How the Trail Blazers built a winner and soothed the lingering doubts of Portland's tormented fan base By Jordan Conn on January 6, 2014 http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10250183/how-portland-trail-blazers-built-winning-nba-team
It is a good article but for me it's not just the ending of the 76ers game... it's the ending of 3 of the last 4 games that has me uncomfortable.
Surprisingly good article. Some fans here will have a rage stroke reading it, but still a good article.
To me this article is right on the nose is almost every detail: snakebitten fanbase, cool, calm leadership from Stotts and Olshay, a long-term plan that seems to be bearing fruit far earlier than was expected, and a positive future for the franchise regardless of this season's final results. To me, the description of the hardcore Blazer fan that is happy to see the success but is "waiting for the other shoe to drop" because this franchise has burned us so many times in the past describes me and many other longtime fans to a T.
This article is a solid description of a majority of Blazer fans. (1, 2, 3 not it!) The author left out they are self-described “realists” as well. I’m not surprised Portland lost after the number of terrible forum posts and comments that continue to pour in after every Blazer loss. To these fans, filling the forum with “come back to earth - trade (insert Blazer)-Portland can’t play D - spam bots of what’s wrong with the Blazers”, I say to you, “Oh ye of little faith…” [The book of Wes Matthews 8:26] You begged for this loss for the sake of validating your lack of faith, you deserved this loss. Check yourself before you wreck yourself… and the Blazers.
Good point our boys probably read all these sly poker dog posts and decided their million dollar check weren't worth it if fans were unloyal.
Thanks you for illustrating what I pointed out weeks ago. The atheist vs the Blazer believer. It's so obvious. While the atheists deserved this loss, I do feel partly responsible for not being able to get through to y'all.
Your welcome. While it's nice of you to try to take blame for this loss, this one falls entirely on the team itself . . . call me a "realist" but that's how I see it.
Playing the role of martyr has been an exercise in futility. You are clearly not worthy or capable of being saved. lol