FanPost

Do Mike&Mike (&Rebecca) Hate Andre Miller? (with Poll)

One of the ugliest things about watching a Blazer broadcast is the not so subtle way that Mike&Mike diminish Andre Miller's contributions. I could let it go if it wasn't every quarter.

In this last contest, it got absurd. Mike&Mike lauded a few good plays, did mention the importance of his 20+ points, but they kept up with the negative comparison's with Blake, kept mentioning Miller's age negatively, harping on every turnover (okay he had six), and then even got into a discussion where they called him an aging Andre Miller and claimed he couldn't drive like he used to even though he kept finishing at the rim or drawing defenders and dishing. (And you oughta be more careful, Mike Rice: they might take away your driver's license!) You gotta love Howard, veteran leader, brings it, teaches on the court. Mike&Mike love them some Howard -- and they could say the same things of Andre Miller, but there's not. Miller's iron man mentality and games played streak -- don't think he's not playing through injuries -- could be announced as a point of pride, especially in these times. Instead, when it is mentioned, it appears as a random factoid.

With Miller playing big minutes deep into the 4th, M&M started a chant about how much we were missing Steve, how the 4th quarter rotation is just unnatural with Miller out there, how we should start worrying with Miller on the floor -- like any minute, old man Miller was gonna hork up a lung. Hey! I am a Blake fan, loved it when we got the guy back from Denver, want him on the team. But Andre Miller is a better player. Not a perfect fit in that an offense that generates open perimeter shots for him that he has no business taking, but better at so many things he does do. Miller made an important contribution toward winning that game. With what else we were getting at the 1, I don't see how we win it without him.

News flash, Mike&MIke: Miller isn't Steve Blake. Playing with these guys is still pretty new to him. He was playing in a system that Nate would not change to suit him. Now that Nate's system has broken down due to injuries, Andre Miller is performing better, free to really play basketball on most of our sets. But don't ask Nate. After the game, he was asked whether the freer game he was discussing benefited Andre Miller. Nate chomped down. No. Not any more than any other player. Has our coach ever said, "I'm sorry" or "I was (get the crash cart ready) wrong"?

Which leads to my second question. Is this systematic rudeness toward one of the top-ten NBA PGs in the past decade coming out of some kind of playbook? Does this guy snap towels when you aren't looking? Stomp on feet in the shower? With all the ruckus, it's like he kills puppies.

I don't have the information together to support an answer to that -- whether he is being persecuted, c'mon the guy is way too sweet to kill puppies -- but I don't like the tenor of the comments I hear. It has gotten to the point with some fans that they don't like to hear support for Miller. Well, guess what, Andre is a Blazer. And I support our Blazers. Do you?