Sympathies

by section214 on Dec 22, 2009 9:25 PM PST

This is not really a FanPost, per se. It's more a note of acknowledgement, a recoginition of how unfair this season has been to the Blazers organization, their players, and (most importantly) their fans.

I have admired how the Blazers have rebuilt their franchise over the past few years, and I have been looking forward to the same small market renaissance here in Sacramento. I love much of your roster, and my admiration of Brandon Roy is documented.

There is no sense to be made of this injury situation. It is incredibly unfair and deflating. I find myself very angry on your behalf.

I hope for two things for you - first, a speedy and complete recovery for all of your players.

Second, that Brandon Roy puts this team on his shoulders and wills this team to victory. It's too much to ask, but having watched Roy play, that is exactly what he's going to do. He's that guy.

Hang in there, Blazers fans. Once this team gets healthy, they are going to be one talented and angry bunch, and the NBA will be better for it.

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Thanks...

by In Walks Rudy on Dec 22, 2009 9:29 PM PST reply actions

Nice thoughts, it really is a weird thing

I wonder if the remaining guys are terrified to jump

Blazer Fan

by leeroyjenkins on Dec 22, 2009 9:38 PM PST reply actions

Yeah.

All set shots.

My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.

by OCBlazerFan1 on Dec 23, 2009 10:00 AM PST up reply actions

Well said

This team will bounce back.

by Blaze of Glory on Dec 22, 2009 9:43 PM PST reply actions

Thanks 214. We got mad love for Sacto here on Blazer Sedge.

Wanna trade Nate for Westphal?

Oden fan for life

by dario argento on Dec 22, 2009 9:47 PM PST reply actions

I feel sorry for you,

but not that sorry.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Dec 22, 2009 9:51 PM PST up reply actions

Thank you

Congrats on your record comeback over Chicago, also. That was incredible

Mark my words... Dante Cunningham will be an all star

by roynfernandez on Dec 22, 2009 9:47 PM PST reply actions

All I can do is rec this and vaguely comment right now:

Im knot choor wright gnow iff Eye ephen has hte capasity for basik edoting.

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on Dec 22, 2009 9:50 PM PST reply actions

Basic jokes?

always.

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on Dec 22, 2009 9:50 PM PST up reply actions

I'm ready to punt

I think the odds say go for it on fourth down. I think it’s sad but true we’re better off being a lottery team this year. I don’t want to see us in the playoffs having Nene or Gasol rammed down our throats for five games while 5 NBA-quality starters watch in the streetclothes. Let’s pick up a #6 or lottery pick and let Kevin Pritchard get back to what he does best – [re]build and deal draft picks. Can we pickup an elite defensive big out of the draft (Larry Summers?) and flip Martell/Rudy + ?? for a low-post scorer or a legitimate point guard? Obviously this is going to be a team that needs a lot of down-low bodies because Oden and Przybilla have always been injury prone.

M, period. Fresh, comma.

by manzell on Dec 22, 2009 10:16 PM PST reply actions

How about DeJuan Blair?

by BrewDude on Dec 22, 2009 10:29 PM PST up reply actions

Oops, we already passed him up.

by BrewDude on Dec 22, 2009 10:29 PM PST up reply actions

nope

Blair’s playing selective minutes, and provides rebounding, but not shotblocking or defensive presence in the lane. Not the answer. I’d almost rather have Shaq for the balance of this season. This is in no way an impingment of Blair’s future career arc (although, for what it’s worth, he’s a major knee injury waiting to happen as well)

M, period. Fresh, comma.

by manzell on Dec 22, 2009 10:40 PM PST up reply actions

agree

Blair was the guy to get to back up LMA, not to “replace” Joel/Greg

Still, I’d rather have DeJuan than Pendergraph right now…who wouldn’t?

When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!

by two4larue on Dec 22, 2009 11:29 PM PST up reply actions

I wouldn't do that to him.

Considering the shape of his knees, if Blair played for the Blazers his legs would probably explode and he would never walk again.

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 23, 2009 7:38 AM PST up reply actions

or, maybe

two negatives could make a positive?

It’s so ironic that everyone was gripping about Blair’s missing ACLs at draft time, but DeJuan’s still out there playing while Pendergraph and others have fallen over like toy soldiers

When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!

by two4larue on Dec 23, 2009 8:27 AM PST up reply actions

It is ironic, but it doesn't mean much.

I understand not drafting Blair. The odds of him getting hurt are way higher than the average big man. Having someone on the roster contributing and then losing that player to an injury is worse than not having him at all. It’s too late to replace them and you’ve wasted a roster spot.

We could sure use Blair right about now, but that doesn’t change the fact that he probably had more red flags than anyone else in the draft. If anything this whole experience has shown me why general managers are afraid of guys who have sketchy knees. Injuries suck.

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 23, 2009 9:09 AM PST up reply actions

nah

I’m waiting for fate to deal the #1 pick to Chicago so they can have rose and wall

#52

by 50backflips on Dec 23, 2009 7:44 AM PST up reply actions

Thanks, Section214.

