If this is Monday, it must be the final round of the golf

Have I mentioned how much I hate rain delays?

Honestly, we sat through 7 1-2 hours of non-golf on Thursday, about four hours on Friday, they didn’t play at all Saturday afternoon and I arrived at Glen Abbey on Sunday about 11 a.m. and never saw a single ball struck in competition before we got out of there around 8 p.m.

Fun? Wow!

And since today’s the first day of an alleged week off, what else would a self-respecting backup golf scribe do but go back to the course?

But first …

-

Know what I fear? That if the Raptors can’t get a deal done with Carlos Delfino (they’re still talking but there’s really no sense of urgency so don’t read that much into the delay right now) Bryan could very well wait until much later in August to fill that 15th roster spot.

That, of course, means we have to keep making daily checks and reacting to all kinds of other rumours but it does make lots of sense, doesn’t it? As a wise man suggested when the free agency period opened, tough economic times and the sheer number of guys on the market made it glaringly apparent that there will be bargains to be had the more time goes on.

So why not sit back, let some players and agents see the days slipping by and perhaps lower their demands? I can see a whole lot of players watching July turn into August and thinking, ‘yeah, maybe I better get a one-year deal done soon so I know where I’m working next year.’

-

Perhaps you’ve heard that your favourite basketball beat grunt has been Golf Boy (or Rain Boy as it turns out) for the last few days.

(Yes, M. Grange TM was out there, too, but I was referring to me).

Anyway, the only thing I really know about golf is that I don’t play it particularly well any more but Sunday’s shenanigans put a whole new focus on the weirdness of the sport.

I’m sure you all read about it already – if you haven’t, click here – and it strikes me that a retroactive, unprompted second video review and reversal of a ruling a day later is somewhat, um, ridiculous.

Yes, I know about the honour of the game and think it’s great. But how in the world can some committee guy wake up Sunday, think, ‘hmm, that decision we made Saturday should be re-visited’ and then change a ruling that everyone was seemingly happy with.

Odd. Very, very odd.

But it got me thinking (which is always a dangerous thing).

And I wonder if we’ll see these stories:

Patrick Ewing did indeed travel every time he went to the basket and the NBA has now decided he’s got about 920 career points.

Scottie Pippen was playing illegal defence all those years in Chicago and the six titles are now vacated.

Invoking the Ted Steptien Rule that doesn’t allow crazies to dismantle their teams with goofy trades, Vince Carter is now back in Toronto and Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and Alonzo Mourning at still on the books in New Jersey.

I’m sure there are others and since this is going to be a slow week, maybe I can come up with some more for here.

-

Hey, you hear Rasho’s back?

Right, you did.

Anyway, I think the most significant part of the whole transaction is that they got him on a one-year deal. The money was no surprise, I always figured he’d get the full biannual exception of about $1.9 million but there was some contention about the second year and where it would be a team option or a player option.

Apparently, it’s no one’s option and they got a pretty decent backup centre on a relatively cheap deal that doesn’t put them in any tax danger in the 2010-11 season.

That’s pretty good.

-

List time, kind of:

Q: So all this talk of Pops made me think of the greatest Raptors fan favourite team.

Center- Pape Sow

Power Forward-The Legend Pops

Small Forward- JYD

Shooting guard- MoPete

Point guard- Alvin Williams

Can you think of any bigger fan favourites than these guys?

Ryan C, Thorold

A: Man, I think you nailed that list pretty well.

If there was a way to put Matt Bonner or even Oak on there, I don’t think you’d get any controversy.

How about we go at it this way:

Fan favourites in disproportion to their playing abilities?

I’d still give you Pape and Pops, I guess, but how about rounding that five out with guys like, oh, I dunno:

Garth Joseph

Mengke Bateer

Robert Archibald

Seriously, none of them could really play but I bet a few of you smiled thinking about the way Garth Joseph used to growl.

-

Hey, remember the Under-19 women’s team we were talking about last week in my never-ending quest to make international basketball relevant around these parts? Well, they’re still at it (and I presume you’ve all been checking the Canada Basketball website to find out, right?) .

The Canadas were beaten while you were sleeping by the United States (you can find the boxscore here) and now have to play Spain tomorrow and Japan the day after.

They’re 2-2 and right in the thick of contention for the quarter-finals and the top 8 spot they covet but it’s going to take at least one win for them to move on.

We’ll try to keep better tabs on them in the next couple of days.

-

Hey, check this one out.

I’d hire Oak as an assistant coach in a minute, even if it meant (a) hiring an Oak-to-English translator and (b) making sure we had good insurance for the first time he slugged some knucklehead rookie in the head.

(But, please, I beseech you: Do not write with questions about why the Raptors don’t hire him. The staff is full, there will be no more additions).

-

There’s this guy on the golf tour, Glen Day, and Super Son and I were sitting by the seventh tee the other afternoon watching play at that par-3 and Day’s in one of the groups.

He puts the ball down, grabs a club and I swear he stands over the ball for like 45 seconds. Looking down and up and up and down and finally getting down the business of playing a shot. The wait was mind-numbing.

Now I know he’s got the best nickname in golf.

Glen (All) Day.

-

Comments

[Don fr. Riverview]

Doug-Is there a slight chance that Warrick maybe offered a chance at the 15th position with the Raps, as they do need a power forward?

Blogger's note: Actually, they need a small forward but if Warrick wants to play on a one-year deal for the minimum, I imagine they'd call him

[Tim H.]

Hi Doug!

So, what do you think you did to anger the golf gods so much??? Not only do you have all the rain delays that extend the tournament into the the first day of your so-called "second week of vacation," but then you go and have a PLAYOFF!?!!!?!??!

Actually, I don't think it had anything to do with the golf gods - it was the bball gods giving us Raps fans a little extra dose of the best Raptors blog in the universe (and I can say that - I've been to other galaxies, and nothing compares to your blog!)

Can't wait for the season to begin!

[Mark]

"A "no-trade" clause CAN be negotiated into an individual contract if the player has been in the NBA for at least eight seasons, and has played for the team with which he is signing for at least four seasons."

If the website I got this from is correct, those 4 years with the signing team do NOT have to be the previous 4 years, so if Blake Griffin plays for the Clippers for the next 4 years, then plays for New York a few years, he can still ask for a no-trade clause if he were to resign with the Clippers.

Rasho, however, has not played 4 seasons with the Raptors, so the Raptors cannot give him a no-trade clause.

[Mark]

Doug, would you think the Raptor fans would boo Bosh if he decided to leave? Or do we have a greater respect for him than we did for (W)ince Carter when he left us?

Blogger's note: Couldn't, and wouldn't, guess

[Noslak]

Please, no WNBA team for Toronto.

It would just take up extra space in the paper and on the sports channels. I'd rather leave more time on the channels for something I'd actually watch, like commercials.

Blogger's note: Guess we take you off the season-ticket subscriber list?

[Gman]

Hey Doug, they're getting crazy down in NYC. Somehow one of the NYPOST writers happened on you're remark about the Knicks being irrelevant. He completely decontextualized the remark and made you look like you were calling the team out as worthless. And then used it as an excuse to bash the Raptors and Toronto.

http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/backpage/archives/2009/07/raptors_writer.html

Is there any way to start the NBA season early? I think the natives are getting restless.

[doug]

good point you raise about the RICOH center...a private investor should never take on the Toronto WNBA team but MLSE should as it's a natural link between the two...offer season ticket deals between the two plus as opposed to the Marlies who are directly competing with the Leafs the WNBA team would have the whole season to themselves..plus I admonish anyone who is a "true" b-ball fan by that I mean someone that aprreciates a 12-foot jumper, a box out check out the WNBA as it is b-ball as it was meant to be played , not above the rim...above the rim just gives credence to those that say Pops or Moon can play, they can't frankly, their athleticism allows them to get a job...their b-ball smarts and I.Q. should not...that is the one weakness of the NBA it rewards non-b-ball talents such as Pops, Moon, Graham etc...

also the longer it goes on the more I believe the Raptors are not going to sign Delfino (thank-god) and leave that roster spot open for a trade, Ukic(as he is redundant) or something, flexibility down the road as he no matter what the posters here think he is not worth anywhere close to 5 mill...as you say there will be bargains to be had...so why commit, BC is a smart man he knows let Delfino dangle in the wind as their are not exactly multiple suitors banging on his door..also another thing I really think that Douby kid can play, he has skills and I think the Raptors brass thnik so as well...

anyways enjoy your holidays as it's not only the dog-days of summer in baseball but also the NBA...oh by the way the Canadian girls deserve their props (that's how the young ones say it today I believe)...they lost to the Russians the Number 2 ranked team in the world by 8 (after leading after 3) and to the Americans by 14, they deserve to finish this tournament ranked no lower then 4th,5th(but schedule will leave them 8th or so unfortunately)...thats a quiet accomplishment they did us proud...

[Alex]

Doug you have never seen Almost Famous?? That is a true classic, you must rent it. "Still waters run deep".

As for fan favorites, I would cast a vote for Mike "Who" James. He could light it up and he shot his mouth faster than he did three-pointers.

[sam]

ultimate fan favorite - Vinsanity

[P.]

Hah! I read that blog post in the NYP. I guess that's the difference between blog writer and a sports journalist.

I'm not sure what kind of "high horse" it takes to have the same opinion as everyone not affiliated with the NY Knicks. And the Raptors stinking it up last season does not preclude anyone from writing about how much any of the other teams also stunk it up.

And speaking of stinking it up, that NYP blog reads like something out of realgm.com.

I'll also wager that Doug takes the high horse, err...high road, and dismisses the NYP blog post as anything BUT relevant!

[Tim W.]

Doug (the other one): "also the longer it goes on the more I believe the Raptors are not going to sign Delfino (thank-god) and leave that roster spot open for a trade"

There is absolutely no player the Raptors could get in a trade of one of the players they would trade, that would net them a better player than Delfino. And it's not very likely that any player they could sign for the minimum would be better than him either. Delfino isn't as good as some Raptor fans remember, but he'd be the second best player off the bench for them, if he doesn't start.

And don't be fooled by Douby's summer league play. He played well last summer, too. Yes, he's got some offensive skills, but the guy is too small to be anything more than 10-15 mpg player in the league. It's why Sacramento tried to turn him into a PG. He needs the ball to be effective, and on this team, he really should not have the ball much.

[kent]

goes to show you how dumb fans are: if the fan-favorites team played the anti-favorites team 100 times, the latter would go 100-0 and lose by 30 points every time.