Blazers Edge Article and How it Relates to the Pilots

I like to read BlazersEdge (a good Blazer blog) from time to time, and there was a post this morning that really rang true:

http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/11/14/661201/waiting-and-watching

Basically, it's the story of a long-suffering Blazer fan and him preaching patience and understanding as the Blazers move from a lottery team into a power. (Watch out, it's long.)

I couldn't help but see a lot of parallels (I can never spell that damn word) between what he's talking about and the Pilots. Plug in "Jail Blazer era" with "Late Rob Chavez era"; replace "Drexler and Porter" with "Chaatman and Klosterman"; switch "Lakers" with "Zags"... and really, it could basically be saying the same thing.

Anyway, you need to be careful with this kind of thinking - if you are always patient, then often times expectations will never be met.

But at the same time, I really do feel like this is a transitional year for the Pilots. I have faith in Reveno and believe that he has built a solid foundation on which to build from. I mean... his first year? Think about how talent poor we were. And now? I am genuinely excited about the young guys we have in place. It's been hard for me to wrap my head around this season and gauge my expectations. Part of me - the restless, wants to see a winner finally part - expects .500. Expects being competitive in the non-conference and being 4-5 in the WCC. No more losses to LMU and Pep. No more losing to USF and SCU at home. Maybe sneak one at home from this year's big three. I think we are capable of that.

But also... when I think about the talent we have and how young it is... I can't help but feel like we might not be there yet. Reveno and the guys are pushing the rock up the hill, but I'm not sure the rock has hit the peak yet. There might be one more solid season of pushing that needs to take place. Thankfully, the 2009-10 season is there to provide my hope... there isn't a Sisyphean crash looming, like I think we all knew there was the season after Pooh and Donald left.

So what happens if we do go 9-22 again? 4-10 in the WCC? Is it a total failure? Is it time to start questioning the coaches and players? I want to say no. And, honestly, I believe the answer is definitely no. As long as we can see progress and development, 2009-10 will be there. Heck, and 2010-11 too. And if we can just finally land a Pooh-like recruit that could maybe take us to the next level? I think it would still be too premature to start to truly despair if this season doesn't end up the way we all hope it does.

I just hope that we, as long-suffering Pilot fans who very understandably and justifiably just want to have the joys of a winning program for once, will look at this season as still a step in the process. Hopefully a step in the right direction, but a step nonetheless. I hope and fervently wish for success, but I also won't lose the faith if it doesn't go that way.

Anyway... sorry for the "seriousness" of this thread. It's just that the Blazersedge article resonated with my feelings for the Piltos as we head into this season.

Gooooooo Pilots!

Stonehouse,

I literally had just read that article prior to this post... Great article I can see how you may feel the same as a Pilot fan.

Ha ha... great minds think alike, or at least read the same Blazer blogs!

Patience is important - but it must be patience for the right reasons. Like you said, if we see progress on the court, but not resulting in Ws, then I think we've got to be patient. Success at the WCC level needs to be built over time. Stability will help the Pilot program in the long run.

I too would like to see a .500 season, but to be honest, I'm not sure we're there yet (this may have more to do with the fact that I don't get to see the team on a regular basis). I do think we're headed in the right direction with this core group of players, as well as this coaching staff. Moreover, I completely agree that landing a pooh-like recruit would really really help out in the win/loss column.

I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised this year. I hope to be .500, but would expect that we shouldn't be too far away from that. I love teams that are tough, and play tough. It seems like that's the kind of team Rev likes as well.

true indeed

Man, I just love looking at Uncle Buck next to all my posts!

You know 54, he doesn't play for them anymore... and neither does Arvydis Sabonis nor Derek Anderson... I just wanted to make sure you knew, I mean you are kind of out of touch now

Rob's Jacket wrote:I think if we can get 12-13 wins this season, I'll be satisfied with the progress that we've made.

But as Pilot fans, I mean seriously . . . we've been patient for about fifty years. When my grandfather worked there, we were "rebuilding." When my dad went there, we were "rebuilding." With the exception of two years, we've been "rebuilding" my entire freaking life. If patience is a virtue, then every single Pilot basketball fan is going to heaven.

Let's put some in the "W" column this year.

"From your mouth to God's ear!"

There were good years back at the end of Avina's tenure. I remember one year beginning 10-0 and rated by SI as the third best team on the West Coast. I think we finished with 19 wins, no invite to the big dance, and a feeling that the season was a failure. Wouldn't we all love to even get a scent of 19 wins now.

Oh I'm with you Rob. Believe me, I want wins as much as anybody.

But I also don't want to see us get too too frustrated or lose hope if this year turns out to be another rebuilding year.

Obviously there will need to be progress and development, but I'm not prepared to lose faith... yet. If we bellyflop after the 2009-10 season? Wellllll......... then we'll talk. But after this season? Not yet.

Well, I for one think we'll win a few games and we won't have to worry about these coaches. The team definitely has added a lot of depth with guys like Campbell and Big John... Plus, 4 players completely changed their physiques in order to be able to play more physical. I think that the rest of the WCC does not know what's coming to them, and I wouldn't be shocked at all to see players other than Raivio and Sikma lead the team in scoring and rebounding...