We begin Odds & Ends with the Edmonton Oilers locking up the league MVP for eight more season. Connor McDavid signed an eight-year,$100 million contract last week ensuring that he’ll be in orange and blue for the long haul.

McDavid,20, had his best campaign so far in his young career, helping the Oilers get back to the postseason for the first time in eleven seasons and were a game away from getting to the Western Conference Finals. He scored 30 goals, had 70 assists,and was the first Oiler to have 100 points in a season since Doug Weight in 1995-96.

This deal puts the Oilers in a good position in terms of attracting more talented players to their roster now that their generational superstar is locked up long-term.

While it was never a worry that he wouldn’t be signed for the long haul, I myself and the rest of the Oilers fanbase have to be super psyched that a player of his caliber is going to be around for a while,and for a fanbase that’s been through a lot of crappy years only to be at this point with their team, the best is certainly yet to come for them and I can’t wait for this next season to start and to see this young man play some incredible hockey next season and beyond.

Let’s go Oilers!

Moving on to basketball and I have a bone to pick with Nike and the NBA and its new contract. Why hasn’t it begun yet? What exactly is there to wait for?

If you don’t know, Nike is taking over for Adidas as the new outfitter of the NBA beginning this coming season. The problem is,however,that Adidas’ contract with the league is still ongoing even though the season just ended last month. The contract with Nike is set to begin in October when a global launch will take place.

As a result, teams who have new logos or are going to change their uniforms have yet to do so. Also, if you want to get a jersey of one of the rookies your team just drafted, you have to either wait or have one custom made. In contrast,Adidas’ contract with the NHL (taking over for Reebok) began as soon as the Penguins hoisted the Stanley Cup again.

I get that Adidas and the league have a contract still,but why is it lasting until nearly the next season’s start? Why didn’t Nike’s contract begin once the 76ers were on the clock?

I know it’s kinda trivial, but in a way,it’s kind of maddening to fans of teams who have drafted exciting young rookies and want their jerseys and having them wait another three months to be able to do that is far from okay.

Zach Randolph may have left Memphis,but he has has quite an impact on that city and more importantly,the organization he played with for the last eight seasons.

The Grizzlies have announced in an open letter that once Randolph retires, his No. 50 jersey will be hung in the rafters of FedEx Forum, it will be the first number retired in the franchise’s history, which dates back to 1995 when they were founded in Vancouver.

“Thank you for all the joy and magical moments too numerous to count,” the letter read in part. “Thank you for the energy and excitement you brought each and every night to FedExForum. Thank you for your leadership and service. Thank you for your larger than life impact and for keeping all Memphians warm. Thank you.

“While there will be a time and place to recognize your lasting impact in Memphis, starting today, as stated earlier by Controlling Owner, Robert Pera, number 50 will never be worn by any other member of the Memphis Grizzlies.”

Randolph really came into his own when he landed in Memphis in 2009. He became the face of the franchise in a time where they really needed one and his career took off. He was a two-time all star and was on the NBA Third Team in 2011.

Not only were fans appreciative of his rugged style of play,but also with his generosity with the community. On an annual basis, Randolph would help pay the utility bills of underprivileged families in the Memphis area and would donate $20,000 to that cause.

I think it’s great that the Grizzlies want to honor Randolph in that way. I’ve seen why fans there love this guy time and again and when the Kings announced he was coming to Sacramento to play here, I was ecstatic because not only was the team getting a great player and leader,but also a great humanitarian. I absolutely love that about him and I love that this team is signing guys like him as a priority to bring leadership, courtesy,and positivity to the locker room and the community.

The Grizzlies fans were blessed to have him and it’s nice that we’re able to share in his career in Sacramento as well.

That’s all I’ve got this week for Odds & Ends, I will be at the Sacramento Kings watch party tonight and is my first time at Golden 1 Center and am very excited! Hoping to make this the first of many great trips to the new building!