RIP Jerome Kersey

[RamFan503]

Very sad news yesterday for me personally. Jerome Kersey was one of my favorite basketball players of all time. Even though I am a Lakers fan and he played most of his career for the Blazers, I had the opportunity to meet Jerome on three different occasions. He was also a big reason that we were in the huge group of fans that met the Blazers at the airport after they lost to the Bulls in the finals.

Jerome was always smiling and on one occasion when I met him in Portland he was at a restaurant with a big group of his friends. I was in the bar area and he looked up when I noticed him. I just took the opportunity to tell him he was one of my favorite players and just wanted to say hi. He stood up from his chair held out his hand and simply said, "thanks man".

Just a simple gesture but one that was simply genuine and like a normal guy. A handshake and a smile for a fan he surely didn't remember from the other times I had just said hello to him in other situations.

I always liked him as the Kurt Rambis type player but I've never seen him be anything but kind to the fans.

RIP Jerome. You will be missed.

BTW - apparently it was a blood clot in his leg that moved to his lungs. 52 years old! Same age as me. Just sad.

 

[Mojo Ram]

He was a member of those really good Trailblazer teams in the late 80's/early 90's that beat up on the Suns in big games(before we got Barkley).
Drexler, Porter, young Cliff Robinson, Duckworth and that other veteran dirtworker PF they had...can't remember his name.

 

[Legatron4]

What a complete tragedy. My father is only 53. I just cannot fathom losing him at such a young age. I don't know how people handle it. RIP Jerome. Prayers to the family.

 

[Selassie I]

I remember how tough he played,,, a rough customer. Those Blazer teams he played on were really good.

I was very surprised to see the news yesterday. Way too young.

 

[Ramhusker]

Sad news indeed. He was from where I was born and where I still have a lot of family. He was definitely a Virginia Gentleman and a damn good basketball player to boot. He played college ball for Longwood, a small college, only 20 miles from where I grew up. I think he still holds just about every record there. Sorry to hear this news indeed.

 

[RamFan503]

He was a member of those really good Trailblazer teams in the late 80's/early 90's that beat up on the Suns in big games(before we got Barkley).
Drexler, Porter, young Cliff Robinson, Duckworth and that other veteran dirtworker PF they had...can't remember his name.

Buck Williams - Yeah - really good team and actually good group of guys. Then they became the Jail Ganstahs and you had to hold your nose to watch them play.

Duckworth was a sad case. He used to eat at a friend of mine's pub. Great guy and all but he weighed over 500 pounds when he died. The guy just couldn't eat healthy.

 

[RamFan503]

He was definitely a Virginia Gentleman

Very good description. He really was. He was very public around the Portland area. He never shied away from the fans and I don't know of anyone who didn't like him or had anything bad to say about him besides his nappy hair. Huge loss for the sports world.