Pollack, who you may know from McSweeney's, The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature or Never Mind the Pollacks, is the most well-known Suns fan I know of. (Also, you may know him as the Greatest Living American Writer. Have I mentioned that?) Thus, I lobbied him to contribute to the fantasical preview of the Pacific you are reading now.

He kindly obliged, and the unembarassing parts of our email exchange follow:

This conversation happened on Monday, Oct. 10. Amare's microfracture surgery, complete with the announcement he would miss 4 months, was Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Sacramento, Los Angeles and Oakland: You're welcome.

TZ's Prediction: Neal Pollack will slowly morph into Steve Bartman. The gorilla will put a hit out on Pollack. Neal will thusly be known as the "Greatest Non-living American Writer," supplanting Dr. Atkins.

Oh, and the Suns will finish 2nd in the division and something like 6th in the conference. And they'll beat the Nuggets in the first round but then get punished by Kenny Thomas and the Kings. KT hungry. Hungry for $2.99 Reno sirloin.