We Have A Take: A Portland Trail Blazers Fan Podcast

We had a talk with Anne Peterson (@AnnieMPeterson), Associated Press reporter, about what it has been like covering sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discussed what she remembers about when the leagues shut down and how her job has changed. Then we discuss what covering the Trail Blazers has been like since Neil Olshey was fired. 

1:00 Icebreaker: What is a favorite wintertime activity?

3:45 Catching up on life with Zoomer Anne Peterson. 

6:30 Being a sports reporter when sports shut down

9:35 Immediately after the shutdowns, teams and leagues were trying to figure out how to be relevant when there were no matches. 

13:40 Missing talking to players in person

16:15 Transitioning back to the arena

21:00 What kind of protocol did she have to go through as part of the press?

24:00 Remembering the Ice Storm Game

27:40 What it was like when fans came back 

32:30 How writing and covering a team changed during the pandemic.

33:50 Covering the Olympics and the story of what happened in Kashima, Japan. 

38:25 Moments between fans and athletes again

40:40 Season’s turmoil. 

42:40 Have things changed for her this season with all of the changes? 

45:25 Where is team morale?

49:00 Other times where there was a lot of transition for the team. 

52:00 Drama is amplified more so now than it used to be and requires a lot more chasing down rumors. 

Follow us on twitter: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet and @tcbbiggs. We are part of @bluewirehustle

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1:15 Ice breaker: [Bachelorette Spoiler Alert] Who is Michelle going to choose?

6:30 The Departure of Neil Olshey, our thoughts on Joe Cronin, and a press conversation for the ages. 

14:00 @Justn_B_Leak“It's messy but we still have Dame and a bunch of fun good dudes. There is still hope. I remember the lockout season with Ray Felton and Co. when they had a lockerroom mutiny and the coach was fired midseason. That season was worse I swear.”

Worse Season: Blazers Brass: Frustrated Nate McMillan was fired because he lost his team - CBSSports.com 

19:15 @NurkicCircus “Do NOT trade @Holla_At_Rob33!!!! He single-handily saved us from a blowout against the @Timberwolves yesterday. 5 steals 4 blocks and numerous deflections. He locked up everyone on that team and was the only reason the game was as close as it was. I STILL have faith In this team as constructed. The rotations just need to change. Less guard minutes and more offense through wings.”

27:30 @Alexancooper “I just wanna see these guys have FUN! And why does the media want Dame out of Portland so bad?”

(30:00)

31:11 @loganakio “I love the guys on this team. Agree with the replies so far— I want to see them succeed, and even more, I want them to be having fun.”

32:00 @Hecubus01 & @playest_4247 “It’s been a rough week, and I want to focus on the positivity. What has been the most enjoyable or fun part of the season? Hot take (may not be that much of a hot take)-Ben Simmons will be a Blazer.”

43:45 @lothringen360 “Who is the one player you would be willing to give up one of our young guys for? If not, why not?”

45:30 @holycowitsthao “Fire Chauncey . . . Specifically tho that no time out call” 

50:00 @janelboyer “Do you think Joe might come back next week? That maybe, Michelle changes her mind about Brendon staying over joe?”

50:30 @BlazerTagPDX “Is Heather a bad Chief Stew or is Jess just a bad 3rd Stew who hates her job (Below Deck)?-Ryan”

Music used in the episode: “Happy Alley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Follow us on twitter: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet and @tcbbiggs. We are part of @bluewirehustle

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Jannelle Moore (@jannelle12), writer for sites such as @complexsports , @basketbllnews , and San Jose Mercury joined Tara to provide some outside perspective about what is happening with the Blazers.

2:00 Last year’s soft tank, and working Wiseman back in. 

4:30 How worried should I be about the Trail Blazer? Only a quarter of the way into the season, coach is still figuring it out, and now maybe the Blazers will get a GM who cares

7:20 You can’t call out the players in public until you know them well enough. That should be done in house, especially at the beginning, with a thirsty press. 

9:55 What disengaged looks like

11:10 Players have to try too hard to fit into the new schemes

13:00 The roster hasn’t been changed that much, they should be figuring it out -- unless they are not buying in. 

15:00 Did the coach promise too much to too many players? 

17:30 Damian Lillard’s injury

19:20 What are the Blazers going to rally around and an unrelated tangent about Enes Freedom. 

20:25 The investigation of the GM wasn’t a distraction. Really? Really??

22:20 When the Blazers tried to be more aggressive it took the Warriors only a few minutes to figure it out and break it down. 

23:40 Ball movement is important but so is player movement. 

25:00 Play style charts on Nylon Calculus

28:15 It seems like the coach might be spending more time coming up with new schemes rather than time on the players who are going to carry out those schemes. 

30:15 Olshey didn’t leave them with very good options for the future. 

33:00 Why hasn’t the team been sold? 

34:35 Help might not be coming for a while. 

Music used in the episode: “Happy Alley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Follow us on twitter: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet and @tcbbiggs. We are part of @bluewirehustle

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Things are not getting better at least with the front office and we're wondering what will happen next? We talk about what differences we are seeing on the court including perhaps more comfortable communication and Jusuf Nurkic finding a groove despite not getting his regular minutes and rotations. We also check in to find out how Blazers are doing in assists, passes and dunks this season!

