What constitutes being a "Fan"? A Jerry McGuire Moment........

[THE HCP]

I love coming on here and seeing what everybody thinks about the world of Blazer basketball. I joined up with you guys in June of 05. But I will be honest with you guys, this whole experience is starting to lose its luster! I consider myself a Blazer fan. Live and die by the Blazers growing up listening to Shonz, going to games with my parents at the Parmount watching them on the big screen and collecting cards inside of WonderBread bags. I consider myself quite knowledgeable when it comes to hoops. That said, the way that some of you guys act on here is ridiculous! If we win a game or two, we are heading to the finals!!!! If we lose a couple, trade so-in-so and fire Nate?!?!?!?!?!? On the bandwagon, off the bandwagon!!! It is crazy. Now I understand that everybody has a right to voice their opinion, but how can you truly all yourself a "fan", when you react the way you do on either side of the spectrum? Maybe because of my job and the position I'm in, I have a different perspective then most. Maybe I'm a little more forgiving because I know these guys personally, but even before I was in this spot, I wasn't so drastically up and down on these guys like most. Also, it seems like a lot of people around here have forgotten that we are the youngest team in the league ( Raef does not count!). I've said this before a couple times, but we are going to lose games we shouldn't and win games we have no reason winning. Step back and enjoy the position we are in as the brightest up and coming team in the NBA. If you took the time to read this long drawn out post holiday mission statement, I thank you. My one wish is we all be a little more realistic when it comes to our expectations of this squad. Go Blazers!

 

[Paxil]

I think the majority of the posters here are fine. The minority appears bigger than it is because they will post 5 threads after a loss getting out their frustrations... which are misplaced on this and that when in reality they just want the team to win and have a hard time accepting any loss.

 

[timmay]

I think the majority of the posters here are fine. The minority appears bigger than it is because they will post 5 threads after a loss getting out their frustrations... which are misplaced on this and that when in reality they just want the team to win and have a hard time accepting any loss.

Bingo.

Also, a lot of posters who stay on a pretty even keel don't have any interest in posting in knee-jerk threads. You do it for a little bit, then get tired of the same knee-jerk reactions. So you just don't post while everyone is in freak-out mode. Or championship mode.

 

[BBert]

You're welcome, HCP.

And thank you.

 

[BatumKaboom]

Good post. I feel ya. I am one of those fans. But I blame it on bi-polor disorder and micro brews.

 

[BlazersBlood]

Yup, it's only the minority of posters that go off after a win or a loss. And don't forget, some posters only post after a win, and others after a loss, so it seems like you get both extremes after each game.

I admit, I've overreacted on more than one occasion, but it's a long season and you have to take each game in stride and look at the big picture. The entire season could change for any team at any instant. Injury, a miracle bucket, an amazing play, they all can change the course for any team. The veteran teams cope the best with these because they've ridden the roller coaster many times and they don't get too high, and they don't get too low. Our guys are tasting success for the first time in their NBA careers, and that's a challenge just as big as losing. We aren't going to be sneaking up on anybody anymore, and every team is going to bring their "A" game, and we just aren't consistent enough to handle that right now. It's frustrating seeing the same weaknesses get exposed, but most of it is just mental toughness. We are still shaping the identity of the team and if people expect that to take place over night, or just one season, they're going to be disappointed.

 

[julius]

This post sounds a lot like what I said. Has anyone here actually seen me or HCP at the same time?

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Well said HCP. Thank you.

Gramps...

 

[THE HCP]

This post sounds a lot like what I said. Has anyone here actually seen me or HCP at the same time?

I just saw yours J, sorry brother , wasn't trying to steal your idea.

 

[bodyman5001]

It might just be that it is aggravating that we have another terrible coach in a long line of terrible coaches.

Every time this comes up I ask people to name a couple of times when McMillan did something brilliant that someone could say directly contributed to a victory. Nobody has come up with one yet. Instead, I get things like how good the team is out of timeouts. WHOOPTY DO.

The team has no direction and no discipline. I thought Sarge was supposed to be a steady leader. Instead he starts off the season with a wishy washy move to bench Batum out of the blue and now we have stuff like Frye is gonna play, now Ike, now Frye, maybe Bayless, no Bayless has two fouls he can't ever play again, Oden has four fouls so he can't play again, blah blah fucking blah.

