Links from God

Keep voting on the title.  In the meantime, since we probably won't use this title again, here are today's links.

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• Wow, Gilbert Arenas is taking the release of the new GilIIZeros very seriously.  Apparently, there are 20 separate versions of his new shoe (hence the IIZero, aka 20), and they each represent a different element of himself.  Check out the blog for the full details.
  
• My first reaction to that blog entry definitely was one of concern.  Sure, we normally say Gilbert is harmless, but it seems like yet another example of elaborately putting himself before anyone or anything else, and I'm not sure how healthy that is to the team.  By the same token, however, any relationship between a marketing campaign and on-court play is convoluted at best and tenuous at worst.  
  
• Shoals at Fanhouse also doesn't see this marketing campaign as a negative thing.  
  
  Some might see this as overkill, or Arenas trying a little too hard to market his eccentricity. But I think it's further proof that athletes can be themselves and still rake in paper. Arenas is popular exactly because he wants us to know all about him. If you buy Gilbert Arenas, you're buying into a complex human being. Maybe that's self-indulgent of him, but it allows his fans to feel that much more connected to his on-court exploits.

  To be fair, Shoals loves Agent Zero, but we all knew that.
  

• Speaking of Wizards off the court, here's yet another example of Etan Thomas being active in the community.
  
• As mentioned yesterday, Miami signed Charlie Bell to a 5 year, 18 million dollar offer sheet.   There's a little too much enthusiasm for this among Heat fans, probably because it's been such a terrible offseason for them.  Bell's not terrible, but last year's production screams "contract year."  I mean, look at his 40-minute productivity over the last two years; it was better in 05/06.  But hey, at least he's better than Smush Parker.
  
• Interestingly enough, Bell might disprove the whole idea that a player's efficiency increases with more minutes, but still, Knickerblogger offers a nice close to that discussion.
  

  Speaking of division rivals, BF whipping boy J.J. Redick broke his hand, but still should be ready for training camp.  If he isn't, who plays shooting guard again?  Yeah.
  

• 20-12, 2-0.  That is all.