Monday Swellsharks

Hey guys! Here are some things for you, beginning with camp stuff from today.

- Two things about swellsharks. Actually three: 1. They are swell sharks (that was the third thing). 2. They're called swellsharks because they gulp down water to make themselves appear huge when predators come by, sometimes biting their tails simultaneously so they look big, inflated doughnuts. Life rafts, kinda. 3. They are among the species whose empty egg casings wash up on shore as the familiar "mermaid's purses" that scratch your feet on the beach. (Oh, also: Regarding that weird eye, swellsharks are classified as "catsharks".)

- Iman Shumpert scrimmaged today! Also, the blue team described is an interesting hybrid-y sorta lineup we'll certainly see at points this season.

- Interesting little note about Andrea Bargnani and where he likes to position himself. (Sometimes you see a quote and know Chris Herring's got something brewin' because none of the other beat guys would ever get that kind of answer).

- I think Chris Douglas-Roberts deleted my number : (

- Raymond Felton: Pro-point guard tandems?

- Don't expect Mike Woodson to lean really hard on Kenyon Martin this season. Or, at least that's what Woodson's saying now.

- I gave you the whole "they're just being extra cautious" spiel when Amar'e Stoudemire's surgery news came out, but this quietly developed into a thing during training camp: He's not running yet (as of Saturday), and he won't even travel (along with the injured J.R. Smith and Jeremy Tyler) for the early preseason games.

- Speaking of Tyler: Woodson bristled at the suggestion that he's already guaranteed a spot on the team. No guarantees!

- I wouldn't bet on it, but if Chris Smith can actually use the malice of thousands of internet Knicks fans to turn himself into an NBA player, that would be awesome. I want both Smith brothers on the Knicks; I just also want both of them to be good enough to deserve their spots.

- KnicksNow bringin' the goods: Scrimmage highlights from last week and Metta World Peace going around asking his teammates about toes and bananas and stuff. Chris Smith's contemplation of the banana is wonderful. I'm glad KnicksNow exists. I recommend all their videos.

- Catching up with the Junkyard Dog!

- An exceedingly corny Muscle Milk commercial about Tyson Chandler gettin' huge and stuff during the offseason.

- The Knickerbroggers plot their preferred big man rotations.

- Shump isn't called "Rook" anymore!

That's it! Bye!