Shit. You write this and they win their very next game? This can't be a coincidence. You screwed up the tank. Thanks a lot, man.
For those asking about the Blazers' response: My rep from the Blazers called me and could not have been nicer. Thanked me for my loyalty and asked what they could do to keep me. I quipped, "Have Jody sell the team to Phil Knight." We talked about maybe having me move seats higher up so they are less expensive but I would still retain my loyalty discount. She's given me some leeway to decide. I've asked some pals if they want to in with me. Right now, just saying goodbye and buying tickets next year on an ad hoc basis seems to be the way to go.
Very bittersweet day for this Blazer fan today. After 15 years, I decided not to renew my fantastic season tickets, and at the last hour on the last day. It was tough to say goodbye! But the fact was, this year I really had a hard time getting up the mojo to go to most games, and most of my pals did too. My wife stopped going with me back in January, and many nights I either had to sell my tickets for 1/2 price - or less - or eat them altogether. I do think if Shaeden had played and he and Scoot and Ayton had developed some chemistry, the games might have been at least a tad more exciting, but as they were, until the last 10 games or so, and as you all know, they were mostly a snoozefest. If you're interested , here is the letter I wrote my rep at 4:00 pm today: Hi Taylor - I have always taught my children that there are “magic moments” in life. When they were little we lived on a cul-de-sac in a super safe neighborhood for a few years. The kids all ran free after school, like my wife Maria and I did when we were kids. Those two years were a magic moment for my kids. Well, my 15 years with the Blazers as a season ticket holder has been a magic moment - From drafting Brandon and LaMarcus my first year, then getting #1 and Oden, then that fun team with Rolo and Wes, and now this fun run during the exciting Dame years. What a blast! But, at least for me, that magic moment has come to and end, and so I am sad to say that I am going to have let my tickets go. I’ve loved it, and this is very bittwersweet for me, but it’s the right call. Thanks for everything, you have been great to work with, as has the whole organization. Go Blazers! Steve
I guess I would not have been so nice. This organization has turned into a complete shit show. You are a better man than me.
And of course I agree - it feels like it's a bunch of stand-in caretakers at this point, starting with Jody, but ditto Chauncey and Joe. The days of a passionate owner like Paul, and a savvy GM like Pritchard are long gone.
Portland didn't win a home game in the final 30 calender days. This was shortly after Blazers had a cake home schedule in February, catching teams who were on b2b road games. The homestand trap was a disaster, Blazers got smoked off the court in all 7 games. home record 2nd half of the season: Blazers 2-18 Wizards 5-15 Pistons 5-15 Hornets 6-14 the bad basketball wasn't just tough road trips. Opponents were rolling into Portland and pasting their logo in Moda. NBA teams can't just lose every freakin' game, and keep "in house" fans from losing their minds. Portland played the worst basketball in the association.
Probably played some of the worst players for sure. Funny part is you got people on here talking about giving those same players contracts and calling them "Rotational" type players. Then the playoffs start and we see actual role players playing in rotaional situations and it becomes painfully obvious Banton, Reath, Rupert, Brown, Minaya, Moore, Hagans will never be on a serious NBA roster. #FireBillups!
Sadly too many sports owners are just in it for ego and money. I really wanted to give benefit of doubt but I see no plan for improvement. They have gotten worse every year. My A's destroyed by bad owners and I hoped Blazers wouldn't be as well.
I think there are two kinds of owners. There's the kind that are $billionaires and have FU kind of money. They'll spend deep into the LT to try and win. It doesn't always work, needless to say. Then there's the kind that the team is their business, their sole source of income. It has to be profitable. The equity in the team's value isn't easy to tap so the owners might be $billionaires on paper, but they don't have the cash flow from the business to support going deep into the LT. I've been a lifetime Cubs fan. For years the team was owned by the Wrigley chewing gum folks and they used the team as a write off for tax purposes and never really did much to try and win. We fans still loved the team. It wasn't about winning so much as we didn't win a World Series since the early 1900s. It was about getting to know the players. The games were televised (150+ of them) on the local WGN (World's Greatest Newspaper) station. They had a leadoff man show where we got to see and basically know all the players. That's what won us all over (us Cubs fans) for life.
This is pretty tame tbh. But i dunno how fruitful it is to be harsher. The league needs to force Jody's hand to sell, but I dont really think she's answerable to Adam Silver. Even if the TV numbers and ticket renewals are shit, the buck still stops only at Jody. Given her apathy, I doubt she cares if fan engagement is down because it doesn't really affect her bottom line. She will get her stipend regardless of revenue or valuation.
a rare public appearence from Cronin gave us 1 interesting quote. Joe said he doesn't want to take any more steps back. It's the easiest thing to say. The team Joe built has backed itself into a wall. It looks like expansion basketball, in a city that isn't new to the sport. Blazer fans have been through multiple rebuilds. Portland is trying at nauseum to get a veteran fanbase to believe the "we're the next OKC rebuild". That original Thunder squad was already on year 3 of a rebuilding program before it was ripped from Seattle fans. Take a look at the oil drenched cow tippers historical record in Oklahoma: - stole an optimistic Sonics rebuild. - 1 season tank (Harden/Ibaka). - somehow got Nick Collison to play good basketball, 'excellent coaching'. - 11 years straight of winning Thunder ball, with several retools to make runs. - the teardown & rebuild lasted 2 years. - OKC returned to victories and hard nosed ballers by year 3, playing near .500 ball, made the play-in. .... the Thunder never benched starters to lose on purpose. They weren't embracing the cheat. This Blazers rebuild doesn't resemble OKC's rebuild. The Thunder only had 3 stinker years in their 16 year history. Portland just finished their 3rd straight stinky tank year, and nobody can predict how many more will follow.
If they get lucky and pull a "Harden" and "Ibaka" from their two first round picks they very well might be on the right path.
every team hopes to land Harden & Ibaka. A Tatum & Brown? a Steph, Klay, Draymond? There are comps for good teams that won big in the lottery, but getting high draft picks doesn't guarantee winning. It took Orlando over 10 years to rebuild a winner, after the Dwight Howard & Jameer Nelson playoff run. That 2009 Orlando team would be a great Blazers comp: Nelson= Scoot big C Dwight ~ Ayton Rashard Lewis = Grant gunners Reddick, Hedo = Simons Sharpe what happened? Why are the Blazers so bad?? Real injuries, fake injuries, and the team mopes around when they can't get their shots to drop. Maybe next year will be different? The Front Office has already shown they will sabotage a .500 playoff team to try to win a ping pong ball. It's probably the last straw for Blazer faithful... a team that isn't allowed to win.
But boy oh boy if they hit big on this draft it could be awesome. Sharpe Scoot and a dynamic duo from this draft then one more year of lotto and they might have a decent team? One can only hope at this point!
I heard this morning on the radio that Blazers Broadcast viewership was down 60%. Not sure thats accurate I can see it being down big.
