Good stuff ABM, thanks for the link. I still can't believe Rudy is only 23 years old, I keep forgetting that. The guy plays like he's 26, 27. Hope he'll stay here forever.
I don't think of this as "Bandwagon fans", more like jilted lovers that left while their significant other went on an 8 year drug and alcohol bender. The team was clearly undeserving of being supported and people (rightly IMO) voted their displeasure with the team and it's band of miscreants with their wallets and either stayed away or withrdrew sponsorships. The seeds of that discontent which were planted by the Whittsit regime. No team (or person) is worthy of slavish devotion when they are not returning that devotion with at least a modicum or respect (I'm looking at you Bonzi Wells, and Rasheed Wallace).
the evidence suggests otherwise http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1024614/1/index.htm Certainly there are some who only followed the team based on their record, but it was already starting to slip one year removed from their Western Conference finals appearance in 2000
I grew up in Northeast Portland where you eat, sleep and drink Blazers as kids! True Blazers fans went nowhere! In good times and bad!
It's frustrating because I'm 23. Kind of a different life we're living. My goal for this year is to just dunk the basketball for the first time in my life at 6'1" 190.
ha, yeah.. I'm two years older than Rudy, and I've played my fair share of ball in my life, but man.. that guy has played in the Olympics and done about everything you could in Euro ball, and is doing incredible things here in a new country and has been here only 2-3 weeks. Rudy is just a freak of nature, and quite the athlete.
