ORLANDO, Fla. - David Stern should be arriving at the Anway Center momentarily for his annual All-Star Weekend press conference. He and his media people expect the session to be dominated by questions about Sacramento's arena situation, the prospects for franchises in Anaheim, Seattle and Vancouver, as well as other inquiries post-lockout and the 66-game shortened season. Earlier in the day, NBA executives Joel LItvin, Harvey Benjamin met with Kevin Johnson and other members of the contingent from Sacramento. The big meetings take place tomorrow.
Meantime, here a few other thoughts:
* My favorite amenity in the Amway Center has to be the Budweiser Baseline Bar at the top of the loge section. Anyone who buys a ticket has access. When I was here last year, I met a young couple who bought season tickets for $5 per game and spend every game at the baseline bar, eating and drinking, and enjoying the closer view of the court.
* Security has been more stringent outside the building than I can ever recall for an All-Star Weekend.
* The only downer about the weekend is the distances traveled between events. The arena is downtown, but the Orange County Convention Center, and the hotels housing NBA executives, players and media members are spread all over the place, many on the Disney property.
* Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer, who has visited with KJ at various national mayoral conferences, said he would tell his Sacramento counterpart, "to keep at it" regarding the arena proposal.
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