Mar 27

Before I share the view from 114 let me give you some background on me and how I got this view...I have been a trailblazers fan for many yrs going back to 1977 when I was 18 yrs old and the Trailblazers won the championship game. I was not in portland at the time but living in Eugene so I was not fully into the Blazers due to lack of coverage.  lets see we had no internet etc back then. I did not fully become a full fan until  I moved to Portland in 1984. In Portland is where you see the team on tv, hear them on radio,read about them in the paper so how could you not know about the Trailblazers.It was during that time of moving here that the Trailblazers drafted a shooting guard from houston  mr glideclyde drexler phi slamma jamma himself. then I fell in love with this team when we got jerome, terry, duck and buck and loved them thru finals and losing etc.the team has changed many players since I really loved that 90 team I was not able to see clyde play in person as they were playing back then at memorial coleseum and the games were alaways sold out.. I went to my first trailblazer game live during the 2002 season and I went to a few of them but during that time it was the start of the jailblazer era and the rg was dead basically and you could easily get tickets to a game that used to be very hard to come by.. I enjoyed the games but you could tell something was not there with the fans anymore. the rg was dead the fans were not involved.  I basically disowned this team from 2003( when I say disowned I did not read about them, watch games, listen to radio..i knew the fans needed to make a statement to the owner this would not be tolerated in a team we call the trailblazers as they used to stand for good young men with high character and loved this city too)-to near the middle of 2009 season. It was during the season of 2008-09 season I found myself drawn to this team again.  There were several factors that drew me back in one was getting Rudy Fernandez I knew of his play in Europe and I had seen him play in the olympics in that championsip game with the USA and knew he would be fun to watch.  The other factor we were in the playoffs again. and I loved these guys they were the high quality character guys that this town loves.  I was hooked again.  I followed the 2009-10 season as that was truly inspiring playing well thru tough injuries and making playoffs, brandon getting hurt and trying to win first round.  This season was totally different I decided to follow the trailblazers on facebook and thru their links I found out about blazer chat and all the offerings their website offers.  I found myself in chat during pre season and found these people wonderful to talk with and so knowledgeable. the blazer employees really moderated this chat and it was great to see I had tried other sports chats and to say the least they were not moderated very well and the chatters were rude and said disgusting things that embarrassed me as a sportsfan.  I grew close to some ladies and one in particular invited me to a game she had gotten as a christmas gift. I did not know her in person but knew her from chat. we were no longer strangers after the clippers game. we started going to games together she had bought tickets and I had bought another package too we swapped tickets.  We swapped out the lakers tickets while at that game it would be the game right after all star break brandon roys return.  The game was on tv and I found myself watching the game and noticed a tv camera coming up in our section and row and both me madam o were waving at camera thinking it was a crowd shot. The next thing I know im hearing about something about a row and seat winning something. next thing I know I am being handed a bag full of blazer things.  Well madam o told me to look in the bag further she said maybe there is tickets in there. sure enough there was tickets to section 114 row m seats seven and eight.  so this is how I found myself with the view from section 114.

I had been looking forward to this game ever since I had won the tickets. I knew the San Antonio game was a huge game for the blazers. They were the top seed in the division and they were also a possible playoff team we might meet somewhere in the playoffs and also they were a team we needed to beat and prove what we were capable of.  So much had happened since I won the tickets the team finally had marcus camby back, we had roy coming back into his own, the trade deadline had come and gone we found ourself with a totally different team. We aquired the likes of Gerald Wallace or as I call him G Dubb ( I will never call him crash that honors goes to the original crash kersey). We now had a fighter and very athletic player who could change our team and give us that help we needed. I had no idea who he was but soon learned who he was and what he was about. We went thru growing pains and adjusting after the trade.  as fans we had to say goodbye to three players we totally loved....t

I had no doubt this was going to be a special game for me. I had never ever sat that low in the rose garden for a fan like me it was priviledge and blessing to have had it happen to me. But I was not alone I got to share it with my fellow vintage lady blazer who I met in chat.  She is more of an avid fan or should I say obsessed fan then me...who else to share it with. I had no doubt this was the person who would love it and I wanted to share that experience with her. I was the first person  she went with to a nba game so I felt it right we share this together.  game day came and I was as excited as a girl at christmas.  This was the day I get to see the team I love up and close and in person.  I went thru the normal thing of what to wear.  I finally decided thanks to my twitter blazer chat ladies to go with what I wanted to wear and I am glad I did. I need to be myself and not worry about others.  

