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2009-10 Trail Blazers Preview… belated, of course.

November 12, 2009 in Life, Sports | 1 comment

Greg Oden

Greg Oden finishing with authority in the pre-season.

Does a Trail Blazers preview column necessarily have to be posted prior to the start of the season? I hope not. The bulk of this was written during the NBA pre-season; however my schedule prevented its completion on time for the start of the season. It’s just as well since injuries, inconsistency, and a rotation currently in flux has rendered a few of my early thoughts nearly useless.

With this said, we jump into my (slightly edited) 2009-2010 Trail Blazers preview column…

The 2008-09 NBA season saw a return to the playoffs for the Trail Blazers and a rekindling in earnest of the phenomena of Blazermania. Cue an embarrassing and lackluster six game series against Houston and a stiff dose of reality and the team has been faced with two major questions. First, can they complete the leap from talented group on the rise to an established member of the NBA’s elite; and second, can the team overcome foul trouble, injury, and a changed composition to match last year’s production – a necessity in order for the answer to the first question to be yes.

Brandon Roy vaulted to the cusp of becoming a perennial all-star with his 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. LaMarcus Aldridge repeated his strong performance from his sophomore campaign, though fell short of the breakout many felt was in store (statistically, his third year production was nearly identical to that of his second). Steve Blake emerged as a reliable long range threat, making 40% of his three point attempts, and Travis Outlaw continued his reliable, if not entirely confidence-inducing bench production. Greg Oden was the team’s enigma, mixing disappointment (injuries and foul problems) with flashes of genuine dominance (interior defense and offensive rebounding) and mystifying problems with footwork and offensive fundamentals. Fortunately, Joel Przybilla combined with Oden to form what was one of the most effective defensive center tandems in the league, even if “effective” wasn’t necessarily the word fans hoped would describe Oden.

Rookie Nicolas Batum stepped in to the injured Martell Webster’s starting role and provided something Webster had not in his previous three years – strong perimeter defense. Rookie guard Rudy Fernandez captured fans hearts with his hustle and flair for the dramatic (on more than one occasion I had flashes of a young Drazen Petrovic dancing before my eyes in the form of Rudy’s raised arms following a made three pointer).

Team leader Brandon Roy

Team leader Brandon Roy

In all, what was supposed to be a season of small steps became one of leaps, however hesitant they may have been. The team was able to claim the Northwest Division Co-Championship with a last game victory over Denver, then proceeded to turn in one of their worst performances of the season in game 1 of the playoff series against the Rockets. The fundamental question for 2010 is which team will show up to play this season – the eager young club which appeared on the verge of dominance in late April, or the inexperienced and hesitant team that only managed to accomplish ending Dikembe Mutombo’s career in their first playoff appearance?

Additions:

Trade/Draft - Victor Claver, F, Valencia (ACB) (1:22) – Claver is a promising, albeit young forward who has shown a strong shooting touch for a big man. His draft stock was hurt by a knee injury, however his early numbers in ACB have been solid (11.0/6.0/1.5 Assists). Claver was not signed and will remain in Spain for the foreseeable future. He is currently under contract with Valencia and joins what is becoming a very strong contingent of Blazers overseas holdings – along with Petteri Koponen and Joel Freeland.

Trade/Draft - Jeff Pendergraph, F, Arizona (2:31) – Pendergraph was selected by the Kings and acquired by the Blazers in the Sergio Rodriguez trade. He was effective in Summer League play averaging 10.8 points and 7.6 rebounds for Portland. He was signed by the Blazers but will miss most of the season recovering from surgery for a left hip impingement. He should be considered a project and likely will not see any meaningful minutes this season.

Draft - Dante Cunningham, F, Villanova (2:33) – Cunningham was selected by the Blazers in the second round of the draft and excelled in the Vegas Summer League where averaged 18.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His game and physical build draw comparisons to Travis Outlaw, however he seems to have a more polished skill set (especially offensively) than did Outlaw at a similar point in his career. Cunningham is the only rookie on Portland’s active roster to start the season, but will only see minutes in garbage time. He too is a project, but would appear to have a very high ceiling.

