It's incredibly difficult to find the words to convey just how lucky and grateful I am to have experienced what I have for the past seven years with the Portland Trail Blazers, but I felt it was important to try.
First and foremost, I want to thank and salute Paul Allen. He is being unfairly characterized as a bad guy in all of this and that is completely inaccurate and totally unfair. We do not have Luke Babbitt, Elliot Williams, Armon Johnson and Ryan Gomes without an owner like Paul, just as we wouldn't have Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Batum, Rudy Fernandez, Andre Miller or Greg Oden. He is a Blazers fan in every sense of the word and his only mission is to bring another title to Portland. Like any relationship ours has had a few bumps and bruises, but I would not be where I am today without Paul and for that I am eternally grateful and forever indebted to him.
Parting ways is not the end of the world. Ultimately, it may not be a bad thing at all, but right now I know the emotions are pretty raw. But it doesn't serve anyone to bash the Trail Blazers or Paul. It is after all a business of tough decisions. So, for the sake of the players, coaches and everyone who believes in Trail Blazers basketball, let's turn the page, move on and keep our eye on the prize.
None of this is to be taken too seriously. It is just basketball. And, as strange as it may sound, none of the highlights from the past seven years had to do with anything on the court; it was everything off the court that meant the most to me. The little jibs and jabs with my co-workers and the media or enjoying dinner with great NBA friends and counterparts or talking with a passionate fan in the grocery store. In the end, it's all about sticking together and helping each other out.
Portlanders take great pride in their basketball team and it's great to see that love and passion back. I'm glad I was able to play a small part in making that happen, but understand our comeback was a total team effort led by our owner and not me.
Speaking of Portlanders, I want to thank our great fans. Everywhere I went for the past seven years I received nothing but the most positive feedback about how much this city loves its team. I knew every night that we stepped on the court at the Rose Garden that our fans would make the difference and without question having the best fans in the NBA is a huge advantage.
I'll always look back fondly on Portland and the many great memories and all the lasting relationships I made here. Yes, ultimately, I'm tearfully sad to be leaving Portland and incredibly disappointed that I won't be able to help see this thing through to the end. But rest-assured wherever I end up I'll be keeping a close eye on Portland and cheering the team on because I will always consider myself a Trail Blazer.
Thank you, Portland. You're the best. You have a great owner, great players, a great coach, a great team president, a great president emeritus and a great front office. In other words, you have a great team and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
Keep the faith.
Go Blazers!
Sincerely,
Kevin Pritchard
Kevin Pritchard
Yet again Pritchard is taking the high road and showing class.
Even after his remarks about Paul Allen, I don't believe the Blazers' owner is doing the same.
