I think it's time for the notes to come back. I feel the season approaching. Only 62 days!

• One-time King Loren Woods had a 2008-09 contract with Houston ... but got out of it to play with Lithuania's top club. Henry Abbott has the interview.
• More TrueHoop: Abbott considers the 2010 USA Basketball roster. Kevin Martin figures prominently. (Also discussed in this FanPost by tokyo.) Similarly, Scott Howard-Cooper thinks Martin's chance are good.
  
• Ron Artest looks neat in Rockets red.
  
• Kelly Dwyer has bon mots for Tizzy. So does Geoff Petrie (through Ailene Voisin).
  
• The wonderful gents behind We Are the Postmen have kicked off an excellent new blog at MOUTHPIECE Sports. (Yeah, caps!) Check it out.
• We in Sacramento might get A's games on Comcast SportsNet West. If that cuts into CSNW's campy fishing shows, so help me ...
• The Maloofs fund a renovation of an old firehouse in Lincoln, which will become a much-needed youth center.