1:30 Cassidy is decorating

3:30 #WeTheNorth

4:30 Our first time talking together about the Neil Olshey investigation

12:00 The General Managers Association of General Managers

17:50 Chris McGowan resignation

22:30 What about the basketball product? What is different?

30:30 Is communication getting better as the new coaches get used to players' preferred communication and learning styles?

37:10 Assists, passes and dunks update

42:30 Nassir Little appreciation

43:10 A please for NBA parents to be able to order their kids' jerseys online.

Music used in the episode: “Happy Alley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Follow us on twitter: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet and @tcbbiggs. We are part of @bluewirehustle

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Dillon Sage (@dasage) of Holy Backboard Podcast (@holybackboard) joined Tara to discuss ways that the Trail Blazers look different (or the same) this season. 

2:00 What changes have we seen to their playing style?

5:00 Blazers are working on implementing a high risk, high reward defense

6:30 Drop defense isn’t Voldemort

8:45 Why don’t the Blazers keep their hands up? 

10:15 Second unit defense

12:00 Four guard lineup

13:30 Why do role players always have career nights against the Blazers? 

15:00 Tony Snell is long

18:15 Larry Nance Jr observations. Why is he hesitating? Is he happy in this setting? 

21:30 Could Anfernee have been playing at this level in years past? 

23:15 More ball movement, more pace, more drives. What other ways has the offense changed? 

26:00 Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are sharing the ball pretty equally. 

28:15 What happened to all the dunks in the first week? 

29:30 Accountability

30:00 Watch Willie Green in New Orleans - I’m not calling you out, I’m calling you up!

34:00 There isn’t anything new or innovative that we’re seeing from this coach. 

37:45 Do whatever it takes to keep Greg Brown and Nas Little’s joy.

38:45 Award catch up. Early season front runners for Bench Celebrator Man of the Year: Greg Brown, Nassir Little, Trendon Watford, Ben McLemore 

41:00 Most Improved Fits Anfernee, Cody Zeller (gets extra credit for enthusiastic costume and Christmas Sweater wearing).

46:46 Assistant coach of the year. Roy Rodgers? He’s smarter than us at defense!

48:30 Most Important Pet - Probably Norman Powell’s dogs are leading the way. 

50:45 Other teams we’ve been watching: Memphis, Kings

52:30 Lakers have discovered Carmelo Anthony exists. Sage suggests watching Herbert Jones on the Pelicans.

Happy Birthday to Sage’s mom!

Music used in the episode: “Happy Alley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Follow us on twitter: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet and @tcbbiggs. We are part of @bluewirehustle

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Tara and Cassidy record their reactions to the Trail Blazers' first week of regular season play, right before the Memphis game.

2:00 Which Blazer had the best week? Nassir Little is averaging 9.3 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. He's also doing non-stat things!

6:00 The distance between the floor and the ceiling this season is a lot.

6:30 What things are different this season?

12:00 Why are they changing the offense (which as we've been told, is great) AND the defense (which we know needs a LOT of work) at the same time?

14:20 Is it weird that the chemistry is not translating?

15:00 Why is Damian Lillard having a hard time making buckets?

17:00 Anfernee Simons had a good week too.

19:40 Ben McLemore hasn't played much but his fits are great and his bench presence is good.

20:40 Assistance Coach of the Year watch update

22:35 There is a new group exploring ownership of a WNBA team in Oakland that includes Alana Beard and Damian Lillard's mom and Cassidy can hardly contain her excitement.

23:30 Getting to know Dennis Smith Jr

28:00 Dennis Smith Jr has two ACLs in one leg!

33:00 Did we talk ourselves into Larry Nance Jr or is he really going to be a game changer?

40:00 The starters look like they are having a harder time adjusting than the bench.

42:55 Who would be on the Blazers' Leadership Council?

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Tara and Cassidy discuss which awards they will be tracking this season.  Who will the the most valuable assistant coach, who will be the leader in...bench celebrations and who will be the Blazers Most Valuable...Pet? All of this and more!

00:52 Who were you cheering for in the WNBA playoffs? 

02:10 Bring back the Portland Fire!

04:20 Could Nurkic play more like Brittany Griner

08:00 2021-2022 Awards predictions . . . WHAT style

10:39 M.I.F. Most Improved 'Fit(s)/Drip

13:33 M.I.F. Frontrunners: Larry Nance Jr., Anfernee Simons, keep your eye on Ben McLemore

18:36 Bench-celebrator Man of the Year

26:16 Assistant Coach of the Year

28:23Yay us for having awesome WNBA Twitter women on the WHAT podcast. 

30:10 Fun facts about the new assistant coaches.

