Peeps in Plaid

RipCity are you listening?! Ryan "Witty" Whitledge of the Blazertag Podcast commandeers the show this week, leaving Christian and Austin to guest on their own show? Madness ensues... The trio discusses the injury-riddled Portland Trail Blazers and attempts to assign reason for the comeback losses or near losses, as of late. Post recording: The Portland Trail Blazers, more specifically Damian Lillard with his typical late-game antics, got the win against The Chicago bulls with a stunning buzzer-beater. They now sit at 10-8 for the year, tied with The Phoenix Suns for the 6th seed. The next matchup is Monday, February 1st, against The Milwaukee Bucks at 5 PM PST. Go Blazers!

Ripcity, are you listening?! The peeps in plaid, Christian and Austin, chat about the Trail Blazers defensive woes, some less than impressive media dynamics from Blazers player leadership, and the unfortunate loss of Jusuf Nurkic due to his fractured wrist. The duo also take some time to expand on the blockbuster James Harden to Brooklyn trade. All this and more in season 3 episode 4!

Ripcity are you listening?!

#RipCity are you listening?! Christian and Austin are joined by previous guests, Matt Eldredge (expert friend and blazers fan) and Keith Feltner-Smith (also, expert friend and host of @TrailCasters). Both guests and hosts discuss off-season moves, provide their Eastern and Western Conference top ten seeds, and make some bold predictions. Check out @TrailCasters on Twitter as well, and follow their host @RipCityKeith. Please also follow @PeepsInPlaid on Twitter and Instagram. Music was provided by Ziggy Zay! New tunes coming next week

RipCity are you listening?! Cohosts Christian Gmelin and Austin Kaphammer are BACK in their season 3 debut to discuss more 2020 craziness, as well as the acquisition of Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr, and Enes Kanter. Other moves around the league are also touched on, while the hopes for a top seeding Blazers in the west soar. Christian also provides an amended intro to cover Olshey and the Blazers 11/23/20 press conference and Wenyen Gabriel moving on to the Pelicans. Peeps in Plaid is coming with another exciting episode soon, so stay tuned.

The Blazers finished the last 5 games 4-1 to go 6-2 in the seeding games and just barely make it to the play in with the 8 seed! Damian Lillard is setting records and tying his career high of 61 to somehow squeak out wins and will his team to the play-in against the Memphis Grizzlies! Tara Bowen-Biggs joins us as we discuss how stressful and intense that final game against the Brooklyn Nets was, how we feel about the Blazers chances going forward, how this team struggles despite Dame's dominance, we also discuss the hall of fame, 100 Percent Trent and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer And you can find this episode’s guest: Tara Bowen-Biggs | @tcbbiggs | https://twitter.com/tcbbiggs Huge thank you to Tara for joining us especially late and after a mentally taxing game! And to our musical contributors, Ziggy Zay and Mashonibeats for the intro and outro music. Check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Mashoni on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :26 – The Blazers win, and welcome Tara! 1:50 – Reviewing Blazers-Nets, and the stress that came with watching it. 4:47 – Are we worried about these close games? 6:09 – Could you imagine if this was the last game of the season? 7:02 – Dame is garnering ALL the attention. 17:24 – What were the Blazers chances going into the seeding games? 18:54 – The Nets are mirroring the Clippers last year, and the Blazers should have beaten them more easily. 20:25 – CJ has a broken back??? Tara's research comes to the rescue as we try to understand. 24:20 – Christian predicted all 5 final games correctly, we summarize those games. 25:35 – Christian retells the tragedy of failing to secure $61 Dames. 27:15 – How do we feel going into the Grizzlies Play-in and potential Lakers Playoff games? 31:51 – Has Zach Collins been overhyped? Can he continue to improve and impress? 39:45 – For the Blazers, the best defense is THE BEST offense. 40:30 – Let's talk Hall of Fame! Do the Blazers have hall of famers on their team? Tara describes her experience at the Naismith Hall of Fame. 47:25 – Brief discussion on Dame and the haters/Skip Bayless. S/O @GoldnerPDX 49:05 – Damian Lillard cares, and he leads, and he is involved... and we are lucky to have him. 52:40 – Christian explains his gripe with the Hall of Fame by dropping a bomb of sadness. 58:00 – Discussing the WNBA, Seattle Storm and Brittney Griner. 101:21 – #100PercentTrent is a perfect nickname for a guy who give it his all every play.

