After Venus and Serena Williams faced each other in the Championship Match at Wimbledon (Venus won), I decided to take a look at some other sporty siblings.

Now, don't get all upset when I forget to mention your favorite sports siblings, I just picked out some of my favorites.  Here are 5 sets of siblings, in no particular order:

Tiki and Ronde Barber

These identical twins have football talent flowing through their veins.  Ronde has been to 4 Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl back in 2002 and is now Tampa Bay's all-time interception leader.  Tiki retired in 2006 but not before he became the New York Giants all-time rushing and receptions leader.  Tiki is now a sports broadcaster for NBC.  Tike and Ronde have also collaborated to co-author three children's books.

Ron, Brent, Duane, Darryl, Brian and Rich Sutter

They may not be the most famous sports bro's, but during the 70's and 80's six Sutter brothers were skating around the NHL.  That's right, the Alberta natives played more than 5,000 games and brought home a combined six (yes six) Stanley Cups.  The seventh Sutter brother, Gary was also a very talented hockey player (his brother's claim he was the best out of all of them) but he opted to stay and work on the family farm.  But don't feel to bad for him, he ended up winning the lottery later in life, and is doing just fine.

Phil and Tony Esposito

Big brother Phil played 18 seasons in the NHL (Blackhawks, Bruins and Rangers).  But I love him because he won two Stanley Cups for the Boston Bruins in 1970 and '72.  (Thanks Phil).  His younger brother Tony, also a Stanley Cup champ, was a goalie for the Blackhawks and is credited for making the "butterfly style"of goaltending popular. 

Jose, Bengie and Yadier Molina

             Glayds Molina isn't sure why all three of her boys became catchers but she sure is proud of them. These three baseball brothers came from Puerto Rico to dominate one of the most demanding positions in Major League Baseball.  Jose and Bengie both played on the 2002 World Champion LA Angels team (little brother Jose was a backup to Bengie). And baby brother Yadier landed the starting job as the St. Louis Cardinal's catcher and won the World Series with them in 2006.  Jose is now the catcher for the NY Yankees, and Bengie has moved on up to San Francisco to throw down signs for the Giants.  They are the only trio of brothers to earn a World Series ring. 

And last but not least, probably one of my favorite (and most forgotten) sports siblings:

Reggie and Cheryl Miller

Cheryl is thought to be one of the greatest women's basketball players in history.  She was a 4 time All-American at USC and went on to win two NCAA basketball titles (1983 and '84) and was the MVP of both tournaments.  She also let the U.S Women's basketball team to win a gold medal in 1984 at the Summer Olympics.  Younger brother Reggie had a standout career at UCLA (rival of USC) and went on to play 17 season's with the Indiana Pacers (where he averaged 20.6 points a game).  Reggie is the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals and took home a gold medal for himself in 1996.  Now, Reggie and Cheryl both work for TNT basketball, where he's now an announcer and she is the sideline correspondent. 

In the meantime, though, you might check out Roger Scruton's excellent Modern Age essay on conservative conservationism, which is now up at First Principles. It says some things pretty similar to the points I was driving at in my review essay, from a few weeks ago, on James Conaway's Vanishing America, though I don't share Scruton's skepticism of the National Parks program.* Also, Matthew Crawford's excellent essay on "neuro-talk", from the Winter 2008 New Atlantis, is available at their shiny new website (H/T: Cheryl Miller), and Rick Saenz has written some great stuff in the past week about cows, pigs, and why Joel Salatin stopped selling eggs to Whole Foods. Finally, in case you somehow missed it, Peter Lula's Commonweal essay from a few weeks ago on "Easter in Baghdad", together with the Andrew Bacevich article on the Bush Doctrine and the accompanying editorial on the theology of the war on terror, will make for an hour or so of reading much better than anything I could come up with. My review of Leszek Kolakowski's Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing? will be in Commonweal's April 25 issue, by the way ...

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* Actually, let me put that differently.

Why do I dredge this up now? Hasn't Barr sufficiently repented for his past sins? Well, yes and no. He's certainly gotten a lot better on a lot of issues since leaving Congress. However, he also has a track record that isn't easily dismissed. Ron Paul may be a Republican, but he also has an impeccably libertarian voting record in Congress. Barr doesn't have that, and he needs to realize that he has to make an extra effort to prove he's now on the side of angels.

I want to support Bob Barr. I started the online petition to encourage him to run. But I also expect Libertarian candidates -- especially at the highest levels -- to be clearly libertarian. If Barr wants the nomination, he has to earn it by coming out with some unequivocally libertarian campaign positions, particularly on those issues like the drug war where he erred so badly in the past.

Skipped out on the the first two events of the evening (read: I watched them but will spare you from having to read me write about something I was embarrassed to watch)...

9:44: First round of the 3 Point Shootout just ended, and Jason Kapono (last years winner), Dirk Nowitzki (Angry German), Daniel "Boobie" Gibson (Rookie/Soph Game MVP, just happy to be here) advanced to the next round. Steve Nash gets the Golden Sombrero for finishing with a round low of 9 points.

9:48: I've been asked to refer to it as the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout. (Sorry!)

9:49: Boobie Gibson puts up a 17. Why would anyone allow themselves to be called Boobie, what happens 10 years from now, can you really call a 32 year old man Boobie?

9:52: Angry German just gracefully bowed out, returns to bench to ham it up with partner in crime, Steve Nash.

9:54: Jason Kapono reminds everyone why he won last year by dropping a 25 in the final round, also reminds rest of NBA that the key to getting overpaid is learning one specific skill. I'm pretty sure Jason Kapono can't 1. Dribble and walk at the same time or, 2. Make a bounce pass.

9:56: The always awkward Cheryl Miller manages to bungle another trophy presentation. She's going 2 for 3 tonight in awkward presentations.

10:00: The NBA trots out Steve Nash to tout its NBA Cares program, so that you can be reminded that millionaire athletes sometimes are obligated to help kids sometimes, when they aren't busy throwing money at strippers or something else more important.

10:04: Dr. John finishes singing, crowd awakes to applaud him for allowing them to nap for a few minutes before the dunk contest Sprite Slam Dunk contest.

10:09: Charles Barkley explains why he likes All-Star Weekend, neglects to mention riverboat gambling, and rampant strip club frequenting.

10:10: Darryl Dawkins is wearing quite possibly the ugliest suit I have ever seen.

10:13: Jamario Moon starts off the competition with a "catch the ball in the air 360 dunk"...5000 people scramble to figure out who Jamario Moon is. (46)

10:15: Rudy Gay does not impress. (37) My money (if i had any) is on Dwight Howard. (50)

10:21: Gerald Green might have had one of the most creative dunks I've ever seen. Put a cupcake with a lit candle on the rim and dunked while blowing out the candle. Replay confirms he actually did it. (46) Robbed by judges.

10:26: Rudy Gay does another dunk I don't care for, but somehow ugly suit man gives him a 10. (48) I think a watergate esque scandal is brewing.

10:28: Jamario Moon is attempting to jump from a foot behind the free throw line. I think it wont work.

10:29: It didn't work.

10:33: Dwight Howard just put on a superman cape before his next dunk, i don't even care what it is at this point.

10:35: Dwight Howard does a dunk i can't fully explain, but it was fitting of the superman outfit. He and Gerald Green advance to finals.

10:41: After Gerald Green dunks, camera finds Alyssa Milano who has pretty much just made a career of showing up at various sporting events.

10:43: Kenny Smith proclaims Dwight Howard to be a "video game". I concur. If somehow he doesn't win I will turn in my official "NBA Fan" Card.

10:49: Dwight Howard has another amazing dunk, wrapping up the evening. Darry Dawkins says Howard had "magistration" with his dunks. Not sure what that means.

10:52: Dr. J is booed lustily for taking 3 minutes to log his vote for Dwight Howard. All 5 judges vote for Dwight Howard to win. Now waiting on final fan confirmation of his victory. I'll be posting the dunks at some point during the evening.

10:57: Victory is ours! Cheryl Miller currently bungling trophy ceremony, batting .750 for the night. Good effort from her.

Barkley on the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his lifetime: "Even the short period of time (Dr. King) lived, his legacy speaks for itself. Some people will live to be 100 and don't do anything (in their lifetime). If you get to live a certain part of your life, you should have accomplished something. What Dr. King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and all the other civil rights leaders have accomplished will live on into eternity. It doesn't matter how long you live, it's what you did while you were alive."

Smith on Dr. King's legacy living on through sports: "Growing up in Queens and playing sports, the first time that I felt my ethnicity didn't matter when was when I played sports. The first time I felt empowered by someone that wasn't my race was through sports. The first time I embraced someone that wasn't my ethnicity was through sports. (Dr. King's) dream somehow lives through sports and it always will live."

Barkley on the NBA celebrating MLK Day by playing basketball games: "I tip my hat off to the NBA for using the whole (MLK) day and playing games during the day. The NBA has always been progressive with race relations in terms of coaches, umpires...you have to take your hat off to all the NBA teams and Commissioner Stern, it's a wonderful day."

Barkley on Celtics forward Paul Pierce and Knicks forward Quentin Richardson getting tossed from the Celtics/Knicks game for talking trash to each other: "Paul (Pierce) is saying your teams sucks and Quentin (Richardson) better be saying you're right."

Sprite Slam Dunk Participants for All-Star Saturday Night exclusively on TNT on Saturday, February 16:

Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies

Jamario Moon, Toronto Raptors

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

Gerald Green, Minnesota Timberwolves

Smith on his prediction for the Slam Dunk contest winner: "I think I already know who's going to win it, Rudy Gay is going to win it."

Barkley: "They might try to make it up to Dwight Howard since he got jobbed last year."

Barkley on the New Orleans Hornets: "Take your hat off to (Hornets coach) Byron Scott, Chris Paul is playing like an MVP, David West might be the most underrated player in the NBA today and Tyson Chandler is a rebounding machine."

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Game 1: Chicago Bulls (90) @ Memphis Grizzlies (104)

Announcers: Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello and David Aldridge reporting

Fratello on Grizzlies guard Mike Conely: "I think he has a real feel for the game. Early on he tried to get other teammates involved, then when he has to assert himself he has the ability to do that. He has that sense beyond his years of how to play the game and where the ball should go."

Fratello on his former player, Grizzlies guard Rudy Gay's participation in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest: "(Gay) is an extremely talented, gifted young man, tremendously athletic, and it will be a tremendous competition with Rudy Gay joining it."

Fratello on the difficult season the Chicago Bulls have had: "Every year, Chicago starts out slowly because they go on this long West coast trip, but then they come back and they get better and they go over the .500 mark and they go on to 49 or 50 wins at the end of the season. It didn't happen that way this year. They came back, they could not make shots, they started to lose confidence, and the long road trip resulted in a poor record. (Former head coach) Scott Skiles felt it, he knew that this team was not responding to what was going on, and Jimmy Boylan replaces him and has taken over the for the last 13 games."

Bulls coach Jim Boylan on the play of the Bulls: "We've been playing much better, we've got to pick it up on the defensive end... we're giving up too many easy baskets and we're not closing out quick enough on the three point shooters, so that will be a concern for us today."

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on the Bulls missing key trade opportunities to improve their team: "I want to know why the Bulls haven't made a trade, because if they play as well as they can they still aren't good enough. They've got a bunch of good players, but if they had a guy like (Kevin) Garnett they would have the best record, and if they had (Pau) Gasol they would be a lot better off. Why would you keep a team together like it is when even if they play as well as they can they are not a legit contender?"

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Fratello on the Bulls shooting 33% from the floor: "Jim Boylan went in at halftime and called up Steve Kerr and Reggie Miller and asked them both to come back and try to help them make some shots!"

Fratello on why the Bulls shooting has fallen off this season: "So much of it is confidence. You have to play with confidence, shoot the ball and not worry if you miss the shot. When players begin to lose confidence and start worrying, it changes the whole game around."

Fratello on why he used both current Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylan and Memphis Grizzlies head coach Marc Iavaroni as assistant coaches: "(Boylan and Iavaroni both had a) tremendous work ethic, both men are very intelligent and came up with good suggestions. These are good basketball people, it's what their life is all about and they work at it."

Fratello on Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick: "Hakim Warrick is a scorer, that's as simple as you make it; somehow someway he finds ways to put points on the scoreboard.

TNT's David Aldridge interviewed Grizzlies guard Mike Miller after the Grizzlies win over the Bulls.

Miller on the Memphis Grizzlies potential: "We have a lot of talent, we're learning together, we're young, we have a whole new coaching staff and we're trying to get used to each other. We've been playing well lately and we've lost a lot of close games which is disappointing. We've got to close them out down the stretch. We're pretty excited about the progress we're making, we've got to continue to focus in on defense and focus in on running. If we do that and shoot it like we did today then we're a tough team."

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Game 2: Cleveland Cavaliers (97) @ Miami Heat (90)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Doug Collins with Craig Sager reporting

Collins on the absence of Heat center Alonzo Mourning due to injury: "One thing a lot of people don't talk about is Alonzo Mourning, the heart and soul of this franchise. Since he's been hurt (the Heat) have won one game, that's one in 14. They miss him so badly; he's been the heartbeat of this franchise for a long time."

TNT's Craig Sager interviewed Heat center Alonzo Mourning on the bench.

Mourning on not being able to help his team: "It's torture, I'm so used to being out there contributing, I see so many places I can help and I am helpless because I cannot go out there. My presence to encourage the guys is about the only thing I can do right now."

Mourning on what Dr. Martin Luther King means to him: "Dr. King meant a figure of peace and he tried to create an atmosphere of peace while he was here on this earth, and we're continuing to honor his efforts and try to follow his teachings. He meant so much to society and if he were here it would be interesting to hear what he has to say about our current condition and the way the world is."

Mourning on whether he has decided to retire from the NBA: "I have not (announced my retirement), that was a rumor. I'm going to wait until this knee heals up and see how I feel then and make a decision from there."

In another edition of Inside Trax, TNT replayed audio from LeBron James in Cleveland's pre-game huddle

James on playing the Miami Heat: "Don't look at (the Heats) record because we all know they are a better team than what their record shows."

Collins on Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao being a similar player to Dennis Rodman: "(Varejao) has that kind of activity, though he's not nearly the defensive player (of Rodman). He's an energy guy that gives you a multiple possessions much like Ben Wallace used to do in Detroit."

Collins on the long-term strategy of the Heat to keep guard Dwyane Wade in Miami: "(The Heat) want to be in a situation that when Dwyane Wade's contract is up they have enough money to get a guy to play next to him. You don't have to overpay a guy to come play here, it's a big market, it's a great place to live and it's a market where guys want to play. They want to put themselves in a position where when Shaq goes they have the money to add a quality player so they can continue to win."

