I need to start waking up early to get ready for this monster, so each weekday morning, BDL will look at the morning papers/blogs to kill some time. We'll see how long this lasts.

Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel (via FH): "Former NBA player Haywoode Workman has officially made it in his second career after being hired to referee his first season in the NBA in 2008-09, Vice President of referee operations Joe Borgia confirmed to the Sentinel. Workman played eight NBA seasons for five teams from 1989 to 2000 (averaging 5.5 points per game as a point guard). A second-round pick by Atlanta, he didn't stay long with the Hawks before becoming a league nomad. Now 42, Workman has been coming up through the ref ranks the past five years and was on NBA referee roster in '06-'07 and '07-'08 as preseason ref, while working both of those seasons as a NBA Development League official. Workman is one of three NBA ref hires this season."

Ross Siler, The Salt Lake Tribune: "As he made the rounds before the 2006 NBA Draft, Jazz center Kyrylo Fesenko worked out for the Detroit Pistons the same day they hosted Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Not only did he stay for the game, but Fesenko also hung around long enough afterward to get a picture taken with O'Neal, a photo that's still saved in an e-mail file somewhere. 'I was really proud of myself that I get it finally,' Fesenko said. There were more memories to be made in Thursday night's 96-89 preseason loss to Phoenix at EnergySolutions Arena. More than just a photo, this time Fesenko matched up against his childhood idol for a 10-minute stretch of the second quarter. 'It was really hard,' Fesenko said. 'I realize that I am not big, I am not strong. I am small girl compared to Shaq. So I have a lot of work to do — I have a lot of work to do — and I need to start right now if I want to make the team, at least this year.' O'Neal didn't say anything to him Thursday, but the 7-foot-1, 300-pound Fesenko said, 'One time after I push him in the back, he look at me and this look I will see probably in my nightmares.'" [Emphasis added]

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "For [Coach Eric] Spoelstra, the [Euro preseason] trip has been an exercise in bonding. That had him gathering his players Wednesday night at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe (yes, the Paris Hilton), where the hotel chefs were summoned. 'We brought in three chefs to help the players prepare the food and cook it,' Spoelstra said of the session that had the players outfitted in chef hats and aprons. 'Initially, they really were kind of intimidated by it. Most of these guys like hamburgers, French fries and chicken fingers. But we opened up their minds a little bit, and I think they got a better appreciation of French food.' In some respects, the results were as unnerving as the team's 15-67 run through last season. 'I don't think any of these guys will cook after that,' Spoelstra said, 'and I was scared to actually see some of the them prepare the food.'"

Paul Coro's Sun Dish: "Steve Nash gets off the line of the night. When it was observed that he almost seemed more comfortable running the half-court sets instead of deciding when he could run a transition game, Nash said, 'It's almost like, 'Are we allowed to do this, Dad?' He followed up by pointing out that the emphasis on half-court offense has been necessary because it has been a team weakness. Nash knows the team gets to run when they get stops. As he pointed out, hopefully that is more than half the time. 'We're starting to get to know him and understand what he's looking for,' Nash said of Porter. 'Now, he's got to drill it over and over and over. Get that repetition that can allow us to learn what he wants us to do.'"

K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: "Larry Hughes has started in the NBA Finals and in 76.5 percent of his 618 career NBA games. That he didn't start in Thursday's exhibition opener mattered less to the 10-year veteran than the fact that Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich have been paired as starters from the start of training camp. 'I came in ready to go, and I've been on the second team from Day One,' Hughes said. 'Maybe that's how [coach Vinny Del Negro] sees it. I'm not sure. I haven't talked to him about it because it's camp. And camp is usually pretty fluid. I don't know what the reasoning is behind it. We'll have to see if this is how it's going to be, I guess. You never know.'"

Dave D'Alessandro, The Star-Ledger: "It took only 12 minutes for the Nets to encounter their first crisis of the season, and now it's up to Vince Carter's recuperative powers to determine the severity of it. The shooting star strained his left hamstring while scoring on a runner in the second period of the team's preseason opener at Bercy Arena in Paris yesterday, when the Nets scored a 100-98 overtime triumph over the Miami Heat. Lawrence Frank tried to allay concerns about losing his only proven scorer for a long period, but he didn't have a timetable, either. 'I think it's just a little strained hamstring, we'll know more (today),' the coach said an hour after the game via conference call. 'We'll take it day by day.'"

George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal: "It's no secret that James supports Democratic nominee Barack Obama for the presidency. On Thursday a reporter asked whether he'd seen that Browns backup quarterback Brady Quinn had thrown his support behind Republican nominee John McCain. James handled his answer in a way that fit the moment — with the skill of a politician. 'Good luck to Brady Quinn,'' he said. ''Hopefully he continues to work at it and maybe he can be the starting quarterback for the Browns.'''

Alan Hahn, Newsday: "D'Antoni expected Lee to thrive in the up-tempo system, but there was skepticism that Randolph, known for his methodical, pound-the-ball post-ups, could fit in as easily. But D'Antoni came away from Wednesday's game impressed with Randolph's adaptability, while still getting his numbers. 'He's a stat guy. The guy's unbelievable,' D'Antoni said. 'I was looking down in the second quarter and he had 10 points and nine rebounds. He's got a knack for getting 20-10s. There are only about three or four guys who can do that in the league, and he's one of them.'"

Mike Wells, The Indianapolis Star: "The Pacers are going through a transition period. They have nine new players, including several who have never played this up-tempo style, and projected starters Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy are out with injuries. Still, O'Brien wasn't making excuses, not after the Pacers were held to nearly 33 fewer points than they averaged last season; shot 31 percent, including 14 percent on 3-pointers; and committed 25 turnovers. 'We never really ran hard enough to put pressure on the defense, nor did we reverse the ball and get into our passing game,' O'Brien said. 'Frankly, we have spent the majority of the time offensively just on those two things. I don't want to offer an excuse because they haven't worked together for a year and that they shouldn't be further along.'"

Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times: "All that was missing from a nearly ideal night was a Dodgers win, but baseball fan  Baron Davis had to limit himself to events under his control. His first appearance in a Clippers uniform in a game situation — albeit an exhibition game — featured the play-making Davis that you've come to expect, with 12 points, seven assists and a heavy dose of vocal leadership. 'It's good to play against someone besides yourselves,' he said after the Clippers' 107-80 win against the Lakers on Thursday night. 'We've been going at each other for the last two weeks. We know we've got a long ways ahead. This is no indication.'"

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The Miami Heat's competition at center was reduced by one candidate today, with Jamaal Magloire sidelined by a broken bone in his left hand. The Heat confirmed that Magloire broke his third metacarpal, with X-rays taken after the 100-98 exhibition overtime loss to the New Jersey Nets in Paris coming back positive."

And oh, there's this Magic Johnson "Faked AIDS" nonsense that really doesn't deserve an inch of space here on BDL because that's exacty what the radio show wants. But, hey, here's the link. Go nuts.