The start of the weekend mail

Looks like it’s going to be a nice day in these parts for the long weekend, hope it is wherever you’re going to be.

Here’s some stuff to get you started, there’s a bit more for tomorrow (you can still get in on the fun if you want) and I’ll have some time after Mighty Navy Tigers practice and a couple of NBA West preview things get written to putter around so feel free to send some more.

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Q: I was reading a Raps article that had various clips of turning points in the season...While watching the Bobcat's clip from early in the season I was struck, not by the non-called foul, but how quickly Bargnani's star has fallen. I mean here he was, early in the season, the go to guy for the last second shot. Last season he averaged something crazy like 26 points a game before getting injured. He had plays called for him every time down the floor.

I'm wondering at which point in the last two seasons did Bargnani's stock start to fall... was it after his injury last year? This year? After his second injury this year? I know BC has said he has value, and I'm not getting into the Amnesty debate.... but there has been an obvious drop from Star and game closer to "Boo'ed at home/non-option on offense"

Any thoughts on when this declined started and why his star fell so quickly?

Jeff

A: Well, he got hurt and came back to pretty much a different team with his role changed and it took some getting used to. And when he did – or at least did a bit – he got hurt again and then Rudy Gay arrived and things changed all over again. It was a different team and he was asked to do different things; not sure “star has fallen” is the right phrase, “things changed” might be more apt.

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Q: Hi Doug...Why do so many fans spend ridiculous sums to wear the uniform of some conglomerate's team? Wouldn't a cheap hat do the trick? How about a small pin with the team logo?

Remember Bill, the spaceman, Lee's theory about the great snow ball? 100,000 years from now ( or maybe 10) when the earth is a great snowball hurtling through space, who gives a rats' tail about all those "little things" that we presently consider so important. ( Like the Leafs latest loss)

Carpe Diem

Bob E, Kanata

A: I can honestly say I don't believe I have ever purchased a jersey of any player or team in any sport for myself so I don't get it myself. I'd go for hats, though.

And I seldom sweat the small stuff, hardly worth it.

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Q: Hi Doug,

I've been thinking about Ed Davis. Given what you know of him, do you think he's happy to be a bit player on a team doing so well? Or do you think he just wishes he got more playing time? It's been a shame to hear that he's riding the pine in Memphis -- that's got to slow his development. At the same time, it's got to feel good to be doing so well in the playoffs.

And another thing: it sure seems like the Grizzlies are better off without Rudy Gay. Were they just using him wrong? Do you think the Raptors will be able to plug him into their system a little better and reap the benefits?

Thanks, and keep up the hard work!

Tim

A: I'm sure he'd want to be playing more, if he didn't he wouldn't be normal. But at some point when he gets a playoff cheque he'll feel all right.

I guess you could say they're better off because of where they are but if Russell Westbrook doesn't get hurt and the Thunder knock off the Grizzlies, we're not having this conversation, are we?

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Q: Hello Doug!

Well, it's that time of year again - no, not a certain someone's Birth Month. And seriously, it requires an entire month to celebrate you??? I'll bet once upon a time it was a single day. And, I remember when it was a week. Now, an entire month is required to glorify Our Favourite Beat Grunt?

Wow. Soon you'll be demanding an extension to a full year and then it'll just be all about you all the time. Oh, wait. That's kind of your reality anyway, isn't it? :)

No, what I'm referring to here is the approach of Father's Day and my annual challenge to find the perfect book (while outdoing my sisters, of course; we may be older, but the sibling rivalry continues!!!) for my Dad. And because I've had such a terrific response from Irregulars in the past when I've asked for book suggestions, I hope you'll indulge me once more. Now Dad enjoys books and reading, and he reads a lot. And he reads a wide range of subjects, particularly history.

(Previously, it was mainly about the 20th century, but this past year he became interested in genealogy, traced the family tree back to the 17th century, discovered our ancestors arrived in Massachusetts not long after the Mayflower delivered the first pilgrims, and now he's eager to learn all he can about the early history of New England.) But, he will happily read on a wide variety of topics. (On a recent visit, I noticed that his "to be read" stack of books included one on Wallis Simpson's jewellry

collection, another on colour photography from Russia in the early 1900's and still another on the history of the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.)