Collins on the 2006 NBA Champions Miami Heat having the worst record in the Eastern Conference: "That's how fragile success is; you're only one ligament away from mediocrity."

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on his assessment of the Miami Heat: "Miami is not good enough to make up five games on the Knicks (and will finish with the worst record in the Eastern Conference). Shaq (O'Neal) is on the downside of his career, and they don't have a lot of young talent. As great as Pat Riley's been, as a general manager he hasn't done a great job. He brought in Shaq and he brought in Dwyane Wade, but who is their young talent of the future? They are trying to get ready for the free agent market in a couple of years, but as far as drafting well, none of their players that they've drafted in last 10 years, other than Wade, are really helping this team play."

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Collins on every team having struggles during the season: "You'll see teams go through stretches where they don't play the best of basketball. There are no knockouts now, every team's got holes."

TNT's Craig Sager interviewed Heat head coach Pat Riley before the fourth quarter of the game.

Riley on Heat center Shaquille O'Neal playing with a sore hip: "(Shaq) is playing with a lot of guts and a lot of courage. He's playing in pain and we've got to get him deep touches."

Collins on Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas: "(Ilgauskas) has had such a good year for (the Cavs). He's battled all his leg problems and foot problems throughout his career, missing a ton of games, and he probably could have retired off into the sunset, but (he) just loves playing basketball."

TNT's Craig Sager interviewed Cavaliers forward LeBron James after the Cavs win over the Heat.

James on the Cavs defense being the key to their victory over the Heat: "We've been playing great basketball, and defensively, we've been getting stops. On the offensive end, sometimes it doesn't look as good, but as long as we're getting stops it makes it easier on the offensive end and that's what we did tonight."

James on what Dr. Martin Luther King means to him: "I think it's self explanatory, having a dream as a kid, and believing my dream and that I was going to make it happen. Dr. King has meant a lot to me and a lot to my family. I wish he were still around but we're going to live in his spirit and I think it's great that we're celebrating it today."

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Game 3: Denver Nuggets (99) @ Los Angeles Lakers (116)

Announcers: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting

Lakers guard Derek Fisher on having Kobe Bryant as a teammate: "He's developed into a great a great teammate, one of the greatest. When we first came in the league in ‘96 together he was not a great teammate because he was so focused on himself and proving he belonged and proving he could become one of the greatest players in the league. I've said it before, he's done all that."

Miller on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant learning to trust his teammates: "When you trust your teammates, good things happen. When you've got arguably one of the greatest players (in Kobe Bryant) and he's willing to sacrifice and give up shots for the betterment of the team, this is why this (Lakers) team is on the rise."

Miller on the lack of rebounding by the Nuggets: "Offensive rebounds are becoming the Achilles heel of the Denver Nuggets. You've got to rebound when you're on the road, and right now the Denver Nuggets are not rebounding."

Miller on his early MVP pick: "I like Kobe (as the early MVP), this is what everyone's been waiting to see from Kobe Bryant. We all know about the exploits, the 81-point game and the scoring title, but it's the unselfish nature now, this is what we like about Kobe Bryant."

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Smith on Lakers center Kwame Brown coming into his own in Andrew Bynum's absence: "Being aggressive and giving good effort leads to good play. I like the way (Brown) is bouncing back, not only by Bynum leaving but because of the expectations of him before."

Barkley on Lakers center Kwame Brown: "When you're a guy like Kwame Brown, all you've got to do is say to yourself and have the mindset that ‘I'm going to get 10 rebounds and I'm going to use six hard fouls. If Kobe Bryant and those other guys give him layups he can finish. You've got to know what you can do, and he can't do it himself."

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Miller on Nuggets center Marcus Camby: "Marcus Camby is the most important person on this (Nuggets) team in my eyes; he does a little of everything, scoring, blocking shots, rebounds, steals and assists."

TNT's Cheryl Miller interviewed Lakers coach Phil Jackson prior to the fourth quarter:

Jackson on preparing for the fourth quarter against the Nuggets: "They changed their defense at the half and we tried to play the same old thing. Momentum is a crazy thing in this game but we changed it around with some threes. We have to stop penetration and that's a big order when you're playing Allen Iverson."

Miller on Lakers guard Coby Karl when he entered the game, made George Karl the third NBA coach to have a son face him: "(George Karl) says there are two things that (Coby Karl) does absolutely well, he's more athletic than he thought, he runs the court well. And he looks and feels like an NBA player, he adapts really well to the game. Those are two good things to have going for you if you're Coby Karl."

TNT's Cheryl Miller interviewed Lakers guard Kobe Bryant after the Lakers win over the Nuggets.

Bryant on the strong performance of the Lakers to defeat the Nuggets: "We're playing with a full passion bucket tonight; we really came out and played with a lot of energy and a lot of hustle. It's a big win for us and you want to go into this (upcoming road) trip with a little bit of rhythm. Tonight it seemed like our offensive rhythm was back and we'll have a good practice tomorrow and get ready for San Antonio. We're going to be with this lineup for a while and we're not as deep as we once were so it's important I get the most out of my teammates."

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley

Barkley on the Denver Nuggets: "From the talent standpoint, the Denver Nuggets have one of the most talented teams, if not the most talented team in the NBA, but they've got no clue."

Barkley on the Miami Heat losing their 14^th game in a row: "I can't believe (the Heat). There's no excuse. The overall level of basketball (in the Eastern Conference) has been disappointing, but for them to lose 14 games in a row...that's just disturbing."

Barkley on the Miami Heat's struggles this season: "I am just shocked. If you look at the Knicks, Minnesota and Seattle, those teams haven't lost 14 games in a row. It's scary to think that a team that two years ago was the (NBA) Champions. We can talk about who they don't have or whatever, (losing 14 in a row) is just flat-out embarrassing."

Barkley on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard: "Dwight Howard is fun to watch play. He's a great kid, (he comes from) a great family and he's a flat-out stud."

Smith on Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups: "Chauncey (Billups) is still the most underrated point guard in basketball."

Barkley: "I don't know if he's underrated. The guy has been the (NBA) Finals MVP."

Smith: "But people don't say his name when they mention the top five point guards in the NBA."

Barkley: "That's because he's not in there."

Smith on Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan: "Portland is for real. The one thing I like about (Trail Blazers head coach) Nate McMillan and what he's done. He's got a young team and typically with young teams you have guys who want to get a contract, find their identity and make a name for themselves. He's got them playing hard, playing smart and playing together. That's very difficult to do for a young team."

Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili on how the Spurs defended LeBron James in the 2007 NBA Finals: "We didn't let (LeBron James) get any easy lay-ups. He got two dunks in the four games (in the Finals) and that's way under his average. We made him set for jumpers and it worked for us. He didn't have a great series shooting from the outside. I don't think his teammates did their part either. They didn't make any shots to create some space for (him), so we were successful collapsing (in) the paint and not making anything easy for him."

Barkley on second year Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson: "At this stage of (Daniel Gibson's) career, and after what he did last year, he should be starting. Cleveland's two weaknesses are they don't have a point guard and they aren't good outside shooters. After what Daniel Gibson did in the playoffs, he would be starting by now. That tells me something that he's not starting."

Barkley on the Spurs: "The Spurs are the best team in the league because they are the best defensive team in the league. They have three All-Stars who understand how to play together. Their role players just come to work, do their job, they don't complain about playing time, they don't complain about shots. The reason that the Spurs are the best team in the league is they have the best coach in the NBA and they play the best defense in the league."

