http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf?/base/sports/1192087502111110.xml&coll=7&thispage=1

The game started, same as always. The game ended, same as always.

And then, the entourages of the Trail Blazers' players filed from their seats, down the corridor outside the locker room, where they waited for players and leaned against the brick walls, same as always.

You need to know that Zach Randolph's entourage of swaggering, sweating, swearing sycophant friends have been replaced by Brandon Roy Jr., not even a year old, who was napping on his mother Tiana's shoulder along one wall.

And here was 2-year-old Jadynn Jones and 4-week-old James Jones Jr., who were with their mother, Destiny, across the corridor, waiting for daddy. And also here was Raef LaFrentz's newborn son, whose mother rocked him to sleep. And Steve Blake and Joel Przybilla's toddlers, too.

This bunch is packing, sure.

Diapers.



But it wasn't quite the same.

Portland beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 111-102, on Wednesday in the first preseason game. But there were no $20,000 diamond-encrusted necklace emblems in the hallway after the game. And no blood-shot eyes. And no back-slapping and trash talking in the hallway.



The Hoops Family?

Gone.

It loves to go clubbin', yup.

At Gymboree.

Hey, maybe you were impressed on Wednesday with Martell Webster's 28 points on 11 for 14 shooting, or Blake's five assists, or LaMarcus Aldridge's 21 points and six rebounds. But I figure Chico Salas-Lopez, the Blazers' security and maintenance manager, had the best night of anyone in the building.

The team may be undefeated, and up-tempo, but everyone knows that part of Chico's job is to monitor the hallway leading to the family lounge, and he didn't lose track of a single kid on Wednesday.

Someone get the guy a free chalupa.

There were unpredictable moments in that hallway, sure. Roy's child burped.

Also, Greg Oden dragged himself down the hallway on crutches, commenting to nobody in particular, "You know, that was the first NBA game I've ever been to."

Also, a tribesman from Kenya, carrying a bow and arrow, and in Portland to raise awareness to the plight of his people, was escorted into the "entourage zone" where he shook hands with some of the Blazers' players.

The guy wouldn't have stood a chance against the jeers of the guys wearing those identical diamond-laced "Hoops Family" necklaces.

It's too early to tell if the Blazers are going to win more or fewer games than you expect. But they were entertaining and likeable against the Clippers. And right now, if you're a Blazers fan, you take that, feed it and burp it on your shoulder.

The talk on Wednesday was about Webster, and Aldridge, and Roy's health, and the new scoreboard, which everyone seemed to enjoy. But I wish the entire city could have walked through that hallway post-game, and could have seen the mothers and children, and heard the sound of laughter. It was hopeful. It was happy. And if that's any indication of where this season is going, I think you cling to it today, and hope it continues.

The Blazers have some traction, and they have hope. And right now, all that feels gentle.

One of the Blazers' new executives wandered down the hallway and asked, "What are all these people doing in a non-access area?"

And I wanted to tell her, "You have no idea."

A year ago, after games, I heard women walking past get insulted and demeaned by Randolph's band of sycophants. And I saw gang signs flashed. And once I overheard security staff wondering if someone in the group had a firearm.

It used to be no place for children.

Until now, apparently.

Because after Nate McMillan addressed his team, Roy walked up to the mother of his son, peeled him off her shoulder, and cradled him. And Jones came out and hugged his wife and daughter. And LaFrentz bounced down the hallway, looking for his family.

And for the first time in years it felt like, you know, a real family.

John Canzano: 503-294-5065; JohnCanzano@aol.com To read his blog, go to http://blog.oregonlive.com/ johncanzano; Catch him on the radio on "The Bald-Faced Truth" from 6-8 p.m. weekdays on KXL (750)





[Edited by - playa2 on 24-10-2007 16:44]

Prediction: This thread turns into another race debate.

This turns into a character debate and has nothing to do with race. Isiah traded for a guy that comes with a lot of baggage that doesn't fit with eddy who he was trying to build around.

Posted by JrZyHuStLa:

Well we're all glad that Channing Shy is gone too. So ? At least we didn't lose someone with talent.

Yeah, why would Isiah have used the only lotter pick he hasn't traded away on someone with talent?

Was Zach even 20 when he went to Portland as a millionaire? I think that needs to be considered. Most 20 year olds are not ready to handle fame, money, and independence. Some teams move a family member to their city so that they can provide guidance and support for their young millionaire. I think this needs to be considered before Zach is labeled a gangster for his behavior as a young man.

What are they going to say? Does anyone expect them to say that they're sorry he's gone and they realize they blew it by trading a good player for someone who isn't much better than Fred Jones.