I REALLY want to see them in the playoffs this year, because there is simply no better test to see where this team is at. Heck, give us the Spurs in the first round. If they bludgeon us for 4 straight games, then we'll know we've got a ways to go, and the team will be pumped about working hard to get there. But if we actually give them a series? Well then lookout world, because it'll be "no fear" next time around ... In fact, they might even be the ones saying "Oh man, we have to play THOSE guys?" I would freaking LOVE to be "the team that other teams hate to play." We haven't been that team for a VERY long time ...

What would it mean for me? Well, it might mean I have to convince my wife to move back to Portland.

I want it for them, not for me.  I didn't care one way or the other about the playoffs at the beginning of the season but unless January is deadly I'll be disappointed if they can't pull it off.  I don't want to do it at the expense of playing Oden or trading someone, so if that's what it takes, I'll wait.

But to be in the middle of the rebirth of Blazermania, where you can't hear yourself scream and you exchange high fives with perfect strangers is pretty special.  To have been at the Rose Garden during "the streak", to watch these guys beat teams they aren't expected to beat, to watch them grow up right in front of me has already created mountains of memories and I don't need the playoffs to make this season extraordinary.  (And to sit & discuss all this with a bunch of young men half my age - and others - makes it all pretty amusing too.)

Even though they are on track to make it to the playoffs; if, of course they keep playing the way they have been.  I am really just looking forward to next season and seeing Oden on the floor playing with these guys.   Just the chance of having everyone healthy for the playoffs next year, we will be talking about our chances of winning it all!!

    How would I feel and what would I do? That's simple, I'd be happy, I'd be proud. I think returning to the playoffs is official validation of what at least we know as Blazer fans, The Blazers are back. I'd watch KP shave his head, I'd watch Charles Barkley scratch his, I'd root like hell for The Blazers while all the time realizing that even if we end up "going fishing" on TNT, that the best is yet to come, and that's a great thing to be able to say, playoffs or no playoffs.  

It would also be more valuable than playing positions 9-13 on the bench more minutes during the regular season.  Going into the playoffs next year or the year after as contenders with at least some playoff experience would be huge.

Right now though, I'm not really thinking about the playoffs. The furthest ahead I'm looking is the January schedule.  Realistically, the Golden State game is as far ahead as I want to think about.  I want to see them win this last home game before starting off on the road trip.

I'm just enjoying the fact Portland is winning games and doing so in exiting fashion.  Best of all they are doing it while having fun and as a team.  They truly appear to be a group of guys that like each other and enjoy playing the game with their teammates.  I'm loving the fact they are developing a confidence in their ability to win every game they play.  This has been particularly apparent in their winning games with either LaMArcus or Roy out, as well as the previous two games - winning in Minn when they semed to lack energy and then beating Chicago on the road in double OT the very next night.

The only fly in the ointment - I don't get to see games up here in Seattle.  Too bad teams can't think outside the box.  Sonics and Blazer games should be available in both markets.  

Now, if you're asking me to balance my objectives as a fan with the reality of this team, I gotta say again: we are a playoff-caliber team. We're at least on the cusp with a group of 3 or 4 teams, at least 2 or 3 of which are definitely goinig to make the playoffs.

But you know what? I wouldn't be disappointed if we don't make the playoffs. If we don't it'll be because the gaps in our team are just too much to overcome, and we knew about those gaps all along anyway. So big deal. Next year we'll have a better go at it.

I want to see us make it for one reason:  playoff games are fun!

I wouldn't mind seeing us get rolled by the Spurs- that one victory we steal (if indeed it happened) would be a thrill.

A conundrum I can live with, as the beloved Timbers will be in full swing come playoff time.

My voice was not working all day Sunday, this team makes you yell and scream, so  the playoffs means me writing off a singing  career.

It is also an award for the fans. I believe they do deserve it. The family that sits in front of us who now believes in this team as they did the 77 team.

If they don't make the playoffs. life will roll on. The West is very tough.

If they make, we will be there in full force, enjoying it for what its worth.  Its fun these days to walk into a store and people are talking about Martell's third quarter.

I love garlic mashed potatoes and the only thing that can make them better is to add gravy.  42 wins would be my garlic mashed potatoes and making the playoffs would be my gravy.  

