Courtside Lottery Special Tuesday
posted: 5/19/2008 at 9:50 PM
As many of you know, the NBA Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday night, before game one of the Eastern Conference Finals. Because of this, our radio show, Trail Blazers Courtside, will be broadcast on a special night, at a special time this week. Instead of being on Thursday night, we have moved the show to Tuesday night, so that we can give you coverage of the lottery, once again, and will have special guests before and after the actual draft positions are revealed.
We'll be broadcasting live at the Pyramid Tap Room at Schonely's Place, at the Rose Garden. It will be open to the public, and if you'd like to come down and join us, you're more than welcome. We'll begin broadcasting at 4pm, and will likely go until about 6pm, or whenever we feel like finishing. The broadcast can be heard live on Sportsradio 95.5 FM The Game, in the Portland area, regionwide on the Blazers Radio Network, and on line if you click on the Courtside link at the top-right portion of this page.
The odds are the Trail Blazers will end up with the 13th pick. As you remember, last year the odds heavily favored the Blazers ending in the 6th position. I don't need to remind you what happened on that night, as we were broadcasting live, but in case you want to re-live it,
click here.I honestly can't tell you how many times I've watched that clip on YouTube. The memories of that night are kind of a blur, and I've relied on that piece of video to take me back. Obviously, when we got to #6, and I said about three times "this is the one," and the Milwaukee Bucks logo was pulled from the envelope, we knew we'd just jumped into the top three. The improabable then became the impossible, when Atlanta was pulled, followed by Seattle.
For many of us, especially for those of us who have been around the team for a long, long time, it was truly surreal. It was a twist of fate that was so overdue, and so cleansing, it took a while for it to sink in. I remember having Nate McMillan on the show shortly after we'd won the lottery, and he told us how he was alone, just on his couch, and had turned the volume down and put his head in his hands for the final three selections.
After Nate shared his story, we then got Kevin Pritchard on the phone, who was in the room at the actual time the number combination was pulled. The winning combination for the Trail Blazers, was actually the first combination pulled. I don't even have to look up the number to remember what it was.... 5 9 14 13. The Blazers had 53 possible combinations, and Pritchard has the actual sheet, complete with some scribbly notes, framed in his office. The winning combination is circled in pencil. In the same frame, he has the envelope with the number 1 on it, and the card bearing our logo.
In remember the euphoria, of course, and the interviews, and then immediately did several interviews on stations in other markets, who had called in looking for reaction from Portland. I then got a phone call from channel 8, who wanted me to stop by their studio for a reaction during their newscast (it was slim pickings, with the heavy hitters out of town, so they settled for the TV guy).
I recall sitting in the parking lot at channel 8, and my phone rang. It was Pritchard calling from New York, and we had about a five-minute conversation about what had just happened. I think we spent the first two minutes talking over the top of each other, trying to decide if had really just happened. Kevin, who had said all along we would be landing the top pick, repeated "I told you so," over and over. I also remember him saying he had just gotten off the phone with Paul Allen, and I gathered their conversation was just about the same as one we were having.
After the TV interview, I made about five other calls, to friends and co-workers. I heard from several people at the office, who told me the phone system had just crashed due to heavy volume. This blog, the night of the lottery win, recorded over 12,000 hits, in about a five-hour span.
By the way, remembering the winning combination, 5 9 14 13, several of you have pointed out that the last number, 13, is, of course, where we're supposed to pick this year. It's a little far-fetched, but okay, I like it.
So, even if every thing does go true to form Tuesday night, and the Blazers don't beat the odds again, and do land at 13, we've at least had the chance to remember one of the best moments in Blazers' history. It's strange that it's already been a year. And, I hope this is the last lottery party we have to host, for a long time.
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Hi MB
I'm really feeling good about Tuesday evening. My gut is telling me 4th pick. Is that posible. With that said it really doesn't matter to me because I don't want no one in this draft if we can't get Rose. I think we should stand on what we have. Now that Greg will be with us our game changes a lot. If JJ. works hard this off season on his handles and his shot who knows what might be. Outlaw must come in early and not sit on what he has done this year.(IN SHAPE) Well I thought I'd throw my thoughts in. Rudy what will it be. I hope not a lot of missed shots. I'm out!
Hey MB!
Here's hoping for some more magic! Lighting can hit twice!
The Warriors will be 14th and when it's the 13th pick they'll show the Kings!
GO BLAZERS!!!
Michael
That video makes my skin tingle. Just watching it I think it's going to end up different every time and I won't see Seattle being pulled out at number 2. It's a great feeling knowing that it's history now, we will always have beat the odds at the most perfect time, a year after one of our best drafts ever. Seems like the Blazers have had no luck at all and it all changed when we drafted Roy and Aldridge. Now I feel lucky like we can beat the odds this year too.
It definitely makes up for all the hard times of being a Blazer fans.
It's actually impossible for the Blazers to get the 4th pick in the lottery. They can only get picks 1,2,3,13 or 14.
