Some bits, and a few pieces

As we were standing there being entertained by Sam after practice yesterday – he was Engaging Sam – eyes kept shifting to the other end of the court.

That’s where Garbo was going through a range of shooting drills with assistant Eric Hughes, spotting up from the five points on the perimeter draining jumper after jumper.

Alas, it was a pretty much a mirage.

The whispers after were that while he’s coming along nicely, it’s less than a remote possibility that he gets a uniform on at any time this season.

Too bad but I think you can all put away any hopes of the veteran coming to the rescue down the stretch.

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This from the comments section yesterday (and I must say, there’s some big Jack love out there).

Question for the blogger, do you feel Mitchell is making coaching mistakes, particularly with managing the TJ-Jose situation at the end of games?  Do you think this is going unnoticed by management?

A: Does he make mistakes? Sure, they all do. Find me a coach that doesn’t. And maybe he stuck with T.J. a minute too long in Cleveland, but that didn’t turn the game but he’s got to use him, as I’ve mentioned a million or so times.

They need Ford to be good if they are to have any chance in the playoffs; they can’t play Jose 48 minutes a night; and if it means every now and then they have to live with short-term struggles of Ford, then that’s what they have to do.

I asked Sam specifically about the minutes distribution for Jose and T.J. near the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth and whether he had any firm number in mind when he put Ford in.

He said he's got a number of minutes he'd like to get Ford but it's not cast in stone.

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Speaking of Sam, he gave a little clinic last night, part of his foundation’s work. M. Grange ™ was quizzing him on it yesterday and there were some interesting snippets.

Here are a couple:

"Wherever you live, you have to try to make a mark on the community. If all I do in my time in Toronto is coach basketball, then I haven’t really done anything. Yeah, I’ve done my job but I haven’t given back and I need to give back.

"It’s amazing, the same problems we have in the U.S. are a lot of the same problems that we have in Canada and throughout the world and any time you can take a couple of hours to hopefully effect some young men and young women … and they actually going to listen to what you say, then you have to do it.

"The clinic is basketball … but within basketball, there’s a message. I tell the players all the time, look at what basketball (has) brought you. For most of you, your love of basketball has educated you. Your love of basketball has allowed you to travel the United States, North America and most of the world. Your love of basketball has given you a job, has given you meaning. But what do you learn from basketball? You learn communication, you learn teamwork, you learn sacrifice, you learn all the things that you need to be successful in life.”

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Since you’re a savvy bunch because you read here, you’ve probably already checked this out: Portland 102, Washington 82.

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Do not, I repeat DO NOT run afoul of the law in Tempe.

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Let’s get to last night’s mail:

Q: I just got back from the grocery store where they were playing the radio call from the Leafs game over the intercom.

Toronto might be my hometown, but I don't count myself among the Leaf nation (God love them). But who are they kidding? The team's four slots back from 8th!

Despite the bi-polar day-to-day, the Raptors are a far-stronger playoff team. What's it going to take for them to get that kind of love? Is it even possible in this town?

Ellie W, Toronto

A: Ellie, Ellie, Ellie. It is a battle that cannot be won, I fear. Basketball fans just have to accept their lot in life. After all, isn’t 12^th place team far more important than one that’s going to be in the playoffs for the second year in a row. Two more years, I might add, than some other professional sports teams in the city. Never mind the more exciting sport, the better game presentation, the changing dynamic of the world of sports.

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Let’s see what the folks down in Detroit are reading about this morning.

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Action: Chris Webber to retire.

Reaction: I forgot he’d un-retired.

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A question, again:

Q: There can be no question that it is time for Sam Mitchell to go.  He has proven that last year was an anomaly and he is a 25-30 win coach.  His rotations make no sense and he is ruining the promise of Andrea Bargnani by constantly benching him instead of letting him play through the defensive issues. Looking at this team, who do you think could be the next coach to get this team to where they need to go?

Mike, Toronto

A: Obviously, you.

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And, finally (at least until shootaround’s over), Larry Hughes channels Vince Carter.

