Yes, sitting in a airline seat for hours, after waiting in a airport lounge for hours, would tire me out as well. Certainly more so than running up and down a bball court for hours!

But now that he will be flying on Paul Allen Airways, he won't have that long wait in the airport lounge to deal with, and the plane seat will be a cushy couch. It shouldn't tire him out as much.

Or maybe the Blazers just have all the luck. What a true find.

You wonder why he didn't get the tonsils yanked until now. Maybe he couldn't afford decent medical care? Now he can.

But "resting up" for the start of an NBA career -- especially when your game skills have such a long way to go -- isn't a real good sign.

How many games do you think he'll play out of the 82? I'd guess 50 to 60.

7 foot in shoes is not a Air Carrier.

He's been fighting a sinus infection and tonsil problems and didn't make excuses when it dragged his play down. Z-Bo wouldn't have even thought about showing up for summer league. At least he tried to play through it. The league desperately wanted this kid to be in a big market, yet he seems to love being here and has indicated he's going to work his butt off to earn his fans.

Cut him a break.

I'm not criticizing him. But I am worried about his durability. So far he and Aldridge are not exactly proving to be iron men.

Jeez, give this guy a shot.

Swollen tonsils = infection = energy sap

Don't underestimate the emotional drain of the build up to the draft, the tryouts, the draft and media circus, being in the spotlight for days on end, everybody wants a piece of him....

He's 19 for God's sake, and he has a ton of composure and charisma for a kid that age.

I really think this kid is going to win our hearts AND our respect.

And I am thrilled that the Blazers are back on a path in which they will be a positive thing in Portland.

Swollen tonsils = infection = energy sap

But he says it's the travel. Which is what is so alarming.

Don't underestimate the emotional drain of the build up to the draft, the tryouts, the draft and media circus, being in the spotlight for days on end, everybody wants a piece of him....

Do you think it's going to get any easier for him, in any of those departments, any time soon? Don't count on it.

Believe me, if I didn't fervently hope for the success of Oden and the Blazers, I wouldn't be blogging about them in the dead of summer. Forgive me if I worry that now that the party's over, it's going to be a long, hard road. And they're not starting off on a very good foot.

Just imagine how exhausting it's going to be getting all those lapdances when he's really initiated by the Blazers.

The all-night skankfests at the Vintage Plaza can also take a lot out of you.

The day-to-day grind of NBA existence is nothing like the weeks leading up to and including the Draft. The season will be boring in comparison. It is the rare rookie who is truly physically ready to go from a 30 game college season to an 82 game NBA season. Oden will be fine IF the Blazers don't try to play him 40 minutes a night starting in October.

Jack,

Think you're making mountains out of mole-hills on this one. I think there's a difference between being a lottery player in the draft and a second-round guy, and I think there's a difference between being a concensus top-two pick in the draft (but still fighting for the number one spot) than from being a lottery guy. We've all travelled by plane, and a cross-country trip wears almost everyone out. Imagine 5 or 6 plane flights a week, doing workouts for teams, doing interviews, checking in and out of hotels, trying to fit in some sight-seeing, following your agent as he helps you press the flesh where you need to, worrying about where you're coming out in the draft, and fighting an ongoing infection. All that, at the same time, would even bring down the mighty Bojack.

John Fairplay's right, the season won't be that demanding. Teams travel at the most 3 or 4 days in a week, usually regionally (like, when a team goes east, it hits a few east cities before coming back), so the amount of non-basketball activity should be greatly reduced. And almost all rookie players show some difficulty adjusting to the grind of the NBA season, which is why there's a marked improvement noticed usually between the first season or two and the seasons after that.

Raise this issue again if this stuff's going on next summer. For now, it's not a story.

By the way, speaking of John Fairplay, did you see the Judge Mathis episode where the defendant brought Survivor's "Johnnie Fairplay" in as a witness? He spent the whole segment sitting in his chair, laughing at everything going on in court, and looking like a jack-a$$. I'd guess that he was on something, though that's only my opinion...

As someone who has done a lot of flying recently from coast to coast; I think it needs to be pointed out what a PITA commercial flying is these days. Between the security hassles and the constant waiting around; it is unpleasant. And I won't even mention how cramped most airline seats are.

besides the obvious Sinus infection/tonsil issues making travel rough I also think playing for the Blazers and traveling directly from city to city on their private jet is a lot different from having to fly around on commercial flights like he has been doing pre draft.

I'm sure Jack is starting to get that queasy feeling that I was getting even before the draft, when Oden and Durant had their workouts with the Blazers.

Oden -- the next Sam Bowie
Durant -- the next Michael Jordan

1984 all over again.

Looks like Oden, injuries or not, is going to be something of a project for a couple of years. Fortunately, Durant is going to be playing with a bunch of CBA exiles in Seattle and won't show him up.