In your face McMillan - sitting Batum didn't work out so well for you either

Here's Batum's stat line for the game against Philly:  13 minutes, 0-4 shooting and 2 points and 2 rebounds. 

And guess what?  We still lost.

Much to my chagrin, coach Nate decided that Batum shouldn't be the starter - and that Wesley Mathews should get the nod at the three spot.  And as is the case, when Batum doesn't start he gets lost in the shuffle and gets his minutes hacked.  Batum didn't have any time to develop a rhythm on the second unit.  But I don't feel so bad, nobody got in the groove.

At one point, the Blazers announcers said, "Well, Roy really seems to be favoring that leg."  As in, "Roy's not being that effective right now, he's slow and and fatigued and maybe he shouldn't be playing 33 minutes."  As least that's what I got out of it.

So, to fill you in, the Blazers lost to Philly 79-88.  79 points.  Batum, much to coach Nate's dismay, isn't the real problem with his offense.  I agree that Matthews should be starting.  The kid's got energy and healthy knees below him.  But this strategy of playing Roy at all costs, even at 70% healthy, is really costing the Blazers some games.  Roy only contributed 10 points in his half hour of play.  Just watching the game it's pretty obvious that the flow is being affected, but Roy continues to be in the game either way.

The Blazers scored 11 points in the 4th quarter.  Let that sink in for a minute.

Batum didn't play in the 4th quarter, so coach Nate can't blame this debacle on the Frenchy.

I still claim that I like Roy, and he's one of my favorite players that the Blazes have turned out.  But c'mon now.  The guy is next to lame at this point.  He's playing worried.  He's slowing his game to save his knee.  And the whole ship is stalled right along with him. 

And add to that a coach who has an enormous amount of talent on his roster that called plays that totaled 11 points to close the game out. 

Something's got to give, people.  And tomorrow is a back to back for the Blazers...against Boston.  If we can't beat NJ or PHI, we're going to get stomped in BOS.

The Curious Case of Portland Basketball

Damnit, I swear if Dexter hadn't have given me a Top 5 episode EVER, I'd still be pissed right about now about the happenings in Portland.  It's playing with my emotions - toying with them with little regard to my well being.  Don't these Blazers understand just how wrapped up we are in seeing them succeed?  Somebody needs to figure this thing out.

Last night the team lost a very winnable game with an energy level that what embarrasing.  I was frustrated.  I very nearly threw a beer bottle through my television screen.  I'm not that crazy guy who'll beat his children after a bad loss - poor lasses feel as bad for the team as I do.  But I will rock the face of a TV screen.  For this reason, and it's potential liability, I rarely watch games in a pub.

So what does the team do?  Where do they go from here?  What's going to happen to Nicolas Batum?  C'mon, we've got important questions here.

Batum had an abysmal game last night.  Just horrible.  And the games that Batum has flourished in were games in which Bradon Roy had been sitting out.  A little thing that bothers me about 'national' coverage of the team is the fact that they'll give opinions on games like Blazers vs Nets without ever having watched the game.  We'll I've watched well over 100 straight Blazers games now - and many more before that, just not always consecutively - and I can tell you what the national media doesn't take the time to figure out.  And that's the fact that Brandon Roy is affecting this team negatively, and coach Nate doesn't know how to fix it.

When Brandon has been out or played in limited minutes, all players feel free to share the ball and take their shots.  Brandon, while in the game, dictates that the ball goes through him.  Batum, even when he's open, will dish to Roy because he doesn't feel like has permission to take a shot on consecutive possessions.  Hell, I didn't like Andre Miller until Roy went out with injury.  But it turns out that he's a pretty good point guard when he's free to use all options available.  But with Roy in the game, that whole machine grinds to a halt.  And the offense just suffers all the more.

And Nate sat Batum at the start of the second half - because Batum was the problem?  It's not working out.  And it's going to be a long season if we're all held captive by a 70-80% healthy Brandon Roy still dictating the offense with his bum knees that could give out at any moment.

Don't get me wrong, I like Brandon Roy.  And when he's healthy, he's a true superstar.  But he's not healthy.  He just wants us all to pretend that he his.  The problem is that the coach seems to be giving him his wish.  And the team seems prepped to go through the motions and pass the ball until it lands in Roy's hands, for better or for worse.



