Without legendary Trail Blazers play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely, there is no Rip City. A spur of the moment, unrehearsed exclamation of "Rip City, baby!" from Schonely following a Jim Barnett basket versus the Los Angeles Lakers on a February night during the Blazers' inaugural season has become synonymous both with the team and the city of Portland in the nearly 45 years since.
Because of his famous catch phrase and almost 30 years of broadcasting for the team from 1970-1998, The Oregonian has recognized Schonely as one of Portland's "29 Most Memorable Media Stars." The Mayor of Rip City comes in at the No.