Best and Worst Things About Blazer Fans
by Dave on Aug 26, 2009 11:39 PM PDT
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PrintEvery once in a while we do a feature called "Best and Worst" where we look at the extremes of a situation or issue. Today I wanted to start a discussion about the best and worst things about Blazer fans. Note that this is distinct from the best and worst things about BEING a Blazer fan. That's a good topic too, but it's not this one. This topic is asking us to analyze ourselves a little, pick out some distinct characteristics of Blazer fandom, and decide which one is the most felicitous and which the most annoying/dastardly/counterproductive.
My best thing about Blazer fans is simply that small-town stick-to-it passion. The closest analogy I can make to another team and community would be the Green Bay Packers and their fans. There's a bond between the Blazers and Portland that's consuming, enduring, and important. Rain or shine, in injury and health, bowing out early, late, or not at all the Blazers will always hold a special place in their fans' hearts. More urbane fan bases point to the "only team in town" phenomenon and hold this passion as a folksy weakness of sorts. Having been in some of those multi-sport towns I'll tell you that I wouldn't trade this type of fandom for the world.
I wanted to use over-complaining about the refs as my worst thing about Blazer fans but that shortcoming has become near-universal throughout the league and is neither particular nor distinct. When Phil Jackson and L*ker fans start whining about not getting a fair shake you know it's played out. I was tempted to use small-town conspiracy-theory-itis. Maybe someone else will cite that. In the end I'm settling on the shadow side of that passion that makes Portland fandom so great. Blazer fans tend to become over-attached to, and in some ways over-identified with, particular incarnations of the team. It becomes a "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" deal. Criticism, even when justified, is often decried as unfaithful. Players who are merely human, and paid professional humans at that, are elevated to something more and thus bound to pedestals that they haven't earned and don't particularly desire. It's not the worst kind of ill, but it does get aggravating from time to time.
So tell us, Blazer fans, what do you identify as the best and worst things about being a supporter of this club? Try to be more analytical than cynical if you can manage and certainly refrain from trolling it up. Just give us some perspective on the joys and trials of doing what we do and loving like we love.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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A few from me
Best thing about Blazers fans Irrationally devoted to team no matter what.
Worst thing about Blazers fans, irrationally devoted to team no matter what.
Best thing about Blazers fans, you find them everywhere.
Worst thing about Blazers fans, you can’t get away from them.
Best thing about Blazers fans, they know their team’s history.
Worst thing about Blazers fans, they will talk your ear off about team history if you let them.
Best thing about Blazers fans, they are generally nice to opposing fans.
Worst thing about Blazer fans, except if you’re a Laker fan.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Best : We swamp the interwebs at a moments notice
Worst: Super sensitive to perceived slights
"I'm tired" -Me
by 92wastheyear on Aug 27, 2009 12:07 AM PDT reply actions 11 recs
We can fight of any other fan base force apart from the previous year's championship team, their ranks swell after such an event.
I could have sacrificed goin' out
To think my homies who did it, I used to joke about
From now on I'ma use self control instead of birth control
Cause $315 ain't worth your soul
$315 ain't worth your soul
$315 ain't worth it
Best: we know grammar
and can tell you that you shouldn’t use capitalization after a colon.
Worst: we nitpick horribly, obnoxiously, and offensively.
Now that I got that over with, rec.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
by jscot on Aug 27, 2009 3:54 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs
Incorrect
According to the AP style book it is acceptable to capitalize the first word after a colon if it’s a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. You’re correct that in this instance the first word shouldn’t be capitalized, but that’s not always the case.
by Lance Uppercut on Aug 27, 2009 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs
We think the Blazers, as a team and an organization, are the newest darlings of the NBA.
In reality, we’re a young team that’s doing well and was one-and-done in the playoffs.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
oh, and a lot of teams, as well as their fan bases, hate us.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
I don't think many teams hate us
The communities of Canis Hoopus, Blog-a-Bull, Silver Screen and Roll and maybe a couple other blogs dislike BEdge and the Blazers, but not teams or entire fan bases. That’s my view anyway.
though I certainly imagine plenty of league executives find KP and Larry Miller annoying.
Perhaps that’s what you meant.
They may not hate our team
but they are growing to hate a certain breed of Blazer fans.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
by jscot on Aug 27, 2009 2:58 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think you're on the mark. Rec.
Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave
Also: COMCAST SUCKS!
Where did this copy of Excell just come from?
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 Aug 27, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Canis Hoopus folks don't hate you
Not at all.
