In “The Decay of Lying,” the Irish poet Oscar Wilde wrote “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” And isn’t sports the most innate and creative of all art forms? The same impetus that drives Spike Lee to create incredible films and Jack Nicholson to adopt the minds of film’s most chilling characters draws them to take up decades-long residences in the front rows of New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers games. 

If Dirk Nowitzki’s one-knee fadeaway jump shot is an elegant Monet, Derrick Rose’s whirling, slashing drives embody Basquiat’s erratic brush strokes. The principles of elite precision and mental fortitude that guided Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls to a decade of dominance are shared by those who elevate leading organizations, businesses, hospitals, and universities. Allen Iverson’s aestheticism was so beloved that it spawned a semi-eponymous trap anthem, proving the transcendence of sports as an art form. 

And if sports is art, Portland is the best canvas you could get. It’s artistic, active, creative, loyal, and at the forefront of social justice. You could even call its athletes trailblazers. Sure, there is no professional football team, and there aren’t any highlights of game-winning interceptions that have sent Portland to a Super Bowl. No baseball team either; no snazzy double plays to win a pennant. 

But, Portland’s unique claim allows the city to appreciate its sports figures in a way that no other city can — because above all else, Portland will always be a running city. Galen Rupp, Steve Prefontaine, Ed Cheserek — many of the greatest American runners of all time are Oregonians, not to mention the countless amateur and collegiate runners who hail from Oregon. And Portland has always taken a collective pride in their runners, because the urge to run is synonymous with an unabating desire to see how far one can go, to see how far one can push the combination of an unshakeable resolve and a beating heart — the very passion that brought the Lewis and Clark expedition to Oregon’s doorsteps in 1805. 

How special is it that a city can take something so personal and individual, come together over it, and create a generationally unbreakable bond? From the hilly paths and trails of Lake Oswego to Clackamas, over to Portland, our runners, hikers, and climbers steward a legacy of never settling, chasing a “healthy delusion” in that if we fail in our attempts, we only fail forward, giving us a unique appreciation for our athletes, who tirelessly represent us.

Portland is my home. I was born and raised in Beaverton, just about 25 minutes outside of the city. I caught the running bug in middle school, and I remember my eighth-grade teacher, Ms. Boley, put up a Steve Prefontaine quote on the wall of our classroom: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” 

Prefontaine became a hero of mine shortly after, with his ‘throw caution to the wind’ attitude toward distance running inspiring my burgeoning running career. I liked how his hair flowed when he was running, a style I kept through my running days to the present day. Prefontaine dominated at the University of Oregon and set countless American records — all while never being shy about his personality — an Oregonian through and through. 

At the 1972 Olympics, Prefontaine had the chance to tactically approach the last lap of the 5000m race and likely capture the gold medal, but he started his kick much earlier than anyone else. He ran out of gas in the final stretch, moments from the finish line, and got fourth, missing the podium. Prefontaine never got another chance at capturing Olympic gold. He died in a car accident in 1975, just a year before the 1976 games. 

I was reminiscing on Prefontaine’s life and career as the Damian Lillard saga in Portland came to an end. Dame’s loyalty has been evident from his choice of the number 0, symbolizing his journey from Oakland to Weber State in Ogden, and finally to our Blazers in Oregon. In a city with only our Blazers, we fed off of that loyalty. 

In the final days of Dame’s tenure in Portland, I noticed Dame getting a lot of criticism. The first voices told him to leave the Blazers if he wanted a chance to win a title, and then, at the end, people relished in the fact that he was looking out of Portland, especially after always saying he wanted to be a Blazer for his entire career. Sure, he said that. But wasn’t that his Pre moment? 

Dame’s decision was to try to win a championship in Portland. Pre’s decision was to win a gold medal by making the others chase him down. Ultimately, things didn’t unfold as we had hoped for either of them. But what’s true is this: they both stood their ground and dared the opposition to come get them. It’s true that Dame didn’t end up winning a championship for Portland, but he was always true to himself and true to the city, and for that, it’ll always be all love. 

Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Thank you for making Portland feel energized and beloved for 11 years, Dame. Maybe you have to run this next leg of your race somewhere else. But I sure do hope you come back to us one day to cross the finish line.