It's hard to miss a 7-foot, tattooed covered red head in the middle of Target.

After missing the Bakersfield Jam home opener Thursday to attend a personal matter in Seattle, Robert Swift is back in Bakersfield. I saw the former Garces and Bakersfield High standout with my own two eyes Saturday morning.

I didn't ask the former first-round pick if in fact he'd be playing in tonight's Jam game against Utah. I wasn't going to go all TMZ on him between pet food aisles.

I returned to my Indiana high school basketball roots for one half Thursday night. A small gymnasium that seats less than 500, where fans are right on top of the players. Where you could hear both head coaches barking orders as they diagram plays during timeouts, where you can hear the point guard shout out the offense as he dribbled up the court, where you occasionally have to duck to avoid a basketball swatted or errantly passed in your direction.

But for every one of those return-to-glory-day dreams, there were moments where I remembered just where I was at. This wasn’t Hoosier Hysteria, this was the NBA D-League’s newest marketing strategy. The constant “Pump Up the Jam” during every Jam offensive possession. (Note to Jam sound guy, please stop!). Former Boston Celtics second-round pick Orien Greene’s two-handed dunk on a fastbreak. The reflection of neon beer signs off the glass on the second floor balcony.

Then, a tap on my shoulder by a young waitresses asking "Excuse sir, can I get you something to drink or eat."

Even though I was sitting courtside, and trying to play the part of one of Bakersfield's high rollers, the only thing I had in my wallet were a couple of maxed out or nearly maxed out credit cards, my Picture Perfect membership card, and a receipt from Wednesday's lunch meeting with my wife at Jersey Mike's.

I politely tell her "No thanks you,” and return to watching the game. I was right on top of the action. Thankfully, I didn’t get the lap dance that Herb Benham wrote about in today’s newspaper, but I had to toss a basketball back to an official once after an errant Utah shot.

I’ve sat close at NBA games before. My wife and I had tickets 5 rows off the court behind the baseline at a Charlotte Bobcats game. Her and one of our close friends even made the video board that night. Thankfully, the video guy knew better than to show my ugly mug on the screen.

But this was courtside, Jack Nicholson territory.

This was my first time in the Jams Event Center since it opened its doors. I’ve seen plenty of artists renderings and the photos of owner Stan Ellis overlooking the facility. But until you step in the facility, you have no idea what to expect.

Last year before the season started, I took a tour of the facility with then-head coach Scott Roth and team co-owner David Higdon. It wasn’t much of a tour. We walked out of the Jam’s office conference room, and looked to the west. There was an empty dirt lot with plenty of big dreams. The ground was just being excavated with pink, orange and white flags charting the course. Roth said this was going to be the Jam’s new practice facility, and boasted it was going to be the best practice facility in the D-League.

How things have changed? Roth now an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, and the best practice facility in the D-League is now the team’s game facility.

One of the biggest concerns I have is just what will fan participation be like when the Jam need to make a defensive stand in the fourth quarter. Will there be enough crowd noise to drown out the opposition’s offense? What about when an opponent is shooting a game-changing free throw? 

Back home 450 rabid fans were enough to pop a few eardrums in some of the tiny gymnasiums. You could practically re-direct a shot with just a few shrieks from pre-pubescent middle-schooler. Just think fictional metropolis Hickory in the movie Hoosiers. There were games that you needed earmuffs for the game and of course for the long drive home during the winter.

But while the Jam made a run in the middle of the second quarter, only a few of the fans got off their posteriors and cheered with each basket. There were, in fact, fans in the gym but for the first game, it was a businessman's special atmosphere. Quiet, reserved and too busy talking shop to realize the fact that the point guard for Utah played alongside Stephon Curry at Davidson last year. Or that Jordan Brady played against CSUB last year.

Maybe the Jam could bring in a heckler. Someone to taunt the opposition. Get inside a guy’s head.

The Jam Events Center, or as ESPN 1230's Corey Costello refers to it, "The Jamnasium," is still a work in progress. If you’re fortunate enough to get a ticket, don’t pass it up. You’ll be impressed with what the D-League has to offer for little town of Bakersfield.

Didn't need a 10 a.m. press conference to announce the cities and dates for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. Just had to open my e-mail this morning. Here's a few excerpts from the press release sent over by Nicole Okoneski with Golin Harris, one of the marketing firms with the Tour.

Beginning with a road stage, a first for the race, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, while other cities along the route also will have the opportunity to witness the excitement of elite professional cycling.  Stages for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California include:

• Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 – Nevada City to Sacramento
• Stage 2: Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa
• Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz
• Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto
• Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 – Visalia to Bakersfield
• Stage 6: Friday, May 21 – Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
• Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles (individual time trial)
• Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills

For further information on the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.

I'm still going to the press conference. Will know more in a few minutes.

Who woulda thunk a kid from central Indiana, where basketball gets first billing for 364 days of the year -- the Indianapolis 500 has its one day -- would become a hockey fan. From working as public relations gopher with the Peoria Rivermen for a season, to covering numerous Charlotte Checker games to marrying a girl from Roseau, Minn.; hockey has grown on me. It's gotten to the point where my oldest son thinks we're going to a hockey game anytime we drive downtown.

But these past 2 weeks of talking with Condors beat guy Mike Griffith and listening to Condors media guru Kevin Bartl describe the talent on this year's team has me primed for the season to start tonight.

I'm excited about the Condors season, and I think the community should too.

For the first time since joining the ECHL, the Condors will have a roster full of NHL-caliber players. Sure they've had guys like Yutaka Fukufuji and Connor James earn a spot in the NHL. And Alexandre Bolduc has had a swig of Molson in the NHL but those were just one standout on rosters of "just keeping the dream alive" Double-A talent.

This year's roster is like a freshman sorority girl at an off-campus party -- LOADED.

Winger Shawn Weller, defensemen John de Gray and Eric Regan, along with goaltender Justin Pogge are proven commodities at the AHL level. Stu Bickell, MacGregor Sharp and newest Condor Dan Sexton excelled at the collegiate level. And we can't forget Pogge has seven games in net with the Toronto Maple Leafs. And then you have the Ducks' 2007 first-round pick Logan Macmillan, third-rounder Maxine Macenauer and goalie Timo Pielmeier joining the Ducks' organization after successful stints in juniors.

In a year, you might see a two or three former Condors playing with the big boys in Anaheim.

Better hop on the bandwagon while there's still room. I just grabbed four spots for myself and my family. 

Bakersfield's No. 2 Sprint Cup driver appears on his way out of Richard Childress Racing.

Casey Mears, a Stockdale High graduate and nephew of IndyCar legend Rick Mears, signed a one-year contract with RCR, with a an option for a second in 2008, but without a sponsor RCR will likely have to trim a car from its four-car stable, according to ESPN's David Newton.

His one-year stint with Bakersfield's Kevin Harvick, dubbed this season by The Californian as The Boys of Bakersfield could be canceled after just one season. 

Funding has been suppressed by General Motors' misfortunes, and with the loss of longtime sponsor Jack Daniel's, Mears is likely the odd-man out, despite being 19th in the points standings and having nine Top-15 finishes, including a sixth-place finish at Michigan in August.

Actually I think the most telling quote in this story is Childress' second one. Considering Childress won't rule out replacing Mears because a sponsor doesn't believe Mears' is an ideal candidate.

"It all depends on sponsorship," Childress said. "Casey has done a good job. It's just unfortunate circumstances around Jack Daniel's to have to leave the sport."

For almost the entire second half of the Minnesota-San Francisco game, I heard Brett Favre called every name my wife could conjure up. Her Scandinavian heritage really came out Sunday. There was a point, I think she was looking for a Ulfberht sword so she could gash our TV. It was comical, yet scary.

"I can't believe people are rooting for this guy. They're cheering for the anti-Christ." was one of the  more memorable of her remarks. Well of the ones, that are fit to print.

With every throw in the field turf, behind his intended receiver or even 5 yards out of bounds; I even started to believe her wild conspiracy theory.

Just what if in Week 8 or 9, Favre rips off his Vikings jersey to reveal a No. 4 Packers jersey and says, "The joke's on you! Long live Green Bay." Then proceed to walk out of the conference, escorted by his security detail, a society of Packers fans that have been living underground in Minnesota for years. 

After failing to lead the Vikings to a touchdown winning drive in the game's final 4 minutes, my wife was convinced the fix was in. While I wasn't convinced about the fix, I was sure the game was over.

But it didn't take long for my wife (a loyal Vikings fan since birth) to go from effing Favre to Simply Favrelous. It was under 5 seconds or however it took for journeyman receiver Greg Lewis to secure Favre's touchdown pass and drag his right foot in the back of the end zone.

