Your Blazers stories

[Tim Lehrbach]

I was sharing some memorable Blazers games in a thread at the General NBA board when it occurred to me: we could use a lift around here. I know I'm not contributing much sunshine lately.

In good times and even bad ones, the Blazers have been a steady source of enjoyment and sometimes inspiration for us. Won't you help take us back to the sweetest moments we've had as Blazers fans?

Besides Lillard ending the Westbrook/George Thunder and Roy's last hurrah, which I posted in the linked thread, what are some of your favorite memories of the Blazers? Can be a legendary game, an encounter with a player, an association with a formative life moment... whatever makes the memory stand out is up to you! Tell us your stories, and while you're at it, maybe share some context: what year you started watching the Blazers, how you got into the team, your favorite era, etc.

[Norm2953]

I'm old enough to remember the arrival of Billy Ray Bates in Portland.

Memorable playoff game against the then WC Seattle Sonics

[Tim Lehrbach]

Earliest memories: Clyde, Terry, Kersey, Buck and Duck. At the time, I was awed by Drexler and thought Porter was just cool af (because he was). In hindsight, I really appreciate the forwards and Uncle Cliffy, none of whom got the headlines of the guards, but who formed a terrific ensemble cast with our top two. I know I watched the 1990 NBA Finals because I was 6 and already really into basketball, but I don't remember any of it. I do, however, remember Magic tossing the damn ball down the court as the final seconds ticked away in game six of the 1991 WCF. Oh ****, I wanted happy memories.

Favorite in-person game: game two, 2009 Western Conference first round against Houston. Roy might be my favorite Blazer of all, and I think this was his best game. In an otherwise infuriating series pitting our upstart, high-hopes Blazers against a well-coached, physical, and disciplined team (and a team that would push the eventual champions to the brink behind those same strengths), Roy shredded Artest, Battier, Hayes, and Yao for 42. It was the perfect demonstration of his surgical approach to attacking defenses, his competitive fire, and his scary-good peak potential.

Oddly specific game I'll never forget: a March 23, 2009 loss to Philadelphia. The inverse to my favorite game and one of Roy's worst. Andre Iguodala in this game frustrated Brandon to an extent I otherwise never saw (and I attended all but a handful of Roy's home games). It was such a masterful and determined performance that I could only tip my cap and admit our guy had been bested.

Favorite season: sensing a theme? 2008-2009. At no point in my lifetime have the spirits of Blazers fans been higher. Roy was cooking, Aldridge was still improving, Blake and Przybilla were unlikely steady leaders, and the other youngsters held tremendous promise. And, of course: Greg Oden. [sigh] The team was really good and fun to watch (despite the glacial pace!), the Rose Garden felt like each and every game was THE main event in Portland, and we really allowed ourselves to believe a dynasty was in the making. And even though it didn't work out, we learned a lot as fans along the way. Enjoy greatness while as we witness it. Don't expect anything to be guaranteed. Appreciate the wins and the unsung contributors. And, heck, do go ahead and dream big! (Just don't be too disappointed if the hopes crash.)

That's enough for tonight.

[JRoy]

When I was in the Marines in Hawaii, I snuck out of a field exercise 2 consecutive nights to attend POR-LAL exhibition games.

We made a banner for Kersey out of a sheet and he seemed to like it.

Unrelated, but ran into Tree Rollins at a Chik Fil A in Tampa.

[Wizenheimer]

so, after college at the UofO I was living in Eugene. I went to a game at Mac-Court in the fall of 1976. It was a preseason game with the Blazers. I had a seat about 6 rows up from the Blazer bench. Portland had several players from the previous season: Bill Walton. Lloyd Neal, Lionel Hollins, Bob Gross, Larry Steele. They had Maurice Lucas and Moses Malone from the dispersal draft. They had signed Dave Twardzik from the ABA and had traded for Herm Gilliam. And they had rookies Johnny Davis and Wally Walker

it was really great sitting that close to the bench and seeing the interaction of the players with each other, and the players with Jack Ramsey

as for the game, Walton looked like Walton on about 3/4 speed and didn't play more than 15-18 minutes. Davis was lightning quick and wowed the audience with his speed. But Lucas and Malone were revelations. I knew almost nothing about them. I think Lucas scored about 25 points without missing a shot and had double digit rebounds. But Malone looked like the best player on the floor. Kind of an 18 & 18 game in 20 minutes or so

I was really impressed with Portland but I would have given them almost no chance of winning the championship 8 months later

I still can't believe the Blazers traded Moses away. And get this, they traded him for the 3rd pick in the 1978 draft and used it on Rick Robey. By the way, the 6th pick was Larry Bird

[Tim Lehrbach]

I remember meeting James "Hollywood" Robinson at a fanfest in 1994 or 1995 and asking him if he was going to win the next slam dunk contest. I also won a mini-basketball that I kept until I was in my 30s.

