The season might end tonight, but I feel so fortuntate to be in Portland and to have spent this past season watching Brandon Roy regularly commit acts of greatness on the basketball court, without the hype, merchandising or ref-abuse of other so-called superstars.

Much like the fans in Chicago in the 80s, we have been able to see, night in and night out,  a budding superstar, but one who is the consumate team player and professional.

We don't get any of the the ridiculous clowning for the camera of Lebron James, that substitutes for theater in Cleveland.

We don't get any of the whining, acting or attitude of Kobe Bryant.

We don't get the selfish play or classlessness that is rife in the NBA.

We have been privileged to see Brandon Roy play at a superstar level without the hype.  Making his teammates better without hogging the spotlight.  Playing clean, honest basketball, and excelling at it. We fans have been given a great gift that most fans in the NBA don't understand. 

"Brandon Roy doesn't make the dunk of the night, he's no superstar."
"Brandon Roy isn't scoring 30-40 points every night.  He's no superstar."
"Brandon Roy is humble and compliments his team.  He's no superstar."
"Brandon Roy isn't hawking Cell Phones or Sports Drinks.  He's no superstar."
"He can't compete with Kobe (he shut down Kobe the past two times they played)."
"He can't compete with Lebron (he got Lebron to put him on the line at the end of the game the last time they played)."

Brandon Roy is the best player in the NBA when it comes to talent, IQ, teamplay, attitude, humility, and leading by example. It has been our privilege to see him every game, and know what most fans in the NBA are only beginning to grasp.

We have a guy who is worth the hype, doesn't get it, and doesn't need it.

Win or lose, we in Portland are truly fortunate.

Tonight we may get our proof of a fixed NBA. One of the officials in tonight's game is #15 Bennett Salvatore.  Does he sound familiar?

He called the foul on Bandon Roy at the end of the game in Portland during the regular season.  Granted, Roy made the Awesome shot that won the game, but that foul pretty much gave the game to Houston.  If Yao's shot did not go in, he would have had two shots at the line with .3 secs.

He was also one of the officials for the game in Cleveland -- The game with a phanton traveling call on Travis Outlaw at 1:29 in the fourth that killed our momentum to take the lead to the end of the game.  After that Travis was fouled by Lebron James which went uncalled.

I'm trying to find out if he was the official that called traveling -- if anyone can help me, it would be appreciated.

This is the worst news I've heard re: Blazer's chances.  Why doesn't the NBA keep stats of referees, as part of the box score.  Who they called a foul on, when it happened, and who it was against?

There's no beating around the bush.   Just like Portland and Houston have different types of playing styles, Texans and Oregonians is different types of folks. 

Me?  I'm from the east coast, so I claim impartiality. 

I've been to Texas, and worked closely with Texans, and you guys make no sense to me.  I once got flipped off on the highway near Dallas by some rednecks for either having a New Jersey plate, or a Japanese car.  Maybe both.

I live in Portland, and you guys make no sense to me, either.  I've flipped you guys off on the road because most of you don't understand how to drive in a consistent, predictable way.

Shall we celebrate the difference with a little poll?  Let me know if you have any other poll ideas!

There's been a lot of discussion about Flopping and Fouls lately. 

"Pryzbilla is a flopper"

"Scola flops so much he has no bones"

"I'll flop you, you bastard!"

Checkout the Blazers blog for a history lesson and some video clips about the origins and practices of "The Flop" in today's NBA game, and lets remember what flopping really is.

Click Here For A Link To:

Flopping in the NBA: A Brief History and Guide

-ORIGINS-

Flopping incidents in the NBA continue to rise, but where did flopping originate? No one knows for sure, but the wave of European players may be to blame for the recent increase.

As opposed to the US, Europe is soccer -- futbol -- territory. Anyone who has watched the world cup knows that soccer players are the worst floppers in professional sports -- by far.  The thing is though, there is an established history of floppers getting rewarded.  It is as though the referees are unaware that players are faking it -- even after decades of being lied to -- poor gullible refs.

In all  incidents of contact, a soccer player will go down in pain until the foul is called, or not called. At that point they jump up like nothing happened. Here's the Worlds Most Popular Sport in all it's "splendor"
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wxCZhf-JII

It's not just scrubs, here's someone even most of us have heard of.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92h9CyHpMkg

-FLOPPING COMES TO AMERICA-

Then the 1980's came to pass, and Europe was considered fertile NBA soil.  Players from the Old Country were being brought to America, and they brought the soccer mentality here.  Vlade Divac was one of the first of those European players that made it big in the states -- and he showed the NBA what flopping is, and how it can help your team:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgPHIT61FfU

Still, while Vlade achieved success, flopping was not embraced by the NBA community at large.  One major reason was because American players never had flopping calls go their way.  When Shaq would lower his shoulder and crash into players, flopping would not work.  For a while, It seemed like flopping would stay across the Atlantic.  Then along came Manu Ginobili.  Not only did he excel at flopping . . .
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEef1T_lqwA

but he taught it the Spurs, and boy did they apply it:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ukde193ivM
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_v2HD-zbfg

-FLOPPING ENTERS THE PLAYBOOK -

After the Spurs won a couple of NBA championships, and other players realized that it wasn't going away, there was a simple choice.  Complain, and be a victim of the flop, or use it and make victims of your own! Thus a new craze made the rounds in the NBA, the Flop!
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoc8Ei9xk8g

leading us to the the Ultimate Irony:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGdKTiC51aw

Can the NBA do anything about?  Well, Stern claims he wants to eliminate from the game, but apparently he can't get someone to second him on it. (starts about 30 secs into the interview).
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juy-UvDGKiE