Blazersedge.com: What's your most memorable moment from your time with the team so far? Any crazy stories?
Most memorable moment had to be the first road trip I went on back in December of 2007.
We had beaten Philly 97-72 at the Rose Garden, which was the 13th straight win. That game was the first night of a back-to-back, with the Jazz looming the next night in Salt Lake City. On those occasions, the team goes straight from the arena to the airport. So I finish up my game night stuff, and then head out to PDX to catch the plane. Suffice to say, I'm pretty cranked.
I noticed on the drive from the Rose Garden to the airport that my car is running pretty rough, which is no surprise considering it's a piece of crap. I don't pay it much mind, as I don't want to be the guy holding up the flight. I drive on not worrying too much about it.
Everyone is waiting in their cars for the gate to open up so we can drive out to the tarmac. I'm excited for the trip, but feeling a little self-conscious being the new guy in a truly crappy car.
Then comes a knock on my window. It's assistant general manager Tom Penn, who at this point probably doesn't know who I am considering I had only been with the team for a few weeks. Nevertheless, he's kind enough to inform me that coolant is flowing out of the bottom of my 1996 Volkswagen Golf. So there I am, fluid running out of my VW, waiting for a private jet with people who are driving cars worth more than my house. Nice start.
Fast forward about 24 hours. It's New Year's Eve and I'm in the dining room at Energy Solutions Arena and I feel like it's my first day at a new school. I'm holding my plate, surveying the room to see if I recognize anyone to sit with. I see Kevin Pritchard, Tom Penn, Mike Barrett and a few others sitting at a table, but there's no way I'm going to try to sit down those guys, the cool kids if you will, on the first day of school. So I decide to sit next to Bob, one of the team's two security guards, who is sitting by himself at a table. Great guy, that Bob.
I don't know if it was happenstance or if Kevin had seen me looking around like a freshman trying to find his only friend in the cafeteria, but he came over and invited me to sit with him and the others. But I'm the only person sitting with Bob, and though I'd love to listen into their conversation and maybe make a few intelligent quips of my own, I can't up and leave Bob by himself, so I thank KP, but decline the offer.
We end up losing to Utah 111-101 in a physical game. LaMarcus scores his career-high, but the winning streak is now broken. In my mind, as far as anyone on the team is concerned, I'm the reason we lose the game. KP is wearing pink ties to every game, doing his part to keep the streak alive, but the team makes the mistake of sending the new guy out on the road in the midst of one of the longest winning streaks in franchise history.
So I'm feeling pretty crappy, but there's still work to be done. Postgame interview time and it's me, Quick, and the team in the locker room. I'm standing next to Quick in front of Brandon Roy's locker as he starts getting dressed. Brandon has not had a great game, fouling out with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 turnovers. I'm standing there trying to think of a question to ask.
"Brandon, where does the team go from here," I ask, thinking it's an ok jumping off point for the rest of the interview.
Brandon gives me a look like I've asked about the dumbest question he's ever heard, which may or may not be the case. His response...
"Minnesota."
Zing.
Ask a stupid question. Check. Piss off the face of the franchise. Check. All in all, a great night for me.
Quick is there to stick up a little for me, but it's really my fault. It was a tough game, the second of a back-to-back, the team hadn't lost in a month, he's not familiar with seeing me on the road, and I ask kind of a lame question. Serves me right. Taught me a bit, too.
But it all ends well. We fly out that night and despite the streak being broken, the team is in a good mood, joking and having a grand old time as we ring in the New Year in the air somewhere between Salt Lake City and Minneapolis. Sergio is forcing everyone to eat grapes, as is the Spanish New Years tradition. Players, coaches and broadcasters are wearing party hats, goofing around, enjoying each others company.
We get to Minneapolis. The hotel we stay at has a club on the ground floor, and we get in just as the bar is closing. We get a lot of funny looks from drunken party-goers, many of whom are dressed as if it's not well below freezing outside.
Long story somewhat shorter, we go on to win the next two games, including a double-overtime victory in Chicago that is still one of the best games I've seen in person. We return back to Portland, and by that time, my Volkswagen has already been towed back to my house in SE Portland. Full circle.
