Cheap Shots #52: When Your Season Is Over Before It Begins.

Oof, my head. Packing preparations plus hangover do not equal good times.

1. Elton Brand’s Achilles puts him out of commission for probably at least half the season. [SPORTSbyBROOKS]
2. More attempts to place Vick and Donaghy in context. [The Starting Five]
3. I had almost forgotten about Chris Jackson/Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, even though I watched plenty of Nuggets and LSU games. [Temple3]
4. If you’re not nabbing Peyton Manning in your upcoming FF draft, here’s who you can take instead. [Pacman Jonesin']
5. A little more understanding as to why child support and alimony for pro athletes is the way it is. [Leave the Man Alone]
6. I’m a David Foster Wallace junkie, so I love the fact that someone has done fake interviews by borrowing one of his conceits. [Stop Mike Lupica]
7. SI’s coverage of Barry Bonds, over the years. [Cosellout]
8. Sports fashion trends that didn’t quite stick. [Doberman on the Diamond]
9. I haven’t linked to any of Extra P’s “Meet This Upcoming Player” series. That stops now. Meet Alex Gordon of the KC Royals. [The Extrapolater]
10. I thought this only happened to rock bands — the Nuggets’ Nene gets ripped off by his manager. [Money Players]
11. Blog Show #18 hits with the Agent Zero pilfering bit to lead off. [Mr. Irrelevant]