Draft - Patrick Mills, G, Saint Mary’s (2:55) – Mills was a somewhat controversial addition to the Blazers’ final roster, as his signing represented the 15th and final roster spot and led directly to Portland native and former fan favorite Ime Udoka being waived in his attempt to return to the Blazers. This said, he is a very talented guard who has shown his chops in international play for his native Australia (scoring 14 points per game in the Beijing Olympics – including 20 against the US) and during an impressive 2007-08 freshman season at Saint Mary’s. He missed the bulk of his sophomore season after breaking in his hand at Gonzaga, returning only for the WCC tournament. Mills then suffered a stress fracture in his foot during practices ahead of the NBA Summer League and will likely miss the bulk of this season. His signing was largely the result of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which forced the Blazers to tender an offer to Mills or risk losing his draft rights. He will continue his recovery and should be seen as a low-risk investment that likely will not play this season.

Point Guard Andre Miller finishes during the pre-season

Point Guard Andre Miller finishes during the pre-season

Free Agent - Andre Miller, PG, Philadelphia – Miller’s signing was seen by many as an afterthought following Hedo Turkoglu’s 11th hour spurning of the Blazers offer. (Many have compared Hedo’s bolt for Toronto to that of someone left at the alter – in reality, this was more like the groom saying “um, actually…” after the priest asks for objections.) Miller provides the potential for veteran leadership, the infusion of a run-first distributing point guard, an interior scorer and a dependable iron-man from a team that has had a series of nagging, persistent injuries over the last two years.

Free Agent - Juwan Howard, PF, Charlotte – Howard provides a veteran big man off of the Blazers’ bench and a last line of defense in the event of foul trouble or injury from Oden, Przybilla, Aldridge, or Outlaw – likely to be the forward/center rotation for Portland. He should be able to provide spurts of production when needed in the form of rebounding and short jumpers, but not much else. In 1990 dollars, he’s Wayne Cooper – today, he’s the last standing member of the Fab 5, and still chasing a ring.

Subtractions:

PG Sergio Rodriguez, (traded to Sacramento). Simply put, Sergio was not Nate McMillian’s guy. Beyond this, he failed to display any discernable improvement in two of his weakest areas of play – jump shooting and ball control. In extended minutes he showed flashes of being a serviceable point guard while lobbing perfect alley-oop passes to countryman Fernandez, but the guarantee of two assists per game does not generally secure a future in the league. In fact, his per 36 numbers were essentially level from his rookie season through the end of his third season. His trade netted Forward Jeff Pendergraph, who Sacramento chose #31 overall in the draft – an obvious drop in the stock of a player who was rumored to be garnering heavy trade interest for Kevin Pritchard just one season earlier.

Former Blazer Channing Frye

Former Blazer Channing Frye

F Channing Frye, (Free Agent, Phoenix). Frye was caught in a numbers game in Portland from the moment he arrived. He showed an ability to get shots off in bunches when playing time was consistent, and even provided a spirited flurry of double-doubles when LaMarcus Aldridge missed the final weeks of the 2007-08 season, but this would be the highlight of his tenure in Portland. Frye made precious few of the mid-range jumpers he took while with the Blazers, an ominous sign for what was supposed to be his strength. His move to Phoenix will allow him to play in a wide-open style that will not call for post play as often as did the Blazers style. (Early returns for Phoenix have been quite positive – Frye is averaging double figures and is hitting on over 44% of his shots from 3 point range, already draining a career high 22 through the Suns’ first 8 games).

F Nicolas Batum, (Injury). Batum was lost for what will likely be the bulk of the 2010 season, if not the entire year after having shoulder surgery during the pre-season. His loss means the Blazers will not have to resolve their logjam at small forward for the foreseeable future - perhaps the only positive to come out of the situation.

Outlook:

I see this team making a modest improvement in the standings over last season, finishing with a 56-26 record, alone atop the Northwest Division, and the #3 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. To say that the team’s fortunes for 2010 rest on the shoulders of Greg Oden is not an understatement. Given the current composition of the team, the only area where there appears to be room for significant improvement in both statistics and efficiency is the center position. Early returns are showing that Oden in fact has improved significantly in his areas of biggest concern – footwork, ball handling, and low-post offense; however he continues to show an uncanny ability to pick up fouls. This is becoming mantra in Portland, but as long as Oden can stay on the floor, he can dominate a game.

Will Fernandez remain happy with his role, should the wins fail to materialize?

Will Fernandez remain happy with his role, should the wins fail to materialize?

One potential problem for this team is chemistry – there simply are not enough minutes or shots available to keep everyone happy. I do not expect Fernandez to remain happy with his role while sharing second unit shots with Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw. To keep everyone happy, Nate McMillan will need to access every bit of diplomacy in his coaching repertoire, will need to hope that winning will soothe over any remaining problems.

Provided Roy matches or approaches his production from last season, Aldridge shows even modest improvement, and Miller and Blake can steady the team’s throttle while providing efficient point guard play, this team should reach the second round of the playoffs at a minimum. If these things happen, and Oden harnesses even 70% of his talent (and approaches 30 minutes per game) this could easily be a one of the participants in the Western Conference finals.

Playoffs? You kiddin’ me? Playoffs?

April 17, 2009 in Life, Sports | 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.

Blazers Quarter-Season Review

December 7, 2008 in Sports, Uncategorized | 4 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 | 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.

Sometimes, even the wrong train takes you home

December 9, 2005 in Life | No comments

Sometimes, even the wrong train gets you to where you want to go. You see, while waiting for the doors of the MAX to open at the Millikan platform, one is faced with the quick task of decided which car to board.

The population density of said cars, as well as the appearance of its clientele factor largely into the equation, and make for hasty decisions, especially when one considers the options- either get on the train, or stay behind at the deserted stop with the guy who for some reason, didn’t even look up when the train came.

This night, I chose the second to last car, as the last one looked similar to one I saw one in a popular Stephen Spielberg movie about a World War… the one not about Matt Damon. As I boarded, I made my way to an open place in the middle of the car, in the reticulated section that swivels slightly as the train ambles around turns. To my left were sitting three elderly cowboys, complete with hats and bolo ties. To my right, were 5 kids, likely around seven years old, with their parents sitting across from them. This night, most of the train was going Portland for either holiday celebrations, or the Blazers game against the Hornets. (or against the Charlotte Hornets, as the male parent-figure said… which technically was two cities and four years ago for the beleaguered franchise, currently temporarily housed in Oklahoma City, after fleeing Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I’ll give him a pass on OKC since it supposedly a temp move, but still…).

Everything was normal, save for the cowboys, until about five minutes into the trip, when one of the kids started making a noise, then started a second… and the third. Before I could properly react, I was in the middle of a kid’s Christmas Carol singalong. For a moment, allow me to digress. I don’t hate Christmas. I just hate Christmas songs. Especially kids Christmas songs, which have nothing to do with Christmas… snowmen, reindeer, you name it. If there is anything five shrill, out of tune children’s voices can do, it ain’t sing. I at first stood politely, trying to read my copy of The Nation while quietly weathering the storm. By about the third refrain of the second verse of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I was still standing, though shooting obvious looks of utter contempt at the asinine, bouncing, high on estrogen super mom who was smiling like a fool at the whole horrific scene.

At first, I thought it was the coldness of my own black heart that was spoiling the situation. Clearly, I must be the only one enraged. This was comforting to some degree, as I am used in my mind to being the one on the verge of becoming some sort of problem, only to overcome my disgust and simply put up with all the annoyances that constantly prod at me in public. I was ready to just deal with it, when I remembered the cowboys. I glanced in their direction, and caught one glancing at me. For a moment, I could see that I was not the only one longing for a few hundred acres of open range, er, train, between me and the monsters a mere three feet away. Then I saw the newlywed couple standing diagonally across from my position, on the opposite side of the kids. The man was clearly “done” with the whole situation. The woman, at first amused, was quickly growing tired of the spectacle, and a few songs in, noticed my look. Slowly, we were gathering momentum as group, united against the damn kids. I’m sure if he had a chance, the lead cowboy would feel secure calling for a posse.

I looked at the mom, who in turn looked at the kids, who for a moment, were silent. I thought that perhaps the forces of good had in fact prevailed against the forces of evil, in an act of silent protest. “Do one the them Susan taught you.” Said the supermom. The ante had been upped.

The terrors began anew, and my subtle protest became a little less so. Glances became heavy sighs, which lead to putting down my magazine in disgust, which led to outright staring at the mom, who was now openly defiant. Luckily, I was joined in my protest by the newlyweds, several people who were new to the train of horrors, and in fact, the father-figure sitting across from the kids, to whom I was now becoming convinced he held only a tertiary relationship, perhaps an uncle, or a family friend. The cowboy, had gotten off unnoticed at some point, either that or he had disappeared back into the ether. The kids continued, the mother was indignant, and I simply prayed they would be getting off at each next stop, or perhaps the train would stop long enough to for me to exit, and enter into the last train.

Finally, as we approached Pioneer Courthouse Square, the man stepped in, and came to our rescue. He said something to the woman, to which she responded “what, we’ll never see them again” (actually, this was wrong, as we were all going to the game). I was at once both enlivened with rage and angered with the complete and utter passive-aggressiveness of our protest.

The kids started in again, at which time a homeless (or just really dirty) man who boarded at the downtown mall said two words – “Jesus Christ!” At once, the singing seemed to trail off. The mother sat silent, and I, and the newlyweds, shared a quick smile.

It seemed fitting that this holy terror of a holiday travesty would be put to death by the savior himself, or rather by his name uttered in vain. I was at peace, and finally, filled with the Christmas spirit. I felt as though the birthday boy was looking out for me, for the newlyweds, and for all the other poor souls trapped on the blue line that night. To my delight, I would lose track of them all shortly after the Rose Quarter stop, and would, like the mother said, never see them again. Later that night, surely a reward for calmly having withstood the barrage of children singing, the Blazers captured their sixth win of the season, a 98-95 overtime victory, sparked by the strong play of Juan Dixon and Joel Przybilla.

Somewhere, after the game, I am sure the mother thought of unleashing the kids on another unsuspecting train full of weary travelers. Possibly, she thought of our homeless friend, and I’m sure she was smote at once, if she instructed them to sing. At least one can hope.

I don’t want my MTV; Sports Musings

October 20, 2005 in Life, Sports | No comments

Fall is here, and in these pre-turn-back-the-clock weeks, daylight is quickly becoming but a fleeting acquaintance, or at least it seems that way from the daily confines of my cubicle. Perhaps it just feels a little more taxing seeing as I’ve recently been staying up far too late on school nights, and have been getting up earlier than normal in my attempts to actually standardize a morning routine for the first time since high school. Really, this was all done in an attempt to improve my bad attitude… at least my early morning bad attitude.

I apparently failed to realize that when one wakes up an hour earlier than normal, it is typically best to avoid going to sleep two hours later than normal… and even better to avoid doing so for a week solid. Needless to say, I’m having trouble focusing right now.

What? You were looking for an interesting update? I know… I know.

As evidenced in my previous post, the past few weeks have brought with them a little actual change, and a lot of ideas for change. Most evident of this is the fact that I am actually seriously considering giving up my cable TV. No, this isn’t a monetary thing (though donations are accepted) or a suicide thing (I’m not giving AWAY my TV), rather, I think I watch too much of it.

The thought here is that if I had less History Channel, college football, and COPS to watch, I might read more about history, get in shape for my impending college football comeback (which begs the question- if I returned to school, would I have NCAA eligibility seeing as I have graduated, but never played a sport? I say yes…) or I could go out and break some laws, in turn completing some sort of divine circle and actually being on one of my favorite shows!

Actually, the reading part and the activity part are probably the greatest impetuses for this idea, though the Ronnie Dobbs-esque celebrity is also alluring. A secondary reason is the simple fact that I am not home very much anymore, and hopefully I will soon live somewhere where there are more entertainment options, allowing less time for simply laying around, and more for culture and personal growth.

Along those lines, last weekend I made a trek to the Portland Art Museum to check out the new Mark Building, view the architectural updates to the old Masonic Temple it is housed in, and of course, view some art. The only hitch was that I know very little about art… though I think I avoided saying things like, “wow, that’s pretty!” I did sense a few looks of utter contempt from hipster art snob wannabes though, (you know, the ultra-skinny, ultra pale guy with dyed, jet-back, ear-length hair, too-tight Interpol tee, black glasses and beret… I hate that guy…) so the trip was definitely worth it.

On the subject of entertainment, I received my half-season Blazer tickets in the mail last week, and went to the first two pre-season games against Seattle and the Clippers. From what I saw, this may be another very long season for the Blazers fan. How could I have been so wrong in my April 15, 2004 post? In that column, next year was the current last year, which was, as we all know, quite ugly. There were some bright spots – Martell Webster looks like he’s for real, and Sebastian Telfair, if he can ever develop a consistent mid-range jump shot, has a chance to be a monster. In the meantime though, I have a feeling I’ll be witnessing a good number of growing pains from my cozy seats in section 305.

