Beno Udrih clearly has issues with Gregg Popovich, as this Sam Amick story in The Bee illuminates. And honestly, I don't blame Beno. It's not his fault he always came up lame.

But you can't blame the Spurs either — as we've seen with some of our youngsters in the recent past, you can only wait so long. When you cut the line, sometimes it nips your ass (Gerald Wallace). Sometimes, it turns out OK (Jason Williams). Sacramento will be making similar decisions about Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby in the near future, either in the trade game or once restricted free agency arrives. Hell, Geoff Petrie will likely be forced to pick a side on Beno this summer. (I'll ask you to do the same in the new poll on the front page.)

Beno, in different circumstances, might be a savior. I think we've been hard on him — I know I've been hard on him. This is weird, because if in July Amick wrote Petrie'd be dropping a talented young 24-year-old point guard with decent-to-good offensive instincts, I'd be like 'Hallelujah!' Petrie has essentially done this — Beno has fair assist numbers, good turnover numbers and if he'd pick up/abandon the three-point shooting, he'd be a league average player. All this with a recovering digit and completely new set of teammates to run with.

Why aren't we more excited? Do we preemptively imagine Udrih's success will lead to 'no more Udrih in Sacramento?' Do we look and see another Mike Bibby, albeit one which does not shoot particularly well? Are we so solely concentrated on the homegrown talent (Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia, Quincy Douby, Spencer Hawes) and the ebbing superstar (Ron Artest) such that we can't be bothered to pay attention to this jolting prospect which was dropped by a Balkan fairy named Vlade?

Hell if I know. Perhaps a 20/10 night against San Antonio will get our attentions. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge. Wink.

Game's at 7 p.m., as you would know if you looked at the sometimes updated schedule on the left sidebar! San Antonio is only a 7.5-point favorite (on the second night of a back-to-back… on the road). Vegas says there's a chance! Let us go Kings!