No one (except Jason Terry) picked the Mavs at this time last year.

[RoyToy]

I just don't get the point of being so doom and gloom about every little thing

The organization definitely deserves criticism, and there are plenty of reasons to think why the team won't win the championship this year

But should the team not being in position to winning a championship really detour you from watching them(like some have said)?

Yes championships are the goal, but it's not the be-all, end-all. Some great moments have come out of the past 3-4 seasons, with Roy's comeback victory being one of the greatest sports memories I will ever have. And who didn't get goosebumps when the "Marcus Camby!" chant happened.

Some of the most entertaining baseball I've watched was in the late 1990's when the Mariners had a ridiculous roster. They were never really a true threat because their pitching outside of Randy was shit, but it was still great.

Being a fan is more than championship or bust.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Has nothing to do with disagreeing

You just come off as miserable. It's clear you ability to enjoy anything is non-existent.

I haven't enjoyed the Blazer much lately that's true ... But the Blazers are an incredibly small part of my life.

Ask me about my job. Ask me about my family. Ask me about the Green Bay Packers ...

 

[oldmangrouch]

There is one legit reason for optimism - Wallace will be here all season. You have to balance that against Camby (who has fallen off a cliff) and Felton (putting him with Nate will be a horror movie).
We also have an absurd lack of depth.

Does pointing that out make me a miserable bastard? Does pointing out that the Blazer front office is paid a lot of money to fix/avoid these problems make me a surly old coot? If so, I plead guilty.

 

[OdenHoF]

To add onto KS's list

7) McMillan has supposedly been tweaking and brainstorming the offense, to incorporate Wallace and Felton. Who knows to what extent he's been doing this over the offseason, potentially a lot.

Time will tell of course, McMillan has an obvious track record of depending on a single player, either Allen, Lewis, or Roy, and now Aldridge, but acknowledgement of the problem is the first step I suppose.

 

[huevonkiller]

I think you guys have a great team.

I'm curious to see how far you'll get too.

 

[julius]

Two things in this thread struck me funny. The wood chipper joke and the joke about Nate changing his offense. Both gave a great belly laugh

 

[Masbee]

Last season the team rode the backs of these players:

Aldridge
Andre Miller
Matthews
Batum
Camby

Roy only gave us "moments".
Rudy was frustrating and inconsistent.
Camby only gave us half a season.
Our Big rotation was a joke, with Oden out for the year, Camby hobbling for much of it, Pryz worthless, and the deep bench being exactly that and no more.
Our backup guard situation went from strength in prior seasons to weakness with the Bayless trade and Roy's injuries making us thin.
And, to add insult to injury, our Rookies were a washout.

And yet, as everyone keeps pointing out - we were a few Dirk "fouls" drawn from talking the champs to 7 games.

Why are there optimists?

LaMarcus could actually be better this year, and that isn't a stretch. All he has to do is play like he did last season, and he will be more dominant as he has been annoited one of the up and comers. That affects officiating, and it affects opposing players and coaches.

Our big rotation is still a question mark, but it would be hard for it to be worse than last season.

We are likely to get more lift from our young players than last season.
Spacing could be better for LaMarcus to work the paint with Andre gone he can have 2 shooters on the floor at all times.

Gerald Wallace for an entire season could be huge. He had to 2nd highest WinShare per/48 for the time he was with us.

Batum may be ready for a breakout.

 

[BBert]

It doesn't have to be championship or bust.

This. Not directed at any specific person, but some fans act like anything less than the championship is total abject failure. For me, there are lots of opportunities to derive enjoyment from following and rooting for my favorite team, even when the championship appears unattainable. I consider myself a realist, I am not a myopic rah-rah optimist, but I do prefer hope over despair. At the same time, I appreciate the reality check provided by those who point out the negatives, and the debate it engenders.