Trail Blazers locker room has a sign that says ‘We don’t lose to Spanish players’

Not so sure about this motivational message, Trail Blazers. Via The Oregonian (emphasis mine):

The Blazers have a laminated motivational card affixed to the television monitor in the visiting locker room. It’s titled, “We are Rip City.” It lists all the ways in which the No. 4 seed Blazers will find a way to win this series against the No. 5 Grizzlies. It begins with “We will be tougher,” and ends with, “Staying together through adversity.” But the middle part is what has to alarm anyone following this matchup closely.

Because that middle section included such oddities as, “We don’t lose to Spanish players,” and “Nobody can beat us eight times in one year.” Also, it includes a vow to, “Win the dog fight,” and, “We will play as a team and outwork Memphis each and every night.” Also, “We are better when we come to play,” and a promise to be, “(Expletives) on defense.”

Those are all kinda silly, but the one about not losing to Spanish players is particularly strange. Besides just being randomly xenophobic, it has the added quality of motivating the team that employed the NBA’s first Spanish player, and a bunch more after him, too.

Anyway, if I had to guess which Blazers player wrote this, I know who I’d pick:

Lost to Spanish players then, and already down 1-0 to a Spanish player this time.

(h/t SLAM)

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