Forget the Raptors, how about those junior girls?

Okay, for real, now we’re done with the big Raptors stuff. Honest.

They’ve only got one roster spot, it’s looking more and more like it won’t go to Carlos Delfino (I’d put it at 4-96 right now and there’s no sense of urgency whatsoever to fill it right now.

So time to coast, right? Think we’ll do this usual stuff through Sunday and then get to the old routine, one a week for old time’s sake – maybe looking at a division or two each time out – and a weekly mailbag if you’ve got some good questions.

But, when it gets boring around the Raptors and the NBA, what do we turn to?

Well, we turn to teenage girls basketball and one of the best Canadian stories in quite some time.

While you were sleeping ...

A big win – huge, in fact – for Canada’s Under-19 team at the world junior championships as you can read here.

Not only did Canada qualify for the semi-finals for the first time in 24 years at this event, being assured of a top-four finish – and with two shots at a medal – really validates the development program that’s being put in place by Canada Basketball.

You want some context: Only three times previous has Canada even qualified for these championships – they were eighth in 1985, ninth in 2005 and ninth again in 2007.

It doesn’t get any easier, that’s for sure, because Canada gets the United States in the semis but who knows what this team is capable of.

The names are I’m sure quite unfamiliar to all of you, they were to me and I’m kind of around this group fairly often, but the hope here has to be that they become at least a little more recognizable as the years go on.

I’ve always thought Canada’s women’s program – even up to the senior level – was destined for better things than the men, an opinion developed by talking to people really tied into the development of the game at the junior level.

They may not become WNBA stars but there are more than a few women doing good things at high profile American colleges, the European leagues are littered with Canucks and this new wave seems to be putting Canada truly on the global map.

You can read some reaction from one of the top players here and tune back into this space tomorrow and we’ll see what we can drum up off the semifinal game.

No matter what happens, Canada’s going to play for a medal at a world basketball championship on Sunday and we haven’t been able to say that for quite some time.

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So long, Devean, we hardly knew ye. In fact, we never knew ye. But it got a guy thinking (mostly because I had to do something last night waiting for the baseball coaches meeting/soiree to begin) so ....

The First (And Likely Last) By George Team

Don McLean

No, not the American Pie crooner, the dude who was cap ballast in a 2001 three-team trade.

The principles in that one were Brian Skinner and Ricky Davis, not Don McLean but he was a Raptor, if in name alone, and that gets him on this team.

Kenny Anderson

He was Steve Francis before Steve Francis was Steve Francis, refusing to report when they got him from Portland in the February, 1988 1998 Damon Stoudamire trade.

Doug Smith

No way I was leaving him/me off the list.

So what if he was like the memorable Keith (Mr.) Jennings, Jerome Kersey, Dontonio Wingfield, Andres Guibert, and B.J. Armstong as expansion draft picks who never even made it to camp, his name gets him before all others.

Danny Fortson

Here's the story, which may or may not be true.

Raptors trade Alvin Williams for the tough but undersized Fortson the day before the trade deadline in 2000. Rick Pitino gets killed in the Boston media and as we're all flying to San Fran for Vince's coronation, Celtics rescind the trade because, allegedly, Alvin flunks his physical. Which is strange since he went on to play about a million games after that and Pitino skulked back to college.

Still, Fortson was a Raptor for about 36 hours and never got to the city.

And, ta-da!

Alonzo Mourning

And if by any chance - like he just doesn't feel like it - he can't fulfill his duties as captain of this team, his role will be filled by Rob Babcock, who knew when he made the deal that there was no way Mourning would ever cross the border.

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Yes, it truly is vacation time for the people who run the Raptors. The GM’s taking some down time, which means The Henchmen get a chance to relax, too, and if you’re looking for news, I’m afraid it really is going to slow down an awful lot.

About all we’ve got to look forward to is the regular season schedule and, besides opening at home against Cleveland, I got a couple of other nuggets yesterday.

Orlando’s in right off the bat, on Nov. 1, which is the second home game of the season so the rivalry everyone’s anxious to see continue starts right away.

And, in news that’s purely selfish, we’re home for the holidays for the first time in a long time. No crazy extended road trip broken up by Christmas; a game Dec 23 in Detroit, and home games on the 27th and 29th. Yay.

Anyway, the whole thing should be out the first of the week and that’ll give us something to dissect but the word I’m getting it that it’s one of the best schedules for a light travel load in many a year.

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So, Lamar Odom is headed back to the Lakers.

Colour me not surprised. But I also imagine a lot of Eastern Conference coaches and GMs are quite happy that he played the Heat like a fiddle and didn’t actually sign with a conference rival.

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I couldn't help but notice the first round of the Buick Open over by Flint went off under glorious sunny skies. Some tournaments have all the luck.

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Comments

[Z]

Doug any word if the Raptors have any Nationally televised games. ESPN? TNT?

Blogger's note: No idea at the moment

[Ryan]

Aww, Doug, I thought my comment about 1988 was funny enough to get in.

Blogger's note: It was. Have patience, I actually got out to have lunch with a friend and wasn't sitting here anxiously awaiting comments

[chili]

When does training camp open?

Enjoy the Ontario Honda Civic holiday long week-end.

[Will]

I think we are going to see a lot more Zone this season. I think the team defence of the Raptors will be better then what most people think it will be.

[Dave in BG]

THIS JUST IN:

Raps announce a press conference for today at 4 pm (11 pm Italy time) to announce the signing of Joey Graham as the backup 3. Graham is expected to play 7 - 10 mins a game, to spell Hedo. BC is expected to explain the signing as "We have the utmost confidence that Joey can keep his head in the game for 7 mins. If we needed any more than that, we would have signed Delfino". BC has said off the record that he does not understand the love for Carlos, given that no one outside of Russia would pay Delfino more than the veteran's minimum. It is known that BC has been active trying to do a sign-and-trade for Delfino, but could not get any more than Marcus Banks' twin brother in return.

Emceeing the conference will be Pops, who apparently misunderstood the invitation as a contract offer. Also expected in attendance are Rasho, Turk and Belinellii, all of whom thought the conference was for them. As the team is full of soft Euros, no one is expecting a problem from the 3 insulted players.

[doug]

"Mo" I actually enjoy going to the dentist guess thats why i like watching women's b-ball oh that and the fact they play fundamentally sound ball, and are fine overall players...just not good athletes like Pops, Joey etc who play above the rim but thier b-ball skills are negligible..true b-ball fans watch b-ball whether it is on the playground, the local Y, high school or wherever...there the true "fans" of the game...

[Chris]

Doug, what is going on with Jorge Garbojosa? Any word on him coming back?

[Pete]

Where are people seeing the 09/10 schedule?Does anyone have a link?

[Justin]

I've never understood why the Raptors bought out Mourning for so much money (it was like $10 million wasn't it)?

If he refused to report, why couldn't they have just suspended him without pay and saved all the money? If he wanted a buy-out so badly, why didn't the Raptors force him to take much less or sit on our bench?

[Tim W.]

mo: " ...I find womens b-ball about as interesting as a visit to my dentist..."

Don't keep us in suspense. What happened at the dentist?

As for Pops tweeting (God I had that word almost as much as I hate Twitter) that he's going back to the Raptors, I think he finally fits in. Right now, the Raptors are thinnest at SF, and could use possibly another big man. While Wright and DeRozan can cover the small SF's, Pops can easily cover some of the bigger SF's, like LeBron, Rashard Lewis and Lamar Odom, should he need to. Sure, he's not going to be an offensive threat, but it gives him a reason to be brought back. Between Pops, DeRozan and Wright, I think the backup SF spot is fine.

Oh, I've got another post on my blog. You Canadians will enjoy it...
http://www.wearingfilm.com/picketfence/

[doug]

i must say yesterdays blog was truly educational as far as perogies go I'll never look at those little tasty morsels the same...who knew..

[Bob]

Doug...Bruce Bowen has been placed on waivers by the Bucks, your odds on the Raps signing him. He may be the missing defender needed to play 20 mins a night. Also, Warrick has been signed by the Bucks as well. Enjoy your weekend.

[Bob]

Just heard that Italian TV is to broadcast all Raptors games. Great for the Italians who are Raps fans. Would be awesome if they chip in some bucks as well to MLSE so they can sign better players and go over the luxury cap?

[Sean D]

I figured out the last move, Banks and Ukic, for Morris Petterson, salaries and terms match perfect, and they can save money by waiving Ukic , I know they dont want mo pete anymore anyways, and he can play small forward and be a crazy home town fav again. and blah blah one more spot for the bench with a 2 for 1

[Laiddragon]

Sun Yue #9 SG LA Lakers ...Waived

Would it be a good marketing move to sign this player. Consider our Chinese population, Raps have already pleased their Italian fans.
Imagine the turnout for Sun Yue, Yao Ming would be jealous the attention Yue would have in Toronto. Indeed, Toronto Raptors would be the United Nations of the NBA.

Richard aka Laiddragon

TIP : We need our Raptors Today Show on the Radio...Hockey has theirs, Baseball has theirs...We need representation by population. Can u dig it, Doug !

PEACE

[J]

Laiddragon: Sun Yue has no game, unlike the other Europeans signed so far.

[Mo]

Tim W they cleaned my teeth at the dentist.
p.s. I find your constant comments on everyone elses comments very annoying.
I dont read Dougs blog to get your opinion on others opinions :)
I'd tell you to get your own blog, but it looks like you already have one.
I read it & came 2 realize all you do is the exact same thing in your writing. you write about how you disagree with Austin Burton of slam magazine & Chad Ford etc, etc
I guess thats just what you do. take care.

[Lawrs]

Kenny Anderson was great... didn't we end up getting Billups by trading him

Blogger's note: For all of the 29 games Chauncey played here, yep

[Noslak]

I thought about what it would be like to have Sun Yue play SF for the Raptors. Only problem is he has the height of a SF, but the weight of a PG. Basically, most SF's in the league would abuse him physically and he wouldn't be strong enough to guard them.

He would draw some Chinese people to games though which would be nice.