http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3694041

Not really, but you know this conversation is happening as we speak:

Popovich: Pete, we need more veteran leadership what with the new guys we're going to start playing.

Holt: But you had me resign Mike, Kurt, and Jacque.  You assured me they were worth the $12 million I've committed for 2 more years.  Savvy veterans who know how to play the right way, you gushed.  I tried telling you Pop that, unlike wine, athletes do not get better with age.  I suggested we get some young guys on the cheap and save the cap space for 2009 free agency.

Popovich: (a moment of silence while stroking his Gandalf beard)  Have you seen these "young guys" play?

Holt: You mean guys who have a ton of energy, run the floor, go after rebounds, make quick defensive rotations?

Popovich: Disheartening, isn't it?  That kind of reckless abandon has no place in a man's game.

Holt:  So who are you looking at?

Popovich: Antonio McDyess

Holt: Hasn't he had like 3 knee surgeries?

Popovich:  Exactly!  Surgically repaired means they're reinforced. 

Holt: (scratching head)  What can he do?

Popovich:  He brings toughness.

Holt: Like Kurt Thomas?

Popovich:  He can hit the 12 footer facing the basket.

Holt: LIke Kurt Thomas?

Popovich:  He can grab interior defensive rebounds.

Holt:  You mean like...

Popovich:  WHAT DO YOU KNOW?  YOU SELL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT!! 

Holt:  (awkward silence)  Pop, love the beard.

Maggette now is a person of interest

Thankfully, not for any crime.  Golden State is also throwing a mid-level exception at him.  If I were Maggette, I would be very upset about this headline since "person of interest" has replaced the more straightforward "suspect" in our criminal investigation lexicon.  But I wonder if the writer purposefully chose this headline to dissuade Warrior management from signing him since Maggette would be surplus on the Warriors.   

THE ELIJAH DUKES AWARD FOR "ANGRIEST NBA EMPLOYEE DURING THE FINALS"
To Gregg Popovich, who has to be watching this choppy Finals thinking, "My God, we were better than both of those teams." Remember, Manu Ginobili was one of the best 12-15 players in the NBA this season, as well as the league's premier crunch-time scorer in the regular season ... before a bum ankle rendered him useless on both ends in the Lakers series. Let's say he was healthy. They definitely don't blow an exceedingly winnable Game 4 at home, and I don't see them blowing two huge leads in Games 1 and 5. In my opinion, they would have won two of those three games with a healthy Manu and had a chance to close out the series at home in Game 6. Instead, they went down meekly in five.

(The 10 biggest playoff injuries of the past 25 years, in no particular order: Manu in '08; Isiah in '88; McHale and Walton in '87; D-Wade in '05; Duncan in '00; Malone in '04; Worthy in '83; Pippen in '98; Magic in '91; Doc Rivers in '94. All of those injuries potentially swung the Finals except for Pippen's back injury in '98 -- that was the year when Pippen played at 50 percent and MJ said, "Screw it, we're winning anyway.")

Any Red Raiders going to Reno for the game on Sept 6?  I live in the Bay Area and hope to make the trek.  I've got a few months to work out the details, but I'd drop everything at the last minute to go out there.  I haven't been to a game since '06 in El Paso. 

I'm not writing any more words to get this post to 75 words.  I've said all I need to say for now.

David Robinson?

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