Holiday Ode to Portland and Blazer fans:

Thank you for all of the electricity that has filled the building and the city for the past 2 seasons and more. Thank you for the passion, the love, and the excitement.  It has been a whirlwind really, but all of it has kept me captivated and fired up every night the Blazers play.  I am grateful.

My basketball fandom began as a young kid outside of Boston where a father, who could care less about sports, introduced me to Larry Bird, McHale, Parish, DJ, and Ainge, because it was his duty.  I took those amazing games and ran forward, a basketball fan forever.  As I grew a bit older I would follow the Celtics through the years of Bird’s decline, Reggie Lewis’ death, and the onslaught of Michael Jordan.  It was a blessing; really, to grow up at an age when I could forget about the home team and be a fan of who was good, appreciate the talent from my book of basketball cards rather than just the home squad.  For some reason, as a kid while the Celtics and Lakers rivalry faded, I found myself keenly rooting for underdogs.  I was naive enough that I didn’t understand that a kid from Boston should not root for the Knicks.  I simply wanted to see Jordan get beat.  It was weird.  I loved MJ; I had posters splattered around the room, my favorite being “wings” heading up the staircase.  But when that ball was tipped, I couldn’t help but root for the underdog. In 91 it began…Something about those Trailblazers…with a stadium that looked extra dark on TV, in a far away city named after one I lived close to in Maine, appealed to me.  I’m not sure why to this day, Underdogs? Clyde? Kersey? The jerseys?  I don’t know why, but I arbitrarily picked that team, I suppose as many kids do. They couldn’t defeat Jordan but the summer of 92 had me marking the driveway with chalk so Porter could drain threes and Duckworth could hit turnarounds on the baseline.  I'd heave the ball around while announcing the players' names always making sure the Blazers won.

If it weren’t for those days I’m not sure I’d live here now…Growing into my teens my love for hoops remained, while a love for the outdoors grew as well. Family subscribed me to Outside magazine every year as a gift.  Oregon was in EVERY issue, and I always noticed.  Eventually I reached a crossroads in my life and needed a change, an experience.  Not even old enough to drink (legally) two close friends and I packed up a couple vehicles and headed west, destination Portland.  We needed out, manifest destiny, whatever you wanna call it, we were west coast bound and without ever coming to the Northwest, we (I) was ready to make it home.  Into the great wide open….

Was it a childhood appreciation for the underdog Trailblazers? Growing older and fond of nature and a city that incorporates it? A combo? Yes, but once I got here; it was also you, the fan-base, the passionate citizens who take pride in their place of rest and their neighbor’s well being.  This pride grew ten-fold for me when I witnessed you all stand up for your morals and your values and ask for something better.  This was not a city/fanbase that should have been disgraced the way it was by our players and management.  But unique to most cities worldwide, the fans were able to change it.

When I first moved here I got a job as an in-seat server at Trailblazer games.  I wanted to be there every night, and wanted a position where I could see some of the action.  My first season was the last the Blazers would make the playoffs after their tremendous run through the late 90s and early 00s.  After that I was lucky enough to move to courtside as a server, but unlucky enough to see the first seasons in Trailblazer history where the stadium resembled a large library.  Where fans showed up to see opposing teams’ players, and our players were the ass-end of jokes.  It was hard for me too.  I was new, finally got close to the game courtside, but was ashamed of the product I had grown to love.  I was growing to love the city, but couldn’t believe I moved here at the team’s demise…But I see now, that demise was intentional.  It got us somewhere great.

The amazing thing is, I’ve been serving the same section at mid-court for 7 seasons…Through all these years, you, along with some of the wealthiest fans, night in and night out hung in there. You demanded better, with passion, resolve, and hope for something great.  Most of my customers have been there before and after the Z-Bo daze.  They high-five me the same as they did with a Roy buzzer beater in his rookie year, as when he hits one now....Perhaps with a bigger smile, and with more pride, but they've hung in there, through thick and thin, just as all of you have. 

One of my best friends just joined us out here in Portland from New England.  He's a huge Celtics fan, growing up near the team, but, like I, after coming to Portland, is blown away with the true love here.  He’s already shedding shamrocks;-) Its unique here, it's Green Bay Packer-like, every detail analyzed.  We compare to Red Sox nation BEFORE the championships and the bandwagon.  Every player under the microscope, scrutinized, analyzed, dissected, projected, rejected, and/or accepted...THIS is being a fan.  With pride in your city, comes pride in your team and vice versa. With a team you’ve demanded disassembled and reassembled to greatness, lets not lose sight of how good we have it.  Take a step back; remember why you’re a fan.  Celebrate Portland as truly a unique place in sports, anywhere in the world.  A place where one team helps define a whole people and one love for a city helps define a team.  Lets enjoy it.  We’ve had great misfortune this season with injury, but now are given an opportunity to enjoy the depth we analyzed into oblivion.  Now’s the time to pack the Garden, scream, shout, dance, and support.  We all know we nearly have the exact personnel we could have only dreamed of three seasons ago, but we need not take our good fortunes for granted.  This holiday season give thanks to Trailblazer fans by being the best one you can be by supporting them through thick and thin, this IS the team you’ve been waiting for….

By supporting the guys who can actually play, you’re also supporting our amazing front office, our injured players, Mo Lucas, Paul Allen, all the while supporting the integrity of a truly amazing place to live, and the best team in the world to be a fan of.  Thank you Rip City for having me, I am so ecstatic to support this city and this team with all I've got, and with all of you.

