This Forum is a Ghost Town: Who Killed It?

[PDXKnight]

A combination of current non-Scoot/Rayan/Camara/Kris players. I find those guys fun to watch when they're the focus, even if rough sometimes. I don't find a lot of joy out of watching an Ant-led team. He has a lot of positives, but as the number one guy on a team it isn't fun specifically for me.

But also the histrionics and negativity from some posters. The world outside basketball sucks. It's not really enjoyable to talk about it when many of the comments can go into the extremes of negativity and overreactions.

I think the population in general is just so darn negative lately

[Norm2953]

I appreciate the efforts of guys like Camara, Murray, Reath, Walker who will develop into the solid
role players most teams want. Brogdon is a solid pro and perhaps Time Lord if he had played might
have really helped this team

If Paul were still around, perhaps he'd clean house, starting with Chauncey and admit their product
stinks. The old adage of Schonely saying NBA action is Fantastic doesn't apply to the Blazers in 2024.

[PDXKnight]

I appreciate the efforts of guys like Camara, Murray, Reath, Walker who will develop into the solid
role players most teams want. Brogdon is a solid pro and perhaps Time Lord if he had played might
have really helped this team

If Paul were still around, perhaps he'd clean house, starting with Chauncey and admit their product
stinks. The old adage of Schonely saying NBA action is Fantastic doesn't apply to the Blazers in 2024.

What would cleaning house entail? The roster is essentially blown up but even paul held onto vets a few years. And Paul definitely held onto some gms longer than he should've ie paul Nash. I suppose a coaching change could and should be done

[Shem]

it used to be that a game thread would have 8-15 pages. The last game thread had 4 replies and they were about porn

I hate those "good luck babes" that are posted. I can't believe that is still going after all these years. The dedication to posts those every game, 82 games a year for several years now.

there were lively discussions about players. teams, contracts, coaches, GM's, owners etc, and an hour rarely passed without at least one comment. But now, days can pass with nada

so who killed this forum? Me? DusterBuster, D-train? member maturity?

IT WAS YOU!!!

For me, it's been a combination of things. Mostly in my personal life. Until this season, I rarely have posted on here for years. I think there has been point I didn't even open this webpage for well over a year.

Life happens. I got divorced in 2018 after 14 years of marriage. My ex left me to raise our autistic daughter all on my and while she went back to Phoenix, Arizona. I've had to step up my game as a parent even though I would define my job with her as more of a caretaker than a parent. My daughter is 13, but has a mind of a 4-year-old. So I have to do or help her with things that you normally don't do for a teenager. Like help her change her pad when she's on her period for example. It's very exhausting.

I'd argue it all started with the hiring of Neil Olshey...or rather with hiring Olshey and his blind ego. He built boring, dysfunctional, length-deprived rosters of players allergic to, and incapable of, good defense. And he was allowed to reboot his roster failures, year after year. He ridiculously overvalued a few players (CJ says hi) and ridiculously undervalued 1st round draft picks, trading many away for low-level role players. And he couldn't properly evaluate a big man at all

I was calling for Olshey to be fired in 2015; predicting exactly the kinds of teams that idiot would build. I was all alone on the Fire Olshey wagon (and given lots of crap about it). 6 years later I couldn't turn around on the wagon because it was so crowded. A year after that, finally, mercifully, he was fired. But the massive damage had already been done

Yeah, I used to argue with you about Olshey with you. I may have been right about some thing we argued about, but this one you got me on. I've learned about some things from behind the scenes with Olshey that pissed me off.

and he was aided and abetted by Paul Allen until PA died. And Jody Allen and the Vulcans are a disaster ownership focused on the Blazers as a cash cow who don't care at all if the Blazers win

Amazing that Olshey survived never been fired by Paul.

Cronin hasn't helped the situation much either. He was the guy who effectively chased Lillard out of town and set the course that will potentially see years of lottery and play-in mediocrity ahead.

At you recognize that this just a coaching problem. There are several here and all over social media that think if we just got a new coach, we're all of a sudden going to be a playoff team. Now, our roster is going to take time before that happens. No Hall of Fame caliber coach could have gotten this team to the playoffs this year.