Quit your whinin' Roy.  You're still rich.

 And this whole debacle has given me some clarity.  First off, I still don't think McMillan is the right guy for the job anymore.  A change that came with the GM needs to continue down to the bench.  And I love my Blazers, and I love this group, but a change may also have to come to the lineup.  Trades have to be made maybe.  Something has to happen.

And I thought long and hard last night about my favorite player Batum.  And I would so love to see that kid succeed here in Portland.  But if this is the best he can expect - 4th scoring option, limited minutes in a stagnant offense - I'd be ok with him playing elsewhere someday.  I'd rather see Batum flourish than see a kid with a yet untapped potential stagnate here under these circumstances.  I've got cable, I'd find a way to watch him play.

Maybe if Batum played somewhere else Panini would make a jersey card for him too.  You never know.

I need a good sports day in the worst way

I had intended to write a post yesterday - really I did.  But after watching Everton lose to WBA 1-4, I had no muse, no muster that could produce anything worthy to be read.  To lose 1-4 to a team that isn't that good hurts.  It hurt real bad.  And it was a home game for the Everton squad.  Next week they go to play Chelsea...hooray we're dead.

So today is a new day.  I've got the Blazers at 4, Dexter at 8 and Boardwalk Empire at 9.  I'm ready.  Plus the Blazers are playing the Nets.  We've got a chance.  We've always got a chance.

Now let's take a moment and pray for a win....

That's the spirit.

Now please don't force-feed Brandon Roy simply because he is in the game.  Please feel free to slide by LaMarcus and snatch an offensive rebound. 

That is all.

Top 5 things I'm thankful for - sports edition

I can't match the post that Fuji posted today, so I won't try.  So in the interest of staying consistent with a Portland sports themed blog - here's what I'm thankful for in the world of sports.

5)  I'm thankful that Portland will have MLS soccer next year.  We in the Portland Metro area are on the cusp of seeing some great games here with bigger friendly matches than we could've imagined three years ago.  It blows my mind that Everton could potentially play here now on a future American pre-season tour.

4)  I'm thankful that I was able to see all 82 games the Blazers played last year, and if luck holds out, I should be able to repeat that feat here this year. 

3)  I'm thankful LaMarcus Aldridge has pulled his head out of his ass and has decided to develop more of an inside presence.  And thankfully Camby and Miller feed him perfect lobs all game long.  The real winner in Brandon Roy's knee issue has been Aldridge.  Let's hope he makes the best of it.

2)  Zenyatta.  I know, I know.  The horse lost and the crowds have moved on.  But that horse re-ignited horse racing fever in a lot of folks.  And I'll be telling stories about watching her run live well into my older years.

1)  Nicolas Batum.  What can I say?  I've put all of my sports knowledge reputation behind that kid, and he hasn't let me down yet. 

Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

Dexter Season 3 cards are out - and they're awesome

Breygent has just released the Dexter Season 3 cards, and it's actually a set that I know I'll be getting.  Maybe I won't get it until after the new year, but it's on the top of my list.  The release just went live about a week ago if I'm not mistaken, and the value in the boxes looks like it's living up to the hype - especially if you're a fan of Dexter.

The autos look great and the prop cards look even better.  Chase cards, like this sketch card above, are also starting to sell pretty well on the secondary market.  In short, the cards look awesome - and I'm glad they took their time in making them.  Dexter is currently on Season 5 (and holy crap, what a season it's turning out to be), yet these cards are all from the third season - which was definetely one of my favorites as it featured Jimmy Smits in a great role.

So just an FYI to all you out there, Dexter is one of the top 5 shows of all time (don't worry, I tallied all the votes myself) and the cards produced look to be of the more quality offerings you could get this year.

Things I WOULD LIKE to be thankful for

On Thursday, I will probably list off some things that I am thankful for.  Most everybody does this. 

But today, maybe it's the weather, or maybe I'm just feeling selfish, but I'd like to make a list of things that I hope to be thankful for in the future - i.e. things that I don't have yet, but would like to.