MB, I love those "Where were you when?" stories. I was alone in my living room and when they pulled Seattle at #2 I had to pause the show for a good 5 minutes while I ran around the house like a little kid. I still can't believe we got the number one pick, and it's been a year! I don't think having Oden will really sink in until we see him on the court next fall. For that first home game I hope Nate brings him off the bench so the crowd can go nuts for him.
Let's hear all of your "Where were you when we got #1" stories guys.
I just did a little research, it appears the team with the number one pick over the last five years has improved the team record by an average of 15 games, not including the Blazers last year since Oden didn't play. 15 GAMES! I'd like to point out that we technically have our #1 pick coming this year along with two lottery picks in Rudy, who would be a lottery pick this year no doubt, and our # 13. I don't know about 15 games but I do know that 50 wins is NOT out of question.
Besides all the numbers being in our favor, it's pretty obvious that this franchise is going nowhere but up. I took a lot of crap in college at Univ of Portland for loving the PTB, but I stuck with the team, no doubt about it, and that it makes these years that much better.
About tonight, if you don't ask for it you're not going to get it right? So here goes. Come on #1 PICK!
I was on vacation in a coffee shop in Gallway when my brother checked the results of last years draft.
"WE GOT NUMBER ONE! NUMBER ONE!!!!!"
We about tackled each other off of our chairs as the quiet 9am coffee drinkers looked on. Rarely in my life has that much joy consumed me at once. I have loved the Blazers since I could talk, and will love them till I die.
RIP CITY BABY!!
lucky number #13
it is a sign.
can oden get the rookie of the year this year?
go blazers
millertime,
Yes he can.
MB
Mike!
I'm really sad I wont be able to go to the party... we will be listening to you though of course. Great story by the way, that YouTube clip is so amazing, Im sure every Blazer fan will never forget their "where was i when they got the #1 pick" story . For me, I just happened onto ESPN or wherever it was broadcast on and watched the last couple selections. I didnt really remember it was on , and frankly, i had just developed such a pesimistic attitude regarding the team that I almost didn't care. I actually thought it was a sick joke when I watched the Blazers get the #1 pick, no seriously, I didnt believe they had actually won until My dad called me and said they had got the #1 pick. Anyway, that seems soo long ago. Now, I cant believe we are IN the lottery. I know KP is gonna make the best decision w/ whatever pick we land because he is just a "g" like that.
There is a reason I told Casey yesterday on his blog that im making a t-shirt that will read
i <3 kevin
Go BLAZERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sophia
Well I was up in Tacoma in my dorm room and I remember Seattle vividly because there are a lot of Sonic fans and they were excited. But when Portland received I knew what we were getting. We had that nucleus which has the opportunity to win numerous titles. I am coming with no expectations for this lottery since I didn't have any for last year. Let the chips lay where they may be. Go Blazers!
Hi mike, am from brazil, but am always reeding your blog and watching the blazers´s games inthe nbaleaguepass. i love it. congratoulations Mike.
I want ask you why the blazers trade the 3th pick in 2005 to Utah. I know for what but a don´t know why. Imagi ih wu have cp3 or deron wiliams...
thanks Mauro.
it was a weird day, i was coming home from work down here in los angeles on a hot summer day down here. i live in koreatown near hollywood. when i made it home i was met with at least four square blocks roped off by police in my neighborhood because there was a murder-suicide at a nearby restaurant on western st. there were at least 6 helicopters in the sky. surreal.
i had forgotten about the draft, turned on my tv to espn and found out the news immediately. i nearly crapped myself. i was ecstatic.
I was in my office last year hard at work when my wife called me with the results.
I have no hops but I jumped like Jerome Kersey on that night and asked her several times if she was totally certain.
Well, I'm here at work again, and can't wait to go home and watch the lottery no matter what happens.
GO BLAZERS WE LOVE U
Beaverboy19
I hope that KP is on the phone with Chicago even now trying to move up for rose. Chicago has a pg and pf already and could benifit by the many trade options they would have from us, our second rounders, our 1st round this year and next, not to mention the players we could package in the deal and the many we have developing over seas. Chicago traded with us before and look how that worked out for us. Derick Rose would be perfect in Portland
Mike,
Let's look those winning combo # again 5 9 14 13.
We had 9 more wins this season over last. Strike 1.
We have the number #13 pick this draft, OR had a 13 game wining streak record. Strike 2.
What say we win 15 more games next season, for 5th place in the WEST!
Strike 3.
Good things always comes in 3's ;)
Simon
I really really like this donte greene kid and he is used to playing in nates favorate zone defense and gives good weak side help and blocks from behind. if we can't trade up for rose or westbrooke that is, I don't agree with most who think we will take that kid from italy, we don't need another overseas project who won't help now.
i was on my way to the airport, wishing i was at the lottery party and listening on the radio. i stayed in the car until the last second to hear us get #1. i was sooo excited i wanted to talk to everyone at the airport and on my flight but unfortunately nobody gave a crap and i had to contain myself and watch espn when i got to my destination. it was a beautiful evening!
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