Damian Lillard did remain loyal to the Blazers longer than many players his caliber would have. But at some point, he decided( correctly) that team development and vision were never going to improve, so he decided to take all the $ he could get. However, the giant share of the blame and shame remains with the Blazers ownership and management, for continued malpractice in team development. From draft choices to coaching to building a sustained team vision, they have failed to reward the fans (God bless ‘em all) for their patience and loyalty.
While Lillard has remained loyal, he is just as much to blame as the blazers front office is for the blazers inability to land some quality players to help LIllard. NO ONE forced him to take such a heavy contract there for limiting what the blazers could afford to sign. Yet he did. No one demanded he take such low percentage shots from the stratosphere, that would send a message to anyone else thinking about coming to Portland that there is only one basketball in PDX and it's always going to be in Lillards hands. No there is enough blame to go around.
It’s a private, pricey, smaller campus (undergrad student pop is close to Stanford’s) but much less selective (53% acceptance rate) than USC (12.5%) or Stanford (~4%).
Doubt the conference CEO group cares as much about SMU academics as it does its financial strength and competitiveness in athletics. Stanford is treating athletics more like an Ivy at this point—restrictive transfer policies, not active in the portal—but SMU appears more comparable to USC in its willingness to spend big on athletics/NIL.
Seems to me that the size of the Dallas/FW media market + financial considerations makes them a no-brainer.
Stanford takes a ton of students that are children of alumni...maybe more than any university in the country. They count those stats differently than the typical acceptance/rejection stats of most universities.
As much as I love MLB, I can’t imagine it getting enough support in Portland to get off the ground. As JC has said, the city leadership sucks, the city image is in the toilet, the city metro area is on the small side, there will be zero appetite to subsidize a stadium, and there is no decent stadium location where it isn’t going to be a traffic snarl for 10,000 cars 81 times per season.
I definitely took some solace in seeing LSU win the National Title. The Beaver program is built on hard work and investing time and energy in culture building-- simply said the Beavs nurture and maximize the talent of every player they recruit. We will certainly lose some players to the big money collectives but on the whole I don’t know if those kids are the right fit for our team.
I rather like that our players aren’t bought and paid for like some 40 min away in Eugene.
So U of O’s Baseball team is “bought & paid for” of course no one on OSU’s roster has signed an NIL or do you even know? The transfer portal will also change baseball so we all need to get used to. I support your team when they aren’t playing the Ducks but I tell you it’s getting harder and harder when I read these kind of comments 🤷🏻♀️ Go Ducks!
well said Julie...I used to support osu baseball. That is until Oregon got one game from the MCWS but lost to kent state in the super regionals...the OSU fans trolling and bashing Oregon then was over the top, so I said never again.
Because money doesn't buy everything. Also, OSU is the college of hard knocks. We Pat Casey and Scott Rueck from little George Fox. And Jonathan Smith was homegrown.
I’m an avid Beaver fan. I have no room in my heart for another team- my alma mater is the one. I cheer for the Beavs and any team playing the Ducks. I will never apologize for my ardent loyalty to my Beavs. I don’t understand how anyone can cheer for both.
Any duck fan trying to say Knight isn’t buying players is delusional.
Did I say anything about Knight not helping with NIL NO I did not. I am not an alumni of U of O. I have always supported the Ducks & my son graduated from there. I can honestly say after reading this comment I will definitely no longer root for OSU & you are why…wow believe me your team is also getting help with NIL & you can deny all you want so perhaps you too are delusional.
It is disappointing personally for me to read these comments. Yes there are hyper partisan supporters from all schools but I believe in the spirit of competition and fair play and do not wish ill will on any program other than USC and UCLA. With their departure, I am feeling a little vulnerable and I feel that the fans of the remaining PAC members really need to stick together and support each other. My attitude towards the other PAC schools has definitely changed as a result of what has happened. So this year I'm going to celebrate the victories of our conference. It's going to be a great year.
I sympathize with your disappointment regarding the hostility of some comments. Sure each of us would love our school to win it all, never lose, be loved by all, but as we mature in our fandom, reality sets in for most of us.
Which brings me to ask, is there a better term than fan? I believe it is derived from fanatic. In my opinion our world has far too many of those.
I have tried referring to myself as a Duck Athletic Supporter - obviously there is a problem with this.
I like it, Mr. Brenner, I like it a lot. regarding the PAC this year I'm really excited for what the season will bring us. For example, I used to hope the Huskies would lose every game. Don't get me wrong. I'm not unhappy if they lose but if they win, I'm not really upset either. There are so many great quarterbacks and so many strong coaches in the Pac this year it's really a great group! As I said, the only teams I will enjoy hating on will be USC and UCLA. They are not part of our tribe anymore.
Nobody is asking for an apology. Nobody is questioning your loyalty to the Beavers. I went to OSU, I root for OSU--even during the 26 years of losing records. What I have no patience for is reading quotes from anybody who spews theories that have no evidence. We all have opinions and that's why it's fun to post here. Generally speaking, people who use the word "hate" in correlation to how they feel about a rival team are way out of line.
I root for the Beavers AND Ducks--have been for the past 50 years!!!
I appreciate that others have the capacity to root for the ducks and Beavs. I am a Beaver Fanatic- it’s not logical to an outsider.
I root for the PAC, all of it, but a tiny part of me doesn’t feel bad when they lose.
The 63-3 loss in 1986 at the hands of the Trojans definitely makes me no real fan of them-- despite my proximity to LA. I feel the same way - go PAC but that same little part of me is okay when they lose.
As I think back I’ve got quibbles with several teams--I remember a win of the Huskies as a student when the newspapers were heaping praise on the Huskies and giving the Beavs zero probability of winning. I still have a t-shirt with a reporter eating crow from that 21-20 win in 1985.
I think my issue with other teams is the arrogance and condescension. That is tough to take.
You must've forgotten that Phil stepped in and paid your baseball coach's salary when he was offered a better deal somewhere else. Your jealousy is laughable. Pretty sure you'd take Phil's generosity if he had gone to OSU all those years ago.
Yeah yeah yeah. Who is jealous. We know about Phil's help. Some would never admit it. But his heart belongs to U of O. U of O gets more money from Phil. Phil likes competition. But as I said before his belongs to U of O.
Besides Penny went school here.
Jealousy not really. We the Ducks are better. And we lose we take into consideration that you are better. Now the mutts on the other hand..
The SMU boosters are the reason the team/school was kicked out of major college ball. the infamous death sentence. They bought their way to winning teams. I doubt those billionaires have grown a conscience.
I feel for Portland and Oregon sports fans, I recall living in Seattle when the MLBB expansion team named the Pilots played in Sick's stadium on Rainier Ave. It was beyond a dump and consequentially, the team pulled up stakes after a season and moved to Milwaukee. It was pulling teeth to get the Kingdome for the Seahawks. It was the result of stingy government that an oilman stole the Supersonics from the city. It looks like Seattle government and taxpayers finally got the message. You want major league sports then open up the public treasury. Or forget about it.
Living in Las Vegas I never had a doubt that if the Oakland owners wanted to move, that the government would make it happen. And bingo, the legislature had a special session and coughed up the need cash. The same is going on with a proposed NBA team, the site is already chosen and the billionaires well on their way to a construction start date. Same with Formula One racing.
Oregon/Portland will get major sports teams when local and state government wise up.
With very few exceptions those boosters from the 80s are now either dead or were banned from associating with the program. For incite on the hothouse atmosphere in the Southwest Conference at that time look up Eric Dickerson's excellent commentaries on the money he was offered and threats he endured from Texas and A&M boosters. For many years I lived a stone's throw from the UT Austin campus and the obvious cheating going on there was beyond belief.
I don’t think your words on SMU boosters hold any weight. What was done in 1980’s was under pre-NLI, and the program paid a heavy price for its booster sins. With NIL now in place (w/ still little guardrails) unsure how SMU boosters can get caught in that sticky wicket again
My comments for what they're worth regarding the Oregon State beavers baseball team are that our manager brings a very even tempered approach to the game and almost to a fault. I feel we need to play with more intensity and our pitching staff really mailed it in in the Pac 12 championships, which cost us a chance to host a regional but I think we should've hosted one anyway. The fact that the SEC were hosts of eight regionals shows the bias that exists and ESPN – SEC got the matchup they wanted in the finals. West Coast baseball got hosed yet again and the beavers were forced to go to LSU where they had to endure ridiculous rain delays and post midnight play. Sorry to put this out there, but if the beavers had been able to play Vanderbilt and Oral Roberts, we would've gone to Omaha as the ducks should have.
I agree Gary, no argument here. And I denounce the poster reader joy who took the opportunity to rub salt into your wounds. but objectively speaking, you have to agree. The ducks had an easier path to Omaha, but nobody was more excited than me (a beaver-believer) for Oregon to advance. It would've been great for the state of Oregon and it would've been great for the Pac 12. That said, the beavers should've been a host team in the regionals and had we played Vanderbilt and Oral Roberts I believe we would have gone to Omaha. I don't say this to take anything away from the ducks great season I just with our feathered friends to the south could've gotten just a couple more out then everything would've been different for you.
I agree, but I admit bias for OSU. I think Auburn hosting a regional was really sketchy. The Chairman of the selection committee was an “Auburn Man”, ie, their AD. And Auburn went 0-2 to be one of the first teams bounced. That being said, the Beavers lost by 1 run in their first matchup with LSU in a great game, but the pitching was not sustained in the elimination game.
Incidentally, I learned a lot about LSU by listening to Mike Parker’s broadcast, and really enjoyed his descriptions of the LSU crowd and called their stadium atmosphere the best college venue he has seen, apart from Omaha, of course. He did qualify his remark by saying that Coleman field is exceptional, but 15,000 + fans at LSU and their knowledgeable baseball crowd is something special.
Yes good comment but also remember we had a short turn around in our elimination game. Playing past midnight the day before and then an early game. They should have pushed the games back a day.
You're right about points 1-4...right on the money. However, the counties outside of Multnomah have a shot. There are entertainment groups that have an interest - one is in your backyard, and they have a serious interest in the area outside Portland.
Regarding your point no. 2...not only is the median age among the youngest in the top 25 cities, but that age group has no Dinaro. Age is not a problem if we're talking San Jose (Silicon Valley) or even Seattle (Microsoft, Boeing, etc.) but it is a problem for Portland. The demographics are much more attractive outside Multnomah County.
Ha! OK, July and August--no prettier place than PNW. Last I looked though, the MLB season is May through October. Let's have a beer about September 15. Btw, wear a coat for that...
It's still June and it hasn't rained for more than a month. September is one of the prettiest and driest months in the PNW. Go/went to football games all September for nearly 40 years at Reser/Parker in short sleeves. I wonder if you even live here?
I watched the culmination of a great College World Series last night, between Florida and LSU. LSU came out on top in the three games and who in three gams didn't need superstar and likely overall No. 1 pick Paul Skenes to get it done. Now THAT is pitching depth. How do they do that??!! One thing I learned listening to the announcers is that LSU and Florida, both, are very active in the portal using NIL to attract top talent to their baseball programs. If you watched Skenes playing the Beavs or anyone else, he is a dominant pitcher with a 100mph fastball and complete command of all the off-speed pitches, especially a changeup with motion. He is major league quality right now. So there you go. Even non-revenue sports are now using the portal and NIL to build dominant programs. If you have the boosters with the money who want to see a sport at their school succeed, heck the Chess Team could probably use NIL if some booster loves chess. This is bad news for the OSU Beavers, who might have the NIL funds to support football, but that is about all. Do the Ducks have enough backers to buy non-revenue players in the offseason?
He visited OSU last summer, when looking for a place to land after bailing out at Air Force. But once LSU offered to pay him ($200K is the rumor), no one else had a chance. They bought a player to help them win the NCAA title, and it worked.
Good catch on the regionals. I thought the Beavs faced him. I did watch him at the regionals and he is impressive! I would love to see the Twins get him, but they have no chance. They would probably take a high school outfielder instead if they did (LOL!!) Skenes will win a Cy Young if he stays healthy. Reminds me of Roger Clemens with size and velocity
I have always hoped and prayed that MLB would come to Portland. But I tend to agree that the climate and leadership in Portland is so lacking that I don’t see it happening there. There are places in the Portland suburbs where this could be done. The leadership in Hillsboro for example, is light years ahead in forward thinking than Portland. Same with some of the other areas surrounding Portland. I just hope the Portland MLB project is thinking outside of the box.
By the way if Jody Allen would ever get the hell out of the way, Portland could have an NHL team. When I first came to Portland we saw and supported the Portland semi pro team and the Winterhawks draw well.
I have to wonder how it is, that as long as Dame has been here, he has yet to bring in a free agent to be his Robin, Maybe the others think Dame is a "Robin" that needs a Batman?
I'm really feeling a new Pac 12 once UCLA / USC leaves, whether we will get any games on linear TV is yet to be shown
Cronin's statement after meeting with Lillard and his agent doesn't tell us anything about what Lillard told him. I still maintain we need to shut down the shop opera. Damian will be a loser in my view if he insists on being traded so he can ride on the coat tails of an already successful team for the sake of a ring. If he gets a championship that way we will know and more importantly he will know he didn't earn it. If he stays and leads this young team to be a contender over the next two or three years he will be continue to be a winner. I think he will stay. He needs to remember what Lombardi said years ago, "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." (often misquoted as "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.").
With respect, I hold another view. Loyalty is a two way street and if Dame wants to stay and finish his career in PDX, there are some ways he can restructure his contract on the back end to free up cap space. In an 'okay boomer moment' I would like our team to emulate the Celtics, Bulls and Lakers of 60's, 70's and 80's... can't imaging anyone in those organization dreamed of sending West, Bird or Michael to a 'contender' to eek out another ring. They are forever Lakers, Celtics and Bulls. 😎
The way Beavs went out of the playoffs had more to do with the weather delays. I figured whoever won the first game probably won the group, it simply was far too much to have to play four games in the course of 24 hours and be able to win all four, when the other team gets to rest a full day and only need one more. Had the Beavs held off just a bit better, they would have advanced.
John-per usual, a very interesting read. Your subscription price is a real bargain IMO!
Re: the Blazers-I agree that Lillard has been a factor in why the team is in the shape it is-not because of how he's played, of course, but how he's influenced the way the team is put together and how he's sucked up so much of the cap room rather than leaving some on the table in order to perhaps lure some other starts to Pdx. I personally hope they trade him for all they can get and ride the youngsters as far as they can take us.
Re: baseball in Pdx-I'd love to have a team (would also love an NHL team!), and the news you broke about a "whale" wanting to buy out the investors is both fascinating and encouraging. Maybe they know something the rest of us don't though it would seem that the leaders of the effort would be privy to insider info. I'd rather not see a team play in the burbs though I do understand that the lack of local and state political support for a team is a huge problem. My personal favorite would be to put the new park on the Willamette because it would be easy to get to and a very cool location.
There’s some vacant land in Tualatin next to the WES stop that would be a great place for an MLB stadium if the Diamond Project is still looking around the suburbs. Traffic would suck, but the rail infrastructure already being there could help.
Damian Lillard did remain loyal to the Blazers longer than many players his caliber would have. But at some point, he decided( correctly) that team development and vision were never going to improve, so he decided to take all the $ he could get. However, the giant share of the blame and shame remains with the Blazers ownership and management, for continued malpractice in team development. From draft choices to coaching to building a sustained team vision, they have failed to reward the fans (God bless ‘em all) for their patience and loyalty.
Thanks for all the news, John. You’re the best!
Thank you for being here for it.
While Lillard has remained loyal, he is just as much to blame as the blazers front office is for the blazers inability to land some quality players to help LIllard. NO ONE forced him to take such a heavy contract there for limiting what the blazers could afford to sign. Yet he did. No one demanded he take such low percentage shots from the stratosphere, that would send a message to anyone else thinking about coming to Portland that there is only one basketball in PDX and it's always going to be in Lillards hands. No there is enough blame to go around.
What he said.
Tina, Tina, Tina... please go away.
The Blazers have not had a competent GM since Pritchard was fired.
Right on the money about Lillard - well said!
Regarding SMU and its PAC12 “fit”:
It’s a private, pricey, smaller campus (undergrad student pop is close to Stanford’s) but much less selective (53% acceptance rate) than USC (12.5%) or Stanford (~4%).
Doubt the conference CEO group cares as much about SMU academics as it does its financial strength and competitiveness in athletics. Stanford is treating athletics more like an Ivy at this point—restrictive transfer policies, not active in the portal—but SMU appears more comparable to USC in its willingness to spend big on athletics/NIL.
Seems to me that the size of the Dallas/FW media market + financial considerations makes them a no-brainer.
Agree SMU is a no-brainer... the 3.9M TV homes is why.