Favre Being Favre is exactly what Vikings fans can expect of their 40-year-old quarterback. Now, if I can just get my wife to understand.

With just 9 races left in the season, the rumors of potential free-agent moves for 2010 are circulating in the NASCAR community. While Bakersfield's Casey Mears' name isn't on the top of the list, his ride is.

Bobby Labonte and Elliot Sadler have surfaced as candidates to replace Mears in the No. 07 car in 2010.

Mears joined fellow Bakersfield driver Kevin Harvick when he signed a 3-year contract with Richard Childress Racing last season. Mears currently sits 20th in the points standings with 3 top 10 finishes for the season and 3 top 15 finishes in the last 6 races, which is a good sign that the Stockdale High graduate and new crew chief Todd Berrier are working well together.

But for the first time since the start of the 10-race playoff, RCR was shut out of the Chase. To make matters worse, RCR has already lost financial support from General Motors, and now primary sponsor Jack Daniels' announced today that it will not extend its sponsorship with RCR's No. 07 team. Shell/Pennzoil has also been rumored to be leaving the NASCAR circuit. The losses of primary sponsors, along with GM's support, has internet and NASCAR folks wondering if RCR can support a four-car stable.

Only a few of Harvick's and Mears' closest confidants know the true relationship between the two Bakersfield boys but after swapping crew chiefs seven races into the season both drivers have produced better finishes in the second half. Childress has said more changes are in store if the swap didn't work.

Pulling the plug on Mears would seem strange given his late surge but then again so is NASCAR. 

It appears the Indianapolis Colts are signing Hank Baskett, husband of Playboy model and former Girls Next Door celebrity Kendra Wilkinson, to fill the void left by the injury to slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez. While the move would add at least one attractive female to the players' wifes and girlfriends seating section, it's not good news for a former Bakersfield College standout.

Receiver Taj Smith, who briefly was Bakersfield College's all-time and single-season receptions leader, was an early favorite to be activated. He'll likely maintain his spot on the Colts' practice squad but for guy trying to make it in the NFL getting passed over by a guy off the street has to be a humbling experience.

In case you missed the brief in Thursday's sports, Bakersfield High graduate Rodney Wright was released from the Kansas CIty Chiefs practice squad on Wednesday. Wright has an ArenaBowl Championship ring with the San Jose SaberCats, and was hoping to land a spot with the Chiefs as a kick returner/receiver.

Sorry folks, I'm not linking to any Kendra Wilkinson photos. But it's not like they're hard to find on any search engine.

The Bakersfield Jam waited a little longer than three days to rise from the dead but the scale-downed business model appears to be winner in theory. Will Bakersfield's fickle market be a true test to whether other D-League teams dip their toes in the proverbial stormy sea? D-League commissioner Dan Reed believes this is the right time and right city.

Moving from cavernous Rabobank Arena to its $2 million practice facility for home games will cut costs and create a "in-your-face" atmosphere but it will come at a cost for casual fans.

Limited seating should drive the price up for seats, and the Jam ownership group is attempting to court 'business associates' with courtside seats, executive suites and luxury lofts.

So what do you think?

That thud you heard this morning was either one of two things:

A) Dodgers fan hitting the floor after hearing or reading, whatever your median of choice is nowadays, that Manny Ramirez will be suspended 50 games for violating MLB's drug policy.

B) Yankees fans hitting the floor after hearing or reading, whatever your median of choice is nowadays, that Manny Ramirez will be suspended 50 games for violating MLB's drug policy.

I think we can all understand the Dodgers' thud but why the Yankees? That was from jumping in jubilation. Alex Rodriguez can now focus on baseball for a change rather than dismiss every other question in a postgame interview.

This has become a pattern for all past and present major leaguers that have been involved, directly or indirectly, with PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs).

Barry Bonds slipped out the back door and away from media scrutiny once Roger Clemens' former personal trainer took the stand and exposed Roger's drug use last year. Then, it was Miguel Tejada's little run-in with lying under oath to Congress at the start of spring training that had everyone forgetting about Clemens. Then Tejada was a thing of the past, once the latest revelation of Alex Rodriguez's drug use was released in hardbound form 'A-ROD.' 

Now, Man-Ram's saga will take media resources off A-Rod for a few weeks, months, well at least 50 games.

That's great news for the Yankees, who will have to climb out of a small hole in the AL East  in hopes of making a run at the postseason.