Blazersedge Season Awards: Most Inspirational Player
by Dave on May 20, 2009 12:06 AM PDT
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PrintThis is the award for the player you perceive as the most inspirational. This may or may not have anything to do with overall performance, statistics, or other on-court metrics. Define "inspirational" however you wish.
You can vote in the comment section below. One vote per person, make your vote easy to understand, and also favor us with a bit of explanation about your choice if you would. Voting will be open for the next couple days and then winners will be declared.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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big joel
lunch bucket guy, played all 82 games, started when we needed him, came off the bench when asked, did the dirty work.
it's gotta be Brandon
So many nights he’d be exhausted, bruised, sick, getting IV’s, picking himself up from the floor, carrying the team on his back. Brandon’s the heart of the Blazers.
Joel is second. He’d get in people’s faces. He’d tell teammates when they missed their assignments. The team needs Joel.
Shavlik Randolph
"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."
-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.
"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."
-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.
by Tofu Anonymous on May 20, 2009 12:20 AM PDT reply actions
Pryzbilla
The guy knows he’s being replaced before his eyes.. yet still brought it every night and was as important to this team’s success as any player not named Roy.
Rudy Fernandez
his highlights energized the team and got the fans screaming from the top of their lungs. Anytime coach injected him in the game, it brought life to our offense. I honestly cant remember a game where the fans did not cheer in enthusiasm whenever Rudy grabbed the ball. Even when Rudy got himself clobbered by Trevor Ariza, that made us see a whole new side to the team we’ve never seen before when our guys stepped into the Fakers’s faces like that. We ended up winning a blowout after that unfortunate event.
Brandon Roy.
Before games when he is warming up, you can tell his body is creaky and tired. Yet somehow, someway he continues to carry the team on his back night in and night out. The guy is incredible.
This is the award for the player you perceive as the most inspirational. This may or may not have anything to do with overall performance, statistics, or other on-court metrics. Define “inspirational” however you wish.
Can I vote for Brian Grant?
Under that criteria we should vote for Duckworth
Trade or sign a starting PG
Draft a banger PF...that's your job KP, now get it done!
I agree and if there is any way to add Grant to the staff or mentor to some players I think it would be great for this team
He’s tough, he’s a leader, he knows what hard work is, and he hates the L*kers, what more could you want around this group of young guys?
Trade or sign a starting PG
Draft a banger PF...that's your job KP, now get it done!
Roy.
He´s a true leader and to be inspirational it´s a good part of it.
"They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it"
That was classy
I will second your vote.
I try to help with everything," Fernandez said. "If the coach says go rebound, I go rebound. I work for the team.
""If I'm playing this game to get media and attention, I shouldn't be here," Aldridge said. "I'm here to play basketball, and do what I can do to help this team win."
His stare became blank. It was apparent he was back in that place, on the Rose Garden's logo, picking up Aaron Brooks as the crowd nervously roared.
Has to be Duck
The stories we heard of him were so inspiring, it was great that the players got to wear his number on their jerseys all year.
by pcrackenhead on May 20, 2009 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
At the memorial service,
All of the guys from Duck’s era said that he was the glue that held the team together. Clyde and Terry were the dynamic scorers, Kersey hardnosed D, Buck crashed the boards, but without Duck they would have not been as successful as they were.
I tend to agree with them, and hope Oden adopts that role on this squad
Blazers win!
Brandon Roy is a winner.
He is the heart and soul of the team.
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
Joel Przybilla
The Kings have the best bench I’ve seen. There are easily 14 guys on this team good enough for every bench in the league. Now if we could only get some starters, I’d totally jizz in my pants.
Kings fan
Rudy
I still remember his “making-the crowd-crazy” alley-oop and five-point play just in 2 sec.
Brandon
Special guy. Even when everyone else wasn’t showing up in the playoffs, Brandon played fearlessly.
Joel Pryzbilla
Played a large portion of the season with a fractured left wrist. Dealt brilliantly with his constantly changing role and minutes. Didnt chafe at all the hype sent Oden’s way een though he was our team’s 2nd best center by a fair margin
Pryzbilla
He didn’t make noise going to the bench behind Oden, then when asked to start delivered every night. He’s the toughest guy on the team, and the only Veteran leader we have.
Rudy
He provided so many electric moments at the Rose Garden this year. Whether it was a three, Alley oop, steal and slam, etc….
"I saw him in the face" Sergio's quote on the latest alley-oop to Rudy.
RUDY
Energy / Excitement and a NEW reason to Hate on the L*kers!
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell
rudy
"I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."
Ni.. oh, okay. Rudy
He was the spark that ignited many 4th qtr comebacks. His never-give-up energy lasted to the last game.
Roy
"I've learned one thing, and that's to quit worrying about stupid things. You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'till sunrise. The work never ends, but college does" - Tom Petty
RUUUUUUDDYY!!
