According to Mark Stein "we" are the problem

[Nikolokolus]

The fans that is:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playo...columnist=stein_marc&page=WeekendBests-090420

2. Playoff inexperience ain't a great alibi when the Bulls, hours earlier, played right through their lack of it to take down the defending champs. As a road team.

You already know my theory if you listened to this B.S. Report with Bill Simmons and Ric Bucher from last week. If you didn't catch the podcast, our view here at Stein Line HQ is that the Blazers -- on top of whatever standard playoff anxieties they confront as all teams do when they're just starting out with big games -- still have to learn how to cope with the win-now expectations their famously loud and loyal fans have. The Rockets certainly have their own demons, but the Blazers definitely seemed weighed down by the magnitude of the moment, which is only inflated by the runaway ambitions of a fan base that has been waiting since 2003 just to get back to the playoffs.

You buying or selling that Blazers fans are putting too much pressure on the young Blazers or that expectations are too high? The real caveat here is that if you listen to Bill Simmons' podcast, Stein also thinks 'we' will turn on the team if they fail to live up to these lofty expectations.

Personally I do think expectations have been overinflated inflated by some fans, but also by national media types hungry to create a narrative and some hype, but I heartily disagree with the notion that people will tune out or otherwise abandon their support for the team if these guys fail to get out of the first round (or whatever other metric needs to be met for 'success' to be defined). Hell, we've been through a lot worse and didn't turn our backs on them.

Thoughts?

 

[bigbailes]

stein is an idiot and obviously has very little of the pulse here in portland. outsiders see the rally and other things and think that the fans are off their rockers. yea some of our fans are in a win now mode but i think most blazer fans are pretty level headed and realize that houston is not a good matchup for us and winning a few games would be huge.

 

[KingSpeed]

I think that rally on Thursday might've psyched them out. I remember last season, Roy heard his first MVP cheers and then missed the free throw. When I was at the last Clippers-Blazers game, my brother and I, from the third row, chanted MVP! MVP! MVP! and Roy missed the free throw. I think they're a bit thrown by all the attention.

 

[ABM]

I think that rally on Thursday might've psyched them out..

Yet another reason why I think this young team should have gotten away and played in Houston for a couple of games.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Wow.

I have been following sports for a Loooong time. This the first time I have ever heard anyone suggest that teams are harmed by loyal and enthusiastic fans.

Stein is an abject idiot.

 

[blazerboy30]

Sell.

I think there is a big difference between high expectations and high hopes.

I personally have very high hopes for this team, this year. And with each win, my hopes get higher. That doesn't mean that I expect them to keep winning, or that they haven't already surpassed my expectations.

I think Blazer fans, in general, get rowdy and love this team and now has very high hopes. They hope for the best, they cheer loudly to try to encourage the team on, but I don't see this fan base turning against the players even if they get swept. I know I won't. I'll just look forward to next season.

 

[alex42083]

Wow.

I have been following sports for a Loooong time. This the first time I have ever heard anyone suggest that teams are harmed by loyal and enthusiastic fans.

Stein is an abject idiot.

Exactly. WTF?
We love our team, we want our team to do well. But no one's killing themselves if we don't win the championship this year.
I bet other franchises would love to have a fanbase that cares so much about their team like ours does.

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

We should not even be talking about this. Every team wants to play for a loud home crowd and our Blazers have throughout the season. We are not holding them back, they were.

 

[oldguy]

Sell.

I think there is a big difference between high expectations and high hopes.

I personally have very high hopes for this team, this year. And with each win, my hopes get higher. That doesn't mean that I expect them to keep winning, or that they haven't already surpassed my expectations.

I think Blazer fans, in general, get rowdy and love this team and now has very high hopes. They hope for the best, they cheer loudly to try to encourage the team on, but I don't see this fan base turning against the players even if they get swept. I know I won't. I'll just look forward to next season.

Exactly.

Edit: I forgot to quote OMG, too. Stern IS an idiot.

 

[Ed O]

Stein's commentary here seems just silly.

There's a "win now" vibe in Portland? REALLY? I think that fans have been remarkably understanding in the face of the second crack at a rebuilding effort. They should be applauded, not blamed... and I bet that almost everyone other than Stein would do that.

Ed O.

 

[Masbee]

The fans that is:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playo...columnist=stein_marc&page=WeekendBests-090420



You buying or selling

Mostly buying.

Never read the Stein piece, but the rally thing worried me a bit. A became more worried, when the turnout was so large and vocal. They had a video of the team arriving, and as the team bus approached Courthouse Sqare and they got a look at the huge crowd, McMillan said, "we better win a championship now."

