Well, it's hard for me to decide, but I think my favorite, mostly because he was the first Blazer I ever met, and was super nice, Duckworth was my Fave of All Time. Choosing my least favorite is more difficult. isaiah rider, Bonzi, Sheed, Randolph, and Miles as well as a few others I expect to get a lot of votes, but I actually like all Blazers, even the boneheads listed above. But if I have to choose one, it would have to be Rider.
Favorite - Walton. My family moved out west from NC the summer of 1976. I was already a Bball nut and the magical season led by his superior talent ingrained a love for the Blazers. I loved his passion and was in awe of his game. Least - Damon. The all time bonehead. I first saw him in HS vs mine. We won and he showed zero class generally acting like the pouty punk he grew up to be. I recall when he announced his college intentions for Arizona at a press conference he was asked by a reporter... "both Oregon schools offered you, is there a reason you've decided to leave the state?" He replied "Why would I drive a Yugo when I can drive a Cadillac?" Classic Damon needlessly crapping the bed. While he had some talent as a jumpshooter who could create his own shot, dude also had major holes in his game that prevented me from ever really seeing the appeal of him as a player. The big ego + 10¢ head, average at best game and gargantuan contract just had me dreading him being a Blazer. His relationship with Quick was especially disgusting as time and again he'd put selfish interests before the team's. STOMP
Favorite - when I was a kid, it was Uncle Cliffy; he was a rookie when I started watching Blazer games, so we kind of "grew up" together. Plus, he was super nice when he signed his rookie card for me at the Beaverton Fred Meyer. Later on, I totally loved Joel, and nowadays, LaMarcus is my guy. Least Favorite - Derek "Dental Pain" Anderson. First time I was ever thoroughly disappointed in a player for phoning it in. Stick Theo in there too.
Favorite: Drazen Petrovic. I imitated his free throw routine back in Jr. High. just loved that he was a foreign player, puttin' up those 3s. Least: Demon Sodamizer. fucking whiny ass rat.
Seems like we've re-hashed these kinds of threads many times this offseason, but whatever, I'm game. Favorite- Tie between Rod Strickland and Brian Grant Least favorite- Bayless
Favorite - Brian Grant. Just about the nicest guy you'll ever meet, and a true warrior. Least favorite - Rod Strickland. Complete asshole. When I was in Middle School the Blazers were taking turns visiting the schools around the city. This was in 1992 or 1993. Somehow our school got skipped, so when the Blazers found out they asked Rod to come out and do an assembly. The guy was a complete tool. He didn't want to be there. He acted like a spoiled brat. It really stuck with me. Later on I went to a Blazers basketball camp at Lewis and Clark and it was much of the same thing. Rod being a douchebag.
Fave: tie: Terry Porter and Sabonis Least fave: tie: Kenny Anderson and Ruben Patterson (just beating out JR Rider)
I met a guy in Atlanta who'd gone to HS with Damon and said EVERYONE hated him. Plus he ditched that High School for a "Cadillac" High School.
Rod Strickland was on our route for our food drive. He answered the door and gave a few cans, was pretty cool about it.
Is this favorite player, or favorite person? I like how those players play, not necessarily what they do off the court. I like how Strickland played with wreckless abandon. I remember one time Wayman Tisdale clotheslined him and it looked like he took his head off. Rod got up and acted like nothing happened. Phoenix was caught off guard. Strickland always had this look on his face like he took knife hits before the game.
Favorite: That's a tough one. I might have to say Petrie. Beautiful shot. As a little kid, I learned to shoot watching him. No telling how many points he'd have scored with the three point line, and that punk $amon would never have touched his single-game record. Close second is Bobby Gross, and the obvious, Walton and Lucas. Also have a soft spot for Lloyd Neal. The unheralded Neal played undersized center for us when LaRue Who? bombed, and did a remarkable job. If anyone deserved to be part of that championship team, it was Lloyd Neal. Least Favorite: $amon. See below, and more that I won't bother typing.
