Open Letter to Warriors Fans

by BlazerDave on Apr 18, 2007 1:46 AM PDT Comment 24 comments

Dear Warriors Fans,

Just wanted to wish you good luck tonight. Of course like any good fan of his team I'm going to be rooting for the Blazers to play spoiler. It would be a feather in our caps, especially on a night when we'll be missing 6 of our top 8 players. (Forget feather, I guess it would be a miracle!) But when all is said and done I won't be too displeased if it doesn't go our way. For one thing I predicted the Warriors would make the playoffs and it's always good to look smart. For another, I think you deserve it after all these years. It's not an accident that GSoM is the most popular NBA site on our network. You guys deserve the chance to cheer a little and make a run at shocking the world (and making Mark Cuban make a ton of his trademark whiny, pouting, "I'm a six year old billionaire who's not getting my way" faces). You also deserve the chance to be defined by something else other than "the team that's close but never makes it". If you do get in it's the beginning of a new identity. What that is only time will tell, but I assume it will be welcome.

I'm glad we get the chance to play ball tonight. I'm glad you get the chance to prove you're a playoff team. (This way you'll KNOW, eh? If you lose tonight to a horribly short-handed Portland club you know you're not...no excuses. But a 126-92 win nobody can take away from you.) I'll be cheering for the Blazers between the tip and the final horn but if you win I'll be pulling for you afterwards. Good luck!

--Dave and your friends at Blazersedge

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

0 recs | Comment 24 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

quality post

thanks for your support, and of course I fully understand if you were to root for the blazers!! I would do exactly the same if I were in your position.

thanks for the pre-game shoutout. it's nice to know the hoopsworld isnt infested with the Fakers-mentality.

RUN TMC!

by ZombieWarrior on Apr 18, 2007 2:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Dave

I hope you will enjoy the matchup, as it will be the last one of the season! Nevertheless, I truly believe that both the Golden State Warriors, and the Portland Trailblazers will have a bright future with our future stars in Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis, and likewise with Brandon Roy, Lamarcus Aldridge, and even Sergio Rodriguez. I agree that if we cannot beat your extremely short handed team, then we don't deserve to be in the post season. It is understandable to root for your teams to be the spoiler(kind of like we had hoped the Suns would of done to the Clippers last night), but it is great to know that you will be rooting for us if we finally see our great haven!

by MVP on Apr 18, 2007 2:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree!

Come on now, I can never say the GSoM and the Dubz don't deserve the 8th seed...but can we not beat the Blazers shorthanded team...even longhanded team? No offense but geez, where's the faith even if this was the 72-10 Bulls...wow

...never a fairweather fan...

by BayBoyNLA on Apr 18, 2007 3:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for your words, Dave...

Of course you are rooting for your team, who wouldn't? Hopefully we'll see a nice match and, of course ;), a Warriors win. You have a nice and promising team already and if the ping-pong balls fall right, maybe next season you'll be in the same position.
Thanks again for your appreciation.

by BlauGelb on Apr 18, 2007 3:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the well wishes, BD

I totally appreciate all the love we seem to be getting lately from our natural rivals. I guess any fan can relate to the breathless anticipation of your team making the playoffs after a miserable 12-year drought.

Here's what I don't get, though: your Blazers are currently at 32-49, bunched with six other teams in the 31-33 win range. One win and it looks like you risk sliding from as high as #5 or 6 in the draft to as low as #9 or #10. Now, this year's draft, after the Big 2, looks deep enough that the difference between 6 and 10 might not be that great. But why on earth would you knowingly root for your team's chances at Oden or Durant to drop from 11% or so to more like 2%? If I were in your shoes I wouldn't even consider rooting for a win.

I can only imagine a few possibilities. Either:

You're really naive and/or don't want Oden or Durant on your team;
You're hiding your true feelings to avoid offending the powers-that-be at SB Nation; or
You secretly hate the Warriors and actually relish the opportunity to bounce us from the playoffs and make us all miserable.

C'mon, fess up -- which one is it? I promise I won't tell anyone ... ;-)

by Sleepy Freud on Apr 18, 2007 3:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LOL

For about two hours and change tonight it'll be number three. Then the in-game madness will lift.

Personally the more involved I am in the lottery system the more I dislike it. I think the odds need to be weighted more towards the worst teams and that only the bottom seven or so should have any chance at all at the #1 pick. If we get Oden or Durant I'll be happy of course--you could hardly be anything else--but I'll also have mixed feelings thinking how easy it would be to be the team that got screwed out of them by a couple ping pong balls. So I find it relatively easy not to root for losses.

