The Final Straw

by JustinSlow on Jan 12, 2009 1:16 PM PST Comment 32 comments

On January 8th, 2009, my fanaticism regarding the Portland Trailblazers officially ended.

To be fair, it wasn’t just the letter to the League about Darius Miles that sent me over the edge. Our recent play without Brandon Roy is what put me on the fence in the first place. Sure, we beat Boston and Detroit; the defending champs and a team that had won 7 straight. But what about our losses: the Hornets and Lakers? If we can’t beat them without Roy, then we need to totally reevaluate the team.

Don’t get me wrong, Roy seems nice. But a fancy left hand… well, that doesn’t earn you a spot on the All-Star team. The Blazers need a guy who can finish games – who can push us in those last few minutes when each basket is integral in deciding how the game ends. Until we get that, we’ll never be able to get a W against the good teams of the NBA. We’ll just keep losing to teams like the Lakers and the Hornets.

And don’t give me this crap about “development.” It has been months; the rookies should have things figured out by now. Greg is a #1 pick (I didn’t see LeBron have any trouble transitioning into the NBA), Bayless doesn’t even seem like he wants to get better, and all of Rudy’s wide open 3-pointers have resulted in an abysmal 39% 3-point percentage (tying him with the over-rated Ray Allen). I just don’t see what more we can squeeze out of them. Batum is okay…

Anyway, with all this drama and carelessness, I’m done! The Darius Miles situation was the final straw. Now, the entire league will hate us forever. They’ll never forget that one time we issued a statement that we might take legal action. Clearly the Blazers are unaware of the negativity surrounding this subject, so I’ll bet they may even take that legal action. They don’t seem to understand that there is a line of teams ready to pick Miles up for perfectly “legal” reasons so that the Blazers will not be in such phenomenal financial shape. When they sue Memphis, it’s going to start a hellfire of lawyers and bad publicity that will cost us even more millions. Until then, this threat of legal action will go down as one of the most memorable threats of legal action of all time. It joins… well… others.

Above all, it’s disturbing that I’ve never heard a word from Kevin Pritchard indicating that they were planning for this. With both players and leaders that are failing so miserably, it is inevitable that the entire organization will do the same. Thus, we must begin to prepare for the rebuilding. I look forward to restoring my faith in this team with new, capable personnel.

4 recs | Comment 32 comments

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Comments

Nice Work

This made me pause a bit, but then I took a second look and thoroughly enjoyed it. Funny stuff, with more than a grain of truth

There are no stupid questions, only stupid people

by blazersfan50 on Jan 12, 2009 1:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Sarcasm at its sharpest.

Quite well done. Although there has been a lot of sarcasm flying around here lately. Because of that, it’s harder to know what’s sarcasm and what’s spill over from the self-loathing at Blog-a-Bull.

But good job anyways.

Poor grammar is poor communication.
Poor communication causes misunderstanding.
Misunderstanding causes fighting.
Fighting causes war.
War causes death.
Therefore, your poor grammar may just kill us all.

(One of Two Official Blazer's Edge Poets Laureate for the 2008-2009 Season)

by T Darkstar on Jan 12, 2009 1:38 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure it's witty enough to qualify as sarcasm.

by raoulduke on Jan 12, 2009 2:42 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

yeah, it's okay I guess

Did a lot of people give up their fandom over the Miles fiasco? I stayed away from the multiple threads on the subject so I don’t know if a lot of people were disgusted by the front office. So, unless there were people who seriously stopped being fans because of that I don’t see this being particularly funny. At least it wasn’t someone trolling.

Or, if it was a troll, I’m amused that he failed this bad at it.

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Jan 12, 2009 3:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i can understand being upset about the Darius Miles thing, even sort of understand the Oden thing, but this...

Don’t get me wrong, Roy seems nice. But a fancy left hand… well, that doesn’t earn you a spot on the All-Star team. The Blazers need a guy who can finish games – who can push us in those last few minutes when each basket is integral in deciding how the game ends. Until we get that, we’ll never be able to get a W against the good teams of the NBA. We’ll just keep losing to teams like the Lakers and the Hornets.

makes you look like an idiot and make me laugh; so thanks for the laugh.

honor rasheed wallace

i like ike

by Zaron5551 on Jan 12, 2009 1:39 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

You are trolling for interest.....

and you will find none here

by swg777 on Jan 12, 2009 1:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Don't you get it?

Its supposed to be funny, because he doesn’t mean those things that he is saying…

Sarah Silverman’d FTL.

Jaws were hitting the floor as Greg repeatedly attempted to tear the rim off the backboard...

by TheOdenator on Jan 12, 2009 1:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bubble boy?

