I can't believe I did it again. They made me do it again. They sucked me in, they made me believe. I can't believe that an Oregon sports team suckered me in and made me believe... REALLY believe... that national ultimate victory and recognition was possible. That transcendent talent could overcome what we know in our hearts but will never admit except in moments like this: that podunk backwater holes like Oregon could ever, EVER taste the sweet nectar of big-league victory. Don't talk to me about the Oregon State Beaver baseball team, or the Oregon track and field team. Don't talk to me about women's professional soccer, or junior hockey. Don't even. We are talking about things that common people pay attention to. Common people, not even sports fans, know college football. They know NBA basketball. They even somewhat know MLS soccer. And in every one of those, every one that hick Ory-gone has a infinitesimal stake in.. we are a joke. A laughingstock. A stepping stone for teams, programs, and individuals from parts of the country that matter. Oh sure, every once in a while, an Oregon team lucks into talent that almost overcomes all that: Clyde Drexler, Dennis Dixon, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Mariota. But let's be honest with ourselves: 4 and 5 star recruits don't want to come here. I don't care what uniforms are thrown at them, what facilities are built, how "cool" you make it all seem. Teams like the Ducks have to rely on 2nd-tier talent and hope to catch lightning in a bottle to truly compete with the blue bloods. Teams like Alabama, Ohio State.. ones that stockpile 4 and 5 star recruits because they can. Because kids know that, take away the fluff, they are where elite athletes go. They are where elite coaches go. And Oregon isn't. Phil Knight could give 5 billion dollars to the football program, and it wouldn't make a difference. Oh, it'll get them close... it has twice... but teams with REAL tradition, REAL coaching, and REAL athletes and talent, will ultimately win everytime. And you know, those 4 and 5 star recruits will keep going there, because it's a cycle. Damian Lillard might break that mold. I don't know. Brandon Roy looked like he had a small chance, but injuries robbed that. Injuries robbed Dennis Dixon of that. Injuries robbed Bill Walton of being more than just a footnote asterisk "year after the NBA/ABA merger where talent was diluted" championship winner for an Oregon sports team. Unlike 2011 (and the 2000 Blazers), though, where at least there was controversy, there was a small sliver of letting think an Oregon sports team might have been good enough, this year, there was no doubt. Oregon just wasn't good enough. A Heisman winner wasn't enough. And shame on all of us for letting us believe that it might be. It's going to be a long time, if ever, until I let a team from this state suck me into 100% buyin. I'm always going to be fearing going 0-15 in the fourth quarter and blowing a 15 point lead in Game 7. I'm always going to fear going 50-10 and watching your superstar center, the best player in the game, go down to injury and sabotaging a dynasty. I'm always going to fear an opposing superstar wanting victory more and shrugging on national TV as he unveils a three-point range that he never had before and destroys his closest competitor's will. I am always going to fear a QB going down to a knee injury and destroying that team's title hopes. It's so bad that I had to celebrate a regional team's championship that I only root for out of proximity. There was no "12th Man" parades in Portland. There was no real ownership for an Oregon sports fan. Just a coattail ride for someone who desperately wants to taste any sort of victory. And it was shallow. Hollow. No true emotional connection, just... "that's nice". God I'm tired of this.
It's a ride. If it was easy. It wouldn't be fun. Times like these test your fandom. We are seeing what times like these are doing to you. Just keep following, stay faithful, sooner than later it's going to happen. Blazers are on the way, The Ducks are right there. I do agree Oregon to get there, they need to find a way to bolster the ranking of their recruit. Coaches say stars don't matter. They do. Ohio State dominated them and they dominated them with what, their 5 star recruits and class. Where it's most important is in the trenches. But your teams are close. A lot closer than you might think. Who knows maybe this year. I think it's possible. Just keep following and see what happens.
I'm 45 years old. I tasted it when I was 7. And I've been waiting and hoping and rooting for 38 years. Forgive me if I'm starting(?) to believe it'll never happen again.
Bro you think you want this team to be the Spurs, or the Ducks to be Bama. When your team is winning things are great. Then you realize it's not the winning that makes it great, it's the shit you go through, the adversity you overcome, that's what makes the eventual victory taste so good. Those national championship losses, the jail blazer years, the playoff losses, those are the chocolate chips. Sure the cookie tastes good without them, but when you add them to the mix it is that much better.
How much more pain, how much more pissed away emotional investment does one have to suffer? I mean shit, look at Cubs Fan. Anyone that's a superfan of that team is a masochist, I can't even imagine. Well, yes I can. I just don't want to.
Here is the good news. Both Paul Allen and Phil Knight are working frantically to make this happen for you. They have resources, will and drive to get it done. I fully believe Allen will have a title before he sells and I think the Ducks bring home a National Title before Knights death.
Tl; dr. Nobody gives a shit. Don't like it don't pay attention. I know you've whined and bailed and quit on the Blazers already in here so many times in the past. Great. Good for you. You need to come to a realization about sports, or you need to actually walk away and not just say it every month when things go south. Hey hey! That's sports buddy.
It hurts, it stings but it's gonna feel amazing when it actually does happen. I love being a PNW sports teams fan. We get overlooked, ignored and mocked but we have some amazing teams up here with long term staying power, just have to be patient with the ducks and Blazers.
I hear you, chris. I didn't move to Oregon til 1980 so I've never experienced any winning. Also, I went to Michigan 1991-95 and we choked in the basketball championship game twice. I've been following the Blazers since 1989. I really believe we have a chance this season. We have all the pieces. Lillard is the difference. We win in 2000 if today's Lillard was on that team instead of Mighty Mouse. Hang in there. We got this.
I watched only 10 minutes of the game. You would think that as a native Oregonian, I would be interested, but not really. I watched a cooking show on DVR instead. Can I still be a Blazers fan if I don't care about the ducks?
I was too busy at work to run to Sunset Station casino yesterday and put a few hundred bucks on Ohio State. I can't think of a surer bet, but I couldn't get away in time to place it. I feel bad for you people, not that the Ducks lost but that some of you thought they would win. Isn't that along the lines of that old saying about the definition of insanity?
