..to rebuild this team. No more changing out the role players, or waiting for chemistry to develop. We need to rebuild. Aldridge and Batum are the only players we need to retain and build around. But I propose that they need to be the #2 and #3 option on a championship team, therefore we need to do whatever it takes to acquire a superstar option. We do this by either trading our expiring contracts, or letting them expire and signing someone with cap space.

As for what position the superstar plays, that's up for debate. Obviously PG is preferable, but good luck with that. Deron Williams would be an okay choice, but appears to have zero interest in playing here. You'll never get Rose or Paul, Steve Nash is at best a 1-2 year solution, Wall and Lin are off limits and haven't shown they can play on the superstar level. Maybe Rondo? Although he seems like more of a 2nd tier player as well.

Superstar centers are a fantasy we have toyed with for decades now. I'm convinced that we are cursed and shouldn't even consider putting our eggs in that basket ever again. Power Forward is covered by LMA. A superstar SG/SF may be the only option, but I can't see any that we have a legit shot at. Any suggestions?

I don't know if it's because we got bumped so early from the playoffs, or if it's just our nature as Blazer fans, but it seems to me that a lot of people are getting ahead of themselves when it comes to calling for changes in the staff and roster. There are a few things I think these people are overlooking. After the jump.

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Hey Cavaliers, a die hard Blazer fan here. I've come to pay homage to the King. There is a lot of debate right now about who the best player in the league is. Kobe or LBJ is the consensus, but until now the rings on Bryant's fingers have kept him in the lead.

I call BullS**t.

LeBron is the better player, hands down. I wasn't sure until this season when he started lighting it up from long range. I would say Jordan-esque, but I think it's better than that. When he is in rhythm James' range extends 5-6 steps BEHIND the 3 point line. On top of that he is unstoppable off the dribble and an excellent passer.

Everyone says Bryant has the body of work but if you look at his game it consists of making difficult jumpers fading away in order to open up the drive and score, or drive and dish. Beautiful and rare play, but not unheard of. Jordan did it, and a whole generation of imposters have been trying to do the same ever since.

James is something else. He creates space to SHOOT by being faster, stronger, and unselfish, then becomes totally selfish when he catches fire, and rains jumpers in your face. Kobe is impossible to stop, difficult to contain, and at the top of his game. LeBron is impossible to stop, impossible to contain, and seems like he still has room to grow.

Championships are great, but they require a TEAM, and some luck. Or at least a lack of bad breaks, (see: Portland Trailblazer's injuries). That should have less bearing on the Greatest of all time than it currently does.

Bottom line. Jordan is still the best, but LeBron is starting to dominate games in a way that even MJ would struggle to do. In my opinion he will pass Micheal after he changes his number and wins a championship. You can't be your own player until you have your own digits, and you can't say your the best ever until you are the MVP of the championship team.

Good luck to you Mr. James, you will inspire a new generation of players to aim even higher, and eventually we'll be talking about someone trying to dethrone you as the greatest of all time.

Second guessing coaches is bound to happen, especially after a 3 game losing streak. So I was a little reluctant to post this and add to the cliche. But it needs to be said. Miller needed to come out of the game at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Using the 3 guard lineup was the WRONG thing to do at that point in the game. We needed more than solid defense, we needed STOPS, STEALS, and REBOUNDING.

You can tell me that hindsight is 20/20. Except that I was calling for the substitution when we went down by our largest margin at the end of the 3rd quarter. Rudy or Cunningham would have given us size on defense, jump shooting on offense, and rebounding on both ends of the floor.

Cunningham has proven himself to be a talented, smart, and worthy of the opportunity to play. Rudy is now a veteran of late game heroics, and clutch three pointers. Why not give those players a chance to gain experience and potentially overcome a large defecit. Even if we still lose the game, we're investing in our future performance. What did we gain in terms of development by sending Miller 1 on 1 for either a turnover or free throws, over and over and over? Nothing.

Nate has shown himself to be very wise in many respects. When it comes to developing young talent, managing egos, and commanding player's respect, he's one of the best. But he has also shown a pattern of stubborn substitution patterns, questionable matchup decisions, and player favoritism, even going back to many games last year.

Did the Blazer's deserve to lose? Yes. They played terrible perimeter defense for 75% of the game, and terrible interior defense whenever Oden was on the bench. Did the Heat deserve to win? Yes. They built a lead, played hard to maintain it, and let their best players seal the game with clutch scoring. But does that excuse Nate from any blame for leaving a bad lineup in the game well past the point of reason? No.

It may be an unpopular question. Especially amidst the excitement after the Blazers go 4-0 on the road. But I feel it needs to be asked, and is being asked subtly in many of the comments made here. That question is, "Can the Blazers play consistently enough to beat the best teams in the league on a regular basis?" If I try and set my rabid Portland bias aside, I am left unable to answer that question with any thing except "It remains to be seen."

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It's been an interesting period in Blazerland, to say the least. The rumors of the "Turkish player who shall not be named" and Rudy's future with the team are disconcerting to many fans, myself included. But perhaps now that we've argued and frothed and angrily typed until our hands are bloody, it could be time to step back and gain some perspective. I have a few points that I'd like everyone to remember.

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So listening to Bill Simmons podcast on the playoffs, (check both out if you haven't already, a lot of Blazer talk), I was sort of offended when they started talking about how much pressure we (the fans) are putting on the Blazers. They made it sound like if we don't at least make it to the WC Finals, there would be a revolt in Portland.

To me, as a hardcore fan, nothing could be further from the truth. I think they have mistaken hardcore loyalty for the L.A. style fandom, which involves championship expectations every single year. Portland fans, for the most part, seem to have a pretty realistic view of pur teams talent.

Quite frankly I have been nothing short of amazed at the speed with which this team has matured. I was expecting a 6-8 seed in a close race. Instead, our young team  started playing their best basketball of the year, just as the standings tightened up. I have seen major strides in the play of Outlaw, Aldridge, and Roy. Rudy and Oden seem to have adjusted to the NBA pace. And Batum, talk about a diamond in the rough.

If anything, the Blazers have exceeded just about every realistic expectation that we could have laid out for them. Playoffs, check. Home court, check(ish). 50+ wins, check. If there is anyone who thought that all three of those things were a given, you were a bright eyed optimist.

So when national commentators say that we are expecting too much of our young guys, I think they have it backwards. I think the Blazers have set their own bar higher than any of us have, and I couldn't be happier with the results. Whatever happens in the post season, I will remember this year as one of the greatest and most exciting in our history. And should WHEN we beat the Nuggets tomorrow, it will be the proverbial cherry on top.

I never really appreciated the quote about happiness being a journey and not a destination until now. I always thought that the only thing that mattered was a ring. But watching these young guys develop before our eyes, and remembering fondly the non-championship teams of my youth, I realize now that so much joy has been added to my life from the simple act of spectating, I could never look back and regret the bumps in the road that brought us to this point.

I hope this and my other ramblings this year have made some kind of sense to the B-Edge crew. And I hope that you also have the feelings of satisfaction, excitement, and hopefulness that I do. When I first created this account, I said 3-5 championships in the next 10 years. But if this team keeps surpassing my expectations, we may be in store for a whole lot more.

GO BLAZERS!!! BLAZE THOSE NUGS!!! BEAT L.A. (again)!!! RIP CITY LIVES!!!

Are you just going to roll over and die?

It's pretty much been accepted around the NBA for a couple of months now, that whichever team ends up playing the Lakers in the first round is screwed. And honestly, the way the Jazz are struggling at the end of the year, it doesn't look good.

But does that mean you are giving up? Does that mean you are going to let the L.A. Lakers emasculate you on a national stage? It's time for the Utah Jazz to show the world that they are on the way up, and not headed for the recycle bin. It's time to at least make a series of it. And hell, if you start playing like a team again, maybe you get hot and surprise everyone. Every playoff team has a "puncher's chance" so to speak.

It's important to put everything on the line. If you're players come out, ready to be traded, or looking ahead to next year, you will be crushed, at home. At the very least protect your house. We all hate L.A. and it's our job to make sure they have the toughest road possible to the Finals. And that starts with you Utah.

So what's it going to be?

So I've been thinking for about a year now that I want to get a tattoo, but I couldn't decide what to get. It would have to be something that I would never look back on and regret. Something I would always cherish and appreciate, even when I was old and wrinkled.

And it's finally come to me. The Blazers are the one interest I have that I can truly say has been a lifelong passion. Growing up in Portland, I have dreamed of a championship as far back as I can remember. I will never stop cheering for our team, no matter what happens, (that was tested during the dark days and jail blazer eras). So it's only fitting that my first and potentially only tattoo would be in memorium of that dream.

A couple questions for my fellow BEdge maniacs. I was thinking about getting the logo and a championship trophy, while leaving space to list the years. Obviously the 1976-77 team would the first date. But do you think I should get the tattoo before they win again, or in honor of the championship in my lifetime? On the one hand, I think it's a great way to support the team, and show my confidence in their ability to fufill the dream. But since I wasn't alive for the first ring, it also seems kind of hollow.

I haven't settled on a specific design, and who knows I may change my mind and get a B-Roy/Drexler tatt instead. But how about you guys? Who has Blazer ink? And is anyone else considering getting some, especially if they win a championship?

Edit - I forgot to add that part of what inspired me was the Cee-Lo Green lyric:

"And what I believe within, I engrave within my skin."

The Hornets play Utah, and Phoenix plays Dallas. Not that the second game is really important or anything, since neither one is going to catch us, but a Phoenix loss would secure our playoff spot, and a Dallas loss would further sink their hopes of ever catching us, (like that was going to happen.)

The Utah-New Oreleans matchup is a little more interesting. You sort of have to root for the Jazz, since it would put more space between us and the 6 spot, but there is a not so small part of me that just wants to see Boozer fail in every aspect of his life.

Also on the plate, San Antonio hopefully getting LBJ'd, (and I don't mean the dead president), into submission. So much for "finishing strong". The Spurs are 5-5 in their last 10, and a Blazer win/Spurs loss tomorrow would catapult us into a tie for 3rd. BTW, what's the tie-break on that? I read the post, and thought I understood, but I still need a chart to remember all the scenarios.

Denver plays Minnesota. I'll pray for an upset, but honestly the way they are playing right now, I'd be very surprised. What happened there? A month ago when things were tightening up, it looked like they were about to implode. Even the games they won were ugly. Now it's a totally different team. I'm going to say it's probably adjusting to new players <cough> BILLUPS <cough> and the effect they have on the offense. But I haven't been watching their recent games close enough to know for sure.

As always, let's see a major showing on the open game threads, and get some good mojo for our guys. They'll need to prove that the recent success is more than just home cookin'.

GO BLAZERS!!!

So I've been thinking about the last few games and how much we can say that they show us about our young Trailblazer team. We obviously play well at home, and play well against teams who are on a back to back. But on the road, and on back to backs of our own, we struggle. That's all well and good, if not totally predictable, but what games will really test this team's mettle down the stretch?

Obviously the games against San Antonio, Houston, and Denver are the most "important" in terms of the standings. If you HAD to choose ONLY ONE to win, it would probably be Denver, just because a division spot could be at stake, and it's the last game of the season, (and a home game).

The fact that the San Antonio and Houston games will be played in Texas favors the home teams, given the Blazers track record. Subsequently, many people have already written them off in the loss column. So assuming we lose  both of those games, that makes the other three road games (OKC, LAC, and MEM) of greater importance.

