Let the Games begin. Wait, let the games begin, I mean

Anyone got any idea what to expect tonight?

Nah, neither do I.

Sam figures everyone plays about half a game, which will be just fine with all the players given that it’s the first game and I presume you’ll see some odd combinations out there.

Put no stock in them, though.

As my man Perk points out with the good Sam stuff from Monday’s workout, nothing you see in the early stages of pre-season is real. I don’t want to say players loaf – the competitive nature of each of them will come to the fore at some time – but there certainly won’t be a high level of intensity.

In some ways, you might be glad not to see it on TV.

But because you won’t, we’ll try to do some life in-game notebook providing right here so click back this evening and see what’s up quarter-by-quarter.

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This is a wee bit old but interesting nonetheless.

Operating on orders (he said a suggestion, I suggest it was more than that), Andrea Bargnani did not attempt a three-point field goal in any of the training camp workouts up in Ottawa last week.

I can’t remember if he took one in the Saturday afternoon playdate with his teammates (I seem to recall he did) but in the practices and scrimmages before that? Nada.

Can you imagine how that felt? Here’s a guy who lived beyond the arc for much of his first two pro seasons and now they’re telling him not to even shoot one?

"I learn to do other stuff, other than shooting threes but that’s what they asked to do and that’s what I want to do, I want to get better,” is what he told us.

"It’s tough but it’s fun. These three days, the coach asked me not to shoot threes so I didn’t shoot any threes at all in training camp.”

Wonder how many he’s got stored up to let fire in the pre-season?

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It’s the first pre-season game for the Cavs, too, and it says here the Raps might be in for some defensive pressure.

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Speaking of Cleveland, here’s one for you. Am sitting in a local establishment watching my Red Sox dispose of the Angels. The saloon keeper offers up the list of beverages at the start of the night and she says, you know, Coors, Coors Light, Bud, Labatt’s Blue, the usual generic crap that’s available everywhere.

But then she says they have something called “Magic Hat Circus Boy” and what self-respecting guy at a bar can pass up that draft? Not me.

Circus Boy is a pale wheat ale brewed by the Magic Hat brewery in Vermont and I can highly recommend it.

You’re welcome.

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Let’s do one from the mail:

Q: A few weeks I was listening to the Fan with you on the McCown show and you guys were chatting about Rasho. Bob mentioned he has a place in the city and actually really enjoys it here so much he is probably going to retire here. You brought up the point that for a few more years, in fact quite a few more years he is going to be a good backup player on a team at a lower salary. Being that he is a free agent this year and his contact is considered good trade value. What are the odds he plays in Toronto again? I don't think this year due to trade rules or something but what about re-signing a guy like this when he lands on the market. Is that even a reasonable thought?

Danny K, Thornhill

A: Interesting idea and I will say they could a lot, lot worse than having a class act like Rasho around to help a kid like Jawai or even Bargnani.

I do know Rasho loves the city, I’m not sure what kind of contract he’ll command on the market next summer but I’d hope these guys investigate if he’ll work for the minimum.

And, believe me, we’d love to have him back, he had one of the best senses of humour on the team.

Two stories:

When Charlotte, replete with The Gangster, comes to town early last year, I asked Rasho if it was going to be huge back home in Ljubljana, Slovenia, like if the folks would be packing the town square to watch on a big screen.

"They have much better things to do than that,” he deadpans.

And then I suggest that maybe the Raptors could make it Slovenia Night, like they’ve done with Italian Night, and Spanish Night and, I believe, Outer Space Night one night for Oak.

"Nah,” he laughs. “No one gives a (bleep) about Slovenia."

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Saw Nathan Jawai in the Air Canada Centre yesterday, clad in street clothes and certainly not working out.

I’m told it could be tomorrow or Thursday before they tell us anything about the results of the tests he had last week when he made a quick trip to see a cardiac specialist here in the States.

Everyone’s hoping it all works out – there was some optimism around the practice facility on Monday – and he’s back on the court by the end of the week.

