Press Clippings: August 24

Nothing that's going to blow your mind in today's clips, but don't let that stop you from reading on. How's that for a hook?

Some guys in the NBA might have a bit of trouble with TwitPic, but Travis Outlaw ain't one of them. Check tweet pics of Trav "melting faces" on Rockband and of Chubbs, his new bulldog.

Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie tabs the 1999-00 Trail Blazers as one of the 10 best teams of the decade to be denied a championship:

A notorious also-ran that managed to lose a trip to the Finals (and probably title) not with an injury or ref-addled series of bum calls but with a miserable meltdown in the fourth quarter of a Game 7 that handed the Los Angeles Lakers a comeback win and rendered a promising team absolutely frazzled for three seasons following. Worse, with a big win on February 29th of that season (Portland was 45-11 entering the game, they finished the season 14-12), the Lakers sent the Blazers reeling twice in one season.

Brian Smith's piece on Martell Webster is now up over at The Columbian:

Webster knows what he wants to do. Now, he just has to do it.

He wants to leave a legacy. He wants to last. He wants to once again be the player who started in 70 games and posted career highs across the board in 2007-08, including average points (10.7), rebounds (3.9) and 3-point percentage (38.8). The type of player who could burn nets and drop in 24 points in a single quarter, as he did against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 5, 2008.

But this year, Webster wants to be even better.

Another goal. Another personal challenge.

"There's no question in my mind that I'm going to be where I left off," Webster said. "My challenge is to be better than where I left off, after I've taken a year off. That's the challenge that I'm presenting to myself. That's where my mind is at now."

I'm not at all worried about Martell's legacy. The guy is in his early-20's. Get to 30, then start considering what your legacy will be.

The Oregonian comes through with some video of the MVP Blazer Theme contest. I've been told the decision on which bands will be used this season is coming soon.

One of Kamenetzky brothers, blogging for the L.A. Times. picks the Trail Blazers as one of his favorite teams to watch when he's not watching the Lake Show:

Again, I'm perfectly aware this crew will likely become the Lakers' chief rival over the next decade, but it doesn't change the fact that I dig these guys. A lot. In particular, I've got a big-time man crush on Brandon Roy. Extremely versatile, great in the clutch, good dude. In fact, the whole team is pretty likable, in addition to collectively impressive talent. As much fun as it was watching the Jail Blazers perpetually melt down- often at the expense of the Lakers- I hated seeing a historically great franchise in the gutter. The city, their fans and the league deserved better. Now they have it.

See, Lakers fans aren't all bad.