On the whole I think the SB Nation umbrella manages to keep a pretty danged civil conversation going, within and amongst the various team sites.
Blazers fans aren’t much hated around the league. A sense of pouting entitlement is what gets people truly hated, and I think intelligent fans remember the Jailblazers era too well to feel like Portland can take winning for granted. (Now, Knicks fans who inexplicably think every star player wants to play for them, well, that’s pretty obnoxious.)
To be honest
i think alot of communities like the blazers in terms of the players you have. Brandon Roy, Rudy, Aldridge is pretty good, feel sorry for oden, joel Pryz is an awesome backup center, bayless is exciting…but as for everything else you said its correct (if people hate your “team” they mean your organization and the fanbase that follows it)
There was a post posted in alot of blogs asking about your second favorite team…i didnt answer but i almost typed the blazers….i then realized i couldnt care less about your team in general but loved the group of guys you had assembled…whether your team won or lost would never affect my hapiness one way or another…i wouldnt mind having my favorite players play on your team, and i wouldnt mind taking guys like rudy or roy off your team and onto the bulls…but i could never love your organization or want be a solid memeber of your fan base (no offense)
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
Is that the best....or the worst
they both sound negative
"I'm tired" -Me
by 92wastheyear on Aug 27, 2009 12:11 AM PDT up reply actions
the worst part
is trying to go to BE and having either the server, or my web connection down.
Senior Asian ambassador of Blazers Edge
We Blazer fans are unique in a few ways
I think the best is that we absorb immense amounts of information about the team – good or bad we hunger for more. It is one thing that keeps building BE momentum – the amazing breadth and depth of analysis and information here from so many. The good of that is that we quickly dismiss ignorant observations or even challenge them on a national basis. Even when some are going to extremes there are plenty more who can calm the waters.
I think the worst is that we think it is all about us (our team) all the time. Too often a great play by an opponent goes unappreciated because they are an opponent. Basketball is a beautiful sport. The sheer power and grace can come from any player. In the early years we didn’t come to watch the Blazers. We knew they were not going to win. We came to watch the great players of the league. Somehow that appreciation for others can get lost a bit by some in our rabid homerism.
I disagree with your worst
I am sure there are instances where good plays have gone unapplauded but they are not unappreciated. People come out for Lebron, Wade, Howard, Nowitski, Parker, Duncan, and Kobe. The Rose Garden is electric when the games greats are in town.
I think most Blazer fans in the Rose Garden understood they were witnessing a pretty significant moment when Mutombo went down in Game 2 of the Rocket series last season. Not just for the impact it could have on the Blazers winning, but they were aware he was a great defensive player over the course of his career and a great contributor to the world through his charity work. You could hear the buzz in the crowd as he was being examined on the court.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
Do you think they would have been the same if it were Bruce Bowen?
I did not mean to include all fans but most fans don’t go the the games and I believe what I said about a significant share applies.
An example from the past: Slick Watts and Larry Steele. Neither are names that remain in the lexicon on the NBA today but if the few years they played and in the games they played against each other the fans who did see them likely remembered the intense battle they had defensively. Both were in the top 5 in steal% for several years with each winning the crown at least once (we are talking about 3 steals a game!). Of course Slick played for Seattle and Larry played for Portland so the head-to-head just added the intensity to the Northwest rivalry. We hated Slick at the time but we talked around the coffee counter about his amazing quickness and during the game we sat electrified when on offense with the potential that Slick would come up with another steal!
Yo Yo
The best of the Blazer fan is the willingness to see the team as good and bad parts. (that doesn’t necessarily pertain to me). We are willing to get into friendly debates about the good and bad of those said parts.
The worst is the name calling of players and front office. The criticism is natural but the name calling comes out as hatred to me.
hg
It's simple
The best thing about Blazer fans is: they aren’t L*ker fans.
The worst thing about being a Blazer fan: we have to put up with L*ker fans several times a season.
by JonathanPDX on Aug 27, 2009 3:45 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
best and worst
worst goes first…
Debating on the O-Live forum.
best…
Discussions and in-depth, thoughtful analysis from the casual to rabid Blazer fan on the almighty Blazersedge. Never dull, and never negative. It represents the fans and the city as a whole… intelligent and progressive.
Some wurst to chew on
Impatience – expecting Oden to be a hall of famer coming off microfracture in his rookie season, expecting Bayless to be a starting pg, and giving up on them too early.
Flip side: Expecting a player to have quantum level leaps in performance after he’s been in the league 5 years or more and sticking with a player way too long.
