Playoffs? You kiddin’ me? Playoffs?

April 17, 2009 in Life, Sports by Chris Pratt | 2 comments

My 2009 Blazers playoff tickets

My 2009 Blazers playoff tickets

I’ve been a (half) season ticket holder for the Portland Trail Blazers for four years now - technically five, since I’ve already put in my deposit for the 2009-10 season.  Of course my decision to renew early this year was prompted by the letter I received stating that in order to lock in my playoff tickets for 2009, I would need to renew early for 2010.  Thus, I became a five year customer.  This week I picked up my playoff tickets.  It’s kind of strange to pick up playoff tickets - you see, since no one knows how many games will actually be played, they must provide tickets for all of the possible games.  Thus, I have eight tickets for the 2009 NBA Finals, to be played in Portland at a date and time yet to be determined.  It is quite possible - probable, even, that these games will only be played in the bizzaro universe where I am in fact the star point guard for the team.  I can see two problems with this scenario.  First, I don’t have a jump shot.  Second, I placed a $20 bet on 20-1 odds in September for the Blazers to win the NBA Finals while I was in Vegas.  If bizzaro David Stern (Danny Stein?) catches wind of this we’re finished.

Ha Seung-Jin (photo from 2005)

Ha Seung-Jin (photo from 2005)

Back in the actual universe, this is the first year the team has made the playoffs since I’ve been back in the Portland area.  The team has come a long way since the final game of the first season for which I was a ticket holder.  That game was a 106-103 victory over an also lottery-bound Lakers team in which Sebastian Telfair scored 17 points and dished out 11 assists.  Ruben Patterson paced the Blazers’ starters with 18 points, Travis Outlaw had 20 off the bench, while a promising young center had 13 points and 5 rebounds on a nearly perfect 6-7 from the field.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ha Seung-Jin.   After the game Blazers Director of player personnel and interim coach Kevin Pritchard was quoted saying, “If you looked around the building tonight you saw some of our future playing out there.”  Well, sort of - Travis Outlaw is still on the team.  Theo Ratliff and Telfair became Brandon Roy, and Victor Khryapa and draft picks became LaMarcus Aldridge.  Apparently Pritchard, now the team’s General Manager, wasn’t bowled over by the future he saw.

In the years since, the roster has been completely turned over, resulting in a 2008-09 regular season which saw 54 wins and a fourth place finish in the Western Conference.  In June I predicted 55 wins and no less than 6th place in the conference.  I was off by one win, but two playoff seeds.  I’ll take that trade any day.

Something else has happened in the four years since I became a season ticket holder - the city has again embraced its only major league team.  Today thousands of fans packed Pioneer Courthouse Square for a pep-rally of sorts - a celebration for making the playoffs the magnitude of which is normally reserved for championship wins rather than playoff appearances.  The players all spoke, as did team dignitaries.  Three news choppers surveyed the scene, and KGW Channel 8 ran three hours of live coverage (in HD, even).  This is the type of thing that when picked up by the national media will label Portland as “bush league”, and “happy just to be there.”  Personally, I love it.

In high school we held pep rallies the day of football games and in the days leading up to the state basketball tournament.  In elections, we hold massive rallies for our candidates on the waterfront.  Why should it be any different for our team?  The natural argument is that the team is comprised of 15 millionaires who are paid to play a game by one of the richest men in the world, during a time in which 12% of Oregonians are out of work.  “They should be holding rallies for us, dammit” you might be saying.  Well, idiot, that’s exactly what they did.

Blazers GM Kevin Prichard with the 1977 NBA Championship Trophy during a celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Blazers' championship season.

GM Kevin Pritchard with the 1977 NBA Championship Trophy during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Blazers' championship season.

This was not a rally for the team, it was a chance for 10,000 Portlanders to gather during a sunny afternoon and forget that a lot of things really suck right now.  Most of the people who attended won’t be able to get in to a playoff game - sheer numbers dictate that.  Only a few hundred tickets were made available to the general public - the rest were snatched up by people like me, who must purchase tickets to all the playoff games in order to secure the luxury of buying tickets to only half the regular season games the following season.

These people were there because they are excited about the team.  This was a celebration that would not have taken place last year, or at any time during the last five years.  It could be argued then, that the amount of happiness brought to the city today by a mass gathering of people in the center of town would have simply been missing in the previous five years.  Sure, this is a cash cow for all involved - this is witnessed by the amount of red and black gear being worn by those in attendance.  At the same time, there is something about the affect a winning team has on a community in whole that simply cannot be measured in terms of simple economics or negated by criticism of the world at large.

