If you think the stupid questions that you hear so much about during Super Bowl week were confined to that particular group of reporters, you were wrong. The NBA permitted its players about 90 minutes with its rookies, dunkers and All-Stars in a packed, posh hotel in San Francisco on Friday night, and in between the real questions for the best athletes in the world, we heard some real winners.

Naturally, none of these stupid questions came from us, but the pained look on the players' faces by the time we got to them told the story. Some had fun with the inane things they were being asked. Allen Iverson had a CD player thrust on his lap and was asked to listen to the rap music emanating from it. It was actually one of the only smiles he shared with the group while he was there. But when asked what he thought of the music, he stopped smiling.

"Amazing," was Minnesota rookie Wally Szczerbiak's only response when asked about the previous questions he had to deal with. "I hope you want to talk basketball."

We did. And Wally was more than happy to talk.

Tracy McGrady fielded a lot of questions about the dunk contest and his impending free agency status and whether the Raptors had what it takes to make a playoff run. He was also asked about the women in Taiwan.

"You know, it's like anyplace else," the third-year emerging Toronto star said, looking his questioner right in his eyes. "You have some women who are really pretty, and some who aren't."

Hey, you think that's what the interrogative gentleman was looking for?

Eddie Jones said he had absolutely no idea what he was getting his girl for Valentine's Day (oh my, is it really on Monday? So soon? Wasn't it just Christmas!). After being pressed for more info, he did come up with this: "You know, if you buy your wives and girfriends gifts throughout the year, you don't have to do anything too special on Valentine's Day. Maybe go out to dinner, rent a movie. Something like that."

Um, Eddie, you sure that will work? Anyway, are you like excited to play in the All-Star game? Where are you gonna play ball next season? Do you miss John Chaney at Temple? How 'bout some basketball questions, here!

Our personal favorite -- and we're sure since there were so many strange and wonderful people in the room asking questions that we missed many good ones -- was when Gary Payton, the unofficial host of the All-Star weekend since he grew up in Oakland, had some unopened yogurt shoved in his face. If you could only see the face he made! Then he was asked to open it up and try it. He politely declined and went back to endearing everyone around him with his humor and energy.

Payton was fired up and wanted all of us to know it. He answered questions about he and Jason Kidd and the Sonics and his hometown and a lot of other things with passion and truthful answers. He looked everyone who asked him a question right in the face and was full of expression and smiling most of the time. It was a joy.

But he didn't want the yogurt.

JASON JACKSON'S DEEP THOUGHTS

Saturday at the All-Star break has really become a phenomenon. It's absolutely great for the fans and players to have the dunk contest back. With Vince Carter there's no argument that the dunk contest should be back. And it has to stay. It makes me shudder to think what Vince might do in the contest. He said he wouldn't think about it until this weekend, but he's going to do something. Also, the three-point contest should be interesting with Iverson and league leader in percentage Hubert Davis. And I have some inside info on the 2ball contest. I met with Cynthia Cooper and she told me some things -- she's teaming with Steve Francis. I give that team the early edge. ESPN.com's Viewer's Guide

However, one reporter did get to sit down with Carmen Electra's husband (or is that ex?) and get the real dirt. It was TNT's Craig Sager, who apparently has a history with the Rodmonian. Our inquiring minds wanted the inside scoop. Oh, that's another show.

"I go back with Dennis to his days with the Pistons," Sager reports. "He would come see me in Atlanta as well. One day Dennis ran into problems in Detroit where he was ready to commit suicide. I knew where to find him. We became friends.

"Dennis always says I am good for him. He's bad for me, probably. I don't have any tattoos or pierced things but we do have a lot of fun. He calls my mother every Mother's Day."

Quick hits and deep thoughts