It's been a rough 12 months

Brandon Roy - Meniscus in both knees have now deteriorated. Athletic ability has also greatly deteriorated. We are now left with an $85m shell.

Greg Oden - Patella literally exploded into a million pieces. Has been out since December 5, 2009.

Nicolas Batum - Missed 45 games last season with shoulder surgery.

Jeff Pendergraph - Missed the first 12 weeks of the 2009 season with hip surgery. Waived after he tore his ACL in a pre-season game - out for the 2010 season.

Joel Przybilla - Gruesome patella injury. Has been out since December 22, 2009.

Patrick Mills - Breaks right foot during first Summer League practice in 2009. Missed most of the season recovering.

Elliot Williams - Will miss the entire 2010 season with right knee surgery to repair a dislocated patella. Will also have left knee surgery in six weeks.

Fabricio Oberto - Retires due to a recurring heart condition.

 

Losing Oberto definitely hurts the most.

 

You okay, Fez Hammersticks? You've been under a lot of stress the last year or two. Wanna talk?

We're here for you.

 

In a purely platonic way.

 

I didn't know Oden's patella LITERALLY exploded into a million pieces. That is why it is taking him so long to come back. Actually, I think it would probably heal faster if it were in a million pieces, kind of like glue drying I suspect.

If Oden can come back and be great.......ah fuck it who cares now?

 

What a fucking nightmare. At this point it is not only the season on the line, but the next half decade of Blazer basketball.

 

Seems like this injury plague for the Blazers never ends. LOL !!!!!!!!

Go MLS Portland Timbers 2011!

 

Without Roy, we have no closer. We have no star. Nobody on this team is capable of taking over the game the way Roy used to.

 

No one has died. No one got his eye poked out with a stick. What's the problem?

 

The kid who owns a beebee gun didn't shoot it off. Ya can't hurt a football player.

 

Random Post of the Year nomination!

 

Does anyone think Batum could be better than Roy in 5 years? I think there's a chance...

 

Perhaps.

 

Can Batum be the Main Man? At first I thought, Batum is always criticized for picking his moments (i.e. being inconsistent, blowing hot and cold through the game), so he'll have to put the game on his shoulders and carry the load for 48 minutes. So only 50-50 he can be the Main Man. But then I remembered that Roy used to save his energy for late in each half. Roy didn't play full energy for 48 minutes (and also saved energy on defense, which we expect Batum not to do.)

So maybe Batum can carry a team by continuing to pick his moments. He'll have to pick more of them, though. That's how Roy did it. (I speak of him in the past tense as if he's dead.)

But Batum isn't as heavily built as Roy, so he can't just barge in there like Roy could. In McMillan's system, Main Man Batum would need someone helping him inside who's a far better stopper than Aldridge. Przybilla will supposedly be 70% at best, even after months. We need a younger Przybilla. (I expect nothing from Oden, ever.)

Man, we're rebuilding the whole roster here. Now I'm thinking, get a new coach while we're changing everything. Okay, I give up. Too many variables.

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one on a ledge. I pray Oden comes back strong and we match any offer. I think they should shut down Roy for the year so we can get a pick.
Honestly it's rebuild around lma, Batum and hopefully Oden time. I remember in the summer when I said Roy's I jury history worried me more, in fact I've been saying that for years actually, and everyone went off on me.

Here's hoping Oden cares about Portland basketball and can get healthy in body mind and spirit. Maybe he will be a beast if he is the man on the team. I know I'm grasping at straws here.

It's definitely not a great day to be a blazers fan.

 

So right you are. I feel like this is some kind of dream that I'm going to wake up from any minute. And yet I never do.

 

You mean Roy at his peak or Roy right now? If it's the former I'd say no (at least offensively) if the latter, then he's already passed him.

 

Really? I think there's actually a decent chance that Batum is a better player than Roy ever was within 5 years.

 

And I'm not even a huge Batum lover.