As you know, the game isn't the only story brewing in the Rose Garden tonight. This is the night when the Blazers officially retire #30 in honor of Terry Porter.
Before we get into the TP memories, a hearty congratulations to our own Ben Golliver who has been waiting (and campaigning) for this moment for as long as he's been with us. Ben will get a chance to be there when that jersey rises to the rafters. It'll be a special night in more ways than one.
Personally I remember Terry as a player who had ice in his veins. He almost never missed a critical free throw. He was never afraid to take the deciding shot. He wasn't slated for greatness coming out of college. In fact few people had heard his name, as evidenced by half of the national announcers calling him "Kevin" on a regular basis. He parlayed that into a gutsy, smart 17-year playing career and became a coach afterwards. He showed everyone.
If you want more Porter memories you can check out this post from back in June. You are invited to share your fondest TP memories in the comment section.
For now we'll say that the honor is well-deserved. Terry Porter rightly takes his place tonight as one of the best and most popular players ever to grace our uniform. Congratulations Terry, and thank you.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)