Not sure that qualifies as actual "weather," but it does represent a preseason poll taken of various ESPN folks.  The question: How do you picture the West shaking out next season?  The general consensus: With the Lakers at the top, sporting 55 wins.  Obviously, this opinion is based in part on the notion of Andrew Bynum being healthy.  But hey, at least the "experts" believe in the potential for a return to the Finals (if not a trophy).

Interesting notes: Houston, with its newly Artest-ed lineup, sits at No. 3 with a bullet.  Denver misses the playoffs, with Portland taking its ocho slot.  Phoenix and Dallas move to making the postseason (I could see that happening, but I think Portland will finish higher than at least one, if not both).  For those keeping track of L.A.-based squads, the Clippers garnered the "Spinal Tap" spot.    

In the East, Boston is expected to remain where it left off at regular season's end.  Philly jumps up a bit.  Miami jumps up A LOT.  The party, already fading upon Josh Childress' overseas departure and the teeth pulling required to retain Josh Smith, ends abruptly in Atlanta.

Also, an article from CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel about the steady demise that is Shaq's public image.

AK

And likes what he sees. 

Not content to rely on a game of telephone for his info, Mitch Kupchak hopped a flight to Atlanta for a closer look at Andrew Bynum's workout regimen, which includes running, weights and roundball drills.  The bird's-eye view has left the Lakers GM with no worries over Bynum's readiness come camp's opening or lingering problems from the surgery needed to smooth out rough spots from the knee dislocation.  Instead, Kupchak is talking up Bynum at 100% strength when the preseason officially kicks off, citing visible improvements in areas such as conditioning, mobility and the kid's body in general.  Obviously, we'll know nada for certain until he's on the court in October, but it's certainly a positive report, one in line with previous ones of a full recovery expected. 

As in "officially," I was just informed by the Lakers' media relations department.  Of course, there's a big difference between being a late second-round draft pick with a non-guaranteed contract and a late second-round draft pick who's actually on the team.  For the time being, I'm still thinking he won't be on the roster come opening day.  But this would be the first step in bucking the odds, so good for Crawford.

Trivia alert! Crawford's agent is Noah Croom, whose younger brother James and I graduated from high school together.  On a scale of 1-10, I'm guessing the blogosphere's collective interest in this tidbit rates around a point-seven.

AK

This is no good for Golden State.  No Monta Ellis until (generously) late November after he suffered a severe high ankle sprain that will include a session under the knife.  For a team that's already bubblish at best in most people's eyes (or mine, if nothing else) when it comes to assessing Western Conference playoff contenders, a month or so without one of their two returning 20 ppg guys seems like a real problem. New Bay Area resident Corey Maggette can help pick up that scoring slack, but he offers no substitute in the play-making department. Looking over their roster, Captain Jack might actually be their best lead guard option, which strikes me as both intriguing and a train wreck in the making.

In any event, a bummer for NorCal hoops fans.

AK

Sorry for the late notice.  There's a technical test of sorts that unfortunately needed to be scheduled during our time slot.  Nothing we or the NowLive folks can do about it.  But we'll be back Sept. 3.  Until then, figure out another way to waste time at work for an hour on the company's dime.

AK

He got one from us for the NBA season, now Kobe Bryant gets one for his showing in Beijing from David Friedman at 20 Second Timeout.  I'm talking about a straight "A." 

"...Team USA came up short in the three previous major FIBA competitions (2004 Olympics, 2002 and 2006 FIBA World Championships) primarily because of a lack of on-court leadership, poor defense and the inability or unwillingness of anyone to step up in crucial moments in medal-round games. [LeBron] James and [Dwyane] Wade each had superb tournaments in the 2008 Olympics -- very similar to their performances in the 2006 FIBA World Championship -- but the difference this time around was that Bryant provided precisely what Team USA had been missing in the three areas mentioned above ..."

Solid praise, well-deserved.  The Olympics were, in total, a great showing on and off the court for Kobe.  He was a strong presence, representing himself, USA Basketball and the Lakers with a great deal of class. 

BK

These are lean economic times, but should you have a little cash squirreled away in your sports paraphernalia budget -- and really, after groceries and medical emergencies, most of us have that at the top of the list -- I give you this signed Kobe Bryant Team USA jersey, all framed up and ready for display.

For a cool $995 (plus S&H), you can even circumvent the bidding!

BK

(UPDATE: Talk about your fantastic timing.  I just got an e-mail from the Lakers media relations department.  Sun Yue is now officially under contract.  It's a "multi-year" deal, which I'm guessing means "a pair of years."  More details as they come, but that news was awfully convenient in arrival).

Laker-to-be (presumably, if nothing else) Sun Yue also garnered himself some praise for his work during the recent Olympic tourney.  The guard led all Chinese players with 2.3 dimes per contest while chipping 8.1 ppg, stats that combined with the kid's handle, size and general versatility to help create some buzz about his NBA prospects.  Chris Paul--certainly a reputable source for point guard praise--liked what he saw.  Yue also earned admiring words from a certain future teammate, one who's seal of approval is always a plus. 

"I think he's very talented, actually," said (Kobe) Bryant. "I was very impressed by him. I think he has great size, great length, good shooting touch, good ball handler, good vision, good pace.  I was surprised at his size right off the top. He was able to handle the ball. I tried to test him a little bit, see if he could go left, go right, that sort of thing. So I like him."

Team USA's mission was to bring a gilded medallion from China home to the States.  Said mission was accomplished last night (this morning, if you're watching on American TV) with a 118-107 victory over Spain.  It was considered a foregone destiny by many heading into tourney that the Redeem Team (meh, but everyone else seems to find the name catchy) would bring closure to the Americans' 2004 disappointment.  Fate indeed went fulfilled, but not without a fight and some enemy scare tactics.  Credit Spain--playing without starting point guard Jose Calderon (of Raptors fame)--for hanging tough with the U.S.  They were ultimately outmatched, but not by such a margin that they couldn't make things uncomfortably interesting down the stretch.

"AK/BK--How about a happy birthday thread/blog for KOBE BEAN BRYANT!?!?"

Ask and ye shall receive.

Happy 30th birthday to Kobe Bryant.  I'm guessing he hopes the gift bounty includes some gold bling to go along with this complimentary column from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnorowski.

AK

Given the vagaries and inconsistencies of NBC's television schedule for Olympic coverage, it's been tough to post results of Team USA's work on the hardwood without the risk of playing spoiler.  And given how much I hate spoilers--in the age of the Internet, texting, Twitter and beyond--anyone who can successfully entomb themselves in a cocoon of informationlessness should be praised, not undercut by some jerk with a blog.  But now that today's (This morning's?  Last night's? Tomorrow night's?) semifinal match against Argentina has been over for at least a half dozen hours or so, it's probably safe to reveal the final score: USA 101, Argentina 81. The Americans were led by 21 points from Carmelo Anthony--13 coming from the stripe--and 15 from LeBron James.  Kobe had 12 on a tough shooting night/day/afternoon. 

Of course, things were even tougher for Argentina, forced to play most of the game without Manu Ginobili, who left after re-injuring his bum ankle and getting chased around by the seriously respected Kobe Bryant, and a banged up Andres Nocioni. It was a weird game all around, but the U.S. came out on top. They'll play Spain for the gold.  At some point.  When it'll be on TV is anyone's guess.

BK

Literally.  Watch him.  Dude's right there on screen talking in a SportsCenter interview. 

Praise gets tossed about for his teammates (in particular, CP3 and Deron Williams), Michael Phelps and the overall Olympic experience.  Some interesting stuff at the start about how differently this team and the less successful 2004 squad were formed, citing the three-year commitment, doing away with the "grab the best players available and just assume they'll win" approach, and increased respect accorded to the competition.  I would have included "having a coach that alienates and confuses players less often than Larry Brown," but Kobe's more polite.  But his points about how much more thought and organization created this particular unit is very salient, one that's gotten lost in the coverage, in my opinion.  I'm not trying to take away from Team USA's accomplishments, as they're playing spectacular ball.  And clearly, having a guy like Kobe--among other "new guys" on board--is a huge difference.  But I honestly do believe that were the '04 team brought together through a more structured format and led by a coach that didn't rub half the squad the wrong way or make bizarre decisions, this current crew might be referred to as something other than "the Redeem Team."  Which would make Kobe and me happy on a few levels.

