Is perception something that has the ability to define you or a situation, both in a positive and negative light? I think if you check with most folks, they would probably say yes. In today’s society perception as well as “shock value” is how our media sources have the ability to translate a situation in one angle or another to their benefit. And in all fairness, that is what they need to do to attract viewers and readers in their competitive market. But when does enough become enough? Or when does it cross the line?

     We on this site support the Portland Trailblazers and are fans who wish to see them do well not only for our enjoyment, but also for how it makes us feel as a city. It has the ability to bring opposites together, if only for a moment to support one cause, a win for the team. Now when we use the word support, this is not an observation without skepticism. An ability to support also means the ability to question and test the group that is attempting to bring us there for this specific reason. Fans in nature can disagree with direction, personnel as well as the word “perception”. Some will tell you that as long as you win, perception is a relative thing. Well I would offer an opinion that in a one professional sport town that word “relative” bounces from side to side a lot quicker than it would in a larger city with more distractions in sports.

     In Portland we have a columnist/reporter/general hysterical presence that seems to feel the need to thrive on anything he can to attack the organization. He likes to present a one-sided approach to employee layoffs, when it is clear that he has no intention of getting a full and complete account. Companies have layoffs all the time for different reasons. It is never a good situation for those being let go, but to be a successful business sometimes things need to change. That is not to say there can’t be inappropriate layoffs, but it hardly ever makes media coverage in the world we know. One of the best Baristas at my local Starbucks got let go, didn’t seem right, but it didn’t make the paper.

     He felt the need to make a big issue of what happened when a player’s check bounced when he was trying to make a noble donation and that the agent had to pick it up. Whatever the reason, maybe one should look at oneself and how he has donated to his community before throwing the first stone as to how someone else has done it. And please don’t tell me writing an article is donating to the community.

     Commenting on a player who had an issue with a credit card or gas card at the gas station and needing to go for cash to get the situation rectified. I don’t know about anyone else but there have been times when

I have gone to the store and either didn’t bring my wallet or left it in the car. Sure I was embarrassed, but newsworthy I think not. Is it really news for us local fans to read about how the Blazers could miss the boat on reserving the Pioneer Plaza when management hires a coach, or was that just another slap in the face?

     He identifies Paul Allen, Steve Patterson and John Nash as the “Three Amigos”. Is there a true reason for name calling or is it a case of losing one’s touch with what is going on. Yes we can all agree that last season was no fun, but we did have a very good draft last year, traded away some players, knowing full well it was their time to go, and cut the team’s annual salary number for the upcoming years. If we want to make the argument that we never got that true 2 guard we needed, I can live with that, or that we were not able to make a strong trade involving SAR, I can handle that too, but all in all, I think they have started to rebuild this foundation in a business like manner for years to come.

     Maybe one of the real issues here, is he has been shut out by the Blazers organization. Sometimes when you read his information, you get the sense that he feels he has been slighted, cast aside, and just desires that 15 minutes of fame to last a little longer. You see what I think you have here is a ‘Boy’ crying wolf, at any possible opportunity to throw mud on the Blazers Organization. Well, maybe, just maybe, no one is interested in hearing the ‘Boy’ cry wolf anymore and would be quite comfortable if they never heard the ‘Boy’ again.

     Some of you will say that my attitude and “perception” only wants the good, positive information and not the reality of the negative news when it needs to be reported or put into a column or blog. But in reality, that could not be further from the truth. What is really wanted and desired by the fans and newspaper subscribers as well as myself is that someone with true journalistic integrity can look at information, get both sides of the issue and take an honest perspective and create an intelligent article. Obviously with this journalist, that can no longer be achieved.

     As defined in the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary the word ‘perception’ is defined as a result of perceiving or observation. Well isn’t that just and fair, an explanation that requires you to look elsewhere within the dictionary for a clearer picture.

     Maybe it’s time that we as fans receive a new journalistic voice to give us that clearer picture, because at the moment we are getting no picture at all.

- Erik Hudson (Lake Blazer)