SB Nation User Blog: T Darkstar

OT: Petitio Principii, Worldview, and Sports Related Conversations

T Darkstar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:54:22 -0000

Over the last couple of weeks, the Blazers have been up and down. Some players have stellar games, other nights, the same players have terrible games. And I believe that I have noticed a pattern. Not in player performances but in fan reactions. And I think it makes a rather concerning study into how we root for our favorite teams and/or favorite players.

Nearly all of us like to think that we have opinions based on facts. That’s the standard by which opinions are judged in our general worldview. It’s a Western worldview, and perhaps a Modern world view. (I might go so far as to say that it is post modern as well, but not even post modernists can come to an agreement on what post modernism is, so I shall not try to attempt a guess.) Not every worldview accepts these conditions. But I dare say that enough of us here live by them well enough.

So, does this bear out in reality? Are our opinions based on facts? Based on what I have observed, I would have to say no. It appears that nearly everyone forms an opinion first, and then finds the facts that support that opinion. This is the logical fallacy petitio principii (literally "assuming the initial point"). We assume our conclusion is true in trying to prove that it is true. And this bears out after each game.

For example, let’s take the question "Should we trade Travis Outlaw?" It is my hypothesis that the opinion of nearly every poster has already been decided before assessing the evidence. When Travis has a good game, those who have decided to keep him are confirmed by finding the evidence that they were looking for, and use it to validate their predetermined opinion. They say, "See, I knew Travis was a keeper!" When Travis has a bad game, the evidence is dismissed as not pertaining to the equation, "after all, everyone has bad nights sometimes." And they are confirmed in their opinions because of this.

The same is true for the other side. If Travis has a good game, it is used to confirm the opinion, that is, used as a justification to trade: "Get rid of him now, while his trade value is high." If Travis has a bad game, it is an even greater confirmation: "how many nights are we going to let him lose the game for us?"

It doesn’t seem to matter the issue, Outlaw, Miller, McMillan, Oden, Blake, Bayless, this principle is nearly constant. Sides are taken, then facts are marshaled with which to take the field. Rarely are any minds ever changed. Rarely is anyone persuaded. But this is exactly how our society operates these days. Whether Democrat or Republican. Whether pro-life or pro-abortion. Whether theist or atheist. Everything is decided subjectively in the public square. And that is a disaster of idiotic proportions just waiting to happen, or, more accurately, has already been happening for the last 20+ years.

We have completely fallen to the logical fallacy of petitio principii. In matters of sports, in matters of politics, in matters of religion, no matter the side, everyone in our culture is guilty of succumbing to this error. Idiocracy may have been prophetic.

Now, I don’t have an issue with taking a side. Taking a side is particularly what the facts are there for. If people didn’t take sides on whether or not to trade Outlaw then it would be pretty boring around here. If people didn’t take sides on what kind of coach McMillan is for our team, then why would anyone bother?

But without facts in charge of forming opinions, conversations become more shallow. When facts form opinions, they create nuances and ideas. When opinions assume facts, they create stale and repetitive bickering. Perhaps it is a difficult trap from which to escape. We have been well trained in it after all. It is never easy to adjust one’s worldview consciously. In fact, I am probably guilty of such a logical fallacy even from within this argument. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me. But perhaps in identifying the issue, we can at least begin to crawl out from under it.

Brandon Roy could, if he had a Blazers' Edge account. You do. Thanks to Casey Holdahl for the...

T Darkstar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:21:46 -0000

Brandon Roy could, if he had a Blazers' Edge account. You do.

Thanks to Casey Holdahl for the photo.

Junking, August 28th style: Where to go when you don't know?

T Darkstar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:33:49 -0000

After having my harddrive die on me, I have spent little time in the land of the blogosphere lately. Though it is nice to be back. Fortunately, my computer still had two weeks of warranty left, and the techs fixed it for free. How often does that happen? Still, I have been spending my time trying to put files back, reorganize things and get everything back to the way it used to be, the way I was comfortable with it.

One thing that was lost in this process was my site bookmarks. I have no idea what I used to read all the time. Since I had been using an RSS reader, I usually didn't go to a website directly that often. Of course, I didn't forget about here. Though it did take me a few tries to remember my password. And a few places I remember, but this is where I get to bring all of you guys in!

What are the places you like to visit to read Blazer News other than Blazers' Edge? Which places are reliable? Entertaining? Prompt? Was your store clean today? Did your cashier greet you? That kind of thing.

Of course there's room for all the other junk that goes in this drawer.

Have at it.

Poll

Requisite Junk Drawer Poll: I have X number of (fill in the blank)

less than five.

9 votes

greater than (or equal to) five but less than ten.

12 votes

greater than (or equal to) ten.

10 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

Diogu to Sign, Shore up Hornets Front Line

T Darkstar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:50:40 -0000

Diogu to Sign, Shore up Hornets Front Line

And old friend goes to a conference rival.

Trade Drawer - June 25th

T Darkstar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:28:39 -0000

At least it's close enough to June 25th in my time zone. :p

Since signing Andre Miller, I'm sure many of you have come up with Portland's next move. Many of those moves will likely involve Steve Blake or Jerryd Bayless. Put me in the trade Bayless camp at the moment. Not that I think we should trade him just because. That would be mean, cruel, heartless and many other poignant adjectives. But if a trade needs to happen, then Bayless is the odd man out.

Of course, you'll probably also want to include Travis Outlaw. I don't think we need to do that myself. After Blake, Fernandez and Przybilla come off of the bench, Outlaw is not going to have the same role on this team. But I think it's a role he's better suited for. He doesn't have to be the third Option for this team anymore. He doesn't have to be the first option off of the bench. And if that reduced role is what Outlaw gets, I think he'll shine in that role.

So tune your pages to the trade machine of your choice and get to work.

Introducting Blazer Sedge.

T Darkstar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:11:10 -0000

Introducting Blazer Sedge.

When Does KP Use the Cap Space?

T Darkstar — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:58:40 -0000

After seeing Blazers’ Edge implode after not picking a backup PF in the draft, I saw many people trying to reassure those people ready to jump out of buildings by saying, "Wait until July 8th!" But what if July 8th comes and goes and nothing happens? And July 9th, and 10th. I’m pretty sure things will be a disaster around here and people will call for Pritchard to be fired for not making a spectacular move.

So if nothing happens this summer, is all hope lost? Will Pritchard have wasted the only opportunity he had to do something big? After all, Roy and Aldridge are due contract extensions this summer. Our cap space will be gone when that happens. However, those extensions don’t actually kick in until July 1st, 2010.

But those second rounders we drafted will be signed and eat into our capspace. True. Assuming Portland does nothing this summer, except renounce Michael Ruffin, Shavlik Randolph, Raef LaFrentz and Channing Frye, they walk into the season with the following contracts (via Storyteller’s website):

Darius Miles’s Contract: $9,000,000

Joel Przybilla: $6,857,725

Greg Oden: $5,361,240

LaMarcus Aldridge: $5,844,827

Steve Blake: $4,000,000

Travis Outlaw: $3,600,000

Martell Webster: $4,319,654

Brandon Roy: $3,910,816

Jerryd Bayless: $2,143,080

Rudy Fernandez: $1,165,320

Nicolas Batum: $1,118,760

Victor Claver: $1,012,900 (Cap Hold)

Petteri Koponen: $824,200 (Cap Hold)

Joel Freeland: $824,200 (Cap Hold)

Also this is an assumption as far as personel, but it needs to be made going into the season without changes:

Jeff Pendergraph: $457,588 (Rookie Minimum)

Dante Cunningham: $457,588 (Rookie Minimum)

One minimum rookie contract to make the minimum 13 roster spots (hopefully 3rd string PG): $457,588

Total 2009-2010 Salary: $51,355,486

Total 2009-2010 Salary, not counting our 2nd rounders: $49,982,722

That’s a 1.5 million dollar loss just to get the team up and running for the season. Except the day the season starts, the cap holds on our overseas 1st rounders falls off until July 1st 2010. So in reality, if this scenario were to happen, our salary would be lower.

Total 2009-2010 salary, with cap holds removed and 2nd rounders signed: $48,694,206

Instead of a 1.5 million dollar loss, we’re looking at a 1.3 million dollar gain in cap space by waiting until the season starts.

Time.

Instead of being our enemy, it's possible that it could be our friend. How many other teams with cap space will blow it all on July 8th? How many teams will enter the season under the cap? A feasible $10 million under the cap (assuming there is no raising or lowering of the cap threshold this year)?

If things get tighter this year instead of better, the pressure goes up even more. What if we go to the 2009-2010 NBA trade deadline with $10 million under the cap? I think it is entirely possible that we would be the only team with that kind of flexibility, while fielding a decent team. While the rest of the NBA gets even more desperate for cap relief, we have an overabundance. Time only makes our space more attractive.

Of course, if this happens, and the trade deadline comes, Portland fans will get even more hyped about it. But what if nothing happens then either? Turns out, all is not lost. We would have that cap space until July 1st, 2010. That includes draft day 2010, when John Wall, is available, or the next superstar is available for cap space. (I hear a lot of teams want to dump salaries for the 2010 free agent bonanza.) And teams will know that our commodity is only available for a short time longer. Act now, or be stuck forever.

I certainly don’t want to wait that long. Patience is not my strongest suit. I’ll be pulling my hair out on July 8th, 2009. However, by looking at things this way, at least I wont be looking for the nearest window if for some reason nothing happens.

...

One last thought. It's a long shot, and I don't believe it could happen. But what if. What if Portland wins a case for Daruis Miles' contract to be removed from our cap? It certainly couldn't happen before July 8th. But by the start of next season, or the trade deadline? There is a possibility. Of course, you cannot bank on that and use it as an excuse to not do anything this summer. But it's there. It is possible. Not likely, but possible. <shiver>

...

Of course, this thought can always use more input. Any salary guys out there might see errors in my though processes. Maybe I’m missing something vitally important. Maybe there’s some better ideas out there. Please chime in with any thoughts, corrections, constructive criticisms, et cetera.

Poll

When would you lose faith in Kevin Pritchard?

Never! No matter what happens, in KP I trust!

186 votes

If July 1st 2010 arrives and we haven't used our cap space.

87 votes

If the 2009-2010 trading deadline passes and we haven't used our cap space.

70 votes

If the 2009-2010 season starts and we haven't used our cap space.

63 votes

If we haven't used our cap-space first thing this summer.

22 votes

I lost faith in Kevin Pritchard when he didn't draft DeJuan Blair

23 votes

I never had faith in Kevin Pritchard.

6 votes

Other, because your options cannot fit my personal feelings on the issue.

43 votes

500 votes | Poll has closed

5/13 Junk Drawer: G.K. Chesterson on Cheese

T Darkstar — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:13:39 -0000

Originally found at http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~mward/gkc/books/cheese.html

I believe this is now Public Domain due to its age.

Cheese

by G.K. Chesterton

Published in `Alarms and Discursions' (1910)

My forthcoming work in five volumes, `The Neglect of Cheese in European Literature,' is a work of such unprecedented and laborious detail that it is doubtful whether I shall live to finish it. Some overflowings from such a fountain of information may therefore be permitted to springle these pages. I cannot yet wholly explain the neglect to which I refer. Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. Virgil, if I remember right, refers to it several times, but with too much Roman restraint. He does not let himself go on cheese. The only other poet that I can think of just now who seems to have had some sensibility on the point was the nameless author of the nursery rhyme which says: `If all the trees were bread and cheese' - which is indeed a rich and gigantic vision of the higher gluttony. If all the trees were bread and cheese there would be considerable deforestation in any part of England where I was living. Wild and wide woodlands would reel and fade before me as rapidly as they ran after Orpheus. Except Virgil and this anonymous rhymer, I can recall no verse about cheese. Yet it has every quality which we require in an exalted poetry. It is a short, strong word; it rhymes to `breeze' and `seas' (an essential point); that it is emphatic in sound is admitted even by the civilization of the modern cities. For their citizens, with no apparent intention except emphasis, will often say `Cheese it!' or even `Quite the cheese.' The substance itself is imaginative. It is ancient - sometimes in the individual case, always in the type and custom. It is simple, being directly derived from milk, which is one of the ancestral drinks, not lightly to be corrupted with soda-water. You know, I hope (though I myself have only just thought of it), that the four rivers of Eden were milk, water, wine, and ale. Aerated waters only appeared after the Fall.

But cheese has another quality, which is also the very soul of song. Once in endeavouring to lecture in several places at once, I made an eccentric journey across England, a journey of so irregular and even illogical shape that it necessitated my having lunch on four successive days in four roadside inns in four different counties. In each inn they had nothing but bread and cheese; nor can I imagine why a man should want more than bread and cheese, if he can get enough of it. In each inn the cheese was good; and in each inn it was different. There was a noble Wensleydale cheese in Yorkshire, a Cheshire cheese in Cheshire, and so on. Now, it is just here that true poetic civilization differs from that paltry and mechanical civilization that holds us all in bondage. Bad customs are universal and rigid, like modern militarism. Good customs are universal and varied, like native chivalry and self-defence. Both the good and the bad civilization cover us as with a canopy, and protect us from all that is outside. But a good civilization spreads over us freely like a tree, varying and yielding because it is alive. A bad civilization stands up and sticks out above us like an umbrella - artificial, mathematical in shape; not merely universal, but uniform. So it is with the contrast between the substances that vary and the substances that are the same wherever they penetrate. By a wise doom of heaven men were commanded to eat cheese, but not the same cheese. Being really universal it varies from valley to valley. But if, let us say, we compare cheese to soap (that vastly inferior substance), we shall see that soap tends more and more to be merely Smith's Soap or Brown's Soap, sent automatically all over the world. If the Red Indians have soap it is Smith's Soap. If the Grand Lama has soap it is Brown's Soap. There is nothing subtly and strangely Buddhist, nothing tenderly Tibetan, about his soap. I fancy the Grand Lama does not eat cheese (he is not worthy), but if he does it is probably a local cheese, having some real relation to his life and outlook. Safety matches, tinned foods, patent medicines are sent all over the world; but they are not produced all over the world. Therefore there is in them a mere dead identity, never that soft play of variation which exists in things produced everywhere out of the soil, in the milk of the kine, or the fruits of the orchard. You can get a whisky and soda at every outpost of the Empire: that is why so many Empire builders go mad. But you are not tasting or touching any environment, as in the cider of Devonshire or the grapes of the Rhine. You are not approaching Nature in one of her myriad tints of mood, as in the holy act of eating cheese.

When I had done my pilgrimage in the four wayside public-houses I reached one of the great northern cities, and there I proceeded, with great rapidity and complete inconsistency, to a large and elaborate restaurant, where I knew I could get a great many things besides bread and cheese. I could get that also, however; or at least I expected to get it; but I was sharply reminded that I had entered Babylon, and left England behind. The waiter brought me cheese, indeed, but cheese cut up into contemptibly small pieces; and it is the awful fact that instead of Christian bread, he brought me biscuits. Biscuits - to one who had eaten the cheese of four great countrysides! Biscuits - to one who had proved anew for himself the sanctity of the ancient wedding between cheese and bread! I addressed the waiter in warm and moving terms. I asked him who he was that he should put asunder those whom Humanity had joined. I asked him if he did not feel, as an artist, that a solid but yielding substance like cheese went naturally with a solid, yielding substance like bread; to eat it off biscuits is like eating it off slates. I asked him if, when he said his prayers, he was so supercilious as to pray for his daily biscuits. He gave me generally to understand that he was only obeying a custom of Modern Society. I have therefore resolved to raise my voice, not against the waiter, but against Modern Society, for this huge and unparalleled modern wrong.

Jump in wherever you want. The Global Economy, our cookie-cutter production models, the dangers of Imperialism, biscuits vs. bread, and of course, cheese. Lots of cheese. Actually, I find this a very apt commentary for today's society as well as 100 years ago.

153 Syllables

T Darkstar — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:57:11 -0000

So, an entire season is played this year for this team in infancy.
The whole world waited for the immaturity to show itself.
But did they see? Those games taught the kids what teamwork really was.
They fought together. They grew together. They won together.
Still they question, "Will the lack of experience hurt?"
"Or are they just too dumb to think much about it?"
But this team has proved itself well this season.
Efficient offense. Improving defense.
Stat geeks rubbing their hands at our odds.
Let them watch what real teamwork is.
Let them see unselfish play.
Let them behold: Blazers.
Naysayers: silenced.
Portland: ready.
We will win.
It's time.
Now.

