Dingleberry Gazette

Your Portland Trail Blazers!

Yup, the hometown heroes are doing well. I got to watch tonight’s game in real time, and it was quite the nail biter. I also got to watch the Raptors game from the other night, broadcast right beforehand. As previously mentioned, me likey the new Channel 37.

I saw a pretty good hockey game as well. San Jose and Phoenix. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around those two cities having hockey franchises. Has either city ever had ice outside? Cubes in cocktails don’t count. Regardless, it was a good game, and had an awesome fight. (I confess, the fights are my favorite part. Unless it’s teddy bear night, whicht always makes me cry.) They even replayed the fight, which I hadn’t seen done in a long time. Kinder, gentler hockey is only good when you’re playing, not watching.

A coworker was showing me hockey masks from a magazine article. They’ve gone quite high-tech. As a young ‘un, I remember when goalies rarely wore masks, and the guns would be helmet-free. (Bearded Bill Flett was a favorite.) I told the coworker this, and that the first mask I recall had stitches drawn on it. The name Gerry Cheever of the Boston Bruins leaped into my head for the first time in 35 years. A turn of the page of the hockey mag confirmed this.

I have a Jason mask and a bunch of Sharpies. I know what I’m doing the next time I feel bored and artistic.

But I digress. Now I’m watching the rerun of the Blazer game, feeling like a true fan for the first time in a long time. We’re the top story on ESPN because we’re winning, not under indictment. Jarrett Jack’s half-court three pointers, Outlawed blocked shots and the mighty Pryzbilla bitch-slapping Carmelo’s layups have me tuning in night after night.

Since all-star voting is going on right now, I may just wander over to NBA.com and nod at a few of the local guys.