Goodbye Brandon Roy

(photo from yahoo!)

I didn't follow any professional sports until around 2007, and that wasn't a coincidence.  This was right when Roy began his rookie of the year campaign.  This was the first good news I had heard about the Blazers since Drexler led the Blazers to the finals.  To be clear, I didn't even know that happened until the last couple of years.  My point is that Brandon Roy was the reason I started following, and am now completely obsessed with the Portland Trail Blazers.  

Watching Roy's injuries the past 2 years has been hard.  But the Blazers had Lamarcus to pick up the slack as well as the never ending hope for Greg Oden.  I always thought that Roy was so good that despite any injury he would be able to fill some sort of role for the Blazers.  I was ecstatic watching Roy dominate the Mavs in game 4.  But watching him struggle through the remaining games was heart breaking.

When sports writers everywhere suggested that the Blazers use the amnesty clause on Brandon, I was hardly surprised.  I hoped Portland would give him another chance and let him fill whatever role he can for this team.  Everybody in Portland loves him despite his injury woes.  My mom barely knows what basketball is and even she loves him!

Then came the news the Blazers wouldn't cut him using the amnesty clause, yay!

Then Brandon announced his retirement, wait?  What!?!?

I wanted to be more sad than I felt when I found out he was retiring, but I couldn't.  Watching Roy, he is a warrior.  Seeing him struggle through these injuries was difficult.  I know that his retirement has to do with his family.  Who wouldn't want to run around with their kids.  For the exact same reason that Portland fell in love with Brandon Roy, is the exact same reason he is retiring.  He is a great guy.  He dragged us out of the Jailblazer era, and now he will be MORE of a family man.  I wish him nothing but the best. Thank you for entertaining fans for 5 years.  Good luck with whatever you choose to pursue in the future, I know you will continue to be an all star.