Get to know: The 19:77

Welcome into the 19:77 Podcast, a podcast that runs 19 minutes and 77 seconds in honor of your 1977 World Champion Portland Trail Blazers...

Sorry, that is the podcast intro. What was I thinking? I'm not here to record a podcast, I am here to tell you all about the 19:77 and the man behind it — Me, Chris Burkhardt.

Many of you know me, but for those of you who are new here, welcome in! So who am I? I am Chris Burkhardt, a digital media producer (and then some) who has covered the Trail Blazers professionally since 2014.

From 2014-2021 I worked for NBC Sports Northwest where I was our primary digital producer for all Blazers content. I filmed our locker room interviews, traveled on the road, wrote articles, hosted TV shows... You name it. I did it.

From watching Zach Collins debut in Summer League, to watching Rodney Hood save the Blazers in four overtimes, to storming the court after Damian Lillard's "Bad Shot," you name a Blazers moment and I was there to cover it and gather content for NBC.

When NBC folded in 2021, I had to find my next endeavor and I found it with iHeart Media and Rip City Radio. For the past two seasons I have been Rip City Radio's primary Trail Blazers voice, hosting Courtside Monday, Blazers Gameday, and the long-running postgame show, The 5th Quarter.

It was a blast, but unfortunately that journey came to an end over the summer.

"Where do I go from here?" I asked myself. The answer: Ten toes in where my feet already are.

I had started The 19:77 a few years ago, but episodes were very sporadic. Hard to get done when all my Blazers time was focused on live radio shows. Now, however, time and focus has allowed me to pour the same passion and energy that I poured into my previous stops into my own personal projects!

In short, now is my time to make The 19:77 great!

So, what is The 19:77? It's a podcast dedicated to all things Trail Blazers, of course. The twist, if you can call it that, is that it’s a quick hitter — running 19 minutes and 77 seconds (20 minutes and 17 seconds for you nerds) in honor of the 1977 NBA Champions!

You can expect professional takes, insight, and knowledge from someone who not only has more than a decade of professional experience, but is a true Portland kid.

I was born and raised in Portland, attended Centennial High School, and my current address still reads "Portland, Or." I grew up watching and loving the Trail Blazers. I have been blessed to cover them for so long, and am grateful I get to continue to do so.

If there is one takeaway I can give you about my approach to covering the team it's this. I will never forget what it means to be a fan.

I have always loved sports, and that is why I wanted to become a sports journalist. That love, and what it means and feels like to be a fan is never lost on me. It allows me to be in your shoes and know how you feel through every high and every low.

My only hope is that my love for this city, this team and you, the fans, conveys to the airwaves and the pages of Rose City Central.

Thanks for reading. I'll see you on the next one.

And as always, Rip City, I love ya!