Kaydow
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Maybe I've been in denial, but I thought he was staying until Mark Stein & Chris Broussard weighed in last night. Sounds like a done deal that he's gone, but why? What happened to his mindset since last summer?
“This has no impact on my interest in staying in Portland,” Aldridge said. “I just want to get a five-year deal. I feel like that’s the best decision on my part.”
“I want to be the best Blazer — ever,” Aldridge said. “If I stay the rest of my career, I should be able to catch Clyde [Drexler] by then. I should be able to leave a mark on a big-time franchise that is going to be seen forever. And I will be able to say I played here my whole career. This city has embraced me and grown with me. I have so much history, it just makes sense to stay.”
That's as much of a guarantee of "I'll be back" as I ever remember a player giving. He's going to have some explaining to do. Sure, he's payed his dues & earned his right to be a FA. But he gave his word that he'd be back. Perhaps if he was as standoffish last summer as he has been this summer, management takes a look at moving him so we don't have to watch him walk away w/o getting any value in return. How do you go from those words to (allegedly) sticking it in our eye? We're talking legacy here. Especially if he goes to the Lakers, he'll be "booed" every time he comes back for the rest of his career, and if his PR plan to explain off going back on his word is to trash the Blazer Organization for not treating him right (as has been suggested). . . forget about his jersey ever being retired here. He's painted himself into a corner by his words last summer. Blazer fans will want to know what changed, and why. There's always a measure of bitterness when a FA leaves, but IMO this would be comparable to Lebron & "The Decision" in the eyes of Blazer fans. If or maybe when he leaves, Wes Matthews is sure to follow, then there's no reason the bring RoLo back, and we're probably back to the dreadfully painful rebuilding stage. LA will be looked at as the guy who blew it all up. Two straight 50+ win seasons, by all accounts great locker room chemistry, a fan base that adores and serenades him with "MVP" chants, a roster that when healthy is at least close to contending, an owner that is willing to spend whatever it takes to win . . . so what happened? Where did everything go off track?
Are you bitter? Or do you feel LA gave us 9 good years and deserves to go wherever he wants, despite what he said last summer?
“This has no impact on my interest in staying in Portland,” Aldridge said. “I just want to get a five-year deal. I feel like that’s the best decision on my part.”
“I want to be the best Blazer — ever,” Aldridge said. “If I stay the rest of my career, I should be able to catch Clyde [Drexler] by then. I should be able to leave a mark on a big-time franchise that is going to be seen forever. And I will be able to say I played here my whole career. This city has embraced me and grown with me. I have so much history, it just makes sense to stay.”
That's as much of a guarantee of "I'll be back" as I ever remember a player giving. He's going to have some explaining to do. Sure, he's payed his dues & earned his right to be a FA. But he gave his word that he'd be back. Perhaps if he was as standoffish last summer as he has been this summer, management takes a look at moving him so we don't have to watch him walk away w/o getting any value in return. How do you go from those words to (allegedly) sticking it in our eye? We're talking legacy here. Especially if he goes to the Lakers, he'll be "booed" every time he comes back for the rest of his career, and if his PR plan to explain off going back on his word is to trash the Blazer Organization for not treating him right (as has been suggested). . . forget about his jersey ever being retired here. He's painted himself into a corner by his words last summer. Blazer fans will want to know what changed, and why. There's always a measure of bitterness when a FA leaves, but IMO this would be comparable to Lebron & "The Decision" in the eyes of Blazer fans. If or maybe when he leaves, Wes Matthews is sure to follow, then there's no reason the bring RoLo back, and we're probably back to the dreadfully painful rebuilding stage. LA will be looked at as the guy who blew it all up. Two straight 50+ win seasons, by all accounts great locker room chemistry, a fan base that adores and serenades him with "MVP" chants, a roster that when healthy is at least close to contending, an owner that is willing to spend whatever it takes to win . . . so what happened? Where did everything go off track?
Are you bitter? Or do you feel LA gave us 9 good years and deserves to go wherever he wants, despite what he said last summer?
