The Political Defanging of Team USA
nba.fanhouse.com 8/4/2008 — On Sunday morning, ESPN ran a substantial feature on the progression of Team USA's stated role in drawing attention to Darfur as it makes its way to China for the Olympics. Over the past year, players including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have spoken ...

ETB’s Scribes of the NBA Interview Series - Ryne “Odenized” Nelson of SLAMonline
emptythebench.com 8/5/2008 — His YouTube channel has 375 videos, many of them with well over 100,000 views and dozens of links. If you follow the NBA on the blogosphere then you’ve seen his work. Ryne has also recently signed on to be an online editor for SLAMonline. We talk the future of Odenized.com and SLAMonline to the future of the NBA’s online video presence, with a few detours along the way. Enjoy.

We hear: Jacoby Ellsbury tours Manny’s Ritz digs
bostonherald.com 8/5/2008 — That Red Sox cutie Jacoby Ellsbury and his galpal, Kelsey Hawkins , have checked out departed slugger Manny Ramirez s $6.9 million penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton. Think Jacoby would get the friends and family discount now? That the world-champion ...

Behind the box score, where Team USA needs to turn its head
sports.yahoo.com 8/5/2008 — KD: "Team USA is still suffering from the same issues that plagued the outfit during losses in 2002, 2004, and 2006: Poor half-court execution, poor help-side defense, and the overall shoddiness you'd expect from what amounts to a traveling team, despite their best efforts."

Kevin Garnett vs. Lamar Odom
sportscucumber.com 8/5/2008 — We are still excited about the Celtics winning their 17th NBA Championship. The difference in their respective performances and preparedness can be explained by their daily non-game day routines...

One On One with the Truth and the Black Mamba (Humor) — Bleacher Report - NBA 8/4/2008
Kobe Bryant: What are you smoking that you suddenly think you’re better than me? Without KG and Ray backing you up, we all saw ‘the Truth’ two seasons ago when you leprechauns had the worst record in the league. Paul ...

Bryant scores 19, helps U.S. win defensive struggle — FOXSports.com News for NBA 8/4/2008
Kobe Bryant provided the offense in the U.S. Olympic basketball team's first defensive struggle. Bryant scored 19 points, Carmelo Anthony added 17, and the Americans beat Russia 89-68 Sunday in what was by far their most competitive tuneup yet for ...

Bob MacKinnon Named Head Coach of Colorado 14ers — NBA.com: News 8/4/2008
The Colorado 14ers basketball club announced the appointment of former Los Angeles Lakers Scout and NCAA coach Bob MacKinnon today as the new Head Coach of the 14ers.

2008 Beijing Olympics: NBA Chooses Profits Over Power of Voice — Bleacher Report - NBA 8/5/2008
In today’s society, we are fortunate to have more outlets to information and news than any other civilization in history. Want to find out what’s happening in the town 30 miles from you? Hop on the Internet. Want to find ...

Lakers G Farmar in Israel for clinic (AP) — Yahoo! Sports - NBA News 8/5/2008
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, the NBA's only Jewish player, showed his dribbling, shooting and slam-dunking skills at a clinic in southern Israel on Tuesday for Jewish and Arab kids. The 21-year-old Farmar is the guest of the Peres Center ...