02/23 Quickie: Melo, Cam, NBA Trades, Caltech!

First of all, the story of the day HAS to be Caltech snapping a 26-year, 310-game conference losing streak last night. See the video of the celebration here.

Carmelo, cont'd: Knicks debut tonight -- that won't be overhyped or anything. Meanwhile, the Nuggets -- without Melo OR the ex-Knicks -- scored 120 and routed the Grizzlies. Presented without comment.

I'm going to say that the only reason the wheels won't fall off the Knicks' (ahem) .500 season is Chauncey Billups. If it was just Amare and Melo? I'm still skeptical.

Cam Newton professes to want to be "an entertainer and icon." And I have no problem whatsoever with him saying this, even before the draft. Even if humorless draftniks and football writers think it's inappropriate or shows a lack of... something. They all dance around it, some more cleverly than others. But it's not to their credit, that's for sure.

The fact is that I want my NFL QB to aspire to be the most successful player ever. I want him doing a million TV ads, like Peyton Manning. I want him living a jet-setting lifestyle, like Tom Brady. And the fact is: Cam Newton IS the most talented QB in this draft. And he DOES have a massive amount of NFL upside (of course, playing for the Panthers or Bills can ruin even the most promising career). I don't mind the attitude. He HAD to have known it would drive people crazy. If he didn't, THAT says more about him than the statement itself.

Dave Duerson, cont'd: This story continues to be the most troubling of any during the NFL's brain-injury epidemic. This latest, in today's NY Times, is tough. More will come out. (And already has.)

Jim Calhoun's 3-game suspension from NCAA... next year: His intransigence in the face of a smackdown -- no matter how ridiculously softly the NCAA wants to euphemize it -- suggests that he probably deserves worse, if only for not recognizing that there was a problem.

Much, much more throughout the day. Stick with Quickish to keep up with all of it.

-- D.S.