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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jun 27, 2023·edited Jun 27, 2023Liked by John Canzano
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?
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.").
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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?
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 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.").
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.
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.