Hooped Up

I meant to have this up yesterday for Remembrance Day / Veterans Day but, life happened and I wasn’t able to. But good information and a story like this is always better late than never. Reporter Elie Seckbach, caught up with Portland Trail Blazer Channing Frye to discuss what Veterans Day means to him and his family, because as it turns out Channing Frye’s grandfather was a Tuskegee Airmen that served in World War II.  The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of black pilots that flew with distinction during World War II as the332nd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps.

Only 30 of the Tuskegee Airmen are alive today and Frye’s grandfather is one of the them. Can you even imagine what it’s like for this group of men to have lived long enough to see Barack Obama become President?

Absolutely Amazing!

Anytime a decision to have a dance team wear boy short is made, the committee that made the decision deserves recognition and a beer. Here are a few looks at the new look Blazer dancers and it’s the first time I’ve ever thought of a Radio Flyer wagon as being oddly sexy.

[Show as slideshow]

Via Blaze Of Love

Last night, former Blazers legend Kevin Duckworth was honoured at the game between the Blazers and Rockets. Duckworth passed away this summer at the age of 44.

“Friends and family of Kevin Duckworth will join the Trail Blazers and team alumni to pay tribute to “Duck” at Thursday’s game between the Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets. 

On behalf of the Trail Blazers organization, Jerome Kersey will take the mic to officially dedicate the 2008-09 season to Duckworth’s memory in front of a crowd that will include several of Duckworth’s friends and family, including his mother Maxine.”

Via Blazers Blog

The news doesn’t get any better for Greg Oden and the Portland Trailblazers.

“Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden will miss 2-4 weeks because of a right foot injury. The team said yesterday that MRI and computerized axial tomography scans confirmed last year’s No. 1 draft pick has a mid-lateral foot sprain. 

Oden, who missed all of last season after knee surgery, injured his foot in the first quarter of a season-opening loss Tuesday.”

Boston Herald

Just when you thought old man Oden was back and ready to go, he went down like a ton of bricks early in the contest between the Blazers and Lakers last night.  Talk about your bad luck!

“Greg Oden fell awkwardly in the first quarter, limped around a little, and didn’t ever look comfortable. He went scoreless in his debut. X-rays were inconclusive, so they termed it a “mid-foot” sprain, and the franchise player will undergo an MRI today. Oden’s NBA career so far: Right knee. Right ankle. Right foot. And right about now, there are five toes that have to be wincing and bracing every time the big guy takes a step. It’s time for the Blazers to move their season expectations on without Oden. ”

Oregonian

Martell Webster could be out of the Blazers line up for 20 to 25 games with a fractured left foot.

“The euphoric aftermath of the Trail Blazers’ electric start to the exhibition season was dealt a somber dose of news Wednesday when Martell Webster, the front-runner to start at small forward, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Webster, who unbeknown to the Blazers had been experiencing discomfort throughout training camp, finally told the team Tuesday night after playing a painful 26 minutes against the Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter had X-Rays taken Tuesday night and underwent magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography testing on Wednesday, which revealed the injury to his fifth metatarsal.”

The Oregonian

Because of a crowded backcourt, Shaun Livingston will not join the Portland Trailblazers and is still without a team. Booo!

In Portland…they kinda like Rudy Fernandez.

“More than 100 fans welcomed Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez to the Trail Blazers upon his arrival in Portland with chants of “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!”

“It was a good surprise,” Fernandez said. “When I arrived, I say, ‘OK, let’s go practice now. Let’s go.’ ”

The 6-foot-6 Olympian arrived at Portland International Airport and was whisked to the Rose Garden, where the Blazers held a news conference to introduce him.

Fernandez played for Spain in Beijing, scoring 22 points in the Olympic gold-medal game against the United States. The U.S. team won 118-107.”

San Francisco Chronicle

With Channing Frye out until at least November and Raef Lafrentz maybe not playing at all this season.  Greg Oden will see heavy minutes in his rookie season and he is ready to roll.

“Five weeks of workouts with trainer Jay Jensen and strength and conditioning coach Bobby Medina have dropped Greg Oden’s weight from about 300 to 285. “I’m getting there,” Oden says. “I’m not going to say I’m in the best shape of my life, but it’s getting a lot better. I can tell the difference the past two weeks.” There is no pain in the knee, Oden says. The past five weeks, he has paced himself, working gradually into five-on-five pickup games at the Blazers’ training facility but taking part only every other day. This week, Oden will play all four days, “but only three or four games a day,” he says.”

Portland Tribune