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02-04-2005, 10:01 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Right on the money
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Posts: 8,043
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How Portland can get the NBA All-Star Game
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Who says a small city can't find the space to house more than 100,000 Super Bowl zealots? Jacksonville had only to look as far as the St. Johns River.
The city signed contracts with three cruise lines, and paid $11.7 million to rent five ships to use as temporary hotels along the river, which runs through the heart of the city.
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http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...orld-headlines
Portland has never hosted the All-Star Game because, so they say, there aren't enough hotel rooms in town. But we should take a hint from Jacksonville, and line the Willamette River with floating hotels!
If you've ever seen cruise ships lined up at night with lights strung from stem to stern, it's a beautiful sight.
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"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan
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02-04-2005, 10:18 AM
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#2 (permalink)
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Banned member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Age: 82
Posts: 28,436
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I think it's too late for us to get an All Star game. For starters, the NBA makes a habit of rewarding cities who just got an arena built, with a game. In some cases, they don't because said city hosted an all-star game. Like how Seattle didn't get a 2nd one after they re-opened Key Arena.
However, Houston is getting a 2nd one in 20 years because they got a new arena built.
It's too late for us, imho, not only because the fan-base is lagging now, but also because the NBA missed that boat. It's sailed. And sunk. The NBA missed a golden opportunity to salute the city for it's loyalty, and instead pissed on us. We were good enough to hold the "Tournament of Amerca" (with far more teams and argubably more media coverage) but not an All Star Game?
Who cares anymore.
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02-04-2005, 11:16 AM
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#3 (permalink)
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Right on the money
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Posts: 8,043
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I disagree, Hap. For one thing, you can't keep giving the All-Star Game to cities with new stadiums, because new stadiums don't get built that often.
Plus, The Rose Garden is big and beautiful and still fairly new. I can't imagine the NBA is telling Paul Allen he needs to build yet another stadium before they will consider Portland for the All-Star Game.
I think it's always been the issue of insufficient hotel rooms to accomodate all the media and fans. And that's why the cruise ship idea is a good one.
Portland is a proud 35-year-old franchise with a long history of solid fan support and an NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters. They have to give us the All-Star Game at some point!
__________________
"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan
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02-04-2005, 11:20 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Portland, OR
Age: 38
Posts: 1,614
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As long as professional sports gambling exists in Oregon (NBA or not), I'd be surprised if Czar Stern allows such a thing to happen.
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02-04-2005, 11:33 AM
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#5 (permalink)
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Banned member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Age: 82
Posts: 28,436
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Quote:
Originally posted by <b>Talkhard</b>!
I disagree, Hap. For one thing, you can't keep giving the All-Star Game to cities with new stadiums, because new stadiums don't get built that often.
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I wish that were true. But of the teams that have gotten All Star Games in the last 15 years (+ next year with Houston), I'd bet that most of them were awarded soon after they got a new arena.
Got a new arena:
Houston: check
Utah: check
Denver: Check
Phx: Check
Washington: check
Philadelphia: check
Atlanta: check
Cleveland: Check
San Antonio: Check
Were a new team:
Miami: check
Orlando: check
Charlotte: check
Minnesota: check
other:
New York: check
Oakland: check (I'm not sure if they got a new arena then)
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Plus, The Rose Garden is big and beautiful and still fairly new. I can't imagine the NBA is telling Paul Allen he needs to build yet another stadium before they will consider Portland for the All-Star Game.
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the arena is 10 years old. What other new arena (that hasn't already had an All Star Game) has had to wait that long?
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Portland is a proud 35-year-old franchise with a long history of solid fan support and an NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters. They have to give us the All-Star Game at some point!
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you would've thought that they would've given us one sooner than *after* 35 years.
Only Boston, as an older team, hasn't one one in the time frame that we've been a team.
Hell, in the time that we've been a franchise, some teams have had it 3 times (LA, Phila) and several have had it twice.
After a while, it just is pointless. I think the NBA is using the hotel space as an excuse, because it's a lame excuse. Expecting the city to increase it's hotel space at a cost of multiple millions of dollars for a stupid all-star game?
God forbid people have to drive a bit to go to the game..
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02-04-2005, 12:10 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Running down the dream!!!
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ripcity, USA
Posts: 2,938
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I'm not sure about this.....but......
I think the Willamette River is too shallow for big cruise liners. I believe the closest they could get is the Columbia River.
Anyone to confirm or slam me for my incompetance???
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 Trail Blazers Fan since Walton was injured the first time!
OSU Beavers Alumni & Fan since Ralph Miller's Orange Express -
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02-04-2005, 02:26 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Right on the money
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Posts: 8,043
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Quote:
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I think the NBA is using the hotel space as an excuse, because it's a lame excuse.
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Okay, if that's true, what's their real reason? They held the NBA draft in Portland one year, so they obviously don't have a problem with the city hosting league events.
__________________
"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan
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02-04-2005, 02:28 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Banned member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Age: 82
Posts: 28,436
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Quote:
Originally posted by <b>Talkhard</b>!
Okay, if that's true, what's their real reason? They held the NBA draft in Portland one year, so they obviously don't have a problem with the city hosting league events.
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I dont know what the reason is, but whatever the reason is, it's a stupid reason.
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02-04-2005, 02:31 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Right on the money
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Posts: 8,043
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Quote:
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I think the Willamette River is too shallow for big cruise liners.
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I'm not sure about that. I do know that the big cruise ships don't need as much water as some people think. I believe it's only about 20 feet.
I'd also be curious to know the depth of the St. John's River in Jacksonville. That's hardly a major river. I suspect the Willamette is just as deep, though I don't know that for sure.
__________________
"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan
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02-04-2005, 02:40 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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Look at my Rep points
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 710
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The willamete is maintained at 40 feet deep. Useless fisherman knowledge  |
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02-04-2005, 02:42 PM
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#11 (permalink)
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Right on the money
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
Posts: 8,043
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Found this on the internet . . .
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St. John's River is approximately 200 miles long, with a maximum water depth of 32 feet ...
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__________________
"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan
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02-04-2005, 04:50 PM
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#12 (permalink)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,480
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Stern's held a grudge ever since the Blazers outmaneuvered the cap rules to sign Chris Dudley.
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"The Blazers will bounce on up to the top again, just like they have before. And when they do I'll be cheering for 'em as loud as anybody."
- Bill Walton
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02-04-2005, 05:00 PM
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#13 (permalink)
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Banned member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Age: 82
Posts: 28,436
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Quote:
Originally posted by <b>Talkhard</b>!
Found this on the internet . . .
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good find. I found this little tidbit:
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The Willamette River is the 13th largest river in the United States. The river drains a basin of 11,478 square miles—roughly the size of the State of Maryland.
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02-04-2005, 05:07 PM
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#14 (permalink)
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Schilster Supreme
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lake Wilsonwood
Posts: 13,607
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Quote:
Originally posted by <b>Talkhard</b>!
I'm not sure about that. I do know that the big cruise ships don't need as much water as some people think. I believe it's only about 20 feet.
I'd also be curious to know the depth of the St. John's River in Jacksonville. That's hardly a major river. I suspect the Willamette is just as deep, though I don't know that for sure.
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The Queen Mary had a Keel Draft of 32 feet, it looks to me like most the modern ships have a shallower draft in the 20 - 30 foot range.
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How Portland can get the NBA All-Star Game
