Greg Oden, Stop Licking Your Fingers!

Has anyone else noticed the habitual "wetting of fingertips" now being practiced by Portland's Greg Oden? Does anyone else besides me care?

With all the concern over Oden's ligaments and tendons, it would seem that management might show a little more vigilance over his internal well-being.

The floor of a basketball court has to be one of the most germ-infested surfaces in sport. With all the spitting, sweating, bleeding and oozing, the hardwood is a virtual cornucopia of microscopic vermin.

Follow the chain of progreSSion: (oops...sorry...it's hard to type wearing latex gloves)

From the floor, to the ball, to the hands, to the mouth; Greg...please! You've faced Shaq, Biedrins, and Garnett. As a Blazer fan, I don't want to see you go down at the intimidation of a tiny virus or bacteria.

Is my judgment being clouded by an overexposure to this can of Lysol propellants, or do I really have a beef here?

I understand the concept of "resistance by exposure." Certainly the very act of breathing should introduce all the foreign bugs we need.

What Oden is doing is flinging wide the gates, lubricating the threshold with saliva, and then entreating all who would enter, "Let's par-tay!"

As stewards of a valuable professional commodity (and human being), it would serve management and staff well to take Oden aside and instruct him in the merits of personal hygiene...or issue him a year's supply of Purell.

Trail Blazer trainers went the extra mile in making sure Oden's recovery from micro-fracture surgery was complete. Similar diligence should be exercised in seeing that Oden, indeed the team, avoids any sickness or disease which would keep them from playing.

In summary, allow me to end with this: "A word to the wise is sufficient."

Besides, I've got to go. I'm missing my favorite show (and hero): "Monk"...