DAME TIME DONE IN PORTLAND

Dame time ran on a fast clock in Portland.

This was a player the Trail Blazers couldn’t figure out.

Even when he got paid, they couldn’t figure out what to do with the team.

They had a leader who did what leaders do.

Now what?

Find a way to honor Dame Time.

What would that be?

Retire his number?

Can’t do that since he didn’t have a number but a letter.

Lillard’s ‘O’ is followed by ‘-akland’, not ‘1, 2, 3.’

Erect a statue?

The Lakers have statues all over the place.

From multi-champions:

To single champions:

No championship, no statue? Is that the way it is?

Not in Utah.

More Than A Street Name

Who are the Trail Blazer greats that deserve recognition every time a fan sees a game live?

Bill Walton.

Clyde Drexler.

Damian Lillard.

The first one is ‘Big Red’ the star of the 1977 championship team.

The second battled this guy for oxygen:

Lillard had Curry for comparisons while he became the all time scoring leader for the Blazers.

No statue for the big man, the big guard has a street sign, so what’s the appropriate reward for Lillard?

Ask Me About Dame Time On The Lillard Bridge

Instead of a statue, a plaque, or retired number, this is the Lillard Bridge.

Formerly the Steel Bridge.

It might have been the Brandon Roy Bridge if he’d played longer.

Roy was the link from the Jail Blazer era.

He was a Seattle man who knew he could safely drive thirty miles out of town.

Lillard is a fellow west-coaster who picked up where Roy left off.

Not only did he drive out of town, he bought a car dealership.

When the best player on a team embraces the community like Lillard, they break down the stereotype of the pampered pro athlete.

For a decade people crossed the Lillard Bridge to watch the Trail Blazers.

They drove, bused, trained, and walked across to Moda.

Lillard didn’t let the Blazer fans down.

Ownership is another question; management is another question.

He did his work, got his team better, but never quite good enough.

For that he’s earned the Naming Rights on the Steel Bridge: The Lillard Bridge.

Could one of you contact Jody Allen about this?

The franchise’s future in Portland is not a certainty, and ownership will play a pivotal role in upcoming decisions that may determine where the Blazers call home.

At least we’ll have a future with the Lillard Bridge when the Seattle Trail Blazers fly over Portland.

What time is it?

Official Dame Time starts in Milwaukee with a picture of Lillard standing on the shore of Lake Michigan.