I didn't really like that. Too much. Too soon.

You can smother someone with love. And though I think most of the posters here and most of the longtime fans are more hopeful than expectant, I think enough of a vocal minority may have driven the group vibe into more of a pressure feel.

Regardless, part of the learning process for a young team is to figure out how to create your own internal emotional balance. Excelling requires finding ways to create your own positive energy and not be distracted from your goals by outside influences.

 

[OddEnormous]

Stein's an idiot who was already making these noises before the rally. On Bill Simmons podcast last week he said Portland fans expect to win a championship RIGHT NOW and if things didn't go well, he could see the fans turning on the team.



Yes, he really has tapped into us hasn't he?



That being said, the rally was a bit much IMO.

I still believe the Rockets being picked to go out easily to the young Blazers by virtually every media outlet in the country is what caused Saturday nights disaster. The Rockets were focused and out to prove something.

It's not because a guy in the 300 section was cheering Brandon's Roy effort FOR FUCK SAKE.

 

[STOMP]

if Portland has it, someone at ESPN inevitably says it's wrong and more times then not it's Stein.

I'm thrilled that they've put this collection of talent together and that they've achieved success so early... they're pretty much on the pace that I projected in preseason. But while I'd love them to do well in the playoffs this year it's not like I'm going to stick my head in the oven if they bow out early. In general Stein has got a pretty poor track record of being right and is dreadful at projecting Portland accurately, so whatever... who cares?

STOMP

 

[mgb]

I posted after the game that the Blazers came out so amp that the fans might have just put them over the edge. That's not saying our expectations is to high and hurts the Blazers, that's BS!

 

[MARIS61]

Yet another reason why I think this young team should have gotten away and played in Houston for a couple of games.

They plan to do that after the next game.

 

[MARIS61]

Stein.

Moron.

And Chicago did not beat the World Champs, not by a long shot.

They beat Boston - Garnett, which is like us beating Houston - Yao.

It's a gimme.

 

[mook]

Just dropped an insane amount of dough for 100 level tickets. If Stein thinks I'm too demanding in wanting to see them actually win, well, I can live with me not living up to Stein's ideal of what fans are supposed to do.

Was the rally a big much? Yeah. The should probably leave that stuff for the beginning of the season and for after we lose in the playoffs. But oh well.

 

[DaRizzle]

well to be fair...you guys are a bunch of assholes

 

[mgb]

Just dropped an insane amount of dough for 100 level tickets. If Stein thinks I'm too demanding in wanting to see them actually win, well, I can live with me not living up to Stein's ideal of what fans are supposed to do.

Was the rally a big much? Yeah. The should probably leave that stuff for the beginning of the season and for after we win the finals. But oh well.

Fixed it for you.

 

[gatorpops]

well to be fair...you guys are a bunch of assholes

I guess it "takes one to know one!" But the team isn't!!!!!!!!!!!! The real team takes the floor tonight. Look out Lakers!!!!! Won't be long, you next!!!!!

 

[Denny Crane]

It's the "let it bake" guy.

 

[Shooter]

I think that rally on Thursday might've psyched them out.

You mean it made them overconfident? That's possible, I guess, but it doesn't seem likely to me. The Blazers have been beaten by enough lousy teams this year to know that they have to bring their A game every night--especially against a team like Houston that won the season series against them.

I think the Rockets were just hungrier in Game 1. They outhustled the Blazers and played with a sense of determination for 48 minutes. They've flamed out in the first round for several consecutive years, and they want to end that losing streak this season.

Now, however, the shoe is on the other foot. The Blazers are desperate for a win, and they're going to come out with a sense of purpose tonight. . . . I hope.

 

[LittleAlex]

Sell.

How many other teams in the NBA had a rally to celebrate their team making the playoffs? This Portland team hasn't gotten booed by the home crowd more then once all season (I think they did in the Christmas Day Massacre). There aren't very many fans that expect them to go all the way. Most Portland fans know that most teams need to lose a couple of times in the playoffs before breaking through.

Stein isn't a moron. What he is is a guy who hasn't been to a game in Portland all year and probably has seen the team play a handful of times.

 

[Wheels]

Stein.

Moron.

And Chicago did not beat the World Champs, not by a long shot.

They beat Boston - Garnett, which is like us beating Houston - Yao.

It's a gimme.

get it done KP!

 

[OddEnormous]

well to be fair...you guys are a bunch of assholes