The Clackamas Print 7
Robert Morrison Clackamas Print
r
Land Trail Blazers take on the Denver Nuggets Nov. 18 at the Rose Garden Arena. The Blazers beat Denver 86-83 to open up their second home stand
Reason.
ul onBlazers, looking to future
py Robert Morrison
Sports Editor
I rebuilding in store for the
lazers? In the past few weeks,
pat’s what people around the NBA
rtland have been thinking. The
Blazers are off of last year’s pace and
currently are barely holding on to the last
playoff spot halfway through the season
with a 20-20 record. They have lost three
games in a row.
Probably the biggest horror this sea
son for those in the Rose City was the
news this past weekend that All-Star
Brandon Roy will undergo surgery on
both of his knees. Roy had only played
sparingly this year and has been out
for a number of games. Many people,
including myself, thought that Roy didn’t
look anything like himself this year and
looked to have a hard time cutting and
making the moves he had become known
for. There is no timetable for Roy’s
recovery but it is very likely that he will
not be back until late this season, if at all
this year.
In light of the Roy news the Blazers
have been linked to a number of rumors
around the NBA, such as being the third
team in a Melo deal, which had fallen
apart. Now there are rumors connecting
them to young center and power forward
Anthony Randolph of the New York
Knicks.
The Blazers have made a lot of deals
in the last year, trading players and sign
ing new ones. The older Blazers could
easily be playing their last couple games
in the black, white and red with many
of them rumored to be shipped out of
Portland.
Even with Marcus Camby and Andre
Miller among these rumors, they continue
to play at a high level. Camby has been
one of the best rebounders all year and
Miller is among the assist leaders. Miller
is having a semi-productive year even
with the reported troubles with teammate
Brandon Roy. So many rumors are swirl
ing around Portland that even I think they
should trade Roy and build around power
forward LaMarcus Aldridge and guard
Wesley Matthews if they want to rebuild
a team that made the playoffs last year.
After a season full of road games the
Blazers get a fair amount of home games
this month and look to turn around what
has been a very disappointing year. Many
thought the Blazers would be among the
league leaders at this time. The Blazers
will spend the second half of the season
trying to turn a bad year around and
rebuild for the future.
rcise and eating healthy take you a long way in life
By Kayla Calloway
I Co-Editor-in-Chief
pry new year, millions of people
pt a goal for themselves, a resolu
tion, to change something about
r Normally, mine are impossible
pn t be disappointed when I drop
the ball. This year, however, will be differ
ent.
This year I am actually making an effort
to change for the better. The first day of this
term, I started my resolution to eat one piece
of fruit a day in addition to taking an aikido
class for my final P.E. credit requirement.
The first week of the term was one of
adjustment. I bought apples, oranges and
bananas in hopes that filling my apartment
with them would steer me away from the
junky potato chips. So far, I have only
missed one day, last Thursday.
Then on Tuesday night, I had my first
martial arts class since childhood.
Aikido is a form of the Japanese Budo,
or “Warrior Way.” According to my class’s
syllabus it’s the study of bringing power
and energy into the body and using it in a
focused way. What’s unique about this class
is that the Clackamas students just fit in with
the students of the dojo. There are all levels
represented, which make it much easier for
newbies like me to learn the techniques.
Traditionally, the first class of the year
is a special one. For my first class, we
practiced the same technique over and over
again, with the goal to do it 180 times. I
think I got through about 60 before having
to go home.
Aikido, from a spectator’s eye, seems to
be a very relaxed martial art, but let me tell
you, it’s far from it My heart was racing
within minutes, and I felt the need to dig up
an old inhaler because my asthma was act
ing up. But it felt good to warm up all those
neglected muscles again. Even the intense
pain that I felt the next day was welcome.
The second class a week later was much
more relaxed, and we got more individual
attention from the sensei and the more expe
rienced students. We learned several basic
techniques, like crossing swords, where
your wrist meets your opponent’s, who is
called the uke.
Two weeks into the term and I’m feeling
pretty good. The everlasting cold that I just
couldn’t shake all fall is finally out of my
system, and my muscles are getting used to
a good workout again.
Next week, I start dancing again for the
first time since 2008. Can I survive it?
This week’s words to live by come from
Mark Twain: “The only way to keep your
health is to eat what you don’t want, drink
what you don’t like, and do what you’d
rather not”