During the parade after we won our only championship I shook Walton's hand as he rode by in a convertible. About five or six hands were grabbing his hand at the same time, but still got to shake his hand! Met a few Blazers at the BBQ for STHs a few years back, but my fav moment was when Roy just sat down and start chatting with me.
Jermaine O'Neal in line at Lloyd Cinemas. Rasheed at EB Games at Lloyd Center. Ruben Patterson at an Izzy's(?) in Sherwood. Jim Paxson who was operating the elevator at the Rose Garden. Greg Oden and his mom at Rite Aid by Pioneer Sqaure. Kevin Duckworth 3-4 times around town. Darnell Valentine running at Cleveland High School's track, super nice guy!
I used to work at Costco in Beaverton, and Sabonis, Uncle Cliffy and Pippen were all regulars. I saw Rasheed at Washington Square as well as Kersey. I remember as a kid going and getting Drexler's and Buck's autographs at a signing in Jantzen Beach. I also sat beside Kersey in traffic over by Beaverton Mall. I remember I was probably 7 or 8 and was waving at him like a lunatic. He waved back, though, so that was cool.
I bowled with Nic Batum at the Blazers' season ticket holder party earlier this year. I also got a picture with him and asked which dunk he liked better - his dunk on Gasol or his dunk on Matt Bonner. (He liked the Gasol dunk better.) Joel was bowling in the lane next to us, so I asked how his hand/wrist was doing and if he had another bet with Bobby Medina. He laughed and said no.
Z Bo's entourage told me he didnt want to sign autographs when he was at the memorial colesium for a PSU Big Sky championship. The next year I saw him at fan fest and asked him about, but he was eating chips and didnt say anything except sign my poster.
I used to see Sheed everywhere. We'd be on lunch in high school, and run into Sheed at the Wilsonville BK. But my favorite Sheed memory....He was signing autographs at Incredible Universe. You could just tell he was not thrilled to be there. So I stroll up when my time came, and threw down E-40's Hall of Game CD down for him to sign. He loved it - LOVED IT. For those who don't know, there's a special song on the album where E-40 rips Sheed. But Sheed loved it. Signed it, and pulled out a few items extra and signed for me. Another, my dad coached Steve Johnson's son back in 5th or 6th grade. Now, Steve was retired at this point... I used to go watch weekday evening practices. Steve used to come watch practices as well. One night, the night before a Nets-Blazers game, who of all people attends practice with Steve? None other than Sam fuckin' Bowie. I believe he was sitting out the next evening with an injury. Now, I'm only in 2nd or 3rd grade at the time, but I'm a die-hard Blazers fan. I probably knew more stats and history back then than I do now. So, I walk over to Steve and Sam, chat 'em up, and ask them to sign my basketball. When Sam is done, I'm like, "Thanks, man. I like to watch you play. I'm sorry you're not a Blazer anymore. But, Portland should have never picked you over Jordan. But we did have Clyde and Paxson." Not knowing better, I just turned and went on my way. I've got a few others, but those two are unforgettable.
Z-Bo came into the Burgerville I was working at in like, 2005. This was back when he was supposed to be on his diet thing. I he ordered 5 orders of chicken strips (25 total). So, I made Z-Bo's chicken strips. He pulled out a HUGE roll of 100s to pay. I mean, it was massive, like he could barely hold onto it. I ran into Ime Udoka last year when he wasn't even a Blazer. He was walking two dogs in the Park Blocks. Saw HA in the Beaverton Fred Meyers. He was massive and was shouting in Korean. Has Bassy sign something at GI JOES in Beaverton. I told him he should be starting over Damon. He said, "Yeah, man. Cool." I was waiting to get into a Floater show at Dantes when I see Joel coming down the street. I freak out and grab my camera and just point and shoot as he's walking by me. It was set to black and white at the time, so I have this weird B&W picture of Joel's upper half on Burnside. He's giving me some major stink eye, and he's holding his daughter. Then he got into his MASSIVE freaking car and drove off into the night. I'm pretty sure I've seen Travis driving around downtown portland in some green monstrosity car thing.
Maurice Lucas lives across the street from me. I went to elementary, middle, and high school with his sons. When I was about 11, my parents and I were driving somewhere, and while looking out the window I saw this black guy in a convertible in the lane next to us and he looked sooo familiar. He pulled ahead of us and I saw the license plates read JK 25 and I just completely flipped out over realizing it was Jerome Kersey. Saw Martell Webster at EBX in Washington Square a few months ago, the day he got the boot off his foot. He bought a Wii. I think I saw Larry Miller at Washington Square a few days before Summer League this year too.
I don't have any real meaningful Blazer sightings. Actually last year I saw ALL of the Blazers at the SAME TIME playing a basketball game- multiple times even!!
-Sat across from Derek Anderson at the West Linn Shari's, saw him there multiple times in the parking lot -Was in line behind Shawn Kemp at the 7-11 on McGloughlin Blvd, he was buying condoms -Caddied for PJ Carlismo, Clyde Drexler, and Rick Carlyle at Waverly CC -Delivered paint to Z-Bo West Linn house before he moved in -Sat next to Geoff Petrie at a Blazer game about 12 years ago -Seen Jerome Kersey multiple times at blazer games, usually near the buffet in the club level
Forgot that I shook hands with Zach on court before a game and he gave me a signed tee for one of those tee exchanges they have for STHs. He had the tiniest sig! During the halftime of one game I was talking with Don/blazerbeliever, he was in front of where I was sitting and he said you know who that is pointing behind me. I looked back and didn't recognize him at first, but it was Kersey. He was standing in the entry to the handicap section I was at watching some motown group sing durning halftime. I ask if he'd take a pic with me and he was nice enough to say yes. I'll post it later if I find it.
-as a kid my best friend was a member at the Jewish Community Center. On separate occasions we sat under the hoop as Jim Paxson and Drazen Petrovic worked out with ballboys seemingly never missing. -went bonkers when Billy Ray Bates drove up beside our car at a stoplight in in Beaverton. He smiled and waved. -two separate sitings at Black Butte Ranch playing tennis next to former Beaver Steve Johnson and being in a foursome following a group with Terry Porter in it. Before teeing off Terry was milling around and I was trying not to stare too much after saying "hello" My 5'10 dad walked up behind him and straightened up to his full height back to back with TP... Terry wasn't close to his listed 6'3 -was shooting around in an empty Catlain Gable gym when Kenny Carr and his young son walked in. After a while I introduced myself and told his son about seeing his dad play at NC State when I was his age. Kenny beamed as I relayed what a stud he was. -ate breakfast next to Kiki in Santa Monica -exchanged an email with John Nash about Nedzad STOMP
Going back a few years, but saw Bill Walton carrying his infant son around at the HS boys state tournament. Might have been the title year when the team was on a road trip and he was hurt. Or maybe the year before, as I seem to remember him having long hair and a Pony tail. His future teamate was playing in the tournament, Danny Ainge. Also talked to Jim Paxson at a Jimmy Buffet Concert when he was a blazer. Mike Schuler was the new coach and Paxson liked him. Also saw Paxson at a David Bowie concert at the Tacoma Dome.
