Apologies for the lateness...it's the Jewish new year, so I've been running around all day.  Also, keep voting for the new link title...7 people isn't enough of a sample size to make a switch yet.

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• Might as well get the major non-Wizards stuff out of the way.  Greg Oden will miss the entire season after undergoing microfracture surgery.  Obviously, this is sad news for everyone -- as Shoals says, the only person who could be happy is Joel Pryzbilla.  Blazers Edgers are mourning as well.
  
• Now, to stuff only tangentially related to the Wizards, Devin Harris got a new five year/43 million dollar contract, meaning he's now paid more than Mo Williams and almost as much as Kirk Hinrich.  I hope this puts to rest any thought that the Wizards "lost" the Antawn Jamison trade.  Would you rather have Jamison for 16 million for one more year, or Jerry Stackhouse and Devin Harris both for the same amount for three years?  I mean, Harris isn't a bad player, but he's a lead guard who has yet to average even 6 assists/40 in his career.  Essentially, he's a younger Antonio Daniels, who we all think is overpaid at 6 million/year.  
  
• In news that's actually important to us, the Wizards announced the dates of training camp.  October 2-6?  That can't be right.
  
• A familiar face here wonders  whether Stephon Marbury has eclipsed Gilbert Arenas on the crazy scale.  I actually was going to write about this for the Bog when Steinz went on vacation earlier, but never got around to it.  
  
• ESPN's Chris Sheridan writes that Darius Songaila and Lithuania have been the class of the Eurobasket.  Hells yeah.
  
• This is kind of funny.  Cavalier Attitude, a Cleveland Cavaliers blog, is hoping Larry Hughes can be their most improved player and provide stability at the point.  Yeah.  I believe we've been through this before.
  
• David Thorpe isn't so high on Andray Blatche, though I'm not surprised about it.  Here's what he said in Wednesday's chat.
  
  Dave (Mpls): Your opinions on the future of Andray Blatche? Will he be a difference maker?

  SportsNation David Thorpe: No.

  SportsNation David Thorpe: But he should be.