30:22 Scott Brooks

30:45 Matt Brase 

32:11 Roy Rodgers

32:46 Steve Hetzel 

36:01 M.V.P. most valuable pet

36:26 Cody Zeller's dog Max

37:17 Fiona McCollum

38:53 Robert Covington's snakes and reptiles

40:43 Ben McLemore's dog Rolex

42:07 Jusuf Nurkic's cats Rumi, Mumi and Tiramisu

45:24 Apollo and Odin Powell

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Tara and Cassidy called in two of Rip City's most unique podcasters to help them build this year's Trail Blazers play list. Dia Miller (@diandraann) of Blazer's Edge and Dillon Sage (@dasage) of Holy Backboard brought tunes AND takes to help us create our most eclectic play list yet. Join us for a wild ride, with topics ranging from Robert Covington's solid, steady play, to Jusuf Nurkic's mercurial personality, from our own bruised feelings to CJ McCollum's fierce mentality, from Cody Zeller's nose to Footloose, we covered so much ground! Find the 2022 Trail Blazers play list on Youtube and let us know what you think (some of the lyrics of the songs on the playlist are explicit, but this episode is not)!

Subscribe today and tell your friends!

https://apple.co/2Vn9Hf9

https://spoti.fi/3lARIww

2:15 Icebreaker: Which Blazer would you want to make you a playlist? 

6:15 Big Daddy Kane - Aint No Half Steppin' (HQ Quality Uncensored)

10:15 For Larry Nance https://youtu.be/29a6o5vRKVM 

13:00 Oh My God Yeah F*** It

15:00 Feelings

20:20 Tears For Fears - Shout (Official Music Video) and Willie Nelson - Just Breathe (Music Video) 

21:45 Taylor Swift - The Way I Loved You (Taylor's Version) (Lyric Video)

23:00  dead prez - Hip Hop (Official Video)

30:45 Ariana Grande Thinking Bout You 

34:20 Footloose: Bonnie Tyler - I Need A Hero 

37:30 All the ways Jusuf Nurkic’s year could go. Including, should he be shooting 3s?

48:50 Robert Covington appreciation: You've Got a Friend In Me (from Toy Story)

55:00 A Change Would Do You Good

56:30 CJ McCollum: Paramor: Still into You

57:30 A song that describes the opposite of Ben Simmon’s mentality Oddisee - That's Love 

58:30 2000 B.C. (Before Canibus)

1:00:10 Justin Bieber, Anyone

1:01:20 The Temptations Ain't Too Proud To Beg

1:04:00 Superdome State of Mind--Truth Universal ft. Evelyn

1:05:00 From our friend Rose on twitter! https://youtu.be/UhKM4EENpSY

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@wehaveatake

@tcbbiggs, @cassidygemmet

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Tara is joined by Brit (@britrobotista) one of the co-hosts of Stepback Sisterhood (@stepbacksisters) to find out how things are going in Houston since Harden took off. Should we declare a cooling off period between Portland and Houston fan bases?

00:00 Catching up with Brit and comparing Roots sports stories

3:30 Icebreaker: Which NBA player would be really great at community theater? Answers: Eric Gordon, Donovan Mitchell

8:45 How are things going in Houston with James Harden gone? Losing 20 games straight ast season hurt a lot, other than that, pretty positive!

12:00 Comparing what it's like when other people want to trade your superstars

14:15 Schadenfreude?

17:00 Is there a former player that Houston Rockets fans don’t like? 

22:00 Ben McLemore’s time in Houston, how he might fit in.

28:30 Robert Covington in Portland

29:30 What storylines are we interested in this coming season? What will Dallas look like? Will Luka get similar criticism to what Harden got? 

32:00 How will Houston do if they go through another big losing streak?

32:45 Who will be the new young stars? The Lakers could be fascinating

38:00 Young fun players in Houston

44:00 John Wall and how he’s handling things (read her piece on Apollo Launch Pad)

49:30 Should this be a cooling off period between Portland and Houston fans? 

50:00 Closing thoughts

Find Brit: @Britrobotista

Find us: @wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet, @tcbbiggs

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DeVon Pouncey, host of the Wake Up And Win podcast, took a break from his very busy life to check in with Tara. They talked about how he's getting ready to call football games this fall, how the Blazer's off season played out and what the NBA and its players are doing to carry on the long-time legacy of social justice in the league.

00:20 Catching up with DeVon Pouncey

5:15 Preparing to call Pacific University football games this fall and Pacific University and PSU basketball this winter

8:45 Perspective on the Blazer's off season

12:00 Damian Lillard, shaking things up in Portland this summer

15:00 How might the new coach influence the Blazers' basketball identity?

20:30 Other teams have not been scared to play the Blazers. They did not look grittier than the Nuggets in the playoffs.

22:00 What should Blazers fans be most excited about? Lillard's IG post saying he's back.

25:30 Lillard wedding

29:00 NBA and Social Justice - where are they now?

32:30 What came out of the turning point of the strike in the bubble? National Basketball Social Justice Coalition and NBA Foundation

40:30 Policy making: let the players lead. Some of the NBA governors have the ear of high end policy makers, but are those policy makers interested in the change that players are asking for?

48:00 The benefits of players taking control of their own narrative.

51:00 Stay tuned-in to what players are doing and saying.

Follow us on twitter!

@wehaveatake, @cassidygemmet, @tcbbiggs and this week's guest @pounce_sation

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