Well, I guess PHIL JACKSON does have a plan other than to raid the LAKERS roster, splitting the 3-time world champions into pieces, selling each off for more than the sum of its parts, ala CARL ICAHN.  For the first 15 games or so, he seemed content to let KOBE burn himself out like some super giant star on its’ way to becoming a black hole.  But for the last 6 games, the LAKERS have actually looked like a team, and it is in no small part a result of PHIL’S scheming and dreaming.

 JACKSON started this drama out by publicly restraining LAMAR ODOM from setting a goal of 20 points a game.  JACKSON proclaimed that LAMAR was the only guy on the team that passed the ball, and didn’t want to see him become another KOBE BRYANT.

 While the psyche job probably had little effect on KOBE(why would it-who else is going to shoot the ball when the game is on the line, and with this lineup, it’s on the line every night).  But it did have an effect on LAMAR.  All the pressure to score 20 was off, and he has nearly done it every game since, all the while keeping his emphasis on distributing the ball.

 About the same time, JACKSON put out an edict that the starters, namely SMUSH PARKER and BRIAN COOK would have to start worrying about their positions if they didn’t start contributing on a more consistent basis.  SMUSH and BRIAN heard the coach, loud and clear, and almost immediately got their asses in gear and started to score.

 That left an aimless, fumbling KWAME BROWN with which to meddle.  While he was still out with a hamstring bruise, JACKSON began to tinker with BROWN’S head.  He carefully alluded to rumor and innuendo that had circled around KWAME in his previous stints.  In his coy way, JACKSON leveled a clear message to the lost LAKER center.  It’s time to get serious.

 And last night BROWN responded with a 6 for 6 shooting night, and a career high 12 points for the LAKERS.

 The real proof in the pudding is the team has won 5 of their last 6, including an impossible 4-1 on a road trip that started after an anemic 1-point victory over CHARLOTTE at home nearly 2 weeks ago.  Last night’s win over a 15-5 DALLAS MAVERICK team, at home in South Fork, was a thing of beauty.

 The LAKERS looked in charge from the outset, leading by double-digits through much of the first half, before folding at the finish to lead 58-56 at halftime.  KOBE got off to a fast start, playing every minute of the first 3 quarters and scoring 35 points.

 But as he rested to start the 4^th, the LAKERS found themselves down, and when KOBE returned with just over 7 minutes to play, they were down 96-90.  After a bad call on a play where KOBE nearly had his shoulder disconnected, but got no call, BRYANT went to work.  In the last 5 minutes he scored 8 points, had a couple of assists, a key rebound, a blocked shot and when it was all over the LAKERS stole a win from DALLAS 109-106.

 It wasn’t all KOBE, and that is the good news.  KWAME BROWN played 27 strong minutes, finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, including 2 critical baskets as time clicked away.  LAMAR ODOM had a great game with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.  LUKE WALTON had a critical rebound late in the game and 2 clutch free throws that looked to ice the game, only to have SMUSH PARKER sink 2 more pressure free throws for the final score.

 After the game BROWN was humble and eloquent in a post game interview in which he acknowledged he has been a let down for his teammates, and he was striving to win back their trust.  Say what?  I thought this guy was a total schmo. 

 It was a classic LAKER road win, exciting, nail biting even.  And, apparently if DR. PHIL has anything to say about it, there will be more.

 MIAMI will now be coached by 4-time champion coach PAT RILEY.  RILEY, known for his strict disciplinarian work habits,  has been itching to get his hands on the reigns ever since SHAQ came to South Beach last season.

 RILEY will have his hands full with SHAQ, who while helping his team to a victory the other night on his return from injury, shot a dismal 6 for 16 from the charity stripe.  That old bird won’t fly with RILES.

 After taking the job, RILEY called his team “a mess.”

 “I do believe that this team’s going to have to make a decision on whether or not they want to be part of greatness.”

Twelve games into the season and the LAKERS are very near the meltdown that befitted the former champions last season.  KOBE BRYANT is more and more carrying the mantle of villain, for taking too many shots, not passing the ball and missing shots at the end.  Last night’s game is a prime example.