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Oh, I’ll say this here, one more time for everyone’s who asking.

There will be television coverage on RaptorsTV of the four home pre-season games and the one in Edmonton. That’s it, that’s all. Nothing from the road.

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Oh, as one of Canada’s pre-eminent beach volleyball writers (well, I did do the women’s gold medal game in Beijing and I didn’t see another Canuck scribbler there), I must say I’m dismayed that Misty May-Treanor has to bow out of Dancing With The Stars because she popped an Achilles tendon.

And as an old time DWTS fan – Leila Ali! – it robs us of another athlete in the competition.

Hope she’s back for the 2012 London Games since that’s likely to be the next time I see a beach volleyball game.

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What better way to finish a day than with a question about He Who Shall Not Be Named:

Q: "A: You know what? I still can’t get anyone to tell me the fifth yet."
You know why? Because it was New Jersey, and coming back would be you know who. And then everyone involved realized what a colossal mistake that would have been, and the mere mention of this would no doubt cause complete chaos. So we're all better off for not knowing.
I have no idea if this is true, but the second I read that answer, it was what came to mind immediately.

Shawn L, Bowmanville

A: Believe me, it was so not New Jersey for the guy you’re not mentioning. Seriously, there’s no way Bryan would even for a second consider bringing the guy back because of the distraction it would cause and, ask yourself this, why would New Jersey want T.J. Ford when they have Devin Harris.

Comments

[Brian]

Magic Hat #9 is my absolute favorite beer in the world. A "not quite pale" ale with apricot essence. They sell Magic Hat in New York State, pick me up some, will ya?

[Bo Klymkiw]

Earlier this summer, you wrote that "The best-case scenario [is we] will have at least one new starter at the two-three spots, Jose Calderon will be signed to a five-year deal worth between $33-$40 million and they’ll have a better fourth big man behind Bosh, Bargnani and Rasho. Or a good third big man behind Bosh and Bargnani." Q) Can Adams, Soloman or Ukic be that new starter at the 2-3 spots?

Blogger's note: Nope, none of them can. But instead of a fourth big behind Bosh, Bargnani and Rasho, they got a big equal to Bosh so win one, lose one.

[Colin]

Hey Doug,
I think you've covered this but what number is JO wearing? I remember you saying Bargs was keeping 7. The reason I ask is EA Sports NBA '09 is running a web ad that has JO in the white and red #7 posting up a frightened looking Eddie Curry. It is a soon to be familiar scene but it is factually incorrect - is it not?

Blogger's note: He's wearing No. 6

[Alan C.]

Doug, you said, "...when he made a quick trip to see a cardiac specialist here in the States." I know the interweb means that just about anyone can be just about anywhere. Are you checking out some beach volleyball?

Blogger's note: Sorry, was writing from a hotel room in Cleveland.

[Paps]

It's probably been asked before but will there be any pre-season games shown on TV?

Blogger's note: Yeah, it's been asked a couple of times. Home games and the one in Edmonton, on RaptorsTV

[Eli]

Doug,

Salaries aside ... would the raptors win more or less games with Allen Iverson (and his innate me-first style) playing the point?

Blogger's note: I don't know, maybe, maybe not. Would really depend on who's playing with him, right?

[Shawn L]

You know what sucks about email? Is that what you're trying to say can be misconstrued very easily. I wasn't saying NJ was beating down the door with a deal or be damned for Ford. It was more, I bet What's his name was mentioned on the NJ side and instantly BC lost phone service for a week. Even then I didn't really think this happened, it was more of a joke. And for the record, Ford is an upgrade over Harris. I'm glad NJ lost Marcus Williams to Golden State, you want a sleeper for your bball draft, there's a free one.

[tim]

speaking of beach volleyball do you think kerri walsh could play in the wnba?

Blogger's note: I don't know for sure, but I think if she had stuck with hoops as a teen, she could have been an WNBAer, got all kinds of athletic talent