I did kind of try the other night against Seattle. That was a big game as we were virtually tied in the standings and the loser would almost certainly end the season with the worse record. As soon as we got into the game something flipped in my brain and I wanted to kick their asses. I don't know why...that just happens. We beat 'em too, for better or worse. They were short some guard but, as with tonight, we were short EVERY frontcourt player we had even thought about starting this year (no exaggeration). I still don't get how we won.

Between that and missing Brandon Roy I rate our chances of winning at less than 1%, so playoff curse or no, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

--Dave

by BlazerDave on Apr 18, 2007 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blazer starting lineup 2007-2012

Jack
Roy
Durant
Randolph
Aldridge

C'mon, BD, dare to dream!!!

by Sleepy Freud on Apr 18, 2007 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very Classy...

As usual. Great fans never root against their team, even if it means a lower draft seed. It's just not in their nature. You can think about the possibilities afterwards... but during game time, you're thinking win. If only we got the same kind of support from Clipperland... hahahaha! j/k.

by mightymadskillz on Apr 18, 2007 7:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Appreciate the Love Dave...

It's nice to see some class from some fans of our opponents. We can only hope to attain a nice stretch run in the playoffs like the Blazers had for a while there...wasn't it like 12 years straight?? Anyone know?

HE GOT IT!!!!!!!

by esco41510 on Apr 18, 2007 8:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Try 21 years straight, but who's counting?

Before this current streak (now four years) we had only missed the playoffs seven times in the entire history of the franchise. Understandably we're a little anxious to get back.

--Dave

by BlazerDave on Apr 18, 2007 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

DAMN!!! Well...

I think you have a great foundation of young players...won't be long till we see you guys back in. 21? I could only imagine what that felt like!

HE GOT IT!!!!!!!

by esco41510 on Apr 18, 2007 9:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice

You're a stand up guy BlazerDave. I hope you guys pick up some nice pieces in the summer, cause you have a good young core already. Much love bro, One dub

Playoff Rally 2006-2007

by tadams1080 on Apr 18, 2007 9:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Dave

You're a class act.

Through thinNthinN?

by k759 on Apr 18, 2007 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Class, Class, Class All The Way

Thanks for the wishes and the support.

Championship Parade Route Starts on Hegenberger

by cobra kai on Apr 18, 2007 11:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yup

thanks for the letter and for being classy.

by djchuckdeez on Apr 18, 2007 11:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

cool dave

much respect

by AJC3317 on Apr 18, 2007 1:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

dave

Would u take adonal and sarunas for srod and jamal?

Then ill really know your rooting for us :)

by VonteegoCummings on Apr 18, 2007 3:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I said rooting for

not bending over for. I mean I like you and all, but just as friends.

Seriously, what kind of package would you put together for Zach? (Remember this is the new, improved, mostly out of trouble, low post scoring beast, 23 and 10 Zach. Don't lowball me.)

--Dave

by BlazerDave on Apr 18, 2007 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm, for zach?

i think we could package pietrus and any other player of similar value.

off limits (unless KG is coming): j-rich, b-davis, monta, biedrins

although randolph is strong and can shoot, is he a winner?

by OaktownWarrior on Apr 18, 2007 5:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and can he run?

by hardcore on Apr 18, 2007 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Randolph

Seems to me like a rich man's Diogu. Or maybe a poor man's Brand. Either way, he doesn't strike me a very good fit with this team. We already have more than enough scoring punch. What we need from our PF is basically another Biedrins -- a long, athletic guy who can run, grab boards, block shots, and score on tip-ins and putbacks. Joakim Noah would be a much better fit for us, even though he has like 1% of Randolph's offensive skills.

by Sleepy Freud on Apr 18, 2007 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

varajao (the guy on the cavs if i can't spell)

i think he'd fit perfect in this system. i'd hate to have to look at the hair all season tho

by AJC3317 on Apr 18, 2007 8:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, Dave

Thanks a lot for the letter. The other posts are right, that's some class. Good luck starting a new streak next year.

Sorry, Dave, but I have to say this:

GO WARRIORS!!!

by goGSW24 on Apr 18, 2007 6:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Any more room for another thank you? ;)

This is very thoughtful and fitting considering the Blazers hold the record for most consecutive playoff appearances. It's a shame another championship didn't come out of it for you guys.

Thanks for sending us the good vibes (despite the stupid cheap shot at Cuban), and better luck to your team next year!

Whoever marries the zeitgeist will be a widower soon.

by J-Triumf on Apr 18, 2007 6:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs