Another one of the questions the ESPN crew asked was this:
How does this achievement/event compare to others in Trailblazer history?
I thought I'd ask you the same question.
My answer... Up until this point you can't call this an achievement at all, because strictly speaking we haven't done anything. Furthermore the anonymous lottery "pick" is about to be traded in for a real player with a real name and his achievements will have to far overshadow any ping pong balls bouncing if this event is going to be significant at all. All of this is temporary...lasting only until tip-off of Game One of the 2007-08 season. At that point the whole lottery and draft is exactly as good or bad as the player we select today performs.
However that doesn't mean that the event is insignificant. Today marks a milestone in franchise history...hopefully the beginning of something very special. Plus all of the hype, pageantry, and excitement make this a memorable day in its own right. Seldom will you find people as gathered and united as they will be this afternoon. For fans this will be a very significant day.
Obviously the championship ranks above this moment in significance. There hasn't been a bigger moment in franchise history to this date. I would argue that both trips to the finals since were also bigger and possibly the trips to the Western Conference finals as well. You might be able to look at certain moments in Clyde Drexler's career or maybe the drafting of Bill Walton (if you can remember back that far...I can't) on a par with this moment. There might also be some academic, fairly neutral events (such as the sale of the team to Paul Allen) or even some negative ones (like the Jermaine O'Neal trade) that rank up there in significance. Even so, put them all together and they probably don't total ten. And even with that list you can argue whether this event shouldn't be right up there near the top.
In short, I think this is a big deal but probably not quite as big as the greatest moments of achievement on the court. Give me at least the championship and the two finals experiences and I will probably admit that this day closes in on their heels.
Where does it rank for you among the days in all time Blazer history?
——Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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