AK

Another good day for Kobe and Team USA in Beijing, as the U.S. rolled into the semifinals of the Olympic hoops tourney, defeated a scrappy, game, but not nearly talented enough Australian squad, 116-85. It was close for about a quarter and a half, as the U,S, led by only one after one before pushing the lead to 12 at the half.  In the third, led by 11 points from Bryant in the first 4:24 of the quarter, the U.S. blew the game open for good.  Overall, Kobe had 25 points to lead all scorers, and the U.S. once again had the range from outside, shooting more than 41% from three.  Andrew Bogut was limited to four points for Australia. 

Next up for Team USA is Argentina, who defeated Greece, 80-78, led by 24 points from Manu Ginobili and 23 from Carlos Delfino.  They're good, but the way the Americans are playing, they shouldn't be nearly good enough.

BK

In an effort to keep the blog as easy to read as possible (and simultaneously make our lives as easy as possible), BK and I have decided that to only allow readers to post links converted into "tiny URL" form.   As many of you have noticed (and don't particularly enjoy), long links in the comments stretch the blog out, making it a pain to read.  They're also a pain for us to edit down into shorter form, which slows up the works.  Thus, our decision. 

Tiny URL is very easy to use.  Just go to tinyurl.com and follow the procedure.  It'll become second nature and help comments go live that much faster.  We'll also give you all reminders from time to time.

Thanks for your cooperation.

AK

And with that popular phrase in mind, I give you today's oddball pairing: Rush Limbaugh and Kobe Bryant. 

On one hand, it's nice to see Bryant's patriotism get some props.  On the other, Limbaugh is being more than a little opportunistic spinning the Mamba's feelings into out-of-context ammo against Barack Obama.  Of course, that's also the political media age we live in (and both parties are habitual offenders when it comes to this tactic, so please, let's not have the thread deteriorate into a debate over who sucks worse between Republicans or Democrats).  At any rate, we rarely get to link items this random, so along those lines, it's a triumph of sorts.
AK

Call it a chat. A discussion. An open forum for sharing and caring. But whatever you call it, make sure you know it starts at 2 p.m., which is about five minutes away. Remember, comments won't appear instantly, and we won't post everything. If two questions are similar, we might only take one. If two comments are close, we might only push one. And so on. We're looking to flow like the river, here.

Have some burning questions regarding Josh Powell?  We'll be on at 2 p.m. PDT to answer them, and any others you might want to fire off as well.  No need to follow a link or anything.  Just come back to the blog and you'll see the window.  See you later this afternoon.

BK

The whole "Redeem Team" tag?  Pretty, as Bryant put it, "cheesy" (unlike the notion of patriotism, which Bryant finds anything but cheesy).  Look, I get it.  There's a mission to be fulfilled, a bronze in 2004 was humiliating, America wants to own basketball again, yada, yada, yada. But at the same time, like Bryant says, more than a little cheesy. Just curious if the general blogosphere agrees or disagrees with the Mamba/AK take.  If you concur, any thoughts on what would be a better nickname? 

Personally, I'm thinking the "It's Amazing What Can Happen When a Roster Is Assembled in Haste-Free/Marbury-Free Fashion, Actually Practices Together for More Than a Few Days Before the Games, and Coach K Doesn't Inexplicably Deny PT to Kobe the Way Larry Brown Did With LeBron, Wade and Melo Team."

But that may not roll off the average fan's/marketing guy's tongue. 

Simple question, yet so hard. What is, in your mind, the best Lakers game ever?  Choose it.  Defend it.  Own it.

(Here's a history primer from the Lakers.com home page if you'd like some reference material.)

BK

Team USA whupped up on Spain this morning, 119-82, to win Pool B with a never-challenged 4-0 record.  They certainly look like the old-school U.S. squads that used to routinely post blowout wins, but obviously the job isn't quite finished yet.  The U.S. is shoring up some of the loose ends heading into the medal rounds next week, and assuming they haven't peaked, look like they'll continue to steamroll the field with an impressive amount of versatility and unselfishness.

I thought heading into the tournament that the U.S. would win, but that they'd have to win at least one close game to do it. The world, in other words, wouldn't make it easy. Well, they're not putting up much of a fight right now, which leads to today's Question(s) of the Day:

Can Team USA be knocked off?  Will things get tougher next week, or is this going to be what it's like until the Americans are finally draped with fancy gold souvenirs? 

BK

I heard some chatter, but wanted to wait until getting official word from the Lakers before posting anything.  Said e-mail has since arrived, so it's now a part of the blogosphere.  Not sure what the contract terms are, but if I had to guess, we're talking league minimum, one year, guaranteed.  Of course, this is just me spitballing, so take this with a grain of salt until confirmed.

The biggest winner in all of this may be Powell who, aside from getting a job, played in 2008 with the Clippers, meaning if he hasn't vacated his L.A. residence, no moving day!  In terms of what the Lakers get, keep hope alive for a pleasant surprise, but also retain modest expectations.  Powell's stint at Staples constituted his fourth team in three seasons (making his Lakers duty the fifth team in four years, for you mathematicians in the crowd).  Going by the limited glimpses I've seen of his limited career minutes, I picture Powell being a decent enough replacement for Ronny Turiaf, although possibly not as effective and definitely not as big.  Powell is young, plays with energy and in the biggest minutes of his career last season, pulled down more than a respectable share of boards. On the flip side, Turiaf scored more points in fewer minutes and is a much better shot blocker.  I'll also go out on a limb and bet Turiaf is more entertaining while on the bench. 

Either way, decent signing, although in terms of filling a true "body" need, I'm not sure how much (if at all) it helps.  If Andrew Bynum and Chris Mihm encounter any health setbacks, I don't see Powell, unless he's gained a lot of weight, fitting that bill.  Fingers crossed, they won't have to find out.

AK

Some of you know the final score of the game between Greece and Team USA, but because of NBC's super-confusing, only-on-the-West-Coast tape delay schedule, I have no idea if it's been broadcast out here yet or not.  Did I sleep through it?  Is it on right now?  Either way, I'm not going to post it.  (I do know that in the last two nights, I've seen badminton and ping pong, both of which are huge fun to watch.  Especially the ping pong.) 

I will say that Kobe Bryant did nothing to damage his incredible popularity in China.  Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post takes a look at Bryant's near godlike status in that part of the world.  Dwell less on the fairly obvious distaste Kiszla has for Bryant and more on the idea of how a player can be so polarizing in one place and so universally loved in another, and it becomes more interesting. It's been a great couple days of conversation on the blog in many ways centered on perception, and in many ways this contrast continues that discussion.

BK

Kidding. 

The Face actually says nothing about the picture dominating the air and Internet waves.  He did, however, talk to Hoopsworld.com about what his off-season work will be like.  In a nutshell, there will be a lot and it figures to be pretty intense.  For those fans concerned long-term security would make Slovenia's favorite son fat and happy (or just "happy," considering the body type in question), doesn't appear to be an issue. If anything, Sasha seems willing to just vacation vicariously through his family, now in Hawaii on his dime. 

On that note, I'm going to heavily peruse my family tree to see if any branches intersect with Sasha's, even 10 to 15 generations back.  My family is mostly Polish, but has a little Hungarian mixed in, so it's not completely impossible.  I could use me some vay-kay and perhaps distant relations would qualify me for Sly and the Family Vujacic's frequent flier plan. 

AK

As anyone should have expected, the Spanish roundball team has found themselves peppered with questions over a group photo of questionable taste.  The players' reactions have run the gamut from A to Z.  Raptors point guard Jose Calderon labeled this nothing more than an intentionally overblown media "controversy."  On the other side of the coin, the Lakers' Pau Gasol admitted being uncomfortable with the picture from the start and regretted not putting the kibbosh on the proceedings.  Coach Aito Garcia Reneses noted that if he stood on tiptoes while posing with a gang of folks all taller than him, nobody would take offense.  A true statement, as well as a totally absurd comparison.  But one common theme ran throughout the reactions, which was that no hurtful intent existed.  Which I can believe, as it's what I figured from the start.  Hearing these explanations only confirms what I already thought.


 

Same 11 a.m. PDT.  Our guest will be Jimmy Bramlett, sports editor for LAist.com.  Feel free to drop whatever you're doing and listen in.  Your boss is cool with it.  We checked. 

AK

Probably not.

So lacking in even the most basic of common sense that you have to wonder what they were thinking? 

Yeah, that would pretty much describe the photo taken by members of the Spanish basketball team (including the Lakers' Pau Gasol), a snapshot where each player appears to be fashioning his eyes to resemble those of the Chinese hosts. 

