Hands down, for me, the best photo that I took at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2105. Love my Portland Trail Blazers! Miss our Wesley Matthews on the court.

While we waited in line for well over 30 minutes to get close enough for me to zoom in and take this photo, I did my usual people watching and listening thing. You'd think I'd have plenty to remember, but when I leaned to my right, saw Wesley, raised my camera, zoomed in, and clicked, then looked at the resulting photo, my mind went blank. I couldn't believe that I'd managed to take such a fine photo. I vividly remember my first Player Palooza when I got a smile out of Wesley as we walked along the concourse side-by-side for a moment--I said to him, awestruck to be in that particular space and moment, "Wesley, you're even more handsome in person than you are on TV!" Like my little Mama always said, "I'm an ol' lady. I can say what I want to say!" I'm following her lead, for sure.

March 5 Wesley went down during a home game and didn't hop up immediately as he did 99.99% of the time. I watched him attempt to get up, first on his knees, then put his left foot on the floor, realize it wasn't going to happen, go down on his back, his hands clasped on his forehead--I don't want to think about the thoughts racing through his mind as he realized how bad this could actually be--while play continued to my left, wondering why didn't someone stop play and come to check on him. Thank goodness soon Blazers came to Wesley, the first two to get there were Robin Lopez and Meyers Leonard, followed quickly by staff who helped him up and off the court, then through the tunnel leading to the locker room and treatment area.

Every few seconds, I glanced at the Blazers' bench, hoping to see him come back, knowing it probably wouldn't happen during the game. I'm not sure how much later this happened, but I noticed Paul Allen, Blazers' owner, coming back to his seat from the tunnel and knew in my heart of hearts that he'd been to check on Wesley and that the news would not be good. Turned out he'd ruptured his left Achilles tendon, a fluke when he stepped out after catching a pass so that he could dribble, something he'd done countless times in his years of playing the game he loves, a split second in time that took our Ironman (as he's known by one and all around here) out for the rest of the season. Rats for him. Rats for us. Phooey, phooey, phooey.

He's made it successfully through surgery and hopefully will be signed as an unrestricted free agent this summer and remain a Portland Trail Blazer for years to come. It's time for Paul Allen and the Blazers' powers-that-be to step up for this 28-year-old young man who has busted it big time for the team since he arrived in 2010. One thing for sure, Wesley Matthews will work at it until he's successfully rehabilitated, ready to go.

Thanks for keeping in touch with us on Instagram and Facebook, Wesley--we miss you and want you to heal well so that you can come back for yourself and for us, your loyal fans.

Smiles all around, Janessa and RoLo, Janessa and Nico, Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Any doubt in your mind that Janessa had just as much fun as I did at Player Palooza's early-admittance-hour? Check out those starry eyes, y'all. When I said, "RoLo!" and took off walking, she was right there with me, joyfully anticipating getting her photo taken with her favorite Blazer, Robin Lopez. She had her phone with her, so she's got her own photo, plus this one that I took. Yea for Janessa! Yea for RoLo!



Vigilance while taking photos paid off for us because I saw Nicolas Batum being walked with a handler to his appointed station just beyond where we were with Robin, so I quickly directed us there right after I took the photo of Janessa smiling so blissfully, that close to her favorite! We were second and third in line, which saved us an enormous amount of time for the last Blazer I got to have my photo taken with, Wesley Matthews, Ironman! Look back to the blog on March 18 for Wesley and me, on March 19 for Nicolas and me, and on March 20 for Robin and me. Here is the first photo that I took of Janessa with Nico, enjoying a laugh together while someone took a photo for her on her phone.



Here's the photo showing how pleasantly they posed a second later. Sweet, totally sweet! Oh, and how's this for sweetness? While we waited in the long line for Wesley, we talked with two ladies behind us who, as time ticked away, revealed that they had not managed to get a photo with anyone. When it became obvious that time would run out even for them to get a photo with Wesley, Janessa let them ahead of her in the line. She's the real deal, that Janessa!

Portland Trail Blazers' Robin Lopez, Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

The first photo of the night, thanks to my quick sighting of RoLo sitting at this counter. I saw him just as we started to walk through the area where some signs hung over other stations which had no Blazer on sight yet. Since RoLo is Janessa's favorite, I sped up instantly, saying, "RoLo!" and pointed towards him. We took off like a couple of scalded cats--sorry for the vividness of that metaphor, but it's one I've heard used for years. Hmmm. How about I just stop using it after this time because I don't want to think about those poor cats. Well, I digress. To get to talk with this great big man for a moment of two and get my photo taken with him--an absolute treat! For someone who plays under the basket and/or very near the basket with a determined ferociousness, his voice is surprisingly soft. Some folks don't care for Robin's hairstyle or his facial hair. I for one adore his look just as much as I enjoy his style of on-court play.

Portland Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum, Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

When this young Frenchman is on, it's like you're in the presence of the most-grin-producing-enjoyable-out-the-wazoo-basketball you've ever witnessed! Y'all, from fingertip to fingertip, Nic's reach is 7'4" and he's so quick and can jump so high! He blocks shots, he steals the ball, he runs the court, he passes, he get rebounds, he makes two-point and three-point baskets. When he's not on, I'm one sad, sad Portland Trail Blazers' fan, let me tell you. Standing there and talking with him for a short time, having my photo taken with him, what a treat for this ol' lady who wishes nothing for him but to be on every time he takes the court. About that 7'4"--it's not hard to believe it when you see his folded arm there on the counter. Oh, and he's 6'8" tall and clearly understands the game. And we lucked out with a short line for Nico because we got inside the Moda Center at 4 p.m. since I had renewed by season ticket for next year early enough to qualify for that extra hour--yea!

