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Lakers fans are understandably excited about the new season, and the defending champs are a popular choice to repeat among bloggers in the ESPN.com community.

"I've never been more excited for the opening of any season, any sport," blogs kurtnaphansen. "The combination of being on the heels of the Lakers winning the NBA championship, of all the trash talk from Cavs, Celtics, Magic, Spurs and even Blazers fans, and of a very new interesting development with the addition of Sheed to Boston, Shaq to Cleveland and Artest to LA."

Below are fan blogs and predictions about the season, which tipped off this week. Click through to respond. If you don't already have an ESPN profile, create one now and start blogging.

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These are heady times in the Twin Cities. Brett Favre (steady on, you may hear that name a few more times today) gets his first look at the Packers tonight on Monday Night Football. Tuesday brings the Twins trying to complete a less tiresome comeback when they face the Tigers in a playoff ... tiebreaker ... really big game.

And we haven't even gotten to Sunday's thriller in front of roughly 4,000 people that saw the Timberwolves torch the Bucks (Roko Ukic vs. Mustafa Shakur; it's fantastic!) in the NBA preseason. Or the Wisconsin Badgers improving to 5-0 and claiming Paul Bunyan's Axe by beating the Golden Gophers on the gridiron in Minneapolis Saturday. You usually need a snow shovel to have this much fun in Minnesota.

We've got plenty of questions about the Packers and Vikings and Tigers and Twins, but first and foremost, which game is a bigger deal?

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So we've learned SportsNation would rather watch new Barcelona point guard Ricky Rubio than Barcelona soccer payer Lionel Messi. But is Rubio fast becoming the most tiresome story out of Minnesota since another type of football great tortured our summers?

The Spanish point guard isn't yet part of the Minnesota sports scene -- and 71 percent of SportsNation believes he never will be after delaying his NBA arrival until at least 2011. But the story fatigue sure feels like watching a remake of the Brett Favre soap opera, as Timberwolves general manager David Kahn suggests Rubio backed out of a deal, and Rubio suggests a move to Minnesota was too risky.

Rubio knows highlights, but considering 80 percent of voters don't think he'll ever be a star, blogger bball4life578 may speak for many in destroying -- in detail -- the Rubio myth.

uncgradtc11

Rubio is just what I thought he was...a soft little European punk....I called his pick a waste b/f he was a no show---he ought to be banned for life from the NBA.

-- uncgradtc11
da_mad_hater

He'll get picked up by somebody in 2 yrs... He just won't be a starter like he would've probably been with the Wolves... His heart is more into getting paid.. not playing basketball at the highest level... What he fails to realize is the money and fame will come when you show and prove... Or maybe young Rubio does realize this and he's trying to get as much as he can upfront in fear that his Spainard game doesn't cut it in the NBA...

-- Da_mad_Hater

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Los Angeles has Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin. Miami has Dwyane Wade and Hanley Ramirez. Maybe Washington, D.C. will even get in on the act with Alex Ovechkin and Stephen Strasburg.

But if you're talking about the sheer exhilaration of watching two highlight-worthy athletes, Barcelona may rule the world. When it comes to Lionel Messi and Ricky Rubio, just edit highlights, add music and you've got instant goose bumps.

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If Pyongyang Calls, Hang Up

August 14, 2009
Aug
14

Apparently Quentin Richardson comes with a warning that if you do not forward him to a friend within 30 days, great misfortune will befall you. Although considering the Clippers, Grizzlies, Knicks and Timberwolves are among the teams he's been "employed" by since last playing an NBA game, maybe the curse is more of a retroactive deal.

Richardson is not a star player. His impact on the upcoming season probably ranks somewhere in the vicinity of Glen Davis remaining in Boston or Leon Powe heading to Cleveland. But we can't help ourselves; Richardson's tour, paper tour though it may be, of NBA cities is worthy of a blind Greek poet (preferably of the deceased variety).

Let's run through this. On April 15, Richardson scored nine points in 11 minutes as the Knicks closed the regular season with a win against the Nets. On draft night, the Knicks dealt him to the Grizzlies (for Darko Milicic of all people). Then the Grizzlies traded him to the Clippers, who traded him to the Timberwolves, who just traded him to the Heat.

