Oregon Sports Live

“What the hell was that?”

My apologies to anyone offended by the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks word, but I thought you all deserved to know my gut reaction to the last two games the Blazers have played. Everyone clear on how I’m feeling? Good. Odds are if you’re reading this, you’re empathizing with my present attitude. Let’s try and break this down, shall we?

A few days ago, fellow OSLer Stu Holdren postulated that the Blazers’ cupcake schedule thus far was going unnoticed, and that the team’s 12-5 record was a little misleading.

“Strongly disagree!!!” I shouted from my couch between giant handfulls of Smartfood popcorn.

Two games later, and I’m still reluctant to admit defeat. My thinking now, as it was then, is that the schedule is inconsequential. As it did last year, the team is playing down to the level of its competition. That’s something that needs to be corrected but is such an abstract coaching concept that it’s difficult to implement. Seriously, you try getting everybody on your team to play hard for 48 minutes with flawless execution. It’s tough.

What I took from the first 17 games of the season was this: the Blazers may be trying to give these easy games away, but they’re winning. Close games matter. Hard-fought games matter. You’re not going to be perfect every night, and you need to prove to yourself that you can beat Oklahoma City, even when you’re playing like the Swiss National Girl’s U-18 team.

But these last two games … I don’t even know where to start. The lack of effort, especially in Utah, was incredibly discouraging. Help defense was either slow or nonexistent. That beautiful ball movement we saw in the last five games? Adios. In the words of Bill Walton, “Exactly what IS the OFFENSE???”

The simple answer: Brandon Roy dribbling in isolation with the shot clock winding down (or, as we saw in both games, dribbling in isolation, unaware that the quarter is about to expire).

These two embarrassing losses could be blamed on any number of Blazer personnel: LaMarcus Aldridge got beat down by Z-Bo, Booz and Millsap. Nate McMillan, for some reason, refused to look to Greg Oden for offense when the rest of the team was sputtering. Steve Blake is still shaky with the ball. Andre Miller hasn’t been taking care of it much better. But pointing fingers isn’t the answer, nor does two games a season make.

I’ve said it before, so please forgive the redundancy, but there’s no need to lose your cool. The fact is, Utah is back healthy, and they blitzkrieged the bejeezus out of Portland. The Blazers never saw it coming, which was foolish, because underestimating a team like the Jazz is just bad for business. And Memphis? Man, if they ever figure out how to play together on a consistent basis, they are going to be scary. Jerry West laid a fine foundation for the Grizz, and they’re a talented team. The game they played against Portland might have been the best effort I’ve ever seen out of any Grizzlies team. Ever.

The most disconcerting aspect of the two beatdowns was the half-dead bodies slogging up and down the court in red and black. Die-hards who recall last year’s pitiful transition defense in Boston must be having some scary deja vu right about now.

The bottom line is this: the talent is there. We know that for a fact. Fix the problems in effort and execution, and this team can blow out anybody in the league on a given night. So no, Blazermaniacs, you don’t need to hit the panic button. Yet.

What do you guys and gals think? In your opinions, what went wrong these last two games, and how can the Blazers get back on track? Shout it out in the comments, Rip City.

Happy Thanksgiving OSL fans.  Here’s what we are thankful for this year.

Whitman I’m thankful for…MMA’s continuously growing popularity

I’m not going to lie. There was a time not so long ago that I felt a little ashamed to be an MMA fan. After all, no civilized or educated person should want to watch two men grapple and strike and bleed within the confines of an octagonal cage, right? Wrong. Fighting is a sport like any other, and I finally realized that I had absolutely no reason to turn away and pretend to cough when asked what the hell I was watching. MMA has arrived. Case in point, the other day at work, I was discussing the results of UFC 106 to a coworker when a customer overheard and injected with a question:

“You talking about that WEC? The boxing…wrestling stuff, right?”

Oh boy. Get ready for the snort and the headshake. Middle-aged guys LOVE the snort and the headshake. Well, actually, sir, yes. I was just talking about mixed martial arts to my friend. See, it’s not quite as bad as you think it is, bec–

“It’s pretty cool, isn’t it? How one little mistake can turn the momentum of the whole thing?”

Um…Excuse me? I mean, yeah. Yeah, that is pretty cool. Uh…you have yourself a nice day, there, sir.

MMA fans, give thanks. Hold your heads up high. And take off those stupid Affliction long-sleeve T-shirts.

Portland being an NBA city - This one came to me while reading Bill Simmons’ most recent mailbag. Two things that caught my eye:

And the best way to describe the crowd’s support for Oden: It’s like watching 15,000 parents rooting for their kid, only all 15,000 parents fathered the same kid. If he ever explodes for 30 points, 20 rebounds and eight blocks in a game, you’ll have to carry each deliriously passed-out Portland fan out of the Rose Garden individually like they were victims of smoke inhalation in a burning house. (The funny thing is, everyone in Portland is nodding right now…)

Truth. No argument here. Second:

During a second-quarter timeout, my buddy House and I ran into the concourse to grab beers and noticed there was NOBODY else in line for anything. We felt like Will Smith in “I Am Legend.” There was no sign of human life other than the workers. Everyone else stays in their seats. At halftime, those same people pour into the concourse like it’s halftime of a football game. I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know whether the Blazers have the most loyal, passionate, dutiful fans in the NBA, but at the very least, we can say nobody else tops them.

Couldn’t agree more. Be proud, Portland, and give thanks for your fellow Maniacs.

Food Stamps - They make it so that I can survive. And if I survive, that means I can write in this space. Thank you, government.

Mike Rice - This one requires no explanation. I’ll just leave you guys with a Thanksgiving quote from the Ricer:

MB: So, Mike, doing anything special for Thanksgiving?

Ricey: Ohhhh, you know, just a turk. Gotta have a turk.

Yes you do, Mike. Yes you do.

May everyone enjoy their turks. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

Holdren I’m thankful for… The development of Greg Oden

Blazers fans have waited a long time to see the Greg Oden who we thought we had drafted, but we’ve had to settle for glimpses here and there between injuries, foul trouble and what seemed to be a steep learning curve. Oden is turning into a real game-changer for the Blazers on both ends of the floor. On defense, when he isn’t sending ill-advised shots packing, he’s warding off those who would otherwise dare take the ball to the paint. On offense, he’s yet to find any sort of groove, but he draws double teams, is a solid offensive rebounder, and is getting better at not turning the ball over. I’m also thankful for the amount of stank he lays down on those two-handed leg-rocking monster dunks we see every game.

A Ducks team we can cheer for - The LeGarrette Blount fiasco to start the season was easily the most embarrassing moment Ducks fans have endured in recent memory. Chip Kelly and the Ducks made the best out of a bad situation, and rallied around making this team into a classy contender. I’ve loved how they’ve fought through injuries and adversity and haven’t missed a beat. They’ve played with heart on both sides of the ball and put themselves into Rose Bowl contention. The Ducks have majorly surpassed my expectations for this season, so I’m thankful for that!

Depth of the Blazers - Where would we be right now without our highly touted depth? The injuries to Nicolas Batum and Travis Outlaw seriously put a wrench in how the Blazers like to operate, but luckily, all it really meant was more opportunities for those who were wondering where their deserved minutes were coming from. Thanks to Martell Webster, Rudy Fernandez, and even guys like Dante Cunningham and Juwan Howard to ensure that the Blazers don’t miss a beat!

HD Television - This is my first year with HD. Seriously, how have we ever lived without this? I know that is probably grossly overpriced, but I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Blazers, Beavers and Ducks all in the crisp beauty that is HD television. It is one of those things that once you’ve had it, it’s difficult to go back. Not to sound snooty, but I cringe when i flip over to standard def during these games. It’s nice to be able to see names, numbers, and even facial expressions that would otherwise be lost in the ethers with standard def. Sports fans – if you can – get HD. The sports nodule in your brain will thank you.

The pipeline of Texas high school running backs to the state of Oregon would make oil executives blush.  Larry David would say it’s prettay, prettay, prettay, prettay good.  First football fans in the Beaver state watched in amazement as diminutive Jacquizz Rodgers tore apart USC’s “greatest defense ever’ en route to the Pac-10 player of the year honor.  The following year, the Ducks of Oregon debuted their own pint-sized Texan running back (an astute reader noted LaMichael James is a couple inches taller than Quizz…my bad).  LaMichael James went on to break Quizz’s freshman running record.  Now the two Texan sensations will go head to head in the biggest Civil War ever.  My, am I thankful for both of them.  The best part?  We’ve got another couple years of them to go.  Sit back and enjoy the show.

I’ve been preaching to my friends and colleagues that the early-season successes for the Blazers are suspect at best. While the Blazers have a respectable 11-5 record, they’ve played one of the softest starts to the season of any team this year, playing a field that is currently sitting at a combined 75-90 record. While this might not seem all THAT bad, keep in mind that the Blazers have played the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves (1-13) three times, and have faced a potpourri of other bottom feeders like the Memphis Grizzlies (5-9), Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) and the Detroit Pistons (5-9). The Blazers will continue their early-season cakewalk tonight against the New Jersey Nets – the only team in the league that hasn’t managed to win a game all season. While the Nets have struggled mightily with injuries (playing much of the season without Devin Harris), even fully healthy they gave the Timberwolves their only win of this young season on opening night.

While this Blazers team came into this season with lofty expectations (which they assuredly still retain), this weak schedule has been a blessing for the team. Although many expected the Blazers would pick up right where their stellar team chemistry left off last season, the Blazers have found themselves searching for their identity and tinkering with their lineups and style of play. We’ve seen up-tempo and slow-down offenses, we’ve seen traditional lineups and two point-guard backcourts, and we’ve seen injuries to key pieces to the puzzle in Travis Outlaw and Nicolas Batum – requiring the Blazers to adjust accordingly. Certainly these factors require some exceptions for even the harshest of critics and fan expectations.

But it isn’t the friendly schedule that has me doubting the progress of this Blazers team. What has me most concerned has been their track record thus far against good teams. The Blazers are just 3-4 against teams that are .500 and above, including two losses to Atlanta, one loss to Denver and one loss to Houston. Granted, the Hawks are playing some of the best ball of anyone so far this season (with wins against Cleveland and Boston as well) and the Nuggets are playing at a high level behind the rejuvenated Carmelo Anthony. But still, only three wins against +.500 teams leaves many question marks as to where this team ranks amongst the league’s elite. The saying goes, “good teams should always beat the teams they are supposed to beat, and occasionally the teams they aren’t.” For the most part, the Blazers have been able to beat the teams that they are clearly supposed to beat, but it’s the losses to teams that they “occasionally” should beat that have me a bit on edge.

While the Blazers have a spattering of tough games here and there over the next week, I don’t think we will really see the true colors of this Blazers team until their highly difficult road trip in late December. Starting on December 19 they will play four games over five nights at Orlando, Miami, Dallas and San Antonio, and return home to face Denver in their first game back. Every game right now counts, but I think we will have a clearer picture of the Blazers overall level of play once they are through that stretch.

Is the level of success that the Blazers have achieved so far this season more or less than you had been expecting?

I’ve been thinking about it.  You’ve been thinking about it.  Your mom and dad are probably thinking about it.  If your dog could talk, she’d talk about it too.  “It” is the Civil War of course.  The biggest Civil War in history!  Other than that actual “war” that we fought against the Confederacy.  I guess that was relevant too.  But this war is for the Roses!

Keys for the Ducks:

- Hit Sean Canfield.  Hit Canfield hard.  Canfield on the ground equals Ducks on their way to victory.

- Slice and dice the Beaver secondary – The Beavs are good against the run, but are susceptible to missed tackles and appearing lost in the secondary.  If Masoli is able to get in a rhythm early on, OSU is in for a long day.

- Stop the fly sweep.  Last year the Ducks shut down the Beavers and their signature play.  They need to replicate that effort in order to seal their Rose Bowl berth.

- No more Masoli fumbles.  No more muffed punts.  It’s that simple.

Keys for the Beavs:

- Spread the wealth around Mr. Canfield.  Continue to complete passes at a high percentage, and incorporate your lesser known but extremely effective offensive weapons (Halahuni, Adeniji, etc) and this could be the signature win in Oregon State football history.  Yeah, this would be bigger than any USC beatdown.

- Quizz left, Quizz right, Quizz up the middle, Quizz out of the backfield. Quizz Quizz Quizz.  Give the soon-to-be two time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year the ball in space and let him do his magic.  The Ducks are typically good against quick backs, but they’ve yet to play Quizz, and he wants to show them what they’ve been missing.

- Wrap up LaMichael James.  The Beavs better understand what they’re facing in James (a miniature clone of their own star) or else he’ll be the Texas running back who leaves with the accolades.

- Stay focused, tune out the crowd, and keep the game close.  Both teams excel in a pressure cooker environment.  OSU wants to be there when the game is on the line.  If so, their playmakers have just as good a chance as Jeremiah “the Great Escape” Masoli.

Predictions and more links and analysis are yet to come.

What are your keys to the Civil War?

I imagine everybody is starting to get riled up for tonight’s ballgame. After all, tonight’s matchup is one of rivalry and intrigue (though OSLer Joe Jackson would argue the contrary). How can you not get up for this one? Come on, y’all. It’s BULLS vs. BLAZERS (and the rest of the ’92 Playoffs)!

First off, Derrick Rose, as you well know, is one of the most exciting players in the league. The Bulls are young, hungry, and can really rebound the rock when they want to. It’s always fun to watch Tyrus and LaMarcus go at each other, and the Blakey/Captain Kirk matchup is a true clash of the titans. Sprinkle in a little Vinny Del Negro and a healthy spoonful of Mike Rice, and you’ve got one hell of an evening in front of you. Before that battle is fought, however, it’s time to recap the weekend (and play a little catch-up on last week).

Manny Pacquiao is one dangerous hombre. If you missed the shellacking he dished out to Miguel Cotto, no need to worry. I hear they’ll be showing the replay on Animal Planet this week as part of their World’s Most Dangerous Predators miniseries.

Cotto never had a chance. Not even when he thought he had a chance did he have a chance. Pac Man was simply too fast, too elusive, and possessed too much punching power for Cotto to do anything but cover up and try to survive the 36 minutes of constant violence. Mercifully, he was not permitted to hear the final bell toll, as the referee saved him in the 12th and final round, awarding a TKO victory to the Filipino fighting machine and solidifying Pacquiao as one of the two best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet.

The other man who shares that distinction is “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather. One of the most talented small men of all time, Mayweather has been perfect in his career up to this point, dispatching the likes of Chico Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, and Zab Judah along the way. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao have recently defeated contemporaries Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez. Now, all they have to do is face each other.

The fight likely represents the last true dream fight left in boxing. I’ve seen a lot of great fighters come and go, but it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten goose bumps over a boxing match-up. This one has me shivering already. Let’s hope they can make the numbers work and we get to see this fight sometime in 2010.

Sticking with physical brutality, both WEC 44 and UFC 106 went down in the last two weeks. My MMA awards for the events:

– The Steve Austin Better Stronger Faster Award: to Jose Aldo, for showing the world that Mike Thomas Brown isn’t the most freakish athlete at 145 pounds anymore. I had no idea that a featherweight could be that fast and that strong at the same time. As MMA fans know, Brown’s greatest strength at featherweight is his brawny build and typical power advantage. Not so against Aldo. The young lion from Brazil absolutely dwarfed the American champion and threw him around like a little brother.

– The John Travolta Once Again Relevant Award: to former featherweight champ Urijah Faber, who will undoubtedly receive a shot at Aldo provided he takes care of business against Rafael Assuncao in January. Faber had already lost twice to Brown. Had the champ retained his title, it might have been a long while before the kid from Cali got another shot at the belt. As it is, this is his version of Tarantino calling him up and asking him to star in Pulp Fiction at his best weight. Or something.

– The You Can’t Teach Old Dogs New Tricks Award: to Phil Baroni and Tito Ortiz. Baroni also took home the Perhaps Bodybuilding Was A Better Profession For You Award and the Least Deserving Nickname Award.

– The Saint Peter Golden Gatekeeper Award: to Forest Griffin, who is a solid scrapper and an entertaining personality, but will never see gold around his waist again. Sorry if you love the reality show and I just broke your heart. But that’s the way the scar tissue lacerates.

– The Master Thespian ACTING Award: to Josh Koscheck, for blocking an illegal knee strike and then pretending it crushed his orbital socket. Great performance, Josh.

– The Star Trek Vast Oversimplification Of A Much Larger Problem Award: to Anthony Johnson, who, after losing by rear-naked choke to Josh Koscheck, updated his Facebook status to say something along the lines of “I thought punches from the bottom would hurt him, but turns out they don’t.”

– The Jason Voorhees He’s Baaaaaccckkk Award: To Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, for decimating formidable striker and top-10 opponent Luis Arthur Cane. Look out for Little Nog. He’s gonna getcha. Light-heavyweights: you’ve been warned.

One final MMA note: I’d like to wish UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar a quick and easy recovery from surgery. Lesnar was hospitalized in Canada after he collapsed. Lesnar had been battling mono and was forced to withdraw from his UFC 106 title defense against Shane Carwin due to illness. Upon examination, it was learned that Lesnar had a bacterial infection in his intestine and would require surgery. Whether Lesnar will fight again is unknown, but it would be a shame if the champ were to lose his belt in a doctor’s office instead of the Octagon.

Shifting gears to the world of American football, for the first time ever, the Civil War is going to decide who will play in the Rose Bowl. Oregon fans, rejoice in this moment of delicious redemption, for whoever proves themselves worthy of smashing Ohio State in Pasadena will have bragging rights from now until the end of time.

That’s provided, of course, that there are any Duck fans who didn’t either die from pulmonary embolisms last week or are still resting in the cardiology wing of their nearest medical facility. In case you missed it, the Ducks squeaked out a 44-41 double OT victory in Tucson over a game Arizona squad.

The Beavs had it a little easier last week, stomping Wazzou and setting up the biggest Civil War in the state’s history. Make sure to stay tuned to OSL for what should be an onslaught of Ducks/Beavs content.

And don’t fret, hoops fans. We’ve got you covered, too. Come on back, now, you hear?

The Blazers returned home to the friendly confines of the Rose Garden after a successful six game road swing.  Nothing like a little R & R and a game against the completely unrecognizable Detroit Pistons to welcome you home.  Just like a chocolate milkshake on a hot summer’s day.

Portland drank their milkshake; they drank it up.  The once-mighty Pistons fell behind big in the third quarter.  The Blazers seized a 20-point lead, then promptly hit the snooze button.

Whoops.

The young and scrappy Pistons did what any capable NBA team should do when their opponents turn complacent.  They almost came back and won the game.

Lanky rookies Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko pressured the Blazer backcourt.  They  drained the shot clock every possession in the fourth quarter.  The Blazers couldn’t construct any semblance of an offense.  Thankfully  a Steve Blake three-pointer ultimately sealed the deal.

I’ll chalk up this performance to the old “first home game after a road trip” excuse.  This team is struggling to find a nightly rhythm.  The schedule is still accommodating.  There is no “Murderer’s Row” in the next week (Grizzly and T’Wolves Paella, please).  Portland is still sitting pretty at the moment, although any more injuries could prove to be devastating.

