Disclaimer: This post is a whole lot of SFW about my blog’s past and future. If you don’t want to read it all (and who could blame you if you don’t) just do this — if you visit here, link to me or read me in your RSS reader — please change from inanemusings.com to nbamusings.com to keep the musings flowing. Muchas gracias!

A few months ago, I had the bright idea to change the name of this blog from “inane musings” to “nba musings” because it occured to me that my thoughts and opinions weren’t any more inane than anyone else’s (not to mention that I found it disturbing that people were finding my site through Google searches on “insane musings”) and most of my blog posts were about the NBA. Made perfect sense at the time. Now, I realize I’ve penned myself in and my offseason musings on Chad Ochocinco and the like don’t make as much sense being on a supposedly NBA-focused blog. I considered changing the name of the blog for a 3rd time, but decided against it since it would require another Twitter username change, new Gmail address, blah blah blah. The world (or the 3 of you who read my blog) will just have to live with my cockeyed blog naming fail.

Anyway, when I changed the name to nbamusings.com, I had no idea how to export my Wordpress databases so I created an alias domain so I wouldn’t have to bother with it. That means that this blog appears currently on inanemusings.com and nbamusings.com. But the point of this post and yes, there really is one - is that soon this blog will only appear on nbamusings.com. I exported my databases and am praying that when the two blogs are severed like the proverbial siamese twins that I’ll be able to upload the last year and half worth of musings. So, please update your bookmarks, blogrolls and RSS subcriber settings to nbamusings.com because soon inanemusings.com will be kaput.

Is that a threat? No! It’s a promise!
* Chad Ochocinco claims to have found loopholes in the NFL’s new Twitter policy.

From the AP:

“I’ve been really, really quiet, and there’s a storm coming Sunday. That’s one of the things that I do when I’m back: I have something. I keep you on the edge of your seat.

“NFL, I would like to apologize to you guys early. I understand. I read all the fine print in the letters you sent, but I did find loopholes. I found loopholes.”

I found loopholes. Ah yes, music to my ears. In other words, get ya popcorn ready!

Get the full scoop here: Ochocinco says he has tweet surprise for NFL

ps. I finally got around to watching Ocho’s throwdown with Skip Bayless on ESPN’s First Take. According to ESPN polls, “America” thinks Ocho won the debate by a margin of something like 70%. Well, I think America is on crack. Skip crushed it. I love me some Chad, but he was blatantly overmatched. Besides looking like he was about to cry, he also didn’t have much of a comeback for any of the points Skip made besides admitting he’s a showboat and had a bad season last year. The one good argument he made that I will give him credit for is that the media isn’t in the locker room and make a lot of assumptions based on innuendo and heresay. I believe that’s true. If you missed it, ESPN posted it to YouTube. You have to request the embed code (figures), so here’s the link instead: Ocho Vs. Skip

From Rashad McCants to Lamar Odom. Upgrade!
* Even though I’m still pissed at Lamar for tackling Ray Allen out of bounds two seasons ago (Yes, that’s right. I’m still pissed. Don’t f–k with my boys! Rawrrrr!), I would still have to call this a step up. Not for nothing, but I kind of assumed Lamar was a lot older than Khloe. Turns out she’s 25 and he’s only 29. Hold up. He’s only 29? He seems a LOT older. Maybe because he’s been rattling around the league for so long. Nothing else about this story is particularly interesting though, but hey, it’s a slow news day. Ah well, cheers to the happy couple… or whatever.

More from the gossip honks:

• Khloe Kardashian’s New Romance With Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom
• Khloe Kardashian dating Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom
• Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom: BOA Lovers

If you can’t believe a boozed out bisexual internet phenom, who can you believe?
* Depending on who you believe, Tila Tequila was either choked out and unlawfully restrained by “boyfriend,” Shawne Merriman - or - respectfully detained by an “acquaintance” only interested in keeping her from driving while intoxicated. More on this tawdry tale… Shawne Merriman’s lawyer: LB was seeking ride for ‘extremely intoxicated’ Tila Tequila | NFL’s Merriman accused of choking girlfriend Tila Tequila

Slick Rick
* Rick Fox is joining Melrose Place. And the jokes will clearly just write themselves.

He said, he said
* While I was away from blogdom and Twitterdom, there was a sad and tragic breakup! Ashton & Demi? No, worse! Steph and Mooncricket!! Noooooo! What the heck happened? I can only imagine. Amusingly though, the two decided to take to their respective Twitters to air it out. From what I can gather, Mooncricket got pissed about something and left casa de Starbury. Steph then implored him to come back or at least pick up the phone and call him. Alas though, it appears to be over. Oh the humanity!

Beckett bites the big one (No! I will NOT say, “pause.” That is stupid. STUPID!, I say.)
* My boyfriend, Josh Beckett, appears to be in the midst of a tragic slump. I tried to watch today’s game (CWS 5, BOS 1), but just couldn’t do it. The Josh Beckett that I know and love, rips opposing hitters’ hearts out, throws them to the ground and spits on them. I don’t want to remember him any other way.

A watched kettle finally boils
* Finally! Marquis Daniels signs on the dotted line. I like what I’m hearing from him so far: “Not many people get a chance to play with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace. It’s a good opportunity and I’ll worry about the money later. Right now we have to worry about one thing, and that’s winning the championship this season.” Sounds like a smart guy to me. Now, lets get this season started! I’m tired of waiting. This off-season has been WAY TOO LONG! More from Boston.com: Celtics get their man

ps. Brad Penny sucks weenies
* Don’t you just love it when a guy loses games for you all season long, then gets released and pitches gems for their new team? You don’t? Yeah, me either. Suck it, Brad Penny!!

^ I won’t miss these god awful puns… at all! ^

Say it ain’t so, Ocho
* He’ll be back. Like a moth to the flame…

Just a quick note to let one and all know that I’m going to be on hiatus for the next few days to a week. No! Stop crying.. back away from that ledge. I’ll be back!

In the meantime, here are some places to kick it, recommended by moi…

• Steph is still live streaming (You can watch him sleep. Just pretend that’s not interesting. Keep frontin’ like dat.)
• BDL is doing a great NBA lists series. Like this one. (Check out #1 suckas!)
• My boy, Rey-Rey and his SoCal posse have moved to their very own brand spankin’ new shiny domain. You best check it out and say yo, yo.
• This post from Sarah (@ticktock6) at HornetsHype.com made me teary. If it doesn’t make you verklempt, you have a cinder block for a heart.
• Another great NBA Withdrawals list from Nat at Heels On Hardwood. I concur on Barkley. He was made for Twitter. Chuck! The mothership is calling you!

Just read this gem in today’s ESPN.com Hollinger chat:

Chris (Nevada)

Best in East in order 1) Magic 2) Celts 3) Cleveland. Tell me im correct

John Hollinger  (3:07 PM)

I think it’s basically a dead heat between Orlando and Cleveland at the top; I have to pick one of them eventually but will take my sweet time. Boston to me is clearly third in the pecking order based on their age issues and the uncertainty with how Garnett can come back. The other oddity about the East is the rock-paper-scissors nature of the match-ups last season — Orlando beats Cleveland, Cleveland beats Boston, Boston beats Orlando. If that holds up this season, playoff seedings could matter even more than usual.

Oh no he didn’t! Thems fightin’ words baby!

How can Stan Van Gundy whine about not being respected when all these mainstream sports honks are ranking his team above the Celtics? My main issue with all this ranking bs is that its impossible to tell yet how these teams’ new additions are going to pan out. The Shaq & LeBron major monster ego collide could be a disaster. Vince Carter could tear an ACL or get a hangnail. Sheed could punch a ref. Come on now. It’s completely unpredictable!

