Grief and Anger in Blazernation

There is grief today in Portland. Grief for our loss. Grief for Brandon Roy. Most of all, grief for having to admit the future we have desperately held on to for four years is gone. Roy, Aldridge, and Oden, our big three, will never happen. The emotion, no matter in what form, is strong and hard to face for some. Others are relieved. I may not agree with those happy to move on from Roy and possibly Oden, but we are all a part of Blazernation. We are all a part of an intense, passionate, and extremely proud fan base. A fan base that, however you look at it, was almost dead at the time Brandon Roy arrived, and brought representation of our passion to the court. So it makes sense those passionate fans have turned to arguing, misplaced anger and sometimes hateful statements leaking into almost every post. I understand where it comes from, but after reading the endless comments and reading how many negative views have been seeping through the grief, it felt time for some reflection.

This is Portland's team. No disrespect to our young impressive Timbers, but the majority of our hearts will always be invested fully in the Blazers. We have always been about the present, past and future of the Trailblazers. Most waiting patiently and hopeful the magic of our 1977 championship can be relived by new generations. We felt close with the arrival of Roy, Aldridge and the #1 pick. We took Oden. A still live wire topic that leads to Kevin Durant's name in any Oden related story. Of course, there are limitless what ifs and no way to argue against them with Oden unable to get on the court. I will say this though, Oden has never stopped working. I would join in ragging on him, chastising him, and blindly blaming him like so many, if his character and hard work had not been so consistent through this entire process. His, as they have come to be known as "setbacks", have never been a result of lack of effort, will, or commitment to getting back on the court. He has kept my faith, even though it is harder now than ever. It is a punishing and unforgiving list of let downs to have, kept and defended having, faith in Greg all along. It makes you a target for anger and venom far more often than agreement. If this is what it is to be a Greg Oden supporter in Portland, I can't imagine some of the ignorance he has faced at the hands of Blazernation as he continues to work to play for us.

We are a self admitted weird, crazy, but most of all, passionate fan base. I love that about us. But now it's time to take a step back, and see the human beings who work hard for us. Time to give blind appreciation for their effort and work, instead of blind blame. I will get anger filled comments for my views, but that is what it has become to post anything positive on Oden or the Trailblazers. So if that's what it is for a Greg Oden/Blazer supporter in Portland, no wonder experts like Henry Abbott suggest the best thing for Greg may be a change of scenery. That day of an Odenless Blazer team may be coming soon, and possibly as unexpected as Roy's departure.

The day we lost Brandon Roy came sooner than any of us could imagine a few years ago. Unfortunately, it wasn't just from Portland, but from the NBA. It seems unfair. Unfair to Brandon Roy, but largely to so many who work with, and support our team. For years I have read comments, even in what will be known as Roy's prime, that he wasn't exciting enough or good for this team. It was hard to understand where they were coming from, but it couldn't be debated that he was a winner. No matter what opinion you had of him, he was a leader with a heart that represented the passion of Blazernation. He could be monotonous, even boring for 47 minutes, but that 48th minute was his, and it gave us some of the most exciting times in Blazer history. It left Blazer fans cheering at the top of their lungs, and leaving the Rose Garden reliving every second of that final minute. It gave us all hope and promise for the future of our team. Brandon Roy's moments will never be forgotten and I hope the imprint of his strength and leadership won't fade either.

This is our team. No matter if you are for or against Oden. Want to keep every player, or start from scratch. It will always be our team. I am proud to be part of a unique group of fans that can rival the knowledge and passion of large market teams. The support large market teams find is because of their history of winning, and simply larger cities with more fans. It is always easy to support a championship winning team. It is special to support your team when they haven't won a championship in 34 years. Our fan base only matters because of how emotionally invested all of our communities are in the Blazers. We are unlike any other small market fans. We are here with praise, support, as well as strong criticism no matter if our team wins 30 games or 60. With that passion there will always come extreme views and conflicting opinions. It is what keeps us engaged, even when we doubt the direction we are going.

The chip on Portland's shoulder goes to the top of our local journalist. I didn't realize John Canzano is as talented of a writer as can be read in his recent piece on Brandon Roy. The cynical tone he takes and his extreme opinions, has led to what I consider irresponsible reporting. In some ways, it's an appropriate reflection of a portion of Blazer fans. I hope Canzano can grow as a journalist for his sake and the readers of the Oregonian, or he might have reached the height of his career already. A height that someone might take from him if he continues to alienate sports fans and athletes alike. It should be a lesson to all of us who read and contribute to blazersedge.

There comes a time to just say thanks. Thanks for what keeps Portland, Oregon on the map in sports. For the inspiring play and heart we have been fortunate to witness since the draft of 2006. We created a special city to play professional sports in and every year we pin our hopes on it being our year to return to the top. My point being, it's fine to be passionate and even speak out against our team. It is every sports fan's right. It means that you still care, but remember, your words represent a fan base, community, and a team. We should be proud, but more importantly, more responsible with our words. Happy for what we have, instead of jaded for what we lost. It seems like perspective in some of our quickly posted words has been lost not just with Blazer fans, but sports fans in general.

My views are going to differ from many fan's views. It doesn't mean because we disagree that I need to berate anyone to get make my point any more valid. Things probably won't change in Blazernation. I'm glad for most of what makes us true fans, but we should still continue to grow. I have faith in this team, organization, and Blazer-maniacs alike. We only lose if our passion fades, as it justifiably did during the Jailblazer era. When criticizing today's team, we need to keep in mind the lows we have experienced and the heights we are still capable of achieving. Right now, our main concern should be keeping our thoughts with LaMarcus as he recovers from surgery, Greg as he continues his fight his way back to the court, and Brandon with his new transition in his life. Not to turn on each other or anyone with an opinion. I still can't wait to see where this team goes, because I have faith it will keep putting character first, and winning a close second. Go Blazers.