Portland is a city the pulse of which once beat with the pounding of a basketball on hardwood.  Where in the early 90s the degree of civic pride could be measured by the intricacies of the signs displayed in windows of homes or businesses offering support for the team facing Detroit, Los Angeles or Chicago.  After first experiencing the disappointment of coming up short against Isaiah, Magic, and Michael, the city was alienated over the following ten years by a group of players who not only did not win, but who did not represent the character traits in which the city could have pride.

The last five years has seen a complete turnover of the team’s roster, with Outlaw the lone exception.  Along the way, the team has rebuilt its connections to the city, rebuilt its own image by embracing the high standards by which its previous incarnations had been judged, and in the process brought back a level of pride and community spirit that could culminate in a real-life pep rally in the streets of downtown Portland.  Hopefully we’ll have  a chance to do it all again in June.

Maybe that bet will help me pay off those playoff tickets after all.

Our house is a very, very, very sold house…

April 14, 2009 in Life by Chris Pratt | No comments

Well, I would have been ready to put in an offer on the previously mentioned house had someone not beaten me to the punch…  damn internet, I blame you for the foiling of my plans.  Next step is to talk to my lender to re-run some numbers and see if I can get approved for a figure above the previous very conservative range that I had set for myself, and continue the search for houses.  This, coupled with some good news on rates should allow a few more options.  For now though, this one is dead.

Sure, I could come back and make a higher offer than that which was made on the house, but it doesn’t make sense with with this home - it needs a bit too much work for that and has a funky property line issue where part of the garage is on the neighbor’s property…  I’d rather feud with neighbors over things like encroachment on hidden moonshine stills and the honor of attractive college-aged daughters or nieces.  Better luck next time, I suppose, and a lesson learned.  I shall keep watch on the next serious candidate armed to the teeth…

Gimme Shelter

April 11, 2009 in Life by Chris Pratt | 4 comments

I toured this house yesterday - I liked it.

I toured this house yesterday - I liked it.

The first two years that I lived on my own after college saw three apartments come into my life, each with their own low introductory rates and flexible lease terms.  I was a nomad of sorts- a relatively constant (local) traveler always searching for the lowest rent and shortest lease terms.  After tiring of looking for deals in the suburbs, I decided to finally just move to Portland, where I was spending most of my time anyway.  I set up residence in an apartment in Northwest Portland, where pizza and pubs were plentiful and everything was within walking distance.  A funny thing happened - I stayed in the same place for two and a half years to date.  Now, after having been employed for the last five years, living in Portland for going on three and with no desire to leave  on the horizon, I’ve begun the quest the buy a home.

Several times in the past I’ve been tempted to look for a house to buy - the first attempt came in 2004 when I was put in touch with a mortgage broker who was preparing what was clearly a horrible, foreclosure-baiting loan; complete with wildly adjustable rates and the assurance that it was ok that he was inflating my income…  a lot.  Basically, it was the recipe for what would become the current mortgage crisis.  Nice try, buddy.

About two years ago I made a second feeble attempt, having a friend pre-qualify me through Countrywide…  despite my excellent credit ratings and good income, her then-manager insisted on treating my loan as a sub-prime one with another risky rate - thankfully, my friend told me what was going on - the manager was insisting on this type of loan despite the fact that I was not a sub-prime borrower as it would net more money for the company.  Needless to say, I decided I was happy in my apartment.  Besides, the $140,000 they wanted to give me could purchase nothing in Portland in 2006.

To say that I saw the current mortgage crisis and the subsequent financial downturn coming is strong perhaps, although I could see enough in the future to know that what I was being presented was a raw deal.

Flash forward to 2009 - the lenders of whom I spoke earlier are for the most part out of business, and many of their borrowers are out of homes.  Values are falling, sales are stagnant, and I’ve actually been pre-qualified for a good mortgage.  I’ve actually gone through two homes with my Realtor - the first, although very big and cheap, was also lacking a few key items - for instance, a kitchen.  The latest home is a little more promising - a big, old, fixer in North Portland.  The fixer qualities seem to be mostly cosmetic and well within my abilities, and it’s tough to pass up a big craftsman built in 1908 with a finishable basement.  I’m planning on taking another walk through it but it may soon be offer time.

