Who needs mail when you've got ... this

I know, you probably expected mail, right?

Well, truth be told, there are a few little items I figured had to be done today rather than not done at all and, frankly, it takes a bit less time to do this than answer 6,000 words worth of questions. And yesterday (5 a.m. wake up call in Philly, 6 p.m. file main story for paper) was pretty much a long enough day anyway.

So some putzing around on this in the evening, a quick finish this morning and it’s better for all concerned. I think. But not to worry, the mail will arrive Sunday, loads and loads and loads of it.

So away we go:

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Imagine our surprise when Chris Bosh showed up in Philly the other night sporting a brace on his right knee. He’d been telling us the entire time of training camp how he’d never felt better, was in great shape and that’s why things were going so well for him.

So, what’s up?

Well, as he told me yesterday, it’s a bit of “preventative medicine.” He’s not hurt, there’s no pain, he’s just being careful that something doesn’t go wrong.

Sorta weird, since he’d always told us that he hated the brace because psychologically he worried that it limited his mobility. That fact was brought up to him in our quick conversation, too.

"I did. But the brace made up with me.”

Hmm. Feelings for inanimate objects.

Odd.

But whatever.

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Those Golden State Warriors are quite the spoil sports.

I think they have the greatest array of uniforms in the league, especially in the throwback vein because the jerseys with The City logo are outstanding.

But they blew it for tonight.

They’ve got a set of orange uniforms in their closets but aren’t, apparently, going to wear them tonight. They’ll go with boring old white ones.

Really?

Could have worn orange against Toronto’s black? Today? And didn’t? Someone missed a great chance.

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Hey, I’m told they have the kinks worked out in the $8.5 million television set that hangs above the court and that the in-game stats panels should work.

We, as they say, shall see.

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Better do this one ‘cause it’s on a lot of people’s minds:

Q: Hey Doug, maybe I'll see you at the home opener if I take my binoculars. Anyways, I have always liked Al Harrington. Besides zero to none (I have been reading you for a while), any chance we get him for say Hump, Joey and Parker. The $ work, but that leaves the team shorthanded.
Bonus Question:  Should ownership ever change its heart regarding the mid-level exception, can they use it in the middle of the year?
David S, Ottawa

A: Quite short-handed. But if I know Bryan, and I know enough about him, I’m sure he’s at least thought about making a call to the Warriors to see what’s up.

Harrington’s pretty good and could probably do a good job at the three here but it’ll be a tax-creating move (if they do a two- or three-for-one, they’d have to fill the roster up to 13 and that’ll put ‘em over the limit) so there are financial concerns.

But I also think Bryan, and the coaches, want to see how this team does over a bit of time rather than make a significant change a week into the season. I honestly think they need 15-20 games to find out exactly what they’ve got and what they might want. And, who knows, they might find they like what they have. They might also find that a guy like Harrington from some other team is available, too, because other teams may stumble.

On the mid-level question: Yeah, they’ve still got what’s left of it to spend.

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Great Moments In Home Opener History

Not many, actually, they sort of blend into one another over the years.

Of course, the very first one stands out because, well, mostly because it was the first one and also the first day we had to deal with a player arrested (Alvin Robertson).

And glancing back through the pages of the media guide, I see the 1997 home opener was a 104-86 drubbing of the, ahem, Golden State Warriors and some guy named Marshall led the Warriors with 20 points. Yup, Donyell could shoot it back in the day, too.

Oh, and one other thing about that night? The win over Golden State was followed by a 17-game Raptor losing streak, the longest in franchise history. They wouldn’t win again for more than a month.

Just sayin’.

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You know, we’ve held up the Knicks as the poster boys for dysfunction but maybe it’s only ‘cause we live on the wrong side of the continent. The Warriors have to be in that discussion.

To wit:
Team president Robert Rowell seems to have frozen out GM Chris Mullin on all significant decisions. It was Rowell who decided on the 30-game suspension for Monta Ellis. It was Rowell who signed coach Don Nelson to a two-year extension. It’s Rowell who’s dealing with a contract extension for Stephen Jackson, which has to be done today. You’ve got to figure Mullin, in the last year of his deal, isn’t signing any long-term leases.

Al Harrington’s wanted to be traded for months and made his feelings known publicly on the eve of the season, always a delightful distraction.

Ellis is appealing his suspension and the team’s still got the option of revoking the contact entirely, which would create even more appeals and controversy.

Oh, and the coach stretched his best player out for the full 48 in the home opener, as my friend Janny reports here in today’s Chronicle.

Yeah, that’s a well-oiled franchise out there, isn’t it?

Not sure how the Jackson-48-minutes thing played with public in the Bay area but can you imagine the hue and cry if Sam did it with Bosh here? The reaction would crash the entire internet, I’m sure.

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The Lovely Ladies Of The Foundation tell me that ticket-dinner-limo package today made ‘em $1,600. Way to go.

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Here’s another mail thingy:

Q: Doug, got to disagree with you on retired numbers.  I think that #20 should be retired in honour of Alvin Williams.  Not that he was such a great player, but for the fact that he gave way over 100% for the Raptors, playing through injuries and surgeries that would have stopped most players for a season.  (was it five surgeries on one ankle?)

Keith W, Whitby

A: It was his knees actually. But to your point, I think there are other ways to honour someone – specifically Alvin – than hanging up a number, which should only be reserved for the absolute great players and not necessarily great guys.

How about an in-house award? The Alvin Williams Trophy for contributions above and beyond the call of duty, both on and off the court? Works for me.

Comments

[Danny Himmel]

Doug, I'd through my vote behind having an Alvin Williams Trophy. Guys with his kind of dedication should be recognized.

[Ben F]

Gotta love 'em Warriors.

In addition to all the issues listed in the blog, they've got a pass-first point guard in Marcus Williams (I know DeMarcus Nelson got the start in their opener, but come on... DeMarcus Nelson???) to go along with a trio of ball-hogging wingmen in Maggette, SJax, and Ricky Davis. I also noticed a whopping four DNP-CDs for the first game (Wright, Randolph, Belinelli, and another player) and basically a 7-man rotation! Yikes!

[axl]

when are we ever going to hear about jawai?!

Blogger's note: Last I heard, officially, was they were examining the results of various tests; it's cardiac issues, it takes time. This is a long time, yes, but it's the heart, better safe and thorough than sorry. And it's not like they're missing a key member of the rotation.

[Dagomar Degroot]

Nice entry today. Things were a little sparse toward the end of the summer but I'm glad to see the blog covering the NBA season. The Warriors are a strange, strange franchise. No true point, no real big men (at least not ones that Nellie likes to use), a GM who isn't the GM - and a coach who seems to prefer experimenting to winning. Then again, why isn't that franchise based within San Francisco, anyway?

Also: is it just me or is are there FAR fewer NBA games on Canadian TV this season? Sportsnet seems to have gotten away from the NBA altogether. We get the Raptors games on the score and sometimes TSN or CBC but, with some exceptions, that's about it, unless you get RaptorsTV. Disappointing.

[Chris B.]

Doug,
I'm 100% behind an Alvin Williams award... but we all know MLSE would never do such a thing.

Maybe you could create the "Boogie Award" for best question/email/comment of the week?

Keep up the great work!

CB

[Bo Klymkiw]

"The Alvin Williams Trophy for contributions above and beyond the call of duty, both on and off the court?" GREAT IDEA! MOST APPROPRIATE!! RAPTOR MANAGEMENT, WHEN PHILLY COMES HERE, ALVIN SHOULD BE INVITED FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT HALFTIME, IN FRONT OF THE FANS WHO LOVE HIM!!! GET ON IT!!!!

[Ryan]

Dagomar, you're exactly right. I found myself last night trying to watch a basketball game, ANY game, and not being able to find one. It's sad that poker gets more airtime than an actual sport. Not to take away from poker; it is a good game, but it's not a sport.

I guess there's just not enough Canadian basketball fans, but hopefully that'll change someday.

[Mitch]

Hey Doug, love the blog.
We call the hockey fans "pucks," a nickname made by shortening hockey pucks. Being that our sport of choice is played with basketballs, do the "pucks" and hockey beat grunts call us B@lls?