We finally arrive at game and as we are walking to the rose garden I commented to Madam O this is a beautiful evening no rain and the sun is out.  I said this is a good omen we will win this game tonight (hmm I am thinking maybe I helped with this one...lol) and we go thru the usual drill of gates flashlights in purse to check for food lol and go thru the ticket style.  anyhow I had my ticket in hand and realized I had dropped it as we were halfway to our seats. I told Madam O I need to go back and find the ticket she said something about waiting(reason for getting ticket back I am going to do a scrapbook of this season and losing ticket bummer) I walked back and found ticket but could not find Madam O (that is why i tweeted I had lost Madam O I really did). I walked to my seat thinking she would eventually go to the seats. I walked down there and I was like wow I am close and I was like oh wow I can really see the players this is great. But first I need to find Madam O I called her on the cell could hardly hear her or her me as it was really loud i was hollering in phone come to the seats this is where I am.  The look on her face when saw me and where we were was priceless she was all lit up.  I helped her to seat and then we got all giddy like school girls.  we high fived and we giggled and we were in heaven. I could not keep my eyes off the floor. I wanted to take everything in as I would not probably have this chance again. I wanted to remember everything...

I saw things you dont see from section 300. I saw how Rudy has his socks tucked into his warmup pants. not sure why he does it but it works for him he has always been his own person regardless of what others are doing and that is what I loved about this man and the other players. I saw how he hit the base of the home basket a few times with his fist. I saw before opening introductions how patty was out dancing with blaze which was so cute and fun to see. I saw how some danced and united together.  I saw how they acted on the bench.  I got a kick out of patty being cheerleader for the team.  I knew he always waved the towel but never saw it up close. somehow he ended up wtih two towels waving after a stop in game he would come out on floor waving those two towels (no wonder rudy complained about getting hit in head he gets really into it) but that is cool the nba could use a few more pattys and I am glad he is a Trailblazer...I know the fans have really grown to love him and respect him thanks to twitter etc.

Now on to seeing the game...it was great to see the plays that happened but the best part was at the end of the game.  It was great to get to see the shot of the game or shot of my life time.  madam o and I were in our normal zone of being exhuberant and having fun in this tight game I looked at her once when we were cheering in in 09 second left and her face was lit up a like a christmas tree.  she was in that fan zone of being so high and happy cheering on a team we both love.  I kept thinking when we tied the game we dont want this going to over time. I hate to say it the blazers have not been very succesful with overtimes games this season and that includes at home. San Antonio was to inbound ball with 09 seconds left and I thought stop them play good d and dont foul anyone for crying out loud.  next thing I know is that san antonio lost possesion of ball it went out of bounds (I would find out later I could see what happened totally with everyone on feet it was opposite end of where I was sitting).  Next thing I knew we had the ball. I saw this crazy pass dre made to the rim and I thought oh no not good this is not going to be good or go in and before I can blink nico puts the ball in the basket high up on the rim (we had not been very successful all night with easy shots inside up on the rim) but this one went in so smooth it was surreal.  what I saw next was on madam o's face someone who was beyond happy she was on neptune or jupiter totally going bananas. we even hugged each other we were both excited and happy.  the players did not leave floor immediately like they normally do this was special they were out there hugging and supporting nico in his first buzzer beater wow of all shots made ever.  It was great to see that...the players uniting doing an interview for the tv cameras.  then I knew my time in section 114 was over and it would be back for me to section 300 for at least 3 more games. I am glad as a fan I got experience a game like this and to see it in person surreal. I will say this I will not forget this experience anytime soon...ty trailblazers or whoever you were that gave me these prizes you blessed my life beyond what you could ever know....this team brings joy to me in tough economic times here in portland.