Lifelong resident of the Bay Area … until you cited the #5 ranking of DFW media market, I honestly thought SF/OAK/SJ was larger.
- 4% admittance rate seems a bit low even for Stanford.
Stanford takes a ton of students that are children of alumni...maybe more than any university in the country. They count those stats differently than the typical acceptance/rejection stats of most universities.
Pretty sure it’s accurate based on the data sources I found.
Wouldn't minus 4% mean that no one is accepted
'If I go out and kill all of the golfers we won't have a job.'
Ah. Very droll of you.
Think we’re confusing “-“ with “~” (“close to” 4%.)
As much as I love MLB, I can’t imagine it getting enough support in Portland to get off the ground. As JC has said, the city leadership sucks, the city image is in the toilet, the city metro area is on the small side, there will be zero appetite to subsidize a stadium, and there is no decent stadium location where it isn’t going to be a traffic snarl for 10,000 cars 81 times per season.
I still think it can work... but not in PDX city limits.
Have you seen Rockwood plans/idea but the "other" baseball to Portland people
I definitely took some solace in seeing LSU win the National Title. The Beaver program is built on hard work and investing time and energy in culture building-- simply said the Beavs nurture and maximize the talent of every player they recruit. We will certainly lose some players to the big money collectives but on the whole I don’t know if those kids are the right fit for our team.
I rather like that our players aren’t bought and paid for like some 40 min away in Eugene.
So U of O’s Baseball team is “bought & paid for” of course no one on OSU’s roster has signed an NIL or do you even know? The transfer portal will also change baseball so we all need to get used to. I support your team when they aren’t playing the Ducks but I tell you it’s getting harder and harder when I read these kind of comments 🤷🏻♀️ Go Ducks!
well said Julie...I used to support osu baseball. That is until Oregon got one game from the MCWS but lost to kent state in the super regionals...the OSU fans trolling and bashing Oregon then was over the top, so I said never again.
And don't think it never happen the other way around.
Because money doesn't buy everything. Also, OSU is the college of hard knocks. We Pat Casey and Scott Rueck from little George Fox. And Jonathan Smith was homegrown.
Money doesn't buy championships.
Pretty sure LSU just did!
Where is your Natty in Baseball?
I’m an avid Beaver fan. I have no room in my heart for another team- my alma mater is the one. I cheer for the Beavs and any team playing the Ducks. I will never apologize for my ardent loyalty to my Beavs. I don’t understand how anyone can cheer for both.
Any duck fan trying to say Knight isn’t buying players is delusional.
Did I say anything about Knight not helping with NIL NO I did not. I am not an alumni of U of O. I have always supported the Ducks & my son graduated from there. I can honestly say after reading this comment I will definitely no longer root for OSU & you are why…wow believe me your team is also getting help with NIL & you can deny all you want so perhaps you too are delusional.
It is disappointing personally for me to read these comments. Yes there are hyper partisan supporters from all schools but I believe in the spirit of competition and fair play and do not wish ill will on any program other than USC and UCLA. With their departure, I am feeling a little vulnerable and I feel that the fans of the remaining PAC members really need to stick together and support each other. My attitude towards the other PAC schools has definitely changed as a result of what has happened. So this year I'm going to celebrate the victories of our conference. It's going to be a great year.
Mr. Hilton,
I sympathize with your disappointment regarding the hostility of some comments. Sure each of us would love our school to win it all, never lose, be loved by all, but as we mature in our fandom, reality sets in for most of us.
Which brings me to ask, is there a better term than fan? I believe it is derived from fanatic. In my opinion our world has far too many of those.
I have tried referring to myself as a Duck Athletic Supporter - obviously there is a problem with this.
Any thoughts?
I like it, Mr. Brenner, I like it a lot. regarding the PAC this year I'm really excited for what the season will bring us. For example, I used to hope the Huskies would lose every game. Don't get me wrong. I'm not unhappy if they lose but if they win, I'm not really upset either. There are so many great quarterbacks and so many strong coaches in the Pac this year it's really a great group! As I said, the only teams I will enjoy hating on will be USC and UCLA. They are not part of our tribe anymore.
Agree with your sentiment, good post. However, I would add Washington to your list with USC and UCLA. But that's just me.
as are you…
Nobody is asking for an apology. Nobody is questioning your loyalty to the Beavers. I went to OSU, I root for OSU--even during the 26 years of losing records. What I have no patience for is reading quotes from anybody who spews theories that have no evidence. We all have opinions and that's why it's fun to post here. Generally speaking, people who use the word "hate" in correlation to how they feel about a rival team are way out of line.
I root for the Beavers AND Ducks--have been for the past 50 years!!!
I root for the Ducks...and the Beavers until they play Mighty Oregon.
I hate Washington.
I appreciate that others have the capacity to root for the ducks and Beavs. I am a Beaver Fanatic- it’s not logical to an outsider.
I root for the PAC, all of it, but a tiny part of me doesn’t feel bad when they lose.
The 63-3 loss in 1986 at the hands of the Trojans definitely makes me no real fan of them-- despite my proximity to LA. I feel the same way - go PAC but that same little part of me is okay when they lose.
As I think back I’ve got quibbles with several teams--I remember a win of the Huskies as a student when the newspapers were heaping praise on the Huskies and giving the Beavs zero probability of winning. I still have a t-shirt with a reporter eating crow from that 21-20 win in 1985.
I think my issue with other teams is the arrogance and condescension. That is tough to take.
You must've forgotten that Phil stepped in and paid your baseball coach's salary when he was offered a better deal somewhere else. Your jealousy is laughable. Pretty sure you'd take Phil's generosity if he had gone to OSU all those years ago.
Yeah yeah yeah. Who is jealous. We know about Phil's help. Some would never admit it. But his heart belongs to U of O. U of O gets more money from Phil. Phil likes competition. But as I said before his belongs to U of O.
Besides Penny went school here.
Jealousy not really. We the Ducks are better. And we lose we take into consideration that you are better. Now the mutts on the other hand..
Penny Knight went to Portland State.
Phil Knight paid a very small part of Pat Casey's salary (50K for five years) because he likes winners.
Her Cancer institute was at OSU.
I knew about Phil and Pat.Among other stuff . Along with Goss and
The Corvallis Knights .
That's I tell people be careful about Phil.
Joy … are you clueless or just not a very informed “fan”??
Definitely not clueless-- just a stubborn older fan who has love for one team.
A couple of comments...
The SMU boosters are the reason the team/school was kicked out of major college ball. the infamous death sentence. They bought their way to winning teams. I doubt those billionaires have grown a conscience.
I feel for Portland and Oregon sports fans, I recall living in Seattle when the MLBB expansion team named the Pilots played in Sick's stadium on Rainier Ave. It was beyond a dump and consequentially, the team pulled up stakes after a season and moved to Milwaukee. It was pulling teeth to get the Kingdome for the Seahawks. It was the result of stingy government that an oilman stole the Supersonics from the city. It looks like Seattle government and taxpayers finally got the message. You want major league sports then open up the public treasury. Or forget about it.
Living in Las Vegas I never had a doubt that if the Oakland owners wanted to move, that the government would make it happen. And bingo, the legislature had a special session and coughed up the need cash. The same is going on with a proposed NBA team, the site is already chosen and the billionaires well on their way to a construction start date. Same with Formula One racing.
Oregon/Portland will get major sports teams when local and state government wise up.
Those SMU boosters were NIL pioneers.
With very few exceptions those boosters from the 80s are now either dead or were banned from associating with the program. For incite on the hothouse atmosphere in the Southwest Conference at that time look up Eric Dickerson's excellent commentaries on the money he was offered and threats he endured from Texas and A&M boosters. For many years I lived a stone's throw from the UT Austin campus and the obvious cheating going on there was beyond belief.
I don’t think your words on SMU boosters hold any weight. What was done in 1980’s was under pre-NLI, and the program paid a heavy price for its booster sins. With NIL now in place (w/ still little guardrails) unsure how SMU boosters can get caught in that sticky wicket again
My comments for what they're worth regarding the Oregon State beavers baseball team are that our manager brings a very even tempered approach to the game and almost to a fault. I feel we need to play with more intensity and our pitching staff really mailed it in in the Pac 12 championships, which cost us a chance to host a regional but I think we should've hosted one anyway. The fact that the SEC were hosts of eight regionals shows the bias that exists and ESPN – SEC got the matchup they wanted in the finals. West Coast baseball got hosed yet again and the beavers were forced to go to LSU where they had to endure ridiculous rain delays and post midnight play. Sorry to put this out there, but if the beavers had been able to play Vanderbilt and Oral Roberts, we would've gone to Omaha as the ducks should have.