The NBA Bubble in Orlando is heating up! After defeating the Houston Rockets, the Trail Blazers made it to a game and a half behind the Grizzlies, but by the time this episode got pushed out the Grizzlies lost to the Jazz making it just 1 game!  We discuss the three games the Blazers have played in the bubble, which players have been showing up *cough* Gary Trent Jr., how tight the 8-13 seeded teams are, what the heck is a Power Forward and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to our musical contributors, Ziggy Zay and Mashonibeats for the intro and outro music. Check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Mashoni on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :34 – Summary of NBA restart thus far. 1:16 – Reviewing Blazers-Rockets. 3:41 – Do the Blazers play position-less basketball, or do they have a more traditional play style? 8:00 – Let’s talk about the young guys. Fun fact Gary Trent Jr. (100 Percent Trent) is amazing. 14:11– What the heck is a power forward? How has it changed recently? 16:52– Gary Trent Jr.: 2nd most confident Portland Trail Blazer. 19:52 – Let’s talk Hassan Whiteside. How is he playing and what is his role? And are Centers to the NBA what Linemen are to the NFL? 25:30 – Reviewing Blazers-Grizzlies. 27:30 – The great power forward debate continues as we discuss big men shooting 3s. 33:47 – Dame time against the Celtics and which players does he play better against? 34:50 – Reviewing Blazers-Celtics. 37:47 – Big-Market fans and their delusional superstition. 38:34 – What’s next for the Blazers? We predict wins and losses. 40:58 – Devin Booker, his game winner and his age. 42:45 – Reviewing the rules on the 8-9 seed playoff 46:47 – Trevor Ariza, we miss you. Please come back Trevor. Apply for an exception… please.

The NBA is back! Austin and Christian are stoked and you better be! What the heck is going on? What is it going to take for the Blazers to make the playoffs? We explain, while also discussing the recent scrimmage games, which players will not be playing in the NBA bubble, which teams have a real shot at the championship and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter!  Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid  Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon  Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer  Huge thank you to our musical contributors, Ziggy Zay and Mashonibeats for the intro and outro music. Check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Mashoni on Soundcloud!  Episode Timeline:  :56 – Season restart explanation 2:12 – Reviewing Blazers scrimmage games 10:25 – Blazers rotation discussion and things we’d like to see them do as the regular season restarts 17:00 – Which players will be missing time or skipping the NBA restart altogether 26:40 – Past NBA playoff discussion and other random thoughts and stats across the league 31:05 – Is Jusuf Nurkic an aggressive guy? We look at his background 33:45 – Basketball Players as NFL Tight Ends 37:12 – Tiers of contention: Who is for real in the NBA restart? 47:51 – Why the Blazers will struggle in the years to come

We don't know for how long, but we recorded just before it became official! Christian gives an introduction updating the status of Cornavirus in the sports world, even more updates have occurred since recording, as the MLB and NHL are suspending operations and Duke has official decided not to participate in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, likely signaling the suspension/cancellation of the 2020 tournament. Christian also argues against the idea of skipping the regular season and starting the playoffs whenever the NBA resumes. The Blazers have gone 3-3 in their last 6 games and are still 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies as the push for the playoffs continues.  We discuss Coronavirus just minutes before news broke of the suspended season, Nurk's return from injury, our newest tradition "Printed in Plaid" and more!

The NBA All-Star break has passed and the Trail Blazers are 1-3 since, losing the season series and potential tie-break to the New Orleans Pelicans. With Damian Lillard on the bench how can the Blazers turn things around to finish strong and take the 8th seed? We discuss this, the Elam ending that we saw in the All-Star game, questions from the listeners. and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to our musical contributors, Ziggy Zay and Mashonibeats for the intro and outro music. Check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Mashoni on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Quick summary of the last couple weeks 1:44 – Recapping recent games 2:10 – Lindsey makes a brief entrance and it freezes Austin’s computer… recap continues 12:20 – Looking back at the All-Star break, and should the Elam ending be implemented in the NBA? 19:10 – Listener questions: Starting with @tomasoranski – potential draft prospects. Ya, we don’t watch much college ball… 24:20 – Listener question: @thehalloflame – where is Anfernee? 27:45 – Listener question: @HamzaCh02917112 – Nurk’s injury and effect upon return (we may not have properly addressed the question so we’ll definitely talk more Nurk next week) 30:15 – Listener question: @RandallPinkFlo4 – Does CJ elevate the players around him like Dame does?

The NBA Trade Deadline has passed, Skal Labissiere was traded away for practically nothing and the Blazers have limped their way to the All-Star break. Unfortunately, Damian Lillard will be sitting out of the All-Star Game and 3-Point Contest with a groin injury suffered in an important loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the midst of a playoff push. Whitty from Blazertag Podcast joins us for the third time as we discuss all this and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Ryan “Whitty” Whitledge | @TheWhittyRyan | https://www.twitter.com/thewhittyryan BlazerTag Podcast | @BlazerTagPDX | https://www.twitter.com/BlazerTagPDX Huge thank you to Whitty for joining us, check out BlazerTag Podcast! Also huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Welcoming our guest Ryan “Whitty” Whitledge 2:10 – The longest rant ever. Christian isn’t a Neil Olshey fan… 10:09 – Whitty responds and gives some perspective on the moves Neil Olshey has made 19:18 – Discussing the importance of continuity and keeping current players 23:00 – Reviewing recent Blazers games 32:20 – How much better would the Blazers be if Ariza played from the start of the season, and Little/Hezonja talk 37:29 – Tank Talk: Should the Blazers surge ahead for the playoffs? 38:55 – 2 way contract explanation 40:23 – Megapod Marathon??? 40:57 – Where you can hear from Whitty! @BlazerTagPDX