Inferioity complex vis-a-vis the Lakers and their fans. Trust me, as a former Laker fan born in L.A., I know they don’t spend 1% of the energy thinking about the Blazers as Blazer fans spend thinking about them. Come on Blazer fan, act like you belong there.
by LaughingJon on Aug 27, 2009 5:46 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
I agree with you for the most part Jon.....
however, two things. One: Your a former laker fan and now current blazer fan? Isnt that like going from satanic worship to bible thumping? LOL Kidding
Two: "Inferioity complex vis-a-vis the Lakers and their fans. Trust me, as a former Laker fan born in L.A., I know they don’t spend 1% of the energy thinking about the Blazers as Blazer fans spend thinking about them. " I see where you are coming from but look at it in this light……We hate the L@kers, hate may not be a strong enough word. They are one of, if not the most storied franchise in NBA history(man i just puked a little) and we have all of one title in our history, so its similar to the little brother, big brother dynamic.
Big brother is doing his own thing and rarely thinks about little brother. Little brother is frantically trying to better the older brother simply because he is the older brother who has picked on him his whole life. I have three older brothers myself and hate each and everyone of them when it comes to competition. Its not as though we dont act like we dont belong we just hate them and want to beat them in the worst way possable. This may be both the best and worst thing about us as fans IMO.
by blazerbeliever97504 on Aug 27, 2009 6:56 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Great synerial
I was the little bother. I spent years trying to be the best. As we got older there was things he did better and things that I did better. The competition finally dropped off, but I think I miss it. Same thing with the Lakers, If the Lakers like Seattle cease to exist BB would be less exciting. Although we still have Utah.
hg
Yeah, I agree.
And I look forward to the day when the Blazers have several more titles in their pockets and fans can reach that point where little brother has grown up and no longer has to compete with big brother because they’re both men in their own right. In the mean time little brother is as annoying as a little yippy dog.
Blazers fan needs to stop showing off that he can finally drink beer in front of mom and dad, stop challenging married-with-children-older-brother to skittle bowl because his life won’t be fulfilled until he beats him, and focus on his own maturing to a more important thing, like an NBA title.
You're right, I didn't really kill him, I just beat him.
Or did you mean that I threw litter on him?
by MiledAnimal on Aug 27, 2009 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Is "litterly" when you murder the dude and leave his body for the crows???
"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
Sox fans know about being the little brother...
As a Red Sox fan, big brother, father of two boys (one definitely the big brother and one definitely the little one), and life-long sports addict, I think you are right on..
Sox fans HATE the Yankees, their fans, and (most of them) everything about New York… It’s in our genes and reinforced from generation to generation. And of course they’re easy to hate: 20-something titles to our… one in 1918… But it goes deeper than baseball. New York is the big city to our (still pretty big) small (er) city. They have Broadway and Times Square. We have the Broadway train station right near Copley Square. Oh, we love our city. It’s got a rich history, lots of college kids, lots of bars, and it is a great sports town. But we LOVE it when New York sucks, and their fans whine.
Now, that emotion is different when I think about the Lakers, because the Celtics WERE the big brother, and at least are still a peer (twin)? So, I hate the Lakers TWICE as much as you native Blazer fans (from the Boston and Portland angle), but I can hate them knowing that my team has, and will again, take them down. (OK, so maybe there is some ‘kill the big brother’ emotion seeping in there too…)
other side of the Lxker/Selznick coin
The Selznicks spent most of the 20th century killing the Lakers, especially when I was playing for them. Only Magic/Kareem/Worthy could break through against David O. in the finals. The Selznicks stunted my childhood. I will resent them forever.
Besides: Tom Heinsohn. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
Best is easy
I think it’s have to be our appreciation of statistical work done. While there are the usual suspects here (jscot, PoliSam, Norsk, etc), pretty much anyone who presents a post that does in any depth analyzing something makes the rec list, so the poster at least gets “rewarded” for the effort put forth, even if many people here may not agree with the concluisions. I know that personally, while I may not agree with some of ULC’s conclusions about Bayless’s season, I like that the culture here is that he makes his case at least with some numbers rather than just the “you’re wrong, because I’ve watched basketball for 20 years, and I can just see he has IT and you’re blind if you can’t see that too”.
I thought about the worst for a while, but I think it has to be the excessive arrogance we have about the Blazers and ourselves as fans. I think the worst example of this was with the whole StR flap at the end of last season when BEdgers swamped their game threads and a blazers fan posted something along the lines of “How can you complain, we get like 1000 posts in our game threads, you should just be happy to have us”. It manifests in other ways, often with a lot of dismissive posts about other teams trade posts or fanshots along the lines of “LOL, Bulls fans think they can get Rudy for Hinrich, what a joke”, followed by a few BEdgers swamping BaB to tell them that the only way they’re getting Rudy is if we get Rose.