Nobody brought the spark of energy Rudy did from sick alley-opp dunks, threes and the 3 fingers going up and telling the crowd to get louder, and other miscellaneous stuff on defense… Now if only Nate realized this and starts to play him more minutes (or at least ahead of Outlaw)…
Let RudyMania Reign!!
http://twitter.com/downtwnchinatwn
by DowntownChinatown on May 20, 2009 7:49 AM PDT reply actions
Raef LaFrentz.
He has inspired more conversation by Blazer fans than anyone else… well at least up to the trading deadline.
Of all the things that can be expressed in the printed word – love, hate, fear, joy – true humor is the one that is the most difficult of all. Sarcasm, for example, is an art of delicate subtlety. Yet too many people wield it as a bulldozer – loud, smelly, ugly, and destructive – and think they are being funny.
Pryzilla
if brandon roy played for toronto he'd be brandon waaaaah
Shav Randolf
He has come back from a terrible knee injury and worked his way back onto an NBA roster. When played the 76ers and they cheered for him on the court was when I realized how much he was liked and how cool it was he worked his way back into the NBA.
"Sometimes I catch myself watching him and he's shooting floaters all-net. And just to watch how he's talking trash. I loved it. I loved every minute of it. Rudy's a competitor." - Brandon Roy
Rudy
Nobody else on the team plays with the energy and enthusiasm of Rudy. One of the things I’ve hated about Blazer teams for, it seems, forever, is the tendency to stand around at times or for long periods of time while getting their butts kicked. Rudy is immune from that, and I am hoping that more of it rubs off on the others.
Brandon Roy
Inspiration comes from being able to set a good example for the rest of the team. Though he may be young, Brandon Roy is already the leader of his team. The team looks up to him already and they rely on him when things look bleak.
Yes! Yes! In the face!
B-Roy
On the MJ award:
…. Roy said. "And on the court, I do my best to try to help my team win games. I just try to be a good professional.
I’ve always carried the approach that we should be good citizens whether we’re bus drivers or NBA players. There’s no difference. When people say, ‘You’re a good citizen,’ … well, I should be a good citizen. You should, too.
That’s how we should live. We should be good people first, and our profession is second. I’m happy that people recognize that. That’s why the award is kind of cool.""
Joel
Brandon may have been the heart, but Joel had the soul.
Rudy
He inspired the crowd with his antics, which is how i’m going to define this because it makes it so much easier.
As for inspiration to the blazers, probably Roy. Everytime he declared something, you saw changes within the blazer team (“we need to focus on defense”). Rudy inspired away from the ball movement.
"Fernandez, to my eyes, is the Blazer who walks that walk most comfortably. A lot of Portland's fans (egged on, dare I say, by their local broadcasters) lament things like how Ron Artest or Yao Ming get to hit Brandon Roy's arms.
But I suspect Fernandez sees all that and thinks: We get to hit arms! Cool!"
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html
Toss-up between Joel and Rudy,
but I think Rudy has to take this one. His highlight reels, big shots, alley oops made the RG more electric this year. The crowd was anticipating a big play every time he took the court.
Toss up between Brandon and Joel
If you want to look at it by who Inspires the team to play their hardest and give it their all, it would be those two.
Rudy
He brought a lot of excitement back into the game that sometimes gets boring the way the Blazers play.
Ruffin gave new hope to D-League and college players that they can make the jump to the NBA.
BRoy
Without a doubt the most inspiring player…in the entire Western Conference, and maybe the NBA. With all the success he’s had, it’s come in a very unconventional way.
Hi, I'm Paul Thompson, and I'm a quack-aholic.
Roy/Przybilla
I have to split my vote. If Roy doesn’t inspire you with his all around game on and off the court, I don’t know who on earth would. The same can be said for Przybilla. That dude has got to be the best teammate to play with. The hard hat, hard working, gotchurback, knows his role analogies are endless with this guy. And he’s not afraid to sit down with a twelve-pack of beer and do some arm curls….love it!
‘OK Nic, swag on out on ‘em!’
Brandon
His quiet leadership style impresses the hell out of me, and it’s hard to believe that a guy that young has so much wisdom.
Joel Przybilla
dang. Talk about stepping up. He was incredible. His grit was amazing. You always hear how someone is the “hands” of the team or the “brains” of the team.
Joel is the balls. And I mean that in the best possible way.
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
an award usually reserved for the player that sucked
well at least in high school that was the case. But here, I am going with a legitimate vote of tie for B Roy and Pryzbilla, both in their own way can rally the troops and get the team going in a way that no one else can. Brandon with his scoring and outspoken leadership and Joel with his tuffness and in your face approach. Both of these guys were equally able to inspire this team to be better.
Our society believes in "Policital Correctness" in other words we tear down the best of our society and make them live according to the lowest common denominator. It won't be long until Harrison Bergeron is declaring himself emperor!
