To cheer us up!

[MAS RipCity]

[video=youtube;c7ItXFy9xTA]"]

Courtesy of HolyBackboard​

This has been a crappy offseason to say the least, but videos of the Drexler era are always fun to watch. Each day we'll be adding another clip of the Running Down a Dream, 1991 video yearbook documenting the season of the Trail Blazers. If you want to see some of the Make It Happen playoff videos of the 1992 season, Our own ChrisinPDX has them on his youtube channel.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

I have the "Running Down A Dream" VHS tape, too, but to be honest, celebrating a year in which they lost in the WCF to the Lakers was kinda lame, considering that was a team that was built from the bottom up to do one thing, and that's win a championship. I don't care what their record was.

 

[MAS RipCity]

I have the "Running Down A Dream" VHS tape, too, but to be honest, celebrating a year in which they lost in the WCF to the Lakers was kinda lame, considering that was a team that was built from the bottom up to do one thing, and that's win a championship. I don't care what their record was.

Well outside of 77, everything has been "lame"..it cheered me up

 

[julius]

Is that claymation..uh..bunny? like the great uncle to Blaze?

I'm with Chris, I'm not sure how seeing a video of a team that lost in the WCF's is going to cheer me up.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

Well outside of 77, everything has been "lame"..it cheered me up

I disagree. The Finals runs in 1990 and 1992 were exciting to say the least. The Blazers just ran into better teams (oh, and Michael Jordan). Any other year, and they'd be the ones hoisting the O'Brien Trophy. The 1990 team was memorable in the fact that no one, and I mean NO ONE expected them to be there. The addition of Buck Williams was an absolutely brilliant stroke of genius that no one could have envisioned leading the Blazers to the Finals. The 1992 run was a type of revenge-factor inner toughness that got the Blazers back in the Finals, and THAT team was perhaps the best of the three.

1991, by any measure, was a failure. That team had "history" written all over it. Starting the season at 19-1 was no joke. Finishing out the season with a 16 game winning streak? Come on. That team couldn't lose. But it did. Magic Johnson's Lakers exposed the early-90s Blazers ultimate weakness: they were DUMB. They didn't have the smarts for late-playoffs half-court execution. (Actually, Seattle really lifted the curtain on this in the first round, but neither they nor Utah in the second round had the ability to run with the Blazers). The '91 Lakers still had Magic, Worthy, Scott, and A.C. Green, with a young Vlade in the middle, and they had the talent and the experience to neutralize the Blazers' biggest weapons, and Portland couldn't counter.

To me, celebrating the 1991 team would be like making a video and hyping the 2000 team that choked. Would you want to see or pay for that?

 

[MAS RipCity]

I would watch the 2000 team video..dude we're fucking Blazer fans...its not like we have a rich history of winning big..anytime we make it to the final 4 of the NBA playoffs is a huge deal for me. We've never been a team that wins via signing big names..we just can't lure them here..so we lost in the WCF..if you don't get chills seeing Mercy throw down on a fast break, then I don't know what to tell ya

 

[chris_in_pdx]

I would watch the 2000 team video..dude we're fucking Blazer fans...its not like we have a rich history of winning big..anytime we make it to the final 4 of the NBA playoffs is a huge deal for me. We've never been a team that wins via signing big names..we just can't lure them here..so we lost in the WCF..if you don't get chills seeing Mercy throw down on a fast break, then I don't know what to tell ya

I've been a Blazer fan since before I could walk. Perhaps I was spoiled as a child watching the '77 and '78 Blazers, but it, and having to suffer watching other teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Pistons, Rockets, Spurs and their fans bask in the elation and glory of holding up that trophy and unfurling that banner and wearing those rings, made me greedy for it. I go into every season hoping that the stars will align and the Blazers will somehow find a way to reach that ultimate goal, and unfortunately every year I'm disappointed. But I still keep my eye on the prize, and don't forget what my avatar says.. that that trophy is "what it's all about". 1991 and 2000 damn near crushed me. I was able to deal with the 1990, 1992, and 1999 losses, and cherish those team's accomplishments, because I knew in my heart that the Blazers lost to better teams.

I know that you and other Blazers fans can find a sense of "moral victory" in reaching the WCF. I don't fault you for that. We as fans all have different expectations of what we want from the team, and different levels of emotional attachment to those goals. My viewpoint is that, what you said earlier is correct. Every year of the Blazers existence, other than 1977, has been a failure. Different levels of failure, to be sure, but failures nonetheless. I'm looking forward to watching thise young group of players blossom into a group that hopefully will have successful seasons.

 

[MAS RipCity]

I've been a Blazer fan since before I could walk. Perhaps I was spoiled as a child watching the '77 and '78 Blazers, but it, and having to suffer watching other teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Pistons, Rockets, Spurs and their fans bask in the elation and glory of holding up that trophy and unfurling that banner and wearing those rings, made me greedy for it. I go into every season hoping that the stars will align and the Blazers will somehow find a way to reach that ultimate goal, and unfortunately every year I'm disappointed. But I still keep my eye on the prize, and don't forget what my avatar says.. that that trophy is "what it's all about". 1991 and 2000 damn near crushed me. I was able to deal with the 1990, 1992, and 1999 losses, and cherish those team's accomplishments, because I knew in my heart that the Blazers lost to better teams.

I know that you and other Blazers fans can find a sense of "moral victory" in reaching the WCF. I don't fault you for that. We as fans all have different expectations of what we want from the team, and different levels of emotional attachment to those goals. My viewpoint is that, what you said earlier is correct. Every year of the Blazers existence, other than 1977, has been a failure. Different levels of failure, to be sure, but failures nonetheless. I'm looking forward to watching thise young group of players blossom into a group that hopefully will have successful seasons.

fair enough
I still get disappointed when we lose and always hope for a title, but only 1 team each year gets that glory so I know when we have had a good year and when we have not

 

[dreamcloud]

When I think of Drexler during these horrible negotiations times w/ Roy, I think of how the blazers in the past just let Drexler go!!

Though I gotta say thats a great video!!

 

[MAS RipCity]

If the mods want to change the title to "Old School Goodness" im fine w/ that

 

[Nikolokolus]

For some reason this video depressed the hell out of me.

 

[TP3]

The Porter Era

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

Gotta love the perfect quarter. God that was sick.

 

[MAS RipCity]

Thank God for no instant replay, b/c there is no way TP's 3 was good @Seattle

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

I have the "Running Down A Dream" VHS tape, too, but to be honest, celebrating a year in which they lost in the WCF to the Lakers was kinda lame, considering that was a team that was built from the bottom up to do one thing, and that's win a championship. I don't care what their record was.

If you don't want to celebrate the good times from a season, do you just dwell on the bad? Why even remember them at all? 1977; The only year we should ever remember. Nobody better be watching no highlight videos of last year! We didn't win no ship!

 

[chris_in_pdx]

If you don't want to celebrate the good times from a season, do you just dwell on the bad? Why even remember them at all? 1977; The only year we should ever remember. Nobody better be watching no highlight videos of last year! We didn't win no ship!

I wouldn't expect you to understand, Web. You weren't even alive then.

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

I wouldn't expect you to understand, Web. You weren't even alive then.

And neither were probably 75% of this board. Does it matter? Though I've seen better times than last year, I still enjoy watching highlights of it. I still enjoy watching highlights of 2000, even if it ended in disaster (I do hate the highlights from that last game. I cussed at my TV every time that commercial came on where they cut out the players and put them in an empty gym.)

 

[Wizard Mentor]

The video that cheers me up is "Teddy's Jam 2" which is a produced video of Drexler dunks. It's apparently been taken off the internet. Now I feel even worse

 

[MAS RipCity]

[video=youtube;i4LrdW-KdxE]"]

Part 2 navigates the rest of the regular season from January on, where Portland would accumulate a franchise-best 63-19 record. Such highlights include All-Star weekend featuring Drexler, Porter, and Duckworth as All-Stars, back to back 20 point comebacks on the road at Seattle and Los Angeles, and a 16 game win streak to finish off the season strong.

Compliments of HolyBackboard

 

[MAS RipCity]

I also just finished reading The Long, Hot Winter which is Rick Adelman's documentary through the 91 season. Good Lord, it sounded like they blew 20 pt leads on a nightly basis and they went after Walter Davis instead of Dell Curry for Petro when both were available!!!!!!

