The Blazers: Love 'em or hate 'em?

The Blazers have been interesting to watch this summer.

For those who've missed it, the Portland Trailblazers were once a beloved organization in the city of Portland. The team delighted fans in 1977 by winning the NBA Championship. Then, through the following 15 years, the team held the hearts of our city hostage through the heroics of the likes of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey, Buck Williams, and many lesser-known but very respectable players.

Then began the cold, evil reign of "Trader Bob" Whitsitt, a time where darkness loomed over our city and where gray clouds always gathered on the horizon. Under the tutelage of Whitsitt, the Blazers slowly eroded their fan base through the misdeeds, shenanigans, and buffoonery of players like JR Rider, Shawn Kemp, Ruben Patterson, Bonzi Wells, Rasheed Wallace, Qyntel Woods, Damon Stoudamire, and the list goes on and on.

Finally, a ray of light broke through the gloom as Whitsitt ejected himself from town before last season and the team started making obvious efforts to clean itself up. Bonzi and Rasheed left in favor of players like Sharif Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff, and character seemed to start mattering. Damon Stoudamire kicked his drug habit and showed his commitment to cleaning up his life by peeing in a cup, as promised, without warning for an Oregonian writer, despite garnering the wrath of the Players' Assocation.

After a self-imposed ban on Blazer mania, I was starting to think I could, perhaps, consider going back to my long-lost love.

But, wait, can I? Buffoonery is still available in ample quantities over at the Rose Garden. Zach Randolph nearly getting prosecuted this summer for misleading police about his brother's shooting of patrons at a bar. Ruben Patterson (again) demanding to be traded, despite being untradeable due to a kicker in his contract that he refuses to waive. And, the best so far, Qyntel Woods' apparent involvement in a (dog)Fight Club.
It's enough to make a Blazer's fan cry.

So, I haven't yet committed to hating the team again, yet, but I certainly haven't committed to loving them, either. At the moment, alot depends on whether Randolph can stay out of trouble for the season (and, if he doesn't, whether he gets booted) and whether the team finally cuts the cord on Woods, should he be found to be involved in some malfeasance. Patterson, well, they just have to suffer through his contract for one more season (like Stoudamire), and I can accept that.

With regard to Damon: I like Damon. I think he would be good to keep around, as long as he's able to keep himself clean and he's willing to open his mind to the inevitability of being a back-up to Sebastian Telfair, whenever he develops.

Anyway, I've been getting alot of use out of my Blazer's Blog link, and I encourage you to stay tuned to what may be the best soap opera around.

ON THE HOME FRONT
I'm in mid-move this week. I expect the computer system to be back up and fully operating by next Wednesday, but (as you can see) my predictions about a slow-down in Le Blogue were correct. Apart from the occasional lunch hour rant, nothing good will be here for a few days.

MT. ST. HELENS
Still waiting, anticipating. I hope this isn't one big anti-climax...

LINKS

• Some things can never be lived down.
• Mike Tyson's bodyguard falls asleep on the job.
• If you're gonna kill someone, here's how to destroy the evidence.
• And, the (post-debate) survey sez...
• Finally, for the law geeks in the crowd, a good discussion of the impact of Blakely on state courts.

That's all for now.

Catch ya later.