The playoffs this year are not as important to me as the 42 wins.  I just want progress from last year.  If they do make the playoffs this year, I would be ecstatic and would probably have to take some personal days from works, so I could watch the games.  It would have the potential to be the highlight of my summer.  Besides watching the game, I do not know if I would do anything different.  I would not be able to go to the games because I have to save my vacation for my sister in law's wedding in late October.

But what I want to say is that this team has ALREADY achieved things that even the most die-hard Blazer fan would never have believed were possible this year.

This team is achieving not only team records, but LEAGUE records, seemingly some new obscure record is being broken with every win.

This team has shown it can achieve beyond the wildest dreams of its fans. So why not dream big?

The first (and only) championship came out of nowhere. We were completely overmatched against a team for the ages (Philly) in '77, until a nasty fight turned our year around. Why can't this be history repeating itself?

You ask me why will we miss the playoffs, and I ask you why WON'T we win a championship?

Sure. The impossible dream. But this team HAS NOT YET hit the ceiling. So who knows how high it is? Perhaps this 7-game road trip will show us.

This team has had a special season thus far.  It's had people scratching their heads and left wondering.  It'll take something special to really awaken this city to it's team again as the blazers have done such a complete job of alienating it's fan base.  I know old fans that still despise the players and I don't think they're going away unless something drastic can change that.

this means perfection.  This means continuing this streak and playing hard and refusing to die.  It means making the play-offs against all odds and giving teams a run for their money.

How perfect of a story would this be?  How much vindication in national media?  How many times would the story be played so that those in portland would hear it over and over again?

This city has been spurned and burned by the blazers, how great if instead of underachieving we smother teams with our perfection of team play and overachieve?

I don't think we'll make the finals because there already exist two excellent REAL teams in San Antonio and the spurs and the east coast has Detroit and maybe the Celtics.

Still, to make it to the second round is VERY doable and would be a HUGE lift for the fans.  

The Team:

This team needs to continue to learn about winning, and that means... winning.  This team already plays like a team that's learned what it's like to be a winner.  Making the play-offs means that we continue to learn and develop.  It means that we have real play-off and pressure experience.  It means that we have more to look forward to next year.

It means this team will come back hungrier because they will believe stronger that the next year they can be closer to their rings and domination.

It means that in 2009-2010 i need to be back in portland with my season tickets to watch the blazers win it all.

The dream:

I'd love to see the blazers win it all.  Another story line of three great stars going against a team oriented team.  I love to see us come back and topple the Celtics.

I don't know how I'd get tickets, but I'd get them and I would take that time period off from work to go to every single finals game and possibly fly to boston.

How special would this young season be after that?  How driven would the players be to taste that again.  How many fans across the country would be able to embrace this team in success and spirit of character?

Summary:

The blazers should make it because it emphasizes everything that has been done right and it finally changes the perspective of the country.  It purges the name of Jailblazers from the story lines because now, they're the new blazers.

In short... it'd be really damn cool.

* You know Denver will have health issues with
   KMart and Camby, etc.

      Bring back our Blazers !!! Coincast sucks !

GO BLAZERS!!!

And so far, that belief has become reality almost every time since December 2nd.

All they have to do is keep believing, and keep winning. You string enough wins together, and eventually they MAKE you stop playing, and put rings on your fingers.

Ultimately, some team is going to have to step up and show they can beat the Blazers in a 7-game series. I have no doubt of this.

San Antonio would be tough. Boston? Perhaps even tougher. But stranger things have happened, and the season ain't over 'til it's over.

Be patient, Blazer fans!  We've got a great thing and many rings are coming to us.  This year, we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg.  Whatever happens will be irrelevant in five years when we're getting rings on our fingers.

There are 2 types of player development:

1. Developing skills.  This means play McRoberts and letting Martell handle the ball more and seeing what Channing looks like playing 25 minutes consistently etc. etc.  

2. Experience Development.  This means playing as a pressure, seeing what Brandon Roy looks like playing 46 minutes a game, and keeping Steve Blake in the game for control.

But what came to mind was the Houston Rockets and Tracey McGrady.  They/he have plenty of playoff experience, so why do they keep sucking?  Same with Dallas, and they lost in the first round (to an exceptional team who had a brilliant game tonight).  Even the Lakers, of late, have playoff experience.  

I don't know what you want to do with this, but there it is:
Playoff Experience is not always that useful.

If the Blazers don't do well in the playoffs this season, it will be because they need GO, not because they need to learn some lessons about playoff basketball.