THE TAILGATE

The Oregonian's Ryan White making serious fun of sports

Sifting through the detritus of more than a decade of covering sports will yield some interesting finds.

There was a five-year-old copy of Oklahoma's student newspaper. One front page headline reads, "Sorority to host breakfast before football game."

(This, by the way, was my second favorite headline recently found while moving. At home a few months ago I found a Key West Citizen from the day the Hooters opened on Duval Street. That headline was, "Hooters hopes for perky opening.")

There was the American Basketball League's bankruptcy filing, and the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Casey Martin v. PGA Tour. I gave that to Tokito, the golf writer.

"I'll trade you, if you want Zach Randolph's police reports," Tokito said.

What they never tell you, or at least what they never told me, "they" being the elementary school music teacher who put a trumpet in my hand, is where those scales can lead.

They don't ever suggest that Hot Cross Buns might lead to something bigger, something fun.

And so a week and a half ago, after the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, my wife and I wandered into the House of Blues to check out Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.

Howdy friends,

Blogger here. As you might have noticed, the pickings around these parts lately have been a little slim and inconsistent. There's an excuse: work. Other work, anyway. Been running short on hours while running all around.

At least there's a method to the upcoming blog schedule: We're going dark.

Fun little note from last night, as forwarded along by a Blazers source, who heard it from a source.

Clyde Drexler was stopped by security last night from entering via Drexler Drive.

It couldn't have taken him too long to sort that one out.

Because people are complicated ...

6. On script: It's as if the lines have been written for them -- all of them.

Sunday, the Blazers hit the practice court and said all the things you'd expect them to say about adjustments, improving, effort and putting Game 1's thwamping behind them.

Monday, the Rockets said all the things you'd expect them to say.

Let's talk about Tracy McGrady, because if the Rockets eventually win this series, he's going to be kind of a sad character.

Let's say you're the most electric hockey player in the world, because you've always wanted to be that and you're sitting at your desk right now daydreaming about just such a thing.

So, you know, you're good. You've got a goofy smile and you wear a terrible gold chain around your neck at all times, but you're so good that only adds to your charm.

But your team is down 2-0 in a best-of-seven to a the conference's seventh seed. What do you do?

Where shocking disappointment happens ...

6. Uprise, take 2: There's no need to rehash Saturday night. You (unless you're a Houston fan) don't want to read it, and those words have already been typed.