It's a training camp tradition here on Suns.com. It started, you might recall, with "Delk's Diary" in 2000, followed by the "Googs Gazzette" in 2001. Then came "Z Diary" in 2002 -- in both English and Serbian -- and "Jacobsen's Journal," each of the past two camps. This year, Suns.com recruited Raja Bell to serve as our online journalist. The veteran guard, who signed with Phoenix over the summer, will be blogging throughout the week, filling you in on the odds and ends of Camp Tucson.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 9, 2005, 9:21 a.m.

I hope you got a chance to watch some of our scrimmage last night [VIDEO]. It was a lot of fun putting on my Suns uniform for the first time in a game and just getting out there and playing in front of some excited fans.

I had a chance to win the game at the buzzer with a heave, but it fell just short. You know, I've never made one of those and that one felt good. But it was a little deep. It was probably 3/4's court. That's a little out of range. Maybe I can add that shot to my repertoire this year.

Although it ended in a tie, the scrimmage was great! Once we opened it up, it was a beautiful thing. All the frustrations that I had in the week were gone and I fell right into position. In fact, I think everybody knew what exactly what was going on. I've got to credit the coaching staff for putting us through what they put us through this week to prepare us. When we put it into action on the court, it was a good-looking product.

Well, I'm getting ready to head over to the arena for our last practice of camp. I think I'm ready to get back to Phoenix, but I've got to say, Tucson was great. From every restaurant I went to, to the hotel staff, to all of the athletes and the people at the McKale Center, it was first class.

I hope you guys enjoyed my reports this week. Thanks for hanging out with me and experiencing my first Phoenix Suns camp with me. I look forward to being insightful for the rest of the season.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 8, 2005, 1:44 p.m.

I'm sure you've heard about Amare's injury by now. Everybody is disappointed about it, but we can't hang our heads. They're not going to pause the season for us. We are just going to have to step up and hold the fort down until we can get him back. I don't know what the final diagnosis is, but if it winds up a situation where he is out a couple weeks and then will be a healthy player, and some other guys get a chance to log some minutes in the meantime, then it could actually be a blessing in disguise for us down the road. But obviously we want him back as soon as we can get him back.

As for me, I feel like I've finally gotten my sea legs under me. As you could probably tell, I was a little frustrated earlier this week, but I am definitely feeling a lot more comfortable in the offense. Like I said, I was just going to have to get more experience in it, and I've gotten that the last couple of days. So I'm feeling a lot better.

I'm looking forward to tonight's scrimmage. It's always cool playing in front of fans, especially after a week of two-a-days in an empty gym. They say we could have as many as 7,000 people here, so it's going to be a pretty cool atmosphere.

Speaking of fans, we got a chance to meet some of our biggest this morning. We had a little party and autograph session for the Suns' owners and their families after practice. We've never done anything like that with the other teams I've played for, but I thought it was fun. It's always good to be able to put a face with a name, and it was great to meet everyone, especially all the kids. You know, the kids are all huge fans. They're the ones wearing the jerseys and bugging their parents to take them to games. So it was nice to be able to pose for some photos and sign some autographs. I even signed a baby's leg. That was a first!

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 6, 2005, 10:18 p.m.

Well, our team dinner was pretty entertaining tonight. We all went out to Firebirds, had a nice dinner and then Steve informed all of the rookies that they had to stand up and sing a song for the group. It was great!

Dijon might have been the most impressive. He put on a real performance, singing "I Believe I Can Fly," with his arms up in the air [VIDEO]. I'll tell you what, he is an entertainer.

You know who else did good? Lucas Tischer. I thought he was going to be a lot more reserved or hesitant, but he was really vocal and got into it. Coach Dan D'Antoni was the hit of the whole night, though. It was kind of out of right field. Everybody was sitting there quiet and he just started belting out, "When I Saw Her Standing There."

Everybody did good. Well, almost. Anthony Lever, a.k.a. "Ant," struggled. I think he got a little rattled by all the attention that was put on him.

When I was a rookie, we had to perform a sketch for the team. We had to come up with a creative sketch WITH singing! So they actualy got off easy.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 6, 2005, 3:52 p.m.

This morning's practice was a quick one. We didn't work on a whole lot of stuff. It was just a light workout. Afterwards, I got a great lunch at the hotel -- some pasta, some salad, some pizza -- and a quality nap. In other words, a real good afternoon here in Tucson. Just what the doctor ordered!

I don't have anything real exciting to report. We don't have a whole lot of time on our hands. The best part of my day is probably riding in the truck with Brian Grant and Steve Nash. We have a good time and laugh a lot. You know, there are really some good guys on this team. We all eat together. A few of us have been out to dinner. Last night, we ate at a place called Oregano's, and tonight we have a team dinner, which is always great for camraderie.

I'm still getting to know everybody, but I'll tell you what, Eddie House is a character. He's one of those guys who always has something going on. He can tell a good story. And Leandro and I have become tight. We team up in pre-practice shooting. He’s a funny guy, too, which I didn't expect. I find myself using some of the stuff he say, just because it’s so catchy with that Brazillian accent. “Yah, man.” I say it to my wife all the time and she's like, “What are you saying?”

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 5, 2005, 9:07 p.m.

Today was a tough day for me. Today was that grind day that I told you about. As soon as I’m done here, it’s right back to bed. I’m beat.

Physically, I’m actually doing okay. But I’m feeling it mentally right now, because of the speed. It just feels like I’m trying to do everything so fast. I’m taking in a lot of new information and it’s completely opposite of what I’ve been used to the last two years. So I feel myself trying to keep up mentally instead of just playing basketball. It’s taking a little toll, but I’m working through it.

The last two years in Utah were a lot more methodical, a lot more structured with rules within that structure. Here there is some structure, but it’s more creative. There’s a blueprint and then we have almost free reign to play within that blueprint. The system I played in with the Jazz was a lot slower and a lot more, “This is what you do.” So here, having to create and make plays, it’s a little different.

We ran a fast break drill that was mass confusion. I just felt like every time I looked around, I was supposed to be somewhere that I wasn’t. It was crazy, but it was the first time we did it, so it will get better.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 5, 2005, 1:48 p.m.

I just roomed it last night. Some me time, you know? I watched some TV, got some room service and then I was out hard, man. The room service for breakfast woke me up this morning. I thought I was still dreaming. I couldn’t believe the night was over so quick.

Our hotel is nice. It’s about 20 minutes from McKale, I guess, but it’s good, because we’re kind of away from everybody that knows we’re here. So it’s quiet and we don’t really get bothered at all.

I haven’t had a chance to see Tucson much yet, but everybody’s really nice. I’ve met some of the guys on the basketball team and some of their athletes in the facility. Everybody seems really cool.

There are four guys who drive cars every morning: Amaré, Shawn, Steve and LB. I’ve been riding with Steve, who I played with in Dallas. He’s a good driver. It’s supposed to be a 20 minute trip and he gets us there in 15.

Steve’s a great guy. He’s one of the few guys that, despite changing teams, I was able to stay in touch with, and keep updated with what was going on with him. For me, at least, that’s proven to be a rare thing in the NBA, so I’m excited about having a chance to play with him again. I can see his attitude kind of rubs off on everybody here, just like it did in Dallas. That’s a pretty cool thing to watch.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 4, 2005, 9:42 p.m.

Well, I told you things would get physical. I basically lived on the ground tonight. I was pretty banged up, at least as far as first days go. Don’t get me wrong. I like to play aggressive, but hopefully I can stay off the floor a little more tomorrow.

We were working on our transition game most of the session. We worked some pick-and-roll coverage, and went over some of our defensive philosophies a little bit. But the rest of the time we were just getting up and down in transition. I think it’s going to take some time for some of us to get used to.

I come from a place where my team didn’t shoot on the first catch, so it’s going to take a little bit of de-brainwashing, so to speak, before I can get into that mode. I’m probably passing up a few shots I should be taking. But at the same time, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 4, 2005, 2:15 p.m.

Our first workout is in the books and it was a good one. We actually went kind of light this morning. There was a rule change in the league this season, which says that teams can only have a full-contact practice once a day during camp. So there was a lot of teaching, a lot of getting used to what the offense is going to look like when we start scrimmaging.

The new schedule should help lighten the load some. Our morning practices will be more cerebral, while the evening workouts will be more physical. When you had guys going at it twice a day in the past, it was physically demanding. Although, I’m sure we’ll bump heads a little bit tonight.

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 3, 2005, 9:18 p.m.

We had our Media Day at the arena today before leaving for camp. It was pretty good, your standard interviews and such. I had to pose for some photos in a birthday hat with balloons for some sort of greeting cards or something, and I was asked to dance for a video that I guess they’re going to play in the arena this season. That was different.

As you can see, these Media Days can get a little crazy at times, but overall it ran nice and smooth. The best part, though, was they brought in Cold Stone Creamery for the media. So I got to walk around between stations eating ice cream. Mint chocolate chip!

I watched Sin City on the bus to Tucson. It was only two hours, so I got most of it in. I’d give it a B+ from what I’ve seen. I didn’t catch the ending yet, but I’m impressed so far.

After we checked in to the hotel, it was bags down and right to a dinner meeting. We just went over what’s expected of us this year, what our goals are and some new league rules. I didn’t eat much, so I ordered some scrambled eggs when I got back to my room. Had to get my protein.

And now I’ve got to get some sleep. We start early tomorrow. Can’t wait!

Posted by Raja Bell -- Oct. 3, 2005, 10:20 a.m.

Hey guys, it's that time of year again! Training camp starts this week in Tucson.

The best way for me to describe training camp to anyone who hasn't experienced it is to compare it to your first day at a new school. You kind of feel your way around, quiet at first, trying to find out who's who and what they’re all about.

Soon enough we will all be thrust into the GRIND that is “two a days” (this is just what it sounds like, two practices a day for about eight days). I refer to it as a grind because that is what most players have to do mentally and physically to get thru these practices. Practices that are bookends to a day filled with trying to get a meal, some hydration and a few Advil before you find the closest place with a pillow to lay down.

I hope that I don't sound like I dread training camp because I don't. This is actually my favorite time of year. This is when you build relationships with your teammates. This is when you bond together and find out what you’re actually made of as a team. It’s going to be awesome… I'll keep you posted.