Hey, Trailblazer fan here, looking forward to watching tonight's game from the 100 level! And I had a quick question: where is your game preview? The only one I can find on the page is a link to our own on BE...if you guys are trying to forget that tonight's game is happening, then no worries, you'll know in 5 hours that it's on. Just a little disappointed that you would choose to highlight K*be's 1,000 game rather than the opponents that you're facing. It may not be what you're going for, but it comes off a little aloof, smug, and shall I say.... L*ker-ish? I may not like any of you, and may in fact hate a few, but RESPECT! It goes pretty far in these tough times. Lookin' forward to a big game tonight. And I don't care what Jason Quick says, B-Roy is a game time decision.

PS: Thank you 'meFTW', I encourage L*ker fans to come to BE, sometimes we all need to see how a good blog is run, just ask timbo

but I'm kind of tired of random Junk Drawer posts getting so highly recced until they are among the 'recommended fan posts' on the left hand column. it seems to encourage 'cutesy' topics, and I'm ok with these existing, but they get in the way of what I really want to read on Blazersedge: important Blazer topics. so be careful with those recs! they are meant to make the website more efficient and bring the most important Blazer-related topics to the surface where they can be discussed by everybody who wants to :)

and, if you want to rec this post, go ahead and express that in your comment.

and if you think I'm full of Fancy Feast, go right ahead on that front as well

BEAT LA! (always and forever)

Dear Blazer Fans,

You, as I, have suffered a great loss, and I think we could all benefit by walking through the grieving process. Many of you have sped through this and have already 'accepted and moved on', saying that we have to give up on Greg. All of you have jumped right through the stage that I have just completed: denial and isolation. I watched the game, saw the horror unfold, and I didn't check any NBA, or even sports related, news until tonight. When I saw what happened, I denied how serious it was, speculated that it could've been just a dislocation, a couple months and he's back. and then I removed myself from anything that could remind me of what happened. and now that I know what happened, now that I hear that he's "out for the year", I am downright pissed off.

Angry, one might say. Which is the second stage. And who can blame me? Greg is one of the most beloved Blazers, and the guy has barely been able to show what he could become. I REFUSE to use the phrase 'injury prone', because he is a big man, and big men get hurt. it's just a fact. it sucks that it happened so early in his development, and I do think it will screw with his progress. but he will come back from it, and be in a position to help the team right away. but right now, all I can think is "WHY GREG?!?!?! WHY US?!?!?!"

Very soon, I, and more importantly KP, will move into the 3rd stage: Bargaining. The ultimate goal, the reason why this game is played, is to win the championship and be enshrined with all others who have done, and will do so. So, an effort will be made to find a big man to back up Joel. we can't replace Greg, important to note, and I REFUSE TO GIVE UP ON HIM! (still in 2nd stage anger mode). this will be masked as an attempt to replace Greg, another form of bargaining (for the impossible, Greg is once in a decade) but we know that bargain will fall through, and we will have to make the best of a poor situation. somebody (probably Rudy :( so sad) will be moved in this attempt.

But like I said, this attempt to replace Greg will fail, and we will enter stage 4: Depression. the shortcomings of GO's "replacement" will send us into further woeful fits of piteous grief over his injury, and what we miss with him out. This stage will continue for quite some time, and is a big reason why we will see another 1st round exit. we will find that we traded Rudy only for him to start for (the Bucks, Timberwolves, Kings, anybody else at all likely to trade away their young(ish) center for a fiery shooter+) and that he will thrive, picking up Most Improved Player and performing in the playoffs. and that won't help the depression. in fact, things will seem hopeless for the Blazers, an organization seemingly doomed to return to the basement of the league, almost longing for that place in the box under the stairs where our woes could go unnoticed, that is until

Acceptance. and that comes when Greg gets back. accepting the fact that we should've stuck by him the entire time, that trading Rudy was a mistake, and that GREG IS KING. this is still Oden's team to take to the next level, and we won't reach that next level until he's ready. we've already used up our draft luck this decade, and teams are wary to trade with KP lest they become the next dullard who'd rather have Randy Foye or Tyrus Thomas than the next star of the league. the Blazers aren't moving to the high class neighborhood of championship contenders until Greg and his knee are ready. so we wait.

