Posted by Kelly Dwyer

• Remember when Ringo Starr had his tonsils removed, and fans were clamoring for the dang things, preserved, and in a jar? Most of you probably don't, I reckon. Either way, while we're not quite at that level with Greg Oden yet, the satire is starting to roll in.
  
• I don't like this column. You can print that. I just typed that. Moving the scary issues regarding his daughter aside, if you'll allow: Derek Fisher walked away from 21-million dollars to join a team he played with for eight seasons and a coach he won three championships with, with an offense he thrives in above all others. The Utah Jazz, while a little bummed they won't have him in the rotation next year, are deliriously happy not to have to (over)pay Fisher 21-million over the next three years. Remember, this was the guy that Golden State traded away last summer for three players that weren't even in their rotation the following season. Just because Mitch Kupchak bid against himself to overpay for Fisher's services, it doesn't mean there's any sort of backhanded deal going on. All sides are quite content.
• Loved this entry from Marc Stein. Danny Ferry's uneasiness just leaps off the computer screen.
• If you aren't listening to the Basketball Jones' podcast at every given opportunity, then there's something wrong with you. And that's ME saying that. Tas Melas and J.E. Skeets' latest offering is typical -- typically awesome! You don't even need an iPod. Being that I'm not a dazzling young urbanite (any of those three, really) anymore, I download each episode, record the playback onto my reel-to-reel, then covert that to a large acetate that I play on my phonograph that boasts a stylus the size of an icepick. My dog Nipper loves it.
• Tom Ziller wants Drew Gooden on his Kings. He doesn't want him enough to give up Mike Bibby in a one-for-one deal. He wants another asset, and while I'm not the biggest Bibby backer, I don't blame the man.
  
• Matt from Blogabull doesn't like the way John Paxson is phrasing his words. I don't blame him, either. You don't dump Tyson Chandler, overpay Andres Nocioni, and then start to warn Bulls fans that Chicago will not be paying any luxury taxes. I agree with all the moves, and agree that Paxson shouldn't throw more than a season or two's worth of cash at any of the Joe Smith/Chris Mihm/Mikki Moore troika -- but you can't be a wet blanket this soon in the game. We'll talk more about this on Monday, provided our blue marble dodges another comet.
  
• The Painted Area's spectacular list of the best 25 basketball books to come out over the last three years makes me wish I had a lot more money while also wishing that I hadn't spent all those hours watching any one of Gordon Ramsey's eight different TV shows. Actually, I'm kind of glad I watched all those shows. I learned what the word "plonker" means.
  
• This stuff is tremendous: The Blowtorch offers probably the best rookie to-be roundup I've seen so far, mainly because I'm way into Little People. He also has a nice design for those hip, Beatles/Stones-derived t-shirts (John & Paul & George & Ringo) that have been storming the blogosphere. If anyone wants to send me a birthday present, I'll gladly take a "Don & Walt" version that nobody will get.
• LeBron James plays a pickup game with teenagers, most of whom are better than Sasha Pavlovic.
• Because the editors said I could -- Graham Parker.
• The oft-underrated Morris Peterson has signed with the Hornets. Peterson actually signed a deal with the team back in 2003 that the Raptors matched.
• The Nuggets picked up Chucky Atkins, good move. We wish he was five years younger, but it's still a sound move and means the oft-overrated Steve Blake is off to either Portland or Miami.  (UPDATE: Thanks to Philip, a TrueHoop reader, Blake's off to Portland.)
• RealGM.com is reporting that the Nets have waived Clifford Robinson. If anyone wants a tall 40-year old who can't rebound and used to guard Kevin Garnett real well, he's out there.