Those are our dogs, Sasha and Jade. They're older now and not nearly as cute. I've always been told that when you go looking for donations, cute kills, so you get a three year old photo.

First things first. I'm writing this with no prompting from TZ. He and Mrs. Ziller are huge in their support of the SPCA, but TZ also has this "separation of church and state" thing when it comes to StR, and he won't beat the drum in your ear until it bleeds. Also, if you never make a donation, that does not make you a bad person, not in today's economy.

But it is because of this crappy economy that the SPCA is hurting for donations, especially with hundreds of people having to give up their pets due to losing their homes to foreclosure and being unable to find housing that allows pets. I can't imagine having to give up our girls. I remember the scenes of the lost pets after Hurricane Katrina and it broke my heart.

So, give if you can and don't sweat it (too much) if you can't. This a basketball blog, for God's sake, not the Red freakin' Cross for pets, right? Our goal is $999 and we have five months left, so $159 a month will get us there. Do it for Geoff Petrie (an ardent SPCA supporter). Do it for Ron-Ron (ditto!). Do it for draft karma. Do it for Sasha and Jade. The link is on the left side of the StR front page, and it's really, really easy.

My donation this month will be in honor of the college uniform numbers worn by the top five players that you would pick at #12 (based on yesterday's article/poll): Russsell Westbrook (#0 – D'oh!), Darrell Arthur (#00 – D'oh, D'oh!!), D.J. Augustin (#14), Marreese Speights (#34) and Joe Alexander (#11). Karma, karma, karma…