Blazers PA Announcer Mark Mason Loved Rose Garden's Booing Of Knicks G Raymond Felton

Sarah Mollner of TheRipCitizens.com has an extended interview with Portland Trail Blazers Public Address Announcer Mark Mason.

We're delighted to share this Rip Citizens bonus track featuring an interview with Blazers announcer Mark Mason. He recently called his 700th consecutive Blazer game (pre-season not included) and our producer Sarah Mollner sat down for a chat about his milestone.

Mark discusses a variety of topics, including his role in the fan's game experience, how he got his start, why he says certain names in a certain tone, and the various in-game ‘Easter eggs' to notice during a live Blazer game.

The interview is full of tidbits that will interest you if you attend games in person at the Rose Garden.

One highlight: Mason just loved it when New York Knicks guard Raymond Felton was booed in his return to Portland. The Rose Garden booed Felton during all four quarters of his first return visit after a disastrous 2011-12 season.

Those feelings came up in a discussion of how to announce the other team's players during introductions and during the game.

I learned the hard way that you don't insult the other [team's] players. You don't talk them up and you don't talk them down. I always do their introductions straight and you do it respectfully.

If the crowd boos, that's great, let them get into it. I love it when the crowd gets into the game during introductions. They boo, like Raymond Felton the other night. People were thinking that was beneath Portland. I thought, this is awesome. They didn't let go of him, through four quarters. I've never seen that. Talk about things you've never seen. Wow, that's just fantastic. That means they were into it.

You're respectful, if they make a basket, it's always low key. You just say their name. Kobe Bryant. That's it. You don't give them anything to go on. Because these guys have egos. If you disrespect them, they will use that to motivate them.

One night I mispronounced Matt Harpring's name. I was dyslexic, I called him Mark Harpring. That's all. It happens. My brain was somewhere else. He came up and complained to me, he really got in my grill. I just kind of blew him off, 'I'm dyslexic, I'm sorry about that.' It pissed him off, he scored 28 points against us and it cost us the game. I thought I've got to remember, try not to mispronounce it, never give them any ammo to motivate them.

Harpring had 20 points in a Dec. 2005 win in Portland and 29 points in an April 2006 win over the Blazers in Utah.

Listen to the podcast at this link of stream it below.

Image via KCBY.com

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter