…shut yo mouth.
I’m just talking about Blake.
Part four of Jason Quick’s Rip City Revival series focuses on Steve Blake. This whole series is kind of mind-boggling to me and I don’t mean that all in a good way. Part one was an amazing 10-part look into Brandon Roy. Then an underwhelming look at Greg Oden’s return with zero mini-blogs. And now we’re back to an 8-part series on Blake…but it’s being stretched out for 4-5 days. *raises fist* There’s nothing “Quick” about this one. *crickets* I’m funny dammit.
What we learned from the latest installment is that Steve Blake is humble and hungry. It’s good to see that Blake still has that fire burning inside. Going from a national champion at Maryland to a second round pick and Washington. Bouncing around to Portland, Milwaukee and Denver before finally settling here. His salary has increased 10 fold. He started his career at $300,000 and is now $4 million. Instead of loafing and sitting on his newfound riches, he knows he has a lot more to proof. He realizes that nearly everyone doubts his game and he’s wanting to prove everyone wrong. This is good news. I never understood why people still doubt Steve Blake. Notice how I said still because….well…..I admit when he was signed I disagreed (so young and dumb) but he won me over after the Steve Blake game. He’s rock solid. He’s not spectacular, but on this team he won’t need to be. He doesn’t have to be an amazing playmaker, he just has to be solid. And that’s what he is. To use a basketball analyst cliche, he never takes food off the table for a team. Just look at what Blake does on the court. He doesn’t turn the ball over (1.4 a game last year), he’s not selfish, he works hard and he can stick an open shot (something he developed because he was broke in Milwaukee). For this Blazer team and all the countless offensive weapons it has, how is Blake almost not perfect? He can make the right decision, find the right guys and he can spread the floor with his jumper (40% from 3 last year). Which puts him one-up on the PG who took home the ring this year Rajon Rondo. It also puts him 10 up on Jarrett Jack and Sergio.
But now we get into the interesting bit of this installment, the revelation of Steve Blake’s darkside:
“He is constantly planning his next workout, whether it be at a high-tech sports complex to work on his vertical leap, or in a blue-collar Southeast Portland gym where he practices Jujitsu with Nate Quarry, an Ultimate Fighting Championship brawler.”
“Blake says the Jujitsu workouts and the UFC-style training — which sometimes includes strapping on boxing gloves — are a way to make himself “tougher,” and it complements his edgy, yet hidden personality.”
“And in Portland, Blake has kicked so many benches, thrown so many chairs, and tipped over so many baskets of balls, that assistant coach Monty Williams forecasts the storm of Blake by announcing “Lieutenant Dan” is arriving, playing off the pugnacious character in the movie “Forrest Gump”.”
We have to keep Blake around. Why? Forget all of the basketball facts I listed above. He needs to stick around and be our mini-Laimbeer. The next time Lamar Odom tries to take out B-Roy or pull this stunt, Blake has to be there to do something. I can’t have you doing all of this and then playing peacemaker anymore, no no Mr. Blake. I need Lieutenant Dan in that situation. Maybe give him a running knee to the face. Perhaps even a Triangle choke. And if Kobe ever wants to go to the Octagon, Blake can take him there. Steve Blake…..Laker-Killer? I like the sound of it.
(Also he has to get revenge on Monta. Has to.)