Thus the question remains. Which games are the most important tests? The must win at home to finish the season? The shouldn't wins in Texas? Or the Lottery road games?

I think at the beginning of the season I would have said the Lottery games. Last year we were so inconsistent against everyone. I just wanted to beat the teams that we SHOULD beat, and hold a respectable margin against the rest at home.

Halfway through this year, I was probably convinced that those three games would be a lock. So I think I would pick the Denver game. It's a statement game about home court advantage, and proving we are equal to if not better than a division rival and potential playoff opponent.

But now. Near the end of the season. I think it's time to set our sights higher. We need to prove that we can win on the road against good teams. That home court advantage is not a safe bet against us in the playoffs. That we are not done growing. Those games in Texas are the next step in our evolution. Regardless of what happens in the post season, we need to show that we refuse to surrender to low expectations.

Oh, and you will notice I didn't bother to mention the L*kers game. That's because I am more confident we will win that game than any of the others. I saw it in the Blazers' eyes, they hate L.A. almost as much as I do. Plus, we owe them for injuring Rudy.

GO BLAZERS!!

Stretch this 3 game win streak into 11.

When you really think about it, it's an impossible question to answer. You run into the same problems as the "greatest NBA player of all time" argument. Comparing different eras, with different rules, competition, and statistical records, is difficult to say the least.

But at the same time, I can think of the names which would make my top 5 or 10. Guys like Chamberlin, Russell, Robertson, Erving, Kareem, Bird, Magic, Hakeem, and Jordan. And what about the players who haven't finished their careers yet? Can we really judge them before they've completed their list of accomplishments? Kobe, LeBron, Shaq, Duncan, and Wade may edge out a few legends before all is said and done.

So is it any easier to compare the greatness of Blazer players, past and present? Can we conclude that Walton's ring (with the Blazers) outweighs Drexler's years of service, or that Roy cannot stand among the legends because he's only a third year player? (although he does have as many All Star apperances as Terry Porter). What is the crieteria for Blazer greatness?

Well I guess rather than deciding between accomplishments with the team vs. overall accomplishments, and trying to allow for predictions of future greatness, I will just alter the title of the poll. Instead of who you think is the greatest Blazer of all time, just vote for your favorite Blazer of all time. Who brings you the most joy to watch? Who embodies what it means to be a Trail Blazer? Which player makes you proud to bleed Black and Red?

I've included a list which is honestly longer than it should be. But I've tried to allow for the odd ball choice. Still I'm sure some people will cry out for their missing all-star, "Where's Kevin Duckworth?!?!?" Feel free to leave your angry feedback in the comments. Also, I included Drazen Petrovic, and if you have a problem with that you can sit on it.

So I went over the "Dream Shake" today, in order to assess the Rocket's view of the upcoming game, and the general level of confidence amongst their fans. I don't know if there is just some other blog site their real fans use, or if I'm just spoiled from BEdge, but it's not a pretty picture.

The last fanpost was from 3 days ago. Usually BE posts are measured in hours not days. And the responses were few and usually not very pleasant. (Although, in all fairness, one poster was suggesting trading T Mac and Alston for Baron Davis and Zach Randolph, sigh.) In fact the only post that generated any juice at all was written by the webmaster from the Wizards site making a trade offer/suggestion.

Bottom line is, all things being equal, we have a lot of good energy in our community right now, and historically that has been a precursor to greatness. I like that on BlazersEdge I can make a totally stupid comment, and someone will joke, someone will skewer me, and someone will politely correct my mistake, while pointing me in a more enlightened direction.

And then the conversation will spin off onto tangents, and eventually a day later die off, as it is replaced with a more current and rational post.

It's easy to say that the Blazers have more to be hopeful about. We've been on the rise for awhile now, and we're all trying to decide how far it is to the summit. The Rockets have been rising and backsliding, watching their key players grow older and more weary, trying to tweak the lineup to get over the hump, or even reach the hump for that matter.