The world is mourning as Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 7 other people were killed in a helicopter crash this last Sunday. We reflect on his legacy and our respect for him. Damian Lillard won Western Conference player of the week after averaging 52-7-9. He then followed up that week with his first triple-double of his career. Our friend and longtime Blazer fan, Matt Eldredge joins as we discuss all this and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Welcoming our guest Matt Eldredge 1:04 – Remembering Kobe Bryant 9:13 – Some more information about the helicopter crash 11:30 – Honoring players with jersey numbers 13:03 – How hard NBA players have been playing since last Sunday 14:46 – A couple Trail Blazers fan questions for Matt 20:05 – NBA All-Star Reserves were announced, we discuss who made it and who was snubbed 24:00 – Quick complaint about flopping… 26:10 – Comparing the stats of All-Star Rudy Gobert and Trail Blazer Hassan Whiteside 27:30 – Top players in the league in assists this season 29:25 – Ben McLemore is showing up lately, also Ariza doesn’t want him to have the ball 31:15 – We love Nassir Little (AKA Nas, AKA Lil Nas X) 35:05 – How the Blazers have been playing since Ariza joined the team and Christian flips a switch waffle… 38:20 – How Damian Lillard has improved the last couple years 45:10 – Trade deadline is 1 week away! Why the Blazers should trade Whiteside, and the upcoming schedule 51:03 – Austin stops us from rambling… we were trying to talk all night, thanks for listening!

The Blazers have traded Kent Bazemore, Anthony Tolliver & two 2nd round picks to the Kings for Trevor Ariza, Caleb Swanigan & Wenyen Gabriel. Then Damian Lillard scored a career high, Blazers and MLK Day record 61 points in an overtime win over the Warriors - all while missing 4 starters due to injury and 2 fill in starters to the pending trade. Nurk had a full on practice and Collins is working his way back too! Should the Blazers still trade Whiteside? Is this finally a turning point for the Blazers? Austin and Christian discuss all this and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – *TRADE ALERT* and Dame’s career high! 2:27 – Recapping Blazers V. Warriors 8:52 – Our opinions on the Bazemore-Ariza trade 15:15 – Championship contending rosters and how the Blazers roster looks 20:40 – Upcoming Blazers games and what we hope to see 22:19 – Hassan Whiteside trade timing 24:53 – Who should the Blazers trade for next? 33:30 – Hezonja, potential free agent acquisitions, versatility and depth 38:14 – What Trevor Ariza brings to the table

The Trail Blazers are now 10th in the west but things are looking up after just their 3rd win of the season against a team with a winning record by taking down a fully loaded Rockets team. How are we feeling about the team at the halfway point in the season? Is a trade still necessary? Can the Blazers beat more good teams with a rough upcoming schedule? What have we liked and disliked on the court lately? Austin and Christian discuss all this and more! What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – The Blazers went 4-4 in the last 8, and Austin’s laptop freezes 5:20 – The Blazers place in the league and how their players playing well hasn’t resulted in wins 12:10 – Back to trade talk, trading picks over players 21:03 – Christian and Austin continue to heap praise on Luka Doncic 24:04 – More trade talk, getting into specifics of possible trade partners 32:01 – A strange tangent into NBA Arena names… 33:28 – Blazers upcoming schedule 34:58 – Players and what we’re seeing on the court lately for the Blazers 40:40 – More around the league talk 42:13 – Austin CURSES AHHHH! Don’t worry there’s no audio

The Blazers are now just barely clinging onto 8th in the west but it’s a new year so we’re not going to linger on the negative. The NBA hasn’t changed much in the last decade but there seems to be significant change on the horizon. Will there be league expansion? If so which cities? What about a midseason single elimination tournament, what would that look like? How will league alignment and playoff structure change in the next 10 years? Austin and Christian cover all these questions and more! Plus there’s a poorly made chart that outlines current divisions and new divisions so check that out too… What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Former NBA Commissioner David Stern has passed away at the age of 77 1:57 – Blazers current situation and Carmelo’s first game in MSG since 2017 4:45 – The NBA 2030, looking back on the last decade and forward to the decade to come 6:03 – NBA expansion, which cities could get a team 8:00 – Quick dive into WNBA expansion 13:19 – Why the NBA should expand: what the schedule would look like, more clarity and purpose in league alignment 17:11 – Changing NBA playoff structure: 5 game series and changes to sweeps 18:20 – Changing NBA playoff structure: division winners and a matchup draft 22:28 – NBA in-season tournament!?! 30:30 – Single elimination 1 game playoff for the last playoff seeds? 31:20 – Back to league expansion and realignment, look at our not-so-fancy chart! 34:55 – Why expansion makes sense for every reason 36:14 – 4 point shot? Really? 37:13 – Christian’s mini gripe about field goal percentage 38:23 – Intentional fouling and flopping 40:14 – COVER YOUR EARS AUSTIN’S FIRE ALARM GOES OFF and then we wrap up