So here's a little list:

1)  I'd like to be thankful to get Landon Donovan back into an Everton uniform.  Non soccer fans won't get this, but it's pretty damn important to me.

2)  I'd like to be thankful for a healthy Blazers roster.  I'm not even saying which players have to be healthy, but can we just move past the injury talk already and talk about the playoffs again like we used to?

3)  I'd like to be thankful for a Nicolas Batum relic card.  Seriously Panini, it's year number 3 for Batum and still no jersey cards.  I'm sure you made a ton of jersey cards for no-name rookies that won't pan out, but you all couldn't buy the jersey off of Nic's back?  Help me out here.  I'm losing faith in the card companies ability to satisfy their customers.  I might sound trite if he were a first or second year player, but it's getting to the point now that we need to get somebody on this.

That's my list.  What would you all like to be thankful for?

Thoughts on a Sunday - 11/21/2010 edition

1)  I hate the Jazz.  More on that later.

2)  Is there anything more annoying than watching Brady play Manning?  The national media doesn't know who to love more.  The announcers are befuddled in how to balance the praise they think the two stars require.  So the approach to giving commentary on the game is to basically say that both QB's tie for greatest of all time.  Garbage.

3)  I've been on a free-preview of the HBO package on my cable for the last two months.  And for the last two months I've resisted watching any of Boardwalk Empire.  I just simply can't fit another show into my schedule.  But the praise was so high for the show, and I'm a huge fan of the actors, that I decided to watch episode 1 On-Demand.  Crap.  Now I'm hooked.  Seriously.  That show is as good as everybody said it was.  I guess I'll be keeping the HBO package for the forseeable future.

4)  I hate the Jazz.  I hate their 4th quarter comebacks.  I hate Deron Williams hair.  I hate Kirilenko's face.  I hate the Jazz.  But Batum had a decent night - even though he fouled out.  I'm actually kind of glad he fouled out.  He was playing an "in-your-face" type of defense last night.  And he kept on par with 14 points, 6 boards with a cool 3 steals and 2 blocked shots.  All in all, even despite the loss, I'm proud of him. 

5)  Play of the game?  This clip here.  I'd save it for the Highlight of the Week, but it's too good not to share now.

No love for Batum on the All-Star ballot

Look, I'm not saying that Batum this year is an All-Star, but it's frustrating to see who gets put on the ballot and who doesn't.  The entire voting process of the All-Star game is a bit frustrating to begin with.  Why start voting - therefore creating a ballot to vote on - when we're only 13 or 14 games into an 82 game season?

Maybe if it was at least 20 games into the season, the ballot would look different.  Bradon Roy is on the All-Star ballot.  And being a Blazer fan, even I can attest that this year is not an All-Star year for Brandon.  He's been sitting on the bench and has had his play seriously hampered by injury.  So why is he on the ballot?  Because it's a popularity contest based on your name more than your stats.  That's why I feel Batum should at least be mentioned on the ballot.

So what are Batum's stats that warrant a nod on the ballot?

First off, he's started 13 of 13 games for the Blazers this season.  He's averaging 30 minutes a game which is ten minutes more than his career average.  He's averaging 14 points, 4.6 rebounds and a steal and assist a game.  Are they already All-Star caliber numbers?  Probably not yet based on the stats alone. 

But who else got put on the ballot?

Both Suns forwards got put on - Grant Hill and Turkoglu.  Grant Hill is sitting at 12.2 points a game with 4.9 rebounds and Hedo is only at 9.6 points a game with only 3.8 rebounds a game.  So I think that we can say that neither of those guys is All-Star caliber this year, but they both got put on the ballot just because of their names - and not their merits.

Caron Butler of the Mavs got put on - and that's after only playing in 8 games this year.  His stat line is 13.1 points with 4.4 rebounds a game.  Again, what are we supposed to base his nomination after only playing in 8 games?  It's like Brandon Roy - just put the popular names up there and let people pick the names they know instead of names they ought to know.

And here's the frustrating thing about it all - if you go on to vote right now, there's a huge banner that says ONLY 64 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE!  64 days?  64 days?  That's absurd.  Why are they releasing a ballot this far in advance when there's still more than two months left of the voting?  Why not defer for a month and let the stats shake themselves out?  Even if Batum ramps up his production, are people going to take the time to write-in his name on a ballot?  Probably not.

