Hump's hair and other huge concerns

Guess we better get into the routine. Since this Friday night and the next two are the only ones I’m likely to have off until June, best we get this regular Saturday stuff happening now.

Trouble is, there’s not a whole lot happening (like no game to react to) so this will probably be short and sweet. Which is good, ‘cause practice is soon and the day begins.

So …

-

Hump without hair. Hump with hair.

Which one do you like? Does it really matter? Is this what the pre-season has degenerated into? Yup.

Anyway, there were a couple of good lines yesterday when we arrived to see the Soon-To-Be-All-Star with his locks shorn.

He suggests it’s a reaction to the reaction of others:

"AP said Maceo’s wife called his wife and said I didn’t look very good. Just a lot of pressure building up so you just go and do it.”

Sam’s a pragmatist:

"I liked the hair, he was playing good.”

And Hump seems to be just working the angles:

"It’s the new me. Ladies, if you’re out there, I’m switching it up for you guys.”

Seriously, this is the kind of thing we talk about at practice some days. We desperately need games that matter to start.

-

One more Hump hair story: We're standing around before going into practice yesterday and I mention that someone mentioned here that Hump, with the hair, looked like Tony Dow.

Two of the, um, younger beat grunts had no idea who that was.

I am officially old.

-

Did you check out my man Phil Jasner in the Philly Daily News today.

For those who don’t want to click, here are a couple of Sam Dalembert quotes:

"Hopefully, some people understood what happened,’’ Dalembert said. “It wasn’t anything on my side, (that) I didn’t want to play for Canada or anything like that. I made it clear the summer before that I wanted to play there. It’s basically like a second, adoptive home. I feel what happened kind of got out of proportion. I don’t know the reason why; there was nothing leading to the situation, where you knew it was going to happen. There was nothing like that.’’

And

"I cannot play for Leo. I cannot play for him. I mean, I wish him well, but what happened, there was no reason for it to happen like that. I’m not a controversial person. Everybody knows me; I’m easy going, I’m easy to talk (with).”

-

Apparently, an angry reader writes:

Q: I'm sick and tired of not being answered! I've been writing Q's for over a year and NADA!
My Q is in regards to JO. In the recent history of the NBA, what's been the likelihood of success for a player coming back from such a long hiatus and surgery.
There's tons of players who careers were sidelined by health - what are the stories of the players who bounced back and had more than a meager impact.
Please don't include TJ in your list, as that's too easy!

Mike H, Toronto

A: Sick and tired? Sorry, man. Don’t take it personally. And given the number of questions that get answered in the course of a week here, I find the claim that you've been writing for more than a year without one being answered a bit dubious.

Lots of guys come back from one knee surgery to be fine. Jason Kidd comes to mind immediately; if you want an example of a big man, I’ll give you Amare Stoudemire. Greg Oden looks pretty good right now, doesn’t he?

Long hiatus might be a bit of an overstatement, actually. O’Neal played 42 games last year, 69 the year before and 51 the year before that.

Yes, he played hurt and was ineffective by his standards but he played; it’s not like he’s been in a hospital or a home or retired for three years.

-

Speaking of Saturday practices, one of the benefits is you sometimes get to see the Leaves skatearound for that night’s game. Or may the opponent’s on the ice.

Whatever, there’s all kinds of action to help pass the time we have to stand in the concourse waiting to be summoned.

Friday was a big bonus. The pucks team was actually on the ice at the ACC instead of being out at their usual suburban practice facility.

I don’t much about hockey but I swear when I looked out one time, they were working on power-plays, odd-man rushes and skating around the rink holding aloft the Stanley Cup.

I might be wrong on that last one.

-

Oh yeah, don’t forget the big Ettore Messina coaching clinic Monday. Details here from Ontario Basketball and if you would-be coaches can spare an afternoon you are never, ever likely to hear a more accomplished clinician than Messina.

-

Crazy times around the gym this weekend, too. And not just with the pucks.

Raptors work out today and Monday and play on Sunday. CSKA Moscow comes in for Tuesday’s game and practices late Sunday night and Monday night. And the Sixers, after they play here Sunday, are scheduled to stay overnight, workout on Monday afternoon before heading to New York and another pre-season game.

Busy, busy, busy.

-

More mail before I go answer the dozens that remain for a bonus Sunday mail bag:

Q: I was glad to see that Sherm saved your life last night, otherwise I'd be out of my morning reading.
Quick question for you. What to players to before, and more importantly after, preseason games? We've seen hockey players jump on a bike (I assume to keep their heart rate up for an extended period of time), and so on, and I wondered if basketball players would do the same, or similar.
I hope the air smells a little sweeter, and the beer tastes a little colder today after your near death experience.

Dale H, Kitchener

A: Thanks for your concern, Sherm’s my guardian angel, I guess.

They mostly do shooting drills before the game and some of them will go up and get some shots up after games. There was a rule last year, and I presume it’ll be in effect this year, that if someone played fewer than 10 minutes and wasn’t hurt, they had to head up to the practice gym after the game for a workout that included shooting and cardio.

Comments

[Jim Rootham]

With respect to Jamario Moon. It is disappointing but not hugely surprising to see him not upgrading his game as much as we would like. While it is certainly true that he is not a star, I think he has some more exploitable talents.

What follows is certainly in the "Teaching your grandpop how to suck eggs category".

Every time he finds himself ignored by the defence he should cut to the weak side alley-oop spot and the rest of the team should attack the resulting defensive rotation.

He should get turned loose on the offensive boards and, if the Raptors don't get the rebound, he should cut off the passing lane to the middle of the court and force the opposition to push the ball up the sidelines.

He might also benefit from a half hour with a fencing coach or a stage fight director to learn the fine art of moving forward while leaning backwards. This will let him move up on an outside shooter without getting blown by.

[Derek Cox]

I have to agree with yesterday's comment about Bosh's hair. I think that Hump can pull it off either way, but Bosh needs to go shorter.....God forbid if he puts it into cornrows-so yesterday!. From what I see his girlfriend has instilled self confidence in him, but definately not a sense of style.
Thanks Doug.

[Dave]

Golly Gee Beaver!

Now I know economics isn't your specialty, but it is basketball related. With the impending recession in the States, what do you think the will be the effect on Basketball teams?

Will ticket prices go up to keep profits up? Attendance down? Teams being put up for sale? What do you think Doug?

Blogger's note: Pretty much this exact same question is asked in tomorrow's mailbag, you'll get a fuller answer there than I can give here now.

[DG]

The problem with the Dalembert situation is we don't really know what happened, therefore, it is hard to judge. What we do know is whatever did happen, ruined Canada's chances to compete at the Olympics, and was a national embarrassment. Neither he, nor the coach, could overcome whatever problems they had, for the good of the country. The best thing, probably, is for both of them to go away, until they grow up.

[Chi of Steel]

With Delfino gone, who has inherited the title of best hair on the Raps? I thought that was the crown Hump was going for. But if he's shaved it off, who's the [ahem] heir?