season Jacobs did not play well in his limited minutes and shot a frigid 38 percent from the field and 21 percent from behind the arc in his rookie campaign.

He averaged only 6.0 points-per-game his rookie season, but has scored in double figure is three of the Blazers last playoff games and was the catalyst in the Blazers Game 5 victory over Seattle.

“I’m just trying to get better each came and I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates for helping me along the way.” said Jacobs.

The Blazers can only hope that Jacobs improves as they’ll rely on him now more than any other point of the season.


Blazers Hold off Suns 103-102:
Paul gets 17 assists in victory

PORTLAND – For three quarters Chris Paul couldn’t buy a basket. It turns out he was saving his best for the final two minutes of the fourth.

Paul scored 13 consecutive points for the Blazers in the fourth and capped it off with two clutch free throws to seal the win.

After Paul fed Channing Frye for his 17th assist on an ally-oop to tie the game at 99, Phoenix in bounded the ball to Kurt Thomas who missed a jumper. Phoenix fouled Paul who made two free throws giving Portland a four point lead. Phoenix forward Shawn Marion hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer for the eventual score.

Paul finished with 21 points, 17 assists, and eight steals in the victory. Going in the fourth quarter, Paul had six points on 2-of-16 shooting. He finished just 5-of-22 from the field. However he was perfect from the line going 11-for-11.

“We just wanted to get of to a good start in the series, especially after losing Game 1 against Seattle last round,” said Paul

Channing Frye finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Charlie Villanueva added 12 points, four rebounds, and four blocks.

Steve Nash, who started out blistering in the first quarter for the Suns, with 16 points finished with 22 points for the Game. Forwards Amare’ Stoudemire and Shawn Marion finished with 22 and 28 points respectively.

Phoenix had a seven point lead with 2:37 left in fourth. That’s when Chris Paul came in and ignited the offense with 13 straight points, two assists, and three steals.

“He [Paul] is definitely one of the top five point guards in the game today,” said Phoenix guard Steve Nash. “Tonight he didn’t play well for three quarters, but certainly showed what he’s capable of when it mattered most.”

Despite shooting 10-of-14 in the fourth quarter and an astounding 70 percent for the game, Phoenix could not hold on to a seven point lead without Steve Nash on the floor.

As good as Paul has been, the Blazers will have to rely on him even more, as forward Jerry Stackhouse went down with neck spasms and is expected to miss the remainder of the series.

“He’s in some pain right now,” said Blazers coach Nate McMillan. “Hopefully we can try and have him back around the same time Zach [Randolph] comes back.”
REBOUNDS: Dorell Wright will most likely start in Stackhouse’s’ place in Game 2. . . . The Suns lost Raja Bell to a strained-achillies tendon and he is expected to miss eight weeks . . . .



6/23/06

Blazers See Potential in Armitage


He dawns his red and white uniform and laughs it up with teammates Chris Paul and Dorrel Wright in practice. Mike Donleavy calls him one of the most upbeat guys on the team. And the coaching staff is impressed with his workout habits on an off the court. Not bad for a guy who already knows going into this season he probably won’t see any burn . . . . . . . just like last year.
Yeah you could say for a guy who sees no action in game time, Dan Armitage is quite the happy man. At 6-foot-7 and 202lbs, Armitage has the size and athletic ability to do what he wants on the court. “He’s easily one of the most athletic guys on the team,” notes teammate Chris Paul. “It’s a shame the dunks he throws down in practice and so many people don’t see how good he is.” Though people may not see his highlight reel jams now, in a few years that may change.

With the 29th pick in the 2007 draft, Portland realized that whoever they choose, probably wouldn’t be a contributor right away. While Armitage averaged only 1.7 minutes a game last season to go along with 2.8 points, might not look like much, keep in my mind this kid. . . . excuse me man, was the #2 all-time leading scoring at his college. In college he did it all.
In his junior season, Armitage averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, to go along with 2.1 blocks a game. The guy’s got talent, but on a team already stacked at the forward position (for at least the next 2 years), it may be awhile before Armitage can showcase his skills to the world. Until then, you can expect Armitage to be smiling it up in practice, until he gets his moment to really shine.



- W .H.







7/16/06

Basketball Over Bullets:
Blazers Yoruba Thankful to be in N.B.A

PORTLAND- Though he is only a 60% foul shooter, Thomas Yoruba says he feels no pressure when stepping to the line. He says the real pressures were when he was a young child just struggling to survive in central Africa.

Yoruba, at 7-feet tall, is dominating presence in the post and on the blocks, but exhibits a sense of happiness not seen in most N.B.A. players.

“I feel so privileged to be making the money I do, playing a sport I love,” says Yoruba.

The Blazers center grew up in the African nation of The Democratic Republic of Congo, a place where death, disease, and malnutrition run rampant. To make matters worse the country has been involved in an ongoing civil war for much of the last 40 years. Families have been torn apart, lives crushed, and dreams deferred.

Through it all Yoruba made it. Just one of seven children living in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, Yoruba remembers the vivid images of warfare around him.

“Everyday there were people dying,” says Yoruba. “Sometimes I didn’t know if I would ever come back home alive. There was just so must fear and depression in the Congo that is still there today.”

Yoruba, who didn’t pick up basketball till age 12, says he was inspired by the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and fellow countryman Dikembe Mutombo.

“There weren’t many African players in the N.B.A back then,” says Yorba. “There still aren’t many today, but it’s growing.”

Yoruba is one of three Africans on the Blazers roster. Fellow Africans, rookie Leon Rhodes of Zimbabwe, and Alan Mebembe of the Sudan, regularly hang out together after games and share experiences about their countries.

“Its good to have guys from Africa on this team,” said Yoruba. “Of course we connect with everyone else as well, but we feel we have a special connection because we are all from the same continent.”

Alan Mebembe also can understand the effects of war as he knows many people are still struggling back home in the Sudan.

“It is tough,” says Mebembe about the situation in the Sudan. “The people there are so poor and like the Congo are also going through a war along with a severe drought.”

All three players say they hope to go back to Africa and use the money they’ve earned in the N.B.A. to build hospitals and schools for the people who so desperately need them. For these three men are living a dream, making money and playing a sport they love.

[Cable]

Besides the fact the Hornets would never trade Paul for Telfair, they're all really good. Any one of those could be a real article. Good stuff.

[Jing]

its pretty good writing man....

agree with cable... not even close.. the trade.

btw what college

[Its_asdf]

Probably the best writing I've seen in the dynasty section so far. A very professional writing style compared to a lot of dynasties, but I'm only an eleventh grader so I guess I can't really critique a college writer...

Articles aside, it would be nice to have a little background info on all of the transactions you've done and whatnot, it can get a little confusing when you're suddenly mentioning a player or rookie that we've never even heard of.