A couple days ago I wrote this story about how I was fortunate enough to be part of one of the groups that got tickets from Blazersedge donations for last night's game against the Hornets.

I wanted to update all of you on how last night impacted some North Salem High Schoolers lives.

At 4:30 yesterday afternoon myself and 8 other chaperons/leaders stood in a parking lot with about 50 kids waiting to leave for the game last night.  Several of the leaders helped paint faces with red and black, others frantically called parents trying to get permission slips signed over the phone, I was busy making sure no illegal items (to the bus driver this meant food or drink of any kind) were brought on board.  It was chaotic, and yet as I looked around not a single face was without a smile.

As we neared the Rose Garden, driving over the I-5 bridge, every kid was on their feet trying to look out at downtown Portland.  "That's so beautiful."  "Wow, it really looks like that."  "I see the Rose Garden!"  I found out from some of the students it was their first time ever being to Portland.  Imagine that, living 48 minutes away from Portland and seeing it for the first time as a 17 year old...

Getting to the game I had to literally hold back some of the kids from just running in side.  We were waiting to get our tickets from Will Call, and the kids could barely contain themselves.  As we held out tickets to each student they leaped, looking at their seat numbers, getting into groups, rushing for the turnstiles.  We headed up the escalator as a mob.  Students heads spinning as if they were a Merry go Round.  Eyes wide, mouths dropped.  I'm guessing some of them had never been around that many people in one building.  And we were just in the lobbies...

Three of the guys slipped though a crack in the mass of humanity and got ahead of our group. Oblivious, or not, that they were leaving us behind.  I jogged through the curtain, separating hallway from arena, trying to catch up with the three speedsters I had been following, and ran right into them.  One look at the filled Rose Garden had stopped them dead in their tracks, awestruck as they tried to comprehend what they were seeing.  I've never seen these 3 individuals so still.  Then a Blazer dancer was spotted and life was back in motion.  Aah the teenage boy...

After finding our seats most of the game I felt similar to the Lebron and Kobe Puppets from the NBA commercials.  Remember the first time Lil Dez shows up? For a quick reminder.  Thats what most of the kids were like all night long.  I was continually assaulted with: "Where is Oden?"  "Why isn't he at the game?" "I see Roy! Look there in the brown suit!" "What was that call?" "Whyd they stop the game?" "Who is number 8?" "Did you see Aldridge's dunk?"

All night long.  It was amazing.  I have never seen these kids so excited about anything.  I'm not sure a truck full of horse tranquilizer could have slowed them down.

So, thanks again Edgers

You made my week.

You made their month.

Andrew T

ps.  I don't have my camera atm but Ill try to posts some smiling faces soon.

EDIT: I have decided to not post pictures of the kids.  I read Dave's thought on keeping kids safe by not posting pics of them and I agree with his sentiments.  I apologize to all those waiting for the pics, but when Students/Minors are involved its just not a good idea.  Thanks again to all of Blazersedge!!

Hey guys,

I have been a lurker for a while and a small time poster, but I now have something truly awesome to post about.

I work with underpriveledged kids at North Salem High School, a Title I school.  For those that don't know the US Department of Education ranks schools according to the economic status of the families who send kids there.  Title 1 is the poorest.

Well, we received a phone call last Friday from the blazers ticket office saying they would like to give us 60 tickets to the game against the Hornets next Monday night.  I ecstatically started contacting some of the kids I have closer relationships with and we quickly signed up 60 kids to bus up from Salem to go to the game.  We even have 20 more on a waiting list.

We then had to figure out how to get the kids to the game.  Tickets are great, but few of these kids have licenses, and even less have cars.  We talked to the school board and they offered to sign us up for a bus and pay for the gas.  Unfortunately we would still have to pay for a driver as well as the mileage/rental costs for the evening.  Totaling over $300, and having no resources budgeted for this, it looked like we may have to pass on this great opportunity.

On Wednesday I got a phone call from a community member who heard about our dilemma.  She promptly asked where to send a check and who to make it out to.  Hooray!!

I read this site every 3 days or so, and didn't even connect that it was this community that bought the tickets until yesterday evening.  I just want to thank this community from the depths of my heart.  Most of these kids don't have stable homes, money for decent clean clothes, the ability to maintain jobs etc..

This is such a blessing for the kids.  You should have seen the delight on some of their eyes when I asked them if they would like to go to a FREE Blazer game.

Thanks again.

Edit: to clarify I am not 100% sure the tickets came from B-edge, but the circumstantial evidence points in that direction.

So there have been a lot of posts/discussions about who we should be trying to trade for, but I am more interested in who we might pick up from free agency with our extra cap space.

And so, I have spent some days perusing potential free agents to be.

I think I just found the answer to our biggest problem.

First, I'd like to say that I think our biggest problem right now (and I feel lots of you will agree with me on this) is our defense.  Enter: defensive specialist Ron Artest.  Artest is going to be a free agent at the end of the year and I think he would be a great fit.  With just over 2 steals per game, and the ability to lock down players (remember what he did to Roy already this year) he would be an amazing addition to our defense.  Also his offense is nothing to scoff at.

And like I always say: "You can never have too many small forwards."

Anyway tell me what you think and list some other possible free agent pickups below.