Will Zags Zap Zips, or Can Zips Zap Zags?

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Getting my bearings in downtown Portland, which doesn't roll up its sidewalk at 5 p.m.

Less than a block from my hotel, a line of people waited to get into Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to attend a lecture from NPR "Weekend Edition Saturday" host Scott Simon.

Simon, according to The Oregonian newspaper, is an acclaimed author, appreciator of music and all-round gentleman of letters. Nice work if you can get it.

They love NPR in Portland, and this event was sold out. So that's my excuse for not going. I had a Nutella-and-strawberry crepe at a sidewalk stand, instead. If you can't have one in Paris, I suppose Portland is the next best thing.

Something else that is sold out here this week is the first- and second-rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Just in walking around downtown, I saw Gonzaga Bulldogs (better known in these Pacific Northwest parts as the Zags) players going in one direction, and Akron Zips cheerleaders going in another.

The Zips and Zags meet here Thursday night. It's a headline-writer's dream. Although, I'm guessing headline-writers need something more stimulating to dream about after writing headlines all night.

Or maybe they just drink themselves to sleep and don't remember their dreams at all.