Somebody needs a hug…

"Now, you take a bobcat or a Jayhawk. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. Raef's my dog, Pa. I've gotta do what's right..." Old Yeller (1957)

by RoyGoesTheDynamite on Jan 12, 2009 2:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

lol, well played

by tmundal on Jan 12, 2009 1:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

KP...

is that you?

Just joined today and you’re already done, huh? Too bad for you.

Love the comparison of LeBron and Oden… hadn’t heard that one yet.

You have to think that Mr. Allen knew that email was going out. If the Darius Drama does end up in court, it’s his millions that get spent. I could probably spend the money on better things (you know, like making my mortgage payments and taking care of my wife and kids… stuff like that), but sometimes it takes a good lawsuit to make you feel fresh and rejuvinated. Maybe that’s just what Mr. Allen needs.

"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car"

by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Jan 12, 2009 2:02 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Oden is just

LeBron having come to the past from the future where he had his legs extended with robotic implants. It took a year for another hole in the time space continum to show up so we could send technicians to the future to secure a new robotic Knee. You see Oden is just an old LBJ who now stands 7 feet tall and has grown melancholy with his knowledge of the future whilst living in the past. His prophetic naming of his dog forseeing the loss of TNT’s Barkley due to a DUI incident should have been the big tip off to everyone. That and that fact that Oden looks like LeBron’s father which of course shouldn’t be possible as he is obstensibly younger, but that’s where the whole time travel paradox comes in and lets just say he’s his own grand pa.

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Jan 12, 2009 3:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Until then, this threat of legal action will go down as one of the most memorable threats of legal action of all time. It joins… well… others.

That’s Hall-of-Fame material right there.

by prezofdeath on Jan 12, 2009 2:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I skipped that sentence.

Man, i missed out because you’re right. it frocks.

Greg Oden, where posters happen.

by ratbastird on Jan 12, 2009 2:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Best line of the entire post right there

by tingeyga on Jan 12, 2009 2:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

only good line, I’d say

by 50backflips on Jan 12, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But it is an unusually good line, Sir 50, yes?

Perfect practice makes perfect.

by Ojala John on Jan 12, 2009 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Man what is with all the trolls lately?

So many people have been joining and immediately posting fanposts about much much they hate this player or how much their fandom is dwindling…

The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely

by SandbergOnSports on Jan 12, 2009 2:14 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

You obviously...

Didn’t really read it did you.

by tmundal on Jan 12, 2009 2:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I had to read this a couple times

Before I understood the joking behind it. Good job.

Rudy for ROY
Campaign 08-09

"Rudy is not everyday a shooter." ~Rudy Fernandez

by twiggs on Jan 12, 2009 2:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

A couple of times?

“The Blazers need a guy who can finish games” didn’t get you the first time? Has it been that long since Toronto? Phoenix? Houston?!

In K.P. I trust.

by Thack on Jan 12, 2009 2:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It took me a couple of times too

I scan too much. Sometimes I need ALL CAPS to bonk me in the head before I realize someone’s being tongue-in-cheek.

by Corvid on Jan 12, 2009 3:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

chalk me up there too.

I read the first time and thought… “Wow… somebody has a case of the Mondays!”

by pdxer in dfw on Jan 12, 2009 3:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

it’s easy to see why a bunch of trolls and misanthropes are posting here

the legal letter to the other teams was ridiculous, as has been the firestorm response by the media and league.

Who cares?

by 50backflips on Jan 12, 2009 2:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

-1

by tmundal on Jan 12, 2009 2:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

a classic BlazersEdge satire

I’ve seen a few of these being posted lately, I think this one is my favorite.

by trailblazersfan on Jan 12, 2009 3:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Needs more Joey Harrington…

by RoyGoesTheDynamite on Jan 12, 2009 3:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

this coming from the person

that rec’d “I’m not sure it’s witty enough to qualify as sarcasm”

by FranciscoSmith on Jan 12, 2009 3:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I rec'd that post because I decided to take it as sarcasm!

by trailblazersfan on Jan 12, 2009 4:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

plenty witty - thank you

I’m also a little disgusted with the way they’ve dissed former Blazers like Terry Porter, Bob Gross and Kevin Duckworth.

But in all seriousness, honor Rasheed. I loved him

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Jan 12, 2009 3:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

When Moe poked Shemp in the eyes...

I always “got” it.

The cowards never started
The weak died along the way
Only the strong survived
They were the Trailblazers

by lukeyhere on Jan 12, 2009 3:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm with this guy

BLOW UP THE BLAZERS!

"I have not come into this world to make men better, but to make use of their weaknesses"

-a certain failed Austrian painter-

"The very moment a workingman begins to do his own thinking he understands the paramount issue, parts company with the capitalist politician and falls in line with his own class on the political battlefield."

-Eugene V. Debs-

by WhiteRabbit on Jan 12, 2009 10:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs