1. You. Go vote. Today is your day to make a difference. Even if you are convinced that your vote doesn't make a difference.
2. Allen Iverson. Even though his presence probably hurts the Knicks "chances," I'm glad to have the Answer back in the East. It's where he belongs. The Iverson/Carmelo Anthony experiment in Denver didn't work. Although I actually think that it could have had the Western Conference not been coalescing into the all-round, top-to-bottom awesomeness that it was last season. In most other years I think that two of the game's top scorers gets any team deep into the playoffs. Regardless, that incarnation of the Nuggets was neutered when Marcus Camby was pawned off on the Clippers. The team was done so it can only be a relief for Iverson to be off to Detroit, to join the team that reached Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
3. Lebron James. The Man-Boy King
for whom all roster moves are made got the Lebronaliers back to .500 last night by carrying them past the Dallas Mavericks. LBJ netted 29 to go along with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and one block. Some would say he is the complete player. Many, in fact.
4. Rip Hamilton. It was probably a weird day for Hamilton. His backcourt partner since the 2002-2003 season, Chauncey Billups, was traded away as part of a package to land Allen Iverson, who - you would assume- is going to take away a few of Hamilton's shots when the two are on the court together. Rip and Chauncey helmed the Pistons to the Eastern Conference Finals in each season they played together. They reached the NBA Finals twice during those years, winning the title once. But the cream of the conference had passed the Pistons by at some point in the last 18 months. And the duo seemed destined to get old together. Until yesterday when Chauncey was sent back to the place of his collegiate heroics, Colorado, and Rip was signing a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $34 million. To top it all off, Hamilton scored a game-high 19 points to lead Detroit past Charlotte last night. And, the Bobcats, of course, are coached by Larry Brown, formerly the guru in Motown. What a tangled web we weave when we try to win an NBA title.
5. Marc Gasol. The other, younger Gasol had a heck of a ballgame last night. The 23-year-old was the one of the zero-sum, spare parts that landed in Memphis when the Grizzlies dispatched Pau to the Lakers last season. Before last night, Marc had played f three games in the NBA. None of them before he was part of the trade for his older brother. None of them before Columbus Day. Marc had scored 22 points and pulled down 25 rebounds in those games and seemed a
prospect to be a legitimate big man
prospect. But nothing more. He was big and raw. Then last night he breaks out for 27 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in 36 minutes in leading the Grizz to a win over the Warriors. Most impressively, he shot 9 of 11 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. So, even though his ups make Zach Randolph look like a potential slam-dunk contest participant, the big Spaniard can hit his free throws.
1. You. Go vote. Today is your day to make a difference. Even if you are convinced that your vote doesn't make a difference. 
4. Rip Hamilton. It was probably a weird day for Hamilton. His backcourt partner since the 2002-2003 season, Chauncey Billups, was traded away as part of a package to land Allen Iverson, who - you would assume- is going to take away a few of Hamilton's shots when the two are on the court together. Rip and Chauncey helmed the Pistons to the Eastern Conference Finals in each season they played together. They reached the NBA Finals twice during those years, winning the title once. But the cream of the conference had passed the Pistons by at some point in the last 18 months. And the duo seemed destined to get old together. Until yesterday when Chauncey was sent back to the place of his collegiate heroics, Colorado, and Rip was signing a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $34 million. To top it all off, Hamilton scored a game-high 19 points to lead Detroit past Charlotte last night. And, the Bobcats, of course, are coached by Larry Brown, formerly the guru in Motown. What a tangled web we weave when we try to win an NBA title. 
5. Marc Gasol. The other, younger Gasol had a heck of a ballgame last night. The 23-year-old was the one of the zero-sum, spare parts that landed in Memphis when the Grizzlies dispatched Pau to the Lakers last season. Before last night, Marc had played f three games in the NBA. None of them before he was part of the trade for his older brother. None of them before Columbus Day. Marc had scored 22 points and pulled down 25 rebounds in those games and seemed a prospect to be a legitimate big man prospect. But nothing more. He was big and raw. Then last night he breaks out for 27 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in 36 minutes in leading the Grizz to a win over the Warriors. Most impressively, he shot 9 of 11 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. So, even though his ups make Zach Randolph look like a potential slam-dunk contest participant, the big Spaniard can hit his free throws.
You see, when a National League team, like the Phillies of the NL East, wins the World Series in an election year then the Democratic candidate wins the presidency. Or at least, this was true from 1952 to 1976. It's been a little screwy as of late, although both W "wins" were accompanied by American League wins in the Fall Classic. 
Because today is Election Day