Nope, we have a coach who looks like he just walked out to the parking lot and found out that his car got stolen. Generally, a bewildered look that only looks better in comparison to Cheeks having his face in his hand the whole game.

 

[dpc]

I don't even come on here after a loss. I know it will just be a bunch of bitching. And it's only a few people, but they ruin it for me. So I don't even come on here after a loss because then all of a sudden our team sucks ass and we should fire every person that is on the staff. Hell I bet if the presentation is barely off people will be asking for HCP's head.

 

[Tortimer]

HCP that is a great post and my feeling exactly. I haven't been on as much as normal because of not wanting to read the downer posts after losses. I think there is a place for constructive criticism and there are things that need to get fixed and some will be fixed I believe with letting the cake bake. I also think we have a great chance to improve our team with a trade with LaFrenz's contract and available cap space. I do think most of the posters are fairly leveled headed and it only takes a 2-3 and everything goes down hill. I'm super happy with the team especially with how bad our team was looking before the Roy and LMA draft.

 

[Ed O]

HCP that is a great post and my feeling exactly. I haven't been on as much as normal because of not wanting to read the downer posts after losses. I think there is a place for constructive criticism and there are things that need to get fixed and some will be fixed I believe with letting the cake bake. I also think we have a great chance to improve our team with a trade with LaFrenz's contract and available cap space. I do think most of the posters are fairly leveled headed and it only takes a 2-3 and everything goes down hill. I'm super happy with the team especially with how bad our team was looking before the Roy and LMA draft.

So let the cake bake, or make trades and additions?

You can't really do both.

Ed O.

 

[THE HCP]

Trade the cake!

 

[Tortimer]

So let the cake bake, or make trades and additions?

You can't really do both.

Ed O.

I think we can have both. I think we basically let the cake bake but use LaFrenz's contract and maybe one of our young players to get a upgrade at SF, PG or backup banger PF at the trade deadline or next summer if we still have cap space(Miles signing etc.). I would think we would leave all the main ingredients to the cake in place Roy, LMA, Oden, Rudy, Bayless, Blake, Batum, Joel and at least one or both Webster/Outlaw.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Thanks for the post HCP. Just remember: Illegitimus non carborundum est

 

[BrianFromWA]

What's with the extreme exaggeration?

After a loss, there are very few posters who say "Fire the entire coaching staff! Trade everybody!" What will you hear? The people who say "Trade Blake, Travis, and Frye (and Sergio, depending on the game)" and "Nate's coaching poorly" correctly (if juvenile-ly) saying "I told you so". The people who take crap in the form of "Travis Outlaw Fan Club Thread" and "Free Bayless/Sergio sucks" threads after wins or during "good" game threads are justified a bit. The opposite happens after a win. Those of the optimistic bent generally like to gloat that their projections were correct, and seem to exaggerate a bit.

Posting extreme exaggerations doesn't help. It's a poor debating form and just begs for adolescent, testosterone-driven poor behavior. How about just saying things like "Brian, you keep saying we should trade Travis. Don't you think he played well tonight?" Or, "Brian, what did you think about Sergio's two dumb fouls?" Or, "Would you like to change your 58-win prediction after seeing this team's first 30 games?"

It's be a lot better forum, IMHO.

Oh yeah, and there's something differing in my version of "let the cake bake" than most in here. If you believe that, and think our window is the 3-4 year instead of this year, then why are Blake, Joel and Travis playing? Shouldn't we be letting those ingredients that will be in the 2012 cake play? If you don't see Sergio as part of our future, why is he here? Or are you hoping that you can just follow the team, overlooking faults and praising good play all in the spirit of "youth mistakes"?

 

[THE HCP]

Thanks for the post HCP. Just remember: Illegitimus non carborundum est

Sorry bro, I only know a little bit of Spanish! You'll have to translate!

 

[Nikolokolus]

Sorry bro, I only know a little bit of Spanish! You'll have to translate!

It's a famous "fake" latin phrase coined during WW2 by British soldiers that roughly means "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

 

[MARIS61]

Bake it!