I realize they get paid to make predictions, but I just don’t see how you put the Boston Celtics third. The team is stacked. Like built-for-another-championship stacked. Maybe, just maybe, I can handle being ranked behind the Cavs, for now… but the Magic? Uh uh. I’m not buying it. No wait, I’m gonna backtrack. I can’t handle being ranked behind the Cavs either.

Grrr! This season can’t start soon enough for me… Hopefully, we’ll quickly separate the chaff from the wheat! Bring. it. on.

ps. Celtics tix went on sale today, but I’m holding off. Last season, I bought 4 tix within the first 2 minutes they went on sale and they were the worst seats in the history of awful seats. I’m going to wait this season and try and grab some better seats that season ticket holders want to sell.

I’m 5′4″ and I could probably guard J.J. Redick
* In an article in today’s WaPo, Washington Redskins star, DeAngelo Hall brags about shutting down J.J. Redick back in their AAU days about 10 years ago. Hilariously, he seems to think this was a great accomplishment. I hate to break it to him, but an egg salad sandwich could have guarded J.J. provided it had its running shoes on to chase him around screens all night. I can see if he beat Kobe one-on-one or something, but come on now. What’s next? Boasting about beating his grandma at Wii? Full article: Hall Claims He Gave J.J. Redick ‘That Work’

Personally, I think picking your favorite Yankee is like choosing a favorite turd, but that’s just me
* Mike Lupica thinks Derek Jeter is having a “season for the ages.” Puke. No, I have nothing else to say on the subject. I’m mainly posting this to compare Yankees to turds. Carry on. [H/T Deadspin] Full article: Yankees captain Derek Jeter having season for ages at 35

You mean Shaq isn’t really the lovable baffoon we all think he is? What hell, you say?
* The Arizona Republic’s Dan Bickley takes on the Big Shaqtus and has a word of warning for the city of Cleveland about welcoming a guy who hasn’t exactly ever embraced the sidekick role with open arms over the years. Even though some of this comes off as a personal attack born from sour grapes, I still found it insightful. Shaq definitely has a way of wiping away all past sins with his sense of humor and charisma. Full article: Bickley: Cleveland, beware of Shaq the Hack

Last, but certainly not least…
* Happy 75th Birthday, Tommy Heinsohn! More love for Tommy: CelticsBlog, LOY’s Place

No, not for his sometimes wacky behavior on Justin.tv, because that’s awesome. I’m talking about his background collages. This one looks like he was posing for Glamour Shots at the local mall.

Source: http://www.justin.tv/starburytv

It also gives me the heebie jeebies to see people’s eyes in extreme closeup. *shiver*

Source: NBA.com

My only beef here is where are the little basketballs at the end of the antennae? That’s my favorite part of the logo. Deadspin thinks Crusher looks like Nightmare Ant. I think they’re right. I wonder if Crusher is on Twitter yet? I tried following Nightmare Ant on Twitter for awhile, but he was one scary ass mo fo.

Related links:

• NBA Development League: Crusher
• CMSB: Crusher Set Free At Hadlock
• Deadspin: Meet Crusher, Nightmare Ant’s Crustacean Relation

Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out (and take all those horrid penny puns with you!)
* The Associated Press is reporting that Tim Wakefield will take over Brad Penny’s spot in the Red Sox rotation starting Wednesday night against the Chicago White Sox. Penny upchucked last night’s game against the New York Yankees in grand fashion, which was the icing on the cake of a really putrid tenure for him with the team. I really don’t see how the Smoltz/Penny 2009 era could be viewed as anything less than an unmitigated disaster. With both of them finally out of the picture, maybe the Red Sox have a chance to get back on track. When I think back on Penny’s time here, even more than the horror show that was last night’s loss to Satan’s baseball team, I will remember this gem of a conversation I had with my mother about him early in the season: 

Mom: Where the hell did this Henny Penny come from?
Me: I don’t know. Last I remember, he was pitching for some California team and dating Alyssa Milano.
Mom: That doesn’t narrow it down.

Ha. When you’re right, you’re right.

Adios, Brad. I hope.