I have been a Blazers fan my entire life (I am 34) and yesterday had to be one of the worst days in franchise history. It was breaking news after breaking news of bad news, none of which was really "new" but same ole, same ole: Brandon's knees - been there, done that; L.A.'s arrhythmia - been there, done that; Greg's...everything - been there, done that. Paul Allen's aversion to conversing in productive ways with the media during significant moments in franchise history - been there, done that.

It's moments like these that test the staying power of Blazers fans. Yesterday felt like losing three straight at home to Detroit in the 1989 finals when "The Microwave" couldn't miss. It felt like MJ hitting six three in the first half, while Uncle Cliff looked on helplessly. It felt like Kobe lobbing to Shaq as the L*kers came back from 15 down in the Western Conference finals, helped by aBrian Shawthree point bank shot...a bank shot!

It felt like seven-foot-four Sam Bowie crashing to the floor, pounding the hardwood with his fist in attempt to alleviate the pain in his knee. It felt like trading Clyde for Otis Thorpe. It felt Jermaine becoming an All-Star in aPacersuniform. It felt Sean Elliot hitting that three in the conference finals of the last strike-shortened season. It felt like Sheed tantruming before a national tv audience. And in a lesser way -一个更小的方式- it felt like the day I heard Big Duck passed away and Luuuuuuke's cancer was back.

For us life-timers - who will stick with the Blazers even when the national media doesn't, even when there is no "upside" to fulfill, even when we have no GM to one-up other GMs - when our beloved franchise suffers there is a little part of us that does too. Because when life is hard it's best when being a Blazers fan is easy. That wasn't the case yesterday. But I will trudge on. We all will.

I will sift through the press releases. I will read the transcripts. I will pay attention to the development of our youngest players. I will learn how the new financial rules impact the team. I will listen to games on the radio. I will buy tickets to games. I will wear my Blazers gear. I will do these things because I am a Blazers fan and this is what we do.

Rip City. Eternally.