Thursday, 18 November 2010

Well, We've Been Down This Road Before

I'm sorry but some things were not meant to be.  We've all worked long and hard at this, shown excessive patience, hung around the dark days because we saw the light briefly.  We've defended him, argued, alienated other fans.  Because we needed it.  Our hope at a championship rested on it.  But even Portlanders have their limits.  So I'm sorry to say:

Greg Oden, we need to break up.

It pains me to say it.  We had our good times together, albeit very few.  But the pressure we put on you and your knees became too much.  We've just been through too many long nights of you on the bench, seen too many of your suits and not enough of your post game.  In the long run, it will benefit us both ("wait, who the hell am I kidding, neither one of us gains a thing" interjects irrational Peter).

We feel worse for you than we do for ourselves.  The gentle giant.  Soft-spoken with a contagious smile.  You made us laugh.  You desperately wanted to lead this franchise.  But in the end, you made us cry far too much.  It is just a game to Portland.  To you it is your life.  Your career.  And you've been robbed in too many ways.  We will carry on and continue watching the Blazers.  They will still be in Portland five years from now.

As for you?  We're not sure where you will be in five years.  Two micro-fractures and a broken patella, not to mention the other countless smaller injuries over the years.  Number one pick or not, who is going to take a flier on that?  The only thing more frail than your body appeared to be your mental state.  What will become of you?  Will you just disappear forever so you can avoid the media the rest of your life?

We don't think we should try the whole "let's be friends" thing either.  Everyone knows how that works out, especially after a painful breakup.  We've all invested too much in this emotionally so let's just go our separate ways.  We'll keep the team, you keep the money.

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for you.  And if I ever see you doing this again, I will cheer no matter who (more likely if) you are playing.  But it is over.  Done.  Finished.  Let's just move on.  Please don't call us anymore.

It wasn't a good run for either of us.

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