He seems determined on Portland going ahead with their bargain-basement version of a big-3 in Ant-Ayton-Grant...and as 3rd options masquerading as first options, those 3 players are boring with a capital B. If they weren't, this place would not be as dead as it is

This is also a hard market to win in. It's not like great players are banging down the door to come play here. Small market teams on the west coast have a hard time breaking through because of the lack of demand to play here.

Let's face it, Dame moving to Milwaukee all of a sudden helped him get enough votes to finally start an all-star game. Had Dame played in New York, Chicago or LA, he would have had several all-star starts. And before someone misinterprets what I said, I'll again clarify that small markets "on the west coast". We haven't had an all-star get enough votes to start since Clyde Drexler and he never got close that chance until the Blazers made the Finals 2 out of 3 seasons. We haven't had an all-star starter voted in since Clyde. And before anyone says otherwise, LaMarcus Aldridge starting the 2015 all-star game was the result of him being an injury replacement.

Sacramento also suffers from that too. You can argue that Milwaukee (where Dame is now) is a small market, but it's not on the west coast. With the vast majority of the US population on the eastern side of the country, it's tough for them to see west coast players play because of the time zone. But playing in the Eastern and Central time zones help out when you play in small markets.

The point is the Blazers have to overpay and settle for talent like Ayton and Grant because of the market.

it used to be rare for me to miss a Blazer game, even thru the jailblazer days. But this season, especially over the last couple of months, it's rare I watch a Blazer game. Last season, at least I had Dame and Sharpe to watch, for different reasons. This season Sharpe has been hurt, Scoot has been a disappointment, and I don't care about watching Ant/Ayton take half the shots on offense and play musical chairs on defense

I would think maybe that's just my personal bias....but again, there were only 4 replies to the last game thread....so it isn't just me

I still watch all the games no matter what.

Scoot has been a disappointment. But that's because of the hype he had. He was advertised as way more NBA ready than he was. The hype was so big that Charlotte Hornets fans booed at their draft party when Brandon Miller was taken over him. So many people in the media criticized that choice. Michael Jordan took a lot of heat from it.

I do know it's going to take a few seasons before this team becomes a playoff team again. The last time OKC had a good team was the year Dame hit the walk-off over Paul George that sent them into a rebuild. That was 5 years ago. Just saying.

With Sharpe and Scoot missing several games this year via injury, that will slow down development of those two.

[tester551]

it used to be that a game thread would have 8-15 pages. The last game thread had 4 replies and they were about porn

I hate those "good luck babes" that are posted. I can't believe that is still going after all these years. The dedication to posts those every game, 82 games a year for several years now.

Agreed.

Also I think the other Blazer forums have more action. The layout and platform is just a little better IMO

[JasonStern]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Just saying, not the best recipe for banter or ticket sales.

[red_power]

Reddit and social media killed it. Forums are dying as conversation platforms because there are no new generations of posters ending up communicating here.

And yeah.. This Blazers squad sucks as a basketball team and they aren't enjoyable to watch on a constant basis.

[Wizenheimer]

We're not directionless. The direction is just down.
Emotionless ownership that refuses to sell the team and move on.

the problem is that the Vulcans control the Blazers and Jody Allen controls the Vulcans. And PA's will named Jody Allen executor of the estate with no defined timeline for the liquidation of the estate and conversion of assets to charities. It also stated that JA could earn a "reasonable" fee for managing the estate as the executor.

In the State of Washington, the common (reasonable) fees for executor management is 2-5% of asset value. The 2023 value of the Blazers was pegged at over 3 billion. Meaning that 2-5% fee range would pay JA 60-150M/year. Just the fees for the Blazers and Seahawks could see her earn 160-400M/year; and the fees for the 20B PA estate could be 400M-1B/year. I'd wonder who determines what is "reasonable". If it's Jody (likely?), the fees would probably be at the high end of reasonable

in other words, there is all kinds of motivation for JA and the Vulcans to slow-walk the dissolution of the estate. It's a giant cash-cow for Jody & the Vulcans. She could still control the Blazers 20 years from now

[HoopsFanAZ]

I record most of the games on League Pass to watch development of Blazers players. It’s not for the wins. Jody Allen doesn’t get my attention as an owner, and I have zero problem with being under the tax with a non-playoff team. Bert and Vulcan? Don’t care.

