Peyton Manning’s smile reaching from ear to ear, and the look of absolute relief washing over his face. That little primate, snugly fastened to the back of Manning’s jersey, loosened its grip and was forcefully thrown to the ground with the help of millions of Americans.
As kickoff to Super Sunday looms, and the minutes, hours and days continue to tick off the clock, I find myself giddy with excitement. The moment those of us who eat, sleep and drink pigskin have “patiently” waited for is just around the corner. It’s so close.
Call it a rollercoaster ride, playing sizzling hot then frigidly cold or simply up and down, but the Blazers (19-26) at midseason have been decidedly inconsistent. Recently, Portland was able to bounce back from last Friday’s murderous 30-point trouncing from Houston with an inspiring 135-132 double-overtime win in Memphis.
Shock quickly filled the air of Portland as news broke that star rookie Brandon Roy was sidelined with a left heel injury back in early November. As Roy hobbled around in a boot, many concerned fans threw in the towel on what seemed like a promising rookie of the year campaign.
The Portland Trail Blazers stuck it to the best team in the East last Wednesday night in a 94-76 blowout over LeBron’s Cavaliers. This season hasn’t seen everyone contributing on a consistent basis, but Wednesday was a different story. In the early stages of this season, Portland was really a one-man show.
Beneath the glitz and glamour, mounds of money and stylishly souped-up rides of the Portland Trail Blazers, there is a much less desirable reality. Life for Zach Randolph, Brandon Roy and company may seem like a worriless walk in the park, but the recent wave of stern coaching tactics by head coach Nate McMillan has transformed this dream into a blurred nightmare.
Nobody knows it, but thousands of Americans are living their ordinary, typical lives even though they truly belong in the local psychiatric ward. These people are crazy. They are out of their minds. It’s obvious, their eyes see one thing, but their mind does another.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ youth movement has been a rollercoaster ride, complete with spins, turns, flips and even some patented Dwyane Wade flops last Sunday. It’s left the Blazers scrounging for wins at the bottom of the league with a 14-21 record. On the positive side, youth has allowed the team to play back-to-back games without worry of much fatigue or soreness.