They were young... need pitching depth.
Really…. ??? Sorry no guarantees for winning that is why they play the game….
I agree Gary, no argument here. And I denounce the poster reader joy who took the opportunity to rub salt into your wounds. but objectively speaking, you have to agree. The ducks had an easier path to Omaha, but nobody was more excited than me (a beaver-believer) for Oregon to advance. It would've been great for the state of Oregon and it would've been great for the Pac 12. That said, the beavers should've been a host team in the regionals and had we played Vanderbilt and Oral Roberts I believe we would have gone to Omaha. I don't say this to take anything away from the ducks great season I just with our feathered friends to the south could've gotten just a couple more out then everything would've been different for you.
I agree, but I admit bias for OSU. I think Auburn hosting a regional was really sketchy. The Chairman of the selection committee was an “Auburn Man”, ie, their AD. And Auburn went 0-2 to be one of the first teams bounced. That being said, the Beavers lost by 1 run in their first matchup with LSU in a great game, but the pitching was not sustained in the elimination game.
Incidentally, I learned a lot about LSU by listening to Mike Parker’s broadcast, and really enjoyed his descriptions of the LSU crowd and called their stadium atmosphere the best college venue he has seen, apart from Omaha, of course. He did qualify his remark by saying that Coleman field is exceptional, but 15,000 + fans at LSU and their knowledgeable baseball crowd is something special.
Yes good comment but also remember we had a short turn around in our elimination game. Playing past midnight the day before and then an early game. They should have pushed the games back a day.
Why do I think Portland will never see MLB here?
1. It is only the 26th largest city in the U.S. with a DECLINING population. If I'm starting or moving a franchise...well, enough said.
2. It's median age is 37.5 years. That puts it in the top 25 youngest cities of America. Baseball needs an older crowd to sustain a vibrant fan base.
3. The weather sucks for baseball...and please don't reply "but what about Seattle?!?" Weather sucks there, too.
4. Oregon's political leaders have zero business acumen. 'Growth' is a 4-letter word and not because they took math at their schools...
I am convinced the effort needs to go outside the city limits to have a shot.
You're right about points 1-4...right on the money. However, the counties outside of Multnomah have a shot. There are entertainment groups that have an interest - one is in your backyard, and they have a serious interest in the area outside Portland.
Regarding your point no. 2...not only is the median age among the youngest in the top 25 cities, but that age group has no Dinaro. Age is not a problem if we're talking San Jose (Silicon Valley) or even Seattle (Microsoft, Boeing, etc.) but it is a problem for Portland. The demographics are much more attractive outside Multnomah County.
Hey Scott,
When is the last time it rained in Portland?
Ha! OK, July and August--no prettier place than PNW. Last I looked though, the MLB season is May through October. Let's have a beer about September 15. Btw, wear a coat for that...
It's still June and it hasn't rained for more than a month. September is one of the prettiest and driest months in the PNW. Go/went to football games all September for nearly 40 years at Reser/Parker in short sleeves. I wonder if you even live here?
And yes, Seattle has a retractable roof.
Uh, you guys realize the Mariners have a roof, right? Why wouldn't Portland plan for the same?!
I watched the culmination of a great College World Series last night, between Florida and LSU. LSU came out on top in the three games and who in three gams didn't need superstar and likely overall No. 1 pick Paul Skenes to get it done. Now THAT is pitching depth. How do they do that??!! One thing I learned listening to the announcers is that LSU and Florida, both, are very active in the portal using NIL to attract top talent to their baseball programs. If you watched Skenes playing the Beavs or anyone else, he is a dominant pitcher with a 100mph fastball and complete command of all the off-speed pitches, especially a changeup with motion. He is major league quality right now. So there you go. Even non-revenue sports are now using the portal and NIL to build dominant programs. If you have the boosters with the money who want to see a sport at their school succeed, heck the Chess Team could probably use NIL if some booster loves chess. This is bad news for the OSU Beavers, who might have the NIL funds to support football, but that is about all. Do the Ducks have enough backers to buy non-revenue players in the offseason?
Skenes didn't pitch vs. OSU in the regional.
