C-a-C: That?s some good diplomacy, Greivis Vasquez

Let me see if I understand the metaphor ...

The ball being repeatedly tossed back and forth? That's the tenuous sociopolitical relationship between Venezuela and the United States. And the hands passing the ball back and forth are the�diplomatic efforts undertaken by the likes of native Venezuelan Greivis Vasquez, former NBA player Darvin Ham and WNBA player Kayte Christiansen to help thaw the icy relations and guide the two nations back to amicable discourse.

The chopping legs swinging up and down, endangering the ball's free flight, are the vicissitudes of the international economy in which the two nations participate as key trade partners. Of course,�that makes the blacktop on which Vasquez lies Venezuela's rich oil reserves, on which the U.S. is heavily dependent.

Vasquez has a look of determined concentration on his face because, as he said last week, "I want kids to understand that with hard work, everything is possible." But he's also lying on his back because, as he said last week, "I'm an athlete. I don't have any connection with the politics at all ... The political side I can't control."

Did I get it?

... Oh. Just a neat little exhibition of dribbling tricks and stuff for some kids and cameras, huh? Dangit.

Wait, the nonplussed kid in the No. 9 jersey does represent how bored Tony Allen gets when he can't ruin some poor opposing swingman's night, right? OK, good. Thought I was starting to lose it all together.

Best caption wins another, different kind of little kicks from the ones Greivis is using. Good luck.

In our last adventure: As kids, Carmelo Anthony and Al Harrington always loved "Club MTV." Now, they're vacationing there. One more item off their shared bucket list.

Winner, Nicholas: These guys were hired to guard that stage waaaaay back there. But we all know how they feel about guarding.

Runner-up, Russell S: Al Harrington is down with Carmelo's "I Love the 80's" retro look, until 'Melo turns around and reveals his jean jacket is BeDazzled.

Second runner-up, JD: 'Melo turned around shamefacedly, shoulders slumped, bulky jacket and sunglasses on, ashamed not at being caught looking at a girl stripping but instead at being photographed with a man who once played for the Golden State Warriors.

Dolph Schayes Bill Sharman John Stockton Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond