Saturday, December 10, 2011

It's a sad day in Blazers Nation

As I sit here writing this, I am heartbroken.  I have spent the last day reading every article and every quote possible, and crying.  Because it is now official.  Brandon Roy, at the age of 27, has retired.  The fact that he has no cartilage in his knees, and that if he kept playing he would eventually be unable to walk, has taken him from the game that he loves.  And with the fact of how hurt and upset I am about this announcement, I can't even imagine how BRoy is feeling.  Yes, everyone is saying he will still get his money, but that's not what it is about for Roy.  I can guarantee that he is devastated that he can no longer play the game that he loves.

No one can deny what Brandon Roy has done for the Blazers on the court.  He was our superstar.  And even when he was hurt, he played better than most.  There is no doubt that we are going to miss his play.  But I think what Blazers fans (and I know I) will miss the most is his heart.  He gave 200% in everything he did, on and off the court.  He wasn't just a basketball player, he was the face of our franchise, and he took pride in that.  For so long, Portland didn't care about basketball, as our players were in and out of jail.  But Brandon changed that for us.  He saved basketball in Portland.  He knew that being our superstar meant he had added responsibility, and he wanted to do well by us.  He took the weight of Portland on his shoulders and didn't disappoint us.  He took the "Jail Blazers" and transformed them into not only a team that was respected, but a team that was feared.  And you know you're respected when you have some of the biggest names in the game saying basketball is losing one of it's greats.

Personally, I hope to never see any future Blazer in the number 7 jersey.  He may have only played a few short years, but what he has done for Portland and the Blazers franchise is immeasurable.  He was our golden boy, and he will be truly, deeply missed.

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