Steve Francis Era Comes To A Close In Portland

The Steve Francis era came to an emotional end Wednesday as the Blazers bought out the remaining $30-million left on the former all-star's contract. In what can only be described as one of the most difficult and heart-wrenching decisions I've ever had to watch a front office make, Portland has cut ties with "Stevie Franchise" after arguably the most successful 13 day span since Bill Walton donned a Blazers jersey.

For the sake of our beloved Stevie, let's do ourselves a service and just let the tears flow. There are times to be strong and there are times like this. If you'll indulge me a bit and allow me to editorialize for a minute here, what were the Blazers thinking!?! This looked like the turning point for a franchise in disrepair. I mean, since acquiring Francis, the town had rallied around the much-maligned organization and had begun to rekindle it's love of the once-dominant Blazers. We had seen billboards, parades, pep rallies...I just don't get it.

Now all they're left with is a bitter taste in their mouth and a $30-million heartache. And to think, I actually thought the Blazers were serious about turning it around this time.

The now questionable state of the Blazers aside, what will become of Steve? With the combination of Steve's insatiable sense of philanthropy and the downtrodden state of the economy, I give him a year - two tops - before he has given all his earnings away to the less fortunate. For this reason I am proposing that we all rally around Steve and form a "Save The Franchise" organization to ensure our little champion's well-being. In fact, as a sign of solidarity, I am donating the Steve Francis Trail Blazers jersey I purchased on Monday to be auctioned off on Ebay, with all the proceeds going to STF. We're all going to have to sacrifice if we want to make a difference. What say you, fellow humans? One of our own needs us. If you're on board, leave me a comment about what you plan to do for Steve. Gotta run, I have Cuttino Mobley on the line and he is donating the jock strap they shared during their time in Orlando and Houston. The wheels are in motion...