Barkley on the toughness of the Phoenix Suns: "(The Suns are) softer than tissue paper. They've got chemistry problems, but their biggest problem is they are soft. Imagine if you're playing football and the toughest guy on your team is the kicker, you can't win. The Phoenix Suns' toughest player is a kicker (Steve Nash)."

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Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers (90) @ San Antonio Spurs (88)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller with Cheryl Miller reporting

Miller on Spurs defensive specialist Bruce Bowen: "It's a luxury that Gregg Popovich has (in Bruce Bowen). He understands that (Bowen's) offense is limited, but one thing he is out there for is to guard the best perimeter player on the opposing team night in (and night out)."

Miller on the comments from Memphis Grizzlies head coach Marc Iavaroni that LeBron James is a better passer than Hall of Famer Magic Johnson: "That's a nice pat on the back, but you have to remember that (Marc) Iavaroni was on the receiving end of a lot of those dunks by (former Lakers forward) James Worthy (on passes) from Magic Johnson. I don't agree with him that (LeBron James is) a better passer than Magic Johnson, but the similarities are certainly there."

Miller on Cavaliers guard LeBron James: "(LeBron James is) the face of (the Cavaliers), they are nothing without him. (Cavaliers head coach) Mike Brown said, ‘I would never want to play a game without him. It's what he does for the other players because he gives them belief in themselves.'"

Miller on the importance of teammates trusting each other: "You have to trust in your teammates and more importantly, you have to trust in your bench. Any championship team always has a great bench. If you don't have that trust, then you aren't going to win anything. That's what (Gregg) Popovich does, he trusts his bench. And (it's what) Mike Brown is trying to do, trust his bench. No (Anderson) Varejao, no (Sasha) Pavlovic to start the season, LeBron James gets hurt for five games, they went into a slide. This is a chance for the Cavaliers to trust each other."

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Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Barkley on the age of the Spurs catching up with them: "The interesting thing about the Spurs with (Tim) Duncan, (Manu) Ginobili and (Tony) Parker always banged-up (is that) at some point they're not going to get healthy. Between winning all those championships, playing late every year, playing for Olympic teams for their difference countries, at some point, age is going to catch up with them."

Smith on the Spurs being able to play with intensity in the regular season: "(A game) in January against Cleveland is not a big game anymore when you've been to the NBA Finals and the Western Conference Finals. It's not as big as it used to be. And sometimes you don't have that spark, but you consistently chug along and win games. But when it's all said and done, you can mark it down that there will be Western Conference Finals games played in San Antonio."

Smith on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant taking 44 shots against Seattle on January 15: "There are certain guys who have the green light (to take shots) and certain guys who are on the freeway."

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Miller on the Cavaliers' need for an outside shooter: "Everyone talks about (the Cavaliers') need for a point guard, but if they had a true outside shooter, someone like Jason Kapono or someone that when LeBron (James) gets double-teamed can flat-out knock down the wide-open shot. Like a Kyle Korver, someone like that to spread the floor. That's really what this team needs."

Miller on the struggles of the Miami Heat: "I think (the Heat) are on (Heat owner) Mickey Arnason's Carnival Cruise line because that ship has sailed in Miami. That ship has sailed."

Miller on the advantage to Tim Duncan has by playing for one head coach (Gregg Popovich) his entire career: "Stability. When you have one coach, you understand what the offensive and defensive philosophies are. He understands how practices are run. He understands his team personnel. There's a great relationship between Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich, he's the leader of this team and he trusts that."

Miller on the surprising Los Angeles Lakers: "I'm a believer in the Lakers. They are going to take a hit with (Andrew) Bynum going down. Kwame Brown and these other guys are going to have to step up, but Kobe (Bryant) is trusting in his team now and it's paying dividends."

TNT's Cheryl Miller interviewed Cavaliers guard LeBron James following the game.

James on the Cavaliers' improved play: "We've been playing great basketball (over) the last month and a half. Everyone is healthy, everybody understands what we have to do to get wins and that's in the defensive end and we did that. (Playing) in a hostile environment (in San Antonio), you have to get (defensive) stops or you can't win. We did that late in the game."

James on the momentum the Cavaliers have following their win over the Spurs: "You always want to look at something that will give you momentum. Winning in a building like this can help the younger guys on our team. We need to take this momentum to Miami on Monday."

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Game 2: Phoenix Suns (106) @ Los Angeles Lakers (98)

Announcers: Marv Albert and Doug Collins with Craig Sager reporting

Collins on how Andrew Bynum's injury affects the Lakers: "(The Lakers) really miss (Andrew) Bynum. (He was such a part) of that pick-and-roll game. Kobe Bryant trusted him, throwing the ball up and attacking the rim. They just don't have that confidence in Kwame Brown, they don't trust his hands. With the Lakers, so much (of their success) depended on being able to get the ball into the paint and score."

Collins on the development of Lakers center Kwame Brown who Collins coached in Washington: "I thought (Kwame Brown's) upside was tremendous. Offensively, Kwame has always been in a hurry and he does not have great hands. When you magnify being in a hurry and not having great hands, he misses a lot of shots around the basket."

Collins on Suns forward Amare Stoudemire: "When (Amare Stoudemire) gets off to a great start, (the Suns) are such a good team. His defense and his rebounding pick up when he has a great first quarter offensively."

Suns guard Raja Bell on the team's optimism for the remainder of the season: "I think people have been a little bit spoiled with the numbers we have put up the last few years and they have right to be. (The players) are spoiled because we are not where we want to be right now either. But the fact is, we're right in the mix and we haven't played our best basketball yet. I choose to look at (the season) as a cup half-full not half-empty."

Collins on Lakers rookie guard Javaris Crittenton: "I really like (Javaris) Crittenton...He's got good speed and great court awareness. I think he is going to be the point guard of the future for (the Lakers)."

***** ***** *****

Halftime

Johnson, Barkley and Smith

Smith on what the Lakers are missing with Andrew Bynum injured: "The Lakers were a big team with Andrew Bynum, now they are just an average-sized front line. They don't have that size anymore."

***** ***** *****

Collins on how important the Suns' bench is to the success of the team: "For that second unit for Phoenix, when Steve Nash goes out of the game, they'd love to be able to have Boris Diaw on the floor with Grant Hill and (Leandro) Barbosa. Now you've got three guys who can make plays, rather than just have Steve Nash trying to make plays all the time. So you spread the wealth a little bit and you give Steve Nash some rest."

TNT's Craig Sager interviewed injured Suns guard Grant Hill during the fourth quarter.

Grant Hill on his recent appendectomy that has kept him off the court: "It's always tough to sit out when I've been playing well and feeling good. I've stayed away from the injury bug and then (the appendectomy) happened. I asked the doctor, ‘Why is this happening?' He said it was bad luck. That's all I need is more bad luck. The good thing is I'll be back, I feel good. A little break this point in of the year is not bad, charge back up and get ready for the stretch run."

TNT's Craig Sager interviewed Suns guard Steve Nash following the game.

Nash on the Suns' recent struggles: "We suck, what can I say? No, I think we have high expectations and we haven't lived up to them in our locker room (despite) what everyone else says. Sometimes it's good to suffer and struggle. We're going to keep building and keep trying. Hopefully all that suffering, struggling and saltiness will pay off for us somewhere."

Nash on what the Suns need out of forward Boris Diaw down the stretch: "Well, (Boris Diaw) sucks, too. No, I think that Boris is such a talent but he (doesn't have) a fiery personality and people get disappointed in him. We believe in him, we think he's a tremendous player; we just want to get his confidence going. When his confidence is going, he has that sparkle in his eye and he does the magical things he can do for his size. We believe in him, we think he's going to come through for us."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Inside the NBA

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith

Smith on the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets' disappointing seasons: "I think that overall, you would expect (Utah and Denver) to do what the Lakers and New Orleans are doing. (Denver and Utah) have fallen to the backside and they have too much talent to fall to the backside."

Barkley on Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby: "I saw (Denver head coach) George Karl say that the one player (Denver) can't afford to lose is Marcus Camby, and I agree with that (because) e does all the dirty work. (Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony) are great scorers but Marcus Camby kind of gets lost in the whole team."

Smith on what's holding the Utah Jazz back: "If you look at the Utah Jazz when they started out early (in the season), I thought that (guard) Deron Williams and (forward) Carlos Boozer set the tempo of how Utah wanted to play. I think now, they play at the opposing team's tempo. I think the leadership and the tempo are the two things that are holding them back right now."

TNT's Cheryl Miller interviewed Atlanta Hawks rookie guard Al Horford on the challenges he's faced in his first NBA season.

Horford on the process of changing the mindset of the Hawks fans who have grown accustomed to losing: "(The Hawks) are still in that process. It's about the (players) here (in Atlanta) wanting to win so badly. With myself and (fellow rookie) A.C. Law coming in, we just want to help the team out and change (the losing mentality) around. We are trying to do that this season and hopefully start a winning tradition."

Horford on adjusting to playing the center position instead of his usual power forward spot: "There has been (an adjustment). My comfort is playing at the forward (position) and guarding power forwards. But with this team, it's something that I have to do in order to play. I want to play so I'm going to do whatever it takes. If I (have) to play center, that's what I have to do."

Horford on his flagrant foul against Toronto Raptors guard T.J. Ford that sent Ford to the hospital: "The low point (of the season) was that incident I had with T.J. (Ford). It was a very unfortunate incident. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt a guy like that, he's such a nice guy. It was a point for me in the season that I felt set me back a little bit. I went (to the hospital) and talked to him, he tried to make me feel better but people that know me know that that affected me and my game. It was something that I had to work my way through."

Horford's reaction to TNT analyst Charles Barkley saying that Horford should be Rookie of the Year: "It's exciting for me to hear guys talk so highly of you. Definitely, that's one of my goals. I would like to (win) Rookie of the Year, but I have my (first) priority of getting (the Hawks) right and into the playoffs.

Horford on the legacy he wants to leave as a player coming from the Dominican Republic: "I want to be someone who opens up opportunities for talented guys who are in the Dominican (Republic) and don't get a chance to come (to the United States) to develop their game. Before (myself), there were a lot of great players in the Dominican that have paved the way for me. My job is to keep playing and to be the best that I can be so I can help other people."

Barkley on who Al Horford reminds him of: "(Al Horford) reminds me of (former NBA player) Buck Williams. He's going to be a really good player, an All-Star type player for ten years or more."

Barkley on the Chicago Bulls suspending rookie forward Joakim Noah for two games for an altercation with a Bulls assistant coach: "I don't know what (Joakim Noah) did to the assistant coach (in Chicago). Whatever he did was probably wrong and they suspended him. They are trying to kill this kid and it's the veterans on that team that stink. I want them to stop trying to throw (Noah) under the bus and say that he is screwing up the team. The reason that the Chicago Bulls stink is because of their veteran players."

Log on to TNT OverTime on NBA.com for a full replay of Inside the NBA.

-30-

Sick last night and the better part of today. Thank God my sis is in the medical field. Thanks Sis.

TBR, why you call me out on Webb? With stomach pains, it wasn't a good time to laugh bruh. ;)

Notes from last night. Enjoy.

Cavaliers forward LeBron James response to critics predicting that the Cavaliers won't make the playoffs this season: "People have their opinions and (the Cavaliers) have to keep proving people wrong and at the same time, we have to go out as professional athletes and continue to get better. We don't come into the season at this point talking about making the playoffs; we want to win the Championship. Right now, we're not at a level to win a Championship."

Barkley on the Cavaliers disappointing season thus far: "(The Cavaliers) are very fortunate that Miami and Chicago (are having bad seasons). LeBron (James) is terrific, (after) Kobe Bryant, (James) is the second best player in the league right now. (The Cavaliers) making it to the (2007 NBA) Finals was the biggest fluke ever. They still haven't addressed the point guard or the outside shooting situation. Until they get LeBron some help, they are just wasting time."

Barkley on the Western Conference: "(When) I look at the West (Conference), I see San Antonio and I see others. The team that trades for (Nets point guard) Jason Kidd is going to be the second best team in the West. I'm very disappointed in Phoenix, very disappointed in Utah, disappointed in Dallas and disappointed in Denver. The Lakers are playing well, but I don't think (they) are for real."

Smith on Celtics guard Ray Allen: "(People) tried to figure out who was going to be (the Celtics') closer, the guy who takes most of the clutch, last second shots and it's been (Ray Allen). He's been the guy throughout (their 23 wins) and he's made big shot after big shot. Kevin Garnett has been their best player but over the long haul, Ray Allen has been the most consistent player."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers (88) @ Dallas Mavericks (81)

Announcers Marv Albert, Reggie Miller, Mike Fratello with Craig Sager reporting

Fratello on the importance of team chemistry: "Chemistry is such a large part of team's success. Look at Chicago a year ago, (they had) 49 wins and beat Miami in the first round (playoffs) because of the chemistry they had. Cleveland has struggled with chemistry early in the season."

Miller on Cavaliers guard Damon Jones refusing to enter the game on December 25 versus the Miami Heat and subsequently demanding a trade from the team: "I'm a little confused. At the captains meeting (at half-court) before the game, going up with (Cavaliers guard) Eric Snow was Damon Jones. If he is pulling acts like this, you can't have a leader or a captain doing things like this with the 'C' on his jersey. It doesn't set a good example for the younger players."

Craig Sager interviewed Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown following the first quarter.

Brown on the Cavaliers defensive strategy in the first half: "I really think they were blinded by your shoes. They couldn't see because of the reflection from your shoes and that made it tough on them on that end of the floor. Besides that, we tried to contest some shots to help the shoes out."

Fratello on Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes role with the team: "The question to me is, 'What is Larry Hughes?' Is he a starting scoring guard? Is he a starting point guard? Is he a starting defensive specialist? The one thing that the people in Cleveland see is Larry Hughes get 35 points one night and then he'll come back the next four games and go for four points, six points and they can't figure out what (kind of player) he is exactly."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Halftime

Ernie Johnson, Barkley and Kenny Smith

Barkley on the Dallas Mavericks making a trade: "The Dallas Mavericks have got to make a trade. I think (New Jersey Nets point guard) Jason Kidd would be a perfect fit there. At some point New Jersey is going to have to start rebuilding. Kidd could get Dallas right there (to the top of the Western Conference)."

Smith on the Dallas Mavericks style of play: "(The Mavericks) are very selective, overly selective, in their shot selection which now makes them a half-court team. Not only a half-court team, but a perimeter half-court team because they don't have a post-up guy."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Miller on the high expectations set on the Dallas Mavericks: "(The Dallas Mavericks) are a marked team. You win 67 games the year before; obviously you're going to have a bulls-eye on your back every time you play."

Miller on the poor shot selection in the Cavaliers/Mavericks game: "For all the high school and college kids watching this game tonight, this really isn't a good example of basketball at the highest level."

LeBron James on the Cavaliers' defensive inconsistencies: "Right now, defensively, we're not consistent. When we defend, we're a very good team. When we don't defend, we don't look (good). If we can find a way to be more consistent on the defensive end, then you are going to see the team that beat Miami and that beat L.A. (Lakers). Not the team that loses to teams they shouldn't lose to."

Fratello on Cleveland's struggles this season: "(The Cavaliers) know they aren't the same team defensively that they were a year ago. They have the ability to be a good team. Oftentimes, players think they have plenty of time to get it together, (however) this is game #30 for Cleveland tonight, in 11 more games (they will be at) mid-season."

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Game 2: Boston Celtics (104) @ Seattle SuperSonics (96)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Doug Collins with David Aldridge reporting

Collins on the unselfishness of the Celtics this season: "Boston is being so unselfish (this season); sometimes they are passing up jump shots. It reminds me of All-Star Games when guys go in (to the game) and they are so afraid to shoot the ball or take too many shots they make the extra pass. Boston is continuing to adjust to one another, but they have been so unselfish this year."

Ray Allen on his return on Seattle: "It's an exciting moment for me. I think about going back to Milwaukee after I got traded (to Seattle in 2003). You see so many faces that you, not necessarily forgot, but people in the same seats, the ushers in the building. You forget how much the place meant to you when you see people that you haven't seen."

Collins on some questions surrounding the lineup of the Seattle SuperSonics: "The point guard situation is very much up in the air (for the Seattle SuperSonics), as is their center position. (They have) three big men, one is in the (Developmental) League, (center) Robert Swift is now hurt (and center Johan) Petro is on the bench. They have to figure out what they have at point guard and center. That's going to be the key to the season."

Collins on the keys to Seattle's season: "Watch this Seattle team this year and see the growth. (Watch rookie forward) Jeff Green's progress and (how he's) becoming a much better player along with (rookie guard) Kevin Durant's progress. These two guys are going to be critical to this franchise. Don't focus on the wins and losses, the objectives of this season are far greater than that. The point guard situation, the development of (Green and Durant), the big men and their progress and (the team's) effort every night."

David Aldridge interviewed Celtics guard Paul Pierce following the second quarter.

Paul Pierce on facing the best efforts of his opponents night after night: "We (have) to get used to it. (We've got) a target on our back. We've played back to back nights, we've got to find some energy, dig deep and get a win."

Halftime

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith

Barkley on the Boston Celtics: "The Celtics have two weaknesses. They've got to solve the point guard situation. (Celtics guard) Rajon Rondo has got to get better throughout the regular season. Also, Kevin Garnett has got to be more dominant in the low post because the three best players are jump shooters. They've got to find a way to get easier baskets."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Collins on the Celtics being relevant in the NBA once again: "When you have to go through all that losing and then you get the opportunity, finally, to have a chance to win. There's no better guy than Doc Rivers and to see him have this success is great for him and the Boston Celtics. It's nice to see them relevant once again when you talk about NBA teams. It used to be you wouldn't even talk about the Celtics."

Collins on what young teams, such as the SuperSonics, need to work on throughout the season: "(Young teams should) give (themselves) a chance to win every night, especially at home. More importantly, (they should) learn (how) to play in close games. So many guys put up big numbers on bad teams and they don't really understand what it takes to win in this league. I think (SuperSonics head coach) P.J. (Carlesimo) is doing a great job night-in and night-out bringing accountability to (the SuperSonics) and making them give effort (every night)."

Collins on who he would take in a playoff series between the Celtics and the Detroit Pistons: "Right now, if (Boston) played a playoff series against Detroit, I would take Detroit. (They have) experience and that core (group of players) they've had together for a while."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Inside the NBA

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith

Barkley on the Boston Celtics winning more than 70 games this season: "If (the Celtics) win 72 games, I'll walk from (Atlanta) to Phoenix...in a Speedo."

Barkley on Kevin Durant's small stature: "A Happy Meal wouldn't hurt (Kevin Durant)."

TNT's Cheryl Miller interviewed Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy on the success he's enjoying both individually and as a team.

Roy on the slow pace to his game: "That is the way I've played my whole life. Growing up coaches would say, you play to slow or you need to speed it up. I was never prone to do that. When I came to the NBA, the first thing (Trail Blazers head) coach (Nate) McMillan and his staff said was, ‘We love your pace, don't change one thing about it.' Coming into this season, we really needed that. We have a young team and we have the tendency to play fast."

Roy on the inspiration behind the Brandon Roy Foundation: "Growing up in the inner-city, I've seen (a lot) of talented players that slip through the cracks in school. It's tough for me; I just don't want to see any more of those players slip through the cracks. I wanted to start a foundation to help get these kids tested (for potential learning disabilities). That way, when they go to high school, they'll be prepared and they won't feel like they are two chapters behind in school."

Roy on downplaying becoming a star in the NBA: "It's my nature; it's to keep me level. I don't want to give myself any more added pressure than there already is. To keep me focused and to keep me doing what I do, I think my teammates believe in me when they see that. They know that I'm really out there to win and not to be an All-Star or an MVP. This keeps our team chemistry better in the locker room."

Barkley on Brandon Roy's confidence level: "(Players) go through stages where they are athletic, then (they) become a good player. Then you can see their confidence go through the roof. That's what makes a great player; the confidence level reaches the point where they say, ‘I'm better than any of these guys out here.' (Brandon Roy) plays with such calmness that he knows he's good. I just see his confidence catching up with his talent."

Smith on the Portland Trail Blazers playing with the 'team' concept: "(Trail Blazers head coach) Nate McMillon deserves a lot of credit. What he has done is implement a team concept. LaMarcus Aldridge has been out, other guys have been (injured) and other players have stepped up so they pass the ball, they share the ball. They make decisions like a veteran team which means they pass the ball, they move the ball, they are unselfish and they play hard. Which sounds simple, but if you look around the league, there are a lot of young teams that don't do that."

Denzel Washington, star of the new movie The Great Debaters, posed the following question to the studio crew to debate: "Now that Reggie Miller has retired, who's the best actor in the NBA?"

Barkley and Smith selected L.A. Lakers guard Derek Fisher; Ernie Johnson selected San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili.

Log on to TNT OverTime for a full replay of Inside the NBA and special features from TNT's NBA announcers.

The Oakland mayor holds a whopping 25 percentage-point lead over Republican challenger Chuck Poochigian. That’s a wider margin than Feinstein enjoys over her U.S. Senate race opponent, GOP state Sen. Richard Mountjoy. It’s also bigger than Democratic treasurer candidate Bill Lockyer’s lead over Claude Parrish, the Republican who’s run a notably stealthy campaign.

Brown’s support has jumped 11 points since July, thanks in part to TV ads portraying him as an experienced crime fighter. Poochigian hasn’t run a bad campaign. He’s raised a decent amount of money and hit Brown relentlessly for Oakland’s rising murder rate and a sexual harassment scandal involving the mayor’s former aide.

But Poochigian, like other state GOP candidates, has received no campaign help from fellow Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Poochigian’s poll numbers have barely moved in three months and despite some advertising, he’s still hardly known around the state. It’s always a bad sign when 51 percent of your own party’s members hold no opinion of you a week before the election. That’s the case with Poochigian.

Feinstein, Lockyer and Brown will spend election night together at a San Francisco party, no doubt eager to see who wins bragging rights as top vote-getter.

— Cheryl Miller

The capitol has been abuzz with the rumor of Dunn’s appointment for a few days. It has also raised a few eyebrows among those familiar with the trial lawyers’ historical battles with doctors’ groups over passing the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act, and other issues.

In a cheery statement, Frank Pitre, president of the Consumer Attorneys of California, said Dunn will be “an asset” to the CMA and that his organization looked forward to “a stronger working relationship and renewed productive dialogue.” Could that be code for “he’s going to help us convince the doctors that we need practical MICRA reform”?

CMA spokesman Peter Warren said MICRA reform isn’t even on his group’s radar screen. But with Dunn as its leader, the CMA has hired a respected, soon-to-be-termed-out lawmaker who has inroads in the Legislature and a reputation as a rabble-rouser. It could be a mutually beneficial hire for both groups.

— Cheryl Miller

That’s right. The Donald himself (or an amazing impersonator) had called. He was responding to an e-mail I sent his assistant on Tuesday asking why the business tycoon/TV star/fellow blogger gave $1,000 to Democratic attorney general candidate Jerry Brown this month. His response:

“I’m supporting Jerry Brown because I think he’s an outstanding person, a wonderful man and has great views on a lot of different subjects. I think he’ll be a great attorney general. I have no doubt about that. And thank you very much.”

He didn’t leave a return telephone number. I would have liked to ask him about those “different subjects” but, alas, I was on the phone, leaving my own message for a public defender, when he called.

It’s probably a good thing I didn’t pick up. I mean, who would believe Donald Trump would call personally? Isn’t that the kind of task he’d assign to one of his wannabe flunkies on “The Apprentice”? We probably would have gone through a few rounds of “No, really, who is this?” and then he’d get irritated and hang up.

Oh, and by the way, that public defender who caused me to miss Donald Trump live? She still hasn’t called back.

— Cheryl Miller

Filings with the Secretary of State’s office show that the New York tycoon turned TV star contributed $1,000 to the Brown campaign this week, further padding the Democratic candidate’s $5 million war chest.

So what’s up between The Donald and former Gov. Moonbeam? We’re not sure. Inquiries were referred to Trump executive assistant Rhona Graff — we’re told she’s the one who calls the wannabe Trump lackeys before the great and powerful one on “The Apprentice” — but we haven’t heard back from her yet.

We do know that the two high-profile personalities chatted during a national Conference of Mayors gathering in Atlantic City several years ago. And Brown was once quoted as saying he wanted a Trump Tower in downtown Oakland.

Whatever the connection, Brown is no stranger to star power. He’s already pocketed campaign cash this year from Barbra Streisand, Eagles drummer Don Henley and L.A. legal eagle Robert Shapiro.

— Cheryl Miller

Ben Stein may best be remembered as the deathly boring high school teacher calling out in vain to a hookie-playing student in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Now the lawyer/actor/author/game show host has voiced a new radio ad for attorney general candidate Chuck Poochigian.

Noting the candidate’s unusual Armenian surname, Stein gives listeners a quick lesson in its pronunciation and then touts the Fresno state senator’s tough-on-crime credentials. And of course Stein zings Democratic candidate Jerry Brown with the last line “Chuck Poochigian: he’s the one who’s not a flake.”

Poochigian needs all the big-name help he can get. He trails Brown in published polls and in fund-raising.

— Cheryl Miller

The ditty takes a banjo and about three minutes to explain in song what the 13 initiatives are all about. The songwriter — and one of five vocalists on the track — is Kim Alexander, founder and president of the nonprofit California Voter Foundation.

“California voters are facing a long and complicated ballot this election,” Alexander says in a press release. “The song introduces voters to the propositions in a fun and interactive way.”

You can sing along to “The Proposition Song” here because, as the chorus says, “the ballot is too darn long.”

— Cheryl Miller

When it comes to mingling with the Hollywood set, the Terminator-turned-governor would have a hard time competing with the star power generated by attorney general-candidate Jerry Brown. Campaign documents filed today by Brown show contributions from a host of marquee names.

There’s $1,000 from crooner Barbra Streisand. Former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard also pitched in $1,000 as did Eagles drummer Don Henley. Famed L.A. lawyer Robert Shapiro gave $5,600 and writer-director Cameron Crowe (“Jerry Maguire,” “Say Anything”) chipped in $250.

The filings also reveal a $1,200 donation from Playboy Enterprises, as well as payments to the company for fundraising events. A fundraiser at Hefner’s House? And the press wasn’t invited?

Brown racked up $1.8 million in contributions over the last three months, giving him a campaign war chest of $5 million. So expect to see and hear a lot of pro-Jerry Brown commercials in the coming weeks.

For anyone who wants to see Brown and attorney general opponent Chuck Poochigian today, they were scheduled to debate live via streaming audio at 2 p.m. The Web site for San Francisco television channel KPIX says it will keep a link to the debate posted through Election Day.

-- Cheryl Miller

“As to any other possible defendants in this case, suffice it to say we just don’t have the evidence at this point to charge anyone other than these five,” said Chief Deputy Attorney General Robert Anderson. He was referring to former HP Chairwoman Patricia Dunn and Kevin Hunsaker, formerly a senior attorney and ethics director, as well as three private contractors — all charged Wednesday with obtaining reporters’ and board members’ private phone records under false pretenses.

But Anderson and Attorney General Bill Lockyer made it clear that the investigation “remains active and incomplete” and that there may be “other possible defendants down the road.”

Anderson also slammed suggestions that Lockyer filed the charges to bolster his campaign for state treasurer. “It’s not any kind of election-year gimmick at all,” he said.

Another tidbit from the press gaggle: The attorney general’s office has talked with federal prosecutors, but that’s about as far as the coordination seems to go.

“As far as what the feds may be doing, what their timetable is, I couldn’t answer that,” Anderson said. “You’d have to ask them. Were we in a race with the feds or anyone else to file charges? The answer is no.”

Hunsaker surrendered to authorities Thursday, was booked and has a tentative arraignment date of Dec. 6, according to the AG’s office.

— Cheryl Miller

Hooray, said long-time critics of the governor’s largely Caucasian judicial picks. “It really is a sign that the governor is coming around,” said Christopher Arriola, a board member of the state La Raza Association.

But the governor’s critics may want to keep their celebratory champagne on ice. Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Sabrina Lockhart said Tuesday that judicial appointments are “not part of [Roldan’s] portfolio. That continues to be the work of [judicial appointments adviser] John Davies.”

So what gives? It’s hard to believe Roldan, who could not be reached for comment, won’t have any say in who becomes a judge in California. Otherwise, why bring in a veteran prosecutor — and a Democrat no less — who led an organization that has consistently lobbied the governor to name more judges of color?

The timing is suspicious, too. Just a couple of months ago, the Assembly speaker was threatening to cut 50 new judgeships unless the governor increased the diversity of his appointments. With that squabble settled, the governor is expected to start naming the new jurists early next year.

Could it be that Roldan was brought in to the governor’s office to learn the ropes before taking a higher-profile, judicial appointments post — perhaps after the general election? 

— Cheryl Miller

Web site Above the Law bestowed that title upon Prof. Wolk after a two-week, tongue-in-cheek quest to find the “hottest” male and female lawyers specializing in Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, law. After all the email votes were counted, Wolk beat out a field of 11 other pension law practitioners, no doubt aided by a submitted photo of the nattily attired professor posing atop the hood of his Toyota Camry (with vanity plates that read “ERISA 74”).

