I’m certainly not the first to mention it, but I am the first (here) to discuss it…

As has been reported (among other places) at the BlazerBlog over at the O, Theo Ratliff let fly with an opinion that reaffirms what we already knew to be true: that the Blazers of last season were willfull under-achievers.

It’s hard for me to see guys not take advantage of the opportunities that they have. Because when the opportunities go, they go. I hate to see guys waste their time and talent and not give 100 percent and not be dedicated to the game. It’s frustrating. You try to get the guys to understand that this game means a lot more than just getting a paycheck. It’s about your character and what you represent yourself to be.

Clearly, he wasn’t discussing the whole team. Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, Martell Webster, Joel Przybilla, Jarrett Jack, even Sebastian Telfair were all doing, it seemed to me, all they could with their developing talents to keep our team afloat.

No, this quote is clearly aimed at the terrible twosome: Darius and Z-Bo.

It’s a familar knock. Well, more so for Darius who was a famous loafer and who often, as reported by Big Suke today on KFXX, was more compelling to watch in trying to figure out where his attention was during huddles than he was on the floor. Z-Bo, a mirror of whomever he’s allowing to influence him (and, for now, that is Darius) certainly showed more effort, but clearly isn’t what he could be, and that’s what makes us all so frustrated.

Darius claims this off-season to have changed. Along with coming to Jesus and getting hitched, he claims that he’s going to let his play speak for him. Unfortunately, he’s already built up quite the vocabulary of actions speaking louder than words, and the actions scream one phrase: “Cut me, I’m poison.”

I have high hopes for this season. But my hopes are dampened by two clouds. Darius and Zach. I hope like hell they come out strong, because we need to trade them, and for now there’s nothing out there even approaching an attractive offer…

Related posts:

1. Go Blazers, passed .500
2. Blazers win some, lose some
3. Zach returns from his bereavement leave, Portland embarks on theirs
4. Seahawks Football
5. Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop