Where were you and what were you doing when you first heard (radio) / saw (tv) / read (newspaper) that Clyde Drexler was traded to the Houston Rockets on Valentine's day 1995? How did you react? I just started watching basketball so I don't have any cool story but I thought this would be a fun conversation before Dame gets traded tomorrow. Let's go back down memory lane.
What makes you think Dame gets traded tomorrow? I don't recall exactly where I was, but I was happy for Drexler at the time and ecstatic when he won the Championship. I was very unhappy when Drexler wore a Houston jersey when he was nominated to the Top-50 All-time players or whatever the list was. I was then super mad with his trashing Portland in seemingly every on-air moment since. He was my most disappointing ex-Blazer for that reason...until now.
I was in my senior year at Michigan. I was eating and reading about it in the paper. I didn’t care much. Window was already closed.
We knew that Clyde was rumored to want out. I heard it on sports radio after school. I was really happy that he got to go home and play with his college teammate but I was like, "Otis fucking Thorpe and that's it." I was happy for Clyde but thought the return was fucking pathetic.
I was in Taiwan working at the medical college and playing music at night with my band when Clyde got traded. I was bummed that they busted that team up but I read about it in the Sunday paper and I think I followed tennis and rugby more after that trade than hoops. You only got games on Sunday overseas and it was usually one of the top four teams. I'd read updates on the NBA at the library but by the time the news made Sports Illustrated magazine it was old news.
I was strolling NW 23rd as a teen with a girl I would eventually marry, and later, gladly divorce. My friend was working at a restaurant called Sante Fe (still there but different), had heard it on the radio, and ran across the street to tell us. I was shocked. The girl was like "what's the big deal?" Dammit! The signs were there! I did get a cool kid out of the marriage though!
Reading the O in the morning and pulling out all my Otis Thorpe basketball cards and being deeply underwhelmed.
I was 12 and my dad came outside while I was shooting hoops in the driveway and he told me that it had happened. I was really bummed out about it and became a Rockets fan for a few years. I feel so dirty saying that. Kind of ironic that my son is 12 and has been a Lillard fan most of his life and is about to see him traded. However, I was a much bigger fan of the NBA and the Blazers than he is at the same age so I think he’s more worried about how I’ll feel when Dame leaves than how he will feel.
Drexler & Olajuwon back together. Dream Team in Houston. Spent 2 years being a Rockets fan. It stunk, I hate Houston, but glad Clyde won a ring.
only player I liked besides Hakeem was Mario Elie. Everyone else was a goober. Kenny the Jet Smith, annoying as heck, but he got the job done.
Heard it on 1520AM! Only thing I remember was realizing how little we got and that was where Clyde requested to go.
