The Blazers are a beautiful group. Now they're on a little winning streak without Zach Randolph and without LaMarcus Aldridge. Oh yeah, the nattering nabobs will tell you that it's garbage time now -- that the opposing teams are holding out their best players and just coasting. O.k., maybe. But at this point in recent years, the Blazer squads would be truly pitiful. This year, they most definitely are not. Things are coming together, and the future looks bright, dum-dum management in Seattle permitting.
Comments (5)
I watched the 4th quarter and it was great to see. Jarrett Jack's 3-pointer, and Travis Outlaw's jumpshot at crunch time really fired me up. I also thought it was profound to see an NBA team double-team a rookie late in a game to prevent Brandon Roy from hurting them. That level of respect says it all. Plus, you have Nate over on the sidelines with the demeanor of a coaching legend. He could play a coaching legend in a movie. Of course, the announcers did point out Houston is 1 and 11 without their two stars but who cares? They came roaring back in the last 7 minutes but were left short, and the Blazers came up big in a truly likable way.
When Roy went out in the 4th the lead just evaporated, and when he came back, everyone got right back into a groove. The league is full of great college players who sit on the bench as rookies or seem to lose their composure in adjusting to the NBA. It's partly the schedule but I think a lot of it is just getting used to the money. Imagine the weird strain of suddenly being a millionaire. Many lottery winners lose it. The thing I'll always remember about this season is the composure of Brandon Roy. He's not overly wowed by himself and the situation. He not only seems like a 6-year vet, but he seems like a mature 6-year vet. His stats are great for a rookie, and his talent is awesome, but his sense of who he is, and how he's managed to keep it together is what makes this live up to the hype. Now let's hope good karma will work on a ping pong ball.
B-Roy certainly makes a good case study supporting the contention that the vast majority of these young guys should stay in college for a few years before they enter the NBA. Obviously, some kids like Lebron James for instance were stars from a very young age and going on to earn millions was completely expected for several years before it happened. I doubt college would heavily influence someone like a Lebron James who is way beyond his years in terms of basketball ability and was in the media spotlight way before his NBA career started.
What impresses me most about Brandon Roy is that achieving excellence as a person and as a basketball player is way more important than the money. The years between 18 and 21 play a huge role in the development of a young man's self perception, and it is highly probable that his years at UW played a big role in him becoming such a great ball-player, but also in him not being just another big headed spoiled brat millionaire pro athlete.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (5)
I watched the 4th quarter and it was great to see. Jarrett Jack's 3-pointer, and Travis Outlaw's jumpshot at crunch time really fired me up. I also thought it was profound to see an NBA team double-team a rookie late in a game to prevent Brandon Roy from hurting them. That level of respect says it all. Plus, you have Nate over on the sidelines with the demeanor of a coaching legend. He could play a coaching legend in a movie. Of course, the announcers did point out Houston is 1 and 11 without their two stars but who cares? They came roaring back in the last 7 minutes but were left short, and the Blazers came up big in a truly likable way.
When Roy went out in the 4th the lead just evaporated, and when he came back, everyone got right back into a groove. The league is full of great college players who sit on the bench as rookies or seem to lose their composure in adjusting to the NBA. It's partly the schedule but I think a lot of it is just getting used to the money. Imagine the weird strain of suddenly being a millionaire. Many lottery winners lose it. The thing I'll always remember about this season is the composure of Brandon Roy. He's not overly wowed by himself and the situation. He not only seems like a 6-year vet, but he seems like a mature 6-year vet. His stats are great for a rookie, and his talent is awesome, but his sense of who he is, and how he's managed to keep it together is what makes this live up to the hype. Now let's hope good karma will work on a ping pong ball.
Posted by Bill McDonald | April 7, 2007 12:07 AM
B-Roy certainly makes a good case study supporting the contention that the vast majority of these young guys should stay in college for a few years before they enter the NBA. Obviously, some kids like Lebron James for instance were stars from a very young age and going on to earn millions was completely expected for several years before it happened. I doubt college would heavily influence someone like a Lebron James who is way beyond his years in terms of basketball ability and was in the media spotlight way before his NBA career started.
What impresses me most about Brandon Roy is that achieving excellence as a person and as a basketball player is way more important than the money. The years between 18 and 21 play a huge role in the development of a young man's self perception, and it is highly probable that his years at UW played a big role in him becoming such a great ball-player, but also in him not being just another big headed spoiled brat millionaire pro athlete.
Posted by Usual Kevin | April 7, 2007 12:02 PM
Ugh! The Blazers again? Can't they please just go away.
Posted by R.J. | April 7, 2007 3:02 PM
No, they can't. Can you?
Posted by Jack Bog | April 7, 2007 3:04 PM
So what's the current prognosticatin'? Is Zach tradeable? Are we going to move him?
I hope we're done shelling out $84mil contracts to PFs just because they can score. That's so 1999.
Posted by Sebastian | April 7, 2007 7:31 PM