Give me a reason to care

[Rastapopoulos]

Seriously: before the draft lottery, what is my reason to care about this team? Caring is just emotionally taxing, and whenever I watch them, they go down by 20 in the first half. And (while I agree with the trade) they traded away the major defensive catalyst capable of getting us back in games.

Felton is awful. It's not just that he's a turnover machine (and they're not just forgivable ones, they're comically awful), it's that he slows down when our only hope with our pathetic offense is to race down and get a shot up before they clog the paint.

Batum looks like he's seen a ghost.
Aldridge looks spent, and they just swarm him whenever he gets the ball because our outside shooting is pathetic.
Matthews looks like he's a broken-down 36 year old, not someone who's supposed to be healthier than he was last year.
Our rookies/sophomores are D-League quality.
Our veteran bench players are either getting there or there already, and are probably regretting jumping on this particular bandwagon.

I just can't see a possibility that this team could be fun to watch in the foreseeable future. And don't give me the joy of tanking, because there is none. It's demeaning and sad, and an insult to players and fans alike.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Yet so many posters wanted this senario . . .

There really is nothing here to watch

 

[Reep]

I think you would have to look to individual successes on a game-by-game basis to enjoy it. Seeing if one of the young guys can pull something together. Unlikely, but seeing someone step up (I'm talking to you Nic) in a way that could get you excited would help. That's all I can come up with.

 

[magnifier661]

Seriously: before the draft lottery, what is my reason to care about this team? Caring is just emotionally taxing, and whenever I watch them, they go down by 20 in the first half. And (while I agree with the trade) they traded away the major defensive catalyst capable of getting us back in games.

Felton is awful. It's not just that he's a turnover machine (and they're not just forgivable ones, they're comically awful), it's that he slows down when our only hope with our pathetic offense is to race down and get a shot up before they clog the paint.

Batum looks like he's seen a ghost.
Aldridge looks spent, and they just swarm him whenever he gets the ball because our outside shooting is pathetic.
Matthews looks like he's a broken-down 36 year old, not someone who's supposed to be healthier than he was last year.
Our rookies/sophomores are D-League quality.
Our veteran bench players are either getting there or there already, and are probably regretting jumping on this particular bandwagon.

I just can't see a possibility that this team could be fun to watch in the foreseeable future. And don't give me the joy of tanking, because there is none. It's demeaning and sad, and an insult to players and fans alike.

I'm hoping that Flynn comes out and looks good. I also look forward to pryzbilla being the stud he is. I'm also looking forward to see Matthews finally get out of his funk.

Two players I hate to see on the court is Crawford and Felton. Obviously two players that won't be returning to Portland.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Yeah . . . hopefully this time we do something better than Luke Babbit or Nolan Smith. Heck even a Bazer's good draft choice like Willimas is looking like a bust.

NBA lottery . . . it's fantastic (or not)

 

[MickZagger]

Well, we do have a player named Babbitt who is of Croatian ancestory which was originally Babbittovich. Things could be worse.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

You care because you are a fan... or are you?
I enjoy watching even bad Trail Blazer basketball over 95% of the other crap on TV.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

You care because you are a fan... or are you?
I enjoy watching even bad Trail Blazer basketball over 95% of the other crap on TV.

Wish I could say this, but more times than any time in the past 5 years, I have changed the channel in the middle of the game. I'm getting very little enjoyment watching them play.

Rather watch some rednecks from Sandy OR trying to get gold in Alaska

 

[HailBlazers]

Wish I could say this, but more times than any time in the past 5 years, I have changed the channel in the middle of the game. I'm getting very little enjoyment watching them play.

Rather watch some rednecks from Sandy OR trying to get gold in Alaska

LOL, feel the same way. But haven't stopped caring for a moment.

 

[RR7]

As a fan. I've always been able to latch on to players, success, or future possibilities as reason to care. Whether it's watching to see any development in Smith, Flynn, Babbitt, Thabeet, Batum and Matthews. Dreaming up scenarios for them to get better in the offseason, or just from enjoying watching basketball, i can never imagine just up and bailing because a team isn't winning. I moved to Portland towards the beginning of the jailblazer era, when things were going down hill, and rather than bailing on a bandwagon, actually JOINED the bandwagon at that time. If people can become fans at a time like that, then they should be able to stay a fan through one rough season.

If the only possible outcome of it is a championship, or else you're depressed, and see no reason to support, I suggest movies as a better source of entertainment. I don't say it to try to be snarky and oh, I'm a better fan than you. But sports are meant to be there for entertainment. If it fails to entertain you, and you dislike it, watch something else.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Keep ur head up, its your only choice. Reflect on how unimportant this shit is in the grand scheme of things. Wait to see what management can do with all of the imaginary flexibility. Keep it real and hold it down that all you can do man.

 

[KingSpeed]

Seriously: before the draft lottery, what is my reason to care about this team? Caring is just emotionally taxing, and whenever I watch them, they go down by 20 in the first half. And (while I agree with the trade) they traded away the major defensive catalyst capable of getting us back in games.

Felton is awful. It's not just that he's a turnover machine (and they're not just forgivable ones, they're comically awful), it's that he slows down when our only hope with our pathetic offense is to race down and get a shot up before they clog the paint.

Batum looks like he's seen a ghost.
Aldridge looks spent, and they just swarm him whenever he gets the ball because our outside shooting is pathetic.
Matthews looks like he's a broken-down 36 year old, not someone who's supposed to be healthier than he was last year.
Our rookies/sophomores are D-League quality.
Our veteran bench players are either getting there or there already, and are probably regretting jumping on this particular bandwagon.

I just can't see a possibility that this team could be fun to watch in the foreseeable future. And don't give me the joy of tanking, because there is none. It's demeaning and sad, and an insult to players and fans alike.

Felton has been great, creating for his teammates (esp Joel) and making his shots. Felton is not the problem lately. It's what happens when we sit Felton down on the bench.

 

[MickZagger]

As a fan. I've always been able to latch on to players, success, or future possibilities as reason to care. Whether it's watching to see any development in Smith, Flynn, Babbitt, Thabeet, Batum and Matthews. Dreaming up scenarios for them to get better in the offseason, or just from enjoying watching basketball, i can never imagine just up and bailing because a team isn't winning. I moved to Portland towards the beginning of the jailblazer era, when things were going down hill, and rather than bailing on a bandwagon, actually JOINED the bandwagon at that time. If people can become fans at a time like that, then they should be able to stay a fan through one rough season.

If the only possible outcome of it is a championship, or else you're depressed, and see no reason to support, I suggest movies as a better source of entertainment. I don't say it to try to be snarky and oh, I'm a better fan than you. But sports are meant to be there for entertainment. If it fails to entertain you, and you dislike it, watch something else.

Thats a really good post.

 

[magnifier661]

As a fan. I've always been able to latch on to players, success, or future possibilities as reason to care. Whether it's watching to see any development in Smith, Flynn, Babbitt, Thabeet, Batum and Matthews. Dreaming up scenarios for them to get better in the offseason, or just from enjoying watching basketball, i can never imagine just up and bailing because a team isn't winning. I moved to Portland towards the beginning of the jailblazer era, when things were going down hill, and rather than bailing on a bandwagon, actually JOINED the bandwagon at that time. If people can become fans at a time like that, then they should be able to stay a fan through one rough season.

If the only possible outcome of it is a championship, or else you're depressed, and see no reason to support, I suggest movies as a better source of entertainment. I don't say it to try to be snarky and oh, I'm a better fan than you. But sports are meant to be there for entertainment. If it fails to entertain you, and you dislike it, watch something else.

Hear hear!!!! Repp'd

 

[magnifier661]

Whoah I just noticed I have a 4 rep (3 for like a year in a half)!!! Thanks guys you love me! You really really love me!

 

[mook]

I can't find a reason to care. Even if Flynn or Thabeet showed some life, they'd probably get picked up by another team. It's not like we've got some special inside track on re-signing them. They're unrestricted free agents.

It's Aldridge, Batum, and a whole lot of awful. I may just call it for the year and see what happens in the draft. I've got more interesting things to do than watch this crap. I don't know what, but there must be something.

 

[e_blazer]

Whoah I just noticed I have a 4 rep (3 for like a year in a half)!!! Thanks guys you love me! You really really love me!

Yeah, but apparently not as much as we love MickZagger and KingSpeed. All things are relative.

 

[MickZagger]

Yeah, but apparently not as much as we love MickZagger and KingSpeed. All things are relative.

What are you trying to say

 

[Pinwheel1]

Seriously: before the draft lottery, what is my reason to care about this team? Caring is just emotionally taxing, and whenever I watch them, they go down by 20 in the first half. And (while I agree with the trade) they traded away the major defensive catalyst capable of getting us back in games.

Felton is awful. It's not just that he's a turnover machine (and they're not just forgivable ones, they're comically awful), it's that he slows down when our only hope with our pathetic offense is to race down and get a shot up before they clog the paint.

Batum looks like he's seen a ghost.
Aldridge looks spent, and they just swarm him whenever he gets the ball because our outside shooting is pathetic.
Matthews looks like he's a broken-down 36 year old, not someone who's supposed to be healthier than he was last year.
Our rookies/sophomores are D-League quality.
Our veteran bench players are either getting there or there already, and are probably regretting jumping on this particular bandwagon.

I just can't see a possibility that this team could be fun to watch in the foreseeable future. And don't give me the joy of tanking, because there is none. It's demeaning and sad, and an insult to players and fans alike.

Just take the next month off or watch each game until they start getting blown out, then tape the rest of it just in case something interesting happens. Don't annoy yourself by watching. (Or us by bitching about it) It will be over soon enough.

 

[e_blazer]

What are you trying to say

Just that you and KS have a rep power of 5. You're the popular kids.

 

[BlazerBeav]

I'll keep watching for those rare nights where things actually go our way. I don't know about the rest of you, but I enjoyed the Chicago game as much as I have enjoyed any all season.

 

[Wheels]

I think it depends on how you look at supporting your team. I will always support the Portland Trail Blazers, I will always want the players to succeed (no matter how bad the players are, if they are donning the Red and Black I will want them to do well) I grew up loving the Blazers in the mediocre mid 90's (I only vaguely remember the early 90's unfortunately) I rode the emotional rollercoaster of the WCF's and then the Jail Blazers, I spent a considerable amount of Money, Time, and Gas driving from the Gorge to watch starting lineups that consisted of Sebastian Telfair, Juan Dixon, Viktor Khryapa, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Ha Seung Jin. And I never once second guessed that.
The Blazers got an average of 25 games a year out of me during the crap rebuilding years.

The attendance dipped to lowest in the league, but there still was always a core fan group that showed up and loved our team.

Then times got better. I was working at a hotel and remember stopping to watch some Rookie named Brandon lead the team to a hard fought win in Seattle. There was a love fest on KGW after the last game of the season (I wanna say that was against PHX and Jack gor into it with Brian Skinner), even though we missed the playoffs there was hope to look towards. Then came the Lottery. I had just moved into a new place and had no TV. So I listened on the internet. When it came up that we were in the top 2, I remember screaming my head off, and somehow I ended up in the front yard still yelling, and to this day I dont remember how I got outside (I didnt realize we had #1 pick till I came back inside)

There was something so rewarding to the feeling of "Hey I stuck through this, and am soooo glad I did" I am a firm believer that to get to your peaks in life, you have to go through valleys.

Naturally, with all of this came renewed interest in the more casual fans. And with that came the opportunity to cash in for Paul Allen. Comcast came along (I understand that its a Business, and Paul Allen is in it for himself) But I began feeling more like a bottom line Dollar Sign than a loyal fan at that point. Screw me and the others who live outside of the service area of Comcast, As long as Paul Allen got his payday no matter who he ran over, it was ok. Game by game prices were changed at a whim based on what became a sexy matchup beforehand. (again I realize that they have the right to do that) Tickets for Nosebleed seats would be raised to laughable near $50 a piece plus Ticketmaster fees (Almost comparable to a ticket at Autzen Stadium at the time) But it was ok cause I had 95.5 the game to listen to the games while sitting out in my car! Oh wait.. that was taken from me too. It sure seemed like Paul Allen was doing his best to cash in no matter what, and it also felt personally that they were testing me to see how far I would go to be able to support my team (green font) I'm not even going to go into the Al Davis behavior and the constant meddling from Vulcans etc. I think it was Nik during the KP saga who had stated "Its Paul Allen's toy and he can break it if he wants" and I agree with that. But the class or lack thereof that I perceived disgusted me.

This Novel wasnt for really a "waaaaaaaaaah look at me" post, but more to explain how even the very loyal can be saddened and driven away to almost not care by this current Regime.

 

[Mediocre Man]

You ask for a reason and the Blazers give you JJ Hickson. Coincidence, I don't think so?

 

[Wheels]

lolz

 

[MARIS61]

Think of it as a horrific car wreck.

And hope someone comes out of it alive.

 

[PapaG]

Yet so many posters wanted this senario . . .

There really is nothing here to watch

That's the truth. A lot of posters did want to tear it all down, even when the team got off to a nice start. Now that it's here, I fully expect those same posters to be extremely positive and accepting of the current state of the team. The coach they hated is gone, the players are soon to be gone, and if LMA is traded, we as fans will be right back to where we were 6 years ago.

The positive of that, for me, is that the black corporate seats can be found for free, if you look/network hard enough for them.

 

[PapaG]

Yeah . . . hopefully this time we do something better than Luke Babbit or Nolan Smith. Heck even a Bazer's good draft choice like Willimas is looking like a bust.

NBA lottery . . . it's fantastic (or not)

I'm just hoping it's better than the last time the Blazers were in the lottery. Smith and Babbit weren't lottery picks, but this guy was...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You ask for a reason and the Blazers give you JJ Hickson. Coincidence, I don't think so?

Talk about kicking a man when he's down.

 

[Denny Crane]

I don't get it. I've been a Cubs fan all my life, and my team hasn't won in over 100 years. "Wait 'till next year!" is the team slogan...