We are counting down five of the most bizarre Trail Blazer moments that many of us might have forgotten about or been too young to remember.
5. Vernon Maxwell punches a fan
It was February 6, 1995, when Rockets’ shooting guard Vernon Maxwell, aka “Mad Max,” decided to take matters into his own hands. After verbally jousting with a Blazer fan about 12 rows up, Maxwell proceeded to go up the stairs and throw a punch at the fan.
Maxwell would be ejected and shortly after suspended for ten games. This game took place a week before Trail Blazer legend Clyde Drexler would be traded from Portland to the Houston Rockets.
4. The time Mike Rice was thrown out of a game by the referee
Most of you probably know Mike Rice for his time doing color commentating with Mike Barrett during Trail Blazer Games. In 1991, Rice, also known as “The wild one,” started doing radio play-by-play with Blazer broadcasting legend Bill Schonely.
During a game in 1994, Mike Rice got into a sideline argument with referee Steve Javie. As a result, he would shortly become the first and only broadcaster to be ejected from an NBA game. However, Javie was on quite a tear as the previous week, he had ejected an NBA mascot.
3. Maurice Cheeks saves the day
On April 25, 2003, 13-year-old Natalie Gilbert, who was getting over the flu, began singing the pre-game National Anthem. Fatigue and anxiety from being sick overwhelmed her as she began to struggle with the lyrics to the song.
Then, in a heartwarming moment, Blazers head coach Maurice Cheeks would run over and jump in, singing the song with the young girl. Helping her through the rest of the song, they earned a standing ovation as the crowd appreciated the kind gesture.
2. Zach Randolph punches Ruben Patterson
I probably could have made a top 10 list of just “Jail Blazer” era stories. However, this incident occurred during a practice in 2003 after chippy play led to a face-to-face verbal confrontation between forwards Ruben Patterson and Qyntel Woods.
Zach Randolph would come to Qyntel’s defense by sucker punching Patterson and fracturing his eye socket. Afterward, Randolph feared Patterson’s retaliation so much that he stayed at Blazer Center Dale Davis‘ house until the conflict could eventually be resolved.
1. Post-game skirmish with Bonzi Wells/Chris Mills
It was December 19, 2002, when Portland escaped with a 113-111 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Ca. After the game, some pushing was going on between Blazer Guard Bonzi Wells and Warrior Forward Chris Mills.
After the heated exchange, friends of Chris Mills showed up at the arena in multiple vehicles, brandishing weapons. They boxed the Blazers team bus demanding that Bonzi and other players come out. Instead, the Blazers relied on their head of security, who confronted Mills in front of the bus. After some phone calls were made, the vehicles left, and the Trail Blazers were able to leave.
The Blazers open their 2022-23 season against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento on October 19.
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