The 5 Stages

Dear Blazer Fans,

You, as I, have suffered a great loss, and I think we could all benefit by walking through the grieving process. Many of you have sped through this and have already 'accepted and moved on', saying that we have to give up on Greg. All of you have jumped right through the stage that I have just completed: denial and isolation. I watched the game, saw the horror unfold, and I didn't check any NBA, or even sports related, news until tonight. When I saw what happened, I denied how serious it was, speculated that it could've been just a dislocation, a couple months and he's back. and then I removed myself from anything that could remind me of what happened. and now that I know what happened, now that I hear that he's "out for the year", I am downright pissed off.

Angry, one might say. Which is the second stage. And who can blame me? Greg is one of the most beloved Blazers, and the guy has barely been able to show what he could become. I REFUSE to use the phrase 'injury prone', because he is a big man, and big men get hurt. it's just a fact. it sucks that it happened so early in his development, and I do think it will screw with his progress. but he will come back from it, and be in a position to help the team right away. but right now, all I can think is "WHY GREG?!?!?! WHY US?!?!?!"

Very soon, I, and more importantly KP, will move into the 3rd stage: Bargaining. The ultimate goal, the reason why this game is played, is to win the championship and be enshrined with all others who have done, and will do so. So, an effort will be made to find a big man to back up Joel. we can't replace Greg, important to note, and I REFUSE TO GIVE UP ON HIM! (still in 2nd stage anger mode). this will be masked as an attempt to replace Greg, another form of bargaining (for the impossible, Greg is once in a decade) but we know that bargain will fall through, and we will have to make the best of a poor situation. somebody (probably Rudy :( so sad) will be moved in this attempt.

But like I said, this attempt to replace Greg will fail, and we will enter stage 4: Depression. the shortcomings of GO's "replacement" will send us into further woeful fits of piteous grief over his injury, and what we miss with him out. This stage will continue for quite some time, and is a big reason why we will see another 1st round exit. we will find that we traded Rudy only for him to start for (the Bucks, Timberwolves, Kings, anybody else at all likely to trade away their young(ish) center for a fiery shooter+) and that he will thrive, picking up Most Improved Player and performing in the playoffs. and that won't help the depression. in fact, things will seem hopeless for the Blazers, an organization seemingly doomed to return to the basement of the league, almost longing for that place in the box under the stairs where our woes could go unnoticed, that is until

Acceptance. and that comes when Greg gets back. accepting the fact that we should've stuck by him the entire time, that trading Rudy was a mistake, and that GREG IS KING. this is still Oden's team to take to the next level, and we won't reach that next level until he's ready. we've already used up our draft luck this decade, and teams are wary to trade with KP lest they become the next dullard who'd rather have Randy Foye or Tyrus Thomas than the next star of the league. the Blazers aren't moving to the high class neighborhood of championship contenders until Greg and his knee are ready. so we wait.