Note, I didn’t mean to go too harsh there on the worst, I know there are a sizable portion of fans (possibly a strong majority) that don’t do any of these things. I never posted there, but I’d check out thedreamshake during the playoffs and there was some solid convo there between Blazer and Rockets fans, so it might not be the rule, but it’s a big enough percentage to turn me off of more than a few threads.
by Royster on Aug 27, 2009 6:51 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I think you stated the 'worst'
very well. Trolls are trolls, regardless of whether they are Blazer fans, and they need to be called out for what they are.
The worst.
It wasn't the first time I'd been kicked in the cherries and called a rat by a woman, but it was the first time I didn't mind.
Best: supportive, passionate
Worst: small-town mentaility, ie overvaluing our own players, worrywarting over silly things (see: Brandon Roy contract negotiations)
Blazer Fan
P.S. My worst isn't limited to a Blazer fan problem but actually describes the city of Portland as a whole
And don’t get me wrong, I love it here and I’ve lived here all my life. Still, the complete and utter inability of this city to think above and beyond keeps me from loving it as much as I could. When I see people making the argument that we can’t support MLB because people won’t go watch triple A baseball it makes me want to bang my face against a wall repeatedly. Stop small-timing me for God’s sakes.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Aug 27, 2009 7:21 AM PDT up reply actions
we can't support MLB because there is no stadium
the citizens of the city will not pay taxes for such a building. We wouldn’t have the Rose Garden if it were not for the deep pockets of Mr. Allen. So if we are going to have MLB, some angel with bags of money will have to build it – then we will come.
On a side note, I hate Merritt Paulsen for a couple of reasons, one of which is he booted the Beavers out of his soccer stadium and didn’t come up with a contingency plan for them. It’s pretty tough when the owner of the franchise isn’t going to provide for its health. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
Where as I applaud Merritt Paulsen for taking the Beavers out of that obnoxious, decrepit ad for our power company and putting them out in suburbia where they can get a legit AAA stadium. This assumes the City I grew up in doesn’t drop the ball. Wishful thinking.
Fine, the OLP album grew on me. It's defiantly change.
If they are successful in moving to Beaverton
and are still named the Portland Beavers and not, god help us, the Beaverton Beavers, all will be forgiven. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
I went to a Beavs game a couple weeks ago
during the Blazers family night. Can you explain to me why minor league baseball is something we should want?
Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"
it's a heartbeat from the major leagues
it gives us a chance to see the developing players of not only the Padres, but of all the other AAA teams that come to town to play ball.
OK, so it’s like watching professional basketball in Boise. But, hey. They still pitch, run, hit, throw, field at an incredible skill level. Try watching a high school game the same day as a Beaver game and dig the difference.
As long as Tacoma is a AAA team, they will be the Mariners’ farm. But if Portland ever got a chance to be the Mariners’ farm and could really establish a relationship, you’d have a real regional juggernaut there, and Portland fans could follow the big team and the farm team. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
Portland shouldn't go out of its way for an MLB team
because while it may be large enough to keep the team alive, it isn’t large enough to make the team competitive. Small market teams get KILLED in MLB.
Sure… nobody wants to watch Triple A.. But I for one am not interested in a team that loses 90 games year after year (think Royals, Rockies, Tampa Bay, Padres, Pirates, Ms). I think that is the destiny over the long haul for any team that can’t throw out money with the big boys.
Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"
Colorado Rockies are proving you wrong this season
Their $75m payroll is catching up quickly with my Dodgers and their $100m payroll. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
moreover
because I love saying Moreover: Moneyball is a great way for the Mariners to go. Pitching, defense, and a bunch of guys that hit doubles and triples instead of homers is the way they should go in Safeco Field. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
agreed, but it goes beyond trolling other sites
I’m thinking specifically about a post that a guy from Canis Hoopus made here a few weeks ago about trading #5 and Love for Oden (I think?), and while I thought there was no way we should make that trade, I think you could see where the poster was coming from, but it really just descended into a lot of comments asking if it was a joke and about how Love is destined to be a backup scrub and we already have the future best PF in the NBA. Maybe that had a fair amount to do with Love’s relationship with UO fans, but it rubbed me the wrong way, even if I agreed that the trade was awful for us.
