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Episode 4: Sean Highkin

The podcast is going back to back this week. This is the last episode before the holidays. It’s been a lot of fun so far. Still a few things to work out, like improving the audio quality, being a more assertive host and continue to have interesting guests on. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that make it worth listening. To stay updated with the podcast, subscribe to it in iTunes by clicking this link.

In this episode, Sean Highkin aka @shighkinNBA drops by to discuss how he got to writing for ESPN’s True Hoop Network, his best and worst memory as a Trail Blazer fan, the Oregon Ducks-Oregon State Beavers rivalry, the buzz surrounding the Portland Timbers, how he became a Yankees fan, how Portland almost got a major league baseball team, and a few things worth checking out in Portland if you ever visit.

Streaming link up top, download link below this, and show notes included as a companion to the subject matter we discuss on the podcast.

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Show notes:

1. The site that Sean used to write music for is Beats Per Minute.

2. Hardwood Paroxysm is one of the sites that Sean writes for, his complete archive can be found here, articles he wrote recently include “The Inescapable Past and Inevitable Future of Brandon Roy” and “Royce White’s Dangerous Game”. 

3. Sean also does extensive work at Portland Roundball Society and contributes to Magic Basketball. He also recently wrote a great piece on Omer Asik as part of The Classical’s Why We Watch series. Other Blazers-related blogs worth mentioning are Rip City Project and Blazers Edge.

4. We touched on the “Jail Blazers” era, which is best captured by this 2001 Sports Illustrated article from L. Jon Wertheim titled “Losing Their Grip”. The infamous Bonzi Wells quotes are written about in detail here, here’s an article where Kobe declares that there’s no such thing as Kobe Stoppers, and lastly, here’s an interview I did with J.R. Rider earlier this year.

5. We also discussed the drafting of Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. Mark Titus of Grantland had a wonderful and somber profile of Oden earlier this year, you can read it here. Bill Simmons wrote about the two draft picks back in 2007, the tone of this piece — Durant as a tantalizing talent, Oden as a franchise centerpiece you couldn’t pass up — reflects the general opinion at the time of the draft. Lastly, towards the end of this Frank Hughes article, he mentions the Spurs offering Tim Duncan for the Oden pick.

6. For the latest on Brandon Roy’s knee situation, read this. Also, mandatory link to his amazing performance against the Mavericks in the playoffs.

7. We talked about Sean’s #WackFantasy basketball league, where the goal is to pick players who play minutes but don’t put up great stats. It’s the creation of Philip Barnett aka @imsohideouss, who contributes frequently to the Lakers blog Forum Blue And Gold.

8. The rise of soccer in the Pacific Northwest has been well documented, and the Portland Timbers are right at the center of it. Watch this video of the crowd singing the national anthem, looks like a decent place to watch a soccer game.

9. The Montreal Expos almost moved to Portland, and other franchise moves that almost happened.

10. Sean’s recommendations for anyone visiting Portland: Powell’s, the book store which I imagine is similar to Strand Bookstore in New York. Also, Voodoo Doughnut, which was featured in TIME Magazine and video profiled here.

11. Opening song to the podcast is the intro to Portlandia, an IFC sketch comedy show. Some of my favorite skits from the show: The Biker, Battlestar Galactica marathon and Emergency Cell Phone.

12. Closing song is “Bust A Bucket”, a “fight song” for the Trail Blazers released in 1992 featuring members of the team. Details here.

13. As always, thanks to @jonsavant for editing the podcast and @bouncex3 for the podcast logo. Follow them because we all love followers.

My friend Sean Highkin talks Portland and Blazers Basketball.