 KOBE refrained from doing all the shooting in the first half, taking a mere 8 shots in the first half.  But, lacking any visible signs of support from his teammates, KOBE took the game over in the second half, scoring 19 in each of the 3^rd and 4^th quarters, including 2 last minute 3-point shots to keep the LAKERS in the game.  Rather than hog the ball with the LAKERS trailing by a bucket and 12 seconds remaining in regulation, BRYANT set up LAMAR ODOM for the game winning 3, which LAMAR misfired.  How many times has KOBE passed off on a shot, which he has at least a reasonable expectation of making, only to have his comrades miss?  Too many!

 Meanwhile, with the exception of LAMAR ODOM, the rest of the squad looks like they’d have trouble starting in the NCAA.  CHRIS MIHM was more consistent last year.  Newly acquired KWAME BROWN has pulled a hamstring, after averaging about 5 points and 5 rebounds a game.  DEVEAN GEORGE is injured again, after looking like he finally had his head on straight.  BRIAN COOK, who got the LAKERS into overtime last night is decent, but is hardly the aggressive power forward the team needs.

 SMUSH PARKER, DEVIN BROWN, LARON PROFIT and AARON McKIE are not the answer.  Nor is ANDREW BYNUM at 18 years of age.

 So, does PHIL JACKSON have a plan?

 At present it would seem his strategy is to let KOBE shoot his good will out in this town and complete his wish whence he first came to our fine city, and trade the league’s best player out of Los Angeles.  At this point, with the scheme he has set into motion, he won’t need to do much else, except sit back and watch BRYANT disintegrate on his own.

 KOBE started the season off with the patience, and shot choices that resulted in 50% shooting, nearly 40 points a game, and a winning team.  But the rest of the team, including ODOM has gone stone cold, and KOBE seems all too eager to carry the LAKERS on his shoulders.  That would be fine, but there are usually 2 and 3 defenders hanging on to those coat hangers and KOBE can’t do it alone.  His 46 points in regulation were enough to keep the LAKERS in the game, but he ran out of gas in thee overtime.

 Surely JACKSON knows this, so why when ODOM was asked about his lack of shooting after the BULLS game, did PHIL scold the press for pressuring LAMAR to shoot more.  ODOM took a mere 4 shots against the CHICAGO making 2 of them.

 “That’s what we love about LAMAR, is he’ll give the damn ball up.  We need guys to do that on this team more than we need guys to shoot.  He doesn’t need to shoot…You put that pressure on him.  You were interviewing him after the game.  I saw that stuff.  You didn’t need to do that.”

 Really?  Who does PHIL want shooting the ball, KWAME BROWN?  CHRIS MIHM?  SMUSH PARKER?  AARON McKIE?  LARON PROFIT?  Am I missing something?

 Besides, LAMAR wants to carry more of the scoring load.  “We need some scoring.  Most likely it is going to have to come from me.  Next four games I’m going to look to average 20 points.”  That was Sunday night.

 By Wednesday morning LAMAR had backed off that claim, after an apparent admonishment by JACKSON.  Yet he came out Thursday night against SEATTLE and scored 23 points to go with 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals in an easy victory, 108-96.  But Sunday night against NEW JERSEY LAMAR was back in shackles, taking just 11 shots, making only 1 of them. 

 If this LAKER team is to succeed on any level, they are going to have to do it on the backs of KOBE and LAMAR, preferably the two of them working in tandem.  It sounds to me like JACKSON is playing one off the other, and that’s not a 2-man game that will have any success given the lack of talent on this team. 

 After Sunday’s loss JACKSON was critical of ODOM, less than a week after he told him not to try and score 20 points per game.  “It’s a major concern for us…a major concern when we have a player like LAMAR ODOM…after a ballgame where he had 23 points, shot well from the field, comes back and was hesitant tonight.  That’s a major concern for us.  And our offense kind of sputtered behind him.”  Whose side is JACKSON on?

 KOBE BRYANT and BRIAN COOK were the only players in double figures and the offense looked pathetic.  The line from the team, and they’ve got KOBE saying it, is that the guys are having trouble learning the triangle offense.  We’ve been here before.  If this offense is so complicated it’s causing losses, then why run it?  It is clearly not eentertaining.

 On more than one occasion this season, thee LAKERS have flirted with record low output.  Against NEW JERSEY they had 10 first quarter points, and just 28 first half points.  You won’t beat the Sisters of the Poor running that kind of offense.  (We miss you CHICK!). 

 Wasn’t it PHIL JACKSON who molded a 3-time champion out of MICHAEL JORDAN, SCOTTIE PIPPIN, BILL CARTRIGHT, JOHN PAXSON and BJ ARMSTRONG?  Really it was MICHAEL JORDAN and SCOTTIE PIPPEN with a shifting cast of supporting characters.  HORACE GRANT, DENNIS RODMAN, WILL PURDUE, TONY KUKOC, PETE MYERS, RON HARPER, STEEVE KERR, LUC LONGLEY and BILL WENNINGTON among others joined the party over the 6 years at the top.

 PHIL was resigned to a $30 million 3-year contract for a reason.  Thus far, it isn’t evident JACKSON is up to the task, though he speaks of hope.  In an interview with T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, JACKSON said, “From what we’ve seen (this looks like a .500 team.)  But that’s the tip of the iceberg.  We’re growing as a team from game to game.”  I don’t see it.

 LAMAR ODOM is certainly as good as SCOTTIE PIPPEN, if not better.  So the plan ought to be get KOBE and LAMAR on the same page, and bring the others in as they merit.  Heck, play BYNUM if the other big men can’t handle the positions.  At least he’s an investment in the future.

 Get KOBE and LAMAR playing together and the rest will come.  Drive a wedge between them, and there will be another marquee player on his way out of Los Angeles, once again under JACKSON’S watch.

It didn’t take long for the LAKERS to hit the skids.  Eight games into the season and this team is on a 3-game losing streak, has posted near record low totals for quarters and for games.  Last night they had another 12-point quarter en route to a 73-point game total.

 Kobe was 14 points or so off his average, but even then they would have tallied only 87 points.  Not exactly playoff material.  And the really scary thing is that this dismal performance has not been against the cream of the crop in the league.  They barely beat ATLANTA, probably the worst team in the league, and then lost to MINNESOTA, PHILADELPHIA and MEMPHIS.

 Hey PHIL, what happens when we play DETROIT, WASHINGTON, SAN ANTONIO, MIAMI?

 JACKSON has got his hands full with this team.  KOBE, who looked like he came back to the reservation in the first 5 games when he was averaging 37 points, taking high percentage shots and making good decisions.  But in the last 3 losses, KOBE has resorted to very poor decisions, terrible shots and a meager 18 points a game.

 Besides KOBE, there is little to speak about.  CHRIS MIHM had a decent game last night with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but 3 of those points and 1 of the rebounds came on a last second play that really didn’t matter.  Without those, he goes for 8 and 9, not enough to help this team.  Particularly with KWAME BROWN looking like a high-schooler on the court, and not the kind that can make the leap into the pros.  Maybe BROWN ought to be demoted to the farm team and let BYNUM have his minutes.  He couldn’t be any worse.

 Last night BROWN missed 11 of his 14 shots and fouled out.  He’s averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes a game.  MARGE HEARN could put up those number s with those minutes.  He is not the answer to the LAKERS front line problem.  CHRIS MIHM has a game every other outing.  LAMAR ODOM is probably the best front line player.  He’s actually averaging more than 10 rebounds a game for 6^th best in the NBA, but PHIL has him playing point guard.

 All that really needs to happen is for ODOM and KOBE to play on the same page.  The two of them have enough talent to get this team going, with any number of players to complement the run.  But that didn’t happen at all last season.  And whether PHIL has the goods at coach to bring them together this year is yet to be seen.

 Let’s just say, it doesn’t look good.

The LAKERS started this road trip with what should have been a welcome stop, Atlanta, where the HAWKS are struggling to win even 1 game this year.  Last year they mustered 13 wins, 1 of them a rout over the Los Angeles LAKERS.

 So when halftime rolled around with the team trailing, KOBE BRYANT must have thought what else do I have to do?  He had 22 points at the break, but it was apparently not enough.  What he needed, he got in one SMUSH PARKER who came out in the 3^rd quarter and scored 13 points on his way to 21, his 3^rd 20+ point performance in 4 games, and that was enough to help KOBE get the LAKERS out of Atlanta with a win.

