Here today...

The Portland Trail Blazers' surviving "brain trust" held a press conference the other day. The rookie coach, Chauncey Billups, was front and center, talking about the team's future. But you have to wonder how much of that future's going to include him. After all, his boss just got fired, and the boss' job security problems seem to have started the day he hired Billups. 

That, and the Blazers are 1-11 on the road so far. Billups's sophisticated solution to the team's problems is "Play harder."

The guys sitting on either side of him were a couple of unknowns whose claims to fame are (a)  having worked for the fired boss and (b) putting together the anemic roster that has the team at its current low point. They were yukking it up and acting like the Blazers' owner, Jody Allen, is expecting them to keep going with their excellent work.

If she's got even half the common sense I think she has, there will be three different guys sitting on those stools by Labor Day. In the meantime, the current occupants should be careful not to sustain neck injuries looking over their shoulders. Once the new boss is in place, the O'Melveny treatment may be coming.