So just how huge is this October for Almond, who hit a nifty runner against a zone defense in Thursday's night team scrimmage?

"It's important," O'Connor said.

And Everest is high.

Really, really high.

Yet Almond is doing what he can to not be consumed by that reality.

Instead, he's trying all he can to not make a mountain out of what he must at least pretend for the time being is a molehill.

"You don't want to think about (the business half of things)," Almond said. "Play well, and everything will take care of itself after that."

The fact that it's his second camp under Sloan, he hopes, will help him do just that.

"It's about being more natural out there," Almond said.

"I'm not a robot as much, because I know the plays, I know what practice is going to be like, I know the tone, know what's going to be expected. So I think I'll be a lot more free."

And, consequently, secure.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com