The Blazers are sitting at 8th in the west after a 4 game win streak this last week and they're finally leading throughout in some of those games. Hassan Whiteside is getting blocks and rebounds galore and Carmelo is on the bench with a mild knee contusion. With Hassan playing so well do we still want to trade him? Can the Blazers beat a team with a winning record? What changes do we want to see them make on the court? Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Blazers week in review and Hassan is a 1 man wrecking crew 3:52 – Technical difficulties as Austin gets stopped mid-sentence complimenting Kent Bazemore 5:40 – Former Blazers against the Blazers 6:36 – More Austin freezing and talking national headlines with Carmelo on the team 7:48 – Blazers got lucky against the Suns 10:08 – Blazers schedule, and how who they’ve played has affected their record 14:37 – How the Blazers have been playing and what changes we’d like to see on the court (rebounding, iso, shots early in the shot clock, etc.) 24:20 – Christian destroys Austin with a pun… 24:57 – Trade talk stuff, who do we want, do any contenders want Hassan? 33:02 – Christian and Fantasy Football. Worst season ever.

Rodney Hood tore his achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season, AND Terry Stotts got ejected in a losing effort to the Lakers last Friday. The rest of the week wasn't much better, though they did have their first blowout win of the season against the Knicks. The Blazers are now 10-16 but are only a game and a half outside of 8th place. Christian and Austin discuss the disabled player exception, possible trade scenarios and more. Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: :35 – Blazers week in review 10:52 – Technical difficulties and things that annoy Christian (Lakers and Chris Paul) 15:48 – Opportunities for trades and free agency pickups 39:10 – What’s coming up and Phoenix ticket prices

After a 2-week break, we discuss the recent success of the Trail Blazers including Carmelo winning Western Conference Player of the Week and Hassan Whiteside’s improved play. How has the season outlook changed? Who would be willing Hassan Whiteside trade partners? How do we feel about Carmelo on the Blazers now? What is going on in the rest of the league? We discuss all this and more! Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: 1:30 – Carmelo won Western Conference Player of the Week, what are our thoughts on how he’s played for the Blazers so far. 10:00 – The Blazers are 1 Game outside of the playoff picture, how do we feel about their outlook on the season? 13:10 – Does Hassan Whiteside need to be a starter, and what kind of team would look to trade for him? (And Austin gets all grainy) 19:45 – The Blazers other players and whether or not other stars would want to join this team. 21:12 – What’s coming up for the Blazers? 24:28 – Christian nonsensically analyzes which games the Blazers should win out of the next 6. 27:03 – Blazers won 4 out of 7 in the last 2 weeks, but we’re happy with it. 28:25 – Let’s talk non-Blazers; Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, James Harden, Giannis, MVP talk and more discussion around the association.

The Trail Blazers added 10x All-Star and former scoring champion Carmelo Anthony, waived Pau Gasol due to injury recovery and lost 3 of 4 in the last week including a loss to the depleted New Orleans Pelicans without Dame in Carmelo's first game in over a year. Christian rants and Austin gets in a few words too, while avoiding discussion on the heartbreak of the last few weeks. Who/What are the most important trade assets for the Blazers? What is +/- and is it important? What is the outlook for the Blazers season? Is there still potential to win the Championship? Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Huge thank you to Ziggy Zay and Macchione for the intro and outro music, check out Ziggy wherever you stream your music and Macchione on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: 1:00 – Blazers news 1:35 – Christian rants about +/-, Call of Duty and Carmelo Anthony stans 7:03 – Christian’s first rant finally end… complaining about Hezonja and Tolliver 8:30 – Thoughts from Carmelo’s first game and this last week of Blazers basketball 12:12 – Clarifying perspective on the expectations for the 2019-2020 season and how team is falling short of those expectations 20:35 – Christian shares a ridiculous idea about the Blazers outlook this season (it makes no sense) 24:37 – Comparing Blazers young players and future draft picks as potential trade assets 27:50 – Christian’s final rant of the episode: Continuing trade asset discussion and why the Blazers NEED to make a big trade this season

The Trail Blazers lost 4 of 5 in the last week including a loss to the Nets in which Dame scored a Trail Blazers record 60 points. The rest of the team needs to step it up, but what is going wrong? Jordan Lenard and Trevor Jasinsky join Austin and bring a player’s perspective as they discuss their thoughts from this past week and more in Season 2 Episode 12 of the Peeps in Plaid Podcast! Now is it time to panic!?! What are we liking about the play of the Blazers? Can they play all 4 quarters of a game effectively? What are our thoughts on their porous defense and stagnant offense? Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twitter.com/akaphammer Guests: Jordan Lenard | @jmlenard3 | https://www.twitter.com/jmlenard3 Trevor Jasinsky | @trevmanjr | https://www.twitter.com/trevmanjr Huge shout out to our guests for bringing their perspectives and to Macchione for the intro and outro music from his new song Vain Glory! Check him out on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: 1:40 – Introducing our guests Jordan Lenard and Trevor Jasinski 5:00 – Height, positions and developing skills in basketball 9:00 – The Blazers are not doing well… what are our guests basketball based opinions on why? 13:42 – Damian Lillard faced an uphill battle against the Raptors defense, are his low scoring numbers something to be concerned about? 17:15 – Fools gold stats: Nassir Little and Hassan Whiteside 19:20 – Our thoughts on Stotts’ offense this season and how it’s effected by the which players are available and which players are injured 22:10 – Taking a look at the next game against San Antonio 26:00 – What are we going to be watching for in the upcoming games? 29:00 – Asking our guests for some of their favorite Blazers players and games