It's a frustrating facet of the NBA, this whole All-Star business.  I decalre it a Sham-mockery!

An RC collection that may be worth the price tag...

So I was browsing ebay, as I do everyday, and saw a true RC collection that nearly caused me to fall out of my chair.  A seller on ebay is offering up 11 of the 99 08/09 UD Exquisite Rookie Autos.  Don't believe me?  Here's the link.

Here are 9 of the 11, the other two are pictured separately.  Hell, even seeing two of these together is cause enough to take a deep breath.  And yet, he has 11.

Really, this guy has a goldmine on his hands.  I'm surprised that he's selling them all now - just when Batum's upside is really starting to take liftoff.  His asking price for 11 of the rarest Batum cards?  $1250.

But he's got a lot going against him as well.  First of all, he's selling out of China - and that's never what a sports card buyer wants to see.  Especially when you're thinking of moving more than a thousand dollars over-seas.

The second hit this guy has going against him is that he didn't achieve the most sought after of the cards, number 88/99.  Really, if you're going to take the time, and devote the funds, to building this kind of a set, you have to try to make 88/99 a piece of the collection.  That's the tipping point.  Offering up the jersey number card is that one thing that would push the reluctant buyer into taking the chance on a Chinese transaction.  But alas, he doesn't have it here.

But I'm still really impressed.  I'm Batum's biggest fan, and if I had the funds (which I most certaintly do not), this would be a sale I'd take the chance on.  But this seller needed to go the extra mile.  He needed to find a reputable ebay consignment seller stateside to sell this auction.  Really, it's pretty easy to do, and he could've made more money doing so in the long run.  That said, the scan looks real, and I'm jealous.

If I have any secret millionaire loyal reader out there who was looking for the perfect gift for the writer of his favorite blog - this would be it.  Just saying.

The Nicolas Batum Highlight of the Week

Today is a good day, if only because I've come to the realization that there are now so many clips of Batum on youtube that I can literally make a segment here for a Highlight of the Week for my boy Batum.  And I'm not saying that there is just one or two clips of him, there are quite a few clips of him now at this point.  The secret is out ladies and gentlemen, Batum has officially created an American fanbase that extends past France and the greater Portland Metro area.

And Batum really is coming into his own now that more of the offense is being trusted to him.  Last night against Denver, Batum went for 14 points, 6 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block.  Really, he's rounding into a player that can give you a little bit of everything.  Even though last night wasn't a great shooting night for him (went 5-14), he's at least getting the green light to take 14 attempts or more a night.  And from my fantasy basketball persepective, he's really the only player I have that can make an impact on every scoring category.

But, even with the good win last night against Denver, my highlight has to be from the OKC game on the road this last week - even though it was a loss.  Just watch the clip and tell me that he's done anything this week (alley oops included) that deserves to be shown more than this clip.

- The 400th post -

400 posts this year.  Man that seems like a lot.  Really, it is a lot.  Who am I kidding? 

So I went back and re-read my past century mark posts and had a good chuckle about the whole thing.  My 100th post was pretty Blazer-centric.  My 200th post was my story about trying to bet a horse race with my card funds to be able to buy a box - still kind of miffed about that second race on the card.  And my 300th post was about a free box of Court Kings that Panini sent me to review on the site (and that was before I had an epiphany regarding free boxes). 

So now here we are on my 400th post on the year.  Crazy right?  And it's really fun to see how my writing style has changed over the year.  When this site first started out I was trying to develop a tone - maybe a journalistic tone? - that was very to the point and sometimes impersonal.  Now I can really write with a personal voice, because I am writing to a specific audience of people that I have come to know. 

Still, what do I have planned for a Century Mark post such as this?  Not much.  It's really close to Christmas, so prizes are out of the question - as are new card purchases.  So I'll just have to write what's on my mind, and that usually works.

So I start with a picture, and I'm sure you've all seen it before, but I'll show it again here.

This is a picture of my wife and I from a couple of years back.  We're the typical sports fan couple.  Matching shirts, team hat and a ton of pride.  And we're both wearing number 52.  Greg Oden's number.

And now Greg Oden is out for the year.  Again.  And he's getting his knee operated on.  Again.  No, the other knee.  It's kind of fun imagine going back in time and telling this smiling couple what was in store for number 52 in the future.  I'm sure we wouldn't believe that it would be possible.

But then the story gets worse.  Imagine us telling our past selves that Brandon Roy has no meniscus in either knee - and he'll be marked by this condition for the rest of his career.  My God, I'm glad there's no time machine, I could give my former self a heart attack with this information.

But former me, sitting on his knees clutching his chest, would look up at me with misty eyes and say, "But how about Batum?  Tell me Batum is ok."

And I would respond, "Don't you want to know about your daughters?  Don't you want to know how your job is going?"

Past me would yell, "Just shut up, you horse's ass!  Tell me Batum is still in Portland and that he's playing well!"

And I would tell him that the kid is alright.  In fact, the coach now lets him play more than twenty minutes a game.  I would tell myself that I was right all along.  Batum does become a great player, and people start to take notice.  And then I would show my former self this picture, the picture of me meeting Batum for the first time - all because I decided to start a website and a loyal reader gave me a tip to a Batum signing.

At this point, former me would've fainted from an emotional overload.

What can I say?  It's been a fun 400 posts.  Hopefully you'll all be around to see 500.



RIP "All Your Base Cards"

Sad day today.  It's got me bummed out for reals.  It's got me so bummed out, in fact, that I put "for reals" in a sentence.

Today I got word that TJ's site, All Your Base Cards has shut down after nearly a year.  And you can't look it up, because when I say that it's down...I mean it's really down.

TJ and I both started our sites within a week or two of each other and they were remarkably similar sites for two guys who'd never met each other.  We both had sites about basketball cards, that were Blazer-centric, with some serious emphasis on Star Wars.  Our sites were so similar in fact, that we actually had to meet up just to say that we had been seen together in the same place, at the same time - just in case there was any doubt.

Even though we both have full time jobs and families to worry about we still managed to make time for this little hobby of ours.  And over the course of a year I'm pretty safe in saying I've managed to make a new friend from starting this site - and that's really more important than site hits and followers anyway. 

Hopefully we'll see TJ back in the blogs sometime down the road.  And maybe I'll even talk him into writing a guest spot if he ever feels that he needs a creative outlet again.  Here's hoping, buddy.

As far as Fantasy Basketball goes...I'm just a slow starter.

So two weeks have passed in my Fantasy Basketball tournament and I'm third in my division with a record of 4-11-1.  Really?  The great fantasy guru that I am, I've only won four categories of total play this season.  Is this for real?  Yes, I'm afraid it is.

And what has been my downfall this year?  I've got a lack of a true superstar.  My big draft move was Chris Bosh.  And even though I know it's early, he's not lived up to expectations in that Miami lineup.  Oh well.  We'll have to hope for certain teams to suffer injuries and my team to play up to expectation if I'm going to turn this thing around.

But on a brighter note, I do have Batum on my team - and really he's a multi-stat scorer for me, so I can't complain.  Already this year he's averaging over 14 points a game and has nearly 5 boards to go with that.  And if Brandon Roy goes down on his creaky knees, it could mean more playing time for my boy.

But let's hope that B Roy is ok though.  Serious.

But all in all, this fantasy basketball league is shaping up to be a good one.  All players are remaining active and keeping their lineups fresh.  It's so much more fun that way.  Even when I can't find a minute to come to post on this site, I can spare the 15 seconds to check in on the league. 

Also, the products are starting to roll out for this year's lineup of basketball cards.  We'll have to decide on a brand here soon.  If anybody in the league has an idea, just drop me a line, we'll put it up for a vote.

Brand new Batum mix

I love to see people on the web being so into Batum that they can create something like this.  Just a little something I enjoyed, hopefully you all will too.

Murad Quest continues...finally

For reals.  I finally got another Murad relic.

And this one is Mitch Richmond, number 45 of the 50.  I couldn't find a Mitch Richmond relic for the longest time.  And then ebay got a couple in all at the same time.  And I got this card for a buck plus $2.50 shipping.  I guess the price was worth waiting for.

It's not that I haven't been looking actively for these cards - because I have.  I just have reached the point where they come to be more rare.  I did see a Shaq listed online for a while, but the seller was a disciple of Beckett - so I wouldn't pay his book value fantasy.

I've also seen a Kobe relic offered, but it was a bit too pricey as well.

So the search goes on.  But a new relic is a new relic.  I'll enjoy this one for a good long while.

The most heartbreaking race I've ever seen...

It really was the most crushing race to have to watch live.  That race, like most of her previous races, takes you through every emotion possible.  First you start to worry.  Then comes the hope and the expectation.  As she rounds the final turn, you truly see what she's capable of and it gives you elation.  Except today, she didn't win.  And utter dejection followed.

I've never wanted to cry when I watched the races, not even when I've lost my little betting money.  And I'm not saying I cried when Zenyatta lost on Saturday.  But if there was any expression of the emotion left after that race, it would've been with tears.  But I had kids to take care of and meals and activities to prepare, so I didn't have time to dwell on it too much.  Plus I had an Everton game to watch and a Blazers game to prepare for.  But when the camera turned to all the folks crying, I'll just say that I completely understood the place that emotion was coming from.

That horse was special.

Here's her final race if you missed it.  Watch it if you dare.

I'm handicapping races for Day 1 of Breeder's Cup

It's a big weekend for horse race fans.  Big weekend.  There's just no two ways about it, this weekend is going to be chock full of exactas, wheels and Pick 4's in my house.  But all within reason, of course.

The capper to the weekend is going to be Zenyatta racing in the Breeder's Cup Classic final race of Day 2 on Saturday.  I seriously can't wait to see her run her final race.  But before that, there's a plethora of quality races headed my way.  So a buddy and I are going to be camped out in my living room handicapping and betting online as the day goes along.  In my corner, I'll have a couple of things going for me.  First, I'll have the kids off to school for the first half of the day.  For the second half of the day, I'll have some Johnny Walker Red Label scotch to help me handicap.  It doesn't get better than that.

And my buddy has beginner's luck going for him.  Not a bad thing to tap into before his beginner's luck runs out and he's left to find his own handicapping methods like the rest of us.

Now the problem with this weekend is that pretty much only quality horses are accepted into the races - so picking the real winners here is brutal.  I'm going to be bettings a couple of exacta boxes and trying to nail a couple of early Pick 3's to try to 'inspire' my bankroll to blossom.  We'll see.  I just finish going over the entire entry of the first race, The Kona Gold race (52K purse), and I'm already a bit stumped.  I'll have to go deep in that race to have a chance.

If anybody, I mean anybody, is going to be watching these races, drop me a line and we can bounce around ideas. 

Until then, Blazers vs. OKC tonight.  This will be the first real test for the Blazers.  I really hope they pass.

It's Election Day - I vote Blazers

Well actually I did vote 'politically' as well.  I even joined my very first political party - and I'm not saying which (it's my little secret).  I'm not very motivated politically like I used to be, but I figured it's about time that I voted on at least a couple of the things that were up this year.  And then looking at all the political attack ads bummed me out, so I turned back to my sports channels.  And do you know which channel has ZERO political ads?  My horse racing channel.  Probably not a good thing to watch that many horse races in a row.  I'm getting to know certain jockeys and trainers now.  I may or may not have signed up for a Fantasy Horseracing competition.  I cannot confirm or deny that.  But the outlook is leaning more towards the affirmative. 

And somewhere in all of this mess, the Blazers laid an egg last night in Chicago.  And like always, when the first unit isn't working correctly, Batum is always the first one pulled and the last to go back in.  I wish I could vote on player minutes.  That would be an issue I'd be campaigning for.

But tonight we get to have a do-over and take our chances against a still potent Bucks team.  Long-time reader Zach has already written me a private message to wish good luck for tonight.  I return the gesture and wish his team good luck as well.  Even though we'll both be rooting pretty hard for our own teams, it's good to have a proper fan to fan relationship.  This isn't soccer after all.  And he's not rooting for Liverpool now is he?