 PARKER had 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists to go with his critical points.

 LAMAR ODOM continued to show a comfort level with his new role, adding 13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and a block.  That will get it done any night of the week, especially with KOBE averaging 37 points a game.

 KOBE went for his average, and managed 5 assists to go with his points, as the LAKERS improved to 3-1 and moved into a 3-way tie for the lead in the Pacific Division.

 DEVEAN GEORGE joined the party again, with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.  But KWAME BROWN again got into foul trouble limiting his minutes.  The center acquired from the WASHINGTON WIZARDS had another insignificant game with 5 points and 5 rebounds.

 JOE JOHNSON, who played for PHOENIX last year, led the HAWKS with 26 points.

 Tonight the LAKERS play a back-to-back, in Minnesota of all places.  KEVIN GARNETT and a second night in a row-don’t hold your breath.

 CHRIS MIHM emerged Sunday night, after a couple invisible performances in the LAKER’S first 2 games, going for 20 points and 13 rebounds in another victory over the DENVER NUGGETS, 112-92 Sunday night.  MIHM’S contributions along with a 37-point performance from KOBE, and 20 points from LAMAR ODOM insured the LAKERS an easy win.

 It was the second straight game in which LAMAR looked comfortable in his new role as initiator of the LAKER offense.  ODOM added 8 rebounds, 4 of them on the offensive end, and 4 assists.

 BRYANT is average nearly 37 points per game.  He also had 8 rebounds and 5 assists to go with a blocked shot. 

SMUSH PARKER had his first sub-20 game with 9 points, but he also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.  Not a bad line for the guard who wasn’t even expected to start for this team.

 CARMELLO ANTHONY had a better night than the first time these teams faced each other, with 21 points and 6 rebounds.  But it wasn’t enough even with 4 other NUGGETS in double figures to make this a close game for DENVER.

 The LAKERS are now 2-1, but trail the 3-0 CLIPPERS who lead the Pacific Division.

 PHIL JACKSON definitely has some work to do, if this LAKER team is going to be about defense.  One night after getting torched with backdoor lobs and aerial human highlight reels, the team gave up 122 points to a PHOENIX SUN team that is supposed to be reeling from the loss of their big gun, center AMARE STOUDAMIRE.  STEVE NASH and SHAUN MARION more than mad up for the absence with a complete mastery of the LAKER defense.

 MARION went for 30 points and NASH passed off 17 assists, spoiling PHIL JACKSON’S return to Staples and squandering any momentum the LAKERS might have had after their emotional overtime win in Denver.

 KOBE BRYANT was dominant, but it wasn’t nearly enough.  He had 39 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. 

 Even more troubling is the fact that LAMAR ODOM also had a great game, getting untracked for 23 points, 16 rebounds and 8 assists.  SMUSH PARKER again played well, besting his 20-point debut with a 21-point effort.  PARKER has just 2 turnovers in 78 minutes with the LAKERS.

 But all of that wasn’t enough, as the LAKERS never were really in this game after the 1^st quarter.  They got as close as 115-112, but PHOENIX closed the game out with 7 straight points, and that was that.

 You’ve got to figure that if JACKSON can get big games out of BRYANT and ODOM, and 20+ points a game from an errorless PARKER, this team should win.  But KWAME BROWN was again lost in action.  He could muster only 4 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes, and he generally looks out of place.

 CHRIS MIHM had a similarly uninspiring game, with 3 points and 1 rebound in 13 minutes.  That coupled with DEVEAN GEORGE missing 8 of his 11 shots spoiled what looked like a hopeful start to the season for the LAKERS.  They surely should have won this one.

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In Miami, the HEAT had a poor debut, as ANTOINE WALKER came down to earth.  After a super performance in Memphis, WALKER cooled off in South Beach with just 12 points and 7 rebounds.  DWYANE WADE nearly had a triple–double for the second night in a row with 31 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds, but the HEAT lost to the INDIANA PACERS 105-102, as a last second 3-point attempt by WADE fell short.

