PorterIn2004

Hey, maybe we can get that Wells guy from 'em.

Talkhard

You're so wise and witty, Ed. And wrong, of course. This team obviously does have a chance to succeed this year, and sending Patterson home is going to improve that chance. I support this move 100% and I think it will send a loud and clear message to the rest of the team.

*deleted*. Your anti-management tirades are predictably over-the-top and you lose more of my respect every day. I suppose if Ruben molests another nanny, you'll blame that on management, too.

That's a personal attack. Not permitted.

__________________
"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan

Ed O

OK. Hopefully you can stop cursing long enough to look at these numbers:

00-01: 27.1
01-02: 23.5
02-03: 21.2
03-04: 22.6
04-05: 28.0
05-06: 19.3

Those are Ruben's minutes per game. If, as you claim so forcefully, ALL he cares about is minutes, why wasn't he cursing and steaming in public in 2002? Do you think those 1.9 minutes a game were so important to him?

I think that you need to look at other numbers:

00-01: 50
01-02: 49
02-03: 50
03-04: 41
04-05: 27
05-06: 31

Those are the number of wins per season for the Blazers (extrapolating at the team's current .375 winning rate for this year.

It's possible that he was less unhappy earlier in his contract, and now he sees that sitting on the bench is hurting his next deal... that's totally possible. But I find it just as likely that he cares about winning NOW as he does about any potential deal he might get in 2007.

As for me having an agenda: what a foolish thing to say on your part. My opinions and predictions on the team have been as accurate as anyone's on the forum... that they are primarily negative is a reflection of the current sad state of the team, rather than me attempting to spoil other people's fun.

Ed O.

e_blazer1

The way I see it, Ruben is not a part of the future of this team. As currently constituted, there's little likelihood that this team will challenge for a playoff spot. This season is primarily about developing our young talent and figuring out which of them are going to be important pieces in rebuilding the team. Given all of that, I'd put keeping Patterson happy at only one notch higher importance than keeping the hotdog vendors at the Rose Garden smiling.

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Blazermania is BACK!!!

Ed O

Predictably over the top? Perhaps. Predicably accurate? Absolutely.

You've got the former nailed, but need to work on the latter.

Ed O.

Scout226

I'm honestly not concerned about Rubens minutes played or anything else. Ruben is a career bench player. That's about all he'll be. Yes, he may get some games as a starter, but other than that, he's a spark off the bench. Him *****ing about playing time and doing it during game time is just not acceptable. Now if Zach complains because he's not getting minutes, then I can understand that, but as long as it's not during game time.

So, the Blazers being a playoff team or not doesn't really mean much to me. It doesn't say in his contract the Blazers will be a playoff team during the length of his contract or they will trade him to a contender. You sign a gauranteed contract in which you are getting paid more than you contribute to the team. Live with it.

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vicious2500

After 2003 we traded the core of our team and identity away with Rasheed Wallace and Bonzi Wells. We pretty much became bottom feeders after that so saying Ruben was helping us win is kind of a stretch. He was shining up the pine for Wallace & company to rest up so he could get out there to do a little work before going back to wax the pine. Trade him out for an expiring contract and let the young players get some PT and develop.

Kmurph

Ed...Come on now...

Is anyone REALLY surprised here?

Ruben has always been a knucklehead...ALWAYS been a knucklehead...he is always complaining...about playing time...about coaching decisions...about losing (while never looking at his own boxscore mind you)...So I fail to see how this is really a surprise to anyone here...POR is BETTER OFF w\o him...I don't think there is ANY doubt about that IMO.

And Ed...to justify a player's profanity laced tirade at his coach...IN THE MIDDLE OF A GAME is ridiculous...he deserves EXACTLY what he gets (and probably more)..and there is ZERO justification for lashing out at your coach like that...lack of playing time...or the team's record do not justify it, as you seem to insinuate that they do...

I don't know what your problem is Ed...but you sure seem hell bent on bashing POR no matter what...They lost a game they should have won last night...that is it...I see plenty of POSITIVE signs on this team (and some negative) so far this year...but all you and some other posters seem to see is negative....doesn't that get old?

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Quit the Webster hate

Ed O

Who's justifying?

Please tell me where I've justified anything. I look forward to specifics.

Thanks,

Ed O.

Ed O

A couple things:

1. Who says we "should" have won the game yesterday morning? The Knicks were in control the whole game and the Knicks are a better team. I don't know why anyone would think that we "should" have won in NYC.

2. If we "should" have won, isn't is a negative that we didn't? Shouldn't good coaching help us win the games we should, rather than lose the games we should?

As far as just seeing the negative: please pay closer attention. I've given numerous props to Telfair after his good showing in NY.

Ed O.

Scout226

I think that's very debateable. I can see both the Blazers and Knicks as on par with each other, but to say the Knicks are better period I would have to disagree with. They have their own issues just like the Blazers. Both are rebuilding.

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Ed O

It's certainly debatable which team is better, but what evidence is there that the Knicks are rebuilding?

They have a new coach and some players are having adjustment issues, but the team features veteran players in their prime up and down the roster, with young guys sprinkled in, including a promising rookie class of Frye/Robinson/Lee.

Marbury? 28
Crawford? 25
Rose? 30
Davis? 37
Curry? 22

It's clearly GOOD that we (as a rebuilding team) can compete with them, because I don't see them as rebuilding by any stretch. But I look at the rosters of the two teams and see the Knicks as a clearly better team.

Ed O.

crandc

I've seen "passionate veterans" on teams that were going through rebuilding. Like Terry Porter in Minnesota. Did Terry curse his coach during a game? What about Shareef Abdur-Rahim? He's been on expansion or rebuilding teams his whole career. Some say he is a loser who brings losing, but I've never heard him curse a coach during the game. Chris Mullin? How many years did he suffer as Golden State stunk? Mitch Richmond was a professional year after year on a lousy Kings team. Ray Allen keeps playing when his team loses. I could go on and on. Passionate veterans do not undermne their teams, even when, or especially when the team is struggling.
From whom should the young guys learn? Well, Przybilla, who bounced around the league, had his best season last year and says he wants to stay even if the team is not at championship level and even if it costs him because Portland gave him a chance when no one else did. Or what about Theo? He works hard whether a starter or bench guy. What about the Russians? They were sure used to a lot of PT but they are being patient and waiting their turns. And oh yes, what about Nate McMillan, who could teach them a few things, as could Maurice Lucas?
This team sure has better role models than Ruben Patterson.