KJM's Random Blazer thoughts.
The Portland Trailblazers are in a really awkward place right now. I have so many things running though my mind I decided to just list them out. Every time I try to write about one thing it blends into the other. So here goes.
1. Shareef Abdur Rahim may be out for the rest of the season. We missed an opportunity to trade him for Vince Carter. Now he is potentially untradable. This makes for 3 possibilities, trade him at lesser value, let him walk, or cross your fingers in hopes that he will re-sign. The way it has been around here this would surprise me.
2. Zach Randolph did not let his knee heal properly and continued to play on it when he shouldn't have. Now it is aggravated and he is questionable for tonight against New Orleans. No big deal? I think it could be. Zach is a bull in a china store. He wants to play-period. He probably has been hurting but didn't admit it. Now his knee has been worn down. I won't be surprised to see Zach on again off again with his knee. He needs to just bite the bullet and stop playing until it is healed. Otherwise, he may be out right when he wants to be in the All Star game or worse, the home stretch. I hope the trainers are not just taking Zach at his word about the knee. He strikes me as the kind that will fib so he can play. If you are hurt Z, sit down!
3. Zach again, sort of. This business with Qyntel Woods has got me wondering. It is common knowledge that Z-Bo and Q are buddies. I can't help but wonder that Q is being made out to be the fall guy. Q gets suspended and the entire ordeal gets swept under the rug. The local news who was all over this story earlier, has literally gone silent. They were out to get Q too, it seemed. Local media here in Portland gets downright giddy when there is negative Blazer news to report. The thing is, with the history between Q and Zach, how is it even possible that Q managed to "possibly be involved in dog fighting" and Zach wasn't? Did Patterson and Nash make Q disappear to not only save the Blazer's "PR" behind, but to protect Zach Randolph, their $80 man? I have a bad feeling this thing is far from over. What will the Blazers do if Zach ends up implicated in the dog fighting? Why else would it take 5+ months to investigate? I am highly suspicious. Of course, it would be expected that if there was so much as a sliver of evidence that Zach was involved, the local media would be screaming it from the mountain tops.
4. Damon deserves to start the rest of this season. 'Nuff said. I can't say enough about Damon. I am constantly impressed with the way he has handled his life and this Blazer season. His game is decent and he went to the bench as a professional. I like Damon as a Blazer and my hope is that it stays that way. If Damon is re-signed, then it will be time to think about the bench. It happens to most veterans anyway.
5. Maurice Cheeks. Mo has had it pretty rough here in Portland. I don't think many would dispute that. However, the only thing rough about the Blazers now is that they seem to be without a plan. That is the coach's responsibility. I think Mo is burned out. I don't blame him. I thank him for holding things together but I am really thinking it is time for him to move on. If he can get back to Philly, he should go for it. We need a fresh direction and that demands a new coach.
6. Theo's block party? Where did it go? I agree with Theo's benching. He just hasn't been himself. I think Travis has more blocks than Theo in the last several games. Atlanta fans tell Blazer fans that this is how it was when Theo played there. They say Theo was injury prone. Well, they may be right. Theo has been here almost a year now, and he has been out due to a thigh injury and a shoulder problem. He spends a lot of time on the bench too due to foul trouble. Do you suppose if he wasn't aching that he'd be quicker and less prone to foul? Theo's blocks are not enough to require a party. I hope this turns around but I think Theo had best stop complaining about his teammates and concentrate on his own game.
7. Blaze the Trail Cat. What would Blazer games be without him? >^..^< I like that crazy cat!
*seeing if you made it this far!*
8. In spite of it all, I think the Blazers still have at least a shot at the playoffs! I really do. The new line up has brought a spark to the team. I'm not ready to say they won't make it at all. It is going to be interesting when Darius comes back. Who knows if SAR will come back at all. I don't think we should count on it.
9. Ruben Patterson is the Blazer's GO TO guy. Period. If he goes back to the bench, put him on the list for 6th man of the year!