The Olshey era (minus Ant) is over. The repercussions and ongoing costs are mostly over. Billups will racks up the losses and players are showing som “want to.” And I want the rest of the rebuild to move forward. Ayton, Reath, the young back-up forwards and swings, Scoot, and Sharpe — good to go.

Grant, Ant, Time Lord (injuries), and Thybulle can go elsewhere for best youngish vets and picks. If the Blazers are worse next season, fine.

The board will pick back up for the draft this season. Posting during games will be fine when the team is on the upswing. I look forward to that and reading what fans, here, have to say. To all those who post or lurk in the rougher times …

[Pattycakes]

it used to be that a game thread would have 8-15 pages. The last game thread had 4 replies and they were about porn

there were lively discussions about players. teams, contracts, coaches, GM's, owners etc, and an hour rarely passed without at least one comment. But now, days can pass with nada

so who killed this forum? Me? DusterBuster, D-train? member maturity?

I'd argue it all started with the hiring of Neil Olshey...or rather with hiring Olshey and his blind ego. He built boring, dysfunctional, length-deprived rosters of players allergic to, and incapable of, good defense. And he was allowed to reboot his roster failures, year after year. He ridiculously overvalued a few players (CJ says hi) and ridiculously undervalued 1st round draft picks, trading many away for low-level role players. And he couldn't properly evaluate a big man at all

I was calling for Olshey to be fired in 2015; predicting exactly the kinds of teams that idiot would build. I was all alone on the Fire Olshey wagon (and given lots of crap about it). 6 years later I couldn't turn around on the wagon because it was so crowded. A year after that, finally, mercifully, he was fired. But the massive damage had already been done

and he was aided and abetted by Paul Allen until PA died. And Jody Allen and the Vulcans are a disaster ownership focused on the Blazers as a cash cow who don't care at all if the Blazers win

Cronin hasn't helped the situation much either. He was the guy who effectively chased Lillard out of town and set the course that will potentially see years of lottery and play-in mediocrity ahead. He seems determined on Portland going ahead with their bargain-basement version of a big-3 in Ant-Ayton-Grant...and as 3rd options masquerading as first options, those 3 players are boring with a capital B. If they weren't, this place would not be as dead as it is

it used to be rare for me to miss a Blazer game, even thru the jailblazer days. But this season, especially over the last couple of months, it's rare I watch a Blazer game. Last season, at least I had Dame and Sharpe to watch, for different reasons. This season Sharpe has been hurt, Scoot has been a disappointment, and I don't care about watching Ant/Ayton take half the shots on offense and play musical chairs on defense

I would think maybe that's just my personal bias....but again, there were only 4 replies to the last game thread....so it isn't just me

Catalysts for me...

Blazer fans are overrated. I'm not talking REALGM but in general. I went to 20+ games the Telfair/Martell Webster year and the stadium was a ghost town and it made me realize winning = hype, losing = Blazers are hopeless. I never saw a sound or bright fanbase in my personal experience, perhaps that's just pro sports.

Some ego maniacs, I think you mentioned one of them who was frequently quite toxic. I was suspended for being accused of making a misogynistic comment by a pretty "WOKE" type member, that was just kind of funny to me in the midst of what I was reading from time to time even from mods.

Spykes leaving... that was a goat community leader/mod for me, I felt the culture shifted a bit.

Realgm has gone through ZERO exciting updates. Probably the main determinant. I've been here since 2005, it's hilariously the exact same concept.

- Anyway, proud some still carry the torch on several accords. Realgm was once the best addiction of my day. General Board eternally a mixed cesspool.

It's always GO BLAZERS, no matter what. The vibe has to be high. You gotta trust the process at times like this, and believe in the bull case. We will be good again soon. Scoot will become efficient, Shaedon will recover. DA may never "mature" but can still genuinely learn how to dominate. Reath covers the RWILL experiment. There's been bright spots if you look for em.

I don't know if I necessarily agree with the sentiment comparison between Olshey and Cronin. I've actually been VERY thoroughly pleased with his handling of everything and can separate Dame's accomplishments from his exit. I thought his personal life and outside noise is what made him leave add change his commitment, and Cronin is a scapegoat simply to reason the drama involved.