But that's a cop out. If the Rockets win this game, they will replace us in the 4th spot. That's home court advantage. That's HUGE in the playoffs. There should be a lot more interest in such a key game, yet as of now, they don't even have a Pre-Game analysis, (For Shame!).

If I were in the habit of hoping for their sake, I would hope that their real fans don't use the internet, or just don't frequent SB nation. But I'm not, so I'll say it's an indicator that we have all the karma in our corner going into this one. Now all we have to do is beat them in a 48 minute contest of throw a ball, through a ring, on a pole. I hear we're pretty good at that.

GO BLAZERS!!!

It's been said over and over, and then repeated again for good measure.

"From now on, every game is important."

And it's true, every game is important. But really, aren't there some games which are more important than others? This 3 game road trip is an excellent example of the different types of games the Blazers will face from now until the end of the season. So I thought it might be valuable(fun) to (over)anaylze the relative importance of each game.

So, Rockets, Spurs, and T'Wolves.

Right away, Houston seems to jump out as the most critical win. They would surpass us in the rankings if they won, stealing home court advantage. We've beaten them, but only because of B Roy's play of the year. A more decisive victory is in order if we want to show we are truly the better team. This is very important, as Houston could be a first round playoff opponent.

But then again, if you knew that we were only going to win 1 of the 3 games, wouldn't you want to beat the best team? We have proven totally inept on the road against good teams, and San Antonio is one of the best in the business. Although it's common for young teams to struggle on the road, for the Blazers it's like watching totally different teams. It's as if the energy of the Rose Garden is both a blessing and a curse, in that it allows us to rally when we are struggling at home, but leaves us unable to find that same fire on the road.

Then again, what if we went 2-1, but lost to the T'Wolves? That would almost be more confusing than promising. They are almost a must win, due to the fact that we can't afford to give up anything easy if we want the 3 or 4 seed.

So let's see. We have to beat Houston if we want to prove we deserve a top 4 spot. We have to beat SA to prove that we can compete against a veteren team on the road. And we have to be Minnesota so we can prove that we don't lose games that we shouldn't.

I say, let's just make it easy and win all three. That way we can get back to .500 on the road, and put to rest a lot of lingering issues about our post season readiness. Also, we play each of these teams once more after these games, so it's important to win and gain some momentum for the final matchups.

As always, GO BLAZERS!!!

So I don't nomally like the columns on NBA.com, but I do like anything Blazer related, so sometimes it's unavoidable.

This article by David Aldridge does a good job of saying NAY to the NAYsayers and giving an alternate perspective as to why certain teams may have chosen to stand pat at the deadline.

The one point I would like to make on this subject, is that no one knows what was ACTUALLY offered/refused. They know a couple of the pieces involved, but without knowledge of specific stipulations and contracts, it's pointless to say that someone missed out on a great oppurtunity. What if it never existed as you imagine it?

It boils down to this. In the NBA, you either trust your GM or you don't. I think KP works REALLY hard to make this team better. I think he has a lot of REALLY smart people help him make decisions. And I also think he is a HUMAN BEING, and therefore capable of being less than perfect.

In the end, I believe exactly what KP said after the deadline. People made offers, those offers weren't good enough, they all wanted our best young prospects (Rudy, Bayless, Travis), and we would rather go to war with this team, than gamble on a veteren swooping in and saving the day.

For young teams approaching midseason, the game of basketball seems to become less of a joy, and more of heavy burden. The need to win, regularly and repeatedly, can have a stifiling effect on their mindset. They play streaky on offense and inconsistent on defense. It's almost like watching different teams play quarter to quarter.

But more importantly, it is during these times of mental exhaustion, that many young teams fall victim to a losing mindset. They play okay, and lose because the other team played better (Dallas). Then they play terrible and a worse team beats them by playing well (Thunder). Then they get yelled at, and start playing well again. Except the team they are playing is in the same boat, and wants to win just as bad (NY).

So in that moment, when the Knicks have surged to a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter, and an epic collapse is looking your young trailblazers in the face, how they chose to respond is, to me, one of the most telling signs of their growth as a team. They could have allowed the dissappointment and urgency, created by the past few losses, cloud their ability to focus. Instead they banded together and relied on their ability outscrap and outhustle the Knicks to get them back in the game. Then they turned to defensive stops and offensive playmakers to finish victorious.

And the Knicks, watching their own lead collapse, froze in terror as Roy drove toward the hoop, the final seconds ticking off the clock. Everyone in the crowd knew they should foul, everyone watching on T.V. knew they should foul, I bet most of the players on the New York bench knew they should foul. But out on that floor, in the pressure cooker that is the NBA, the Knicks sat back and watched an All Star snatch victory right out from under them.

This win was important for a variety of reasons, but mostly because we were dangerously close to an ego shattering defeat. We are far from perfect, and we are not yet a championship calibur team. But I see us grow with every passing week, and this is game I think we would have lost last year. The sooner these players believe in their ability to win, and believe in each others ability to shoulder the load, the sooner we can take those final steps toward immortality.

Go Blazers!!

When reading the front page responses and some of the diaries, it got me to thinking about the state of limbo our team is in right now.  I think it's funny that we are all (myself included) willing to make such bold predictions (both positive and negative) about the franchise's future.

I suppose it gives us some illusion of control.  If we believe strongly enough that we know what's going to happen, we don't have to consider the possibility that it won't work out that way. The NBA is equal parts hard work, emotion, and blind luck.  Only one of those elements is even partially tangible, let alone predictable.

Not to mention that the Blazer's, in specific, have a completely untested nucleus, multiple developing talents, and a new offensive and defensive playbook.  We could honestly go either way.

I think the only thing I can be "sure" of, is that this year's team will not be the same as last year's.

That being said:

1. Blazers win at least 40 games.
   
2. Blazers win more games than Lakers.
   
3. Greg Oden leads rookies in blocks and fouls.

I was reading Canzano's latest column on Miles, which was one part speculation, one part hearsay, and one part cheap shot.
Is Miles mounting a comeback?

Then someone in the comment section replied with a link to a tribune article by Kerry Eggers about heartfelt sports stories that get overlooked. Included briefly at the bottom is a refrence to Darius paying for the funeral of a local child who died in an accident.

Good stories overlooked

It's easy to criticize Miles for his poor attitude and work ethic. But I feel like he, and many other players are overly villanized.  It's nice to be reminded once in awhile that these guys aren't just their image.  They have families, friends, and lives outside the NBA.

Rasheed's famous CTC comment was viewed by many as an arrogant slap to Portland's collective face.  But in reality, he was delivering the truth of the situation, where many other players would have spewed a line of BS, all for the sake of their PR image.  To Sheed, Portland was a great town, he liked living here.  But all that REALLY mattered to him was his family.  He was going to do whatever it took to make sure they were taken care of.

Darius' charity is easy to overlook. He has enough money, so what's the big deal?  Well, I think it's significant because it shows he is a man of character and empathy, at least in some aspects of his life. Even if I don't think he's the greatest NBA player, I can at least say I respect him as a man now.

O.K.  I know this has been brought up by many people in response to posts, and as the subject.  But I couldn't resist responding to the nature of the discourse.

I've enjoyed this site ever since I've found it as a realiable source of news, rumors, fan stories, and discussions.  But lately there has been a very negative vein to the responses and criticisms.  It seems like people forget that not every fan starts as a "die hard".  It takes time and analysis before you can "know" a team.

I love the Blazers, they have been my one and only team since 1989 when I was 6. Even when I was critical of their decisions, I always watched, hoped, and cheered.  But that doesn't make my fandom any better or more important than anyone else's.  This isn't MY team, it's OUR team.  And it's our ONLY team.