We appreciate the sentiments. It’s definitely been a crazy, unlucky year.

Good luck this year; we all root for you and love watching Tyreke play.

Mortimer

#52

by Mortimer on Dec 22, 2009 10:57 PM PST reply actions

Funny that you should say that...

Second, that Brandon Roy puts this team on his shoulders and wills this team to victory.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Dec 22, 2009 11:17 PM PST reply actions

D'oh!

#52

by Mortimer on Dec 22, 2009 11:22 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe we should get Brandon a wheelbarrow or a hand cart

I get the paper, so I don't care!

by Name's Ash on Dec 23, 2009 8:48 AM PST up reply actions

Ha ha, at least our young star center didn't have microfracture in high school

Only after college! So there. And the starting star shooting guard is still healthy. Well, almost. But thanks for the flowers.

by Norsktroll on Dec 22, 2009 11:18 PM PST reply actions

well if you feel that bad about it

how about a Brockman for Patty Mills swap?

When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!

by two4larue on Dec 22, 2009 11:26 PM PST reply actions

Thanks, Section214

Class move – I hope the Kings have better luck than the Blazers have been having.

"My shoulder is OK. And away we go." -- Nic Batum
"wang-dang diddly wubba SPROING wow-wow" -- Dave

by DonkeyShins on Dec 22, 2009 11:35 PM PST reply actions

Thank You

Appreciate your support in our troubled times, I agree that this can only be good for us in the long run. Also, thanks to Tyreke, Jason Thompson, and Kevin Martin (briefly) for doing my fantasy team a tremendous service. You guys have a couple exciting players I look forward to watching for years to come.

by momomoses7 on Dec 23, 2009 12:05 AM PST reply actions

I actually disagree on one point

recoginition of how unfair this season has been to the Blazers organization, their players, and (most importantly) their fans.

That “(most importantly)” doesn’t really belong. I mean, as a fan, I’m disappointed, but Paul and Luke have cancer, Joel’s career could be in jeopardy, Greg’s contract situation is now a mess, etc. For me, it is just a fun diversion, so I’m not sure that my disappointment rates anywhere on the importance scale.

Other than that, nice post, and I hope your great season continues. If we end up battling you guys for the eighth spot, I’m not even going to be too upset if you get it. (Next year, we’ll stomp all over you, though.)

#52

by jscot on Dec 23, 2009 5:27 AM PST reply actions 4 recs

Can you guys please stay healthy

I want a good match between you and the Lakers.

Well let me welcome everybody to the wild wild west. A state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness.

by pharoah on Dec 23, 2009 6:22 AM PST reply actions

True

and I heard there is an ex-ref willing to set things straight in this years’ playoffs.

"Better, not good, but better." - Herb Brooks

by DucRider on Dec 23, 2009 12:32 PM PST up reply actions

Section214

It’s very nice of you to send your note. I’ve been a Blazer fan for a long time and have never seen anything close to this amount of carnage. I was at the game when Walton went down. We were 50-10 at the time. It’s interesting, though. That team pretty much fell apart after losing Walton. This year’s team seems to be able to continue to scratch out wins in spite of a ton of injuries. From that I’d conclude that this year’s team is much more talented and better balanced, over all, than the 1977-78 team was.

At the rate things are going, with the owner, coach, and more than half of the team injured, it’s we fans that will start getting hurt while watching the games. There’s no one else left!

by kuhnsmith on Dec 23, 2009 9:27 AM PST reply actions

That team

also lost Bobby Gross and Lloyd Neal, and Lucas for a while as well.

It wasn’t as bad as this year, but it was pretty amazing.

This year’s team still has our two most productive offensive players.

#52

by jscot on Dec 23, 2009 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah.

It makes me wonder if we couldn’t move Aldridge to the 5 and be sort of alright. Convert to a more running unit and play to Aldridge and Miller’s strengths more. It’s going to be nearly impossible to find a center to replace what Joel and Oden did. It seems like it would be easier to find a replacement 4. Dallas has been doing well defensively with Dirk at the 5.

Which reminds me. Do you know if it’s possible to trade Atlanta for the rights to Josh Childress? He’s a very good defender who consistently ranked as one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. I don’t know if his contract in Europe has a buyout clause, but it might be worth looking into. He reportedly wanted to come back to the NBA, just not with the Hawks.

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 23, 2009 10:26 AM PST up reply actions

I would assume his rights could be acquired

but I don’t know for sure.

At the very least, if he is available, we could do a sign and trade, which comes out to the same thing.

I seem to recall he had a pretty easy buyout, but whether it could be exercised mid-season is another question.

Running game? That would also play to Jerryd’s strengths. And Rudy’s, when he comes back. Certainly, if Brandon is out, if Nate won’t install an aggressive running attack, I’ll be very disappointed.

#52

by jscot on Dec 23, 2009 12:20 PM PST up reply actions