So, Irregulars, what do you have for me - and my Dad, of course this year? Thanks. And thank you, Doug for allowing me to do this.

Lorie P, London

A: Folks, what have you got?

And I was kind of joking on Birth Month but am deadly serious about Birth Week, which began whenever I woke up Saturday morning (am typing this Friday night at O’Hare) and continues until the following Saturday.

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Q: Hi Doug

This is a tricky one. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Jason Kidd. Chandler is exactly my kind of player. So is Kurt Thomas and non-Raptor Camby. I wish the Raptors had somehow secured Iman Shumpert. I loved Amare on the Suns and think he's shown some real maturity in offering to take a bench role, if it helps the team. Heck, when I first discovered basketball, I became a New York fan. So why do I hate the Knicks so much now?

Thanks!

J H

A: I have the utmost respect for Glen Grunwald and like Jim Todd and Darrell Walker and know Mike Woodson a bit and just ran into old friend and Knicks scout Walker Russell in Chicago and kind of feel the same way.

I think it’s because for all the chatter about them, they’ve done nothing to deserve any accolades. In the last decade they have now won as many playoff series as the Raptors, who have actually been in more post-season games than New York since 2001 and have had absolutely no success that would make them be able to crow about stuff.

That they think they’re good kind of rubs people the wrong way.

Hate’s probably a strong word but I don’t get the sense of accomplishment the franchise puts out there.

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Q: In an interview following Andrew Wiggins’ announcement, Kansas coach Bill Self didn’t even pretend he was getting a “student-athlete.” He acknowleged with refreshing candour that Andrew was there for one year only.

In your opinion, is this the best way to prepare young player for the NBA? Are they better off spending an extra year on a professional roster or pretending to be college students. I suppose, arguably, programs like Kansas are professional anyway.

James A, Victoria

A: I think allowing teenagers to spend a year sort of autonomous – they have a large measure of freedom but not total – is a good way to start the transition to adulthood.

And I don’t know that there’s a better way, to tell you the truth.

And because I’m sure someone will ask why they aren’t able to earn money in their careers in the NBA, it’s simple and makes entire sense: The NBA isn’t precluding them from making a living playing basketball, they can go to the D League or Europe; the NBA is just laying down ground rules for employment in that league. I’m fine with that.

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Q: Hey Doug

With the recent decision by Andrew Wiggins on his college choice I have a question in regards to the rules about contact with him by Canada Basketball? With Canada basketball having NBA ties (Nash, Gherardini, etc...) is there a protocol they must follow? Also how much involvement will Canada basketball have with him during his college days - or any other current Canadian College kids?

And when are you going to write the feature about how the impact of the NBA in Canada is finally starting to pay off for both the men's and women's program? Also has there ever been any consideration of bringing the WNBA to Canada? - I have a daughter and I think its important that she sees positive female role models in sport that are not only men; Lebron maybe the best basketball player in the world but Brittney Griner deserves attention also.

Thanks,

Ollie H, Toronto

A: That really is a sticky situation about contact. There are no hard and fast rules laid down, it’s kind of like an honour system where they deal with international play separate from NBA. Impossible, really, to monitor.

And we’ve made mention and written about the NBA’s impact on this generation of Canadian basketball players so many times in so many stories, it’s not even funny. And I’m sure we will do in a few more times in the future.

The WNBA was briefly considered years and years and years ago and they decided it wasn’t a prudent business move. Asking people to buy tickets to watch women’s basketball in the summer in Toronto would be hard sell for sure. Too bad, I’d like to see ‘em try it at Ricoh but I fear it wouldn’t succeed.

The combine's like a festival of basketball

Our usual Friday of little things that may or may not matter and sorry we’re a bit late, sleep got in the way until 7 a.m. my time.

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So what’s this draft combine like?

Well, we finally got to find out first hand and it’s like a festival of basketball and front office schmoozefest.

For the past few years, the prying eyes of the media were shut out of the actual workouts, the facility wasn’t big enough to hold us all, the teams and front office personnel wanted some privacy and we’d all wait at a hotel for the players to come back to do media interviews in some stuffy ballroom.

Not any more.

The gym’s huge – three full courts – and the players are broken up into five groups of about 10. Each group goes through about an hour of workouts – shooting drills, sprints, rebounding drills, agility tests – and then we get them for 20 minutes or so in a backroom; has to be about 150 credentialed media here so it’s a real circus, everyone’s trying to talk to their locals or the guys their teams might draft so getting private time with any of the athletes is basically impossible.

That’s the toughest part of it, if you’re in a group of 10 writers or broadcasters talking to a player, you really have to work to get your questions answered, knowing full well that the stuff you’re seeking will end up in someone else’s story or report.

That seems to be the way the business is going, unfortunately, and you really have to put in time to get to know people so that maybe – maybe – you can get a private moment walking out of a gym if you need it for a specific question you want answered. The chance for one-on-ones runs from slim to none, which is why a lot of the stuff you’ll read will sound eerily similar.

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Oh yeah, the best part of the day?

The wandering around amid 100 or so NBA executives, coaches and scouts, stopping here for a minute and there for a minute and catching any little piece of gossip you can.

And, believe me, the HOTH are right at the front of everyone’s mind given the uncertainty surrounding the team.

Off the top of my head, there were half a dozen GMs and a more than a dozen other front office types who sought me out to try and find out what was going on.

The overwhelming sentiment?

Bryan should be treated a bit better, some decisions should have been made before this camp began and it’s a tough situation for all.

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I have no idea precisely why this came into my head this morning but it did. Gotta make some of you happy, I hope.

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Oh, who’s here for the Raptors?

Don’t think I missed anyone and saw Bryan, Ed Stefanski, Wayne Embry, Marc Eversley, Alex McKechnie and my man Alvin Williams, all huddled on the sideline scoping things out.

No one from the coaching staff, which isn’t unusual for a team without a pick and, actually, the only coach I saw was Mike D’Antoni.

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Gotta love guys who can bluff.

On a stool in the lobby down from three guys who are watching late afternoon TV when ESPN shows the story about David Beckham retires.

There’s a line about the number of caps Beckham’s won and one guy has no clue what that means and asks his buddies.

The guy at the end of the table, sounding like Sammy Soccer who knows everything immediately pipes up, with absolute authority:

“It’s the number of playoff games he’s been in, championships and playoff games. Games for England.”

The guy who didn’t know nods, “ah, okay, that’s what I thought.”

I order another.

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Mail? Kind of lost a bunch of yesterday hanging around with cronies so I’m a little bit behind but here’s a last call to get me through the weekend.

You know the drill, it’s askdoug@thestar.ca and we’re open for business.

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So in the run of business at this combine, teams go through an interview process with a handful of players they fancy. They have their psychologists and doctors and front office personnel around to chat, ask questions, poke and probe physically and mentally and it’s a huge part of the draft process.

The Raptors, even without a pick right now, have been doing all entire list but I do know they had the Shabazz Muhammad in for a chat the other night, among others they’ve talked to.

It’s funny that everyone tries to keep all the chats secret, it’s as if no one can know the group of players any team is talking to.

We were chatting with Myck Kabongo yesterday (you’ll see the fruits of that labour up here later on today) and he was asked which teams he’d talked to.

First thing he said?

“Am I allowed to tell.”

We mentioned that, yes, other players have actually offered the information and it’s not like some secret code, despite what teams were saying.

So, Myck saw Orlando, New York and Portland the night before last and had more sessions set for last night.

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Hands up everyone who had Spurs-Grizzlies as the Western Conference final when the season began?

Yeah, didn’t think there’d be many of you.

Best thing about where we are today is that we know now exactly when the conference finals will start. The West begins Sunday – and that gives me tomorrow to work on a Grizzlies story and a preview box – and the East won’t get going until next Wednesday thanks to New York’s win last night.

That’ll give the Heat another week off between series, just like they had after sweeping the Bucks, and that’s going to be perfect for Dwyane Wade’s sore knee and will make the Heat all the more dangerous.

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The NBA does what the NBA does, protect its own

This was a rise like a Phoenix.

The NBA’s decision yesterday to deny a relocation bid from Sacramento to move the Kings to Seattle ends – probably – one of the longest dragged out sagas of recent times.

And says a lot about what the league’s priorities are with its franchises.

We will forget for a second the personal choice because anyone who would pick Sacramento over Seattle given the choice would have to have her or his head examined, the cities are nowhere close to each other in that regard.

But the NBA has always said it wasn’t a Seattle issue; it was a Sacramento issue and if the people there could come up with a way to keep the team, it would stay, despite the stated intentions of the owners.

The NBA has always taken pride in its abilities to keep smaller market franchises operating, it structures its collective bargaining agreements to make that possible, it shares revenue to make that possible, it’s why teams in relatively tiny markets like San Antonio, Memphis, Charlotte, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, Minnesota and, yes, Sacramento find a level of “protection” in situations such as these.

(That said, watch for Milwaukee to be the next “target” because there are some issues there)

So when the civic leaders in Sacramento – and Mayor Kevin Johnson being a former NBAer who knew the landscape pretty well sure helped – found a way to get a buyer and do an arena deal, it was pretty much a no-brainer that the team would stay there.

I didn’t think – and a lot of people didn’t think – that Sacramento could do it, we’d been down the road towards a new arena and different ownership so many times it became almost a running joke.

But when they got it all together, I don’t think there was much doubt that the team would stay, it’s how the NBA – and commissioner David Stern – operates.

And, yes, there have been franchises that have moved – Vancouver and Charlotte come quickly to mind – but there was always an issue in those cities like ownership that precluded them staying. And we know that Stern considers the loss of Vancouver as one of the great failings of his era.

Seattle? Sorry it didn’t work out – sorry like you can’t imagine – but when it comes time to expand in the next three or four years, you know they’re at the top of the list.

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Not entirely sure why this popped into the head but it did.

Now I want to go somewhere where the guy cooks food at your table.

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So one of theories being espoused by some of us who chat daily about this whole Colangelo matter is kind of intriguing to me.

I will preface this by saying I have no clue if it it’s true, it’s just been chatter between me and some friends and colleagues, but we wonder if Leiweke might not be clandestinely interviewing replacement candidates while he lets Bryan dangle.

I wasn’t sure what I thought of that chance; the immediate reaction was I didn’t seem to be a respectful thing to do by anyone, the guy doing the interviewing or the people being interviewed for a job that’s not open.

But wise sages with a knowledge of high end HR stuff – the kind of stuff I have no real clue about – suggests that getting a short list, working quickly and discreetly might be more commonplace than I thought.

The things you learn …

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Okay, you’ve done well on the mail so far, my good friends, but there’s always room for more.

And since I should have a fair amount of down time during a long day in the gym watching kids do drills (sounds delightful, no?) the askdoug@thestar.ca place is open for business.

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I find a saloon close to the hotel here with a lot of TVs (yeah, I’m like a Grunt Lewis and Clark) to settle in and watch Bulls-Heat.

But it’s also Blackhawks-Red Wings in the pucks and it was a pretty interesting night.

The TVs were split about 40-40 on the hoops-pucks with some baseball on the other 20 per cent (yeah, saw TOD go nuts, again); the Bulls started early so the sound from that game was blaring.

After the first half of the hoops, the sound went on the pucks, when that period of the pucks finished the sound went back on the basketball, end of third quarter of the Bulls sound when back to Hawks, end of that period it was back to the basketball until the game ended.

Hadn’t seen that before (probably because I don’t think there was television the last time two Toronto teams were in the playoffs at the same time) and it was interesting to see that the crowd was split about half and half.

Saw a bunch of Blackhawks jerseys (it would appear this Toews bloke is popular) and a fair number of Bulls shirts.

Must be nice, eh, to live in a city with such sporting riches.

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Some people …

This is named to the dude in the golf hat at Pearson yesterday.

Yeah I walked by you because you were lollygagging and dilly-dallying before we walked in the Customs hall and, yep, I got one spot ahead of you.

If you’re going to go all passive-aggressive behind me with sotto voce comments like “I guess you can just walk by people” and “I thought the line was behind us” if I turn around and say “Sir, is there a problem?” don’t turn and stare off into space.

Be a man and either talk or shut up in the first place.

Man, I hate some people.

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A good way to make a big announcement

I don’t know Andrew Wiggins at all but I totally admire how he handled himself yesterday with the college announcement thing.

Low key with just family, some friends, some teammates and one reporter from the local newspaper on hand to chronicle it.

We, as a sporting society, endow too many teenagers with too large a sense of entitlement and fame far too easily, we make them out to be far more significant pieces of the societal puzzle than they should.

Breathlessly hanging on their words, trying to sniff out any number of irrelevant facts, holding them in such high regard when they’ve actually accomplished very little in their short lives kinds of irks me, to tell you the truth.

These are kids, accomplished kids, mind you and kids who appear to have bright futures ahead of them in their chosen sports.

But they are still teenagers and too many of them get put on pedestals far too early in their lives.

I think it says more about the adults and teens who working themselves up into a lather over the decision than anything. These people need to get lives and allow teenagers to live theirs; I’m sure there were all kinds of cheap shots and mean-spirited criticism from “fans” at the three schools Wiggins didn’t pick and that’s terrible.

By any indication I’ve ever had from anyone who’s had interaction with him on more than one occasion, Wiggins is a well-grounded young man who seems to shy away from the hype too many people want to foist on him.

Good for him.

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Okay, this is one of the all-time debates.

Haagen Das or Ben and Jerry’s? Or Chapman’s?

And what flavour? Chocolate? Phish Food? Those little vanilla and chocolate squares?

Came up the other night and while there is no real right answer, if you said Haagen Das, you’re right.

Of course, nothing really trump Decadent Chocolate Chip cookies but that’s a whole other story for another day.

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First trip in a while, it’s a great city with great blues.

Like this.

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I definitely need mail, folks.

Got a flight and that means airport time and that means time to kill and what better way to kill it than answering questions.

(That’s rhetorical, there are probably a thousand better ways).

But it’s askdoug@thestar.ca if you want to say hello.

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And so it begins.

The flight’s to Chicago for the draft combine that kicks off tomorrow and that’s the unofficial start of the workout season that some of us are thrilled about.

(No, really. Thrilled. Can’t wait for the first “I think I’d be a good fit, I just want to go somewhere and work hard and do what the coach needs, especially play defence” quote; I’ve got noon tomorrow in the pool)

But this draft is entirely different at this end this year.

Unless there’s some lottery miracle next Tuesday night, there’s no reason for any HOTH fan to get at all worked up but that doesn’t mean we won’t be working and you won’t be reading.

There’s every chance at three Canadians being drafted, which would be historic and is the prime reason for the quick jaunt to Chicago.

Even recovering from surgery and out for four months, Anthony Bennett is lock to be a lottery pick, Kelly Olynyk could give Canada a second top-10 pick and Myck Kabongo looks like he’ll get selected, too.

Not bad.

The Raptors?

Well, I’m told the whole front office is headed to the camp, mainly to answer questions about the dithering ownership that’s left everyone in an uncomfortable situation as the new guy tries to make up his mind.

There are all kinds of theories as to why – mostly fanciful musings of guys like me with too much time on their hands – but the simple fact is that unless something startling happens in the next six or seven hours, Bryan and the Henchmen will show up in Chicago unable to really commit to anything because of the questions surrounding their futures.

Not sure but to me that’s a bogus way to run a professional franchise and out of simple respect for the men involved, The New Guy At The Top should get something done.

Trust me, NBA people notice the way people in other organizations are treated; no one is looking good in this entire affair.

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Jason Kidd of the New York Knicks has not scored a single point in eight straight playoff games.

Analytically, that sucks.

That’s more than 170 minutes of professional basketball without making a shot or a free throw or layup.

Astonishing, isn’t it?

And while I fully expected the Pacers to beat the Knicks (honest, I did; it’s written here), not sure anyone could have predicted the ease with which Indiana is controlling the series.

So, if the Knicks go out in this round, they will have won exactly as many playoff series as the Raptors since 2001.

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The pucks are gone, the hoops are on hiatus, the soccer team can’t finish a game to save its soul and it’s still a month from the football season.

I’d say it’s time to get back on the TOD bandwagon, no?

And given the three wins in a row, signs that the offence is coming around and a patchwork rotation that’s getting the job done, maybe it is time to get excited, no?

One of the great things about the grand game is the enduring quality of the schedule, it may seem like they’ve been playing forever but it’s not even the May 24 weekend (Birth Week starts Saturday for all you people wanting to do some shopping).

So even being 6 1-2 back, and 10 back in the loss column, isn’t that big a deal, to tell you the truth.

And now might be the time to start tuning in again.

Wonder if the TV broadcast is back showing shiny happy people in the stands at every chance?

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It's a big price fans pay and a truly Cool Canadian comes home

Wow.

We all know I don’t have a lot of “fan” in me, it’s hard to imagine the passion any one sports team could evoke because I’d rather cheer for the game than the result.

But, wow.

To all you pucks fans out there who sat through that thing last night, total condolences.

But here’s a question:

Lot of people are tossing around the “choke” word today – headline writers, columnists, talking heads, fans on the street – but was it a choke job? Or was it a stirring comeback?

Yes, it does depend on your perspective to a large degree – not sure anyone in Boston is talking “choke” while they laud the Bruins – but that late comeback can at least at some level be seen as a credit to the winners as it was a failure of the losers, no?

But the night, despite the result, was an excruciating example of why we love sports, wasn’t it?

Incredible highs. Unimaginable lows. An emotional ride that some may never experience again.

When we give our hearts to a franchise – and I’m going on what I know to be true from the experiences of others, not from anything I feel specifically these days – we give it completely and that can be a dangerous thing at times, it sets everyone up for abject disappointment far too often.

Let me ask this to those who were shattered by the turn of events last night?

We always hear that all losses are just losses, that it doesn’t matter if you lose by 20 or you lose by one; the end result is the same.

I get the feeling not many of you would agree with that today, that having hearts ripped apart like in the last 90 seconds of the third period and six minutes of overtime was far worse than losing, say, 5-1 and knowing the end result with a period and a half to go.

But it’s kind of what fans sign up for, isn’t it?

You will revel in the good times, despair in the bad; it’s the investment you make when you become so attached to a uniform and the men and women who wear it.

I imagine in the good times it’s fun and exhilarating; I would think today it’s not so much. But I admire fans, admire their passion, admire the way the “give” themselves to a team.

And today I feel bad for them.

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Okay, sad news that Dr. Joyce Brothers passed away yesterday and she was an accomplished psychologist who furthered that field tremendously.

But who among us, when we heard of her passing, didn’t immediately think of The Gong Show?

Yeah, I watched waaaaaaay too much crappy TV back in the day.

(And I’m not even going to mention the year I played The Unknown Comic on a float in the Niagara Falls Blossom Festival Parade).

But that was entertainment, no?

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Catching up with some old stuff I mentioned near the end of the Raptors season, I see from my friends at Raptors media relationships that DeMar DeRozan and his fiancée Kiara are proud parents.

Well done, and congrats.

(Yes, we try to keep up with all the inane stuff we do here)

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Long rant, sort of. Pardon the digression:

Remember a couple of months ago when we went over a little list that Griff and Gumby and I came up while on stools one night in Phoenix?

It was the “Coolest Canadians” and it was kind of fun.

We forgot Leonard Cohen and a couple of others we were gently reminded of eventually but the whole indefinable notion of “cool” made it interesting.

(I’ll reiterate: Cool is not necessarily famous, cool is not necessarily accomplished, cool is not necessarily rich. Cool is cool and you just know it when you see it.)

Anyway, we had Chris Hadfield on that list and now that Canada’s most famous astronaut is back on earth, he might have leapt to the top of the list.

If you hadn’t been paying attention to him, you missed out entirely. He did incredible things in his five months up there to advance science and to educate the world. Taught us how astronauts wash and drink water and exercise in space; the pictures of Earth he sent back every day were breathtaking, he became a rock star.

Almost literally since this was one of his last transmissions from space.

Now, I was a bit of a space geek back in the day of the Apollo missions and the Gemini program and remember doing a presentation in front of the class one time on how space ships “docked” while orbiting the earth.

When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon I – like millions of others – was glued to the TV.

My point with this dithering?

My point is that in this day an age we pay far too much attention to people who make no true significant contribution; we listen to what singers and actors and entertainers say like it matters.

I don’t toss around the word “hero” very often so I’m not going to go there but Chris Hadfield is someone everyone should have been paying attention to the last five months or so. He had contributions to make in the scientific world and made it easy for run-of-the-mill Canadians – and run-of-the-mill citizens of the world – to learn and have fun doing it.

Not sure what they’ll do for him when he’s finally back home and normal but when whatever level of government honours him, you all need to pay attention.

And, yeah, he’s cool. The definition of cool.

Welcome home, Commander. And thanks, I hope more than few youngsters around the country and the world take heed of what you’ve done and taught them.

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