I think you could write a whole book about how terrible of a sports columnist Mr. C. is, and what it says about this city that he continues to work here. I'll just say thanks Ezra for criticizing him on your blog, it isn't done enough. He is so terrible.

Better off-season? I think the Chief Joseph Elementary School 4th grade squad just tendered an offer to 10 year-old, 5' 4" swing man Ronnie Zielzdorf.

And those Seattle Storm scrappettes sure did something right this past off-season.

Canzano writes:
"Last season, the Blazers played inspired. They outworked, outhustled and outscrapped opponents. They won games on will, with the rest of the league writing them off as snakebit by injuries.
It was one of the great stories in the league, and one that wasn't celebrated enough by the NBA. Fans loved the resiliency. But I'm not sure Blazers fans can be dragged through another campaign like that."

Can't be dragged through another season as one of the top teams in the league? Was it that agonizing for people? Is the last Mo Cheeks year that distant a memory?

Canzano's column reminds me of what it looks like when feces is about to peek out and... oh wait, you stink,go back in. I SAID GO BACK IN. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Oh shit, I totally forgot about how the margin of error is smaller this year.

EZRA YOU WIN.

To be "worried" prior to a season is universal. The sucky teams worry they'll suck worse; good teams are worried about being good enough; great teams are worried about meeting expectations. Canzano's coumn is totally insipid and blah blah. Beating a dead horse.

The real litmus test for level of worry is to ask for what team in the west (or the entire league, for that matter), squad-for-squad, you'd swap the Blazers. Can anyone make a convincing case for anyone aside from the Lakers? Jazz sans Boozer? Nope. Suns sans Amare? Nope. The aging Mavs and Spurs? Nope.
I think a case can be made for the Thunder but still, I'd say nope.

@TSW We just had that exact discussion on press row during the last preseason game. Everyone agreed, the Thunder and the Lakers, that is all. Seems like a pretty good place to be in.

Calzone writes this kind of hand-wringing crap so he has something to yammer about on his radio show. The man's ego is beyond overblown.

Hell, I'm just hoping that Canzano's message gets through to all the Johnny-come-latelies, so they'll sell their lower bowl season tix at a cut rate, due to emotional depression, and I'll be able to afford the good seats like I did back when the Blazers sucked balls and won 21 games.

Nice work, Ezra. Now I won't drink the 'zano punch and sleep the season away.

That being said. Pendergraph's departure made me sad. That's all. Go Blazers! It starts tonight!

Oh, and Ezra, I'm taking you down in fantasy basketball this season! (Actually, probably not.)

@Classic Hit Piece
I will inform "Ezer" of this news. He will be devastated.

How much do you think Canzano gets paid just to piss people off? It's beyond hand-wringing, it's fear-mongering.

I thought we had a pretty good preseason. I watched the Clippers and Golden State games, and we damn near doubled their scores. Albeit, those aren't the greatest teams in the league, but I thought our bench players were in good form.

Ezra & TSW are winners, at posting, and at commenting on posting, respectively.

What's doubly annoying, besides the fact there's no INSIGHT in his insight, is that the artificial nature of his writing is highlighted all the more by his job as a time-filler on-air. I've heard him speak, and his articles carry not one hint of his voice. Not the cadence, not the phrasing, not the structure, none of it is present. Not only is his turd of a column a lazy opinion piece, it's a poorly acted one. It's the sportswriting equivalent of Denise Richards playing a nuclear physicist.

It's pretty obvious his heart isn't in writing anymore. E.T. could have phoned that in more convincingly.

That and he stole his style from Chuck Culpepper.

Ezra,
If you can get me a stool on press row, I'll gladly be The Blogtown Bumble Bee Blazers beat writer.

See, look at that alliteration! I'm a natural!

@ TSW, I've got some stool for you.

@CC,
Right back at ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsan7soCFsU