Above the Law has promised Wolk and his female counterpart tiaras to mark their victories.

We’re not sure what spurred Wolk’s campaign. Through an e-mail sent by son Daniel Wolk, Bruce Wolk declined to discuss his new title, saying only that he had moved on and is focusing on “teaching ERISA law to the few and the proud who learn it.”

Sadly (for us), Prof. Wolk was not so media shy in the early days of his campaign, telling Above the Law “This could be my big breakthrough — a career transforming event. Can I dare hope for an interview by Soledad O'Brien, or perhaps even Katie Couric, if I win?”

— Cheryl Miller

Brown’s campaign released the ads today on YouTube.com, probably hoping for a little free media. Brown spokesman Ace Smith said all four will pop up on cable television spots around the state tomorrow.

Poochigian shot back Thursday with his own YouTube missive, which criticizes Brown for attending a pricey fundraiser hosted by the firm of Wexler Toriseva Wallace in Sacramento on Tuesday. Poochigian has had two other ads on YouTube for a couple months. Both blast Oakland Mayor Brown for his city’s crime rate.

All this Internet advertising reflects an attorney general’s race that’s gone a bit cyber-crazy. Both middle-aged candidates have their own campaign pages on MySpace.com, the wildly popular youth-oriented Web site.

For those of you who prefer your attack ads old-school, the California Republican Party has launched a new radio spot calling Brown a prisoner-coddling, soft-on-crime, liberal flake.

— Cheryl Miller

That’s right, Chuck (Poochigian) and Jerry (Brown) are candidates for California’s top-cop office. And while it may seem a little creepy, the two middle-aged politicians are trolling for votes with their own pages on the youth-oriented Web site myspace.com.

It seems to be a trend: candidates for everything from U.S. Congress to city council are showing up on MySpace and YouTube these days. Poochigian’s official campaign Web site also brags that he’s “maximizing the use of cutting-edge technology.”

Each candidate's MySpace page offers the standard campaign bio. What’s a lot more interesting is who’s listed in each candidate’s “friends” section. Poochigian has 444 “friends,” including SnakeMannn, a long-haired, heavy-metal-and-tattoo-lovin’ guy from West Hollywood who will never be mistaken for the professorial state senator from Fresno. Brown, alas, lists just 69 “friends,” one of whom was kind enough to post a 1979 cover of Newsweek magazine, which features a photo of then-Gov. Jerry Brown alongside ex-girlfriend Linda Ronstadt along with the headline “The Pop Politics of Jerry Brown.”

“As a fan of art and interesting aesthetics, I find this newsweek cover arresting!” swoons the poster known as Identity x Light = Mass + Luck. “I know you are a busy guy, but for christ's sake! Just google your name! The pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!”

-- Cheryl Miller

As reported today at Cal Law, the Judicial Council, the Assembly speaker's office and other legislative sources confirmed at press time that Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata was contemplating a procedural maneuver -- known as a gut and amend -- to create the posts. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez balked at the proposal, however, and an authorization bill never materialized for a vote.

After the article went to print Thursday night, Perata spokeswoman Alicia Trost said a gut and amend was "absolutely not happening." Asked if the Senate leader had contemplated such a move earlier Thursday Trost said she did not know.

-- Cheryl Miller

Over the last two days, the state Senate has bottled up two major bills sponsored by Assemblyman Dave Jones, the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The first allocates $10 million for civil-case language interpreters. The second — the annual Judiciary omnibus bill — makes 32 technical changes to existing judicial laws.

The bills, according to witnesses on the floor, were held up at the request of departing Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Santa Ana. You may recall that Dunn earlier this summer held up a Jones bill to bolster donations to legal aid agencies. Dunn said he was worried about possible unintentional consequences of the bill, but legal aid advocates wondered whether the senator was retaliating against Jones for endorsing his opponent in the state controller’s race, John Chiang. Dunn eventually released the bill — which was recently signed into law by the governor — but not before railing against The Recorder and legal aid groups for suggesting his actions were politically motivated.

The Senate — with Dunn’s vote — did just pass a third Jones bill, a conservatorship reform measure that is procedurally tied to three other bills authored by state senators. When the bill came up, Senate leader Don Perata said, somewhat sarcastically, “Oh, a Jones bill.”

Neither Dunn nor Jones have said what the hold-up is on the two bills. But time is running out to pass them.

The governor has signed more than three dozen bills into law over the last few days. As a little service Legal Pad highlights some of interest to the legal community:

AB 1995: Allows a trial court employee to review any personnel file that a supervisor keeps on him or her. A union representing Los Angeles County Superior Court workers alleged that managers shared confidential “unofficial” files among themselves to hamper promotions or to document alleged disciplinary problems.

AB 2301: Creates a task force that will recommend a program to allow State Bar members to donate directly to legal aid services, possibly through a check-off system on their Bar dues payment form.

SB 1441: This Equality California-sponsored bill prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in any state-funded program, such as CalWORKS, food stamps and Medi-Cal.

— Cheryl Miller

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he’d appoint more minorities to the bench if more applied. With today’s deal, Speaker Fabian Nuñez has essentially said, “prove it.” The details haven’t been printed yet but apparently the governor’s office would publicly tally the ethnic makeup of the applicant pool and detail how long ago the would-be judges have been waiting for a final decision.

No word yet on when lawmakers might actually vote on the bill authorizing 50 new judgeships, but this agreement — if it lasts — should help speed up the process.

— Cheryl Miller

A press release by the Schwarzenegger campaign dismissed the criticism as “only pessimistic attacks.”

Democratic pundit Steven Maviglio says Angelides hit one of Schwarzenegger’s “soft spots, and one that resonates in the growing Latino, Asian-American, and African-American communities across the state.”

Maybe. But Angelides’ comments didn’t seem to get much coverage in the mainstream media. The Democratic candidate, lagging in the polls, will try again Friday when he addresses the Hispanic National Bar Association Convention in San Francisco.

Bonus: Here’s a roundup of our coverage of the judicial diversity controversy:

Nuñez Slashes New Judgeships from Budget (Cal Law, Aug. 17)

Judges Slashed, Political Pressures Clash (Cal Law, Aug. 18)

50 Judgeships Less Likely by the Day (Legal Pad, Aug. 24)

Judge Deal May Retool Selection Process (Cal Law, Aug. 25)

— Cheryl Miller

The problem? Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are still squabbling over judicial picks. Nuñez, as you’ll recall, says the governor isn’t appointing enough minorities, and he won’t authorize more than 25 new bench positions until Schwarzenegger makes some changes.

What those changes might be is the $64 million question. Random thoughts from conversations around the Capitol: It’s no secret that Nuñez is not a big fan of judicial appointments adviser John Davies. But it’s unlikely the governor would give Davies the boot over the current dust-up. We might see Democrats shine a more critical light on the handful of secretive panels around the state that screen potential judges for Schwarzenegger. Or we could see changes in the application process that encourage more women and ethnic minorities to apply.

Or nothing may change in the Legislature’s last week of session. Nuñez’s greatest power right now might be his authority to say “no” to the governor.

 UPDATE: The Assembly took a procedural vote Thursday night that will allow the new-judges bill to pass with a simple majority vote. A deal on 50 judges appears in sight -- again. Look for changes to the application that would-be judges complete. A new form may put less emphasis on trial experience in an attempt to attract a broader range of candidates.

— Cheryl Miller