As a newly signed forum blogging person, I've spent most of my time reading the posts, as opposed to writing one. However, with this season almost behind us, thought I'd write one now. First, I thought I'd touch on the "how can all of you fans be so negative?" topic. Well, while I appreciate the dose of optimism, I'll answer it like this....when a team starts playing better, fans start expecting more. It's that simple. When your team starts winning, as a fan you start thinking "well, if that team can do it, mine can too". So for some Blazer fans to be expecting more now, well, I think that's kind of normal. Secondly, and I think this kind of ties into the first comment above....the Blazers really seem to be so damm streaky. I know, I know, teams have their ups and downs throughout a season. But with the Blazers, it's more than that. We have like 10 ups and downs, a game, not a season. And playing a team like the Spurs, who are so consistent in their approach, really drives this point home. Seriously, it's like a light switch. We are so up and down. When the Blazers are playing their "'A' Game", we can beat anyone. Or at least compete with anyone (I believe we went 2-2 with the Spurs in the regular season, no?). But when our mojo is out of whack, which can happen in a second, we go cold. Like Ice Cold. Like a light switch, we turn it off, go cold...like we're doing now. It seems we quit (emotionally anyway) with the buzzer beater of series 1. We kind of blew our load on that one. It was an epic shot, no doubt, but it seems as if we quit playing after that. It was Definitely waaaaaaay too early to wear No. 1 hats, and 1977 hats, on the team's private jet to San Antonio for this series. At least for photo-ops. Perhaps we thought we had things in-hand at that point?....but probably better idea was just to stay humble and hungry and aggressive. Oh well, right? Always next season. But dammit....It's one thing to be defeated by a great team in the playoffs...it's another thing to be "manhandled, dominated, schooled, dismantled, routed, controlled, destroyed".....(all adjectives used by the National Media as of late). So.....maybe next year........ ...
Give credit where it's due. The Blazers aren't playing well because the the Spurs are making them not play well - they've utterly imposed their will on both sides of the court. It's not really because the Blazers forgot how to play or fell out of a groove. As you say, "maybe next year." Hopefully this ass-whupping will provide a teachable moment about just how high the stakes are in the playoffs, against a defending conference champion and maybe it will be illuminating for Olshey this off-season about what he needs to add to the roster or if any changes to the coaching staff or scheme needs to happen.