Very clever and witty, assuming the Olympics featured a sixth-grade boys division. 

More accurately, I guess the title would be, "Aloha, Mr. Pinkie," but that doesn't provide nearly the semi-organic excuse to weave a link for this classic scene into the post.  At any rate, a scientific study conducted seems to indicate that pros often instantly recognize if a shot will stroke nylon based on brain recognition/muscle memory from their pinkie.  So what does this say about Kobe Bryant, who canned many a shot from February onward with his littlest shooting finger out of whack?  I can't say for sure, considering I'm not even positive I understood the article, but it would stand to reason that such effectiveness means The Mamba and his right pinkie share a relationship that's rock solid simpatico.  Some food for thought on a slow Monday.

Thanks to reader J.D. Hastings for the link, as I'm not one to read "NewScientist.com" very often.  And by "very often," I mean, "I've never heard of it."  And by "I've never heard of it," I mean, "Which works out fantastic, since I'm likely too dumb to understand 99% of their articles, anyway."

AK

I've had a chance to cover a few ESPY Award shows working for ESPN, and one of the more entertaining aspects of the event always came in watching the interaction between already famous athletes and entertainers who may not know each other.  Often, you'll see a lot of star-struck looks among those usually doing the star striking.  The Olympics are a similar laboratory, and judging by the reaction sprinting champ and track icon Tyson Gay had meeting Kobe Bryant, you get similar results.

It just goes to show, as Us Magazine might say, that star athletes are just like us. 

BK

The Olympic basketball tournament is about to start (word is that Kobe guy is playing).  I'll admit, in terms of attention paid and depth of emotional investment, I've been pretty lax regarding both the hoops contest and the Games in general.  Now that things are rolling (I'm currently watching men's rowing), I'll probably pay closer attention ... but generally prefer watching sports I otherwise wouldn't see (men's rowing, for example).  I'd by lying if I said I was wrapped up in whether the U.S. wins a hardwood gold.  Not that I'm rooting against them, I've just become accustomed to the notion that it's an international game now, and the rest of the world is pretty good.  Add in the different rules (and often questionable whistles) of FIBA ball, and the days of an American team -- no matter who is on it -- being guaranteed victory are over.  That said, it should be some entertaining ball, worth watching.

Which brings me to the QOTD:  Very simple.  On a scale of 1-10, how much do you care about the "Redeem Team" and the Olympic basketball tourney?  Are you watching as a Kobe fan?  Hoops fan?  Should the U.S. not win gold, how will you react?

BK

The Daily News is reporting that the Lakers have agreed to terms with really tall Chinese guard Sun Yue, last year's second-round pick.  Not a huge surprise, given that the team has expressed interest over the last few weeks in getting a deal done, but still some mighty intriguing news.  More to come as we learn it.  In the meantime, enjoy these clips of "The Best of Sun Yue," as opposed to messing around with "The Obscure B-Sides and Off Days of Sun Yue."

UPDATE (8:30 am): Here's the report from Elliot Teaford at the DN. Looks like a two-year deal, with everything getting ironed out in the next day or two if all goes well.  Fans, of course, can get a look at Sun during the Olympics, starting Sunday when the U.S. faces China. 

BK

The good folks over at Nike sent us a link for the newest USA Basketball spot (featuring Kobe and the gang), which is intertwined with clips of Marvin Gaye singing his unique (and at the time, very controversial) version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1983 All-Star Game.  Pretty good stuff.

In additional tribute to both the singer and athletes on hand, I included below clips of an absolutely smokin' live version of "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," one of my favorite songs by Gaye, and an NBA TV clip of Kobe talking last season about Team USA's practices and goals.

Enjoy.

AK

A few updates on Jordan Farmar's trip to Israel, a trek done in participation with the Peres Center for Peace.  Just outside Jerusalem, the Lakers point guard has been playing host to a series of basketball clinics providing Israeli and Palestinian kids the chance to sharpen their skills and discuss the mutual problems affecting their often chaotic lives.  For Farmar, whose background has exposed him to black, Jewish American and Israeli cultures, melding different worlds is a well-practiced walk of life that speaks to him on a personal level. 

The Lakers' schedule for the 2008-09 season has been released.  (Woo!) The purple and gold will open things up at home Oct. 28 against Portland -- an ESPN game, no less -- before hitting "the road" for a game the next night against the Clippers. That one will be on TNT.  Those are just two of the 25 nationally televised games the Lakers will play this season.

Other highlights:

• The Shaq/Kobe Christmas has been replaced with the Paul Pierce/Kobe Christmas. Celtics vs. Lakers, in L.A. on Santa Day. 
• A home heavy schedule in which 11 of their first 15 games are played at Staples.
• Nov. 10 marks the first visit for Shaq's Suns to L.A. 
• Sunday, Dec. 28, vs. Golden State.  "Say Hi to Ronny" Night!
• March will be a tough month.  Five home games versus 10 on the road, including visits in Phoenix, Portland, Houston and San Antonio, along with potentially tough games in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and Charlotte (shouldn't be, but always is). 
• The April schedule is reasonably friendly.  Three roadies, two against Milwaukee and Sacramento.  The Lakers finish the regular season with back-to-back home games against the Grizzlies and Jazz.

(UPDATE: ESPN did a "notable dates" rundown for the entire NBA, if you're interested)

BK

One side of the question involves a "winner winner" and the other a mockery at the hands of Ace Ventura.  And exactly what topic is being debated by ESPN's Chad Ford?  Which NBA teams did themselves most righteous during this off-season and which ones shot themselves in the foot?  A little time remains before training camps open, but with most notable free agents already spoken for and a few unsigned restricted fellas (Ben Gordon, Smiths Josh and J.R.) comprising those potentially swept up in (sign and) trade winds, it's a reasonably safe assumption that rosters as they currently sit will be the same when October rolls around.   Thus, it's a reasonably safe time to give teams a thumbs up or down based on the summer's work. 

My wife and I keep a stash of what we call "Emergency Ramen" on the top shelf of the pantry. I'm not talking about the good stuff that can be made into any number of delectable dishes, but the 25-cents-a-package variety filled with enough fat and sodium to kill a horse. In college, when the constitution is hardier and your doctor doesn't burden you with words like "family history" and "early indicators of heart disease," that stuff can be called "dinner."  Now, not so much. It's there as a safety net should things turn sour or we run out of, well, everything. 

That's sort of where things stand when it comes to the remaning names on the NBA free-agent list. Once you get past the high profile restricted FAs - they ain't comin' here - the list is populated more with Ramen noodle types, players that won't hurt anything as long as they can be had on the cheap and aren't used very often, or are best avoided entirely.

A few readers have been wondering whether the need for big-man depth could be filled by shot blocking specialist -- and one of the NBA's brighter minds -- Adonal Foyle.  Well, scratch that plan, as he reupped with the Magic.  Former lottery pick bust (and near big-house resident) Robert "Tractor" Traylor has been getting a look at Lakers camp right now.  Traylor says his recent problems (including heart troubles) have helped rekindle his passion for the game, but until talk of rekindled skills becomes more prevalent, I won't get too caught up in his non-guaranteed contract status.  We weren't given the specifics, but I imagine the same variety of deal was inked to bring Dwayne Mitchell into the fold.  Don't know much about the ex-NBDL/Euro player, but he sounds like a training camp body.   

Then again, I never thought Devin Green would make the '06 squad and was reasonably surprised when Coby Karl stuck around, so if I'm wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

AK

Last night's little incident might.  Hopefully, Howard's interest in this particular hobby wasn't combined with his other apparent hobby.  Either way, this makes for an awkward situation, especially considering Howard was only in North Carolina for a basketball camp sponsored by his charitable foundation.  I'm guessing he's no longer driving the carpool when the kids go out for post-game ice cream. 

I anxiously await everyone's trade machine proposals.

AK

BK and I have exchanged some e-mails with the tech people and explained the problems being encountered lately.  The new Digg function is considered the likely culprit, and they've agreed to remove it, at least until a way is discovered to implement it without slowing down the works.

Keep in mind, however, this takes some communication among parties and won't happen at the drop of a hat.  I can't say the exact moment "Digg-free" commences, so please don't pepper us with "when?" questions if the change doesn't come within the next 10 minutes.  The important thing is that it should be happening reasonably soon and BK and I will stay on top of the issue.  Hopefully, this will make everyone's blog experience run smoother and easier.

Thanks,

AK