He visited OSU last summer, when looking for a place to land after bailing out at Air Force. But once LSU offered to pay him ($200K is the rumor), no one else had a chance. They bought a player to help them win the NCAA title, and it worked.
Good catch on the regionals. I thought the Beavs faced him. I did watch him at the regionals and he is impressive! I would love to see the Twins get him, but they have no chance. They would probably take a high school outfielder instead if they did (LOL!!) Skenes will win a Cy Young if he stays healthy. Reminds me of Roger Clemens with size and velocity
I have always hoped and prayed that MLB would come to Portland. But I tend to agree that the climate and leadership in Portland is so lacking that I don’t see it happening there. There are places in the Portland suburbs where this could be done. The leadership in Hillsboro for example, is light years ahead in forward thinking than Portland. Same with some of the other areas surrounding Portland. I just hope the Portland MLB project is thinking outside of the box.
By the way if Jody Allen would ever get the hell out of the way, Portland could have an NHL team. When I first came to Portland we saw and supported the Portland semi pro team and the Winterhawks draw well.
Oh well, we can always dream!
I don't think the effort is dead. I just think it needs a strategy shift.
I have to wonder how it is, that as long as Dame has been here, he has yet to bring in a free agent to be his Robin, Maybe the others think Dame is a "Robin" that needs a Batman?
I'm really feeling a new Pac 12 once UCLA / USC leaves, whether we will get any games on linear TV is yet to be shown
Dame turns 33 on July 15. That too.
Cronin's statement after meeting with Lillard and his agent doesn't tell us anything about what Lillard told him. I still maintain we need to shut down the shop opera. Damian will be a loser in my view if he insists on being traded so he can ride on the coat tails of an already successful team for the sake of a ring. If he gets a championship that way we will know and more importantly he will know he didn't earn it. If he stays and leads this young team to be a contender over the next two or three years he will be continue to be a winner. I think he will stay. He needs to remember what Lombardi said years ago, "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." (often misquoted as "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.").
The Blazers must do what's best for the Blazers. If that's shipping Lillard to Utah for a pile of draft picks and expiring contracts.
With respect, I hold another view. Loyalty is a two way street and if Dame wants to stay and finish his career in PDX, there are some ways he can restructure his contract on the back end to free up cap space. In an 'okay boomer moment' I would like our team to emulate the Celtics, Bulls and Lakers of 60's, 70's and 80's... can't imaging anyone in those organization dreamed of sending West, Bird or Michael to a 'contender' to eek out another ring. They are forever Lakers, Celtics and Bulls. 😎
Yrs ago SMU was given the NCAA Death Penalty because of payments.
They named Forrest Gregg as their new coach. Gregg said a donor came up and told him that ever needed anything "Extra" just ask.
Gregg tossed the guy off thefield.
SMU was a pioneer in the NIL space.
Many many yrs ago.In a galaxy far far away
The way Beavs went out of the playoffs had more to do with the weather delays. I figured whoever won the first game probably won the group, it simply was far too much to have to play four games in the course of 24 hours and be able to win all four, when the other team gets to rest a full day and only need one more. Had the Beavs held off just a bit better, they would have advanced.
The pitching in that elimination game just had no shot.
John-per usual, a very interesting read. Your subscription price is a real bargain IMO!
Re: the Blazers-I agree that Lillard has been a factor in why the team is in the shape it is-not because of how he's played, of course, but how he's influenced the way the team is put together and how he's sucked up so much of the cap room rather than leaving some on the table in order to perhaps lure some other starts to Pdx. I personally hope they trade him for all they can get and ride the youngsters as far as they can take us.
Re: baseball in Pdx-I'd love to have a team (would also love an NHL team!), and the news you broke about a "whale" wanting to buy out the investors is both fascinating and encouraging. Maybe they know something the rest of us don't though it would seem that the leaders of the effort would be privy to insider info. I'd rather not see a team play in the burbs though I do understand that the lack of local and state political support for a team is a huge problem. My personal favorite would be to put the new park on the Willamette because it would be easy to get to and a very cool location.
Thank you!
👍
There’s some vacant land in Tualatin next to the WES stop that would be a great place for an MLB stadium if the Diamond Project is still looking around the suburbs. Traffic would suck, but the rail infrastructure already being there could help.
I think anything that sits just beyond the PDX city limits is worth a look.