The Coach of the Year award is interesting this year, with Nate McMillan being part of the discussion.  Most national analysts will say he deserves a look while stating that he's done it quietly in the same breathe.  I believe this is code for, their on the west coast in a small market and we never get to watch them.

So what are the criteria for coach of the year?  To me, its not an award for the best coach.  Its an award for the best job with what they have to work with.  I first should state that being a Blazer homer allows biases, but I believe Nate should be being considered more than he is.  Listening to the national media, to my ear, he has no shot. 

I was just watching the Hornets Mavs Easter Sunday game and they brought up the discussion.  Hubie Brown reiterated what i said above, "The job Nate McMillan has done in Portland with that young team is impressive, but I like Van Gundy, Mike Brown, and then George Karl to win the award for the job he's done in Denver with that team and the injuries."  Is this not a contradiction?  He said he liked the job Nate has done with that young team, but gives it to George Karl.  At the time of this statement, George Karl has brought a team that added Chauncey Billups (after surviving cancer (Iverson)) to exactly one more win than the Trailblazers, with an outside chance they will play for the division title on the last day of the season.  A Trailblazers team that without LaFrentz is the youngest roster in the league!  A Trailblazers team that was .500 last year!  A Trailblazers team that noticeably and statistically endured the NBA's toughest schedule!  But George Karl has one more win with vets such as Billups, Anthony, and the first mostly healthy season for Kenyon martin in some time.  Brown also talked of the injuries endured by the Nuggets.  What about Greg Oden missing tons of games?  We dont even have a back up center!!  How about our starting small forward sitting out the season and being replaced by a 19 year old rookie?!!

So, if nothing else, with Hubie's criteria, he has proved to me what an amazing job Nate has done this year.  With two games to go, the division, 54 wins, and 2nd in the West are still alive.  

Here's to Nate McMillan for what sounds like a new approach to things this year with careful management, not too much Sarge, and regular rest as a reward for playing well against this tough schedule.  Nate also ranks amongst the best for points out of timeouts (thanks Brandon) 

All of that being said, as far as handing out the award?  I have to give it to Mike Brown.  It looks like they will only drop one game at home this season and may tie the Celtics for the best home record in NBA history.  They too, have endured injuries to many starters.  Hard to argue with that record.  But in the west; it goes to Nate. There is no way anyone in their right mind thought we'd be pushing 2 or 3 in the conference and getting a look at a division title.

If for some reason Denver lost to Sac and we won the division Wednesday night, I think Nate would win it.

Go Kings, Go Blazers, Riptastic City!

~Updates~

Nate finally gets some love via Marc Stein

But Brian Hendrickson says, "Writers' survey: McMillan getting little respect in COY voting

Even the jaded Wendell Maxey can't understand why Nate gets no love.

I'm sure you all are catching wind that Portland State BEAT Gonzaga last night, in Spokane.  I know this is a Blazer's fan site, but as Portland fans, and basketball fans in general, I have to acknowledge the fact that our city's public college just beat the #7 school in the nation!  This is big news!  Gonzaga was a preseason favorite to contend through March Madness, and had all they could do to lose to #2 ranked UCONN last weekend in overtime.  

PSU (9-2) couldn't get out of Portland on their charter flight because of the weather.  They finally chartered a bus to Bellevue where they spent the night, and then took a bus from there Tuesday morning to Spokane.  Arriving around 1:30 in the afternoon, PSU had little time to eat and prepare for the game after 2 long bus rides.  Apparently the perfect recipe for taking on a perrenial power on their home court where they were 58-2 coming into the game.

Although many of us will be bandwaggon going to check out Vikings basketball, I think it's worth while to go support these guys.  The continued success of this program could push it to a serious perrenial mid-major contender considering their conference, and this could be something very good for the school, the city, and all of us hoops fans.  After making the tourney last year, and looking even better this year, Portland has another reason to get fired up for hoops. 

Also, remember...after shedding the Sports Action Football Lottery, we should be getting some March Madness games at the Rose Garden!  Imagine if we get to support PSU there?!  That could be some fun $hizzle!

Does this fire you up for the Vikings?

Happy Hoopzydays!

I woke up feeling like a Cubs fan on Wednesday, that was a major blow.  But as the days tick off, we get relative good news about Oden, and I read this article by Quick about Roy & LMA's budding friendship, the excitement is brewing again.  The Rose Garden is about to be rockin, and even though we've been taken down a notch, the night we've been waiting for is finally here!

What about you?  Are you gettin' fired up? Earth Wind and Fire is doing the freakin introductions!  What the heck we have in store with that, I have no idea....Will you be adorned in red? Or Blazer paint for halloween?  Or perhaps a good wig? 

I'll be working, but certainly feeling all of you're energy.  Will you be able to bring the same energy you had before Oden was out?  I think this still will be a riviting game, not an easy one, but one the crowd can put over the top.  I think Roy and Aldridge will be happy to be in the Garden and put on display the growth they've gone through this summer.  LMA will have his hands full with Timmay (not a BEdger) but there is no Ginoboli, and we've got Rudy! 

I'm just fired up to bring the official season back to the Garden with or without Greg.  He'll be good soon, we just have to practice patience.  Treat you're patience like KP would answer media questions, and meanwhile give the guys we've got out there all the positive support you've got.  We have a young core we only could have dreamed of 3 years ago, so let's just enjoy it.  Keep it in perspective. Getting ahead of ourselves may only lead to disappointment.  One night at a time, and tonight should be a good time to start making the garden the toughest place to play.

Spill your feelings of the home opener and you're new hopes and expectations below!  Rip City is back tonight!

Happy Halloween!

~Z

via blog.oregonlive.com