Lo! The First Quarter...

by Phizbin on Jan 17, 2009 5:19 PM PST

I've been following the Sergio v Bayless trials and the Agony of Outlaw issues as closely as anyone. I happen to be of the camp that likes what Sergio brings and sort of wishes Outlaw got traded for something steadier.

I have a different take, though. Instead of bickering about minutes and potential and points and assists and (foolishly) discussing the racial aspect of "basketball IQ", I've charted out a rather disturbing trend over tonight's game against Charlotte and the 10 games prior.

The Trailblazers have lost 10 of the last 11 quarters. They have lost virtually every first quarter that they've played in.

Date	Differential	1st Qtr Total
25-Dec	-4	29
27-Dec	-2	26
30-Dec	-10	13
2-Jan	-5	16
4-Jan	6	25
7-Jan	-6	20
10-Jan	-9	16
12-Jan	-7	21
14-Jan	-16	15
15-Jan	-2	27
7-Jan	-6	18

This is staggering really. I think this qualifies as a trend. Very, very obviously the Blazers are struggling mightily in the first quarter.

Why?

I think there are a couple of different reasons:

It could be that Sergio really is better for the Blazers than anything else.
It could be that Joel is that much better tha Oden and Oden's presence is hindering the first quarter.
Outlaw really is way better than Batum... Batum's presence is hurting us in the first quarter.

And whatever else people can come up with. But it is very interesting to me that with Oden and Batum on the floor, Portland seems to be getting routinely spanked. With Rudy, Joel, and Outlaw on the floor (I'm thinking 4th quarter minutes here), Portland seems to be faring better. Someone is making up these points somewhere else.

I think there are enough terrifying implications in the first quarter trend to worry Bayless Enthusiast, Sergio Defenders, Oden Apologists, Swooning Over Rudy Women, and Batum Optimists. This is bad no matter what way you look at it.

This is, I suppose, what is worrying KP and Nate at these times.

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Btw

I had a really neat graph of this trend over the recent game but couldn’t figure out how to insert it.

I’m a failure to my Generation X sometimes.

But I’m also drinking beer, which doesn’t help. It’s halftime in the Charlotte game… I hope I’m drinking in vicotry an not in despair in another 90 minutes.

Buck Williams for the hall of fame

by Phizbin on Jan 17, 2009 5:20 PM PST reply actions

1. take a screenshot of the graph.

2. crop as necessary.
3. upload to a website like tinypic.com
4. right click uploaded pic on website, go to view image.
5. copy url
6. go back to your post, click insert image and paste url.
7. be sure to preview.

at least thats what i do.

by postup on Jan 17, 2009 11:36 PM PST up reply actions

Huh?

(foolishly) discussing the racial aspect of “basketball IQ”

Who said BBIQ has a racial aspect?

Brandon has a high BBIQ. So did Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.

Ha Hung Jin had a low BBIQ. So did Chris Antsey (Aussie) and Cherokee Parks.

Just because people besides myself claim that Outlaw has a low BBIQ (because he sometimes takes bad shots and most of the time looks inept defensively), that doesn’t mean it should have anything to do with race.

Of course, there are some race-baiters (like tominhawaii) who try to shift the tone of that discussion that direction. But it doesn’t need to be like there. There’s got to be a better way to discuss BBIQ.

The Truth About Darius

by Bust a Bucket on Jan 17, 2009 7:00 PM PST reply actions

agreed but...

I agree that BBIQ doesn’t have a racial aspect, but TiH mentioned that a ton of people were using that as a PC way to make fun of Travis. At first I didn’t agree since I don’t think Travis is “dumb.” After TiH pointed it out however, it did seem like a lot of people were discriminating against Trout’s overall intelligence not just his BBIQ. Racism is probably the wrong choice of word, but it seems like there is a negative stigma attached towards the South. It’s hard to dismiss that there is some form of discrimination going on.

The most hated Blazer is like the least hottest supermodel - Sabonis4Ever

by Philthyanimal on Jan 17, 2009 7:58 PM PST up reply actions

Interesting.

I think the racial aspect comes into play more with point guards. Caucasians of average height like to root for Caucasians of average height. There are people who will argue to their dying breath that Sergio is (and was) a better basketball player than Jarrett Jack.

I think It has more to do with fans rooting for a player who they can relate to rather then racial prejudices based on color of skin. Even so, there is definitely favoritism by white fans to white players. Why else would Brian Scalabrine (2.7 points 1 Rebound per game) get a standing ovation every time he touches the ball?

by Nick Van Excellent on Jan 17, 2009 7:13 PM PST reply actions

are you saying "racism" is part of human nature?

It has more to do with fans rooting for a player who they can relate to rather then racial prejudices based on color of skin

Thus, you’re saying that a white fan can relate better to a white player. Is that because the white fan is racist? Or is it because that is a natural tendency of human beings?

Do skinny people relate better to skinny people and fat people relate better to fat people? If all these “relate better” things are true, maybe racism is a part of human nature.

Thoughts???

The Truth About Darius

by Bust a Bucket on Jan 17, 2009 7:22 PM PST up reply actions

lol

True, but probably hard for people to hear.

People like things or people that are familiar to them. I live in Oregon and I’m a Blazer fan. My parents are from Chicago so they root for the Bulls. It has little to do with team. If there was an Irish guy with a large handlebar mustache (like myself) I would probably want him to succeed because I would see a little piece of myself in him. Heck, that’s probably half the reason I liked Steven Hill.

That’s not to say that I think Irish guys are better than Black guys. I do think people with creative facial hair are better than those with smooth skin.

by Nick Van Excellent on Jan 17, 2009 7:39 PM PST up reply actions

hmmmmm

So you were a fan of the Oden beard.

GO
THE TEACHER ......come into my classroom "THE PAINT" for some tutelage.
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"The rancor reflected in that remark I won't dignify with comment. But I'll address your general attitude of hopeless negativism." – Everett "O Brother, where art Thou?"

by Blazer1342 on Jan 17, 2009 11:54 PM PST up reply actions

Yes.

But I think it looks better a little shorter. The Lincoln chin strap thing just made him look too old.

by Nick Van Excellent on Jan 18, 2009 2:05 AM PST up reply actions

Do you like

the Darius/Dr.Zhivago look on Greg?

The Truth About Darius

by Bust a Bucket on Jan 18, 2009 2:07 AM PST up reply actions

BBIQ doesn’t have anything to do with intelligence or race.

But getting to the point of this post…the Blazers have no intensity, and no focus (as evidenced by the foul line tonight).
How many easy buckets did Charlotte get tonight??? 10 too many.
How many drives did the Blazers get shoved down their throat? Too many.
How many rebounds were right there for the Blazers to grab and they didn’t.
How many loose balls were right there, but the Bobcats came up with them.
As much as I think Bayless is a year away from the player we need, he was the only one playing with intensity and focus, and deserves playing time if only for that reason.
This team needs to leave it all on the floor (and they’re not), they’re just too deep not to do otherwise.
As much as the refs called a bad game tonight (and they missed a lot, including several and-ones, I replayed almost every play tonight), this one falls solely on the head of the Blazers. I too almost couldn’t watch this game.
And hence, the same reason for this first quarter trend. They continually come and play like this is a scrimmage, they need to go out and play some ball!!!

GO
THE TEACHER ......come into my classroom "THE PAINT" for some tutelage.
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"You could hurt somebody in the first row with a shot like that" -
Mike Rice, Portland at Denver 12/22/08

by Blazer1342 on Jan 17, 2009 10:54 PM PST reply actions