Hollinger - Roy The Magnificent Seven

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090305

 

It really is amazing to think that we have such a great player on our team. When we were rebuilding it was hard to imagine us having this type of player. Roy has demolished my expectations for him in every year he has played for us. He just continues to get better, and really the way he plays is almost impossible to stop. He doesn't have a definite weakness, and it must make the opposing coaches life hell.

 

Excellent article!!!!!!!!

 

If only we had this type of writing for the Oregonian...

 

I actually sent an e-mail to Chuck Swirsky after the ROY vote came out. I told him that I respected his opinion but that he really should watch Brandon play a little more because he was a very special player. He sent back a really nice e-mail and wished the Blazers luck. That vote looks even dummer now.

If this team can continue on this path and stay healthy they are going to be so dominant when they're all hitting their primes.

Can you believe Stephen A. Smith went off about how stupid the Blazers were for trading for Brandon on draft night?

 

SAS is a dumbass, always has been.

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So very true!

 

no doubt... I do like Joel Freeman though

Here's a beef I commonly have with the national media evaluating Roy... how does his outstanding athleticism get completely overlooked? Here's Hollinger...

Sure he'll lull the defender to sleep maneuvering, but he absolutely explodes at the point he sees his opening... dude has a 40+ vert!

STOMP

 

It's definitely a lost statistic, his vert that is. Although it was pretty visible against Cheikh Samb earlier this season.

 

The thing about Roy to me is that his athletic brilliance is sortof...non-obvious. When Kobe, James or Wade slash to the hoop and score, there's no question about how they got there. The blew past / through / over their defender. With Roy, it often seems like he slashes into a crowd and, like some magic trick, appears on the other side and flips the ball in. Like someone walking through a wall, leaving the wall undisturbed.

Obviously, if you replay it and even slow it down, it's clear that a great deal of athleticism and skill was at work. But at regular speed, during the game, it just looks like...magic!

 

The interesting thing about Roy is that he never looks to be in a hurry - it's just that the defenders seem to be stuck in a gravitational pull field that makes them go in slow-mo.

 

Finally some national acknowledgement on Roy's ascent to the top 10 list. I hate that moniker, though.

 

I'm convinced that Roy is actually Max Payne and he just steps into bullet time.

 

^^^^^ That explains everything.

 

I don't think there's any other guy I'd rather have be the face of our franchise than B Roy. The guy represents Portland well, and is the type of under-the-radar star that we like to root for.

Don't know about The Magnificent Seven being his nickname though... John's gotta come up with something else.

 

The more I watch, the more I'm sure it's Jedi mind tricks. His nickname should be RoyBwan.

 

Mag7!

 

Me likey a lot!

Anybody like "Air France" as a nickname for Nicolas? (assuming he's nickname worthy in a couple of years)

 

It's better than Louis de Funès - so we are partially there

 

I think that nickname was floated for Pietrus back when he was a first- or second-year player. Also, I'm not a big fan of nicknames that reference other nicknames (in this case "Air Jordan"). I didn't like "Air Canada" for Carter.