THE TRAIL BLAZERS LOST BIG THIS WEEK! Losing on a buzzer beater after leading by 21 was rough against the 76ers. Losing to a bunch of rookies and role players for the Warriors to get their first win at Chase Center is rougher. Losing Zach Collins for at least 4 months might be the roughest of all. Austin and Christian discuss their thoughts from this past week and more in Season 2 Episode 11 of the Peeps in Plaid Podcast! Is it time to panic? Do we expect the Blazers to turn it around or is all hope lost? Should they make a trade? And what changes would we like to see in the way Stotts manages the lineup? Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelin | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twiter.com/akaphammer Huge shout out to Macchione for the intro and outro music from his new song Vain Glory! Check him out on Soundcloud! Episode Timeline: 2:12 – Which part of the rough week for the Blazers is most concerning? 3:08 – Warriors game recap 16:45 – 76ers game recap 26:58 – What’s coming up for the Blazers 29:33 – Our thoughts on the Blazers lineups going forward 35:35 – What’s going on in our lives and Fantasy Sports

THE TRAIL BLAZERS WENT 3-1 IN THEIR FIRST ROAD TRIP! Despite Zach Collins going down with a dislocated shoulder the Blazers finished the road trip well and have just 2 games coming up in the next week. Austin and Christian discuss their thoughts from the road trip and more in Season 2 Episode 10 of the Peeps in Plaid Podcast! Steph Curry broke his hand and Joel Embiid will be suspended after a fight with Karl-Anthony Towns. How does this news effect the Blazers and what do we want to see from this Blazers team moving forward? Should the Blazers pursue a Draymond Green trade? Will Zach Collins miss extended time? Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelon | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twiter.com/akaphammer Huge shout out to Ziggy Zay for the intro and Macchione for the outro music They’re amazing musicians from the Portland area, check them out on Spotify and Soundcloud or other music platforms! Episode Timeline: 1:14 – Initial reactions to the recent road trip 2:55 – Our thoughts on Anthony Tolliver starting with Zach Collins out 6:08 – Hassan Whiteside knee hyperextension 8:27 – Players getting playing time based on skills in Stotts’ offense 11:25 – Steph Curry broke his hand; is Draymond Green available and should the Blazers pursue him? 14:23 – Zach Collins and his shoulder dislocation 16:25 – Terry Stotts and offensive rebounding… 20:47 – Aaron Gordon as a trade target, struggling to start the season 22:15 – KAT and Embiid fight, the Rockets Wizards combine for 317 points in 4 Quarters and the Washington Nationals win the MLB World Series 24:49 – Kyrie Irving and mental health. Christian doesn’t know what to say 25:49 – Embiid suspended for Blazers game? More thoughts on 76ers game 29:13 – Playing tight defense at the 3 point line against the Spurs 34:00 – 76ers depth, injuries and chances to make ECF 36:27 – What’s coming up???

THE NBA SEASON HAS BEGUN! The Home Opener win streak is over as the Trail Blazers lost a close one to the hungry Nuggets 108-100. Austin and Christian discuss their thoughts from the game and more in Season 2 Episode 9 of the Peeps in Plaid Podcast! Hassan Whiteside had a huge game, Damian Lillard led both teams in points and Bazemore had 5 steals but open 3 pointers fueled the otherwise evenly matched Nuggets in a mostly Jokic-less game. Should fans be concerned with how the bench played? Should fans be concerned with the huge disparity in 3-point shooting? Who stood out and who fell by the wayside? Listen for answers to all these questions and more! Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelon | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twiter.com/akaphammer Huge shout out to Macchione for the intro and outro music. He’s an amazing musician from the Portland area, check him out on Spotify or other music platforms! Episode Timeline: :35 – The regular season has begun, what are our thoughts on the Game 1 loss to the Nuggets 5:45 – Hassan Whiteside’s big first game as a Blazer 7:50 – Poor shooting from the new “shooters” 10:14 – Focus on the fastbreak and Mario Hezonja (Moe and ET hybrid?) 13:20 – Denver hit ALL OF THE THREES 18:55 – Jokic is not in the best shape 20:13 – Ant and Skal had some noteworthy play 23:34 – Moda Center emptied early: Our thoughts on loyalty and new WCF Blazers fans 27:23 – What the heck is going on with crowd chanting!?! 28:17 – Austin praises Paul Allen 32:45 – Thoughts on Stotts’ offense in the first game 34:34 – Around the NBA: Quick highlights from other games in the league 36:21 – What’s next for the Blazers?

THE FINAL EPISODE OF NBA PRESEASON! Tara Bowen-Biggs, Co-host of @Blazersedge and Women’s Hoops and Talks (W.H.A.T.) @hoopsandtalks podcasts joins us for Peeps in Plaid, Season 2 Episode 8, thank you for joining us Tara! The Blazers have won 18 STRAIGHT Home Openers, the longest such streak in NBA History! Will the streak continue this season? Our thoughts, predictions and what we’re watching out for in the first 10 games of the season, as well as more recap and discussion on NBA Preseason. Then we ask Tara some questions regarding her experience with Blazers Edge, Women’s Hoops and Talks, her favorite Blazer memories and more! Thanks for all the input so far! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on Twitter! Peeps in Plaid | @PeepsInPlaid | https://www.twitter.com/peepsinplaid Christian Gmelon | @ChristianGmelon | https://www.twitter.com/christiangmelon Austin Kaphammer | @AKaphammer | https://www.twiter.com/akaphammer And you can find this episode’s guest: Tara Bowen-Biggs | @tcbbiggs | https://twitter.com/tcbbiggs Huge shout out to | macchione | https://soundcloud.com/macchione for the intro and outro music. He’s an amazing musician from the Portland area, check him out on Spotify or other music platforms! Episode Timeline: 1:26 – Blazers V. Suns recap and preseason at the Staples Center. 7:59 – Will the home opener streak continue? And our personal thoughts on the Denver Nuggets. 19:31 – Predicting outcomes for the first 10 games of the season and what we’ll be focusing on. 27:38 – Recent Blazers news: Gasol and Little injuries and Nurk switches to Klutch Sports 29:05 – Questions for Tara! Her story with Blazers edge, Women’s Hoops and Talks, favorite Trailblazers and favorite games she’s witnessed 42:59 – Where you can follow and listen to Tara!

NBA PRESEASON HAS BEGUN! How much weight do we put on what’s happened so far? Our thoughts on Hezonja, Bazemore, Whiteside, Simons, and more! What are our predictions for end of season awards and do any blazers have a chance at claiming MVP or any other accolades? And what the heck is going on with the NBA and china!?! Christian and Austin keep the Blazers talk to 30 minutes!!! Then we get political; bringing on Anderson as a guest and discussing China pushed the pod to 45 minutes. Thank you for all input, keep it coming and we’ll do our best to bring you what you want to hear! What topics do you want to hear about next week? What questions do you have? Comment and hit us up on twitter! @PeepsInPlaid @ChristianGmelon @AKaphammer Huge shout out to Ziggy Zay for the intro music and Chimney for the outro music! Amazing musicians from the Portland area and beyond, check them out on Spotify or other music platforms! 1:10 – Blazers Preseason reactions: Bazemore, Hezonja, Simons, Skal, the training camp players and more! 10:14 – End of Season Award predictions and which Blazers could win them: 10:24 – Most Valuable Player 17:39 – Most Improved Player 19:12 – Defensive Player of the Year 20:05 – 6th Man of the Year 22:35 – Rookie of the Year 23:27 – Coach of the Year 25:06 – Executive of the Year (KAWHI!?!) 26:41 – Champions 28:24 – NBA’s relationship with China intro. We get political, and no longer discuss the Blazers specifically, we also break our promise and go over 30 minutes

Christian and Austin dive into media day recap, wing depth, and games around the corner. Will Bazemore and Rodney hold a torch to Moe and Chief? How will the Blazers fair in their first couple games? Is a championship in the cards this year? Find out and listen on Google Podcast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on Anchor.fm. Also, we recently released this episode in video format. You can find said episode here, at https://youtu.be/OCqpHMKRk4o where we’ll be featured each Thursday on Blazers Uprise. As always, thank you to our tune providers, Chimney, an alternative band out of Bellingham, WA. (Timeline) 1:15 - Will Hassan Whiteside lead the NBA in Rebounds AND Blocks? 7:57 - Wing depth, where they've improved and how Dame feels about the new guys. 16:10 - A few stats we'd like to see from specific players this season. 25:09 - Our thoughts on Neil Olshey's interview. 28:40 - Do the Blazers have a shot at the Championship? 36:15 - Anfernee Simons has grown (literally), discussing our thoughts on Simons and player size. 41:32 - The NBA season is right around the corner! What's next for the Blazers?

In this weeks episode of Peeps in Plaid, Christian and Austin cover the recently released ESPN Top 100 placement of CJ, Dame and CJ being deemed the top backcourt in the league, and who might develop faster - Anfernee Simons or Zach Collins. Please excuse the technical difficulties as the Peeps in Plaid team prepares for their weekly contribution to Blazers Uprise. As always, we appreciate our contributing artist. Thanks to the band Chimney for their musical contributions. Follow and subscribe on every major streaming platform! Timeline: 1:20 - Favorite Blazer games and former Blazers 12:55 - Anfernee Simons and Zach Collins discussion 24:15 - ESPN Top 100 players 37:30 - Are Dame and CJ the top backcourt in the NBA?on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and pretty much every other streaming platform.

Christian and Austin bring back their first return guest, Ryan "Whitty" Whitledge, Co-host of the BlazerTag Podcast, @BlazerTagPDX, and Blazer writer for Off The Glass, @otgbasketball. Fan fest experiences, or lack there of, are discussed along with CJ's induction to the LeHigh hall of fame. Tired of the Kevin love rumors? Well Christian is tired of Montrez Harrel! The trio wraps up the episode discussing...Power Rangers? We also discover Austin is a magician. All this, and much more in this weekend's episode of Peeps In Plaid. SHOUTOUT CHIMNEY FOR THE NEW TUNES! FIND THEIR TRACKS ON SPOTIFY....1:15 – Blazers offseason news 3:03 – Ryan fills us in on his offseason 6:10 – More Blazers news, training camp deals, CJ to Lehigh Hall of Fame and Fan Fest at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum 18:15 – 50th anniversary Blazers fandom video and how we relate 20:15 – Potential Montrezl Harrell trade? Christian goes on a “tirade”… 27:00 – Honing in on Anfernee Simons this coming season 32:07 – How will Stotts’ job be different managing this team compared to last year? 35:35 – Which Trailblazer is which Power Ranger? 40:00 – Austin pulls a disappearing act 40:35 – Where you can hear more from Ryan

In this weeks episode of Peeps in Plaid, Christian and Austin cover an ENTIRE decade's worth of greats, both Blazer and non-Blazer. Who is on your all-decade squad? As for NFL comparisons, does Damian Lillard even have an NFL equivalent? With so many apples and so many oranges, Christian delivers and Austin fumbles. Shout out to the new tunes from Chimney, a blues/alternative group out of Bellingham, Washington. Find their sampled single "Baby Blue" on spotify! Timeline: 0:52 - NBA 2010s All Decade Teams (Christian and Austin confuse each other talking about Lebron James) 25:50 - Portland Trailblazers 2010s All Decade Teams  36:10 - Comparing NBA Players to NFL Players

Christian and Austin kick off their first guest appearance of season two with 503forthefans host, Noah Patterson. The trio discuss Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum's contract extensions, the new "2-star league", the grit of the PNW division, and the new sexy Blazers retro jerseys. Stay tuned for guest streaming challenges once 2k20 is released 09/06/19. Who is your favorite duo in today's game? Timeline: 3:37 Discussing the state of the Western Conference and projecting playoff seeds 17:10 Summarizing our playoff seed predictions 21:09 It's a 2 Star League: Comparing the top duos in the NBA 32:37 Dame, CJ, and Anfernee: 3 guards, 96 minutes per game. Predicting who plays when and if they all stay long term? 36:19 It's gonna be tough: Discussing the Northwest Division outlook 38:05 Quick Blazers Summer news not touched on in episode 1 41:14 Get to know the guest: Do you know Noah?

In their first episode of their second season, Christian and Austin recapture the last couple months in Blazers off season moves. Is Hasan Whiteside in Portland to stay, or will he fall by...the way side. What was your biggest offseason move? Also, keep an eye out for PIP 2k streaming updates along with suggesting artist and guest for future episodes.

Christian and Austin wrap up what has been a rewarding first season by recapping the Blazer-less (sadness intensifies) NBA finals and discuss potential offseason moves ahead. Is the Kawhi hype real? Should KD have played? How much room do the Blazers really have to make a splash in their relatively stagnant lineups? To our fans, thank you for all the support. To the players, thanks for putting up with us in the peanut gallery. To our sponsors...well, we suppose that will have to wait for next season. As always... #RIPCITYYYYYYYYY Timeline 2:20 - Kevin Durant Injury Impact 8:45 - NBA Finals and Kawhi Leonard Legacy 20:55 - Portland Trailblazers Offseason Outlook (YES we DO talk about the Blazers) 31:00 - Our thoughts on recent Blazers news 39:10 - Quick trade thoughts

In the 20th episode of their inaugural season, Christian and Austin review the swift 4 losses of the Western Conference Finals, favorite moments from the season, All-NBA selections and more. The 2018-2019 season was one for the books, including "the shot", Anfernee Simons going for nearly 40 pts, as well as Nurk's 20x20 5x5 game. Where might the Blazers look to improve this off season?  Timeline: 1:23 Western Conference Finals Review 24:14 All NBA Teams 40:44 2019 Trailblazers Legacy 46:15 Future Blazers Outlook SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW @PEEPSINPLAID

In episode 19 of the craziest first season either of them expected, Christian and Austin reflect on a hard fought 7-game series against the Denver Nuggets along with the up and coming Western Conference Finals match up with the Golden State Warriors. It is likely Kevin Durant is going to miss games 1 and 2, will the Blazers be able to capitalize? Will our host see themselves with Pinwheel tattoos after sweeping the Warriors? All we know is...SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW @PEEPSINPLAID

Christian and Austin try to make sense of the first quadruple overtime since 1953 as the Blazers grab game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Rodney Hood makes a couple clutch baskets in the 4th OT, CJ goes the distance, and Jokic is exhausted. It is said that 74% of game 3 winners go on to win the series in the history of the NBA playoffs. Will the 2018-19 Trail Blazers be visiting the Western Conference Finals? Subscribe and follow for more content and updates!