Roy has to win this
Someone who inspires drives his teammates to compete.
Roy is really starting to figure out what it means to be a winner at this level, and he is starting to do what it takes to spread that champion’s spirit to his teammates.
Joel is a warrior, playing hurt, playing hard every night. He leads by example, but he doesn’t have the skills to be the driving force behind the team’s ascent.
batum
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
Roses are red
violets in bloom
Sophia’s in love
with Nicholas Batum
-Bow4Meow
Rudy
His professionalism was a great addition to this team; he could be the vet presence we’ve been looking for.
PUT BATUM IN NOW: Rallying cry of the BBIQ appreciation club
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...
bayless
took his lack of playing time in stride
ALWAYS was the first one off the bench to congratulate the team.
by GreatOden'sRaven on May 20, 2009 12:39 PM PDT reply actions
Brandon Roy
How can this be anybody but Brandon?
by BlazerFanFromDenver on May 20, 2009 12:40 PM PDT reply actions
Brandon was clearly the MVP
But I will vote for Rudy for most inspirational. Great attitude, hit the big buckets, made the crowd go crazy.
I like the whole team.
Most inspirational: Joel Przybilla
Like a rock. – Elgin
VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.
gotta be the vanilla gorilla
PRZYBILLA by a long shot. faced with losing his starting spot and job security as our center, he stepped up and then some, became a team leader, and was a blast to watch every single night. without him, we don’t make the playoffs, much less win big games. period.
I have to vote Joel for this one
After all, how much more inspirational can one get than letting loose on network television with a hearty “MF-er”?
I know I was inspired by that
Blazers win!
Joel, by a nose...
just slipping past Rudy and B-Roy, in that order…
It was inspirational to see a guy do WHATEVER IT TAKES and whatever was asked of him without griping, without complaining to the media about his reduced role…none of that crap you see so often in today’s NBA. He went to the bench w/o a peep, played his game and, when it became clear that Greg was having trouble with foul calls, he played starter’s minutes like a man…or a really big (not too attractive) woman…
Przy is seriously Old School like that…
Darius Miles
For inspiring the blazers what not to be…
I have my P.h.D in unreliable hyperbole.
by Eat Politicians on May 20, 2009 4:13 PM PDT reply actions
Roy
Joel was close.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
Brandon Roy
Starting with the game winner in Houston and it ran all season along.
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on May 20, 2009 7:26 PM PDT reply actions
Nic Batum....
In his rookie year, started…was pretty darn good too.
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Pryzbilla
again, with the Pryz… but how many players player with a broken wrist and mastered the stare down all in the same year.
Channing Frye
Good attitude, throughout it all. Never bad mouthed the team, the front office, himself. Just cheery & “to-it” attitude.
Steve Blake
Never blamed anybody else for mistakes. Always seeked to improve himself through nearly constant criticism and in this way continually earned his spot as our QB.
Brandon Roy.
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 11:12 PM PDT reply actions
Has to be Brandon Roy
He put the team on his back and carried it when his team is not doing well, or when they had given up, he was always there trying to spark his teammates and put themselves back in the game.
"...Lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Joel Pryzbilla
82 games where he brought it every night, and was the emotional leader of the team. Brandon’s the leader, but Joel get’s fired up and takes charge out there, too.
If you ever hear of someone punching out a girl scout and stealing her Samoas, it was me
- Mortimer
by Clevelander among roses on May 20, 2009 11:37 PM PDT reply actions
most difficult vote
I’ll give it to Brandon..
his growth and leadership is inspirational..
but so is Greg’s rise from the ashes of his own overhypedness and injury..
"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum
Rudy
-Shad
"If a doctor ever gives me six months to live, I want it in basketball time." - Marc Acito
Can they all feed off of eachother?
Joel, Brandon, Rex, Greg, Rudy, Channing…. They all bring their inspirational mojo at different times.
Rudy, definitely.
He played with energy and heart, always did his best to get the fans in the game.
"Respect everyone, fear no one." -TP
If B-Roy is the heart of this team
then Joel Pryzbilla is the ball sack! An we all know that inspiration comes from the testies and NOT the heart!
So my vote is for The Vanilla Gorilla, That Thrilla from Manilla, JOE PRYZBILLA!
Go M's
Brandon Roy
“Blake now throws to Roy, a three pointer out front…. HIT IT!!!!!!!!!! YES HE DID!!! OHHHH YEEAAHHH!!!!!!
The Natural buries a thirty footer, at the buzzer!
And the Blazers run off the court, a winner by two!"
--
by CaptainSexyJacob on May 22, 2009 12:01 AM PDT reply actions
Gotta be...
B-Roy.
Joel is a very close second.
Rudy
How many times has he come off the bench to start a run when we’ve been down?
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