Meanwhile, the Blazers’ defense continues to improve.  I’m still not sold on this being some “elite” defense.  Let’s see if the zone keeps Deron Williams or Derrick Rose out of the lane.  The fact is, Portland’s opponents are not shooting the ball well.  In some cases that can be attributed to simply putting a hand in opponents’ faces.  You can also point to the overall defensive scheme.  It also is indicative of just plain old poor shooting.  I’m anxiously awaiting the Bulls and Jazz games in coming weeks.  The Blazers are still rounding into form, and they need more tests from playoff opponents to gauge their growth.  Other links:

- Kerry Eggers breaks down the Blazers’ salary cap status.  He notes the Blazers are still in pretty darn good shape financially.  Fernandez and Batum combine to make 2.25 million.  That’s a bargain.

- On a similar financial note: the Blazers’ road trip really highlighted how some franchises are struggling to fill seats.  Last night it seemed Portland had more empty seats than we are used to seeing in recent years.  Can anyone verify this?  Are there scores of empty seats in the Rose Garden these days?  Even the young and exciting Blazers aren’t immune to the economic crisis.

- Great profile from Paul Buker on the Beavs’ defensive leader, Keaton Kristick.  He just sounds like a football player.

- This story is completely unsurprising to anyone familiar with the UO Athletic Department.  Ken Goe stands up and applauds the “I Smell Roses” producers for just having a good time.  Goe says the UO should take a chill pill.  In case you haven’t heard, the issue here is the use of “Donald the Duck” in the video.  The University says this gives the impression that the UO endorses the video.  If I can switch to Canzano-speak here:  Something about this feels wrong.  First off, nice to see some quality work coming out of the UO Electronic Media sequence.  Second, the students aren’t trying to make money off the image of the Duck.  There are no curse words in the video.  It’s well-produced, clever, and something the entire Duck community can unite around.  The whole town is geeked about the Rose Bowl run, then the administration comes in like a nagging parent telling you to put your beer away.  Chill, mom.  There are plenty of videos and pictures on Facebook of the Duck.  Are they planning on contesting every image of the Duck?  That sounds like an extraordinary waste of time.  This just feels silly.  There is no enemy here, and the product is clean.  The Ducks could do the complete opposite and embrace the video.  That seems like a better route here.  What say you, lawyers?  Is the UO protecting their intellectual property appropriately here?  Or is this the unnecessary crackdown on a handful of students producing a creative, clean, and entertaining music video?

More Rose Bowl, UO-UA, Civil War and other analysis forthcoming.

Me-oh-my, do we have a lot to talk about, sports fans. Hoops, pigskin, pugilism of all kinds — what a great weekend for those of us who regularly shun our loved ones in favor of watching muscular men toss a tiny ball around and/or beat each other senseless, huh? Before we get to the sports, however, there are a few things that bear mentioning:

I don’t know when you last watched the Price is Right, but let me save you the trouble of gouging your eyes out with a plastic spork. Drew Carey’s hair is absolutely unforgivable. Remember what he used to look like? No more. Now it looks like he killed a baby golden retriever and stapled it to his skull. But Carey’s molester hair isn’t the only thing wrong with the new-look Price is Right. There was actually a pricing game called “Pick a Number.” The game lasted roughly eight seconds and looked about as fun as performing your own circumcision. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Bob Barker retires — you cancel the show. How hard is that?

Speaking of TV, if you saw the preview for Steven Seagal: Lawman and didn’t immediately start jumping up and down in front of your TV while squealing like a six-year-old girl, then we’re probably not going to be friends. Anyway, to the sports:

Stephen Jackson (and less importantly, Acie Law) has been traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovich. If you’re familiar with my hoops philosophy in the slightest, you know of my disdain for Stephen Jackson. That said, this trade works for both sides. Charlotte was going nowhere fast with that lineup. Now they have a go-to scorer (and possible cancer) in Stephen Jackson, and his arrival might just shake things up enough to wake North Carolina from its pro basketball coma. On the flipside, Raja and The Rad Man (tremendous buddy cop opportunity here, Hollywood) represent a clear drop-off in talent. However, they will also inject some fresh blood and afford Coach Nelly more lineup versatility if he chooses to use them. Plus — and this is the primary reason the trade even took place — the organization will no longer have to deal with Jackson’s whining. It’ll be fun to see how it plays out for both parties.

On the local hoops scene, everyone is now well aware of Travis Outlaw’s metatarsal stress fracture. While I wouldn’t wish that injury on any player, much less a Trail Blazer, I’m oddly optimistic about the situation. The fact is, with Travis in the lineup there just weren’t enough minutes to go around, and it was only a matter of time before Rudy and Martell (and eventually Young Nicolas) vocalized some dissatisfaction. Now, it’s possible that those guys may not be capable of consistently producing at a rate deserving of those extra minutes, but at least they will have the opportunity. And in my opinion, that’s a good thing.

In mildly-related news, Brandon Roy owns a sick PS3.

Moving now to Pac-10 basketball, it may surprise you to learn that the Oregon Ducks are a perfect 3-0 through the nascent season. Yes, these were tune-up games against overmatched opposition, but it’s still gotta be encouraging for Duck fans. Remember last year? One thing is certain, the competition is only going to get tougher, and that trend starts Nov. 21 with the Ducks taking on UP in Portland.

A few miles south, OSU sits at just 1-2. Members of the Roeland Schaftenaar Fan Club (Yes, Andrew Theen, I’m looking at you) must be absolutely crushed. Broken. Decimated. The Beavs need to turn it around and fast if they plan on achieving that lofty team goal of reaching the big dance come March. First they have to take care of business at home against Sacramento State. Like their cross-state rivals, they also play on Nov. 21.

Transitioning to the gridiron, both Oregon schools walked away with handy victories last week. LaMichael James led the Ducks past ASU, while Oregon State hit the Dawgs early and often en route to a one-sided beat down. Not surprising in that game: Sean Canfield played well. Pretty doggone surprising in that game: Sean Canfield was the best quarterback on the field. I’m a big fan of Jake Locker. I love his upside, his motor, his rocket-laser arm, his mobility, his toughness, and his million-dollar smile. But if I’m an NFL scout, I’m wary of the fact that he hasn’t won anything. I’m also concerned that I’ve only watched him play about two seasons of NCAA football thanks to his season-ending injury during his sophomore season. If Locker enters the draft this year, whoever drafts him will do so on pure potential. And in my book, that’s a risky bet.