Bucks-Blazers Eye-Witness Report

T Darkstar — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:52:49 -0000

Phizbin already has an eyewitness account of the game (and the dancers) up. Since he’s done such a good job, I thought that I would take my review in a slightly different direction. This is my first live game since 1996, and my wife’s first game ever. And so I wanted to share a little bit of the atmosphere that being at the game live has.

We got there early (before they opened the doors to us people with regular tickets) and so we got to wait outside with everyone else. I’m standing there in my Blazers polo while my wife is wearing her Oregon sweatshirt. The fans at the door were friendly and nice. Not at all what I was fearing for wearing the enemy’s colors to the game. A lot of kids there. They were excited about the bobble-heads that they were giving out. As well they should be, Dandridge was a heckuva player, and the parents had raised the kids knowing team tradition.

Actually, the fans in general knew their team and history well. They loved their team, no matter the outcome of the game. With a minute to go, team down by 10, some fans went for the exits, but a lot more than I expected stayed until the final horn sounded. New fans to any team would do well to learn from their example.

We found our seats in the upper bowl an hour before the game started. Three or four Bucks were out working on their shots, and one Blazer – Sergio Rodriguez. I think it was Bobby Medina who was out there feeding Sergio for spot-up threes. And it soon became apparent why they were practicing. Unguarded in the corner, Sergio’s shot was not falling at all. But working on it is exactly the right thing to do, and I was glad to see him out there putting in the effort.

By the time the game started, the arena looked about two-thirds full. Not great, but better than a lot of arenas I’ve seen on TV. And the fans that were there made noise. They gave it all they had in defense chants and cheering for their team. I was once again very impressed. The drum corp was pretty cool too, but other than that, very little of the noise was manufactured. It was natural fandom letting itself loose. From what I hear, the Rose Garden could learn from this.

Fortunately, we were close enough that we could still make out the player’s faces out on the court. My wife recognized each Blazer when they came in. Which in itself is pretty amazing. She grew up as a self-proclaimed sports-loather. She hated all things sports. But learning about the lives of the players, getting to know them as more than basketball players, she started liking them. And this year, with the team playing well, she has joined me on occasion in watching the team. Tonight, she was looking forward to the game, thinking that she would get up to buy a couple of those $7.00 beers if we got thirsty during the game. She didn’t get up. She was having too much fun.

As far as the game itself, it is so much different not having the live boxscore to tell you what is going on, or the announcers. And I think I like it better that way. I looked up at the end of the game and was surprised by the 30 points from Brandon Roy. He scores his points quietly. I didn’t expect Steve blake to have 21 either. I saw him hit a few threes, especially when Milwaukee was making their runs, but 21 was more than I thought. Lamarcus Aldridge didn’t look quite right out there tonight. He looked reluctant to shoot unless the shot clock was almost out, and when that happened, it wasn’t the cleanest look anyway. He passed up a lot of shots that I’m used to him taking. Oden looked real rusty out there. But this is what he needs to get back into the swing of things. My wife loves Rudy. She thinks he looks hot. She cheered pretty loudly anytime he hit a shot. And fortunately, it looks like his shooting is getting better again. Of course the Bucks left him wide open a few times.

The Bucks played well to open the game. But the two players that Portland fans were interested in at the trade deadline, Richard Jefferson and Ramon Sessions had utterly forgettable games when it was all said and done. Sessions got the hook pretty early from Skiles because of bad mistakes. Ridnour doesn’t have Sessions’ ability, but also doesn’t have his headaches. Jefferson was invisible out there, not contributing much of anything. Charlie Villanueva had a good night, throwing up Outlaw-like shots. Shots that look bad, yet go in anyway. Keith Bogans did well off the bench, keeping the score from getting to out of control for the Bucks.

In the end, it was a victory for Portland. And my wife and I had a great time. When we’re back in Portland next Christmas, we might have to get to a game or two at the Rose Garden. If, when I get done with school, I get back out to the Portland area, I might even have her convinced to get half-season tickets. She said that last night may have been the best date we ever went on. I sure hope that’s saying something….

Poll

Should T Darkstar's wife let him get season tickets (if able)?

Yes

153 votes

153 votes | Poll has closed