Since I’m talking about sports now, I’ll go ahead and make another bold prediction – the Oregon Ducks are going to win out. After a tough loss to USC, they have rebounded, and have begun to show the promise that a roster full of big time recruit was supposed to bring two years ago. Unfortunately, I think they are peaking at precisely the wrong time, and could still conceivably wind up in the Sun Bowl with a record of 10-1. Here’s hoping UCLA loses a few down the stretch.

Really, that pretty much sums up the last few weeks – personal growth, culture, bad basketball, good football, and hopefully this weekend, some good basketball for a change (Blazers/Kings Saturday night) and some more good football (Linfield/Puget Sound Saturday). Look for the next post to be chock full of politics, as I unleash my theories of divine intervention on the GOP and try to find the greater meaning behind this unprecedented hurricane season. (Global warming, anyone? Not so fast…)

One last thing- I just checked my email and found a note from the US Navy Reserve saying they viewed, and liked, my resume. My only question is this: is it strange that when I first saw this notice in my inbox, the first thought in my mind was of the “Royal Nayvee” Monty Python sketch?

Blazers vs. Lakers

April 15, 2004 in Sports | No comments

Wednesday night the Los Angeles Lakers ended the Blazers’ season. This is nothing particularly new, nor is it all that unexpected- it has happened ten times before, and in six of the last eight seasons. However, this one stung. Portland was officially eliminated from the NBA playoffs sometime in the early minutes of Sunday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs, so any real chance of hope was lost long before Kobe Bryant’s improbable three pointer sank through the hoop to end regulation in a tie.

Hope was the last thing on anyone’s mind when Damon Stoudamire grabbed a Kobe Bryant miss in the waning seconds of the second overtime, then raced untouched down the length of the floor for a lay-up, giving the Blazers a 104-102 lead with a little over two seconds left. This was redemption. Not just for a season filled first with tumult, then roster moves, and ultimately the disappointment of missing the playoffs for the first time in a generation, but for twenty-seven years of missed opportunities and occasionally, just bad luck.

The crowd erupted, and it was 1991 again.

A little over two seconds stood between the Blazers and easing the memories of Lakers crimes of the past. In 1991, Magic Johnson ended the Blazers’ best charge toward a world title when he, in a move as sickening as it was strategically brilliant, simply tossed the basketball the length of the floor, allowing precious time to tick off the clock at the Great Western Forum without providing Drexler, Porter, and company the opportunity to foul. The pain of this play was allowed to live on for years in NBA promotional films and commercials. “I Love This Game,” was the inevitable exclamation spoken over the footage of Magic’s outstretched arms.

Two seconds stood between that, and an off-season of optimism, a winning record, and victorious team in front of a Rose Garden crowd that was reminiscent in sheer volume to Memorial Coliseum of the early Adelman era.

The Lakers impounded the ball, lost the ball, regained it, then lost it again as Derek Fisher collided with Kobe Bryant, all as the clock expired. Finally- the Lakers were felled. Never mind the fact that the Blazers had won the two of the previous three games from the Pacific Division rivals. Never mind the fact that Shaquille O’Neal had fouled out early in the first overtime. This time, it was our turn- a game that meant nothing to the then-fourth seeded Lakers, and everything to the home team, was ours.

In two seconds, the memories of the 2000 Western Conference Finals fourth quarter collapse were forgotten… no, rather, they were exercised. Steve Smith knocked down one more three- Rasheed Wallace hit a soft, short jumper over Robert Horry’s head, and Arvydas Sabonis sealed the deal with a little hook over Shaq. The Blazers had the five points (and two for insurance) it would have taken to reach the 2000 NBA finals, and we were feeling the joy of it all a short four years later.

Then the whistle blew.

Darius Miles, in the scuffle for the ball, was called for a foul. After a lengthy discussion, the Lakers were awarded the ball, and another second.

Gary Payton in bounded the ball to Bryant at the Lakers’ end of the floor, who turned, threw up a prayer, and reminded all in attendance which team won it all in 2000. Final score - Lakers 105, Blazers 104.

There really is no such thing as a moral victory- all in attendance at the Rose Garden Thursday night learned this first hand. All it takes is one second to change everything- a winning team, renewed hope, optimism at a youthful, energetic roster, and thoughts of what the next season could be are all in an instant replaced by the same old pain, haunted by the roar of the few thousand in purple and gold.

