Last night's anemic performance by the Portland Trail Blazers -- 30 points in the second half -- has some of our readers buzzing about the possibility that the pro hoops team is laboring under some sort of curse. Apparently a discussion of this nature was going the other day on the local sports talk radio. The Sam Bowie and Greg Oden draft busts, the infamous "Bryant to Shaq" playoff loss to the Lakers in 2000, Sean Kemp, Darius Miles, and now Brandon Roy's cartilage-free knees... Blazer fans are emerging as among the longest-suffering in all of sports.
If it is a curse, what is it a curse for? The razing of the lively African-American neighborhood to build the Memorial Coliseum? Or is the hex on team owner Paul Allen, who seems to have had more than his share of bum luck for all his money? Maybe he done somebody wrong in his Microsoft days.
Forget about a new team doctor -- the Blazers need an exorcist.
Comments (10)
Yeah, it can be tough to be a Blazers fan... but other teams (just in the NBA, let alone "all of sports") have it WAYYYY worse.
Just be glad you're not a Kings or Clippers fan. :)
A few nights ago, three of the official Blazer commentators speculated that there may be a curse. They said that the Rose Garden may be built on an ancient Indian burial ground. To solve the problem, Wheeler and the two others said that a human sacrifice may be necessary. I think they nominated Mike Rice.
Oh, cry me a river you poor abused Blazer apologists. You’re being a bit cursory about curses. When you’ve suffered with billy goats, black cats, and Bartmans like this long-suffering Cubs fan, then you can start cursing about curses.
Meter Reader, you're right about the "predictable bad urban planning" helping the demise of the Rose Quarter.
When you create an urban space that has over 10 city blocks devoid of any traffic access you have a dead zone for the 99.9% of the time when events aren't happening; and then still somewhat dead during events at either the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum because everyone is inside.
I recently had the experience of taking a dear friend who is a WWII vet to the Veterans Day event at MC. The Planners have totally eliminated handicap access for the once auto access near the front entrance to MC. It's now a dead zone plaza that is twice the size of MC alone. We had to park across the street in the parking structure and trudge with his walker from the top level down, then across the street, then across the plaza of over 400 feet. Then watch the great program without any heat in MC on a 42 degree day. No heat for the elderly was a disgrace.
What is many times forgotten in the discussion of Rose Quarter's creation was that taxpayers spent over $42 Million in its dead zone development. And Portland Planners were a major contributor in insisting in the elimination of vehicles. This was also a major contributor to the failure of the restaurants and retail on the Plazas.
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Miles run year to date: 29
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Comments (10)
Yeah, it can be tough to be a Blazers fan... but other teams (just in the NBA, let alone "all of sports") have it WAYYYY worse.
Just be glad you're not a Kings or Clippers fan. :)
Posted by Dan | November 27, 2010 2:28 PM
The Kings had a few good years. The tickets are probably a lot cheaper, and you can get a good seat to observe the frustrating action.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 27, 2010 2:56 PM
Easy on the Coliseum guys. After all that's where we did well 76-77.
But then that's also where it fell apart!
Posted by Lawrence | November 27, 2010 4:06 PM
A few nights ago, three of the official Blazer commentators speculated that there may be a curse. They said that the Rose Garden may be built on an ancient Indian burial ground. To solve the problem, Wheeler and the two others said that a human sacrifice may be necessary. I think they nominated Mike Rice.
Posted by Joel | November 27, 2010 6:41 PM
The curse of Paul Allen.
Posted by Frank | November 27, 2010 6:57 PM
Oh, cry me a river you poor abused Blazer apologists. You’re being a bit cursory about curses. When you’ve suffered with billy goats, black cats, and Bartmans like this long-suffering Cubs fan, then you can start cursing about curses.
Posted by Biggest Cubs Loser | November 27, 2010 10:44 PM
These recent troubles only began when Jack retired the Oden Meter. Please bring it back! =-)
Or does it matter? Whatever twelve bodies they suit up will lose to a solid team in the first round.
On second thought, I blame the dubious public-private financing and predictably bad urban planning of the Rose Quarter.
After that, we'll need to start digging a sacred indian burial ground under the arena just to claw our way back up to mere bad luck.
Posted by Oden Meter Reader | November 27, 2010 11:06 PM
We were at the game on Friday night & basically the Blazers folded in the second half. Way too many perimiter shots that would not drop.
Posted by Dave A. | November 28, 2010 7:10 AM
I can explain the last couple decades of Blazer seasons a lot easier than our than the last few decades of our city government.
Maybe the curse is on the city and the Blazers are just caught up in it.
Posted by PanchoPDX | November 28, 2010 8:53 AM
Meter Reader, you're right about the "predictable bad urban planning" helping the demise of the Rose Quarter.
When you create an urban space that has over 10 city blocks devoid of any traffic access you have a dead zone for the 99.9% of the time when events aren't happening; and then still somewhat dead during events at either the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum because everyone is inside.
I recently had the experience of taking a dear friend who is a WWII vet to the Veterans Day event at MC. The Planners have totally eliminated handicap access for the once auto access near the front entrance to MC. It's now a dead zone plaza that is twice the size of MC alone. We had to park across the street in the parking structure and trudge with his walker from the top level down, then across the street, then across the plaza of over 400 feet. Then watch the great program without any heat in MC on a 42 degree day. No heat for the elderly was a disgrace.
What is many times forgotten in the discussion of Rose Quarter's creation was that taxpayers spent over $42 Million in its dead zone development. And Portland Planners were a major contributor in insisting in the elimination of vehicles. This was also a major contributor to the failure of the restaurants and retail on the Plazas.
Posted by lw | November 28, 2010 11:05 AM