Rip City!

A lot's changed since E-40 rhymed "fat wallets" with "Rasheed Wallace." E-40 graduated up from only being known in hip-hop circles and dorm rooms, and 'Sheed got traded from the Blazers to the Pistons, won rings, didn't have to be the go-to guy anymore and mellowed out into the NBA's cranky-but-loveable uncle instead of its drunk, abusive dad.

But absolutely everything changed last night when the Blazers won the first pick in the lottery. As the only pro sports team in Oregon, the Blazers are literally an emotionally the Padres and Chargers combined, and for the die-hards who stuck with the team, this is as exciting as watching LT break free for an 80-yard touchdown or Jake Peavy throw 20 strikeouts. A Tony Gwynn? We got that, too.



Oden or Durant? Is this good for the league? Will the Blazers make the playoffs next year? I'm leaving the opining to the skilled Oregonian writers, basketball blogs and ESPN (the Fox News Channel of sports). But I will just say this...