Mercy, mercy Jerome Kersey …
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be writing a biography on the late, great Jerome Kersey of the Portland Trail Blazers in cooperation with the publisher, Dementi Books, Art and Photography of Manakin Sabot, Va.
I am going to be a guest on Oklahoma City's WWLS 98.1 FM on July 14, 2020
I will be joining WWLS The Sports Animal 98.1 FM at 5:00 PM on Tuesday. Tune in or click here to stream the show.
WinCo Foods Portland Open happening despite COVID-19 challenges
Even though no spectators will be allowed Portland is the only tournament staging a pro-am which is almost full at 100 foursomes
Jonathan Smith: What to Expect in Year Three, by Jim Wilson
How do Smith’s first two years compare with previous Beaver head coaches?
Heading into Jonathan Smith’s third season, there is reason for genuine optimism as Oregon
State leap-frogged from a shaky 2-10 initial campaign to a 5-7 team one play away from earning a bowl berth in year two.
Farewell to the ultimate “behind-the-scenes guy”
On July 3, Bob Gill — probably the state of Oregon’s top sports historian — died from the effects of brain cancer. He was 83.
“He gave it a great fight to the end,” says his daughter, Amy Candello.
Doug Edgren wins our first book drawing
A Sandy resident won the drawing for an autographed copy of “Wherever You May Be … the Bill Schonely Story.”
Doug Edgren, 56, was 13 when the Blazers won the NBA championship in 1977.
Calabro: It was about spending time with family…
He took the decision down to the final day before his contract expired.
Then Kevin Calabro pulled the plug on his career as the Trail Blazers’ television play-by-play voice.
With Ron Callan and Jim Wilson, offering our favorite Beaver athletes ever…
Note to readers: Jim Wilson and Ron Callan will serve as occasional guest columnists on my website. The Oregon State broadcasters’ first offering is a list of each’s top five favorite Beaver athletes to watch through the years. That’s not necessarily the best players, but the ones they most enjoyed watching at their craft.
Talking the ‘Civil War,’ Kevin Love, Keanon Lowe, coaching payouts and the film “Just Mercy”…
Covering a few sporting issues on my my mind this week …
Officials at Oregon State and Oregon have announced that the term “Civil War” will no longer be used in connection with the sports rivalry between the schools.
With Jon Teitel, talking Clyde Drexler on his 58th birthday…
The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976.
I am going to be a guest on Portland's Rip City Radio 620 on June 12, 2020
I will be joining Travis Demers and Chad Doing on their daily radio talk show. Tune in or click the link to stream the show. I am scheduled to join them at 3:20 PM.
I was a guest on Portland's 1080 The Fan’s Dirt and Sprague Show on June 11, 2020
I recently joined Andy "Dirt" Johnson and Brandon Sprague on their daily radio talk show. We discussed the passing of the original Trail Blazer Harry Glickman.
The original Trail Blazer is gone
I’m guessing Harry Glickman stood 5-10, but he was a giant of a man.
Blazer fans recognize him as the gravel-voiced, warm-hearted executive who paved the way toward Portland getting its only franchise in the big four major sports leagues.
Glickman, who died Wednesday at age 96, was the patriarch of the Trail Blazers. But he was much more than that.
I was a guest on Corvallis’ KEJO-AM Joe Beaver Show on June 3, 2020
I joined Corvallis, Oregon's KEJO-AM Joe Beaver Show, hosted by the voice of Oregon State University Athletics, Mike Parker, and Jon Warren. We discussed how the cornavirus may impact OSU’s 2020-21 athletic schedule, my next book, and my current projects.
On the NBA, Major League Baseball, NILs in college athletics, and Oregon State’s layoffs…
Thoughts on some sports issues of the day…
THE NBA SEASON RESUMES:
Most of the specifics have been released through various media outlets. Walt Disney World Resort, 22 teams, no fans, eight regular-season games, then playoffs, the whole shebang beginning July 31 and ending as late as October 12.
On Dwane Casey’s message, the NBA’s re-opening
Weighing in on two issues of the day:
I’ve known and had a good relationship with Dwane Casey for almost 30 years, since he was a member of the coaching staff (along with Terry Stotts) of George Karl with the Seattle SuperSonics. I have a great deal of respect for Casey, now head coach of the Detroit Pistons, and the type of man he is.
You Can Bet On It
I was mildly surprised Michael Jordan allowed the subject of his gambling to be included in “The Last Dance.” My guess is that he took it as another opportunity to convince the public that he did nothing wrong, that he was only guilty of being a “compulsive competitor,” not a “compulsive gambler.”
Bill Schonely has an announcement.
Today, as he nears his 91st birthday on June 1, 'The Schonz" has an announcement. Sign up for my emails and you will be eligible for a special prize. Have you already signed up for the emails? Then you are already entered. Contest ends on June 30, 2020.
I was a guest on Portland's XRAY FM morning show on May 14, 2020
I joined Portland, Oregon's XRAY FM 91.1 & 107.1 morning show In The Mornings hosted by Jefferson and Joe Smith. We discussed ESPN's Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance, the current NBA season that is on hold because of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the hometown Portland Trail Blazers.
With Dame, CJ and good health, Blazers’ outlook bright in ’20-21
Last week, toward the end of a Chicago-based podcast in which I was the guest, I was asked if the Trail Blazers might break up their backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
My answer was that I didn’t see Lillard — an institution in the Northwest, one of the franchise’s greatest-ever player — going anywhere, but that the Blazers might choose to trade McCollum “at some point” to bolster their talent at the forward spot.
In retrospect, I wish I’d thought the question through a little more.