For some people it was too painful to watch their franchise suffer.  For others, basketball isn't as big of a deal.  Some people are just discovering the Blazers because of the massive media coverage.  Whatever the reason, I don't hold it against someone just because they weren't cheering with me during the hard times.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, keep an open mind.  We are a small market team, we need the support of every fan, not just the die hards.  I would hate to think that someone would start to take an interest in the Blazers, only to be turned off by negative reactions on a site such as this.

Someone asked me "Besides Aldridge and Roy, where is the scoring going to come from next year?"

I wasn't aware that you needed more than two unstoppable scorers on one team to make the playoffs, but it got me to thinking.

The Blazers could have a mismatch every night.

Steve Blake will torch you if you don't play him tight, with scoring and assists. Sergio could learn a lot from him this year about controlled hustle.

Jarret can come off as a 1-2 bench scorer.  People have criticized him for only being able to play the half court set, but if you ever watched him play in college you know that isn't true.  He was playing set play basketball for Nate, because the team wasn't mature enough to handle an up-tempo style yet.

Martell will be entering this year with a therapist, and something to prove.  Not to mention the fact that the outside will be WIDE OPEN with our devastating frontcourt.

Travis Outlaw finally "got it" about needed a jumper at the end of last year.  Subsequently he starting making free throws as well. If he would learn to throw it down with confidence he would be the most underpaid player in the league.

Channing Frye.  He couldn't bear the weight of the Knicks on his shoulders.  Let's see what happens when he comes off the bench on a frontcourt deep team, with Nate and Maurice coaching him.

Taurean Green/Sergio Rodriguez.  Hmmm, two ultra fast, raw talent point guards, competing for third string minutes.  I think it's possible we see something truly amazing out of one of these guys, just maybe.

So ya, that's who I see scoring a bulk of our points.  That is, besides:

Brandon Roy, Rookie of the Year.
LaMarcus Aldridge, Rookie first team.
Greg Oden, Draft monster.
James Jones, cold blooded shooter.

And if we really are the second coming, we see production from:

Joel Pryzbilla- at least he brings great Defense
Josh McRoberts- ugly form but great footwork

Regardless, we know that our key guys will be drawing a lot of attention.  That means that our other players will be allowed to devlelop into natural role players.  That's where the mismatches come in.  We only need one or two of them to go off, and we become difficult to stop.

Now that our roster looks set, and training camp is on the horizon, I can feel myself becoming increasingly anxious for the season to start.  Does anyone know if they have released a schedule yet?  I have season tickets and I'm having trouble restraining myself.

LOL, I feel like Cartman waiting for the Nintendo Wii.  Maybe if I freeze myself...

Tomorrow is LaMarcus' Birthday.  That and the Outlaw signing got me to thinking about the average age of our roster.

Raef LaFrentz: 31
Joel Pryzbilla: 28
Steve Blake: 27
James Jones: 26
Darius Miles: 25
Channing Frye: 24
Jarret Jack: 23
Travis Outlaw: 22
Brandon Roy: 22
Lamarcus Aldridge: 21 (until 7/19)
Taurean Green: 21
Sergio Rodriguez: 21
Martell Webster: 20
Josh McRoberts: 20
Greg Oden: 19

If you assume this will be our final roster of 15, the average age is 23.33.  If however you remove Raef and Darius from the equation, as they will unlikely play, it drops down to 22.61.

What do you guys think about such a young team?  I wonder what the youngest roster to ever make the playoffs is.  We might have a legitimate shot.

Question. Now that the NY/PHX trades are finalized, what is everyone's assessment of the outcome? We clearly had financial interests, but are we better off on the court? You have to remember that Oden would have been here either way.

My opinion. Setting aside the issues of Randolph's undesirable influence on the younger players, and Aldridge's need to grow at PF. I still think it's important that he not be here. Oden's offense is going to be inside. Posting up, putbacks, cutting from the weak side. He's going to need space down there.