 

[julius]

I just saw yours J, sorry brother , wasn't trying to steal your idea.

Sorry if I came off sounding like I was upset that you posted a similar thread. Did not mean to go that route.

 

[Minstrel]

The team is good. It can be improved. These aren't incompatible concepts. Players should be developed AND players should be traded.

Also, I hate to inform some people of this, but the Portland Trailblazers aren't a cake. They're a professional sports team, made up of varyingly good players. Sports teams are handled differently than cakes.

 

[LameR]

I love coming on here and seeing what everybody thinks about the world of Blazer basketball. I joined up with you guys in June of 05. But I will be honest with you guys, this whole experience is starting to lose its luster! I consider myself a Blazer fan. Live and die by the Blazers growing up listening to Shonz, going to games with my parents at the Parmount watching them on the big screen and collecting cards inside of WonderBread bags. I consider myself quite knowledgeable when it comes to hoops. That said, the way that some of you guys act on here is ridiculous! If we win a game or two, we are heading to the finals!!!! If we lose a couple, trade so-in-so and fire Nate?!?!?!?!?!? On the bandwagon, off the bandwagon!!! It is crazy. Now I understand that everybody has a right to voice their opinion, but how can you truly all yourself a "fan", when you react the way you do on either side of the spectrum? Maybe because of my job and the position I'm in, I have a different perspective then most. Maybe I'm a little more forgiving because I know these guys personally, but even before I was in this spot, I wasn't so drastically up and down on these guys like most. Also, it seems like a lot of people around here have forgotten that we are the youngest team in the league ( Raef does not count!). I've said this before a couple times, but we are going to lose games we shouldn't and win games we have no reason winning. Step back and enjoy the position we are in as the brightest up and coming team in the NBA. If you took the time to read this long drawn out post holiday mission statement, I thank you. My one wish is we all be a little more realistic when it comes to our expectations of this squad. Go Blazers!

Yes. What he said! It is a bit ridiculous that you can have people go from "we're going to the championship" to "this team sucks, fire this guy, trade that guy". If a poster is going to be that radical, at least be consistent.

 

[MIXUM]

basically your are either in the "wait till nextyear KP club" OR the "make the playoffs now and start becoming winners again club"


6 years is long enough to be out of teh playoffs. thats sad for a organization who was in 21 years straight.

if you think these guys can make the playoffs and just start winning playoff games...you are deeply mistaken. YOU NEED EXPERIENCE IN POST SEASON PLAY

 

[THE HCP]

That is exactly my point right there. Nobody with any common sense thought at the beginning of the season we were going to make noise in the playoffs. (Sorry if you thought this or still do) In my opinion, we are a couple seasons from contending. So these ups and downs of the season that the youngest team in the league are having, came as no surprise. I thought we would squeek into the playoffs and win a game or two, but we need to build team chemistry and acquire some experience. MIX if you realize this team needs to gain so much experience, why re you so down on them?

 

[Paxil]

Bodyman... I think Nate is a brilliant coach. Absolutely amazing. Look at our lineup. Blake, probably shouldn't be starting in NBA. Roy... Allstar... enough said. Batum... give me a break. Aldridge is good... but has weaknesses. Oden has been not so hot. So given that lineup... name a coach who would have this team with a better record right now... or win 13 straight last year. I don't think there is one. We are playing way over our heads in my opinion... and Nate is the reason.

 

[DaRizzle]

dont leave us hcp! I noticed you have posted less...major bummer

 

[Ed O]

Bodyman... I think Nate is a brilliant coach. Absolutely amazing. Look at our lineup. Blake, probably shouldn't be starting in NBA. Roy... Allstar... enough said. Batum... give me a break. Aldridge is good... but has weaknesses. Oden has been not so hot. So given that lineup... name a coach who would have this team with a better record right now... or win 13 straight last year. I don't think there is one. We are playing way over our heads in my opinion... and Nate is the reason.

Is this a joke? I can't tell.

Ed O.

 

[ly_yng]

Trade the cake!

It's all fun and games until someone steals your cake, and then moves it to Oklahoma City.

 

[ly_yng]