Top > Sport > 2005 > December > 2005-12-31

Blazer Foil Cheeks? Homecoming

Maurice Cheeks? return to Portland, where he coach for several seasons before getting fired, didn?t turn out to be the story everyone expected it to. The Blazers foiled the former coach?s by defeating the 76ers. Cheeks got a huge ovation when he was announced as the Philly head coach. You will read that because of his return the Blazers sold so many tickets.

Apparently no one is going to call it like it is, so that`s why I`m around.
Cheeks was a bad coach. He was way too lenient on a roster that needed a little bit of heavy-handedness and no matter how you slice it, on his watch the vaunted Blazer playoff streak ended. Throw some blame at management - both current and former - all you want, but it stops with the coach. Sure, every player you ask says he was a great coach - why? Because he didn`t push them to be better, to play harder. He didn`t push them in practice.

The hometown Trail Blazers put a great display of teamwork, hustle, and defense that shut down Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers 95-91. The attendance was announced at 17,384 and I actually believe it this time. Why so many? Well, couple the return of Maurice Cheeks, the visit of Allen Iverson (more on that later), and Martell Webster Bobblehead Night, why would anyone stay home?