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Act 1

Basketball

Is

The

Most

Beautiful

Sport.

You

Expect

Me

To

Write

After

That?

It was halfway through the fourth quarter of an exhibition game, a 30 point blowout, and I absolutely did not want it to end.  Time: move slower so this moment stretches.

Dunk Parade.

Forever.

I could have stayed all night. I cannot wait for tomorrow.

I could have slept in a chair in an empty Rose Garden.

I was warned not to overhype the first game. Nate told me to keep the result in perspective and that the team had a lot to work on.  The radio guys were quick to remind me that tonight's exhibition doesn't matter in the win and loss column.

Cool.  

Good luck with that.

You can't feign joy.  

You can feign happiness.

You can't feign joy.

I just spent the last 45 minutes walking around in a daze, listening to Nate in a daze, watching Brandon and Greg take this in stride in a daze, driving home in a daze, typing this in a daze.  

Red, black and white.  That was us out there.  That was Portland.

The fans.  Standing ovations. For at least half the team at various points throughout the night.  That was us out there.  That was Portland.

The press.  Unable to keep the mandatory composure, hands thrown in the air, heads shaking, stat sheets placed on top of the head (that was me), joking, laughing, giggling, awe-struck, seeking some perspective, eschewing that perspective, settling back, having fun, having a laugh, taking it in, absorbing the moment, this team is awesome.

It was past poetry, I'm not sure what is past poetry, but this was.  Choreographed.  Ruthless. Efficient. Emphatic.  

If you had a pulse, and you were there, you will remember tonight, no matter what happens the rest of this season.     

Go ahead, come through, be cynical, mock, downplay, whatever.  

Good luck with that.  

You can have that.  

I will take this. I will treasure this.

This was a crowning achievement, not because of what it was, but because of what this can become.  

See you tomorow.

-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)

12 recs | Comment 44 comments

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Rec'd it.

“Rec’d what?”

“THAT one.”

"Mister Oden is a very, very big human being." - Jerryd Bayless

by QualityPie on Oct 7, 2008 11:12 PM PDT   1 recs

I want

a THAT one ‘08 bumber sticker, but i’ll settle for a “that one” #5 jersey.

nice work ben, by the way

by microrapture on Oct 8, 2008 7:06 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I can't decide which quote from Ben and Dave's latest posts I like the most

but if we’re all this excited about one preseason game, I can’t wait til next Spring!

"It was halfway through the fourth quarter of an exhibition game, a 30 point blowout, and I absolutely did not want it to end. Time: move slower so this moment stretches.

Dunk Parade.

Forever."

-Ben

"...our second unit is probably going to be a little better than your second unit…and by "probably going to be a little better than" I mean "is going to crush like a dump truck running over an empty beer can""

"YOU MOVE NOW! GREG DUNK BIG!"

-Dave

by Magnum on Oct 7, 2008 11:13 PM PDT   0 recs

Perfect

This was exactly my feelings leaving the Rose Garden tonight. I was in awe through the entirety of this game. We aren’t paper tigers. We are, or at least can be THAT good. Rudy is amazing, Greg did enough to comfort everyone and make us realize it wasn’t all hype. Martell legs must’ve recently been infused with jumping juice. This is one of those performances, no matter what happens from here on out, you’ll remember. This is the start of something great, something historic. Years from now, we’ll be telling our kids about these guys. And it has just begun…

by as11osu on Oct 7, 2008 11:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Nate McMillan: MVP

Between screaming and shouting Ole!!! for every single Rudy highlight, I could barely keep track of the substitutions Nate was making. I can’t count the number of lineups he showed tonight, but there were so many that I can’t even remember if he EVER used the same lineup more than twice. I haven’t looked at the stat sheet, but I am fairly certain that nobody broke 30 minutes tonight. He got almost every possible group out there, and the constantly shifting lineups may have been the straw that broke the Kings’ back as much as anything. Did anyone get the same impression that I did in that this was almost textbook Team USA style of play? Watching the Olympics initially gave me the idea that Nate could maximize the depth advantage of our team by playing a similar style, and that is what I saw tonight. For that , I give him tonight’s MVP.

College Football Doghouse warden: Why are you here?

Me: I got kicked in the nuts by a 5-7 beaver.

by premthegrem on Oct 7, 2008 11:21 PM PDT   0 recs

I'm going to try and start a chant

“OLEEEEE OLE OLE OLEEEEEE, OLEEEEEEE, OLEEEEEE” when Rudy does something spectacular.

by JordanLeDoux on Oct 8, 2008 12:39 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

you should tape yourself

so you don’t scream yourself hoarse.

College Football Doghouse warden: Why are you here?

Me: I got kicked in the nuts by a 5-7 beaver.

by premthegrem on Oct 8, 2008 1:23 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Shout out to Pryz, the forgotten one...

……………………………. 7 points and TWELVE rebounds in 22 minutes!

"It's not a joke -- it's not a game." — B-Rex

by timbo on Oct 7, 2008 11:23 PM PDT   0 recs

YES

The Board Gobbler…man, do we have a great backup center or what?

by jamon51 on Oct 8, 2008 12:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ben, I had exactly the same problem with words. Words are just not enough.

I was completely slack jawed by this game.

If this was even a very small indicator of what this season will be like – whoooeeeeee!

LMA>LA! LMA is da MAN!
LaMazing! LaMarkable! LaMarvelous! LaMagnificent! LaMonster!
This is your year LMA – this is your year!
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
Chris Morrisette - Trailblazer Troubadour Extraordinair!
"LMA was easily the best player on the court. Good thing he’s on our team, since we obviously have no one that can guard him." - Engineering Problem

by LaMarvelous on Oct 7, 2008 11:23 PM PDT   0 recs

this game was amazing.

I want to press rewind and live this night over and over and over again.

Simply incredible.

KP, you made a me a believer.

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 7, 2008 11:25 PM PDT   0 recs

I really like

how you wrote this up. my hat off to you.
I’m in LA, but I feel the Rose Garden excitement even here, thanks to BEdge.
Huzzah!

by Saba on Oct 7, 2008 11:28 PM PDT   0 recs

Yes Ben

a thousand times YES! Exactly, nuff said. Freaking awesome! Restraining the words that will get me banned as they bubble up unbidden from the depths of my Blazerfanatic soul. Thank you KP thank you Nate thank you Brandon, Greg LMA Rudy et al!

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Oct 7, 2008 11:33 PM PDT   0 recs

And here I was trying to hold back my excitement.

I had a bit of an impulse today and went ahead and bought two 100 level tickets for me and my wife as a sort of impromptu date. Wow, what a treat. The anticipation before Greg’s first points was palpable and electric, and when he slammed it home it was like a bolt of lightning streaking out of a burgeoning thunder cloud.

I keep trying to remind myself that this didn’t matter, that the Kings were short-handed, and a lot of other mood tempering comments, but the fact is that tonight was important. We got to see this team made whole, and KP’s plan made real.

And let me just say, we don’t need any “icing” for this cake.

by nikolokolus on Oct 7, 2008 11:39 PM PDT   0 recs

A season's worth of highlights...

In one preseason game. We’ll be seeing some of those plays over and over this year. They deserve to be replayed forever. I’m in awe. Totally in awe. I laughed so hard at one point that I cried. I got asthma. I thought I had a stroke from yelling. I spilled part of an $8 drink on myself. It was heavenly.

by FlyingOutlaw on Oct 7, 2008 11:57 PM PDT   0 recs

Ahhh

It’s a shame when a small Diet Pepsi gets spilt. But all in the name of fandom, I suppose.

—Dave

by Dave on Oct 7, 2008 11:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Small diet pepsi? Where you drinking at Dave?

8$ at the Garden buy’s you a kid’s cup

Of Water

# 10 Top Charles Barkley Quote: On the Portland Trail Blazers (back when they were known as the Jail Blazers) serving Thanksgiving meals: "In between arrests they do community service."

by BlazermaniacAndy on Oct 8, 2008 11:18 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

unfiltered w/ no ice

"Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcreaft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians. [speech at GOP Presidential Convention 1992] Rev. Pat Robertson

by BlazerFan1 on Oct 8, 2008 4:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Pure Poetry Ben...

Great post. I was lucky to be witness, albeit up in the 300 section, one of the most memorable nights in the Rose Garden.

It’s safe to say your post exudes most of our reaction after attending this game. Tomorrow’s game might not be the same, but tonight will always be unique.

I won’t be sleeping much tonight, and I don’t care. Blazers were the first highlight and section on SportsCenter tonight. You can see the King’s reaction when Oden started playing, “holy crap, he’s a rookie and he’s that big…” and after Rudy takes down the house with the alley-oop, “that white kid can jump???”

Dave, love you and all, but I’m not tempering exectations…

82 and 0 baby!!!! That’s why we love the Blazers and love our sports…It fulfills something that’s hard to find nowadays: hope, dreams, loft goals, unrealistic expectations, prosperity, unity, community, and the inability to express one’s happiness…

Go Blazers!

by broyposse on Oct 8, 2008 12:23 AM PDT   0 recs

Yes!!!

Great stuff, Ben.

Wonder how many people who laughed when some of us predicted 55 wins feel a little twinge of nervousness that we just might have been right. This team is going to be awesome when things are clicking.

The most amazing thing about my amazing ego is I have amazingly little about which to be egotistical.
The pick and roll this year will emphasize "roll" followed by "dunk", followed by the wailings and lamentations of your women.

by jscot on Oct 8, 2008 12:34 AM PDT   0 recs

What's John Hollinger's phone number?

Just in case.

"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics

by MiledAnimal on Oct 8, 2008 2:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

shoot whats his address? I'll glady travel to his place and dwelling w/ my steaming piece of humble pie for him :)

"Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcreaft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians. [speech at GOP Presidential Convention 1992] Rev. Pat Robertson

by BlazerFan1 on Oct 8, 2008 4:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Great post

I felt the same way. What a joy!

It was just an exhibition game, but it was a night to savior the pure thrill of the game, of seeing our team do amazing things. Passing. Dribbling. Dunking. Defense. All of it.

The alley-oop reverse layin by Rudy is the one that sent me over the edge. Saw it coming. Saw Rudy cutting to the basket before Sergio made the pass. I thought, “nah, it’s too obvious. They already got one alley-oop dunk. The Kings can’t let the Spaniards show them up again.” And, yet, Sergio makes the pass.. With the ball in the air, it still looks like it won’t work… like it’s too good to be true (just as this team is too good to be true), but somehow Rudy catches the ball and flips it over his head into the hoop. I screamed, “No f————— way!” Giggled. Kicked my feet. It’s too good to be true, but it’s true. At least for one night. A great night.

by PoliSam on Oct 8, 2008 12:35 AM PDT   0 recs

My wife was looking at me oddly

as I was watching the game on that hacked stream from Sacramento and startling the baby every time the Blazers made a play.

by jamon51 on Oct 8, 2008 12:45 AM PDT   0 recs

I'm still smiling.

It just won’t go away.

"You just WATCHED history No need to study it! You LIVED it."
Mortimer

by faith on Oct 8, 2008 1:56 AM PDT   0 recs

Me too...

I can’t get over the box score….

Besides only one rebound for my man Ike, and his 3 point shot attempt (what the heck is he doing out there?) I cannot find too much wrong.

If I were the rest of the league, reading 32 assists to 39 made shts and 11 turnovers…I would maybe be a little afraid…get the turnovers down to 8 or so and man oh man.

the Spanish contributors on this board are hellah cool

by G_dubs on Oct 8, 2008 2:43 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so far I've imortalized the moments of last night, by...

printing off 2 of every single picture of oden on this site…I’ve saved the kgw video feed on my work computer (better move that to a disk), and I can’t get rudy’s back door pass to martell off of my screen saver….not that I want too, but the boss lady gave me funny looks this morning.

ah, the moments are too many, and I have not enough time.

"You just WATCHED history No need to study it! You LIVED it."
Mortimer

by faith on Oct 8, 2008 1:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank you Kevin Pritchard

fyi

I have seen Rudy play live twice now. And in both games he did a through the legs of a defender pass. I think im in love. Cannot wait to go back to the Garden and see what our boys have in store for the warriors.

by Sabonis4Ever on Oct 8, 2008 3:04 AM PDT   0 recs

I think that I'm in loooooooove

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 8, 2008 7:10 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OMG, that was a preseason game?

I was so filled with glee I was beside myself. Saw Rudy’s first alleyoop from Sergio from a mile away. Sergio was at the three-point line and as soon as Rudy made his first step toward the baseline I knew what was about to happen. OMG that was awesome! I must declare my man-crush on Rudy to the world. I cannot contain it anymore!

by david1978pdx on Oct 8, 2008 7:54 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Too oooo ooooo amazing.
I’ve never been so amped … well, not that I can recall.
Had trouble sleeping.
Still jazzed this morning.

PryzOden is REJECTOR

http://www.myspace.com/y5k

by Y5k on Oct 8, 2008 7:43 AM PDT   0 recs

I'm with you Ben...

…That was amazing fun. That was pre-season. That was one loud rocking Rose Garden. What is the regular season going to be like? How many times was I left shouting “OOOOOOOOOoohohooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” last night while thinking, “Did I just see what I think I saw?” and looking up for the replay to verify what just happened. Last year, Brandon made me do that a couple times. Last night, the team (and Rudy in particular) had my head on a swivel and my voice hoarse.