That being said, Francis is just a way to save money and dump a player. If you consider both trades as one, then you basically bought out Randolph for less than it should have cost, in exchange you traded Dickau, Freddie, and cash for Frye, Jones, and Rudy. When you look at it like that, we actually made a pretty awesome deal.

I just wanted to let you guys know how grateful I am for this site.  It helps me get my Blazer fix every day at work without searching all over the net. The people here really seem to understand the Blazers and the NBA in a way the "professionals" always seem to miss.

Even when I don't agree with someone's opinion.  I find that it's still pretty well thought out.  Unlike most blog sites, which are full of flamers and nay sayers, you guys all seem dedicated to elevating the discussion.

Thanks to Dave for all the hard work.  I look forward to discussing what should be an awesome season.  I've got my season tickets, how about you?  GO BLAZERS.  ODEN, ODEN, ODEN, ODEN!!!!

So we recieved a trade exception from the Knicks for trading three players for two.  And then we traded the exception along with 3 million to the Suns for James Jones and the rights to Rudy.

Now we have a new SF.  Maybe we should wait to try and sign an elite player at that position.  After all, with McRoberts, Travis, and maybe even Ime do we need anyone else?  I say save the cap room for Roy and Aldridge.

There is a greGODen.

Best. Sign. Ever.

GO BLAZERS!!

I know that we've criticized Zach a lot this last year.  I personally have called him fat, slow, and stupid on multiple occasions.  He's gone now, and it's strange.  I like the trade despite it's inequality, I know that it had to happen and it's the right thing to do.  But part of me wishes that it could have worked out for Z-Bo.

So, rather than celebrate or mourn his passing, I just want to wish him the very best in NYC.  Personally I think it will be a test of character for him.  There are a lot of distractions in such a big city, and if he's not careful, the people around him will kill his career.

So, Z-Bo, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry it didn't work out between us, but we've found someone else.  The minute that lottery ball came up, your fate was sealed. It's not you, it's us.  LOL.

GO BLAZERS!!!

Those NY fans crack me up.  When the trade was annouced they all clapped like monkeys.  "YAAA, we traded an overpriced headcase for... an overpriced headcase with twice as long on his contract"

Put Zach Randolph in NYC.  Within one month he WILL have an incident.  We should lay odds right now on what it will be.

2:1  Strip club related
3:1  Gun related
5:1  Drug Related
7:1  Street Racing
10:1 Assault
15:1 Teamate/Fan related

100,000:1 Injury due to practicing too hard

Less than two days to ODEN!!!  Do you all understand?   WE WIN.  No one is going to stop us next year.  We make the playoffs at the head of our division with 55-60 wins.  I will be there at EVERY HOME GAME.  And my homie just got a Sony 60" plasma with surround sound for away games.  LOL, it's like a dream, everyday I wake up and remember all over again.  WE GET ODEN.

ODEN + ROY + ALDRIDGE = Championships

GO BLAZERS!!!!

Had enough of the Durant hype?  Sick of people turning a blind eye to Oden's upside?  Here's where you post.

Oden has everything we are looking for.  Size, athletisism, work ethic, and he's a born winner. We can't lose. I have season tickets, and you all should too.

Continue reading this post »

Anyone can speculate that we "could" take Durant.  But after the workouts, c'mon, it's ODEN all the way.  It's not just the size and atheleticism, he's humble yet wants to be the best.  It's like a 7 ft Brandon Roy, playing next to the real Brandon Roy.

Anyways, here's the countdown.  Today's my birthday, so that means 21 days until the draft.  That's three weeks until Pritchard claims his title as greatest GM in Trailblazer history. Mark my words, something is going down with those four 2nd rounders. Who knows what he's got up his sleeve, but the man knows talent.

21 days
21 days
21 days.

I've got season tickets, how about you?