SB Nation User Blog: Badalona Baddie

Jerryd Bayless gets deep, real deep, talking about Oden injury

Badalona Baddie — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:55:34 -0000

Jerryd Bayless gets deep, real deep, talking about Oden injury

A rousing tribute to a teammate and friend.

Must-see vintage Blazer video: 1980 playoffs - height of Billy Ray Bates mania

Badalona Baddie — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:44:36 -0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xeGS6C-H1M

Must-see vintage Blazer video: 1980 playoffs - height of Billy Ray Bates mania

Mark Stein: Byron Scott out in N.O.

Badalona Baddie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:33:32 -0000

Mark Stein: Byron Scott out in N.O.

If true, the Blazers will be playing the Hornets in the latter's first game without their coach. Who knows how this might impact the Hornets' play.

The Jim Rome "Smack Off": Dear Lord, what are they TALKING about?

Badalona Baddie — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:52:30 -0000

The Jim Rome "Smack Off": Dear Lord, what are they TALKING about?

It's going on right now. I tuned in because I heard "Chad in Portland" from the MSP was going to be a contestant. I listened to about 20 minutes and have no idea what the hell these people are talking about. I mean, yeah, they're talking smack, but I don't know who they're talking about, nor do I get all the lingo they're using. Talk about in-jokes!

Can anybody translate this stuff? Or tell me why anyone should give a crap?

You think our announcers are homers? Check THIS!

Badalona Baddie — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:31:12 -0000

You think our announcers are homers? Check THIS!

The Hawks play-by-play guy Steve Holman (who's been at the mic since the '80s) has some serious hate for DWade! What do you think? Out of bounds?

Game 5 Haikus: give it your best poetic shot.

Badalona Baddie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:23:44 -0000

Perhaps it's the rain, or perhaps it's the 3 cups of strong coffee, but I'm feeling a bit poetic today. Let's get creative as we get ready for the Blazers to make their stand!

The game: haiku.

The rule: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables.

I'll admit my haiku could be more fantastic, but it's just a basic sentiment I'm share all Blazer fans share.

Have fun and Go Blazers!

The end on our court?

Not tonight! Back to Texas!

And no 8-on-5.

Vintage video: Bill Walton's last moments in a Blazer uniform

Badalona Baddie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:28:53 -0000

Vintage video: Bill Walton's last moments in a Blazer uniform

This was just uploaded to YouTube today by "wiltatkansas," a Spaniard with an astounding collection of vintage NBA/ABA videos (seriously, go through the whole list sometime, it's impressive).

It's Game 2 of the 1978 WCSF, Blazers vs. Sonics, 1st and 2nd quarter action. At 00:50 the Blazers are beat down the court for a fastbreak bucket, and a limping Bill Walton calls timeout in order to take himself out of the game. I wasn't positive because the video skips ahead a bit after the timeout, but a quick check of David Halberstam's "The Breaks of the Game" confirms what I thought: these are Bill Walton's final oncourt moments as a Blazer. The would-be dynasty, in effect, ended right then and there.

It's finally happening! The MSP is turning into Jim Rome.

Badalona Baddie — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:24:55 -0000

First, lest anyone (especially you Gavin and Chad) think I'm ripping on the Morning Sports Page, I'm really not. I've long been aggrieved by 1080's pathetic Blazers coverage (their morning programming, Colin Cowherd, is not only a national show, he doesn't even like to talk about hoops! He talks football all year long.) so The Game's Blazercentric focus is a tonic that I drink heartily. My alarm goes off at 6:06 (when the MSP starts) and I lie in bed listening to Blazer talk until the first commercial break. That's how I start my weekdays. My wife's not crazy about that, but she indulges it.

But this morning I heard the first sign that the MSP is descending into self-parody and turning into...*shudder*...the Portland version of the Jim Rome show.

First, one of Chad's "smack off" rivals called in, chattering in that inane faux-macho lingo that only Clones can understand (I'm still trying to figure out Jim Rome's appeal. What is it with that guy?). That was bad enough, but at least we got a nice nugget of info: that Houston "hates" Joel Przybilla and thinks he's a flopper.

Soon after was the moment I've dreaded but half-expected for a while: a caller, obviously a gigantic fan of the show, checked into basically kiss Gavin and Chad's _ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_ . He was using all the stock MSP phrases ("douche," "champ," "bro," "dropping knowledge") and using the same sort of cadence that G&C use. Gavin and Chad were either mocking this guy's devotion or eating it up, I couldn't quite tell. It was obnoxiously self-referential stuff.

I've endured the silly frat-boy antics of the MSP -- not to mention Chad's ongoing attempts to channel the essence of Van Earl Wright -- because it's more than made up for by the awesome amount of information and Blazer talk the guys deliver. But I'm worried that once the season ends the MSP is going to basically consume itself and become unlistenable. Don't do it, MSP!

These teams did it, and so can the Blazers.

Badalona Baddie — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:05:19 -0000

It's been done 14 times in a 7-game series since 2000.

2008 Pistons (1st round vs. Phi)

2007 Spurs (1st round vs. Den)

2006 Nets (1st round vs. Ind)

2006 Heat (ECSF vs. NJ)

2006 Mavericks (WCF vs. Pho)

2005 Spurs (1st round vs. Den)

2005 Mavericks (1st round vs. Hou)

2004 TWolves (WCSF vs. Sac)

2003 Spurs (1st round vs. Phoe, WCF vs. Dal)

2003 Mavericks (WCSF vs. Sac)

2003 Pistons (1st round vs. Orl)

2001 Sixers (ECSF vs. Tor)

2001 L*kers (Finals vs. Phi)

What did these teams do? They pulled out a series win after losing the first game at home.

14 times it has been done. The odds are not that daunting.

Now if the Blazers lose tonight, then the odds are VERY daunting -- of all these teams, only one, the 2005 Mavericks, came back to win after dropping the first TWO games at home (and, interestingly enough, it was against Yao and his Rockets).

So make no mistake, tonight is a must-win. But I believe the Blazers will step up and get 'er done. And then it's anybody's series.

Let's Go Blazers.

Negative example, I know, but worth noting for perspective

Badalona Baddie — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:53:44 -0000

Negative example, I know, but worth noting for perspective

I seem to remember a certain Western Conference Finals in which the team with the homecourt advantage lost it early on by getting drubbed by nearly 30 points. Said team came back to (barely, and painfully for us) win the series.

Apples and oranges? Perhaps. But it's an example of how a horrible home loss does not necessarily spell doom.