In this episode Christian and Austin discuss the NBA Playoffs. The Blazers won an intense series against the Thunder to start the playoffs and Damian Lillard capped it with a series winning buzzer beater that PG-13 called a “Bad Shot”. They discuss the upcoming matchup against the Nuggets, Damian Lillard’s legacy and ranking in Ripcity history after carrying his team to the 2nd Round and predictions on the rest of the NBA Playoffs. Episode 17 timeline: 1:30 - The Shot, Game 5 and Blazers - Thunder Round 1 Review. 15:00 - Blazers - Nuggets Round 2 Preview. 31:54 - Damian Lillard Legacy and Ranking in Blazers History. 39:40 - NBA Playoffs Discussion and Predictions. As always thank you for listening and thank you to Ziggy Zay for the music!

Austin and Christian put the 2019 regular season to rest and anticipate a highly competitive 1st round playoff bout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Games from the Trail Blazers last road trip, including both match-ups against the Nuggets, are reviewed. But what about a potential conference-less playoff seeding? Or a mid-season tournament that has lottery pick consequences? Christian the mad Blazers' scientist breaks it all down! SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE!!!! As always, thank you to Ziggy Zay for the tunes, and goooooo #RipCity !

In their 15th episode, Christian and Austin detail the roller coaster that has been the Trail Blazers last two weeks, including the Jusuf Nurkic season ending injury. Ultimately the Blazers have won consistently, but not against the most stiff competition. The loss last night (4/5) to Denver in the Mile High City was unfortunately not covered, but provides hope as to what is to come this seemingly fractured post-season. As always, SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE on Google Podcast, iTunes, Spotify...whateva! Thank you Ziggy Zay for the brand new outro tune - Hesitate.

In their 14th episode of their inaugural season Christian and Austin dive into the recent swing of luck in the Blazers direction, coming down the home stretch of the regular season, and Damian's place among the greats. As always, thank you to our listeners and PLEASE SUBSCRIBE. We couldn't do this without you all. #RipCity #NBAPodcast #PNWSports #PortlandTrailBlazers #DamianLillard

In their 13th episode of their inaugural season, Christian and Austin somehow manage to convince another guest to join their ramble. RipCityKeith offers his sentiment in potential playoff match-ups, we recap the recent Blazers success on the road, and debate whether it's Steve or Steven Adams... Give us a listen! As always, subscribe and follow on Instagram or Twitter @PeepsinPlaid Check out @TrailCasters on Twitter as well, follow their host @RipCityKeith & @GoldnerPDX !

In their quickest 'sode yet, Christian and Austin discuss recent acquisitions, Rodney Hood and Enes Kanter. OH YEAH...some quick recap of all-star weekend as well. As always, S/O to Ziggy Zay for the tunes!

In their 11th episode, Christian and Austin are about as current as they've ever been, covering trade rumors as well as deals around the league. Options, as always, are hypothesized for the Blazers...and, as always, will probably remain what-if's. For your daily dose of hope as a Blazers Fan, press play! #RipCity #NBApodcast #sportspodcast #NWsports #DamianLillard

In episode 10 of season 1, Christian and Austin finally bring on their first guest, Ryan Whitledge of the Blazertag Podcast. They discuss recent losses such as the young Kings' vegence and to #1 Denver, as well as wins over OKC and others. Blazers players are also briefly evaluated along with recent around the NBA trends and trade talks. Music, as always, is provided by Ziggy Zay. You can find him and the Blazertag crew's work on nearly all major social media and streaming platforms. Thank you for continued support!

Christian and Austin dive into the 6-3 holiday winning stretch, the Blazers drop one to Utah on Christmas day, and our first curse word is blurted. Also "Run it Up", a new single by artist Ziggy Zay is featured in the outro. Enjoy, and remember to vote Damian Lillard for 2019 All-Star.

During the long and painful time known as post Thanksgiving and pre Christmas, Austin and Christian evaluate each team in the Western Conference. Fake? Fluke? One thing's for sure, the Blazers are looking to continue their bench production highlighted recently in their win against the Raptors. Stay tuned for next episode!

In Episode 7, Christian and Austin are perplexed by the tight Western Conference standings, hopeful despite the Blazers 3 losses, and even dabble in a little college football. Will the Blazers turn it around? Or is this more of what's to come.

In our best episode yet, Christian and Austin review games from 10/30-11/8 & the solid home stand. From the Rockets blowout to the Clippers, as well as falling short to that other team in LA...they break it all down for you!

Christian and Austin review week 1's victories and losses. The bench explosion, Dame's mid-season form, Sauce Castillo lookin' saucy... Oh, and Christian thinks the Timberwolves are stupid. Give us a listen!

In their 4th episode, Christian and Austin shorten it down to 30 mins and do an overview of potential NBA award winners for the coming season. In the process of editing, Jamal Crawford was picked up by the Suns and the first couple games for other teams have taken place, please excuse the delay.

In their 3rd episode, Christian and Austin review some questions from the audience such as how they see minutes being split, some "reasonable" trades, and suggested rule changes. Season Tip off episode coming soon!

In the second episode of their inaugural season, Christian and Austin discuss the current top dogs in the NBA, hopes for future acquisitions, news around the league, and future NBA expansion.