Well, it looks like I ran out of time, so I’m afraid this is the end of Part One, dear friends. But keep that dial turned to OSL, and I’ll have Part Two up quicker than you can kiss a duck, dig? All you MMA and boxing fans, start licking your chops…

Although the Portland Trail Blazers were able to put away the Charlotte Bobcats tonight 80-74, securing their fourth straight win within their current road trip, it certainly came at a cost. In the first quarter, Travis Outlaw left the game with a foot injury which occurred as he made a sharp plant with his left foot while defending Gerald Wallace. X-rays later confirmed that Outlaw’s injury was a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his left foot, not unlike Martell Webster’s injury which kept him out nearly all of last season. Outlaw is set to return to Portland immediately to have his injury evaluated.

This is certainly a disappointment for both Outlaw and the Blazers, as he was expected to anchor the scoring within Portland’s second unit. Outlaw had struggled with his shot throughout this young season, only shooting 37.6%, but Outlaw has always been an offensive threat for the Blazers as one of their few players who can effectively create shot opportunities for himself. It will be interesting to see what impact this injury may have on Outlaw’s future, as he was eager to bolster his stock in this final year of his current contract with the Blazers.

While we began the season wondering where all of Portland’s wing-players would find time to get on the floor, with the exit of Nicolas Batum and now Outlaw the Blazers will have to adjust their game plan. Now is when the Blazers’ “problem” of too much depth will pay the highest dividends. Outlaw’s departure will open up over 20 minutes a game to disperse amongst the current roster. The most obvious beneficiaries of Outlaw’s abandoned minutes should be from Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster, both of whom have the ability to score in bunches when given the opportunity. Fernandez has more one-on-one scoring potential between the two, but both he and Webster are at their best when playing off of collapsing defenses — not breaking down defenses individually. Outlaw’s injury could also call for a bit more floor time for Brandon Roy (who is currently starting at the small forward spot), and potentially LaMarcus Aldridge as well given that Outlaw occasionally get spot minutes at power forward.

This loss stings for the Blazers, but ultimately I think they will be able to compensate for Outlaw’s (and Batum’s) injury. This is precisely why teams should stockpile talent and ignore potential logjams and the conflicts that these could provide.  Since the core of Roy, Aldridge and Greg Oden is still in tact, I’m confident that they’ll still be able to take care of business as usual.

Who do you think will be the biggest beneficiary given the loss of both Outlaw and Batum?

It wasn’t pretty, but the Portland Trail Blazers will take it. In what could be described as a strange game, or maybe a “tale of two halfs”, the Blazers managed to grind out a 86-78 against the New Orleans Hornets. The win ensures a winning record for the Blazers on their current road trip, and sets their current road record at a solid 4-1 thus far.

Coming on the heels of a coaching change, we expected to see a scrappy battle tonight between the eager  Hornets and the red-hot and rolling Blazers. But as a Blazers fan basketball fan, if you missed the first half of this game for any reason, consider yourself very, very lucky. What you would have witnessed was some of the worst offense one could realistically imagine would be possible in a professional competition. The two teams combined for a horrific 28-89 shooting performance in the first half, leading to a 37-33 halftime lead for the Blazers. Superstitious fans might have chalked up this poor performance to Friday the 13th, but the Blazers’ shot-selection in the first half  might have been the worst you have ever seen from a Portland squad. They failed to establish any inside presence (Greg Oden went 0-5 and LaMarcus Aldridge only had 4 points in the first half) and consistently settled for contested 20-footers. Don’t believe me? They were 3 for TWENTY EIGHT on shots outside of the key for the half. It was U-G-L-Y and they didn’t have no alibi, I’m sure of it.

While holding the Hornets to 33 points in the first half was likely a combination of good defense by Portland and bad shooting by New Orleans, the Blazers were clearly disrupting the flow of all-star point guard Chris Paul. On multiple occasions Paul was seen barking at his teammates in disgust during timeouts. Much of this frustration likely originated from troubles of his own. Through the third quarter, Paul (who had a 26 ppg average coming into this game) was held to 3 points on 1 of 8 shooting. Paul would leave the game for good with about a minute left in the 3rd after spraining his ankle.

The second half  brought a notable improvement for the Blazers as they kicked off the half by dropping 28 points in the third quarter. Clearly, an emphasis was made at half time that they needed to feed the ball inside more or at least work to find better shots within the offense. Much of their new-found offensive momentum came from Aldridge, who was stroking mid-range jumpers and challenging David West to stop him. Aldridge pitched in 10 points in the third quarter to help the Blazers get back on track. The ugly-jumpshot epidemic of the first half had ended, and all seemed right for the black and red. Oden and Joel Przybilla also got involved by snagging offensive boards, and dropping in second-chance points and close-range shots. The two-headed monster of Oden and Przybilla made a huge impact on this game, netting a combined 18 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks. Along with Aldridge’s final line of 20 points and 13 rebounds, it was the Blazers’ frontcourt and inside presence that made the difference and got the Blazers a win tonight.

It’s also worth noting the battle between Aldridge and  West tonight. With Aldridge vocalizing his desire to be an All-Star this season, it is clear he will have to out-perform West (who has been named to the Western Conference All-Star team for the past two seasons). They are similar players in that they both have an effective mid-range game, but West has had a mean streak that has aided him greatly throughout his career. While Aldridge has a ways to go in developing his own killer instinct, tonight was a good example of Aldridge asserting himself when the Blazers needed a boost the most. If Aldridge can continue this level of play on a consistent basis, he certainly could be a threat to take West’s spot on the All-Star roster – maybe sooner than later.

Howdy, folks. Last night, the Blazers defeated a game but outmatched Minnesota Timberwolves squad, winning game two of their five-game road trip. Some thoughts from the game:

– Playing Brandon at small forward definitely presents defensive problems. Brandon simply isn’t big enough to defend elite threes. And yes, I know Nic has pipe cleaner arms, but he’s also The Bird of Prey. Against LeBron, Melo, Ariza, Artest, Durant (etc.), Brandon will spend a ton of energy simply dealing with their size in the early going. Of course, nothing says Nate can’t change his lineup and make it opponent-specific, but is that a reliable long term strategy?

– Dre has some sick nasty pump fakes.

– Memo to Jonny Flynn and the rest of the NBA: that small area around the basket is Greg’s Area. When Greg is not in the game, it temporarily becomes Pryz’s Area until Greg can reenter the game, at which point it once again becomes Greg’s Area. At no point is it a wise decision to enter Greg’s Area without Greg’s consent. Oh, and never, EVER mistake Greg’s Area with Your Area, which is made up of all the other spots on the basketball court that do not fall under the jurisdiction of Greg. You’ve been warned.

– Portland’s lack of energy to start the game was discouraging.

– So was the lack of three-point accuracy in the first half. In fact, the lone bright spot of the first 24 minutes was Old Greg tearing it up at the pivot and exploding for a double-double.

– Mike Rice is gradually finding his rhythm. During the Memphis game, Ricey mistook actor (Fifth Element fans, I’m looking at you guys to back me up on this one) Chris Tucker for a rap artist. In Minneapolis, he pronounced Nathan Juwai’s last name as “Joo-wah-weeee.” Also, the dialogue between Mike and Mike regarding the cigar and the Old Grand-Dad was absolutely priceless. I swear, they’re the new Abbott and Costello.

– Blazers fans wanting Bayless to see some playing time, I understand your concern. Blazers fans wanting Bayless to play point guard…I hate to break it to you, but you’re all masochists.

– What an awful clear-path foul call against Minnesota. Just terrible. Remember when basketball players were allowed to play hard? No? Yeah, me either.

– Although this one ended up turning into a laugher in the second half, Portland was down 18-23 after the first period. One of the main reasons the Blazers kept it competitive early was Martell Webster’s immediate and energetic impact on the game. Two quick steals and a stolen rebound made a big difference at the end of the first quarter. Gotta love Martell’s intensity if you’re a Maniac.

– How about that frontcourt fast break between Greg and LA? Looked like Magic and Worthy out there.

– I think Juwai has a solid shot at becoming an excellent big man. Naturally, he’ll have to work his butt off (literally) in order to increase his explosiveness, and he has to expand his offensive repertoire beyond that jump hook, but he has good instincts, and he’s the definition of a Tommy Heinsohn Widebody. Right now he’s the new Tractor Traylor, but down the road I feel like he could possess a game similar to teammate Al Jefferson’s. Or maybe I’m just nuts. Your choice.

– Bob Akamian and Michael Holton have not impressed me this year in the studio. Something tells me that Slam Ball execs know they’ve struck gold with Tony Luftman. Come on, let’s just buy him out of his contract! You know you miss him. Tell them what they’ve won?? A basketball game? No? Nobody? Fine.

– If Portland had shot a decent percentage from three-point range, that might have been a 40-point win.

– As it was, despite a scorching third quarter, Portland still could not step on the throat of the wounded Wolves, allowing Minny to drum up some momentum in garbage time. That’s not good, and it’s sort of becoming the trademark of this squad. Lord knows it was prevalent last year. When you knock your opponent down, you’ve got to jump on him and finish the fight before he can recover. Portland hasn’t learned to do that yet, and it may come back to bite them if they can’t figure out how to extinguish all hope within the opposition after building a big lead.

Make sure to tune in tomorrow and watch Portland try to keep the four-game winning streak alive against the Byron Scott-less New Orleans Hornets.

The Blazers hit the high seas for a five game road swing, starting with the suddenly Allen Iverson-less Memphis Grizzlies.  I can’t say I’m surprised to see Iverson refuse to play.  I just think it’s sad the future Hall of Famer appears to be going out this way.

Iverson’s legacy (and his legion of fans) deserve a better exit.  AI has to bear the lion’s share of blame for his unfortunate demise.  However, I can see where the frustration takes root.  It’s hard to imagine being a player of his caliber, who late in his career must stomach a lesser role.  But that’s the fact of life in the NBA.  AI wasn’t prepared to deal with that.  In his mind’s eye he is still the number one option.  Nobody else sees it that way, including the young Grizzlies.

The Grizz are an intriguing team even without “the Answer.”  They are loaded with scorers:

Zach Randolph is what he is.  He’s a phenomenal inside-outside weapon who doesn’t make his teammates better.

Mike Conley Jr. and OJ Mayo comprise one of the youngest and talented back-court tandems in the Association.

Marc Gasol is a quality big.

Rudy Gay is going to be available by the midway mark this year.  He appears to be incredibly unhappy. Some contender could add Gay for the stretch run, and that’d be a valuable addition.  The problem is, despite the great collection of talent – Memphis isn’t a team.  They are just a collection of talent.  That won’t get them anywhere in the uber-competitive Western Conference.

Here are some thoughts from the game.

- I love the down screen leading to the pop up jumper for Brandon.  With defenders face guarding him, Roy needs more easy touches early on to get a rhythm.

- There’s nobody at this game.  My roommate summed it up well.  It’s like a high school crowd.  You can hear individual fans yelling.

- Watching Zach and LaMarcus go at it is great.It’s comforting to know the Blazers were able to unload Zach and let LaMarcus flourish.

- I still don’t like the Miller-Blake combination.  It takes valuable minutes away from Rudy and Martell, plus makes Roy work harder on defense.  This can’t be a long-term solution.  Nobody is getting their minutes right now except Miller-Blake.

- You’ve got to love Zach.  If I told you he broke teammate Hasheem Thabeet’s jaw, you wouldn’t bat an eye.  In fact, you’d figure it was intentional.  It wasn’t.  What a freak accident.   Zach is a hard head.  Literally and figuratively.

- Travis’ offensive rebound and dunk on Rudy Gay was absurd.  It was also his sole contribution for the game.

- Greg played a scintillating second half.  He is passing the ball well in recent games, and he’s looking comfortable on the block.  If he can only stay on the court for an entire game…he is starting to put it together.

- Great team defense?  Or abysmal offensive performance by a sagging team with no cohesion?  You say potato, I say potato.

- Rudy looks disinterested, upset, angry, all of the above.  He played 15 minutes.  This could become worrisome very soon.

- The team is still trying to find itself.  They don’t have a defined rotation yet.  They still aren’t putting teams away when they should.  That could pose an issue soon if they don’t develop that killer instinct.

- Good way to start the road trip.

The philosopher Aristotle once said “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

I’d say Stanford’s offensive gameplan against the Oregon Ducks cements Jim Harbaugh as a resident genius.

The Cardinal smashed, gashed, and bashed the Ducks into submission.  The previously phenomenal Oregon rag-tag defense had no answer for Andrew Luck.  They also failed to solve theToby Gerhart riddle.

How do you tackle a horse?

Oregon’s formidable offensive led by Jeremiah Masoli made the outcome in doubt until late.  But the outcome really never was in doubt.

Jim Harbaugh rode his Gerhart horse to victory, and the Cardinal are bowl eligible for the first time since 2002.