[zzaj]

Best “Blazer” moment for me was playing in a pickup game at Irving Park with Jamal Crawford one Saturday.

Worst Blazer moment was playing drums in the Rose Quarter house band for “70s night” during the Oden kneecap game. The collective pall of that many people happening all at once is a feeling I’ll never forget.

[DaVoiceMaster]

My oldest memory is Game 6 of the 1976-77 championship. My family was down at Lincoln City. We were having lunch at the restaurant at the old Shilo's. I stood in the doorway to the bar watching the game. AWESOME!!!

I went to the old Paramount theater when the Blazers had their games on closed circuit TV there. It was on a big ol' screen. I saw the alley oop pass from Kermit Washing to Billy Ray Bates over Dr. Google that play, it was amazing for back in the day.

Lots of fond memories.

[PDXKnight]

Got tickets for my birthday to the Lakers game after they got pau Gasol and had won 11 games in a row iirc. The whole arena was shouting "kobe sucks" for a good while that was pretty cool

[zzaj]

PDXKnight, you just reminded me of a funny memory...

My wife and I had 100 level season tickets in the early aughts and were going to every game...in 2002 a fat Shawn Kemp was on the team and he was pretty much the laughing stock of the Arena.

At one point in some random game the Blazers were getting blown out and the Arena was VERY quiet. Kemp pulled up with about a 20 footer just below the top of the key on a fast break and it hit nothing but backboard--no rim whatsoever. In the silence of the arena a guy a couple rows down from me yelled at the top of his lungs, "NICE SHOT, DAD!"...and literally you could hear the whole Arena murmuring with laughter. LEGEND.

[PDXKnight]

PDXKnight, you just reminded me of a funny memory...

My wife and I had 100 level season tickets in the early aughts and were going to every game...in 2002 a fat Shawn Kemp was on the team and he was pretty much the laughing stock of the Arena.

At one point in some random game the Blazers were getting blown out and the Arena was VERY quiet. Kemp pulled up with about a 20 footer just below the top of the key on a fast break and it hit nothing but backboard--no rim whatsoever. In the silence of the arena a guy a couple rows down from me yelled at the top of his lungs, "NICE SHOT, DAD!"...and literally you could hear the whole Arena murmuring with laughter. LEGEND.

I hope the moda center gets this energy back, I haven't been to a game for awhile but it feels like once they win some games the fans will always be the best in the NBA

[JasonStern]

I drunk hit on Steve Blake's wife once. She obviously took the multi-millionaire NBA basketball player over my drunk-ass. But she was very beautiful and pleasant to be around, which is a surprisingly rare combination. Hope that they are doing well.

Randomly had a beer with Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. I was underage, but he was big enough that I didn't get carded. He swore that, while Shaq was the better offensive player, he could lock him down defensively if given actual playing time.

Not really a Jason story, but Cliff Alexander used to hit on one of my lady friends in D.M.s.

Rod Benson was cool as hell and used to give out free NBDA tickets. Patty Mills played the Reno Bighorns once. Don't remember what NBDL team we were associated with. Guessing Idaho Stampede? I am totally brain freezing who the Aussie Blazers fan on the board is, but I cited some random Boomers trivia. He appreciated me being a fan.

So, basically I just wasted time writing nothing of interest, and anyone reading this just wasted time reading it.

[zzaj]

I drunk hit on Steve Blake's wife once. She obviously took the multi-millionaire NBA basketball player over my drunk-ass. But she was very beautiful and pleasant to be around, which is a surprisingly rare combination. Hope that they are doing well.

Randomly had a beer with Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. I was underage, but he was big enough that I didn't get carded. He swore that, while Shaq was the better offensive player, he could lock him down defensively if given actual playing time.

Not really a Jason story, but Cliff Alexander used to hit on one of my lady friends in D.M.s.

Rod Benson was cool as hell and used to give out free NBDA tickets. Patty Mills played the Reno Bighorns once. Don't remember what NBDL team we were associated with. Guessing Idaho Stampede? I am totally brain freezing who the Aussie Blazers fan on the board is, but I cited some random Boomers trivia. He appreciated me being a fan.

So, basically I just wasted time writing nothing of interest, and anyone reading this just wasted time reading it.

OMG. I somehow TOTALLY forgot about Cliff Alexander...

[Norm2953]

so, after college at the UofO I was living in Eugene. I went to a game at Mac-Court in the fall of 1976. It was a preseason game with the Blazers. I had a seat about 6 rows up from the Blazer bench. Portland had several players from the previous season: Bill Walton. Lloyd Neal, Lionel Hollins, Bob Gross, Larry Steele. They had Maurice Lucas and Moses Malone from the dispersal draft. They had signed Dave Twardzik from the ABA and had traded for Herm Gilliam. And they had rookies Johnny Davis and Wally Walker

it was really great sitting that close to the bench and seeing the interaction of the players with each other, and the players with Jack Ramsey

as for the game, Walton looked like Walton on about 3/4 speed and didn't play more than 15-18 minutes. Davis was lightning quick and wowed the audience with his speed. But Lucas and Malone were revelations. I knew almost nothing about them. I think Lucas scored about 25 points without missing a shot and had double digit rebounds. But Malone looked like the best player on the floor. Kind of an 18 & 18 game in 20 minutes or so

I was really impressed with Portland but I would have given them almost no chance of winning the championship 8 months later

I still can't believe the Blazers traded Moses away. And get this, they traded him for the 3rd pick in the 1978 draft and used it on Rick Robey. By the way, the 6th pick was Larry Bird

Imagine that Blazer front court with Walton, Malone and Lucas.

Larry Weinberg traded away Moses Malone for he thought he'd be unhappy playing behind Lloyd Neal
and could not justify paying Moses to sit on the bench. Almost certain the worst personnel move in
team history for Portland's championship run need not have ended after one season.

[DaVoiceMaster]

I was at the playoff game against Dallas when the q3 year old girl singing the national anthem forgot the words halfway through. It was actually a pretty cool moment. Coach Cheeks walked over and began singing with her. The entire arena started singing with her. She ended up on the Tonight Show because of that.

[JasonStern]

Kevin Duckworth (RIP) did a youth camp at least once. But it was like $30. I asked my dad if I could go and he said no. Get a job. So 9? year old me mowed the lawn and washed the dishes. And he gave me $1. Which was $29 less than the youth camp entrance fee, so I was not in attendance.
I think I used the $1 to buy basketball trading cards. One of the cards was a story edition where Karl Malone explained that, one time while camping, a bear came into his camp ground and he punched it in the face. Seems questionable as an adult. Pretty sure I tried to trade it at school, but nobody had any interest. Unless I wanted something like an Anthony Peeler Lakers card, which had no back story about punching a bear in the face.
And that is how I did not meet former two time all-star Blazers great Kevin Duckworth. But sadly, his passing means that now that I have $30, I will never be able to attend a Kevin Duckworth basketball training camp. Which is extra sad as I would totally dominate a bunch of 9 year olds right now. Back then? Live or die by my high arcing jump shot.
No idea why anyone is reading this.

[JRoy]

Kevin Duckworth (RIP) did a youth camp at least once. But it was like $30. I asked my dad if I could go and he said no. Get a job. So 9? year old me mowed the lawn and washed the dishes. And he gave me $1. Which was $29 less than the youth camp entrance fee, so I was not in attendance.
I think I used the $1 to buy basketball trading cards. One of the cards was a story edition where Karl Malone explained that, one time while camping, a bear came into his camp ground and he punched it in the face. Seems questionable as an adult. Pretty sure I tried to trade it at school, but nobody had any interest. Unless I wanted something like an Anthony Peeler Lakers card, which had no back story about punching a bear in the face.
And that is how I did not meet former two time all-star Blazers great Kevin Duckworth. But sadly, his passing means that now that I have $30, I will never be able to attend a Kevin Duckworth basketball training camp. Which is extra sad as I would totally dominate a bunch of 9 year olds right now. Back then? Live or die by my high arcing jump shot.
No idea why anyone is reading this.

Well worth the read.

[PDXKnight]

PDXKnight, you just reminded me of a funny memory...

My wife and I had 100 level season tickets in the early aughts and were going to every game...in 2002 a fat Shawn Kemp was on the team and he was pretty much the laughing stock of the Arena.

At one point in some random game the Blazers were getting blown out and the Arena was VERY quiet. Kemp pulled up with about a 20 footer just below the top of the key on a fast break and it hit nothing but backboard--no rim whatsoever. In the silence of the arena a guy a couple rows down from me yelled at the top of his lungs, "NICE SHOT, DAD!"...and literally you could hear the whole Arena murmuring with laughter. LEGEND.

I just now remembered he had a bunch of kids with different women. Damn that's good ****!

[PDXKnight]

I was at the playoff game against Dallas when the q3 year old girl singing the national anthem forgot the words halfway through. It was actually a pretty cool moment. Coach Cheeks walked over and began singing with her. The entire arena started singing with her. She ended up on the Tonight Show because of that.

Yeah that was classy on his part & a pretty cool moment. I wish he was a better coach..

[DaVoiceMaster]

I was at the playoff game against Dallas when the q3 year old girl singing the national anthem forgot the words halfway through. It was actually a pretty cool moment. Coach Cheeks walked over and began singing with her. The entire arena started singing with her. She ended up on the Tonight Show because of that.

Yeah that was classy on his part & a pretty cool moment. I wish he was a better coach..

Agree on all counts.