OMG!

by TLF_Big_Papi on Oct 8, 2008 7:55 AM PDT   0 recs

I was a witness

And will always remember the game that showed how skilled this team really is. Brandon Roy had 1 miss, but otherwise was PERFECT. Oden is too big for teams to handle. LMA had a bad game and still impacted the game. Rudy…speechless. Travis and Pryz had very solid efforts as well, Webster had great d, Bayless was typical bulldog self, and Ike was…ah forget it.

BTW, our defense will win 45 games alone this season. It was that tight. The shots in the first half the Kings made? Meh, most were contested. But they couldn’t even breath without someone in their face from the second quarter on. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Rise with us, rip city is returning!

Oden and LaMarcus and Roy, oh my!

by Quik_Baller on Oct 8, 2008 10:24 AM PDT   0 recs

I tend to watch specific players on D

And Martell looked vastly improved,Batum looked like he knew what he was doing,they ran up that early lead going right at Sergio and where in the world did the Rudy cant D up nonsense come from?

by southern oregon on Oct 8, 2008 11:37 AM PDT   0 recs

Ben this was past poetry, good job capturing the feeling

see you tonight

# 10 Top Charles Barkley Quote: On the Portland Trail Blazers (back when they were known as the Jail Blazers) serving Thanksgiving meals: "In between arrests they do community service."

by BlazermaniacAndy on Oct 8, 2008 11:38 AM PDT   0 recs

This post triggers memories of Hillsboro airport, May 1990...

This may be the most pure sports blog post I have ever read.

I almost teared the F up with joy, and was somehow reminded of a picture I still have from 1990.

Hillsboro airport in the middle of the night. A joyful crowd awaits the landing of Blazer 1 after the Blazers win the Western Conference IN PHOENIX in 6.

My 14-year-old brother holding up his “Blazers Reign in Phoenix” sign.

The look in that kid’s eyes is what Ben wrote in this post.

We are back, baby.

by jerome glide porterworth on Oct 8, 2008 12:55 PM PDT   0 recs

One of the best...

We had the perfect first quarter in 1990 against San Antonio. We followed that up with three more last night against Sacramento…18 years later.

Good things (like scotch) take time to mature.

by DonkeyShins on Oct 8, 2008 1:04 PM PDT   0 recs

and people.

alot like wine, only get better with age.

tih kinda shoots the crap out of that theory though.

"You just WATCHED history No need to study it! You LIVED it."
Mortimer

by faith on Oct 8, 2008 1:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

For every bottle that matures...

…there are dozens that turn to vinegar.

I’m kidding, Tom…love ya like a brother…the kind you lock in the attic. ;-)

by DonkeyShins on Oct 8, 2008 8:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Bravo Ben

Sometimes in life there are things that are billed as “special.” Marketers and salesmen will pitch these things to us as the greatest things since sliced bread and many times they are slight improvements on previous things.

Only rarely is there a quantum leap forward in a synergistic way that the previous incarnation is not just the previous item with some things taken off and some better things added on, but rather a completely new product alltogether.

This may be blind homerism on my part and if it is I apologize, but seeing what this team transformed into last year, the 3rd youngest team all time almost having a winning record, the character of the team and the coach. The genius of the Gm and the wealth and willingness of the owner to do what is nessicary.

All of these things are leading me to believe that the hype is slowly starting to fade away and what we really have is coming into view: Such a collection of young talent that has grown with each other as to maximize their abilities and strengths. A culture that will overachieve rather than underachieve.

To put it shortly, something very special.

Detractors will point out that we beat the kings and without Miller and Martin, but as the games go on, the detractors will slowly realize that as this team grows and matures in front of our eyes, it will be like a tidal wave, slowly building far offshore gaining speed and momentum until one day it will hit with devastating force the NBA.

The wave has already started and we just have to wait for it to hit and when it does there will be nothing to stop us.

The season cannot get here soon enough.

by SpyderRyder on Oct 8, 2008 1:52 PM PDT   0 recs

So Ben

Think the outcome would have been that electric if we had drafted your boy instead?

No way, no how. Even without Rudy, I’ll admit I was wrong to want Durant.

When should we expect your official repentance?

: )

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Oct 8, 2008 2:27 PM PDT   0 recs

When should we expect your official repentance?

when im spraying greg with champagne in the locker room.

honor terry porter

by Ben. on Oct 8, 2008 3:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL

Maybe he’ll be spraying you with champagne.

The most amazing thing about my amazing ego is I have amazingly little about which to be egotistical.
The pick and roll this year will emphasize "roll" followed by "dunk", followed by the wailings and lamentations of your women.

by jscot on Oct 8, 2008 3:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so a couple months then?

"Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcreaft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians. [speech at GOP Presidential Convention 1992] Rev. Pat Robertson

by BlazerFan1 on Oct 8, 2008 4:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

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