 In the battle of the O’NEALS, JERMAINE outplayed SHAQ, who was hurt midway through the 4^th quarter.  SHAQ sprained an ankle and left the game to return to the sidelines on crutches, only to see his team lose.  JERMAINE outscored SHAQ 27-18 and out-rebounded him 9-6.  SHAQ hasn’t gotten more than 10 rebounds in a game this year.  So what else is new?

 He is expected to miss some games, though x-rays proved negative.

The LAKERS had their new, tougher defense on display in Denver for their season opener, holding the NUGGETS below 100 points in an overtime game no less.  At times, though, it looked like the new dee was designed to give up alley-oop dunks.  DENVER repeated threw behind LAMAR ODOM, KWAME BROWN and CHRIS MIHM for spectacular, and ridiculously easy baskets.

 But, they did force 23 turnovers, and they did hold their opponents to 43% shooting.  And 97 points in 4+ periods will get it done almost every time.

 So, game 1 goes to the LAKERS who debuted with a lineup of SMUSH PARKER, KOBE BRYANT, CHRIS MIHM, KWAME BROWN and LAMAR ODUM.  PARKER did his part with 20 points, 1 shy of his career high.  He looked like he’d been a LAKER for years, playing with calm and confidence that was nice to see.  He hit a critical 3-pointer with seconds remaining that brought the LAKERS to 88-89, and allowed them to get the game into overtime.

 KOBE BRYANT, who missed a long jump shot after getting hit in the face at the end of regulation, won the game in overtime on a 21-footer with less than a second remaining.  KOBE finished with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocked shots.  Same old KOBE.

 The front line’s performance was less than impressive.  LAMAR ODOM had a difficult night, forcing many shots in frustrated drives to the basket.  He shot 2 for 13 and finished with just 8 points. He did sink 2 critical free throws in overtime, which put the LAKERS up 97-96.  It was some saving grace for a team that missed 9 attempts in 30 tried.  ODOM did hand off 7 assists in his new role as initiator, and added 9 rebounds to lead the team.

 KWAME BROWN, who got the call for the last shot to win the game in overtime, looked a little confused, getting 6 points and 7 rebounds.  The last shot he attempted was a weak half hook for the game winner, which missed off the front rim badly, but he hustled to get the rebound and fed KOBE for his heroic shot.

 CHRIS MIHM stayed out of foul trouble and was in the game to the end, but finished with just 7 points and 2 rebounds in 27 minutes.  He did block 4 shots.

 DEVEAN GEORGE made up for the anemic LAKER big men with a great defensive effort on CARMELLO ANTHONY, the NUGGET’S 3-rd year superstar.  ANTHONY tallied just 16 points and was generally hampered by GEORGE’S pestering defense.  CARMELLO fouled out early in overtime.  GEROGE finished with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

 ANDREW BYNUM saw his first pro time, and made the record books as the youngest 18-year old to play in the NBA.  He got 5 minutes and managed 2 rebounds and 2 blocks.

 So, it was a great start to the season, winning their first game in overtime on a last second shot by KOBE.  You’ve got to believe…

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 Meanwhile, the MIAMI HEAT debuted in Memphis with their new packed lineup, and ANTOINE WALKER stole the show.  He led the talent-laden HEAT with 25 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and a blocked shot.  DWAYNE WADE pitched in 23 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists as MIMAI beat MEMPHIS on the road 97-78.

 SHAQUILLE O’NEAL who got a $100 million contract extension this summer chipped in with 12 points and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes-a typical walk in the park for the big loafer.  But with WALKER, former GRIZZLY JAYSON WILLIAMS, who added 10 points, and the phenom WADE, SHAQ won’t need to do very much to earn his money or keep his team winning.

 The rap on WALKER is he is bad for team morale.  One can only hope…

Of all the players in the WNBA, SHERYL SWOOPES would probably be the last one you’d suspect was a lesbian.  Let’s say, there are plenty of suspects, but SWOOPES wasn’t one of them.  Upon being drafted in 1997 by the HOUSTON COMETS, she was the poster girl for the women’s professional basketball league that was in dire need for regular family women to publicize their sport.  SHERYL SWOOPES was the WNBA’s version of a soccer mom, married, with child, and happy to be playing basketball.