Civil War Wounds; Baseball in Portland

March 29, 2009 in Sports by Chris Pratt | 1 comment

Oregon staring pitcher Bennett Whitmore

Oregon staring pitcher Bennett Whitmore

Today I attended my first full baseball game of the season, having previously seen pieces of three separate games, but no complete contests.  My family and I witnessed the reconstituted Oregon Ducks take on Oregon State Beavers in a Civil War contest at PGE Park.  After having split the first two games of the series, the Sunday rubber game showed exactly how far ahead in talent and experience the Beavers program is when compared with the Ducks (not surprising, given the Beavers are only one year removed from back-to-back NCAA titles).Oregon State pitcher Jorge Reyes (2007 College World Series Most Outstanding Player) was marvelous, giving up only one run in his seven innings pitched, while striking out six and allowing only two hits. The Beavers took advantage of every opportunity presented to them and displayed superb situational hitting in route to a convincing victory.

Beyond the 8-1 score, nine walks, three wild pitches, three errors, and several instances of puzzling defensive lapses surrendered by the Ducks, the day was not a total loss.  For the first time in my life, I was able to root for a Ducks team play my favorite sport - and despite the throttling they received, it was a pretty good day spent with my parents, Brandon, and 13,709 fans of baseball in the state of Oregon.

13,709 watch the Ducks get slaughtered

13,709 watch the Ducks get slaughtered

For me, this is what it is all about: over two days in Portland, over 29,000 fans attended (or at least purchased tickets for) two college baseball games. Granted, a large amount of the interest likely had to do with the rivalry between the two schools, but this goes to show once again how much interest in baseball there is in Portland, and in the state of Oregon as a whole. This comes at important juncture for baseball In Portland, as it was recently announced that a new stadium for the PCL’s Portland Beavers will be built to accommodate MLS’ expansion to Portland.

The stadium being proposed at this point in time is a roughly 9,000 seat park to be located either in the Rose Quarter (taking the place of Memorial Coliseum) or in SE Portland’s Lents Park (please let it be the Rose Quarter). The city of Portland should take into account the future of sports in Portland as plans are developed. Hopefully, they will build the park with a potential expansion and upgrade to Major League facilities in mind, regardless of Portland Beavers owner Merritt Paulson’s likely interest in preserving the market for his AAA club.

At some point in the next decade Portland will have a genuine opportunity to attract a Major League team, much like the one that was wasted in 2004 when the Montreal Expos chose to relocate to Washington, D.C. This opportunity may come sooner than expected, as it was recently announced (and has remained under the radar) that the Oakland Athletics will no longer negotiate with the cities of Oakland or Fremont for a new ballpark. San Jose is said to be interested in starting negotiations for an A’s ballpark, but the San Francisco Giants hold the MLB territory rights to Santa Clara County, which could prove problematic for such a move. If this cannot be resolved, Portland would become a natural relocation option for the team.

The only other serious candidates for relocation (Las Vegas and Sacramento) each have much larger obstacles standing in the way of actually attracting MLB – economics (Sacramento has fared worse than Portland in the recent economic meltdown, is smaller, and, let’s face it, just isn’t as attractive in general… sorry, Gio) and gambling (last time I checked, MLB was not a fan of gambling… ask Joe Jackson or Pete Rose). I know this is all a pipe dream at this point; and not a very realistic one given Portland’s unwillingness for bold action, but a guy can dream, right? Besides, as much as I love the Ducks, I’d much rather join 30,000 Oregonians in rooting for a Portland Beavers team to take down the Seattle Mariners in an AL West matchup.

Saturatedpratt on Facebook?

March 21, 2009 in Website by Chris Pratt | No comments

An evening with the Wells’ almost always leads to a chiding from Chris to update this site more often.  In an attempt to inspire more frequent updates, he has attempted to link this page to my Facebook profile, with the thought that it will reach more readers…  let’s see if it works.  If it doesn’t, I’ll just blame the copious amounts of wine consumed over the course of the night.

The year 2008 in review

January 24, 2009 in Life, Politics, Travel, Work by Chris Pratt | 3 comments

The people (specifically, two people) have spoken, and as a result I bring you this non-sports related update.  After all, this isn’t a sports blog, it’s supposed to be about my life, and a clearinghouse for my thoughts, adventures, misstatements and awkward encounters.  It just so happens that the last several posts have been about sports… well, this one will bring us current on my life and times.

With a new year comes reflection on the past year - so with that, I will bring you a look back at my 2008, and a brief look to the future…

The Texas Schoolbook Depository

The Texas Schoolbook Depository

The year began like many others - in January.  At the beginning of the month I was asked to travel to Dallas, Texas by work to attend a series of meetings aimed at improving the way large loss property claims were handled.  The meetings were successful, and resulted in the creation of a position I would assume in March, however the real story is that I got to explore the city of Dallas, including the former Texas Schoolbook Depository - the site of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  As a history and politics geek, and as a kid who grew up idolizing Kennedy, this was a very special trip for me.  What’s strange is that through all the television shows and movies documenting the assassination, it seemed as though I’d already been there.  They’ve done a masterful job of creating a museum documenting the President’s trip to Dallas, the events leading up to it, and of course, the events of November 22, 1963.  I was surprised at the impact that the visit had on me, and I’m very thankful for having gone.

