Q&A: Jason Quick

The former Oregonian columnist—and new TV personality—explains why this year’s Blazers team will defy low expectations.

Jason Quick is taking his talents to cable.

It has been a bummer offseason for the Portland Trail Blazers, with four of the basketball franchise's five starters bolting in free agency or trades. So did Quick—one the best-known reporters covering the team, and the one with the most knowledge of the locker room.

Quick covered the Blazers at The Oregonian for 16 years: first as a beat reporter, then a columnist, with a brief hiatus to cover Oregon Ducks football. His behind-the-scenes stories of Rasheed Wallace, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge spanned the team's journey from oft-arrested "Jail Blazers" to the much-loved roster that last season disintegrated along with guard Wesley Matthews' Achilles tendon.

Quick quit The O this month, in an acrimonious departure he's not yet willing to discuss. He's found a new home at Comcast SportsNet Northwest, which airs the Blazers TV broadcasts. He'll be filing stories for the cable station's website, along with appearing on the pre- and postgame shows.

But Quick still has enough love for newspapers to talk to WW on the eve of the season about his new gig, his scariest Jail Blazers stories, and how many games this year's team will win. (It's more than most people think.)

WW: You've been in print journalism since 1988. What's it like being a TV guy?

Jason Quick: I'm still not totally comfortable. I had a moment where I realized what the dangers of it were, because I have this habit of speaking my mind, and in print you can write something and go, "No, no, I shouldn't say that," and take it back. But we were on Talkin' Ball, and I think I called Robin Lopez a jerk. And then I did some backtracking and said, "Well, he's not a jerk, he's just mean," and I wish I wouldn't have said that.

Was RoLo mean to the media?

Yes, he was awful, the worst on the team, by far, head and shoulders. He made it very uncomfortable. There'd be times, if you got him on something really offbeat, like comics or movies, where he could be OK. But he was very socially awkward, and he could be very prickly. Definitely everyone's least favorite.

What do you miss most so far about The Oregonian?

Nothing, so far. I think eventually I'm going to miss the step-back pieces, the long-form, enterprise [stories] that I was afforded at The Oregonian. But I'm going to be prolific.

Do you have ethical worries about being in a news organization that has a contract with the team?

In our interview, that was brought up very quickly, and I told them, "Hey, I've got to be able to tell the truth," and they were wholeheartedly behind that. They're in a tricky position because they need to negotiate this contract and they don't want to ruffle feathers over there. That was brought up, and I said, "Hey, the truth is your strongest friend."

What's your over-under on how many games this team's going to win this year?

I think they win 35. I think they're going to be much better than people think.

Will they play any defense?

Yeah! It's a much better defensive team, head to toe or top to bottom, than they've had, and they were a top 10 defensive team last year. I mean [Al-Farouq] Aminu, Ed Davis, [Maurice] Harkless—those are some pretty good defenders right there.

How much is a seat in the 300 section going to go for by February?

You know what? I still think this team's going to hold this town's interest. I still think they'll sell out, and I think they're going to remain relevant, even through February. And the great thing about this is: If they are relevant in February, they have a ton of flexibility, both roster-wise and [salary] cap-wise, to make a deal. They've got three guys on non-guaranteed contracts. So it could be fun.

What changed about Damian Lillard over the course of this year?

I've seen the same Dame I've seen since day one, where basketball is No. 1. But—I mean, people think this is drama or being made up—but I can't state enough how much there was an unspoken conflict between LaMarcus and Dame. And it was all from LaMarcus's side. Damian wants to win. He was confined under the enigma that was LaMarcus Aldridge. He couldn't spread his wings and be the real Dame.

What's an example?

I think there were times when he wanted to kick the team in the ass and say something in the locker room, but he wasn't quite sure if it was his place. Last year in the playoffs in Memphis, the Blazers' health and performance team suggested that studies show that it's best for the team to stay the night and get a good night's sleep, and then fly back to Portland. Well, LaMarcus heard that and said, "No, no. I'm not staying another night in Memphis." He got a private jet. I think Dame, if [he wanted to go back], would go to Stotts and Olshey and say, "No. Hey, I know the guys. We all say, 'Let's get back to Portland.'" I think Dame has his finger on the pulse of his teammates more than LaMarcus did.

You covered those Jail Blazers teams in the 1990s. What's your craziest Jail Blazers story?

There were two times when I was scared. Three times, really.

Once, we were in San Antonio, and I was waiting to interview Rasheed Wallace, and Rasheed had his back to me, and I was asking questions, asking questions. He whipped around, threw his towel down, and said, "Why would I talk to you when all you do is rip us cats?" I went right back at him. And we were face to face, and players immediately jumped up and separated me, and I remember it was Rick Brunson and Steve Kerr who got in front of me and were just like, "Jason, you need to leave, you don't know what this guy can do."

[Quick tells another story about Scottie Pippen, which is too long to recount here, but we'll post it later this week.]

And then there was another time—I don't know that I was afraid, but it was definitely in the back of my mind, and actually it was one of the greatest conversations I ever had. It was with Bonzi Wells. We got to talking about our professions, and he was like, "You don't understand, Quick, about how tough it is. You keep saying how much money we make, but you don't know how we have to support our families, and how all these other people come to you with their sob stories."

It was a very cordial and professional conversation, but then, throughout it, he said, "Don't be surprised if you show up to practice with a steak over your eye." And I said, "Oh, well, I'll be a rich man then." And then he said, "Oh no, I wouldn't do it, I wouldn't be that dumb." So it's insinuating that I'd leave the arena one night, and he'd have people punch me.

I gotta tell you, some nights I'd leave the arena and I'd be looking over my shoulder.

GO: The Trail Blazers open the season against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 pm at Moda Center. Read WW's look at the new roster, and our advice for how to greet departed players.

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