Considering Richardson shot 39 percent from the field last season, we're starting to wonder if Washington, D.C., really has the most popular "Cash for Clunkers" program.

zeekerini

Ok, Q must be filming a reality show.

-- ZEEKERINI
dwayne_johnson23

I feel bad for Q now. He's no where near as bad as Mark Blount. The Heat might as well throw a parade just for getting rid of that guy

-- Dwayne_Johnson23
laranadepaz

Q must have some serious frequent flyer miles. He's gonna be a good bench warmer for the heat.

-- laranadepaz

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Would you rather own a house in a neighborhood with potential or rent in the swanky part of town? We should probably mention the former comes with an average of 49.9 inches of snow each year, while the latter comes with a beach and 49.9 fewer inches of snow. And Kobe Bryant. We're not sure how that fits in the analogy.

It's not clear that choice confronts Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis just yet, but if reports are true that he's the leading candidate for the Timberwolves' vacancy, it may.

So what would you do? On the Minnesota side, you get some good young players like Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn and Corey Brewer, even if voters aren't sure that's a winning foundation with or without Ricky Rubio. On the Los Angeles side, well, you get another year with Phil Jackson and Bryant, but you also get another year older hoping the Buss family isn't going to turn out like Hank Steinbrenner minus all the cash.

birishb

This job has bad career move written all over it for Rambis. The guard situation is a mess, and the whole Ricky Rubio will be a constant distraction. Rambis would be wise to steer clear of the land of a thousand point guards until the roster gets sussed out and until after the league gets a better sense of whether David Kahn has a clue. Right now it looks like the first coach through Minny will be building the roster, teaching the kids and setting the table for the next coach to come in.

-- BirishB
lucky.xiii

This would be the ultimate revenge for Kurt Rambis after the infamous clothesline he took from McHale. But does Rambis really want to take a job with the Wolves knowing that he is a front-runner for the Lakers coaching job after Phil Jackson retires, which will almost certainly happen after this season..

-- Lucky.XIII

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As far as Twitter goes, it's certainly less memorable than breaking the news of your coach's departure, but Kevin Love is once again proving wily in his use of new technology and living up to his nickname as "The Big Twitter." If he figures out how to get himself a raise in 140 characters or less, we'll be even more impressed.

ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan wrote about the chance Mike Krzyzewski is taking by staying on with USA Basketball through the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympics, rather than riding comfortably into the sunset after winning gold last year. Once done reading all about it, SportsNation had a chance to put together the Team USA it would take through the next three years.

One of the options was, you guessed it, Kevin Love, a big man with passing and rebounding skills ideal for the international game. And once Love caught wind of his virtual candidacy, he took to the tweet to rally supporters to the cause (granted, a cause that doesn't include an actual seat on the flights to Turkey and England, respectively).

We're sorry to say the outcome isn't looking good for Love, despite a surge of late support for the former UCLA star with a penchant for long-distance shots. As consolation for the Love faithful who heeded his call, we invite you to listen to his podcast visit with Bill Simmons, left.

For everyone else, here are SportsNation's top 12 for Team USA.

G: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy
F: Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett
C: Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire

iv3rson003

Kobe had the leadership role on the team and from what I remember, he was taking the shots when the game was on the line (only happened in the finals). Wade played the role of the most incredible 6th man in the history of the sport. Lebron played more of a Magic Johnson role as a distributer with some great defense added in. Dwight had a bunch of good games early in the tournament and i seem to remember Bosh coming off the bench and having a big impact. ... I still like Melo over Durant cause he is just made for international ball. But I would like to see Blake Griffin make the squad as the 12th man cause he is Definitely gonna be a part of the future of USA basketball.

-- iv3rson003
dsg1319

I know PG spots are bogging up, but you cant forget Jameer Nelson. A high, high percentage All Star shooter/PG from FT, FG, AND 3PT RANGE. How does he not fit with a Team USA that will have its primary offense in SG, Forwards who can kick out to him for a easy jumper. He's good at reading which passes and passes from penetrations will lead to a good offensive series, and then when to be able to lift a shot in any traffic or sets at 50% clip. No brainer.

-- dsg1319

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There is a post about a trade between the Clippers and Timberwolves in which Mark Madsen figures semi-prominently and which lacks a clear winner? Yep, it's late July in the sports world. It's pretty much this or T.O.'s latest television escapades (or the obligatory Brett Favre update on when he plans to update his status).