Nothing happened in February.  Literally.  March saw my second trip to Arizona for Spring Training.  This has already been documented, and it’s sports-related, so never mind.

April saw the first full month in my new position at work.  This was significant because it meant I was no longer traveling for work - everything (in theory) was now being handled from my desk, and specifically, from my dining room.  I still have mixed feelings on this transition, as I really enjoyed seeing the western US on the company’s dime, but I felt a responsibility to take the position that was offered to me, as I was instrumental in its creation.  I took the position after I was assured that I would still get to travel on occasion and would still have the ability to go into the field on my old claims, which I was keeping.

President Bill Clinton in McMinnville, OR

President Bill Clinton in McMinnville, OR

April also saw the visit of former President Bill Clinton to my former high school to campaign for his wife, then-Senator Hillary Clinton.  Although I was already an avowed supporter of Barack Obama, the prospect of seeing a President in the McMinnville High School gymnasium was too much to pass up.  I attended with my mom and seemingly the rest of the town.  As a liberal who grew up in a rather conservative area of Oregon, it was very encouraging to see a line wrapping around the entire school waiting patiently to be led into the gym.  It was during this campaign rally that it really began to sink in that the Democrats may actually win the election in November (foreshadowing!!!).  It was also encouraging to see that although the rally was a Hillary Clinton event, it became clear through talking to most of those in attendance, they planned to support the Democratic candidate - whether it was Clinton or Obama.  It was also encouraging to hear the little girl in front of me chant “O-Bam-A” when the crowd was instructed to chant the name of Hillary Clinton.

Sen. Barack Obama in Portland, 5/18/08

Sen. Barack Obama in Portland, 5/18/08

May saw another campaign visit - this one almost epic in scope, as Barack Obama packed an estimated 72,000 supporters into and around Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland.  I attended with Wells and his family, and braved the sun and 90 degree temperatures (as well as the horrible sunburn I picked up the previous day during a cleanup of the Willamette River with my dad) to be among the throngs welcoming Senator Obama to Portland.  The crowd was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in person - literally people filling every possible area, including the boats on the Willamette.  The official estimates were that 60,000 people were actually in the bowl area watching Obama, and another 12,000 filled the streets around the park.  It was here where I became certain Obama would easily carry the Oregon primary election two days later, which he did.  The future President did not disappoint, delivering the standard campaign speech, punctuated by exclamations of “wow” when face to face with the crowd.  The biggest takeaway from the event wasn’t in anything Obama said, but rather the enthusiasm for the candidate, and for the democratic process as a whole.  Never in my life had I experienced anything like this in a political campaign, and it is doubtful that this type of enthusiasm will be matched in the near future (now that the inauguration has passed).  More than anything, it was extremely refreshing to see the type of hope and promise for the future that was encapsulated by crowd - especially after the last eight years.

Brittany and I near Sedona, AZ

Brittany and I near Sedona, AZ

June passed by like an old man in his slumber as I waited for my July vacation, a second trip to Arizona for 2008 - this one to spend time with Brittany, who I reconnected with during my Spring Training visit.  Most of the trip was spent just going around town.  We visited with Vanessa, Eddy, and North, and went to her brother’s place for the 4th of July.  While attempting to jump into a swimming pool that evening I managed to knock my leg against a submerged rung of a pool ladder, causing a massive gash in my right leg, just below the knee.  As a result, I spent about 6 hours in the ER, received eight stitches, and now sport a wicked scar.  Following the debacle with my leg, Brittany and I took off for the cooler climate of beautiful northern Arizona, specifically Sedona.  I was able to find a timeshare that provided us with a deeply discounted room and dinner (we only had to pretend that we were a young about to be married couple interested in a timeshare…  the ruse worked perfectly - we are apparently good actors), and the rest of the time was spent hiking a few trails around Sedona and visiting shops - all the while trying to keep my bandage clean.  Despite the leg debacle, it was a great trip and one that made me realize I could in fact live in Arizona, if I wanted to.  I later decided that was probably a vacation high, but then again, housing prices are great near Phoenix…

Me and the Bean, Millennium Park, Chicago

Me and the Bean, Millennium Park, Chicago

In early August I visited Kayla in Chicago, however much of this visit was centered around various baseball road-tripping, so I will briefly cover where that aspect of the visit took us - Wrigley Field and US Cellular (New Comiskey) Park in Chicago to see the Cubs play the Astros and the White Sox host the Tigers respectively, Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Il where we saw the Kane County Cougars play the Beloit Snappers, Alexian Field in Schaumburg, Il to see the Schaumburg Flyers play the Kansas City T-Bones, and Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI to see the Brewers play the Nationals.