All that changed Wednesday when ESPN, The Magazine hit newsstands. In an interview, SWOOPES speaks of her years of frustration and unhappiness that led to her announcement that she was gay.  She claims it was a condition that came to her late in life, sometime in 1998 when her committed relationship to former COMET assistant coach ALISA SCOTT began.  A year or so later SWOOPES was divorced from her husband.

 Are we to believe that this came up suddenly?  Is this a learned behavior, SHERYL?  Were you “converted”?  If this is a lifestyle choice, why not choose to go back into the closet?  Maybe it’s just a lack of religion in your life that has caused this…

 Never mind all that.  SHERYL is new to this, and it took guts, at least for her, to come out as an active WNBA player.  She’s not the first active WNBA player to come out.  SUE WICKS has that honor for her revelations in 2002.  But the league must be shaking in their (construction) boots.  I mean, if SHERYL is gay, who in the WNBA isn’t?

 But that’s not the story either.  The story is really that gay people come from all walks of life.  They very often are high achievers, those you might not think of as being gay.  Gay people are your brothers and sisters, your friends, and sometimes your heroes.  Stereotypes are not always accurate and discrimination of gays and lesbians must end.

 Her coach VAN CHANCELLOR in a news release put it nicely, “What she does in her personal life is her own decision.”  And none of anyone’s business.  But until we recognize gays and lesbians as full and complete citizens with all the rights and privileges as the rest of us, announcements like this will make headlines.

 SHERYL SWOOPES coming out moves us one step closer to that end.  Good for her.

The LAKERS opened the books on the new season, as they addressed the media Monday before jetting off to Hawaii for training camp, which commenced Tuesday.

 KOBE BRYANT posed with teenager, ANDREW BYNUM, as well as with big KWAME BROWN, acquired from the Washington Wizards for CARON BUTLER and CHUCKY ATKINS.  Both BYNUM and BROWN will try to further wean this city off our SHAQ fix. 

 It’s like PHIL JACKSON never left, as he and TEX WINTER posed with the other 6 on the coaching staff.  PHIL and KOBE downplayed any animosity.  They are on the same page, at least on day 1 of this new experiment.

 BRYANT summed it up best, “We both know what we need to do.  We’re both determined to make it happen.”

 We shall see…

 The first  pre-season game is October 11^th, and away we go!

How badly does PAT RILEY want a championship for South Beach?  After falling just shy of the NBA Championship last year, RILEY has been on a spending binge, adding NBA veterans ANTOINE WALKER, JASON WILLIAMS, GARY PAYTON as well as JAMES POSEY, GERALD FITCH, 1^st round draft pick WAYNE SIMIEN, EARL BARON, along with NBS-D league Florida Flames players DARIUS RICE and KEVIN BRASWELL to compliment SHAQUILLE O’NEAL in Miami.

 In the off-season the HEAT extended the options of their superstar DWYANE WADE and on again off again ALONZO MOURNING.  In a largely ignored development, SHAQUILLE O’NEAL’S contract was extended without disclosure of the terms.  “I’m very excited about my new contract with the HEAT,” SHAQ commented.  This contract allows me to address all of my family’s long term financial goals while allowing the HEAT the ability to acquire those players that we need to win a championship.”

 Those players seem to be 3-point shooters to surround O’NEAL, and score when he can’t dunk the ball on an easy lay-in.  Recall SHAQ was largely a non-factor in the playoffs last year, hampered by injuries and foul problems late in the critical games.

 DWYANE WADE on the other hand nearly carried the HEAT into the finals single-handedly.  What the HEAT really need is to build a team around him, not SHAQ.

 When asked this week about the accumulation of players by the HEAT, LAKER coach PHIL JACKSON calmly replied, “I really haven’t looked at their roster as a group and a whole and wondered how they’ll function.  I suppose you’d have to see it function on the floor before you can make any judgments.  They obviously feel like they really need 3-point shooters around SHAQ and they’ve got that.”

 He doesn’t sound overly concerned, does he?

 The HEAT opened their preseason last night by beating the defending champion SAN ANTONIO SPURS 103-101 in a charity game in Miami.  Rookie KEVIN BRASWELL hit the winning basket on a breakaway lay-in at the buzzer.  Proceeds from the game went to Hurricane Katrina relief.