Regardless this season has obviously been about tanking, we have had injuries and also featured rookies to see who's worth developing. We've had a lot of close games, and could have probably squeezed out a play-in team if this wasn't intentionally a transitional year.

Everyone's hatred of Chauncey/Cronin feels emotional to me more than grounded by a thorough understanding of the required development phase this team has to go through after being superglued to a treadmill for 8 years too long. I don't mind disagreeing at all, I just think it's a bit deeper than our record currently. I'm very satisfied and excited.

[BNM]

Chauncey.

So tired of watching his clueless attempt at being an NBA head coach that led to 17 blown double digit second half leads - when he had a veteran roster that should have been a top 4 seed in the West.

Now, we see zero development of the young players.

Chauncey was a terrible hire that has sucked the life out of the franchise. He was the wrong coach for a win-now veteran team who appears just as inept at developing the young lottery picks his ineptitude got us.

[Wizenheimer]

Spykes leaving... that was a goat community leader/mod for me, I felt the culture shifted a bit.

.

IIRC, I'm pretty sure Duster Buster is Spykes. He left moderating and came back as DB....maybe because he wanted to troll the Minny forum and the trades board

[Shem]

it used to be that a game thread would have 8-15 pages. The last game thread had 4 replies and they were about porn

I hate those "good luck babes" that are posted. I can't believe that is still going after all these years. The dedication to posts those every game, 82 games a year for several years now.

Agreed.

Also I think the other Blazer forums have more action. The layout and platform is just a little better IMO

Here's the thing about those "good luck babes" should I have mentioned. I was still married when that started and I've been divorced for 6 years. I think it's been going on for about 8 years if I recall correctly. That's insane to do something like that 82 games a year for that many years. And to pick one out for every game and have pictures ready for each quarter while most don't even like it here.

[Shem]

Chauncey.

So tired of watching his clueless attempt at being an NBA head coach that led to 17 blown double digit second half leads - when he had a veteran roster that should have been a top 4 seed in the West.

The Blazers were 3 games out from the 4th seed last season and decided to tank instead. That's on management.

Now, we see zero development of the young players.

So you're arguing that we've had a very healthy roster?

Chauncey was a terrible hire that has sucked the life out of the franchise. He was the wrong coach for a win-now veteran team who appears just as inept at developing the young lottery picks his ineptitude got us.

Dame played hurt during Billups's first season and only played in 29 games. The 2nd season became another tank season via all the injuries and instead of deciding to go for the playoffs when being 3 games out from the 4th seed, they decided to shutdown all the core players and tank. And this season was a tank season anyway. I find it hilarious how many fans out there didn't get the memo.

[DaVoiceMaster]

For me, the Blazers and/or Root Sports ruined it for me. The team sucks, but I used to watch the sucky Blazers teams so perhaps it's the fact I cannot watch a friggin game.

[m0ng0]

For me, the Blazers and/or Root Sports ruined it for me. The team sucks, but I used to watch the sucky Blazers teams so perhaps it's the fact I cannot watch a friggin game.

I think it brought in more casual fans, hmm oh boy another singing show tonight? Hey there is a ball game let's check that out instead. Casual fans who enjoy what they are watching win or lose could become more ardent fans, kids may become interested in going outside and getting a basketball hoop over the garage or going to the park or the local school. I think it was kgw would have a game on a week usually back in the old days. I don't see the harm other than cost.

[soobias]

i would also like to add that it was/is more engaging when you feel like you have some inside news that other teams posters dont know about and the anticipation of it coming through ie "hold on to your shorts"
i really miss those days, plus today's players do very little for excitement for me. i dont like to watch players taking turns chucking up shots( hated the all-star game).
i havent watched college bball in some years since most are 1 and done, its hard to get excited about a player with a small resume and only going off some potential.
i love bball but its hard for me to watch on a consistent basis the way it is now.

[Dame Lizard]

It's frankly a boring team to follow currently. I'll be enthused next year when Sharpe is back, Scoot hopefully has a good offseason and we'll hopefully have 2 lottery pick rookies.