We also spent time enjoying some of the other things the city had to offer.  For instance, we took in our first day at the races at Arlington Downs, where we won about $20 combined on the ponies.  A day was also spent wandering the city, specifically the loop, Millennium Park and the generally everything that downtown had to offer.  This included, of course, pizza followed by drinks at Harry Carey’s.  If it weren’t for the extreme humidity in the summer, and the extreme cold in the winter, I would love to live in Chicago.

Just prior to my trip to Chicago, Miller arrived in Portland.  As such, he was allowed to “house sit” my apartment - basically, move in for a month.  It was great - we went to games, hung out like we did in college, and I got to witness a budding romance between he and Meredith (otherwise known as “Team Wilt”).  Unfortunately, he had to return to New York for the start of the school year, but if everything goes according to plan, he’ll be coming back permanently sometime later this year.

Las Vegas (file photo)

Las Vegas Strip (file photo)

With September came MusicFest NW, and four days of live music at various venues throughout Portland.  During the event, I was able to see Norfolk & Western, the Old 97s, Britt Daniel, Built to Spill, Nick Jaina, the Builders and the Butchers, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, and many other less impressive bands.  I was also able to spend some quality time with my pal Sarah, and reconnect with Julie as well as meet a few new people.  September also saw a trip to Las Vegas with Derek, Esther, and Patrick during which I won $200 playing War (who knew that was a casino game?), $250 on a slot machine, and about $50 on college football games.  In short, I became a gambling degenerate.

The end of October saw the return of Peter from his six months spent wandering Europe and Africa, so a lot of time was spent hanging out with him and hearing stories of the adventures he experienced.  It also brought the beginning of the Blazers season and the heart of the Ducks football season, but again, this is not a post about sports.  The fall was actually quite relaxing - most of my vacation was spent with my earlier travels, so the daily routine really took hold during this time…  in other words, I spent a lot of time working.  When I wasn’t working, I was either at a Blazers or Ducks game, a concert, or hanging out with Peter, for the most part.  There were a few hikes, a few short road trips to see Wells or go to the coast, but aside from those, and the election of Barack Obama, it really was the dog days of fall.  One definite plus what that I was once again promoted at work, attaining the level of Large Loss Property Claims Specialist, which is pretty much as high as I can get for the foreseeable future (or unless I go for a management position) - this is assuming we all still have jobs in the foreseeable future, since the company was recently purchased by Liberty Mutual.  I’m not too concerned though.

My car, buried.

My car, buried.

December brought the holidays and a MASSIVE (6-8 inches) of snow and ice in the Portland area.  I spent the time wandering around the town, taking photos, and thinking of how to dislodge my car from its wintry, plowed-in grave.  For a while it looked as though I wouldn’t be able to make it home for Christmas due tot he fact that my car was still buried under a foot of snow and ice, however my dad came to the rescue and helped me big out the car.  Maddie the dog even came along for moral support.  Although the car eventually got stuck several more times in my parents’ neighborhood, at the end of the day, I was able to spend Christmas with the family, eat too much ham, and make it back home safely.

So that was 2008 - hopefully 2009 will be as eventful, but I have the distinct feeling it will involve much less travel.  Check back soon - this should be the last massive update, as I’ll be making more frequent contributions now that the site is re-designed and more user friendly.

Blazers Quarter-Season Review

December 7, 2008 in Sports, Uncategorized by Chris Pratt | 3 comments

Greg Oden

When we left off, I had just relayed a June forecast message to a fellow Blazers fan (Peter) who had been traveling the world.

Seeing as we are now a quarter of the way through the Blazers’ season (26.8% to be precise) I felt it was time to go back and look at a few of the things I said at that time while reviewing what has happened to date with Portland’s only major league sports franchise.

1. The record to date

Through 22 games, the Blazers record rests at 15-7, good for a winning percentage of .682 and first place by a half game in front of the Denver Nuggets in the Northwest Division.  For those mathemagicians among us, that is on pace for 55 wins - the exact number I predicted in June.  Score one for Pratt.  Actually, rounding up, it would be good for 56, but I like being right.  What is particularly impressive about the team’s early season success is that it has come while the Blazers have played 15 games on the road, including two 5-game road trips.  With a home stand coming in late December, I would not expect the pace to slow.

2. The rookies

With nearly all eyes squarely set upon him, Greg Oden has shown solid, if not spectacular play.  Despite suffering a sprained foot in his first minute of game time in the season opener versus the Lakers, and while averaging 22 minutes a game, he has racked up seven double-doubles and led the team in rebounding nine times.  This said, there is clearly a lot of room for improvement, particularly on the offensive end.  He has shown a tendency to bring the ball low upon receiving a pass, allowing defenders an opportunity to make a swipe at it, or prepare for a block.  He has not finished especially well, and his footwork leaves a lot to be desired.  That said, he has already shown improvement in these areas, and I would expect improvement to continue throughout the season as he gets more game experience.  His defensive game is already very good, approaching elite status.  He is almost a lock for two blocks a game in his limited minutes, and his very presence forces teams to alter their play on both sides of the ball.  I did not comment on my expectations for final numbers from Greg for the season, but I would expect his numbers to climb with his minutes, likely finishing the season averaging 10-11 PPG, 8-9 RPG, and 2 BPG.  Not rookie of the year numbers, but good for All-Rookie First Team.  Basically, he’s raw - which everyone knew coming out of the 2007 Draft - then he lost an entire season before really being able to work on his game.  Bottom line, this kid is special, and it’s clear that he will be much better in the coming years than he is now - and he’s pretty damn good now.

Rudy Fernandez

Rudy Fernandez has been everything that his Spanish League play indicated he could be.  He has shown a deadly outside shot, a level of flash and hard-nosed play that had been missing from the Blazers lineup, and the ability to explode for 15 off the bench any night, as has happened seven times to date.  Like Oden, his 48 minute numbers are fantastic - 20 PPG, to be exact, but barring injury, I do not see him starting this season due to the fact that the team has continued to show an inability to play consistently without a true point guard in the lineup, even with Brandon Roy running the show.

Nicolas Batum has been the biggest surprise - I originally thought he would stay in Europe, or at best would spend significant portions of the season in the NBDL - and this was before his horrid showing in the Las Vegas Summer League.  His development and emergence in the pre-season was a revelation, and is going to make the rotation tricky once Martell Webster fully returns from injury.  Batum has been the starting small forward for all but three games this season, showing an uncanny ability to find the ball - steals, broken passes, blocks, rebounds - you name it, he has been involved.  On the offensive side, he has shown a surprisingly consistent mid and long-range shot and the ability to drive to the hoop or finish on a breakaway.  I would put the overall level of his play on par with where Travis Outlaw was in his third year, with his defense being superior to Outlaw right now.  Comparisons are drawn between Batum and Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons, both for physical resemblance and style of play - I think those are premature (obviously) but with more minutes (which won’t be happening - at least not this season) it is easy to see his numbers approaching Prince’s.

Jerryd Bayliss has been a non-factor, which is a far cry from my prediction that he could overtake Steve Blake as a starter during the season.  Blake’s strong play (career highs across the board) combined with the reemergence and consistent performance of Sergio Rodriguez has sat Bayliss on the bench for all but eight of Portland’s games.  When he has played his minutes have come mostly during garbage time, and apart from a productive seven minute stretch at Boston this week, his play has been ordinary - what you’d expect from garbage minutes.  He has the ability to score quickly, especially on drives to the basket - minutes will be hard to come by, so I would like to see coach Nate McMillan use Bayliss as a spark plug in situations such as the game at Boston where quick points may be needed to snap the team out of a funk, or possibly when nothing else is working.  But who am I to argue with the way minutes are doled out on a 15-7 team?

3. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge

Thanks must be given to Kevin McHale and John Paxson for trading Roy and Aldridge, respectively, to Portland during the 2006 NBA Draft.  Roy has picked up where his All-Star performance last year left off, leaving little doubt that Blazers fans are witnessing the emergence of a super star.  Aldridge, meanwhile, has had an inconsistent, but overall strong start to the season.  He seems to have rebounded from a shooting slump that struck in late November, and since then has played steadily well -including a 27 point performance at Detroit.  In addition, he has been crashing the offensive boards of late, which of course leads to more scoring opportunities.  Aldridge has also been showing off more consistent range on his jumper, which will prove valuable if that deadly inside/out game of which I wrote is utilized more often.

Sergio Rodriguez

4. Surprises

Point Guard play - see above under Jerryd Bayliss for more.  Blake has shown that his 40% from threes last season was not an aberration.  He has been one of the best long-range shooters on the best 3 point shooting team in the league.  Handling the ball, he has been a steadying force while at times becoming more of a two guard when playing with Roy.  Rodriguez came back to Portland this year completely rejuvenated.  Whether it was personal pride, the thought of playing with Fernandez, or being left off the Spanish national team, he had one of the strongest pre-seasons of any Blazer, and the strong play has continued to the regular season.  He has had seven games with five or more assists, and has an assist to turnover ration of 4:1.  His shooting, although not reflected in percentages, has looked more fluid and frankly, like more of an NBA shot.  Easilly one of the most improved players on the roster.

Joel Przybilla - Przybilla started the season by losing his starting job to Oden, then quickly found himself back in the starting lineup after Oden’s early season injury.  He has since returned to the bench, but the strong play has not stopped.  Despite playing over thirty minutes just twice this season, Przybilla is having a career year - scoring 6.2 PPG, grabbing 8.0 RPG, and getting 1.6 BPG while shooting an incredible 80% from the field.  When combined with Oden, he makes up half of what is without question the strongest center tandem in the league.

Petteri Koponen

5. What Else I Got Wrong

The Blazers opted not to sign Petteri Koponen, the Finish point guard, allowing him instead to sign a multi-year contract with Virtus Bologna.  This will allow him to get some more seasoning while playing against strong competition, and essentially waiting for the point guard situation to thin in Portland.  I saw Koponen play in Las Vegas during the summer of 2007, and while he was a raw, wiry kid then, he appeared to have matured greatly in the year between that appearance and this year’s Vegas Summer League.  He was easily the second best player on the court in most games (behind Bayliss) and did not look far from NBA-ready.  A few years in Italy should only help his game.  I would look for him to come to the States in 2010 or 2011, if his rights are not dealt by then.

6. Outlook

So far, so good.  It would be hard for anyone to argue that this team was not over-achieving, given the horrendous schedule they have played to date (seven home games out of their first 22), and the quality of the opposition (only 9 games against opponents not likely to make the playoffs).  I hold to my prediction of 55 wins, and a 6th seed in the playoffs.  While the numbers would tend to demonstrate that this team is capable of going on a run once the schedule thins a bit, I would expect there will be some bumps in the road and (inevitably) some injuries along the way.  The clear development this season is that this is a playoff team now, and likely a contender in the next two years.

It’s a great year to be a Blazer.

Blazers forecast from June

December 4, 2008 in Sports by Chris Pratt | No comments

On June 30, 2008 I wrote an email to Peter, who was busy traveling through Europe at the time, summarizing the 2008 NBA Draft and the Blazers’ outlook for the coming season - it read:

Greg Oden

We start with five picks, but end up with two draftees, one of whom will likely stay in Europe (Nicolas Batum - SF, France) - however, there is a chance he could be signed, as he does not have a guaranteed deal in Europe - I think this is a long shot. More likely, he stays in Europe for 1-2 years. We trade one second round selection (Omer Asik, C, Turkey) to Chicago for three future 2nd rounders, and another (Mike Taylor, G, NBDL - the first player drafted out of the D league, by the way) to the Clips for a 2nd rounder next year. We traded a 1st rounder (#27 - Darrell Arthur, F, Kansas) that was purchased from N.O. along with the earliest selection of this year’s 2nd Rounders (#33 - Joey Dorsey, F, MEMPHIS!) to Houston for Batum. Of course, this leaves the biggest deal - Jack and McRoberts with #13 pick Brandon Rush (there really is only room for one Brandon, after all) to Indiana for Jerryd Bayliss and Ike Diogu. Bayliss fits in immediately as Blake’s backup, but he’s got the talent to overtake Blake by mid season if everything clicks. His college play (in one season) did not display him as a true point guard, but this likely had more to do with the fact that he was Arizona’s first scoring option (19.7ppg as a Frosh). He’s got a ton of talent, and really, was a steal where the Pacers took him (#11). I think the bigger picture here is that by not trading for a veteran PG, they are committing to playing Brandon more at the point, with Rudy at SG and SF. I think we’re going to see a lot of small lineups, with any combo of Blake-Roy-Rudy/TO/Marty, or Bayless-Roy-Rudy/TO/Marty with ALdridge/Frye/Oden/Joel alternating in the frontcourt.

Names missing from the rotation: James Jones, Sergio Rodriguez, LaFrentz (duh), Diogu. First, Jones - he has opted out of his contract, and he reportedly has an offer from at least one team for 4 years/$20mil. He can’t come close to this with Portland, so he’ll be gone - probably a good thing in the long run, since Marty and Rudy will eat up those minutes anyway.

Sergio: He’s as good as gone. If there is a taker over the course of the summer, look for him to be traded. He regressed in every category from his rookie season, and now, he will not be taking part in summer league - a big, big mistake, especially since he’s no longer on the Spanish national team. My prediction has him going away for a pick or an expiring contract (possibly to Phoenix, the team that originally drafted him). I believe there is a good chance of the Blazers signing Petteri Koponen to fill the “developing point guard” roster spot. He has added a lot of bulk, is coming off a good season in Finland, and will be participating in Summer League. He is a big point guard (6′4″) and, from what I saw last year in Vegas, the kid can play.

LaFrentz: Last year of his deal - he will make sure the bench doesn’t tip up in the air when Greg and Joel get up to fill the center role. More importantly, his $12.8mil will come off the cap before the 2009 free agent class. (more importantly still, Stevie Franchise’s deal will also then be off the cap - another $19mil)

Diogu: I can’t see where he fits with this team - if he sticks, it is likely because Frye gets moved - I hope this doesn’t happen, because I love Channing’s game - especially along side Greg. More likely, he fills McRobert’s role next to LaFrentz, but - but he actually has quite a bit of talent as a low post scorer.

Here is my rotation/roster:

Starters:
PG Blake
SG Roy
SF Outlaw
PF Aldridge
C Oden

6. Webster
7. Fernandez
8. Pryzbilla
9. Bayless
10. Frye
11. Rodriguez (not in rotation)
12. Diogu (not in rotation)

13. LaFrentz
14. Koponen
15. (real long shot) Nicolas Batum or Joel Freeland.

If Fernandez has a strong showing in camp, don’t be shocked if the starting lineup has him at SG and Roy at PG, with Blake first off the bench, likely to sub for TO around the 6:00 mark. I envision a lot of small back court lineups, with Oden and Aldridge creating a deadly inside/outside combo at PF/C (and Pryzbilla/Frye doing the same thing for the 2nd unit). Bottom line - I see 55 wins. Much, much better than last year - and no less than a 6 seed. This team has a chance to be scary good - this year.

Next year, a top of the class free agent is a distinct possibility, especially if Allen gives the green light and doesn’t mind paying a luxury tax once Roy and Aldridge come up for max contracts in 2011/12, and Oden the next year.

—- Flash forward to the present —-

Tomorrow, I will write my assessment on how the season has progressed to date - so far, so good.  My predictions, not so much.

Saturatedpratt gots new tubes!

November 29, 2008 in Website by Chris Pratt | 4 comments

New things are afoot here at SP.  Stay tuned for exciting new changes.

Spring Training, 2008

April 23, 2008 in Random, Sports by Chris Pratt | No comments

Giovanni and I; Phoenix Memorial Stadium

Keeping with this line of thought, I repeated the Spring Training trip last month, this time bringing Giovanni along on the road portion with Miller joining us mid-week in Phoenix. This year’s takeaways: I will never, ever make this drive again - all subsequent trips to the desert southwest will be made in the air; game tickets will be purchased no later than the end of January; and more sights will be seen around the town and state on scheduled days off, gained from the lack of four travel days. Among the sights yet to be seen – The Grand Canyon, Barringer Meteorite Crater, Sedona, Saguaro National Park, and the ghost town where the Brady Bunch was wrongly jailed on their way to the canyon (I know, this was filmed on a set… but how cool would that be?).

Jack Cust's 2007 Portland Beavers Jersey

But enough of that – the last month has seen a few other items worthy of note. The most significant has been a change to my role at work. I am no longer traveling in my claims adjusting duties, rather, I will be controlling my files and conducting coverage investigations from the comfort of my northwest Portland apartment, which means less work travel, more freedom to make plans outside of work, and hopefully, the ability to advance myself a little further in my career in the not so distant future… hopefully.

If the insurance thing doesn’t work out… (I’ve only been doing it for five years now) I’ve always got minor league basketball to fall back on. That’s right, I served as an official scorer a few weeks ago for the Portland Chinooks of the International Basketball League. Sadly, this was even more stressful than my day job, as it was the first game I have scored since at least high school, and the final score ended up being 125-112. That’s a lot of points, by the way. I didn’t screw up too badly… at least not in the end. After the first half I failed to calibrate my mind to the fact that the teams do in fact switch hoops, something that resulted in my scoring the teams exactly opposite what they should have been for the first half of the third quarter. After a brief panic attack, I figured it out and corrected my error… good thing no one reads this website…

Speaking of this website, I am currently sketching out some ideas for the first major overhaul since adopting the Saturatedpratt name nearly six years ago. Hopefully the coming months will bring a better overall design, working comments, a dedicated sports page, and possibly even a pod cast covering news, commentary, an attempt at humor, and of course, music. This is pretty ambitious, and I make no promises, but I do hope to have all of this (or at least the pieces I decide to keep) online in the coming months. Stay tuned for more details.

« Older entries