Blazers on the NBA front page on ESPN.com with this headline: Pretenders? Once thought to be a threat to L.A.'s crown, the Blazers have fallen hard from their lofty perch. What went wrong? I would like to know what is said in the article, thanks.
I don't know if we fell, as much as we slipped on freshly waxed floor, and hit our head on the throne. It is funny how final the implication is. "Once thought"...as if we're done for for the rest of time.
I'd post it, but Minstrel would delete it. By the way, can somebody please post a link so I can break FCC rules and illegally watch the game!
For me, what really hurt about losing the Houston series was that we didn't get to play the Lakers in the first round. I would've taken the #8 seed if it meant we got to play the Lakers. I really like how we match up with them when we're healthy. They can't stop Outlaw who always brings his A game against them. Blake torches them from outside. And Oden would've outplayed Bynum head to head, I know it. It sucks that we won't have all our weapons when we go up against them next month. Hopefully a trade will help even things out. And is there a chance Travis could return around March? If we don't make a trade then we are REALLY going to need Outlaw down the final stretch of the season and playoffs.
Don't forget that if you record the game on Tivo or otherwise you're technically breaking the law as well. And don't even get me started on those bastards who tear the tags off of mattresses.
You know, I'm pissed about that headline. Pretenders? That would refer to a team with all their weapons not playing well, but FOUR of our key players are out. We're depleted and certainly not pretenders. At least give us the chance to show what we can do without Oden. We're 2-1 so far and our overall record of 14-9 puts us only 1.5 games out of the third spot in the West. Fuck man, we were 8-3 before Outlaw went down. Best start since 99-00 season. And we probably would've been even better if Batum was healthy (perhaps Nic would've had more success on Melo and we would've won the Denver game?) This team is fucking deadly, like #1 seed deadly, when healthy. We'll just have to wait til next year to see how that unit plays for a whole season.
Are you? I believe it's only illegal if you then distribute it. If it was actually illegal, wouldn't Tivos and VCRs have been outlawed years ago?
*shrug* Denny has always said to moderate him like anyone else, I assumed that went for all the "blue people." I generally try to moderate the same no matter who is making the posts. If someone higher up the chain feels I should handle it differently, they can feel free to PM me about it. In fact, any poster can PM me to discuss my moderation, if they have concerns.
All you left was the introductory, least interesting part. Here is the article's core of analysis. These are excerpts, not a wholesale copy. I already edited out large (less interesting) pieces.