[Colin W]

Re the Alvin Williams award - great idea *2thumbsup* Does anyone in Raptors' management or PR circles read this blog? I sure hope so...

[Matt]

Doug Im going to the game tonight and Im thinking Ill dress as a Philadel...phian? Bald cap, look 'middle-aged', wear a Phillies jersey, and jeer the heck out of O'Neal. What sign is better; a creative one with a picture of a hill and JO placed over it, or just the blatant 'JO SUCKS' sign?

Maybe if the entire ACC follows suit JO can carry the team. Maybe this is a full season idea, not just all hallow's eve.

[Andrew Gregg]

Alvin Williams award?! For what? Most errant passes? Most time skittering around the court trying to make up for his last bad play? I think he's remembered fondly here for having a low-key temperament on a hi-wattage team, with Carter, Oak and Davis demanding the attention. He was a serviceable guard during exciting times for the Raps. But retired number? Special award? I'll never figure out why everyone keeps remembering Alvin Williams as a great player.

[CARLoS M,]

Great idea about the Alvin Willaims award but I doubt MLSE would do anything like that. What is Alvin up to these days? Is he in any way still associated with the team?

[yertu damkule]

dagomar...where've you been? no bball games on TV? hole-eee...all the raps games are on (TSN is carrying 48 games (25/23 on TSN/TSN2), CBC is carrying about a dozen, RapsTV 2 & the rest are on the score). TSN2 has had a few games this week (opening night double-header, and last night's mavs/rockets game), and RapsTV had the suns/hornets last night as well. it's not as much as hockey, but with that extra channel, TSN seems committed to becoming a big player in the bball broadcast game. it only took 15 years & the worst run of leafs teams in memory.

[Andrew Gregg]

You know, this Alvin Williams award really got me thinking. Any venerable institution--like the Raptors--needs a slew of internal prizes to keep up the morale. I'd like to suggest the following:

1. The Oliver Miller Fitness Award
2. The Isiah Thomas Prize for Corporate Leadership
3. The Antonio Davis "Proficiency in Metric" Award
4. The Charles Oakley Prize for Elocution
5. The Alonzo Mourning Medal for Attendance
6. The Alvin Robertson Ribbon for Appreciation of the Fairer Sex.
7. The Vince Carter Sash for Durability
8. The Butch Carter/Kevin O'Neill Prize for "Humility in the Face of Adversity"
9. The TJ Ford "Good Citizen" Scholarship
10. The Sam Mitchell Prize for Excellence in Debating.

[Raptoronto]

I loved Alvin Williams’s warrior mentality as much as anyone. I just I don't see the Raptors creating an award that encourages their players to not report their injuries, to stay on the court and earn a contract extension, until they are hobbled beyond repair.

...but would still love to see him get some recognition and love when he comes into town.

[Perry]

Yes I think an Alvin Williams award is very approriate, he did a lot for this ball club.

[Mack]

Love the blog Doug,

Did anyone catch the suns/hornets games on raps tv? On inside the NBA after the game, EJ and Chris webber actually picked the raps to be the most improved team in the east this season. Pretty cool i think. About the trophy, i think its an awesome idea!

[Mike P. from Chicago's northside]

Andrew Gregg's top 10 is hilarious....isiah award for corporate leadership LOL.

[DanH]

Re: Mitch

Perhaps the pucks would call us basket-cases?

Re: Alvin. Wouldn't be against the idea, but I don't think there's any need for it. Did pay him millions of dollars after all.

[Tabber]

And the Andrew Gregg award for negativity and inability to recognize a player with heart. And the first and perennial winner: Andrew Gregg!!! Come on down and collect your used condom - we know you have no use for it literally, but it'll fit over your entire body, since you are obviously a p....

[Chris C]

I agree with Andrew Gregg...What did Alvin Williams do? He was a mamber of the williams sisters right? If he didnt have the other players around him when he was on the court, I would say we need a Hoffa award too. He did a lot for the ball club. Of Pape Sow, for putting his neck on the line...maybe tie TJ into that too.