10. Go BLAZERS! :)
1. Shareef Abdur Rahim may be out for the rest of the season. We missed an opportunity to trade him for Vince Carter. Now he is potentially untradable. This makes for 3 possibilities, trade him at lesser value, let him walk, or cross your fingers in hopes that he will re-sign. The way it has been around here this would surprise me.
2. Zach Randolph did not let his knee heal properly and continued to play on it when he shouldn't have. Now it is aggravated and he is questionable for tonight against New Orleans. No big deal? I think it could be. Zach is a bull in a china store. He wants to play-period. He probably has been hurting but didn't admit it. Now his knee has been worn down. I won't be surprised to see Zach on again off again with his knee. He needs to just bite the bullet and stop playing until it is healed. Otherwise, he may be out right when he wants to be in the All Star game or worse, the home stretch. I hope the trainers are not just taking Zach at his word about the knee. He strikes me as the kind that will fib so he can play. If you are hurt Z, sit down!
3. Zach again, sort of. This business with Qyntel Woods has got me wondering. It is common knowledge that Z-Bo and Q are buddies. I can't help but wonder that Q is being made out to be the fall guy. Q gets suspended and the entire ordeal gets swept under the rug. The local news who was all over this story earlier, has literally gone silent. They were out to get Q too, it seemed. Local media here in Portland gets downright giddy when there is negative Blazer news to report. The thing is, with the history between Q and Zach, how is it even possible that Q managed to "possibly be involved in dog fighting" and Zach wasn't? Did Patterson and Nash make Q disappear to not only save the Blazer's "PR" behind, but to protect Zach Randolph, their $80 man? I have a bad feeling this thing is far from over. What will the Blazers do if Zach ends up implicated in the dog fighting? Why else would it take 5+ months to investigate? I am highly suspicious. Of course, it would be expected that if there was so much as a sliver of evidence that Zach was involved, the local media would be screaming it from the mountain tops.
4. Damon deserves to start the rest of this season. 'Nuff said. I can't say enough about Damon. I am constantly impressed with the way he has handled his life and this Blazer season. His game is decent and he went to the bench as a professional. I like Damon as a Blazer and my hope is that it stays that way. If Damon is re-signed, then it will be time to think about the bench. It happens to most veterans anyway.
5. Maurice Cheeks. Mo has had it pretty rough here in Portland. I don't think many would dispute that. However, the only thing rough about the Blazers now is that they seem to be without a plan. That is the coach's responsibility. I think Mo is burned out. I don't blame him. I thank him for holding things together but I am really thinking it is time for him to move on. If he can get back to Philly, he should go for it. We need a fresh direction and that demands a new coach.
6. Theo's block party? Where did it go? I agree with Theo's benching. He just hasn't been himself. I think Travis has more blocks than Theo in the last several games. Atlanta fans tell Blazer fans that this is how it was when Theo played there. They say Theo was injury prone. Well, they may be right. Theo has been here almost a year now, and he has been out due to a thigh injury and a shoulder problem. He spends a lot of time on the bench too due to foul trouble. Do you suppose if he wasn't aching that he'd be quicker and less prone to foul? Theo's blocks are not enough to require a party. I hope this turns around but I think Theo had best stop complaining about his teammates and concentrate on his own game.
7. Blaze the Trail Cat. What would Blazer games be without him? >^..^< I like that crazy cat!
*seeing if you made it this far!*
8. In spite of it all, I think the Blazers still have at least a shot at the playoffs! I really do. The new line up has brought a spark to the team. I'm not ready to say they won't make it at all. It is going to be interesting when Darius comes back. Who knows if SAR will come back at all. I don't think we should count on it.
9. Ruben Patterson is the Blazer's GO TO guy. Period. If he goes back to the bench, put him on the list for 6th man of the year!
10. Go BLAZERS! :)
posted by KJM at 1:24 PM
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