No Roybot, Big Opportunity

So it's official that family-issues will keep Brandon Roy from participating in tonight's game at Detroit. It will certainly be hard for the Blazers to beat a top veteran squad like Detroit on the road without their Everything, but there is a bigger opportunity here.

Usually when teams focus on stopping Brandon Roy, its on the other Blazers to knock down the open shots such a strategy provides. Tonight there's no Roy, and a very good defense. This means a huge chance to learn how to operate without RoyBot's help. With an eye to the future, it would be very good for this team to get this figured out sooner rather than later. Sometimes Roy will be in foul-trouble, sometimes he'll be off, sometimes he'll be clamped down. In these situations it would help to have confidence and a plan in place. Seeing which individual players step up will be interesting, but I think the most important development is how the team as a whole responds and what they take away from the experience. Big game.

Speaking of Everything, he was recently interviewed at a local Shari's by ESPN (no expense spared for our hero!). That reminds me of a funny story. My Dad once ordered a salad there--delicious and nutritious--good choice. Until he pulled what he thought was an especially chewy piece of lettuce out of his mouth. Used bandaid.

Did I say funny? I meant disgusting. My bad. Maybe thats why Brandon doesn't touch his food.

UPDATE: Well, so much for that.

UPDATED UPDATE: Yeah, it was kinda like this: