Jail Blazers improve image with goody-goody Oden

Can Oden lead a revolution and demonstrate that good guys can finish first? Can he help to change the image of a league, attacked by racists as full of black thugs, and subjected to brutal double standards? Will the NBA start to stand for No Bastards Allowed?

Of course there will always be teams in every sport that would draft or sign the Mean Machine if it meant victories. That will never change.

One of those franchises was Portland. Before the Cincinnati Bengals, there were the Jail Blazers. They were Thugs 'R Us.

That image has lessoned as the new regime has made it a point to clean up the franchise and it is working.

Yet the history remains. At the draft, Oden was even asked about the old Portland stink. Oden answered by joking that he has a 1:30 curfew "so I won't be going out at night." (He has a very keen sense of humor for an old goat.)

Oden acknowledged the disturbing past of the franchise but believes the troubles off the court will be a thing of the past.

Hopefully that is the case and if the Jail Blazers lose that nickname it will be in part because of Samuel L. Oden.