Comments on Women Undefined: The Portland Trail Blazers Organization is Blatant...

Very interesting dialog! I am in the sports busine...

2010-08-06T10:50:58.262-07:00

Very interesting dialog! I am in the sports business and we pride ourselves on quality, family entertainment (portland pilots). This article definitely makes me think twice about our game presentation. Thank you.

1.) Paid dancing opportunities, particularly those...

2010-08-02T18:22:33.194-07:00

1.) Paid dancing opportunities, particularly those that offer consistent audiences of over 20,000 as well as local and national television exposure, are rare. If you truly love dancing, doesn't this at least present a stage to continue your hobby? Doesn't an attractive, healthy female have every right to show the world how much work she has put in on her body and talents? Should we also

It's a business and ultimately the goal of a busin...

2010-08-02T12:22:06.536-07:00

It's a business and ultimately the goal of a business is to make money. I do agree about how it's wrong to vote who is most attractive on the website; they could at least have a bio on each of the dancers so we can know them as people and not just objects. Oh well, I don't use the site anyways.

Ultimately, the demographic for a men's sports team would dictate marketing

I suppose then you have never commented on the att...

2010-08-02T12:07:15.288-07:00

I suppose then you have never commented on the attractiveness of a single Trail Blazer.
There is truth behind your statements, but such condemnation is a bit extreme.
Also, "While some NBA organizations are still trying to front with the excuse that the dance squads are indeed just that, the Trail Blazers don’t even pretend anymore, allowing fans to vote on the appearance of the

I'm not taking a stand one way or another, but jus...

2010-08-02T11:51:37.427-07:00

I'm not taking a stand one way or another, but just stating a fact.

The Blazer Dancers have previously publicly stated that they take pride in being the most modest dance squad in the NBA, and have had that repuatation for years. If you insist on specifics, they generally refuse to wear bikini-style bottoms, and instead wear shorts. Regardless of what you think of the Blazer

I agree, I much prefer the trailbreakers as actual...

2010-07-24T22:55:37.638-07:00

I agree, I much prefer the trailbreakers as actual entertainment. There routines are fun to watch and impressive at that.

WHAT I find more disturbing are the large numbers of adolescent dance squads the Blazers bring including but not limited to the Junior Blazer Dancers.

Jelani, that is... I don't even know. I have no wo...

2010-07-23T18:25:14.700-07:00

Jelani, that is... I don't even know. I have no words to describe that. How completely and utterly inappropriate . I have no words, but thanks for sharing that story - provides further testament to the lack of respect the organization has for women by their use of the BlazerDancers.

I also agree with your general premise, and I thin...

2010-07-23T17:50:56.080-07:00

I also agree with your general premise, and I think that it's another example of blatant hypocrisy that we as Americans have gotten cozy and familiar enough with to basically ignore.

One thing that snapped me awake to this issue, though... I was at a Trail Blazers game two seasons ago, and I watched a promotion where two little boys were brought onto the court to receive a gift

Thank you all for reading and for the support. I a...

2010-07-23T14:36:55.309-07:00

Thank you all for reading and for the support. I am used to the usual "ZOMG BLAZER DANCERS ARR HAWTTTT DON'T BE JEALOUS" type of comments. The feedback is especially appreciated.

I think there is a larger factor here that also co...

2010-07-22T20:32:55.869-07:00

I think there is a larger factor here that also contributes. It is the deep, deep, patriarchal message that men are good at sports and worth watching. Women, if they are good at sports, will eventually give it up for lack of serious options because, as the message goes, they are not worth watching if they are playing sports. Instead, they are worth watching if they are being pretty/sexy. This

I agree w/ the premise here. The Blazer Dancers ar...

2010-07-22T18:31:43.725-07:00

I agree w/ the premise here. The Blazer Dancers are not something I would use to illustrate the finer points of our culture.

I think individual season ticket holders should let Mr. Allen know what they think.
I, for my part, call them the 'Blazer Hookers,' which is something the image conscious, Blazer corporate leadership would appreciate, or not.

"There simply is no need for the sport to maintain...

2010-07-22T13:36:07.357-07:00

"There simply is no need for the sport to maintain the male-dominated sex atmosphere, because what fans in Portland ultimately care about is whether Greg Oden is healthy and the Blazers can get to the 2nd round of the playoffs."
That last line encapsulates what was running through my mind the entire time i was reading your article. As a full-tilt, man-crushing Blazers fan and as

thank you. this is why i won't take my 10 year old...

2010-07-22T12:50:09.440-07:00

thank you. this is why i won't take my 10 year old daughter (or 8 year old son, for that matter) to a blazers game. and this doesn't take into account the pre-teen girls who aspire and are implicitly encouraged (blazer dance camp?) to become the next generation of blazer "dancers" - though that's as much about parenting as anything. still, one would expect more from an

Absolutely spot-on. I'm doing my level best to ra...

2010-07-22T11:44:57.742-07:00

Absolutely spot-on. I'm doing my level best to raise my 8 year old son to respect women, and the Blazer Dancers just make my job more difficult, because there's simply no rational justification for their performances.

Additionally, the far more popular time out entertainment pieces are "acrobatic dunks off trampolines by guys wearing furry costumes" and "let'

give me a break.

2010-07-22T11:39:08.275-07:00

give me a break.