41-41 is essentially the same as 0-0. Even odds- as good a chance to win as to loose, and the expected outcome if one were to flip a coin 82 times. In the end, the result on paper reflects the season the same as it would have had it never happened. But for anyone who has followed this team over the course of their lifetime, as I have, there is much more to it than that.

There was a feeling in the arena Thursday night, one that was missing most of this season, and by and large, over the last several seasons. While there are no moral victories, there was a sense that this team was in fact close to turning the corner- a loss is a loss, but the overtime effort reflected the same clutch shooting from Stoudamire, fierce inside play from Zach Randolph, and tenacious defense from Theo Ratliff that has come to personify this team over the last two months. Add to that the explosiveness of Miles, and this team does have a bit of what that late 80s and early 90s team had- and this is coming from someone who as a kid named a cat Kiki, after former scoring machine Vandeweghe and saved newspaper clippings from almost every game from 1989 to 1993.

While there’s certainly long way to go before we see Ratliff on the floor under a pile of exuberant teammates, ala Buck Williams in 1990, the pieces to the puzzle don’t seem as scattered as they did even just a few months ago. Add two first round picks to having Ratliff, Randolph, and Miles together on the front line for an entire year, and one can’t help but feel a little optimistic. Yes- a loss is a loss, and at forty one there were more this year than in any since the 88-89 season, but no matter how heartbreaking the forty-first was, the thoughts and memories this last game evoked seems to have caused a familiar refrain in Portland to ring a little truer now than it has in a long time:

Just wait until next year.

Finally Working; Visiting Eugene

February 23, 2004 in Life, Travel, Work | No comments

After four weeks, the reality of living as a regular working stiff is beginning to set in. Sure, I was going to work daily before I left for Seattle, but I wasn’t really working. Now, I am actually doing something- talking to people on the phone, listening to the various excuses people give in an attempt to let me know that it’s not really their fault for hitting that car that was parked and minding its own business on the side of the street… it’s gone quite well so far- I’ve only been cussed at a few times, been hung up on twice, and heard one lecture on Benny Hinn. Then again, I’m only getting a paltry three claims a day, so I still may crack when I’m upped to unlimited.

Normally I would have started a post with something non-work related, but really my life has been consumed with work of late. I leave the house in McMinnville at 6:40am, arrive in Lake Oswego at about 7:45, work until 4:30pm, hit the road immediately and arrive back at home in McMinnville anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30pm, depending on traffic. In other words, I don’t do a whole lot more than work during the week. As a testament to this, I have gone out precisely six times on weeknights since starting my job on December 15 (not counting the Seattle excursions). This must change- and to facilitate change, I must move out of McMinnville. This would free up the roughly three hours I spend in my car each day for fun stuff, like Blazer games, riding bikes, looking at stuff, and most importantly, NOT cursing at the jackass trying to merge into the right quarter panel of my car on highway 99w east of Dundee every night at 5:15pm. What a life it would be… hopefully it will be a reality by March 1.

Despite my commute, I have managed to have a pretty good time the last couple of weekends. Two weekends ago I traveled to Eugene with Derek and went out with Miller, Wells, Autumn, and last but certainly not least, Gio. We didn’t do too much- hit a few bars, talked a lot, and I lost my requisite three games of pool, but it was great to see Gio again. That Saturday was Valentine’s day, and the evening was spent by first going to ice cream with Vanessa, then picking up my honorary Valentine Leah and going to Sam Bond’s Garage to see one of her co-workers’ bands. It was pretty fun, but I didn’t know anyone so I was a little on the quiet side… but it was live music, and Leah, so I had fun nonetheless.

There have been a few adventures, I guess… traveling to Portland one Sunday with Miller to partake in “Sunday Sportsday,” for instance. We first saw the Blazers beat the Seattle Supersonics at the Rose Garden in what was to be Rasheed Wallace’s last game as a Blazer, then we walked over to Memorial Coliseum where we purchased tickets to the Portland Winterhawks game against Moose Jaw. In other words, we saw two sporting events in the span of six hours, interrupted only by the hour or so we had to kill by walking around the Oregon Convention Center and MLK Boulevard. It was a busy, full day that in turn led to a couple hundred miles of driving over the weekend, but it was really fun, and I got to buy my discounted Bonzi Wells #6 jersey at the Blazer team store.

