Boy are you missing the circumstances, nuances, dynamics and everything else that went into how it all played out. There are valid reasons for drafting the way we did. You're playing shoulda, woulda, coulda 50 years after the fact.....
Holy cow...1984 was not just THE miss on Jordan, but who the Kerfupple thought #19 Bernard Thompson was a better choice over #20 Tony Campbell, or #26 Victor Fleming as an option over #27 Ron Anderson, amongst other whiffs #39 Danny Young. At least they got 1 right that year with Kersey.
@UncleCliffy'sDaddy, I greatly appreciate your insight and respect you as a poster. For background, I have been on this site since '06, so yes I have read many, upon many, years of posts. Anyways, my reason for posting this thread is that I just thought it was interesting. My intentions are to bring light to the circumstances, nuances, and dynamics that altered the draft as for me, I was not present 'nor alive. I am an avid Blazer fan, have lived in the Multnomah county since I was born here in '84 and remember so many good memories about the Blazers, as well as some crumby heartbreaking ones. I have come to this site since '06 because I have always valued the input from posters such as yourself, for the personal knowledge you have. Sidenote: I grew up playing basketball on gravel with...a headband on...pretending to be Cliff. I idolized him. I used to pretend I was him playing 1:1 vs Jordan. Lol...oh the days. So yeah, again...no shade please. Just love.
For many of these draft choices I completely get it, like @UncleCliffy'sDaddy is saying it can’t just be looked at as a 50 year later could have been scenario, but in some instances I am really interested in what happened or what the thought was in a matchup such as LaRue Martin vs McAdoo which was a big vs big and not a fit position like SG vs PF, etc. Now I know about that one and as I am looking it seems many of the later round draft picks were just players that went to colleges/universities in Oregon and likely chosen for that reason?
Not trying to throw shade. It's just that there ARE nuances and circumstances. We were ALL salty about taking Martin but we were even saltier about McAdoo jerking us around. It hurt our provincial pride. So even though we loved his game and wished he played it in a Portland jersey, we had a huge "f**k that guy" attitude for a few years. And Bowie fit a need. If he had stayed healthy, it would not have looked anywhere near as bad as it did. And Bowie eventually got us Buck. So there is that. And yes, back in the days of the 10 round draft, teams would take flyers on local kids in the later rounds. It was kind of a loyalty thing, and when you start getting that low in the draft, how big of a gamble is it really?
And little known factoid is that Goo Kennedy's real name was Eugene. I remembered without having to "Goo"gle it......(yeah, Dad joke, but WTF, I'm 70).
I LOVE this. Thank you not even 24 hrs into posting this thread and I have already learned a great deal from you and @Phatguysrule, so I really appreciate you posting (amongst others).
lol, this is great! Being 40 and sitting here with my twin two year olds (boy and girl) I completely can get down with some dad jokes.
Gotta disagree. Portland (Stu Inman) hit it outta the park with Geoff Petrie. The guy was incredibly good and would have been even better had he played during the 3 point shot era........and had his knees held up longer than 6-7 years....and Sidney Wicks was a no brainer. The guy was a stud.
Another "who remembers this stupid shit after all these years" moment.....Greg Starrick was drafted (Round 10, 1971) because he led the nation in free throw percentage that year and Portland was terrible at free throws the previous season. Probably where Schonz came up with his "You've GOT to make your free throws" shtick........
I need to watch some (more) film on Petrie and Wicks. I know them as iconic names, but not in the context like you provided.
These are the type of things that really do bring light to the draft choices. That makes total sense and the connection to Schonz is just the cherry on top. Thank you again for taking the time to post. I really appreciate it. I'll take all the "stupid shit" you can muster.
I am definitely seeing this now...'83-'86 with Drexler, Kersey, Porter, Sabonis, Petrovic...WOW. That team would have really been good IF Sabas came at that time.
1986, Ouch. With Rodman it could have really been something (since Sabas was always staying overseas). Drexler, Kersey, Porter, Rodman...add Jordan and rim protector Manute Bol....Mark Price.....Drazen...damn...what a team. Would they even need a center? Probably. Free Agent signing?
Maybe if we had drafted Mark Eaton at #66 in '82.....J/K. I know it is just for fun. But he would have fit that center piece and this could have feasibly happened (of course we know Jordan, Rodman, Bol, Price were not drafted by Portland, but they could have been). To me this might be the Blazer's best "what if" team: PG: Porter, Price SG: Jordan, Drazen SF: Drexler, Kersey PF: Rodman C: Eaton, Bol
1987...Kevin Duckworth. Here is a funny story. I met him once when I was 6-7 years old in the PDX airport (Summer 1992). We were going to Disneyland and it was my first time ever on a trip, let alone the airport. I used to sit outside the airport on Marine Drive with my dad watching the planes fly next to this pulloff spot that had a concession stand or food truck of some sort, anyways, the airport was such a big idea to me. Fast forward and I am 6 or 7 standing in the airport waiting to board and I see Duckworth in some like store section or gift shop and I approach him asking the dumbest question ever (mind you I lived in the sticks and was a small child): "Why did you guys trade Danny Ainge"?.....Yeah...I actually said that, I know WTF...He looked down at me and simply said..."Get the F@#& away from me kid".....and that was that. I walked back to my seat where my folks were and to this day have that memory. Lol....I was such an idiot.
Crickets….anyone? @SlyPokerDog @THE HCP @julius @Chris Craig @Mediocre Man @SheedSoNasty @jlprk @calvin natt @speeds @Shaboid @SharpeScooterShooter @Denny Crane @blazerfan11 @BlazerBeav @Hoopguru @PDXFonz @riverman @Rastapopoulos @PtldPlatypus @HailBlazers @Wizard Mentor @wizenheimer @GrandpaBlaze @STOMP And everyone else….