Comments

[Jim K]

Gotta disagree. Hughes' comments were nothing like Vince's comments. Vince stated he didn't play hard because of a lack of motivation. Hughes says playing hard isn't always necessary if you play smart and execute.

I remember Kobe too once saying that if he notices a weakness in the guy who is guarding him in the first quarter, he doesn't want to exploit it until the 4th so he can take advantage of it when it mattered the most. Otherwise he would have made adjustments. That is called playing smart.

[Grant]

There you go again .. avoiding Sam Mitchell questions with a smart remark.

Blogger's note: Avoiding? I think I've made myself perfectly clear, I think he's a good coach, I do not think they should -- or will -- make a change. So, to ask "who's next?" is not going to get a legit reply.

[sara]

Doug,in Europe there are many speculations about Gherardini leaving Toronto to join Barcelona as new GM. Should this happen,could this have an impact on our euro-roaster ?

Blogger's note: I believe it's pure speculation, have heard nothing of the sort over here. And, even if it were true, it would have no impact on where they search for players.

[bballer]

Jack armstrong was on the fan 590 and mentioned what he heard from scouts around the league. the scouts said that the raps are a perimeter team without any players able to break you down off the dribble. as long as you close out on the shooters and double team bosh a team would have a good chance of winning.
coupled with the fact that this team also is not as physical on the wing with the loss of garbajosa and mopete isn't being a 44 win team something that we should expect from this team?

it is amazing how raptor fans cannot see the wing play against physical 2/3's is the thing that is killing the raps and not the pg play or the bigs. i may not like bargnani, but he is not the reason why this team is losing as much as our wings. funny enough, i think the wing guys are playing above their potential. they are just not physical enough. that is why utah manhandled the team, as well as others.

[Geoff Read]

Hey Doug, I like basketball - it's a good game. But more exciting than hockey? I don't think there's any comparison. Just when the game is about to get interesting - in the last three minutes - it's ruined by the endless parade of timeouts. Can't these coaches draw up a play at half-time?

[Louis]

Haha... I must say I chuckled at that last one Doug. We have the reigning coach of the year. Last I checked they don't sell those Red Auerbach trophies at WalMart folks! Stop trying to find someone to blame. The team is having a tough time right now, and that happens with any group of people playing any sport, or even in a band. Roster changes might need to be made during the off season, but that can be said about every team's roster. Remember that the primary reason that they play ball is for entertainment and enjoyment, so if it is too hard on your blood pressure and you need to lash out at people who aren't even on the court, maybe you ought to switch to watching curling or golf or something a little easier easier to watch without taking diuretics!

[Colin]

I'm going to disagree with both Doug and the first comment on Larry Hughes (and the headline of the Hughes story). I don't think he was saying that playing hard isn't always necessary. I think he was pretty clearly saying that playing hard is supremely important, but it's not enough if you're not also playing smart.

[Dave]

i'm not convinced Jose is the one that actually approached sam mitchell and BC about the switch. Think about it.

The raptors are very adept at PR and media relations. Assuming they were the ones who came up with the switch, framing Jose as the guy that made the decision benefits everyone involved.

1/ Gives Jose tons of positive publicity for being unselfish. Look at all of papers today, it's ALL OVER the place.

2/ Raises his stock if they want to trade him, but also in his own mind (giving him a reason to go along with the move)

3/ Benefits the club's play on the court

4/ Makes a guy they have under contract for a lot of cash happy (TJ)

5/ If they want to deal TJ, gives them a way to showcase his talents while keeping Jose happy (all the positive praise he's getting)

6/ Who would say "no" to a ploy like that if asked? From Jose's standpoint, it's all positive if they were going to make the move regardless.

The key messages that are repeated in everything Jose says in this ploy:

- it's all about the TEAM, whatever is best for the TEAM
- i play for the TORONTO RAPTORS, not myself
- being a good TEAMMATE

(note how the word "TEAM" appears in all of his responses)

Possibility Doug?

Disclaimer: **i could be wrong though**

Blogger's note: I beleive you're taking conspiracy theories to a new level.