I know, I know, "save it for the trade drawer" but that drawer is full, and I'd love some discussion on this one, so I'm just gonna let it have its own filing cabinet. This is the Boozer trade that the whole league is expecting, as constructed by me. And of course, Portland benefits (from my POV).

4 Team Trade: Portland, Charlotte, Utah, Chicago

Portland Trades: Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Joel Pryzbilla, Steve Blake, Jeff Pendergraph

Portland Receives: Kirk Hinrich, Gerald Wallace, Kryrylo Fesenko

PG: Miler/Hinrich/Bayless/…Mills
SG: Roy/Rudy/Bayless
SF: Batum/Wallace/Roy
PF: LA/Dante/Wallace
C: Oden/Fesenko

Why This Works: I know that almost everybody’s 90 year old grandma will castrate me for trading Joel Pryzbilla, saying “he’s the only security we have for Greg Oden, and we’ll get screwed when he fouls out in the 2nd quarter!!!” But calm granny down, get her to put down her ‘skinnin blade’ and put in the hearing aids. With Portland receiving two (2){dos} capable perimeter defenders, the PRESSURE will be off of Greg. How many of his fouls come because of little point guards getting around their man and jumping into Oden? about 70% I’d say (without a real stat at hand). Hinrich is an excellent passer and legitimate 3 pt threat, and Wallace is a bruiser and a REBOUNDER!!!!! Fesenko can back Greg up with 15-20 minutes a game and we can go small with LA and Wallace/Dante on the block too. Getting rid of Troutlaw is a given, we lose him at the end of the season anywho. Basically, upgrade at PG, upgrade at SF, opens up time for Rudy & Bayless, and best of all, GO gets the perimeter help he really needs.

Charlotte Trades: Gerald Wallace

Charlotte Gets: Steve Blake, Joel Pryzbilla

PG: Blake/Felton/Augustine/Law
SG: Jackson/Henderson/Blake
SF: Diaw/Jackson/Brown
PF: Chandler/Diaw/Brown
C: Pryzbilla/Chandler/Mohammed/Diop/Ajinca

Why this works: Larry Brown needs a tough big man (cuz Chandler’s as soft as 7 footers come) and a veteran PG to run his offense. Ray Felton’s gone after this year, he’s too expensive, and he won’t bring anything in with a trade. If anybody wanted him, they would’ve gotten him as a free agent over the summer. Only problem with this is that the Bobcats get pretty thin on wing player with Wallace gone, but slide Chandler to the 4, Diaw to his natural position at 3, and you’ve got a pretty good lineup, which is more than I can say for them now.

Chicago Trades: Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons

Chicago Gets: Carlos Boozer, Martell Webster

PG: Rose/Pargo
SG: Webster/Hunter
SF: Deng/Webster/Johnson
PF: Boozer/Gibson/Johnson
C: Noah/Miller/James/Gray

Why this works: Do I need to go into depth? Boozer solves almost every problem for the Bulls. They can afford to shed Thomas with Taj Gibson doing so well, Hinrich is expendable with Pargo backing Rose up, and Salmons is really nothing special. He would fit in well with Utah’s balance offense. Getting Martell is just a bonus, and he provides the 3 point threat they’re missing with Gordon gone.

Utah Trades: Carlos Boozer, Kryrylo Fesenko

Utah Receives: Tyrus Thomas, Travis Outlaw, John Salmons, Jeff Pendergraph

PG: Williams/Maynor/Price
SG: Brewer/Salmons/Korver
SF: AK/Outlaw/Korver/Miles
PF: Millsap/Thomas/Outlaw/Pendergraph
C: Okur/Koufos

Why this works: They get something for Boozer. Almost enough said. They actually get plenty for Boozer, scoring from Salmons and Outlaw, rebounding from Thomas and Pendergraph. They had no defense to begin with from Boozer, but their strong perimeter D makes up for the lack of shot blocking power (Pendergraph could find a niche). Boozer’s gone come summertime, and probably to the Bulls anyway. Most importantly, Millsap gets his room to work.

I’d like some feedback on this, so hit me with your best shot