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Hasheem Thabeet a Work in Progress

Raw Like Sushi was the name of a Neneh Cherry album. It also could end up being the title for the Hasheem Thabeet rookie highlight video.

Of course, if you think this guy is green now, Memphis coach Lionel Hollins says you should have been around for his first workout after the Grizzlies took the 7-foot-3, 267-pound Connecticut center with the No. 2 pick in last June's draft.

"He was really bad,'' Hollins said. "Even though he's a shot blocker, he only had to stand in the paint in college. Now you've got guys attacking you and how you have to go meet them, he knew none of that. He had no footwork. He had no jump hook. He had nothing. And I can say that out of all the rookies in this draft, he probably has come the farthest. He has the farthest to go, and he still has a long ways to go.''

FanHouse Minute: A Tour Bus Made for Ants

Missed us over the weekend? Yeah, we missed you too. In this edition of the FanHouse Minute, let "This Suit Is Not Black" guide you through the latest on the NBA's mini tour bus and how she's a better runner than Hideki Okajima, as only she can.

(FanHouse Minute is your 60-second rundown of the top five headlines that you didn't get to see. Check back here every week for the latest installment, and watch this week's video after the jump.)

FanHouse TV: NBA Tip-Off 08

There's nothing I enjoy more than trudging my way through pouring rain to huddle under a small tent with people I don't know to wait to speak with people who, as a general rule, want nothing to do with me. But I hold my commitment to FanHouse with too much gravity to stay safe in a warm (dry) bed, so I made the trek to New York City's Union Square for the NBA Tip-Off 08 presented by KIA Motors Basketball Celebration on Tuesday and, with the exception of the weather (and maybe David Stern), it wasn't a disappointment.

Video, and some details, after the jump.

FanHouse TV: NBA Tip-Off 08

There's nothing I enjoy more than trudging my way through pouring rain to huddle under a small tent with people I don't know to wait to speak with people who, as a general rule, want nothing to do with me. But I hold my commitment to FanHouse with too much gravity to stay safe in a warm (dry) bed, so I made the trek to New York City's Union Square for the NBA Tip-Off 08 presented by KIA Motors Basketball Celebration on Tuesday and, with the exception of the weather (and maybe David Stern), it wasn't a disappointment.

Video, and some details, after the jump.

Lakers: Bench Mob Visit Unique Hoop Camp

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

In this exclusive video we hear from members of the Lakers as they visit "Hoop Farm", the basketball camp of Jordan Farmar. Luke Walton tells us why he has not played any basketball all summer, while Trevor Ariza thinks it's great for children to meet NBA players. Hoop Farm is a unique basketball camp that teaches its campers much more than awesome basketball skills, here they practice Yoga and learn about going green.

AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Lakers: Bench Mob Visit Unique Hoop Camp

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

In this exclusive video we hear from members of the Lakers as they visit "Hoop Farm", the basketball camp of Jordan Farmar. Luke Walton tells us why he has not played any basketball all summer, while Trevor Ariza thinks it's great for children to meet NBA players. Hoop Farm is a unique basketball camp that teaches its campers much more than awesome basketball skills, here they practice Yoga and learn about going green.

AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Mean Machine: Lakers Star Makes Reporter Do 200 Push-Ups

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

How much of a trick-shot specialist is the Lakers' Sasha Vujacic? FanHouse correspondent Elie Seckbach finds out first-hand through a series of friendly (if not painful) wagers. Proving he's worthy of the nickname "The Machine," Vujacic shows off his impressive marksmanship, and also talks about what he'd be doing if he wasn't a pro hoopster.


Youtube link.

Mean Machine: Lakers Star Makes Reporter Do 200 Push-Ups

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

How much of a trick-shot specialist is the Lakers' Sasha Vujacic? FanHouse correspondent Elie Seckbach finds out first-hand through a series of friendly (if not painful) wagers. Proving he's worthy of the nickname "The Machine," Vujacic shows off his impressive marksmanship, and also talks about what he'd be doing if he wasn't a pro hoopster.


Youtube link.

Earnhardt Jr. 6th Most Popular Sports Star

Not bad for someone who's "not an athlete," huh?

For the fifth time, Dale Earnhardt Jr., ranks among "America's Favorite Sports Stars" in a national poll. Once again, he is the only race car driver in any series worthy of mainstream recognition, further demonstrating his endless marketability.

Even so, he's still not as popular as the thrice-retired Michael Jordan, who is #3 on the list despite not being active in the NBA for four years.

Popularity aside, perhaps by the time Junior retires he can get his resume up to par with those of his peers in popularity:

1.) Tiger Woods
2.) Derek Jeter
3.) Michael Jordan
4.) Brett Favre
5.) LeBron James
6.) Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7.) Tim Duncan
8.) Peyton Manning
9.) Kobe Bryant
10.) Tom Brady

Which is to say he needs a championship to make it look legit. (Lebron, too.)

Team Hendrick: 2008 Starting Lineup

Hendrick Motorsports 2008 Starting Lineup
Point Guard: Jeff Gordon
Shooting Guard: Jimmie Johnson
Small Forward: Casey Mears
Power Forward: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Center: Rick Hendrick

I suppose it might be difficult for the NASCAR-challenged to understand the magnitude of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s announcement that he will sign with Hendrick Motorsports, currently the most dominant team in NASCAR.

In an attempt to help those unfamiliar with the sport, many have attempted to put things in perspective with sports analogies:

Eddie Gossage, Texas Motor Speedway President - "With Dale Earnhardt Jr. joining Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick Motorsports it is like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird playing together in their prime."

Jenna Fryer, AP Auto-Racing Writer - Now they've got Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the four-car stable has turned into NASCAR's version of the New York Yankees.

But would you believe there are still those out in the world who don't understand the value of NASCAR's most popular driver?

John Swansburg, Associate Editor, Slate: "The instant analysis on ESPN2 yesterday was that Junior's move was somehow like Clemens going to the Yankees, the first time around. But such comparisons are by necessity tortured ones, because there is really no analogue for Dale Jr. Has any other professional sport ever been so dependent on an athlete who wasn't close to being the best in the game? ... To offer my own tortured analogy, he's as famous as Tiger Woods and as good as Scott Verplank."

Of course, Swansburg's analogy is flawed. Why? Because I've never even heard of Verplank. Maybe that's supposed to be the point, and to be fair, I don't really follow golf. But I think the writer would be hard pressed to find a single golf fan who has never heard of Earnhardt Jr.

I'll go one further and say that I even resent this analogy, because this fan still believes that Junior is the fifth-most talented driver in the garage. But now that he'll be back on a powerhouse team, even I expect him to prove he has the driving skills, as he has in the past. I have no doubt he is up to the challenge.

I also have no doubt that HMS will be the team to beat in 2008.

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