Talk amongst yourselves. Here are some topics.

• SI has a new power poll ranking NBA players. Number 5 is KG.
  

  Kevin Garnett
  If someone was to present to you a roster that included Mark Blount, Mike James and Ricky Davis in its starting lineup, alongside a rotation that featured heavy minutes for Troy Hudson, you'd probably assume it to be among the league's worst defensive outfits. Instead, the 103 points for every hundred possessions Minnesota is giving up ranks third in the NBA. KG is why. Though he's had help from Trenton Hassell and Marko Jaric (!), KG has been all over the place defensively for his 8-9 Timberwolves.

  That was before he shut down number 8 Carlos Boozer

• Andy Pettitte signs with the Yankees for $16 million. Rocket next? If those two guys come in and pitch well, we could hear about Derek Jeter's leadership even more next post season. Then again, if Pettitte is hurt or goes into decline, I wonder if anyone will mention that the Yankees are paying him as much as they are paying A-Rod. Doubt it.
• The Allen Iverson thing has got the league atwitter. He's apparently out in Philly, will he come to Minny? I wouldn't mind it -- but I can't see how the T-Wolves have the package to get him. Apparently, it starts with Foye and James, or if you listen to Marc Stein, Foye and Davis. Okay, where are the other $10 million coming from? Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric? While the thought of losing those guys is enticing, if Iverson would get hurt, who plays?

  Iverson has three years left on his deal at a ton of money, but hell, those guys suck. Plus, KG and Iverson could lure someone with a mid-level exception next year. Iverson and Rickey Davis would be a pair of ball hogs, but Alley I would throw the ball to KG, I think, once in a while. I'm for it. I'm for it because I don't think the Wolves have anything outside of KG to trade, so if they can dump some driftwood for AI, they should do it.

  The NY Times reports that Iverson has indicated that a trade to Minnesota, where he would be with forward Kevin Garnett, would be attractive to him. Both are former M.V.P.’s who have never won a championship. The Timberwolves are said to be dangling Troy Hudson (making $6 million) and may have to include the rookie Randy Foye. Hudson for Iverson! They'd love Huddy in Philly! Knott.

• Last night, Lucy and I went out for a little late night snack to a place called Bonfire in Eagan. They have live music there sometimes, I think on weekend nights. Anyway, there was a guy singing in a Joe Cocker meets Lou Reed voice. I mean, cut back to four packs a day, dude! He was singing "Something" by the Beatles. I suppose some would like to hear that, but I was thinking about the original with George Harrison and I'm saying that if he's going to sing Beatles songs, he ought to stick with the Ringo numbers. Doing a little research on that number, I found that it's reportedly the only Beatles song that Frank Sinatra ever performed.
• Speaking of which, it was 26 years ago yesterday that John Lennon was killed. I didn't find out about it until the next morning. I turned on the radio and Imagine was on the radio. After the song was over, I heard the news. It's hard to believe that that much time has gone by. I've never been a huge Beatles fan, but recently this photo has been on my mind.
  

  I find this image to be stunning. I just really like it. This photograph is just about as old as I am. At the time, I'm sure it was viewed as a great PR shot, but now it looks like an iconic image of a time that is now long passed and never to return.

  I guess as I was sitting there last night listening to a bad rendition of a Beatles tune I further realized that I'm getting old. I don't want to hear new popular music. I want to listen to the old stuff. I want to turn it to the oldies station. I never succumbed to the country music thing, thank God, but I'll listen to the '60s music forever, thank you very much.

• In actuality, I'm too young to remember the Beatles. I was only about five or so when they broke up, so I never heard their albums as they were released. I don't really remember the Stones when they were THE STONES, you know, making albums that could make you just smile with appreciation. In one sense, I guess that I was born late. Maybe being born in 1946 would have been a good thing. Then again, had I been born in 1946, I might have died over in Vietnam. So, I guess I'll take being born at a time when the Stones and Beatles were gripping the world. I'll appreciate the music and realize that I was lucky to have missed out on that disaster.