What is "Rip City"?

Rip City is a nickname for the Portland Trailblazers of the National Basketball Association. Former play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely is known as the man who first uttered the phrase.

In 1971, Schonely was calling a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, and after a player swished a long jump shot, he shouted out “Rip City – all right!” One of his colleagues working the game asked him where he got the phrase, and Schonely had no idea. All agreed that they liked the sound of “Rip City” and insisted that Schonely keep using it. The name stuck, and to this day the Portland Trailblazers are known as Rip City.