Oregonian Sports

When the Portland Trail Blazers swept the NBA’s best regular season team on their way to the 1977 NBA championship, the first-year head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers declared that the Blazers “were blessed with great personnel and they’re going to be good for a very long time.” That was just one of the times Jerry West’s seven-decade life in the NBA intersected with the Trail Blazers. The man wh...

The Portland Timbers have won three of five, and in stretches have solved some of their defensive issues. Can they keep that up against better competition, and fully turn this season on its head? Plus, the Thorns are back from the international break and aim to get back on the winning track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both Oregon and Oregon State rolled through their NCAA Regional matchups and are each now two wins from advancing to Omaha for the College World Series. The two schools have never reached the CWS in the same year. In fact, the Ducks haven’t reached Omaha since 1954. Is it time they finally snap their 70-year hiatus? On this week’s episode, columnist Bill Oram and Brenna Greene of KOIN discuss the...

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, reacts to Bill Walton dying at the age of 71 on Monday, and discusses his legacy as a player and broadcaster. Craig has stories. Also, the Blazers continue their pre-draft workouts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Walton’s death this week at 71 leaves an immense hole in Portland’s sports landscape and well beyond. The centerpiece of the Trail Blazers’ 1977 championship team, Walton was a celebrated broadcaster, but perhaps was best known for being Bill Walton, one of the greatest winners, and greatest characters, in American sports. Columnist Bill Oram and co-host Brenna Greene of KOIN pay tribute to t...

Last week, Oregon State was three outs from winning the final Pac-12 baseball championship and entering the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed. Instead, they dropped their final regular season game, earned the No. 2 seed, and after their bats went cold against Stanford, got bounced from the tournament in pool play. But like with all things at Oregon State, Beaver baseball faces bigger questio...

The Portland Thorns are growing their investor group, which now includes the billionaire CEO of Columbia Sportswear. What does that mean for the club’s future, the development of a training facility, and perhaps a WNBA team in Portland? This week, Chris and Ryan discuss those major investor additions, preview a massive match in Thorns vs. Pride, and examine the Timbers trying to get out of their f...

Down 2-0 at half on Wednesday night against San Jose, the Portland Timbers appeared to be dead in the water. But with a renewed vigor and some questionable calls, they came all the way back to win, 4-2, and break a nine-match winless streak. On this week’s episode of Soccer Made in Portland, co-hosts Ryan Clarke and Chris Rifer look at the good, the bad, and the downright ugly from Portland’s vict...

Tyson Alger is a familiar name and face for readers of The Oregonian. With Brenna Greene on vacation this week, Tyson, owner-operator of The I-5 Corridor, dropped by to discuss a variety of topics pertaining to the local sports scene, including his coverage of the Winterhawks this spring as well as the Timbers and Thorns — two teams seemingly moving in different directions. Discussed on this episo...

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, reacts to the Trail Blazers falling to No. 7 in Sunday's NBA draft lottery. Select for need? Take the best player available? Trade pick? Package pick to trade up? Decisions, decisions for the Blazers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oregon’s spring football game has come and gone, and fans of the Ducks are now waiting eagerly for the start of the 2024 season. What can we take away from an eventful spring? On this episode of Ducks Confidential, co-hosts Ryan Clarke and James Crepea break down what they heard and saw at spring football practices, and discuss a whirlwind couple of months in the transfer portal for Oregon men’s a...

It’s time for another episode of Beaver Banter, an Oregonian Sports podcast about Oregon State sports. Veteran reporters Nick Daschel and Joe Freeman discuss the baseball team and where things stand heading into the stretch run, the status of the overhauled men’s basketball roster, the disheartening state of women’s basketball and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

Oregon has continued to dominate the transfer portal with an incoming group of transfers considered the second-best in college football, according to one ranking. Why is this happening at Oregon now? And what does it mean as the Ducks make the move to the Big Ten? Columnist Bill Oram and KOIN’s Brenna Greene break that and more down on this week’s episode of the Oregonian Sports podcast, while als...

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, discusses the depth of the Western Conference on display during the NBA playoffs and how far the Blazers trail several elite teams with young talent. Also, Damian Lillard's playoff run with the Bucks comes to an early end. And are the Blazers set at center? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

The Rob Gale era is off to a brilliant start for the Portland Thorns, winners of four straight and regaining confidence amid an imperfect stretch. Has Portland’s interim manager found the right mix? On this week’s episode, Chris and Ryan break down what has worked well for the Thorns in their winning streak, and examine Gale’s influence. Plus, checking in with the Timbers after eight straight game...

Sports columnist Bill Oram and Brenna Greene of KOIN debate, then recap an Oregon spring game that played out against the backdrop of eight Ducks getting selected in the NFL Draft. Other highlights from this week’s show include: · How are things going for Damian Lillard, injured in Milwaukee, with the Bucks on the verge of elimination in the first round? · Saying goodbye to the supposed superteams...

Why did Oregon State’s spring game on Saturday leave both Bill Oram and Brenna Greene of KOIN feeling a little underwhelmed? There are plenty of reasons, including the lack of participation among the Beavers’ few recognizable names and a missed opportunity to ramp up the fan experience. What other takeaways did they have from the Spring Showcase? They get into all of that — including the quarterba...

Big move on the coaching front: the Portland Thorns are moving Mike Norris into the front office and Rob Gale into the interim coach role. How will the global search for a permanent gaffer play out? On this episode, which was recorded on Friday, April 19, Chris and Ryan discuss the Thorns’ move, and look back on a compelling contest for the Timbers vs. LAFC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, discusses the franchise’s offseason following a 21-61 season. Plus, why the Blazers retained coach Chauncey Billups, why GM Joe Cronin plans to remain on the development path and what to expect this offseason and next season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blazers' current roster is not good enough to win next year, and the front office appears ready to go all in on its youth movement. So is losing next year the best path? The answer is almost undoubtedly yes, but will fans put up with it? And what moves does general manager Joe Cronin need to make to set the franchise up for long-term success and could it mean trading a fan favorite? Bill Oram...

It’s been a trend all season: one good half, one rough half for the Portland Timbers. Saturday’s 3-3 draw with SKC was a nice turnaround, but how can Portland put together a complete performance? Chris Rifer and Ryan Clarke break it down on this week’s Soccer Made in Portland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ducks Confidential is back! After a few weeks off, co-hosts Ryan Clarke and James Crepea break down what they’ve seen and heard at Oregon football spring practice, and look back on a magical run for Oregon men’s basketball. Plus, plenty to talk about in the transfer portal carousel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Oregonian's Bill Oram and KOIN 6's Brenna Greene break down the issues facing Oregon State and try to answer why there has been so much apathy toward this Blazers season. Also, a look back at a historic NCAA Tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, discusses rookie Scoot Henderson’s growth during the team's recent road trip, as well as what we've learned about the young forwards and what we hope to learn during upcoming exit interviews following the end of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blazer Focused podcast, featuring Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Craig Birnbach, takes a look at Chauncey Billups getting elected into the Hall of Fame, how the Blazers ended their 10-game losing streak with a "bad win" and if any signs of hope for the future have been on display. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices