We start with Game of Thrones speculation (not spoilers) and realize how many parallels there are between a series against the Warriors and the winding down of the Song of Ice and Fire. But it is not all doom and gloom as we look at just how tough the competition is, why we can’t say enough good things about Damian Lillard and just how much he and the rest of the Blazers have accomplished. We talk about Meyer’s Leonard’s big night, Zach Collins’ ceiling in the coming years, and Maurice Harkless ...
May 20, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Sports activist, journalist and public speaker Shireen Ahmed (@_shireenahmed_) joined the WHAT podcast to share her experience as a Muslim woman and explain some of the nuances of the religion as it pertains to professional athletes. We learned more about her role as co-host of the Burn It All Down feminist sports podcast, heard how she got started in sports activism, and talked about how people in Toronto (where she is based) are reacting to the Raptor’s trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. F...
May 16, 2019•54 min
What a week it has been for the Portland Trail Blazers! Like a lot of Blazer fans, Dan and Tara are still trying to figure out what is real and what is fantasy. Listen to the latest edition of the Blazer’s Edge Podcast, where we answer your questions about a wide variety of topics: will Aminu and Harkless have a bigger impact in the Golden State series than they did against Denver? Who should the Blazer’s bring back, Hood, Kanter or Curry? What kind of defense can we expect to see and what will ...
May 14, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Sports Illustrated senior writer and co-host of the Open Floor Podcast, Andrew Sharp (@andrewsharp), joined the show to talk about being a long time admirer of the Trail Blazers’ fan community and how he got started writing about basketball. Then Andrew and Tara reflect on the post-season so far, what do the Blazer’s accomplishments look like to the national observers, how disappointing would it be if they exit in the second round, and what should be their biggest concerns? As a long suffering W...
May 09, 2019•49 min
US Senator Ron Wyden joined us to discuss his love of basketball, what he has learned from playing, and why he is speaking up for Enes Kanter. But first we had to react to Friday night’s quadruple-overtime victory. Listen to Dave Deckard, Danny and Tara talk about the first three games of the Western Conference Semi Finals and what the Blazers will likely do to finish out strong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
May 05, 2019•1 hr 3 min
In the latest Women’s Hoops And Talks podcast, Tara and Cassidy talk with Kat Jayme, the filmmaker behind Finding Big Country. The movie documents her search for her childhood hero, former Vancouver Grizzles big man, Bryant Reeves. She talks about how she got into basketball, how the movie came about and why it was important for her to find Bryant Reeves. Listen to learn how Jayme came to terms with not becoming a professional basketball player herself, how she combined her loves of basketball a...
May 03, 2019•37 min
Trail Blazers Television Analyst Lamar Hurd (@L_Hurd) joined Team Mom to give his observations about the Western Conference Semifinals Game 1 and where the Trail Blazers could go from here. Did Denver do something to disrupt CJ McCollum’s early hot shooting? How can Moe Harkless and Al Farouq Aminu impact a game if they are not scoring? And what could be the key factors that determine the outcome of the series? All this plus Lamar’s story of what Damian Lillard’s game-winning shot meant to him. ...
May 01, 2019•17 min
We invited Brendan Vogt from the Denver Stiffs onto the podcast to tell us all the secrets about the Denver Nuggets. We learned more about the guys who play alongside ultra-talented center Nikola Jokic, and how they dealt with a significant lineup change in the middle of the playoffs. A lot of things we learned about the Nuggets--young core built around the career trajectory of their star, solid locker room culture, a coach who is in tune with the players--sound a lot like the Trail Blazers. Wil...
Apr 29, 2019•59 min
00:02 Brooke Olzendam, Trail Blazers Sideline Reporter 05:55 Charlene and Arinze, mother and son, Blazers Fans for life, season ticket holders 11:59 Janis, fan and season ticket holder 14:27 Jamie Hudson, NBC Sports Northwest Trail Blazers reporter 17:01 Michael Lewellen, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Rose Quarter 22:33 Dillon Sage, Co-host, Holy Backboard Podcast 24:58 Ashwin, long-suffering Timberwolves fan 28:33 Adrian Bernecich Blazers’ Edg...
Apr 28, 2019•40 min
Alex Haigh joins Tara and Cassidy to talk about what it was like to be a Blazers Outsider this season. After sharing which NBA players they would want to be stuck in an elevator with, they discuss what NBA awards they would give out. These are not your regular NBA awards, so tune in to find out who will be awarded most vicious fan chant, best performance in a basketball drama, most average player in the NBA, and which team besides the Blazers will be the best team to root for next season. Follow...
Apr 26, 2019•35 min
On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang take a look at the last two games against the OKC Thunder and what it means for the Blazers as they look to clinch in Game 5. Danny is actually optimistic, which is terrifying, and Tara tries to temper Danny's expectations- will she be successful? Praising Damian Lillard, breaking down pick and roll changes, the arrival of Moe Harkless, Russell Westbrook being all talk, and much, much more on this week's episo...
Apr 23, 2019•51 min
CJ McCollum got his playoff win and so we called up Jennifer “I’m trying Jennifer” Williams to talk about the Portland Trail Blazers. We learned why she tweeted at McCollum in the first place, what her day was like after the “I’m Trying Jennifer” tweet went viral, why she thinks the sentiment struck a chord with Trail Blazers fans and how life has been since she became internet famous. We also talked about how the first round of the playoffs is going, how far she thinks the Trail Blazers can go,...
Apr 20, 2019•34 min
Blazers’ Edge Podcast takes a look at what is working: why the defense is clicking and how the offense is humming. It might not be the prettiest basketball they have played all season (we miss you Jusuf Nurkic!) but it is effective. Will it work when the Trail Blazers head to the Chesapeake Energy Arena? How will the Trail Blazers handle being in the driver’s seat? We recap notable performances by Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard, CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. So much Lillard. Programming note...
Apr 18, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Stephanie Ready (, NBA on TNT Virtual Reality broadcaster and host of The Bounce on Yahoo Sports joins the Hoops and Talks podcast to discuss her life-long love of basketball and what it was like being the first woman to be a coach on an mens professional basketball team. She gives us great insight into what coaches do to prepare for games and the playoffs and how she prepares for games that she covers as a sideline report and analyst. Then we get a primer on Virtual Reality broadcasting and wha...
Apr 14, 2019•34 min
NBA on TNT & NBA TV analyst and former Portland Trail Blazers guard Greg Anthony joined the Blazers Edge podcast to preview the upcoming series between the Blazers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anthony breaks down the matchup between Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook, describes the team as still pretty “formidable” even without Jusuf Nurkic and thinks they have a shot at winning the series. He also talks about what it is like as a player to prepare for the playoffs and gives his take on ...
Apr 13, 2019•49 min
On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang are joined by the illustrious Steve Dewald (aka Dave Deckard in Training or DDIT) to take a look at the Blazer's season, how it all feels now that it's coming to a close, expectations and broken hearts, a look at the most likely playoff matchup with the Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles and the Utah Jazz, what is fair to expect of Enes Kanter and Rodney Hood, a look at the upcoming Nike Hoop Summit and...
Apr 09, 2019•57 min
This week Tara and Cassidy welcomed Kayla Osby (@nuggetchica) from denverstiffs.com onto the show to help Portland Trail Blazers fans get to know more about the Denver Nuggets. Their wide ranging conversation includes talk about t-shirt slogans, NBA twins, Nuggets lack of playoff success and what it is like to be in a town where basketball is the third most important sport. We caught up on how Will Barton and Mason Plumlee are doing and how the Nurkic trade felt to Nuggets fans. Then we talk abo...
Apr 04, 2019•37 min
This week we invited Adam Mares, Site Manager for the Denver Stiffs, to join us to talk about Jusuf Nurkic, centers in the NBA and to prepare for the weekend doubleheader between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets. :50 Jusuf Nurkic, we miss you, big fella.3:45 Thoughts from Adam, only empathy for the fans and best wishes to Nurkic for a full recovery from fans in Denver. 7:15 Where the Trail Blazer season stands right now9:10 Comparison to Wesley Matthews injury.11:45 What are the...
Apr 01, 2019•49 min
Tara and Cassidy have a quick chat about Jusuf Nurkic and add their best wishes to the outpouring of support from Portland fans. Then they are joined by Nitz Bluvstein (@nitzbluv), a frequent guest of the Daily Dings podcast and general Twitter instigator. Get to know Nitz and hear her takes on NBA Twitter and how basketball kept her in touch with friends when she was far away. Then she gives us an outsider perspective on Damian Lillard and how he will perform in the playoffs. Finally she tells ...
Mar 28, 2019•43 min
‘Twas the night before Blazer’s Edge Night and some of the staff’Gathered together to talk Blazers and laugh . . . Join Tara, Danny, Dave, Cassidy, Miles, Steve and Paul of BlazersEdge.com as we go over what we’ve seen from the Blazers so far this season. Have they met, exceeded or fallen below expectations? Which first round matchup would be best for the playoffs? What do the Blazers have to accomplish in the post-season to preserve the core of this team? All this and more on the latest Blazer’...
Mar 25, 2019•54 min
Amara Baptist, the voice behind Trail Blazer’s twitter, joins the WHAT podcast to talk about being on the road. On the latest WHAT podcast, Tara and Cassidy talk to Blazer’s Digital Content Manager Amara Baptist to find out more about being on the road. Pizza rolls. Fro-yo. Ugly photo vests. Bench reactions. Take a tour of the NBA Arenas with someone who has seen them all! 00:55 Icebreaker: what is your go-to game snack? Tip: Ice cream sandwiches on the 300 level are the best!3:38 How is the fir...
Mar 21, 2019•32 min
With Danny out sick, Dave Deckard, Managing Editor of Blazer’s Edge joined Tara to discuss all the implications of CJ McCollum’s injury. How will the starters adjust? Who slides into his spot? Will that disrupt the bench? What are the implications for playoff seeding? Who is their best matchup (hint: anyone but Golden State)? So many questions and Dave his here to answer them all. Get well soon Danny and thanks to Dave for sitting in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...
Mar 18, 2019•53 min
We’ve been speculating a lot this year about what is going on with the San Antonio Spurs. Will they make it to the playoffs without the Big Three? Will Gregg Popovich retire? What is it like since Kawhi left and, of course, how is LaMarcus Aldridge doing? To answer these questions before the teams meet up on Saturday, we went straight to the source and called up Marilyn Dubinski (@alamoaggie) a writer for our sister site poundingtherock.com. We asked Marilyn all these questions and learned so mu...
Mar 14, 2019•45 min
On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang take a look at the week that was, Maurice Harkless' inspired play, CJ McCollum post all-star break shooting revival, Tara cursing the Blazers in Memphis, Anfernee Simons getting minutes, the Blazers missing Evan Turner, Thunder-Blazers, playoff match ups and more! Intro Opening Comments :20 Tara makes a Dan joke 1:00 Tara goes to Memphis 5:30 Chandler Parsons yoga mats 7:15 Looking back at the OKC game 9:00 Ba...
Mar 11, 2019•57 min
We got real nerdy on this week’s episode of the WHAT podcast and invited Brit Robotista (@britrobotista) onto the pod to go over the basics of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and the NBA league owners. She helped us understand why it exists, what it holds, what happened in the summer of ‘16, and how we might prepare ourselves to understand what options will be on the table the next time Damian Lillard is up for a new contract. ...
Mar 07, 2019•1 hr 4 min
On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang take a look at the Blazers going 5-1 on the 7 game road trip, taking care of business against the teams you should and coming up just short in Toronto to Kawhi Leonard, Blazers trying new lineups, playing a new style at times, Portland not relying on Damian Lillard to go for 30 a night, Jake Layman's heel turn, the revival of Moe Harkless, Rodney's breakout performance in Charlotte and more! IntroOpening Comme...
Mar 04, 2019•57 min
On the latest Women’s Hoops And Talks (W.H.A.T.) podcast Tara and Cassidy get to know one of the newest Blazer’s Edge writers, Lindsay Hostetler (also known as Corvallis Foodie on Twitter). She talks about what it was like growing up a Seattle Sonics fan in a small Washington town, how she became a fan of the Blazers and what she likes about writing about the team. Then we all chime in about what we will be watching for from the Trail Blazers as they close out the regular season. How will the ba...
Feb 28, 2019•44 min
IntroOpening Comments 2:16 First two games since All-Star Break 2:43 Enes Kanter impressions. Skilled big man who lives in the paint and gets rebounds. 3:14 How the siging of Kanter demonstrates the Blazers are all in on offense. 4:34 There's going to be buckets everywhere. 4:53 48 minutes of Nurkic and Kanter is going to be a lot for any team to deal with. 5:30 Kanter can do things that Nurkic can't do in the post. 6:21 Kanter has more offensive consistency than Nurkic, but less eye popping. 7:...
Feb 25, 2019•55 min
Dan Marang and Tara Bowen-Biggs discuss highlights from All Star weekend including Damian Lillard’s outstanding performance in Sunday night’s game. Then they compare what happened in the Trail Blazers’ loss to Oklahoma City to how things went down in the win against Golden State. Short answer: Zach Collins. Finally they dig into one of the most exciting things the team has done lately--bringing in Enes Kanter to finish out the season. What are the skills that he brings? How will minutes be redis...
Feb 18, 2019•58 min
This week Tara and Cassidy talked to Diana Allen from SLCDunk.com to learn more about Rodney Hood and then they talked to China Parmalee from Knicks blog, PostingAndToasting.com, and Rebecca Lawson from MavsMoneyBall.com to hear from both sides of the big Kristaps Porzingis trade that went down last week. Find us on twitter: @hoopsandtalks, @tcbbiggs, @CassidyGemmett, @dianaallen, @Chinqua, @beccaaftersixEmail us: hoopsandtalks@gmail.com COFFEE TALKA blend with mad hops like Jake Layman: Ethiopi...
Feb 15, 2019•59 min
