The player I'm most looking forward to watching this season: Al Thornton. Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images) Ralph's Mailbag

We are starting the season with some new faces. Who are you particularly interested in watching play this season?

Tami,

Josh Powell and Al Thornton are two who are especially interesting prospects. The coaching staff loves them both.

- Ralph

Ralph,

I'm always a Clippers fan, until I go six feet under. I was really bothered by the issue that Elton Brand brought up about how he was asked by the "Clippers brass" if he used performance enhancing drugs. He can opt out of the final year of his contract at the end of this year. Did we burn our bridges with him? I want to see #42 up at Staples Center as the first Clippers player to have his number retired.

Brand

Robert,

Not to worry. No bad blood here. No bridges burned. No hard feelings.

- Ralph

Powell

I'm curious about Josh Powell's game. Which NBA player does he most remind you of in terms of his skill set? How many minutes per game can we expect to see from him while EB is out? Looking forward to hear "Fasten Your Seat Belts", "Oh Me, Oh My", "Bingo" and all your friendly banter with the "legendary" Mike Smith.

Jim,

Regarding Josh, call him a poor man's Elton Brand. He's working hard on his low post game and I think he'll be a very pleasant surprise to Clippers fans. Coach Dunleavy has had his eye of this player for the past couple of years.

- Ralph

Korolev

Jim,

He is a long-shot to make the roster.

- Ralph

Livingston

Ben,

Of course not. Shaun is busy with his rehab and he and the club are anxious to see when and if he can make a come back. His contract issues will be addressed at a more appropriate time.

- Ralph

Ralph,
Are the Clippers back to the days of 20-win seasons?

Jordan,

I don't think so. The team did not fold its tent when Elton Brand suffered his injury. They've worked hard to fill the void with the signing of several veteran players. This team will work very hard and has a chance to surprise a lot of teams. Hang in there.

- Ralph

We are thrilled the Clippers are in Santa Barbara! (Love Sam!) Will there be an exhibition game here?

Love you too Ralph!

Leslie,

It is always great to come up here. No exhibition game, but there will be a scrimmage on Saturday afternoon at SBCC.

- Ralph

Great to have the voice back in '07-08 Ralph. Do you think that this year's team can play big and slow with a line up Kaman, Davis, Thornton, Maggette and Cassell? Some point guard named Dunleavy played on the 1981 Rockets with a similar lineup that went to the finals if I recall properly.

John,

It's more likely that they'll play small. This will be will be a very different Clippers team. They'll run, they'll pick up full court on the defensive end and they'll be fun to watch. This will be a very high energy club. I'm looking forward to watching them.

- Ralph

Ralph,

It's taken me more than 30 years, but I think I've finally figured it out. As a 12-year old in 1975, I called up in response to a radio DJ who said if San Diego could commit to a certain number of season tix it could lure an NBA franchise from Buffalo, and I committed a horrible sin. I intentionally, wrongfully and maliciously pretended to be my father and committed our family to season tickets. I lied, Ralph. I lied to help move an NBA franchise to the sorority girl of cities - sunny, pretty, undeserving San Diego. And I lied to take a franchise away from the woeful, suffering, shivering souls in Buffalo, NY who had nothing - NOTHING - to live for, other than Bob McAdoo and Ernie No-D and Randy Smith and their playoff bound Braves.

My question, oh great one, is this: How many horrors will be inflicted upon this franchise (Danny Manning (knee), Ron Harper (two weeks of Jordan-esque play after trade followed by blown knee), Keith Closs (no injury, just horrors), Shaun, Elton... before my sins will be expurgated and the demons exorcised from this accursed team? (Insert George C. Scott here: "The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!").

Maybe I should do this: I hereby apologize unreservedly to the NBA gods, and, most especially, that evil gypsy woman Braves fan in the City of Buffalo who must have hated me and San Diego and all Clippers fans, for the lies and mistruths which led, in part, to the theft of the Braves from that hellhole in upstate New York. I agree to never, ever pretend to be my father again and I will light a candle to the ghost of Scott Norwood.

Please, Ralph, make it stop.

Jay,

Huh?

- Ralph

Kaman

Alif,

I like the moves the club made in the wake of the Brand injury. The hope is they can hold the fort for a few months while E.B. and Livingston work hard to make mid-season returns.

Kaman looked great for an hour on Tuesday's first day of camp, but tweaked his back and has been sidelined since. Thornton looks like a scoring machine. He'll be fun to watch.

- Ralph

Maggette

Robby,

Don't know where you are reading "turmoil." Corey is happy as can be. I think he's poised to have the best season of his career. I'll not be surprised if he's an All-Star this year.

- Ralph

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