So it’s back, one more time, to Memorial Coliseum
I could go on and on about it… but seriously, there’s a danger in making that building more than it was. It was the people there — fans and players — who made it special. The building itself? Well, it was loud and for its time, it was fine, very representative of the arenas of that era.
In fact, I have no doubt at some point it will serve as a living museum for what sports arenas once looked like — a curiosity more than anything. By then all the other non-functional arenas of its ilk will have been torn down. But the old Glass Palace will still be there, probably hosting flea markets and the rare concert.
But fans going to the Trail Blazers’ exhibition game there tonight will find small leg room at their seats, fewer rest rooms than they need and concourses not big enough to accomodate the crowd. And of course, a building now on the National Registry for Historic Places. Yeah, great.
For me, the building was special because of the great people who played there and the devoted fans who idolized them. And pardon this little aside, but to me — one other thing:
Some great, great sports writers who wrote so many marvelous pieces there. Blazer beat writers like John Dhulst, Wayne Thompson, Bob Robinson and Ken Wheeler told the Blazer story with great skill and accuracy. Never fawning but always fair, these men did their jobs in an era before all the new media brought attention to the writers themselves. Most of those guys, in fact, would have run from the spotlight, anyway. They just weren’t brought up in the business to think they deserved it.
I love those guys. All are still with us, thank goodness, in various stages of retirement. All of them, too, were a great, GREAT help to me in my career, in their own way. I hope at some point during the team’s 40-year celebration those guys will be honored, too. In the early days of the team, without a lot of TV coverage and no sports radio, people learned to love this team mostly through the eyes and hearts of the men who covered the Blazers for The Oregonian and the Oregon Journal.
It would be a shame to forget their great accomplishments — and the great integrity and skill they brought to their jobs.
One more time — thanks, guys. All of you.
Fans, Me, Media, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | October 14, 2009
Bob Robinson, Dwight Jaynes, John Dhulst, Ken Wheeler, Portland Trail Blazers, Wayne Thompson
Dwight,
Another character who should be recognized in all of this celebration is Tiger Branch, “Mr. Red Hot and Rollin’”. He was my boss at Branch and Bauer Advertising and he handled the Trail Blazer’s account back when they won it all. Early in the season, he handed me a list of themes for the Blazers advertising campaign. I was a working for him as a graphic designer and I chose “Red Hot and Rollin’” from his list. The rest is history.
Stephen
Dwight,
I am really looking forward to tonight’s game for one reason, hearing Mr. Rip City on the radio. I’m 36 and grew up during the 80′s listening to the games on the radio at home. I wasn’t able to attend many games at the MC and only a few road games where televised during that time so I followed the Blazer with the Schonz on the radio. I am still upset that the Blazers forced him out. No one compares to the Schonz. Bring him back and keep him back!
Interesting Jim, I’m 36 too. When WE were 10, living in Seattle, I used to get mad at the Blazers, because they knocked out my Sonics 2-0 on my birthday in the playoff miniseries in 1983. Mychal Thompson, Jim Paxson, and Calvin Natt drove me crazy. But, in 1990, Terry Porter and Rick Adelman made me die-hard Blazers fans ever since, when I watched them in the playoffs vs. Phoenix. My favorite uncle and aunt live in Vancouver, are big Blazers fans, and told me back in 1991 (when I asked them about Blazers tickets) that they couldn’t go to games, because of the HUGE waiting list. By the way, my uncle and B-Roy all went to Garfield High School in Seattle, but my similarities to B-Roy (and my uncle, too) end right there. We’re all huge Brandon Roy and Martell Webster fans up here, and have local people (current KJR host Ian Furness) who give us Blazers coverage.
I’m not old enough to remember those old Blazer writers, but I already know I would’ve loved them.
I’ve been thinking so much lately how the people we have covering the team now, Jason Quick and John Canzano especially, seem to care more about making a name for themselves rather than providing good journalism. I even wrote Quick an email about it, of course with no response.
These guys would rather stir up controversy in order to get their columns read, rather than write about facts and state their actual opinions. It’s very frustrating
I like and respect John Canzano, even though I and others don’t always agree with him. He is a BHB, however.
Great as usual Dwight. I was fortunate to attend a few Blazer games at the MC growing up, including a boisterous Blazer vs. Utah playoff game in ’89 (or ’90) that to me, sticks in my memory as an example of rabid, unabashed Blazer mania. The crowd was frenzied, and it was a lot of fun to get swept up in it. My other memory of the MC was back in ’84, when, at age 12 my dad walked down, and got Clyde to sign my game program. I remember that clearly to this day, and is probably my fondest memory of the MC.
Regarding the Shonz, like Jim above, I’m 36 and heard the bulk of Blazer games over the radio growing up. I have fond, dear memories of him painting a mental picture for me of the game action.
I was skeptical, critical and even angry of the organization when they brought Wheeler in, and ‘forced’ Schonely to retire, but I do recall Shonz confusing names, and making mistakes in calling games towards the end. I guess I understood sunset was falling on his illustrious ability to call games, but didn’t like how he was let go.
We all grow old, and we should all be as blessed as Schonely to be as healthy and sharp as the Shonz is at his age; but I really hope he is able to call the game without any sort of embarrassment or confusion tonight. I hope people are understanding of him, and don’t necessarily expect the Shonely of 20 years ago.
Play by play is not about perfection, it’s about a relationship. I could care less if the Schonz made a blunder or two. Actually I think that adds to the experience. The attached link is a 13 second clip on the Schonz’s final goodbye. To me this dosn’t look like a guy who wanted to call it quits! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wna_mCmHQeI