Outside Perception

[Boise Blazer]

I really believe that the Blazers have done a complete 180 on the "Jailblazers" era and I thought that everyone felt that way. But I guess not.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=pollindex&pollId=75677

Im surprised that over 1/3 of the people still dont think so. What more could we do?

 

[BlazersBlood]

If you scroll over the states, you'll see the votes. Some of them only have 1 or 2 votes, and the other states that said no are basically 50-50. Those people are obviously out of touch with the NBA.

 

[maxiep]

The highest percentage of "no" votes come from MT, WY, SD, GA, KY, TN, MS, CT and DE. Pretty much all redneck states where ignorance is a badge of honor.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

Well, a lot of this has to do with the Pritchard hate that has been in the media lately. Whether that hate is a real sample of what people actually think or not, it's influential. I mean, when you think about it, it's been one columnist and one "executive" (Chris Wallace I'm looking in your direction) that have made a big fuss over KP. It's even gotten Blazer fans hating on KP.

That, and the Blazers do have a fairly large internet presence and a. people on the internet are douchebags and b. the Blazers are good, so put two and two together and most people, I'm guessing just hate the fans and think KP is a douchebag based on dubious information.

 

[THE HCP]

The highest percentage of "no" votes come from MT, WY, SD, GA, KY, TN, MS, CT and DE. Pretty much all redneck states where ignorance is a badge of honor.

You my friend should be the governor of said states!

 

[e_blazer]

A. Small sample size.

B. Getting more than two-thirds of the people in this country to agree on anything is just about impossible.

Short of a roster composed entirely of priests and stocking the Blazers dancers with nuns, I'm not sure what more you could do to change perceptions. Then again...with the problems the Catholic Church has had with priests...I think I'd rather stick with our guys.

 

[Spud147]

I really believe that the Blazer have done a complete 180 on the "Jailblazers" era and I thought that everyone felt that way. But I guess not.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=pollindex&pollId=75677

Im surprised that over 1/3 of the people still dont think so. What more could we do?

After running the numbers through the Z test and T test I have found that the minimal number of votes make this poll statistically invalid.

 

[blue32]

You my friend should be the governor of said states!

LOL

 

[Ed O]

The beauty of being me (or one of the 17 primary beauties) is not giving a shit about the "image" of the Blazers. Image is subjective and arbitrary and useless to me as a fan.

As a result, whether 68% think the Blazers have fixed up their image or 0% do, I don't need to worry about it.

Ed O.

 

[oldmangrouch]

The beauty of being me (or one of the 17 primary beauties) is not giving a shit about the "image" of the Blazers. Image is subjective and arbitrary and useless to me as a fan.

As a result, whether 68% think the Blazers have fixed up their image or 0% do, I don't need to worry about it.

Ed O.

+1000!

 

[Minstrel]

+1000!

+1.7

 

[BlazersBlood]

+1.7

X 3.1415926535897932384626433832795

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I used to be all about winning and still fall more on that side. But having a team that has good character and being involved more and more with the community . . . I actually care what people (and myself) think about the character of the Blazers.

I must be getting old . . . because character and perception the only professional sports team in the state of Oregon, matters more to me each year.

 

[Big Frame]

X 3.1415926535897932384626433832795

mmmmm pie

 

[Pinwheel1]

I am guessing if ESPN didn't bring the phrase up for a vote, hardly anyone would have remembered it in the first place. Anyone with any amount of basketball intelligence, thinks that phrase is relevant.

 

[andalusian]

 

[illmatic99]

(get real)^2 = (be positive)?

 

[MARIS61]

The beauty of being me (or one of the 17 primary beauties) is not giving a shit about the "image" of the Blazers. Image is subjective and arbitrary and useless to me as a fan.

As a result, whether 68% think the Blazers have fixed up their image or 0% do, I don't need to worry about it.

Ed O.

All I care about is that this time next year they know we recently won the Championship.

 

[Shooter]

The beauty of being me (or one of the 17 primary beauties) is not giving a shit about the "image" of the Blazers. Image is subjective and arbitrary and useless to me as a fan.

So if most NBA free agents thought Portland was a joke, and wouldn't come here, it wouldn't matter to you?

If most NBA officials thought Portland's players were dirty, and thus called more fouls on the Blazers, that wouldn't bother you, either?

And if fans around the league thought our players were thugs, and thus threw things at them as they left the court, that would't bother you, either?

Is that what you mean when you say "image" doesn't matter to you???

 

[andalusian]

Also - if a tree falls in the woods and no-one is around to see it - is Shrodinger's cat alive or not?

 

[oldmangrouch]

So if most NBA free agents thought Portland was a joke, and wouldn't come here, it wouldn't matter to you?

If most NBA officials thought Portland's players were dirty, and thus called more fouls on the Blazers, that wouldn't bother you, either?

And if fans around the league thought our players were thugs, and thus threw things at them as they left the court, that would't bother you, either?

Is that what you mean when you say "image" doesn't matter to you???

FAs go where the money is, or sometimes look for a ring. Besides, the players know who is or isn't a "bad guy'...moreso than the fans, many of whom just believe what they read in the media.

We are a small market team. We are never going to get any love from NBA officials.

Fans throw things because they are drunken imbeciles. The type of "fan" you refer to would throw beer on Mother Theresa - at least in the play-offs. Do you honestly think what happened in Houston was a product of our "image"???

 

[oldmangrouch]

Also - if a tree falls in the woods and no-one is around to see it - is Shrodinger's cat alive or not?

If a cat always lands feet first, and toast always lands buttered side down, what happens if you spread butter on a cat's back and drop it? Will it just hover in mid-air? And can we harness that power to build a bullet train connecting Seattle and Portland?

 

[Ed O]

So if most NBA free agents thought Portland was a joke, and wouldn't come here, it wouldn't matter to you?

Where did you get that? Which NBA teams that have been willing to pay free agents have EVER had that problem? If a franchise like the Clippers can lure a player like Baron Davis, I think that your hypothetical is pure fantasy.

If most NBA officials thought Portland's players were dirty, and thus called more fouls on the Blazers, that wouldn't bother you, either?

I don't think that this is a possible scenario, either.

And if fans around the league thought our players were thugs, and thus threw things at them as they left the court, that would't bother you, either?

No. It would not bother me at all.

Is that what you mean when you say "image" doesn't matter to you???

No. But do you really think I did, based on my response to a thread about an ESPN online poll?

Ed O.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

If a cat always lands feet first, and toast always lands buttered side down, what happens if you spread butter on a cat's back and drop it? Will it just hover in mid-air? And can we harness that power to build a bullet train connecting Seattle and Portland?

Probably not . . . but these days we can probably get federal funding and give it a shot.

 

[Shooter]

Where did you get that? Which NBA teams that have been willing to pay free agents have EVER had that problem?

Lamar Odom had a chance to come to Portland, and he turned it down. Whether it was due to us being a small market, or getting too much rain, it certainly had something to do with our "image." Hedo didn't want to come here because he thought we weren't cosmopolitan enough. That's also an "image" thing. And I highly doubt that Kobe Bryant or LeBron James would come to Portland, because it would take them out of the limelight. That's also an "image" problem.

Image matters, that's the point. The Detroit Pistons still carry the taint of "Bad Boys," because of the dirty play of Bill Laimbeer and others on that team, and the way they walked off the court after they lost a series to the Lakers. Those championship Pistons will never rank among the all-time great teams because of their style of play and their "image." Dennis Rodman's great rebounding and defense will always be overshadowed by his "image" of a nutball and freak. Kermit Washington will forever be haunted by his image of a thug, based on one fight he was in. And Isaiah Rider will certainly not be remembered as a good player, but rather as a human disaster story.

Image matters. Period.

 

[Ed O]

Image matters. Period.

It doesn't matter to me. Period.

Your examples are fantastical or just plain incorrect. Sorry.

Image of course matters to fans to whom it matters and who have to decide whether to pay for tickets or to watch the team... but that's indirect and I don't concern myself with it.

Ed O.

 

[Shooter]

It doesn't matter to me. Period.

Fine, but it matters to a hell of a lot of other people. In fact, every NBA team has a director of public relations, and every team tries to develop positive relationships with the media. That's not a coincidence; it's because image is extremely important to the success of an NBA franchise.

Your examples are fantastical or just plain incorrect.

Heh-heh. Sure, Ed, whatever you say.

I guess in your world, Dennis Rodman was a highly respected player and a positive role model who will one day replace Jerry West as the NBA logo. And the Detroit Pistons were the model of decorum and good sportsmanship. And Isiah Rider was a poster child for discipline, integrity, and personal responsibility.

Yep, that sounds like the real world to me!!

 

[barfo]

If a cat always lands feet first, and toast always lands buttered side down, what happens if you spread butter on a cat's back and drop it? Will it just hover in mid-air? And can we harness that power to build a bullet train connecting Seattle and Portland?

Because a cat always lands feet first, a cat is not toast. Also because it has nine lives. Therefore a buttered cat will spend a lot of time licking itself. As would a woodchuck, if he could suck wood.

barfo

 

[Minstrel]

I guess in your world, Dennis Rodman was a highly respected player and a positive role model who will one day replace Jerry West as the NBA logo. And the Detroit Pistons were the model of decorum and good sportsmanship. And Isiah Rider was a poster child for discipline, integrity, and personal responsibility.

Yep, that sounds like the real world to me!!

I think his point is that, on the individual level, it makes no difference to him (or me, for that matter). Who cares how Dennis Rodman or Isiah Rider are "seen?" How does that change our lives?

Your franchise level ideas of how image matters seem like pretty extreme stretches. Being located in a small town (relative to other NBA markets) is a fact, not an "image" issue. Trying to connect the team being seen as "Jailblazers" by fans with the willingness of free agents to sign with the team seems very tenuous. You can assert that it's true, but it seems far more likely that money and chances for individual and team success are the overriding factors, in general. City issues might matter (where the city is located, its ethnic makeup, its cultural/entertainment life), but those things aren't within the team's control (short of moving).

 

[PapaG]

I think his point is that, on the individual level, it makes no difference to him (or me, for that matter). Who cares how Dennis Rodman or Isiah Rider are "seen?" How does that change our lives?

Your franchise level ideas of how image matters seem like pretty extreme stretches. Being located in a small town (relative to other NBA markets) is a fact, not an "image" issue. Trying to connect the team being seen as "Jailblazers" by fans with the willingness of free agents to sign with the team seems very tenuous. You can assert that it's true, but it seems far more likely that money and chances for individual and team success are the overriding factors, in general. City issues might matter (where the city is located, its ethnic makeup, its cultural/entertainment life), but those things aren't within the team's control (short of moving).

While I don't disagree with the position that having bad actors doesn't matter if the team is winning, I will point out that living in the city with bad actors is a lot different than living away from the city.

It got difficult supporting those guys (CTC and all), and once they started losing in the first round every year, people just got sick of their act.