Archive for September, 2010

Day two of training camp has been completed, and if a consistent thread is starting to emerge it’s that Rudy Fernandez is being watched, and watched closely. On the opening day of practice he didn’t participate due to blurred vision, on the second day he participated but was then sidelined prematurely after a blocked shot landed him on his back.  This much and more has been well documented by Blazersedge, along with a dramatic slide show that should be watched as slowly as possible, preferably with an ominous instrumental overlay. Each day new stories and new takes on what to [...]

The first day of Blazers training camp is in the books. No major injuries to report, no big time stories, and not even a lot of “Rudy at media-day” fallout. We’re lucky here in the Rose City to have a diligent crew of scribes following the team’s every move, which covers well for the one or two writers that have full time jobs to work around. Here’s what happened at training camp according to those that were there to see it: Joe Freeman of the Oregonian mentions in his piece about the state of the team at the start of [...]

I hope everyone in Rip City enjoyed the summer, because as of today it’s officially over. The Blazers held their annual media day, kicking off their 2010-11 season, and the question on everyone’s mind was “What’s up with Rudy Fernandez?” It’s been an up-and-down summer for Rudy, following a tough second NBA season. The low point of the Blazer’s relationship with Rudy undoubtedly came over the summer amid rumors that the Spanish wing had no intention of returning to Portland or the NBA. This afternoon many of those rumors were both laid to rest and confirmed, as Rudy was on [...]

As training camp gets underway around the league, ESPN.com’s John Hollinger is forecasting the 2010-11 season for all 30 teams. His outlook on the Trail Blazers’ prospects for the upcoming season is overwhelmingly positive, as he predicts they will go 55-27, win the Northwest Division, and finish second in the Western conference. The article is available only to ESPN Insider subscribers, but here are some key points. On the Wesley Matthews signing: No, the Blazers don’t do this every year just to mess with Utah. Matthews fits an essential need as a wing defender who can space the floor with [...]

Four teams held media day and Friday, and began training camp today, meaning the 2010-11 NBA season has officially begun.  To highlight this occasion, Marc Stein has released his first round of NBA power rankings. No real surprises, the LA Lakers hauled in the number one ranking, which befits a team that finished the season as NBA champs.  Miami moved up from the 13th spot at the end of last season to number two. Stein points out that it may be a little premature to rank the Heat as the second best team in the league before they’ve even stepped [...]

I’m very happy with the way my first week with RCP has gone, and want to thank all of you for bearing with me and Mike as we make the transition. These kinds of things are never easy, but so far the feedback we’ve received has been overhwelmingly positive, so thanks to everyone who has read our posts, commented on them, and talked to us on Twitter. Every Friday, I’m going to use this post as a way to collect loose ends from around the Blazers and NBA universes. These will mostly be things that aren’t significant enough to warrant [...]

Before Greg Oden or Kevin Durant played their first professional basketball game, the debate had already begun. At least in those days gone by, the playing field was at least a little even. Oden was coming off a season in which he led his team to the NCAA title game with his good hand tied behind his back. Durant was the skinny freshman from UT that ran off with a mess of NCAA Player of the Year Awards. Fast forward to the eve of training camp 2010. The Durant-led national team captures the FIBA World Championship gold.  A 65 game [...]

It’s weird to think I’ve known this day was coming, yet I’m still unprepared for it. I’ve known since July, when my buddy Coup decided he wanted to be like Dexter in Miami, that my days at RCP were headed towards the end. I still remember when he gave me the news, I just wanted to stop right then and there. I felt in my heart it wouldn’t be the same without him, because honestly he’s the one who got me into this in the first place. And here I am, months later, trying to write a farewell post and [...]

Center Marcus Camby is the latest Blazer to join Twitter. You can follow him at @MarcusCamby23. His account hasn’t been verified yet, but according to his former Clippers teammate Blake Griffin, it’s legit. Interesting that he used #23 in his handle, considering that he wears 21 for the Blazers. Maybe he’s changing his number. We’ll find out Monday. UPDATE: I just received confirmation via the official Blazers Twitter that this account is, in fact, real. UPDATE #2: The team’s official site has posted a list of every official Twitter and Facebook page affiliated with a Blazers player. Email me | [...]

I’m now three days into my RCP career, and so far one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, parts of the gig is interacting with readers on Twitter. Over the last few days several readers have asked me about Patty Mills’ status with the Blazers, so I figured I’d answer a few questions on here. Yesterday, the Oregonian’s Joe Freeman reported that the Australian guard, drafted at no. 55 overall out of St. Mary’s in 2009, is not expected to be at the Blazers’ training camp next week. Mills made the team’s roster last year but only appeared [...]