Portland Trail Blazers' Wesley Matthews, Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Continuing the trend of sharing these photos in reverse order of when they were taken--had you guessed that was what was going on? I'm very thankful that I managed to be in the right place at the right time to have my photo with Wesley Matthews; the line was very long and the clock had just about run out for me. Two pieces of news about Wesley: On January 17, 2015, Matthews became the Trail Blazers all-time career leader in three-point field goals made, surpassing Terry Porter's franchise record of 773. On March 5, 2015, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, Matthews tore his left achilles tendon and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season. Last Wednesday he had successful surgery to repair the tear.

Damian Lillard signing at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

I took these three photos of Damian Lillard not too long before I ended up riding the elevator with him. He's our point guard who earned Rookie of the Year three years ago and was an NBA All-Star last year and this year.



The chance to get up close and personal with your favorite Trail Blazer lasted 55 minutes which meant lots of folks missed out--the crowd was that huge. When I saw him across the room, I knew I'd better try to get some photos before Janessa and I would go downstairs to find the buffet.



For me, this is the best of the three photos--the lighting's great and he's sitting still. Oh, by the way, Damian's game jersey has what looks like the number zero on it; however, he's introduced as wearing the letter O which he will proudly tell you stands for where he's from, Oakland; the city where he attended college, Ogden (Weber State in Utah--he's graduating this summer); and for the state of Oregon because he plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the state of Oregon. I like to think that every time he hears his introduction at the Moda Center, he remembers all three places and what they've meant and continue to mean in his life.

Elevator Stories, #2, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Here's one of the elevators Janessa and I missed because the Blazers needed to get to their next appointed place for Player Palooza--understandable to all fans, I'm not kidding that I didn't mind missing this first one, look at that crowd. I've spoken to one of those Blazers, Will Barton in the hoodie, his first season here three years ago. It was at an early entry event when I got to go to the seats on the court and watch some of the team warm up before a game. Will and I talked a bit how exciting it was for him to get to play and for me to enjoy his excitement at being in the game. Will's not a Blazer any more; not too long after this event, he got traded to the Denver Nuggets where I believe things are going well for him--yea! I've not spoken with Chris Kaman, who is nearest the elevator door, nor have I spoken with Joel Freeland in the black jacket with three white stripes on the sleeve. Is that Adidas? Oh, but best of all and which I didn't even notice until I downloaded my photos, there with her bottle of water in her hand and her pretty blonde hair in a pony tail is my season-ticket-holder-person-extraordinaire! Thanks, Anna, for all of your efficient and caring help for three seasons now and many more to come, I hope and pray!

Elevator Stories, #1, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Imagine my excitement at the proximity of Trail Blazers' point guard Damian Lillard as Janessa and I waited for the elevator to the street level so that we could find the free buffet--we were hungry! We'd already been politely shooed off an earlier elevator by handlers of other players. A few minutes later, Damian's ever-present handlers turned around and led him through the black curtains. Well, we'd seen him closer than ever and were a couple of happy fans because Damian's autograph/photo line had included way too many people for us to even make an attempt at it. When the elevator door opened, we got on; I stood behind the seated elevator operator looking out the open doors when a man stepped on and looked me in the eye. I held up my right index finger and quietly said to him, "I'm not getting off this elevator." He took my measure, turned and waved someone toward the opposite corner--Damian Lillard! I didn't take a photo to prove this because I felt it would be rude to do so and knew there wouldn't be time to ask for permission before the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. However, as Janessa and I stepped off to begin our buffet search, I looked over my left shoulder at him standing in the corner, smiled and said, "Good luck, Dame." He smiled back. Sweet.

Locker Room Name Plates and Shoes, or lack thereof, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Without the players at their lockers, the photos you take when you visit the Portland Trail Blazers' locker room are odd-shaped and repetitious. I thought I'd go with that concept as I altered these photos.



No shoes in Robin's locker, thus the closeup of the back of the locker wall.

Portland Trail Blazers' Strength and Conditioning Room, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

I took enough photos that with all these mirrors, I saw some folks several times, but none more than my sweet friend Janessa! In this one, she's looking up at the posters on top of the wall, I'm guessing. I couldn't get them in this landscape-oriented shot, but she didn't have any trouble enjoying them from where she stood.



These two guys are also in the first photo--see them? Player Palooza means a lot to kids of all ages. I cannot imagine being their age and getting to go behind the scenes, to talk with players and coaches. Flat out wonderful, no matter your age!



Plenty of equipment here. See me in the mirror? Janessa? The boys?



And, there we are again, in the mirror wall! Hmmm. These seem sort of close together to me. Wonder if, now and then, sweat flies off onto others.

This door sports the names of previous Portland Trail Blazers, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

See Starkville, Mississippi's own Travis Outlaw's name on the door? Sweet to see him play here. I'm almost covering completely Joel Przybilla's name--one of my little Mama's favorites although she never could quite pronounce his name! We both liked Marcus Camby, too. Somewhere on the door is Mo Williams' name--a graduate of Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi, he played here last season. When I lived in Jackson, I was a high school teacher and librarian. Over the years, one of my favorite extra-curricular activities was keeping score for our boys' and girls' basketball teams, home games at the table, away games on the bench. In doing this, I witnessed lots of great games! And I got to see Mo play lots of shooting-the-lights-out high school ball whenever my school's teams played his or when our school hosted tournaments in our arena-style gym. At one of my season ticket holder perks last season, early entry to the arena to watch the Portland Trail Blazers warm up from right beside the court, I got to talk with him for a minute or two about those great days gone by. Neat-o!