 

[GoBlazersGo]

I also just finished reading The Long, Hot Winter which is Rick Adelman's documentary through the 91 season. Good Lord, it sounded like they blew 20 pt leads on a nightly basis and they went after Walter Davis instead of Dell Curry for Petro when both were available!!!!!!

Going after Walter Davis rather than Dell Curry wasn't really the problem... trading Drazen was (considering he was EASILY the best of those three players).

 

[alex42083]

Dell Curry was a hell of a player back in the day. The Hornets were exciting back then with Zo, LJ , Curry, Bogues, Kendall Gill I think. Curry had a pretty sweet and quick release. I wonder how he would've fit with us on that team.

 

[MAS RipCity]

Dell Curry was a hell of a player back in the day. The Hornets were exciting back then with Zo, LJ , Curry, Bogues, Kendall Gill I think. Curry had a pretty sweet and quick release. I wonder how he would've fit with us on that team.

Perfect.
While reading the book, Rick knew the team wasn't a great outside shooting team so I think adding Curry would have contained some of the offensive droughts they were prone to have

 

[MAS RipCity]

Going after Walter Davis rather than Dell Curry wasn't really the problem... trading Drazen was (considering he was EASILY the best of those three players).

in hindsight yes, it was...but getting ainge fucked everything up. Neither player, ainge or petro, could handle the ball and were only spot up shooters, so they couldn't be on the floor together. From his thoughts, it didn't sound as if Rick was too high on Petro or Euros in general back then

 

[GoBlazersGo]

Dell Curry was a hell of a player back in the day.

I'm not trying to "knock" on Dell Curry here... the guy had a solid, solid NBA career. That said, he was still an inferior player when compared to Petro'. I'm not sure how much you remember of Drazen, or if you ever saw him play, but the guy was an INCREDIBLE basketball player.

R.I.P. PETRO'!

 

[Minstrel]

Dell Curry and Petrovic were pretty similar caliber players. Petrovic was a magician in Europe, but merely an above average player in the NBA, like Dell Curry.

Walter Davis was the best talent of the three...until he reached Portland. Then, for some reason he collapsed. He was out of the league soon after. Portland basically had bad timing on that one. Of course, when you acquire a guy in his late-30s, you can't be too surprised when he falls off a cliff.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

Dell Curry and Petrovic were pretty similar caliber players. Petrovic was a magician in Europe, but merely an above average player in the NBA, like Dell Curry.

Agree to disagree here, I guess. In my opinion, Petro' was certainly a cut-above someone like Dell Curry.

Walter Davis was the best talent of the three...until he reached Portland.

From the late 70's until the mid-to-late 80's he was, sure. But he'd been steadily declining for a couple of years (four or five) prior to his arrival in Portland.

Then, for some reason he collapsed.

That "reason," of course, being that he was born in 1954.

 

[alex42083]

I'm not trying to "knock" on Dell Curry here... the guy had a solid, solid NBA career. That said, he was still an inferior player when compared to Petro'. I'm not sure how much you remember of Drazen, or if you ever saw him play, but the guy was an INCREDIBLE basketball player.

R.I.P. PETRO'!

I was aware of Petro back in the day. Probably not with the same eye for players that I do now, but I knew Drazen was a real good player who flourished in NJ. But Curry would've been a much better acquisition for us than Davis.
But I agree that out of the 3, Drazen was certainly the best.

 

[Draco]

Every year of the Blazers existence, other than 1977, has been a failure. Different levels of failure, to be sure, but failures nonetheless. I'm looking forward to watching thise young group of players blossom into a group that hopefully will have successful seasons.

That might be the definition of viewing a glass half empty.

I choose to follow the NBA from a different perspective because your outlook doesn't sound very fun.

 

[Minstrel]

That "reason," of course, being that he was born in 1954.

Well, the reason I said for "some reason" was that he was quite good that same season for Denver, prior to the deal (which, presumably, is why Portland wanted him). He collapsed during the season with Portland. And then he rebounded the following season for Denver. (And I'm looking at pace-adjusted numbers, so no worries about being fooled by how fast Denver played.)

So, yes, age clearly was a factor, which I mentioned in my post. Puzzling, though, that he was so bad in Portland when he had been pretty good in Denver that year. And the following year.