[zzaj]

I've been pretty clear that I thought the Blazers needed to move away from Lillard as the primary piece...

I've also been pretty clear that the moves of this year and last are really only going to benefit the Blazers in 2027. I am fine with that, but it's a hard ask for years of patience to see a winning product.

personally, I think the Blazers got a poor return for trading Dame + Nukic + Little. Ayton is not an upgrade over Nurkic, IMO. On offense, he's a better shooter, yes, but he's not really a better scorer because he doesn't get to the FT line. Nurkic is a better offensive rebounder; a much better passer; and a better screen-setter. On defense, they both are out of their depth defending the perimeter but Nurkic is a better paint defender and rim protector. And a better defensive rebounder

Ayton is 4 years younger, but he's also twice as expensive. And paying a non-elite big man over 30M/year is not smart in a league that values outside-->drive-inside players so highly. Wings rule the NBA and traditional scoring bigs like Ayton don't have big impacts on winning unless they are unicorns like Jokic

I'd agree with the argument it was time for Portland to move on from Nurkic after Dame was traded. I think trading for Ayton and his contract was the wrong direction and made almost no sense at all

besides Ayton...Brogdon? Williams? Camara?...for Dame, Nurkic, and Little?.....geeeeeezuzzz

they will have the Warriors' pick this year, which could end up anywhere from 12 to 19 in a weak draft. And you need to adjust your timeline because the 1st unprotected pick Portland got was 2029, not 2027. Yes, they have the right to swap with Milwaukee in 2028, but only if it's a lottery pick because that pick is all tangled up in Olshey's idiotic trade for Larry Nance. And if Portland has a lottery pick in 2028 (quite possible), what are the chances Milwaukee's pick will be higher in the draft order?

I really got tired of people saying that the Blazers needed to trade Dame because they could never build a contender around Dame. Well folks, we are seeing the alternative and it's an ugly view

I am witholding judgement on the trade return on Lillard. Until the value of those future picks is revealed, it's impossible for me to judge. There about a million ways the "trade Lillard" scenario is getting viewed, and skewed by "reports" of what was available, unavailable, 'who said whats', etc...99% of it is conjecture. What we do know is that Lillard publically wanted out, so that automatically is going to change the trade parameters.

The Blazers have sucked because of injuries and purposefully tanking for 3 years and, they probably will have at least 2 more years that are sub-500. To answer your original question, it's been so long since the Blazers have had a team this bad for this long that I think many fans have just tuned out. And it very well could get MUCH worse. If Scoot stays as-is, Sharpe never develops a killer instinct, and Ayton never builds chemistry with his teammates--basically that they don't have a franchise cornerstone in their current roster--the team could very well have 7-10 years of sub-500 play.

For one, I can easily imagine a scenario where the Blazers tank again next season in hopes of getting in on the "capture the Flagg" sweepstakes.

[Wizenheimer]

I am witholding judgement on the trade return on Lillard. Until the value of those future picks is revealed, it's impossible for me to judge.

well, there is Golden State's pick this season, but if they make the playoffs that pick would be 18-20 in a weak draft. Even if they don't make the playoffs, the pick would likely be 13 or 14....in that weak draft....for arguably the best player in franchise history and by far the most loyal until Cronin essentially maneuvered him into the corner of asking for a trade

the first un-protected pick isn't until 2028. That's 5 long years after Dame was traded and as we've seen with Sharpe and Scoot, the odds are, even if it's a good pick, Portland wouldn't see a real pay-off on that player till his 3rd or 4th season; that's 2031-32 in case you're keeping track; 7-8 years from now.

Well, you can go ahead and hold off gauging the Dame trade until then, but when the payoff for trading Dame is Camara, 31 year old Brogdon, always-injured Timelord, and a couple of unknown unprotected first's that far out from the trade....I'm gauging it a crappy return

There about a million ways the "trade Lillard" scenario is getting viewed, and skewed by "reports" of what was available, unavailable, 'who said whats', etc...99% of it is conjecture. What we do know is that Lillard publically wanted out, so that automatically is going to change the trade parameters.

ok...but isn't the reality when a player of Dame's stature is traded it's because they almost always are demanding to be traded?