A Red Hot Review

by mcmillion on Jun 12, 2007 11:23 AM PDT

I lieu of the magnificent front page of espn.com today, I thought I'd jump in with my review of the book, "Red Hot and Rollin" and the film "Fast Break."

I received this little slice of Blazer glory about 2 weeks ago for my birthday. It so happens that I have a bit of a connection with the editor of the book, Matt Love. My brother played a small part in helping him with ideas and research, and he has a close relationship with Love, being his former high school English teacher.

This book is grassroots literature in its purest form. There is nothing corporate or mainstream about it; and I can't see it being any other way. It is completely organic.

The most fascinating piece of the book is Love's interview with The Enforcer, Maurice Lucas. He reveals a bounty of information that will put you right in the center of the '77 team. He drops great stories about socking David Thompson in the kisser, the "what could have been" regarding Moses Malone, and plenty of other candid info that you won't find in the mainstream media.

It is beautiful to read the many perspectives from Blazer fans and those connected with the franchise at the time. Just when you think you've heard everything there is to know about the team, another story pops out and completely captivates your spirit. I was born in 1980, and was not a conscious Blazer fan until i was about 7 years old. Reading this book, I feel like I was alive and kickin' in 1977 with all of Blazermania.

The film "Fast Break" is worth the price of the book itself. I can not believe that Love was able to include this film with the book and keep the price at a mere 20 bucks. I would have paid 50. This film is by all means a diamond in the rough. Over the past 30 years it has sat virtually unknown and almost completely forgotten. In the TrueHoop blog today, Henry Abott did a nice job reviewing the film. For clips of the film, check out his blog on espn.com.

It should be made a law that all Blazer fans must read this book and watch the film. For me, it has increased my love for the Blazers even more... which I never thought was possible.

Tip of the cap to Matt Love... I strongly believe that your book is going to infuse new life into Blazermania. Not because it is nostalgic and causes us all to long for the "good ol' days", but because it reminds us all what this city can do for its only pro sports franchise if a unique product is put on the floor... it will embrace it like no other city in the United States can.

I hope that Kevin Pritchard, Paul Allen, and the rest of the Blazers' management team take time to read this book and get a glimpse of what Blazermania is all about.

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Comments

Whose your brother?

Given that Matt Love is an OCHS alum, which teacher would your brother be? (Few of the teachers from my era are still at OC--I graduated in '89--Love went through OCHS several years before...)

by EngineerScotty on Jun 12, 2007 11:32 AM PDT reply actions

my brother

was a student of Matt's at Hillsboro High School in '97.

by mcmillion on Jun 12, 2007 11:35 AM PDT reply actions

correction

i re-read what I had written and I see that I worded it incorrectly. Meant to say that Matt was my brother's English teacher in high school.

by mcmillion on Jun 12, 2007 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Ah...

If your brother was an English teacher at OCHS in the early eighties, he'd be about ready to retire now. :)

by EngineerScotty on Jun 12, 2007 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Mr. Love's Book

is the real deal. I can't get enough of this book. Bought it two days after Dave's recomendation, and I highly encourage everyone on this site to read it. With the feeling of Blazermania once again begining to swirl like a pinwheel through the city, this book is a fabulous reminder of just how big this team can get, and what it could possibly mean to the city and the state.

Things have changed a bit since the 70s, and I am not sure that the Blazers can become for Oregon what they were then. It's no joke to say that the championship was the biggest thing to hit our burg in the 20th century. This really rings through in the book, Mr. Love describes it as a once in a lifetime thing, almost a merging of energies and forces, never again to be replicated. Maybe he is right. Maybe that intensity of the event cannot happen again. But it's fun to think about, that is for sure.

The movie is very good, but a bit too "stoned" for me - wish I had seen it 15 years ago. Casey has a link to Henry's site with a interview with a director from the film, and it is certainly worth a read:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-25-44/Red-Hot-and-Rollin--Film.html

The film is certainly a worthy 2 hour venture though - and what a deal - $20 for a Blazer Movie and a Book.

Props to Mr. Love and his wonderful gift to Blazer History. Ready to pen another in a few years, Matt?

Ball Don't Lie

by bothteamsplayedhard on Jun 12, 2007 2:45 PM PDT reply actions