And there is something of interest about the trade sending Quentin Richardson to the Timberwolves for Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Madsen, if only because Richardson is becoming the human re-gift in the NBA.

The former DePaul star (that was a division's worth of cities ago) is on his fourth NBA team ... of the summer. He finished the season with the Knicks and subsequently bounced from the Big Apple to the Grizzlies, Clippers and now Timberwolves. He also has the dubious distinction of being traded for Telfair, Zach Randolph and Darko Milicic, three of the more cringe-worthy names in recent NBA memory. Randolph is a 20-10 guy, yet SportsNation still said his absence would almost be preferable. But really, we're sure you'll be pleased with your purchase, Minnesota. Just don't forget where you put the box he came in.

tajmccall

I love the implications of this for my Wolves. After watching Corey Brewer and Bobby Brown look god awful in summer league, I love Q as a SG option and the fact that Kahn is in Spain, and Rubio's spanish team just signed a new PG may signal a Spanish invasion in the Northwoods.

-- TajMccall
fc72284

Don't you think the chances of Quentin getting a full no-trade clause in his next contract are pretty good right now?

-- fc72284

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NBA Insider David Thorpe breaks down the NBA's summer leagues in the video above, including a very un-Olowokandi debut for No. 1 pick Blake Griffin. (Did you know Griffin has a low waist? Neither did we.) But as much or as little as we gain from summer league numbers -- Roy Hibbert has looked downright adequate, for crying out loud -- the real summer league comes with general managers and agents dueling over draft picks, luxury tax implications and free-agent offers.

The most recent news came Monday with the Magic matching the Mavericks' hefty offer to Marcin Gortat. Yes, we live in a world where Marcin Gortat's whereabouts for the next five years are a big deal. Get used to it. More than 90 percent of SportsNation feels like $34 million over five years might be a tad excessive for Gortat, but that's not really the question. When it comes to whether the Magic needed to pay it, voters are entirely divided.

So with many of the offseason's major addition and subtractions in the books, what do your NBA Power Rankings look like?

paulc1955

That premise might work if AI practiced with the team and could help Griffin in any way. He won't help or practice. Spending that kind of money for even 1yr. is a waste. They have enough wasted salaries as it is. They should get someone with a little character or desire who has enough talent to help. Not lead. AI will not lead. He is beyond that at this pt. in his career. When you practice with your team it is more about the act and not the effort.

-- paulc1955
the_real_kman

LOL! Cuban and the Mavs went all in with 3 kings (casting aside a very good and young foward in Bass) and the Magic waited until the last second to play 4 aces. Now the Mavs only legit big man is Dampier. Better get to work Cuban and find a quality big if you hope to secure a shot at the 8th seed in the playoffs.

-- the_real_kman

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Ricky Rubio doesn't know how good he has it. According to the National Climatic Data Center (and really, who doesn't want to start the week with a meteorological link?), Minneapolis gets lets snowfall per year than Cleveland and Salt Lake City, not to mention former NBA hotbeds Syracuse and Rochester. Heck, compared to the more than 320 inches of snow they get in Valdez, Alaska, Minneapolis might as well be Majorca.

So what's Rubio's problem? Only about 10 percent of voters actually think the weather is the biggest factor in the Spanish guard's reluctance to join the Timberwolves. But voters are split on whether it's the market or the team that is the biggest sticking point.

vikings42011

Wolves trade him to the NYC im done watching NBA basketball. Ill stick with Tubby Smith and the Gophers,and the Wild during winter season. The knicks have nothing to offer us. Getting more draft picks for the future would be dumb. This team needs to sell tickets. So yeah get ride of the guy everyone wanted as a wolves fan. R Allen, B Roy, O Mayo. Now Rubio.

-- vikings42011
gomez1012

And really who can blame him for not wanting to play in Minnesota? Weather is no good and that team shouldnt even be a franchise with the way they operate (same for the Clips)

-- gomez1012

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CHAT IN PROGRESS

MNF: Titans vs. Texans!
  • BuzzmasterI smell a hail mary.
  • BuzzmasterWhat? That's kind of weak. Halftime.
  • Todd (Louisville)Is Les Miles coaching the Texans tonight?
  • BuzzmasterGonna take a break and load up on Dr. Pepper and Doritos.