The Ducks still have a good chance at making a good/great bowl game (hell winning out seals the Pac-10) but stopping their opponent at least once seems like a good plan going forward.  The Ducks defense and their incredible ride of emotion and focus seems to be over.  Can they rebound enough to help Oregon win 2 out of three games?  That remains to be seen.  Chip Kelly preaches “win the day” and the Ducks need to live that saying in order to make their first Rose Bowl since the Rich Brooks era.

Meanwhile up Highway 99 a tick, the OSU Beavers are once again positioned for a fantastic finish.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but the Beavs are only one loss out of first place.  Who thinks Stanford isn’t capable of taking out the once mighty Trojans.  The Beavs play UW and WSU in the next two weeks.  Both those games are supremely winnable.

Let’s take stock here: Sean Canfield is arguable the best throwing quarterback in the conference.  The way the Ducks secondary defended the pass against Stanford has to make Canfield stroke his face knowingly.  The Civil War is totally in play.  This should be an exciting finish to the year.  Links!

- The godfather of Portland media says Saturday was a big serving of humble pie for Duck fans.  Jaynes makes a good point: respect the Pac-10 Duck fans.  Chip Kelly had nothing but good things to say about Stanford, and who can argue about that.  They were the better team on Saturday.

- Uh, why isn’t Quizz getting more Heisman hype.  Ted Miller says he should be a finalist. Quizz is phenomenal.

- Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle: Jahvid Best’s injury puts a huge damper on the Bay Area’s mood after Gerhart’s glorious morning.

- George Schroeder: Ducks can still get to the Rose Bowl and regain their “laser focus.”  He says they’ve got to be perfect.  I’d say so.

- CNNSI’s Stewart Mandel, he of the effusive-Iowa-Hawkeye-praise-machine, says Stanford’s victory proves the Pac is the best conference in the country. Interesting.  Very interesting.

- Bob Clark of the R-G says “wait a minute” – the Beavs could be in the hunt for the title in the Pac-10 (they play UW and WSU before making the trip to Autzen).

More content to come.

Leading up to the season, one of the greatest positional debates for the Blazers was at the point guard position, with fans everywhere arguing the merits of starting either Steve Blake or Andre Miller: Blake, the proven starter who helped lead the team to a 54-win season last year with a shooting touch that complements the game of Brandon Roy perfectly, and Miller, the prize acquisition of the offseason with a keen sense for running an offense and getting his teammates involved. However, given Miller’s limited shooting range, his style of play was often questioned as far as how it would be utilized alongside Roy.

Steve Blake began the season the starter, and while his play couldn’t be directly attributed to the team’s slow start, the team has clearly been trying to track down its collective identity. Coming off the bench, Miller struggled with his shot in Portland’s stagnant offense, but has effectively managed the pace of the game and has been successfully getting his teammates involved.

Needing a change in the on-court dynamic, Nate McMillan tweaked the starting lineup yesterday against the Spurs in a highly unexpected way. He started Miller at point guard…and Blake as well. While a two point-guard backcourt is somewhat unorthodox, it addressed McMillan’s desire to get more ball-movement and speed on the floor. The new-lineup worked to perfection as the Blazers launched out to a 29-14 lead. Although the move seemed to address some of the glaring weaknesses of the early season, this change has deeper implications for the rest of the year.

I think the Blazers know what they have in Miller, and they also know that they haven’t been getting the most out of his talents. I think they know how deadly they could be if they could figure out how to find the best way to utilize Miller and Roy on the floor together (a pairing that has been nothing short of awkward thus far). I think that Miller has yet to find his comfort level within this team, and it is having an adverse effect on his shooting touch.

It seems as though Miller still doesn’t quite know where he fits in, what his role is, or what he has to do to put the team in the best position to win. Miller has always been the starter, the play-maker and the initiator. We saw McMillan preaching to his squad to play fast and push the ball up the floor, something that Miller can and will do if given more freedom within the offense. I would imagine that the Miller-Blake tandem start is likely a short-term adjustments to increase the comfort level of Miller and buffer his eventual transition to the sole starting point guard on this team. Blake is still there as a beacon of consistency, an outside shooting threat, and a familiar face for Roy to defer to when he gets caught in a jam. Miller can mentally approach the game as a starter and have an immediate impact on the game’s tempo from the opening tip. I think you will see that as Miller’s minutes increase, so will his shooting percentages. We’ll also begin to see more of those crafty moves and creative finishes in the paint.

I’ve always believed that Blake is the perfect back-up point guard in this league. That isn’t to say that he hasn’t been a good starter for the Blazers or that he isn’t a good fit in the lineup. He’s a great team player who knocks down the shots he’s supposed to, always plays hard and can direct the offense seamlessly.  Blake is also the type of player who will accept his role and will make the most of it whether that is in the starting lineup or coming off of the bench. However it ends up, Blake will play an incredibly important role for the Blazers this season. Still, I think the Blazers owe it to themselves to give Miller a real chance at being successful – and take this team to another level.

It will be interesting to see how long Blake and Miller continue to start alongside one another. It could even come to a stop tomorrow against the Minnesota Timberwolves who start the 6′9″ Corey Brewer at shooting guard. Regardless, don’t be surprised to see the Blazers continue to put these two point guards on the floor together when the situation allows. The sooner the Blazers can define their players’ roles and decide how they want to play this year, the sooner they can return to their winning ways.

What a difference a game makes.

The Blazers held off the Spurs last night at the Rose Garden and exhibited to a national television audience why many picked Portland to finish third in the West. Some thoughts from the game:

– Blazers (3-3) looks one hell of a lot better than Blazers (2-4).

– How ’bout that NCAA-style three-guard starting lineup? That small squad had struggled mightily this season to find a rhythm, but they certainly found one last night. I’ll have to look at the film again, but there’s a good chance that this lineup could be effective in the long term, provided that the help defense plays with the intensity displayed last night.

– Greg Oden is a Manotaur. But you probably already knew that. After picking up two early ticky-tacky fouls trying to guard Tim Duncan, Greg saw limited minutes until the second half, at which point he proceeded to go into Beast Mode and make life difficult for Timmy and Co. The perfect snapshot of Greg’s impact on the game came late in the fourth as San Antonio was making its final charge. Manu Ginobili entered Hubie Brown’s “painted area” on three distinct occasions. Here’s how the three possessions went for him: The first time was in transition, as Ginobili drove left (has he ever done anything else?) and slipped by Greg in the center of the key, drawing a foul and making an easy layup. The next time Manu got into the paint, Greg sidestepped him, gave him a tiny sternum bump, and sent the Argentine’s off-balance attempt flying in the direction opposite the basket. The final time, Ginobili pulled up from seven feet out and lofted a low-percentage floater at the front of the rim.

Greg is learning, folks. And that’s scary news for the rest of the league. He’s shown that when he can stay on the floor, he has a huge impact on the game. Last night, it looked like he would spend most of his night on the bench, frowning as only he can. But something changed between the first and second halves. Something allowed Greg to stay on the floor for those final two quarters. Did Greg just put forth a better effort? Possibly, though it would difficult to ascertain that based on what a small sample size we received in the first half. No, it’s clear to me that the credit for keeping Greg on the floor goes to Portland’s help defense:

– In the first half, Blazer defenders were flying around the perimeter and recovering quickly when San Antonio would penetrate and kick. But in the second half, it was clear from the onset that the D’s primary objective was to double and hassle Tim Duncan before he had a chance to draw Oden’s third foul. If you have the game DVR’d, watch how the Blazer guards double-down on Duncan and force him to pass before he can initiate his offensive move. As the ball was kicked out, Blazer guards recovered in time (for the most part) to at least contest the outside shot. In this way, the whole team helped Greg stay on the floor, and they were rewarded when the Old One came up with three of his four blocks in the fourth quarter.

– Now that the love letter to the Red and Black D is done, I’d like to add that the Spurs missed a lot of open shots last night, especially in the first half. It also didn’t hurt that Tony Parker broke himself and had to exit the game. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: George Hill is awful at basketball. Is there a bigger starter/backup discrepancy in the league than Parker/Hill? That’s like downgrading from a Gino’s Cheesesteak to a turd sandwich.

– That said, the Blazers still tried to give that game away. There was a stretch in the fourth period where the Blazers looked afraid, even. The offense was disorganized to put it kindly, and the defense looked tentative as soon as the Spurs started hitting some shots that they were missing in the first half.

This was a solid and much-needed win for the Blazers, and Friday night represented the most complete, high-energy game that Portland has put together in the regular season. Do you think the Blazers will sustain the effort, or will they fall victim to a letdown against Minnesota on Sunday? What did I miss or get wrong in my analysis? Get vocal in the comments.

Take a bow Chip Kelly.  Get that dirt off your shoulder.

Find the time in your busy day to do so.  Yes I get it.  I know your team could still finish the year 7-5, but you’ve earned a little bit of a respite.  A little “me” time if you will.  Stand in front of the mirror and admit it.  You look gooood today.  The New York Times essentially called you a genius.  That’s like Andre 3000 saying “I like your style.”  You’ve made it.

Well not just yet.  Prior to the emphatic USC beatdown, I said this had the makings of a “moment” for the Oregon program.  But gosh, I feel foolish.  Chris Dufresne of the LA Times says, wait a minute – the Ducks were in this same position just two years ago.

Yes and no, Chris.  The ‘07-’08 Ducks lone loss at that point was to a major conference team (Cal).  The Golden Bears fell apart that year, and their presence in the polls didn’t pose a problem for the Ducks.  Then there’s Boise State this year.  The Broncos will not lose, and they will play a factor in how the Ducks are perceived nationally as the season wraps up.

We can (and will) debate whether BSU deserves to be ranked in front of what looks like a dominant Duck team.

A devastating injury to Masoli would make the BCS talk moot anyways.  Yet, this season could just be the “Greatness Delayed” year –  where Oregon’s rightful place in the national conversation finally arrives.  But much work still remains.  Plus I’ll hit on the Blazers’ woes and the Beavs still hanging around.  Links!

- The first team to beat USC this year, Washington, went on to lose big on the road against Stanford the following week.  Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh compared watching the USC-UO game to a pack of lions feasting on a baby water buffalo. It may be the most bizarre sports analogy in recent memory.  Thanks to Jim and the San Francisco Chronicle for that gem.

- Bud Withers says the Ducks face their biggest challenge yet: keeping their heads level in nature.  Kelly is annoyingly coach-like in his “one game at a time” and “win the day” mantra.  The next four weeks truly will test that credo.

- LeGarrette Blount still isn’t reinstated to the Duck program.  That isn’t too big of a surprise.  The team is absolutely rolling right now.  LaMichael James is making national writers like Jon Wilner turn their head and give him his due.  Ted Miller has a great read on the impressively humble and Quizz-like LaMichael James.  I think ultimately the Ducks hold off intentionally on the Blount reinstatement.  Why bring him back for a road game anyways?  His presence isn’t needed, and they might as well bring him back in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium

- Speaking of Quizz, he deserves to be in the Heisman talk at this point.  He won’t be a finalist, but he deserves to be one.

- Oregon State hasn’t lost at Cal since 1997.  Really?

- The Beavs are a win away from being bowl eligible, and a win at Cal would vault them toward another great late-season surge according to Paul Buker.

Now some thoughts from watching the Blazers-Hawks game on my couch:

- Martell Webster is playing well on both ends of the court.  He is playing with probably the most passion of any Blazer at the moment.  His shot isn’t there yet, but it’s rounding into form.  McMillan is tinkering with the lineups a lot (some would argue way too much), and here’s to adding Webster to the late game mix.  He has earned it.

- Blake and Miller together on the court makes no sense for so many reasons.  Yet it’s happening….a lot.  Bayless and Blake or Bayless and Miller, that would make sense.  Blake and Miller have less chemistry than Roy and Miller do.  It’s just awkward to watch, and there is little or no offense generated from it.

- Lots of missed jumpers out there.  Love him or hate him, Charles Barkley is consistent on this point.  He says the Blazers cannot and will not win a title or be a force until they get more low post scoring….which leads us to:

- Greg needs more touches.  He’s playing well offensively, and he is eating rebounds like Portland radio personalities eat cake.  He is struggling with rhythm and foul issues still.  That much is clear.  He needs to be more involved on offense.  He is currently an afterthought.

- Travis will never get it.

- LaMarcus should’ve finished with a dunk instead of dishing to Miller on the break on the crucial fast break scenario.  The defender wasn’t in a good spot to take a charge.  Worst case scenario was a Josh Smith block if he gave it up, and sure enough that’s what happened.

- A lot of people are saying there is a big blowout looming beneath the surface.  Something definitely isn’t right with the team right now, but it’s early on and nothing is completely doomed at the moment.  Roy and Miller are still awkward on the court together.  I have faith they can figure out how to play together.