Rats, meant as a reply to shenanigans comment
about trolls.
Apropos example
Really what it does is show the similarities between the Portland and Minnesota fans. Similar markets, similar tendency to overvalue their own assets, etc. Similar bristling defensiveness.
Trash talk probably isn’t unique to anyone’s fan base….
la la la la la la la
nope didn’t hear it , won’t read it again, can’t listen to it neither….
HERESY!!!
Burn them Burn them!!!
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
"New Man Law: If you don't show up for the draft you don't get to come later if you're picked. If you believe in yourself, show up and sit there. If nobody else believes in you, take it and cry like a man...in front of the cameras."
-Dave
Best and worst at the same time:
Blazer fans’ ubiquitous internet presence. This is only the case in the last few years or so.
Back in the '80's
… our Internet presence sucked.
quid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur
by dvcastle on Aug 27, 2009 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
WORST/BEST
You’re all skinny, I miss my Cardinals fans that can put down a loaded Cecil Whitakers pizza, cleanse their palate with hot wings, and wash it all down with Busch heavy. Of course you’ll live a lot longer. In all honesty, it seems like there is some derision in our fan base. We don’t so much unite at games as tolerate each other until Brandon drains a 38 foot game winner. Then it turns into the end of Major League with punk rockers hugging CEO’s. But, you know the rich guys checking his pockets to make sure he still has his wallet and the hipster still thinks the guys a tool shed. Again this is probably my fault for spending a majority of my income on 100 level tickets.
BEST- The diehards, doesn’t matter when you became one, you can tell when someones infected.
wanderlust
by gatajohn on Aug 27, 2009 8:03 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
My best and worst
Best – The camaradarie among Blazer fans. Whether it’s here on BlazersEdge, on another internet forum, sitting in the stands at Summer League or wherever – there’s a friendly connection between Blazer fans. Men and women with little or nothing else in common find that their ‘love’ for the team gives them a connection. Granted, this is true to some extent with fans of other teams. But I’ve sat in the Laker section of Summer League games and had nobody try to carry on a conversation with me. I’ve done the same in the Chicago section, the Clipper section – and sat there quietly. I could have been a fan of those teams, but nobody would ever know. Yet I’ve never sat quietly in the Blazer section, because even when I don’t start the conversation, somebody always reaches out to talk to me – asking if I’m a fan of the Blazers. And it’s not like I wear Blazer clothing – I don’t own a jersey (yeah, I need to get one) and my Blazer T-shirts are all 15-20 years old so I don’t put them on any more. The Blazer fans reach out to me even though there is no more indication that I’m a Blazer fan than a fan of the Lakers, Bulls or Clippers.
Worst – the wearing of the Rose-Garden-colored glasses. I’m as guilty of this as anyone. Blazer fans will defend their team and their players strenuously. Sometimes too strenuously. I remember defending Ruben Patterson, Rasheed Wallace, Zach Randolph, Qyntel Woods. I remember reading posts on Internet boards by other Blazer fans who defended them even more strongly than I did. I justified their behavior in the name of ‘being a fan’ and others did as well. I remember reading posts two years ago about how it was a good thing that Greg had micro-fracture surgery, so that he had the time to sit and study the game. In short, the tone of being a Blazer fan sometimes carries us too far into the category of fanaticism and we don’t see things objectively or clearly.
by Storyteller on Aug 27, 2009 8:13 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Best/Worst
The worst thing about Blazer fans is that they are terribly unproductive. They spend all their time on Blazersedge and get a fraction of the things done that they should…. Or maybe that’s just me?
The best thing about Blazer fans is their willingness to show up to support the team. Examples are showing up at Pioneer Place for Greg Oden and/or meeting a little known, (outside of Portland fans) foreign, rookie at the airport.
by lilseal18 on Aug 27, 2009 8:28 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs
I also get very little accomplished
due to my obession with any and all things Blazers related.
Big D from Blog-A-Bull - "Pritchard is such a genius that teams just give him players for free."
Greg Oden - The only other rookie with more than 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 65 blocks in under 1400 minutes played. Since 1946
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Aug 27, 2009 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions
So Far...
my employer has not added b-edge to SmartFilter…if they do, I’m not sure how I’d get through the day…
Well I glad that my company is small
enough to not need programs like that… Phew!
Big D from Blog-A-Bull - "Pritchard is such a genius that teams just give him players for free."
Greg Oden - The only other rookie with more than 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 65 blocks in under 1400 minutes played. Since 1946
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Aug 27, 2009 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Best: passion. Worst: arrogance
Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave
Also: COMCAST SUCKS!
by TwoDeep on Aug 27, 2009 8:42 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That's good.
"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
I'll play the game for the Blazers and the Lakers, which might be interesting in tandem, or not.
BLAZER FANS
Best: Fanatical devotion to the team that ends up generating really original analysis unequalled by any team in the NBA.
Worst: An obsession with every player on the team, 1-to-15, which leads to a barrage, a landslide, a typhoon of inane trade suggestions.
LAKER FANS
Best: A calm, laid back confidence about their team that yields a different sort of joy of victory than that felt by those who are tensely microanalytic and obsessive.
Worst: A preposterous and almost intolerable arrogance and sense of entitlement that leads many to see the NBA in terms of a small handful of marquee teams, half of which are in the East.
"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
Best: The passionate devotion to the team
Worst: The severe small man martyr complex the fanbase has as a hivemind.
by zaruga on Aug 27, 2009 8:53 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
goodie
The best thing about Blazer fans is our dedication and loyalty. If you are a hard worker (Brian Grant, Chris Dudley, Joel Przybilla, dare I say Joe Wolf) we will embrace you and cheer loudly for you when you enter the game. I think this city respects garbage men and blue collar players more so than other flashier cities. We are Portland, we are from a small town relative to the rest of the NBA, and we are passionate about our team and it’s players.
The worst thing about Blazer fans is the small mindedness. Dude above me hit the nail on the head " the severe small man martyr complex the fanbase has as a hivemind" is poetry, and amply sums up my feelings on the subject.
Fine, the OLP album grew on me. It's defiantly change.
Nice topic
Dave, thanks for starting this discussion. I think that it’s a great thing for us to think about and be more aware of our shortcomings. I’m going to speak only for myself.
Best: I have a blast being a Blazers fan. I love being able to strike up a conversation with people in bars, restaurants, the park or the airport about the team. And far more often than not, I feel like people have a lot well-considered opinions to offer.
Worst: There are times that I cringe when I read the comments on message boards. O-Live is the worst. B.E. has gotten MUCH better in the last 6 months or so. And in fairness and full disclosure, I’ve been involved in ugly comments-section arguments on another webpage, and I sincerely regret it.
Sometimes our collective passion about the team gets in the way of letting us enjoy the team. I’ve had times where I’ve had to remind myself that the team is not a reflection of me and that if my overall pleasure derived from being a fan is outweighed by stress and anguish that I shouldn’t bother following them any more.
This last observation isn’t limited to Blazers fans or myself, but I think that it’s sound advice. We should be able to use a better metric to measure the team’s performance than by the relative shortcomings or success of other players and teams. The most glaring example of when this goes wrong is the insipid Oden vs. Durant debate. I’ve seen way too many people hope that Durant fails in the NBA, as if that would prove that Oden is better. It would be better for us to hope that Oden succeeds than to hope that Durant fails.
Best and Worst
The best is all that flows from being a one-team town. The insane passion because there are no divided loyalties (Timbo excepted). For example, in Seattle, you had Seahawk fans that might also be casually interested in the Sonics, or Mariner fans with the same casual interest. Blazer fans in Portland have one outlet; the Blazers. Blazer fans know that even when they disagree with each other (and that is often about some obscure stat of a bench-bound role player), they know they are bonded by their love of their primary team.
The worst flows from the very same thing; being a one-team town. Since our team is placed on that wonderful pedestal, we tend to want everyone else in the world to worship it as we do. And when they don’t, they are the enemy. They are stupid, and we are not the least bit shy in telling them so. The fact that this is the worst thing about Blazer fans in general doesn’t mean it’s not right to do so. ;-)
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
Best: the awesome, thunderous roar of the crowd before any home L*ker game
Worst: the dude in the red velvet running suit that stands right in front of me during every minute of every game he attends.
quid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur
Best: We don't set the town on fire and overturn cars when we win a championship.
Worst: We’re frustrated because we don’t get many opportunities to test our self-control.
by MiledAnimal on Aug 27, 2009 9:30 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Best:
Obviously the best thing about our fans is loyalty. Many NBA cities don’t support their team(s). Lots of arenas are half-empty. We could be playing the Bobcats at home and still sellout games. I honestly believe going to a game at the Rose Garden is easily one of the five best arena experiences you could have in this league. Because we’re a one-sport town, we also tend to know everything about our guys. We cringed last year when Sergio looked flustered or made a bad decision and cheered whenever Oden did something positive.
We know all of our guys. Even the guys who play 2-3 minutes a night and are outside of the traditional rotation. Hell, a good number of us even know a bit about international players we drafted, who aren’t even in the NBA yet. So the best thing about Blazers fans is quality over quantity. We may not be in a huge market, but our fans make a big impact on the team. Some teams praise their fan support with 6th man banners, etc etc. When the Blazers organization does it (shows appreciation), we know they mean it.
Worst:
I’ll agree with Dave here.
Our worst quality is becoming too attached to mediocre professionals like a Sergio or Frye. Another example are guys who simply don’t work in this system (yet), like a Bayless. It’s difficult for some to point out what’s wrong because we’re sometimes loyal to a fault. We want to find the best in each guy and look for upside, no matter how negative and objective the outside criticism is. Everytime someone slammed Sergio last year, I read posts from fans praising his good play and insisting he could end up working out. He just needs more playing time right? Bayless may be a tweener but he could be a championship quality starting point guard!! Right? Right?? Bueller?
I don’t think this has much of an affect on the Blazers organization as a whole. Sergio and Frye are gone now, despite their fan “upsides”. Outlaw and Bayless seem like the next candidates to follow, though they are much better players than those two. If you read that last sentence and felt a tinge of defensiveness (for TO & JB), you might be one of these zealous fans. There’s nothing wrong with appreciating our players, but I’m also a realist. Everytime I think about our guys from a team building standpoint, I imagine the Finals trophy celebration at mid-court. Which of our Blazers do you envision being part of something special like winning a championship? Who will give us quality playoff minutes outside of our starting rotation? Be in fair with your praise.
Regarding Hedo Türkoğlu:
Look at the bright side, Blazers fans -- you dodged a bullet. He peaked statistically two years ago. He's allegedly 30 but could be closer to 32 or 33 for all we know. (Do you trust Turkish birth certificates? And isn't it weird that he played four years of pro ball in Turkey in the 1990s?)
- Bill Simmons of ESPN.com
Well...
best is incredable analysis, insight, work ethic, by which I can be entertained . The worst is negativity directed at our own players and our own fans at times.
Rudy Tootie..... I just don't get it
Tweener
I think Dave's "Best" covers it pretty well, Blazermania is spectacular
But in terms of “Worst” it has to be the Black Cloud that seems to hang over Blazer fans, raining on all the fires of optomism, the willingness of Blazer fans to expect defeat and only be able to envision doom, a la the Brandon Roy contract deal, and Oden’s injuries/mood.
The Rose Garden is falling!
The Rose Garden is falling!
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.
Yeah, that's 100% of what I was trying to say about the difference with Laker fans above...
Blazer fans are so wrapped up in it, so tightly wound, that they can’t even enjoy a good win. There’s a sexual metaphor to be made, but probably best not fully made here…
Laker fans aren’t so SCIENTIFIC about their love, so they may seem more superficial, but they can also appreciate a good roll in the hay better…
When things go bad, it’s THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!!!! for Blazer fans, whereas Laker fans are like, awwww, screw it, those bums got lucky we’ll kill them next time — and it’s on to the next game…
"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
I think part of what you're identifying
is the championship difference. It would be interesting to compare, say, L*kers fans and Spurs fans. Does the one-team, small-town thing bring as much stress in San Antonio? Are Spurs fans closer to Blazer fans or L*kers fans as a whole?
I think once you’ve won a couple trophies things get more laid back because you have a broad base to plant your feet on. The Blazers are attempting to scale great heights on the historical equivalent of one stilt. That’s going to involve more tension and back-and-forth swinging than just riding an elevator up a skyscraper.
—Dave
Worst-Under appreciating what a great owner the team has!
Man! How lucky are we that he didn’t sell the team a few years back? If I had the chance to say one thing to Mr. Allen, it would be THANKS. And then I’d ask him what his favorite Star Trek episode was, and then if I could use his yaht for the weekend before they drug me away kicking and sreaming……
2-4 the who
Flip sides of the same coin
My favorite thing about Blazers fans is the ‘only game in town’ positive passion that the team generates. But because it’s that I think it also generates a critical, constantly breathing-down-their-neck fishbowl environment around the team which doesn’t appeal to me at all. They are entertainers, not heroes.
Best, we know our team is going to kick @$$ when the season starts, and don't care what other fans think !!
Worst, the bi-polar fans who surfaced during the Odenization last year. Too bad they didn’t all jump, we may see more in coming years.
Hmmm, not to hard
Best: I am a blazer fan, as are you
Worst: we can be a bit impatient and expect to much to fast or expect unrealistic things to happen because us as fans think they should
Many good ones so far
Best: The gorgeous and intelligent female fans.
Worst: Each year the fans seems to pick one or two players to hate and scapegoat (Jack, Sergio, Outlaw) for every loss or error, then belittle any Blazers fan who is willing to accept that every player on the roster is not going to be perfect.
by tominhawaii on Aug 27, 2009 2:38 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
Former Blazers
We applaud appreciatively when former Blazers return in opposing uniforms.
Except for Rasheed, Bonzi and D-Miles.
I, for one, will throw a HUGE shoutout to Sergio and Channing!!
Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"
by T$ 225 on Aug 27, 2009 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Best: Yes, Blazer fans are the best.
Worst: High BANDWAGON percentage. It’s nice to have a growing fan base, but seriously, where did all these people come from?
Remember..
Nobody wants to watch or follow a turd. If the organization (trader-Bob) puts a turd on the floor, why would I be loyal and watch, let alone pay tickets to go see them? It’s not about strict loyalty. It’s also about not rewarding management for making poor mistakes. You don’t fill up the Rose Garden when ’Sheed is throwing towels at Sabas or J.R. Rider gets pulled over again for possession. You do what everyone else did and you force Paul Allen to make changes.
Mr. Allen made changes, and so fans came back out of the woodwork. These aren’t bandwagon fans. In fact it’s quite the opposite. These are the fans who enjoyed the Clyde Drexler era Blazers. The fans who grew up with that team. You WANT these kind of fans, because they show Blazers management what we expect.
Regarding Hedo Türkoğlu:
Look at the bright side, Blazers fans -- you dodged a bullet. He peaked statistically two years ago. He's allegedly 30 but could be closer to 32 or 33 for all we know. (Do you trust Turkish birth certificates? And isn't it weird that he played four years of pro ball in Turkey in the 1990s?)
- Bill Simmons of ESPN.com
Best: The string of 10 consecutive championship seasons we are about to begin
Worst: I’ve heard somebody say before that we expect too much, but they were clearly insane. That is the worst part about Blazer fans – some are insane and don’t believe we will win the next 10 titles.
Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"
Best: Passion
Worst: Insanity.. We need to win something before idiots post we are going to have a decade long string of 10 titles in a row on every ESPN, YahooSports, FoxSports website. Relax people..
by GreatOden'sRaven on Aug 27, 2009 4:09 PM PDT reply actions
Best: A knowledgeable and passionate fanbase
Worst: The fact that I’m so sexy
"Should I ask? What's a punani?" - by annthefan on May 3, 2009 1:55 PM
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Aug 27, 2009 4:29 PM PDT reply actions
Gimme two more cents, prices are up all over!!!
"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
My $.02 ...
BEST – The atmosphere at the RG. I love the energy when that place is rockin’.
WORST – Could we get a little more like the SeaGals and less like the BlazerDancers of the last few years.
Thats the best I could come up with for worst. Everything about the team and the fans is great right now. I don’t buy into the “we over-value our players” talk. We value skilled young players with potential. No fault in that.
by 52therim on Aug 27, 2009 5:59 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
money talks
pay the girls more, and they will be more beautiful. – Elgin
Without you out there, we're nowhere here
Best: Rose Garden experience, especially during introductions of the first playoff game in 5 years…
Worst: Some fans are far too oversensitive towards other fans opinions of our own players. If you don’t like something about the way Blazer X’ plays or acts, you are a “hater” and considered an a-hole….
Best thing? The unwavering love for our team
Worst? Having as fans to maintain such an elevated level of awesomeness
if you watch Rambo in reverse, Sly is healing everyone with his magical, bullet-sucking vacuum
by Tyler Durrden on Aug 28, 2009 6:47 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I'll try it out...
Best: the degree to which us Blazer fans as a whole are knowledgeable about the team’s history and its current players. I’ve been posting on this site for about a year and the discussions I’ve seen and participated in with the loyal and intelligent fans on here have only made me love these guys more.
Worst: I am legitimately worried that once these guys start winning championships (and I believe that will happen in the next 5 years), Blazer fans are going to become basketball’s answer to Red Sox Nation and become the most annoying fanbase in the league. Already we’ve made enemies of a few other team blogs with our endless talk about “Pritchslapping” and how good-character all our guys are, and while I enjoy all that stuff because it’s true, I totally see how fans of other teams would resent that.
im late but...
best: consistently overrating blazer players
worst: consistently underrating other teams’ players.
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