Aside from that, I’ve really accomplished very little in the last month. I went out with Bambi on Saturday (nothing beats the McMinnville club scene… sigh.) and I saw Neil Young with Wells and Ma and Pa Wells on Friday, but aside from those outings, it’s really been a so-so couple of weeks in the northern Willamette Valley. I guess that’s the reason I’ve chosen the picture that I have for this update. I snapped it out the passenger side window of the Bimmer one morning on my way to work. Really, it’s not all the good of a picture- it’s all blurry, and the colors aren’t quite as brilliant as they were in person. However, it’s a good reminder of what it is to live here. However little a photo of Mt. Hood against a sunrise may mean in the scheme of things, it’s something that you just can’t see in Eugene, and it’s just one little reason why I’m glad to be back in the Portland area.

Sorry- no introspective diatribe on this round of Saturatedpratt… I guess I’ll save that for the next time, although I have appreciated the feedback from the last update. As for the things I am working on for this site- I’ve been gradually adding to three major projects, and I think I’m beginning another… the only question is whether or not I will actually progress far enough in any of them to put anything online. I suspect I will, at least with two of them. So in case you‘re at all interested, feel free to check the writings page for one short story, and possibly a longer story, or series of stories in the near future… I don’t know what it is really, it’s still taking shape. That’s it for now.

New Year Summary of 2002

January 1, 2003 in Life, Random, School, Sports, Travel, Work | No comments

It has been brought to my attention that I have not kept my oft-repeated, oft-broken promise of updating my website. For this, I am utterly indifferent. Strangely though, I feel that I should provide an update, if for no other reason than continuing to reinforce my personal belief that throngs of people base their lives on what my website does or does not say. To assist those people on moving forward in their lives, I will provide a concise rundown of the last several months of my life, which will then (maybe) be followed by an update pertaining to the present. So, without further delay, the spring, summer, and subsequent fall of Chris. March 5, 2002- woke up, read for Ken’s class. This pattern continued until the end of the term, which I finished in respectable, if unspectacular fashion. Spring break. Worked as an on-duty RA for a few days, then went to McMinnville. I traveled to the redwoods with my family and looked at several very large trees, as well as the Oregon caves. I angered my mom by wearing shorts in the caves, which were 40 degrees. After the vacation, I returned to Eugene for a day or two, then departed with Lauren on a pilgrimage to the Bay Area. Saw Paul McCartney kick off his US tour in Oakland, wandered around San Francisco, then saw Carlos Pena beat the Rangers in the bottom of the ninth as the A’s squeaked out their second victory of the season. Returned to Eugene following the game, and promptly went to bed. Fell behind in class, then caught up. I Dropped Ken’s other class, but not much else happened in April.

In May I worked, a lot and tried to make it through some tough times with friends, with mixed results. I’m still not sure when I became a villain, seeing as I never really chose a side, but I think that I just tried to please too many people. In the end, I settled on just being Chris, and let the cards lay where they fell. Through silence, I probably made the wrong choice, but that’s what regrets are for. Forgiveness though, is a trait certainly in short supply today- at least in some of my former friends. Worked on my uncle’s campaign for Lt. Governor of Idaho. Found myself writing campaign literature for a Republican, which was an interesting proposition. Made statements about issues often ignored by Republicans and somehow made it through the experience without feeling like a whore. Uncle lost primary, but got over 5 per cent of the vote in a field crowded with people spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. Turned 22 on the 29th of May.

In June I finished spring term, as well as my career as an RA. It was time for a welcome change, and independence gained from being able to live and work at separate locations. The deer to the left are being viewed from my new bedroom window. Hired as a temporary public safety officer at the University of Oregon Department of Public Safety. Issued a badge, uniform, and bulletproof vest. Feel awkward, but hey, everyday is Halloween. Good thing since I would later work on Halloween. Assumed life of 40 hour a week worker for the first time since my detailing days, though now worked at 6:00am. Money good, hours bad.

Not much happened in July- Independence day came and went with little fanfare as I had to work, and my brother turned 14 on the 2nd. Startled by the revelation that my brother was going to be a freshman in high school in September, and suddenly felt old. Classes began for me near the end of the month, and I visited a hot spring with Mary. Fun experience, though some people really should keep their clothes on…

In August classes continued, as did work. It was an uneventful month until about halfway through, when there was suddenly a flurry of activity. First came a hellish five-hour wait for Lauren at PDX to welcome her back from France. I got there at 10:00pm; she got there at around 3:00am. I had to be at work at 6:00am. Obviously, I was more dedicated then than I am now, as I would now call off tired as hell. This didn’t occur to me though, as I somehow made it through the next day at work. A bout a week later, and a week or so shy of our anniversary, Mary and I broke up. This came as an unexpected cap to what had been a pretty good evening- I guess she wanted to get me full of dinner so I couldn’t really defend what was to come. Shortly after the end of one, I witnessed the beginning of another relationship, as my pal Melinda was married.

In September work yet again continued, and the “temporary” position was beginning to feel a bit less so. The first couple of weeks were spent simply working overtime and basking in the warm sun of a deserted pre-term campus. Of course, this “basking” was spent wearing about five layers of colors alternating from black to LAPD blue colored fabric, so broiling can probably be substituted for basking. Football season started and the Ducks won their first several games. Baseball season continued, and a strike was averted, thank God. With about a week to spare before school started, I took off with Lauren to Seattle and spent my “Anniversary with Mary” money on a delightful trip to see sights and baseball. We stayed in an inexpensive but nice hotel downtown and wandered the city for three days. We saw the Experience Music Project and the Pike Street Market (for the second time with Lauren) as well as the zoo, where we were able to look at several young gorillas, including a baby that had been born just two weeks before. The A’s lost to the Mariners that night, thanks to a A’s inconsistent bullpen, but it was fun. The rest of our time was spent eating and drinking in various establishments and visiting with assorted friends (Shannon, Shelby, Josh) of Lauren’s.

Upon my return to Eugene, I learned that I would be needed at work through the next term, though I would now be working graveyard. Money good, hours worse. This began ominously, as there was a large riot one block west of campus on my first night on the shift.

October continued in the same manner as September ended, as my shift made several arrests and was involved in as many physical takedowns in the span of two weeks as are usually expected in about a full year. I was suddenly feeling even more fortunate that I was no longer an RA, as this class of freshman seems especially angry. The A’s were knocked out of the playoffs, something that came as no surprise given the bullpen woes that I had witnessed in Seattle, and the Ducks followed their 6-0 start with several losses. Class continued, sort of, as I only had one class that actually had a regular attendance. I again saw Paul McCartney with Lauren, only this time in Portland. By the end of the month events at work slowed, though I was now completely prepared for the bad stuff. I went through defensive tactics training over the course of a day, allowing me to carry an asp baton and OC spray. Of course, as part of the OC training, I was sprayed in eyes with the stuff and commanded to complete a course using each of the defensive tactics that I had learned throughout the day. By about the second of five stations I was pretty much blind, as well as screaming expletives at a rapid-fire pace. I made it through, though I’m surprised that my lieutenant did, as I hear it was quite dangerous for him to be holding one of the pads that I was forced to attack. The day was successful, though the illusion of mid-mannered Chris Pratt was gone for all who witnessed my rampage.

Work, sleep, school, and repeat. November was a drag. Nothing happened in November. My work schedule caught up with me, and much of my free time was spent sleeping. The Ducks’ collapse culminated in losing six of their last seven, and I had to work on Thanksgiving. School went well though.

December came with the promise of less school, more work, and more money. I could now return to working the 40-hour week that I had enjoyed during the summer, as student employee restrictions are lifted during break. The department took full advantage of this, as I worked the first 14 of 16 days of break. I also found out that I would be working both Christmas and Christmas Eve, as well as New Year’s Eve. In between though, I enjoyed a Blazer game with Wells and my brother, as well as a nice post-Christmas visit to McMinnville. I was quite disappointed with working the holidays, though not as much as I’m sure my mom was. Through it all though, she was pretty cool and didn’t let what I’m sure was a fair amount of anger come to the surface. I did well on Christmas, getting a lot of good clothes, CDs, books, a new watch, and the promise of new brakes for the Mustang, so long as I help my pa with putting brakes on my mom’s bimmer. I did however anger my mom by wearing shorts for the duration of my stay. December ended with my equivalent of the ball dropping in Times Square- the Department of Public Safety’s FCC-required call of “zero hundred hours, Wednesday, January 1, 2003. KVD770.”

Well, that was the last nine or so months, I’ll return shortly with a real update, but this week will be busy as I will be starting classes again and studying for the Praxis test on Saturday for the education program. Stay tuned… there’s more to come.