I haven't read the whole thread, but didn't Aldridge say something similar the year leading up to his departure. Ironic how he left because of Dame and then history repeats itself.
Clyde had the best run of team performance - and would've had MVP if not for that stupid Jordan guy (OR, if Duckworth hadn't been obliterated by god damn Vlade Divac in the 1991 WCF). Drexler would've got his ring in 1991 and would be remembered more highly.
I would say Walton had the highest high, Clyde played on our most talented teams and Dame did the most on his own. Each can make their own argument. Those 18 months of Big Bill at his best, however, that's the best Blazer I've ever seen on the court.
It's unprecedented. Which is the point. The Blazers weren't holding a gun to Dame's head. He had a lot of good here. People act like he was doing the Blazers a favor by not asking out sooner, but he had a better situation in Portland that all but maybe a handful of players in the history of the NBA. Dame got more than his share of favors and special treatment. I'm sure they'll make every effort to trade him where he wants to go, too. I don't think the organization owes that to him. He was a great player, but that icon of character? Doesn't seem like he was that much different than a lot of his peers.
I loved Dame and always thought he was different but at the end of the day, he is no different. No different than LMA or a handful of others. I find it especially funny that reports came out early last week that Dame has went back and said "He doesn't have to play with a super team, just a team that is competitive". He was getting out in front of it based on his past thoughts on "Superteams". This has been calculated every step of the way for him. I feel like he should always be welcome in Portland but it's no longer his City. As soon as he puts on that new Jersey, it's over.
Do you even think he cares what Portland or Blazer fans think after he leaves? Because I'm pretty sure he doesn't or won't. It's kind of like many of the national narratives involving Portland. All the stories will be about how loyal he was and how he was forced out of the city. Only Blazer fans will know about a roster spot going to his cousin, or the fact that Stotts coaching for so long and the makeup of the team over at least the last five years and probably longer were all done with his consent or blessing, that the team made efforts to give him what he said he wanted, and, essentially a day into the offseason, the guy who didn't run from the grind bailed for an NBA finalist team. Like Toradol, the deeper narrative won't play in Peoria. You know what else, though? I wonder how he's going to feel in Miami or New York when the team goes into a slump and every paper and TV station is asking him the really hard questions just to fill time and copy. I wonder what it'll be like in Miami where you have other big personalities like Jimmy Butler guiding the personality of the team and a coach that's going to want the ball to move quickly and demand intensity on defense. I wonder what it's going to be like not having the GM keeping him in the loop about every move and asking him if he wants this player or agrees with his coach. Maybe he'll be OK with that. I won't be following it closely except to see where the picks we have coming our way will land, but I'm sure that if he or his team struggle now it will be big news and it'll be coming across Twitter or the ESPN scroll, so it won't be avoidable.
Dame cares about Dame, and that's okay. We should follow his lead and care about Portland. It's okay.
I dunno. This is a message board and pretty shitty day thus far so there's that. At this point, i'm much more indifferent than i thought i would be. I don't hate him, i don't love him. Thanks for the feedback though
and at the end of the day, yes, I think Dame cares what folks think about him. Esp. around RIP City. But i'm sure he'll make this a "Dame against the world" campaign. And that's fine too.
Or if Rick Adelman hadn't taken all his starters out with a nice lead , leading to the Lakers come back in the 4th qtr. to win Game 1. Blazers had the best team that year. Beat Jordan's Bulls in both meetings.
