Science Why are you a Blazer Fan?

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I grew up in Vegas and when I started watching basketball I first liked the Running Rebels. During that time, JR Rider was doing his thing there. My sisters used to hang out in his circle so I really became a fan. He got drafted by the Wolves so I had his Wolves jersey. He got traded to Portland so I became a Blazers fan. Then he went to the Lakers and I just couldn’t do that. Been with them ever since. Even moved from Nevada to Oregon about 6 years ago partially because of them. Go Blazers!!!
 
My Dad was a hard core Blazers fan ever since he came to America in 1977 (good year, right?). I remember him yelling his lungs out as he passionately watched and listened to Blazers games on the radio. My Father forced me into playing basketball every year starting from when I was in kindergarten. I remember going to a couple games at the Memorial Coliseum when I was in grade school and just followed the crowd cheering on the Blazers. It wasnt until I was in 6th grade that I really became a fan. Brian Grant with his classic pump fakes and post ups was my first favorite Blazer. Then a year or two later we picked up Pippen and I was hooked. I really looked up to Rasheed Wallace for years and he remains my favorite Blazer ever.
 
My family was more into football and baseball growing up, so being a blazers fan wasn't an expectation like beaver fandom was. Brian Grant was pretty active in our community when I was in elementary school and that got me pretty hooked. I was mostly just a casual blazers fan until we got Dame, though. How he can't be everyone's favorite player in the league is still a complete mystery to me.
 
For me, gowing up, I enjoyed watching games with my pop way before the Blazers came into existence. I also played in school and city league at the Milwaukie Elks for years. I simply enjoy watching the athletes at HS/College & Pros. When the Blazers came around it was great and even went to games alone if I couldnt get anyone interested. Back then you really had to like the game to jump on board and be a loyal fan. Of course when your team make the playoffs, it ramps up the enthusiasm and interest. There is nothing like winning a championship or advancing far and yeah it can be a bit anti climatic when a team goes through periods of losing and building as its so competitive. Look at how many fans support the Mariners but they haven't tasted playoffs in 20 years. I have friends that are Timberwolves's season ticket holders and its because they like basketball even with all the losing and rebuilding and ups and downs. SacTown still remains loyal to the team that has struggled for so many years. The Jazz have been close a number of times only to lose out but that city loves their sports. At all levels.
Yeah, sometimes the politics and bad management can piss me off about the game but it never has drowned out my interest in being a watching fan, win or lose. The game to me is more than just entertainment so if I dont like whats being played I dont stop watching like I will a tv show or movie.
I got hooked on basketball back in my junior year of high school. We went to state that year and finished third but we were clearly the second best team. Parkrose was the champion and the only team to beat us. Then I went to college and we had fantastic teams which hooked me further. Then along came the Blazers right after getting out of the Army. We bought our tickets the morning of the first day they went on sale. We got cheated out of our priority number. I was adopted when my father died. When my stepfather retired to the coast he gave me his tickets which I wanted badly because I went to a lot of games from the first season on. We never knew there was a priority number until we looked at our new priority number when the tickets were transferred to me. Holy hell, my priority number was in the thousands and should have been in the low 100s. I explained to them what happened and said I wanted our original priority back. They said they couldn't give it to me and no longer even knew what it was. I talked to one of the vice presidents who was extremely hard to reach. He finally gave me a bum priority number and I was exhausted from going round and round with him so I just took it.
There, the Blazers screwed me. I was so in love with the team that all my attention turned to that and I forgot about my screwed issue. So, Hoopguru, you've opened my wound to bleed again so thanks for that.
 
I got hooked on basketball back in my junior year of high school. We went to state that year and finished third but we were clearly the second best team. Parkrose was the champion and the only team to beat us. Then I went to college and we had fantastic teams which hooked me further. Then along came the Blazers right after getting out of the Army. We bought our tickets the morning of the first day they went on sale. We got cheated out of our priority number. I was adopted when my father died. When my stepfather retired to the coast he gave me his tickets which I wanted badly because I went to a lot of games from the first season on. We never knew there was a priority number until we looked at our new priority number when the tickets were transferred to me. Holy hell, my priority number was in the thousands and should have been in the low 100s. I explained to them what happened and said I wanted our original priority back. They said they couldn't give it to me and no longer even knew what it was. I talked to one of the vice presidents who was extremely hard to reach. He finally gave me a bum priority number and I was exhausted from going round and round with him so I just took it.
There, the Blazers screwed me. I was so in love with the team that all my attention turned to that and I forgot about my screwed issue. So, Hoopguru, you've opened my wound to bleed again so thanks for that.
Sacrifices IN ALL THINGS my friend!
 
Moved here in 2002. Born and raised in Chicago, but was never a huge Bulls fan. Winning the titles was fun to be a part of, but never felt like my team. Was easy to jump in feet first on the Blazers when I moved here.
 
PART 1

It was the 1970-1971 inaugural season and Dad took us boys to our first Blazers game. I’ll never forget as the players were coming back out of the locker room for the start of the second half when Jim Barnett reached down and gave me pat on the shoulder and a big smile. Oh my! It was a gold-colored sweater and when I got home I turned it inside out and wrote, “Jim Barnett tapped me here!” I hid my sweater from my Mom for as long as I could, then the inevitable happened; she found and washed my beloved sweater and erased a record of history…but not my first Trailblazer memory!
 
Part 2

1976-77 Season

I was playing basketball for Evergreen High School over in Vancouver, WA. As Bobby Gross was becoming my favorite Blazer, I wore his number; “30”

With new head coach Jack Ramsay taking the reigns, Bill Walton started the season with a new enthusiasm and a new image; once sporting a ponytail and oft injured, I think Walton found a father-figure in Ramsay, similar to his relationship with UCLA coach John Wooden. Walton arrived to camp with a “wash & wear” hair cut, and he quickly grasped Ramsay’s “motion offense” and the upstart Trailblazers were Red Hot & Rollin as the playoffs approached. My Dad had a banking relationship in Vancouver that was able to hook him up with four tickets for each playoff game - well…not exactly a “hook-up” as much as it was a “heads-up” when his bank would put a small number of playoff tickets available! This “tip” gave cause for us to borrow my grandparents camper trailer and we’d go to the bank the night before, spend all night taking turns standing in line and come 8am, we were first to buy tickets - and we didn’t miss a single home playoff game! That playoff run, that led to our NBA Championship victory in game 6 at home, cinched my love for the Blazers and I have been a Blazermaniac ever since! As some of you may have already heard, I own the game-worn (and now autographed) jersey of Bobby Gross - yes! From game 6 against the 76ers! In fact i have it with me here in central Mexico where I now live.

Today I buy the single-team season pass on NBA.com and I stream EVERY Blazer game. And I probably log in to Sportstwo.com daily. While I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. HCP (wait! I meant to say HCP and his lovely Esposa!) they should know that mi casa es su casa should they ever visit Mexico! Viva! Los Blazers!!
 

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