Name dropping
Got a chance to interview Martell Webster the other day. We completed an intricate handshake, I beat him in a game of HORSE and then he said I was his best friend.
Actually, he was at a local elementary school talking to 8-year olds who will each play as many minutes in the NBA this season as he will. Even though that same day Webster found out that he is officially done for the season due to a broken foot, he put on a good face for the kids, posed for pictures and talked to me for a solid 90 seconds which was a minute and a half more than he was obligated to or probably wanted to.
Afterwards, it got me to thinking. Anyone who has lived in or around Portland for 28 years is bound to have a lot of random encounters with Trail Blazers. Now, I never got to roll the bones on the corner of 82nd St. with J.R. Rider or help Gary Trent brain someone with a pool cue at a Portland bar but I do have some very impressive Blazers sightings.
Chris Dudley: He is an assistant coach of one of the high school teams I cover, goes to my mom's church (as does former radio announcer Bill Schonely) and once sat a few rows in front of me on a plane. We're basically brothers at this point. The 7-footer was somehow flying coach by the way.
Buck Williams: Saw him running to catch a plane at the PDX airport or perhaps trying to track down an exceptionally long rebound.
Sergio Rodriguez: Saw him two weeks ago at a French bakery in Lake Oswego. I assume he was picking up a baguette for Nicolas Batum.
Damon Stoudamire: Saw him multiple times driving his infamous yellow hummer "The Bongmobile" in various locations.
Terry Porter: Trick-or-treated at his house in 6th grade. He was not home.
Mike Dunleavy: Saw the former coach four-putt the 8th hole while working at the Oregon Golf Club. I'm sure he gave himself a 3. (Bonus sighting: Shelbi once waited on him at Chili's and his credit card was declined.)
Jerome Kersey: Also seen at the Oregon Golf Club. He was testing the limits and capacities of our golf carts.
A guy who looked like Mark Bryant: Seen at a 7-11. I was 12 years old and saw a comparatively tall black man in West Linn. I assumed it was a Trail Blazer.
Derek Anderson: Seen at a Shari's Restaurant on the day he missed a game because he was supposedly bed-ridden with a sinus infection.
Channing Frye: Saw him walking into a bar downtown and I was kind of hoping he would blog about me.
Alaa Abdelnaby: My favorite random Blazer sighting of all time. Seen at the G.I. Joe's on McLoughlin Blvd. The managers were sucking up to the Blazers' all-time leader in alphabeticalness. You were betting on the wrong horse fellas.
The Egyptian Conniption: Alaa Abdelnaby
Actually, he was at a local elementary school talking to 8-year olds who will each play as many minutes in the NBA this season as he will. Even though that same day Webster found out that he is officially done for the season due to a broken foot, he put on a good face for the kids, posed for pictures and talked to me for a solid 90 seconds which was a minute and a half more than he was obligated to or probably wanted to.
Afterwards, it got me to thinking. Anyone who has lived in or around Portland for 28 years is bound to have a lot of random encounters with Trail Blazers. Now, I never got to roll the bones on the corner of 82nd St. with J.R. Rider or help Gary Trent brain someone with a pool cue at a Portland bar but I do have some very impressive Blazers sightings.
Chris Dudley: He is an assistant coach of one of the high school teams I cover, goes to my mom's church (as does former radio announcer Bill Schonely) and once sat a few rows in front of me on a plane. We're basically brothers at this point. The 7-footer was somehow flying coach by the way.
Buck Williams: Saw him running to catch a plane at the PDX airport or perhaps trying to track down an exceptionally long rebound.
Sergio Rodriguez: Saw him two weeks ago at a French bakery in Lake Oswego. I assume he was picking up a baguette for Nicolas Batum.
Damon Stoudamire: Saw him multiple times driving his infamous yellow hummer "The Bongmobile" in various locations.
Terry Porter: Trick-or-treated at his house in 6th grade. He was not home.
Mike Dunleavy: Saw the former coach four-putt the 8th hole while working at the Oregon Golf Club. I'm sure he gave himself a 3. (Bonus sighting: Shelbi once waited on him at Chili's and his credit card was declined.)
Jerome Kersey: Also seen at the Oregon Golf Club. He was testing the limits and capacities of our golf carts.
A guy who looked like Mark Bryant: Seen at a 7-11. I was 12 years old and saw a comparatively tall black man in West Linn. I assumed it was a Trail Blazer.
Derek Anderson: Seen at a Shari's Restaurant on the day he missed a game because he was supposedly bed-ridden with a sinus infection.
Channing Frye: Saw him walking into a bar downtown and I was kind of hoping he would blog about me.
Alaa Abdelnaby: My favorite random Blazer sighting of all time. Seen at the G.I. Joe's on McLoughlin Blvd. The managers were sucking up to the Blazers' all-time leader in alphabeticalness. You were betting on the wrong horse fellas.
The Egyptian Conniption: Alaa Abdelnaby
Alaa Abdelnaby: Red Robin right after he joined the Blazers (pre-season.) I got his autograph. He was tall.
Clyde Drexler (sweet!): Lewis and Clark campus. I was there for a swimming lesson. I think he was teaching at a basketball camp. I got his autograph too (as a result of my mom's encouragement.)
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What about our Channing Frye sighting after your reunion?
Michael and I also were on a flight with Greg Oden from Denver to Portland the week before they announced he'd be out all of last season. He was in first class, as I think it's literally impossible for his knees to fit in a coach seat. Come to think of it, could that have been the cause of his microfracture??
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I did mention our Channing Frye sighting. What I did not mention, however, it that I thought it was LaMarcus Aldridge until you assured me it was Channing Frye.
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Sorry bout that! I'd also add that he went to the holiday party at Michael's company last year. He looked pretty preppy in a Ralph Lauren V-neck sweater.
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Very fun - I never knew you had seen all those Blazers. The only one I have for sure is Chris Dudley. I've even talked to him!
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Yes, but did you ever live two doors down from former opening day starting 2-guard, and all time leading scorer for the New Mexico State Lobos, one, Mr. Chaaaaaarlessssss Smith!!!!
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I once saw Joel Przybilla at Circuit City right after "the Przy?" signed. Being a fellow Minnesotan I thought about pounding fists, but passed. The guy behind the counter confided in me that he thought "that tall guy just blew his whole paycheck on a plasma".
Nice blog, Shelbi mentioned it to my wife.
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