Awesome 'Jailblazer' Stories

[picc84]

Told by a writer who used to cover the team during the peak years. Here's an excerpt, and much more in the link. These guys were certifiable nuts!

Another time, in the visiting locker room in Dallas, I had Rasheed Wallace threaten to punch me after a playoff-game loss. Deadline was approaching, I’m the only writer in the locker room and I’m asking Rasheed questions, and he whips around, and tells me to get out of his space or he’s going to punch me out. At that point, his teammates are all looking to see how I react, and in no way am I going to back down. I’m looking at Rasheed, and thinking if he takes a swing I’m going to try and stuff him into the locker behind him if only because journalists everywhere need me to man up in that situation. Either that, or I’m going to get knocked out and blow my deadline. So I tell him I’m not moving. I just stand there, holding my notepad and recorder, and we’re staring at each other. He eventually storms past me to the shower, and while he’s gone Zach Randolph, a rookie then, leans in to me and says, “When ‘sheed comes back, make sure you don’t have your back to him. He’ll sucker punch you.” The great irony is that a month later Randolph sucker-punched Ruben Patterson during a practice breaking his eye socket. Someone was holding Patterson’s arms when Randolph threw the haymaker. There was a period of a few days after that incident where Randolph hid out at Dale Davis’ house because he feared that Patterson was going to try and shoot him.

http://thebiglead.com/?p=5319

Check out the story about the two foreigner players who were trying to sign to the blazers. The czech guy and the korean guy. Classic comedy awesomeness.

[DuMa]

hahah those were the days.

[InspiredLebowski]

Dale Davis, always the protector.

[JordanL]

I like the story about Reuben Patterson stealing some guy's luggage.

That was the Jailblazers to a T.

[picc84]

The luggage was there, why wouldn't he take it?

[yeesterbunny]

wow....such a hostile environment. i wonder if pippen was crazy like that too when he was with portland...

[Dasher]

There needs to be a televised Jailblazer reunion special.

[Showtime]

There needs to be a televised Jailblazer reunion special.

Hosted by Springer.

[JordanL]

wow....such a hostile environment. i wonder if pippen was crazy like that too when he was with portland...

Yeah, back in the Jailblazers days, the team was hostile to fans even.

One time, a fan came to the Rose Garden with a sign that read "Trade Whitsit", who was the moron of a GM we were stuck with. He was almost singly responsible for the mess of personalities and players we had, and the tone the franchise took.

The fan was ejected from the game for waving the sign.

The people in Portland were so upset by that incident, that Paul Allen basically fired Whitsit, (and by fired I mean made him the GM of the Seahawks), even with no proper replacement, which led to the few years where our coach/GM situation was pretty weird.

Course now things are different, but man, the whole franchise was downright dispicable back in the day.

[InspiredLebowski]

I just wanted to say current genius GM Kevin Pritchard is from Bloomington, IN. We're still the Mecca of basketball.

[JordanL]

I just wanted to say current genius GM Kevin Pritchard is from Bloomington, IN. We're still the Mecca of basketball.

:)

He also did work on the Spurs for a while.

But yeah, Pritchard is easily GM of the year... possibly GM of the last two years.

[InspiredLebowski]

:)

He also did work on the Spurs for a while.

But yeah, Pritchard is easily GM of the year... possibly GM of the last two years.

The Blazers give me much hope as a Pacer fan. They were in much worse shape with the off the court problems than we currently are, and they turned it all around 180 degrees pretty quickly. If they don't win a title within the next 6 or so years then either someone got seriously injured or the league really is rigged.

Then again we have Larry Bird running our franchise.

[Myth]

I miss those days......................... wait? No I don't!

[Dasher]

I wish I could have seen Ha swing that staff. That fight had to be an awesome sight.

[Myth]

I wish I could have seen Ha swing that staff. That fight had to be an awesome sight.

Too bad he turned it over just like the ball.