A bunch of little stuff and the Dream Team revisited

Glen Davis back to Boston, no surprise.

Leon Powe maybe going to Cleveland even though he won’t play until at least the all-star break, no surprise.

Linas Kleiza headed to Greece for some stupid amount of money, no surprise.

Von Wafer not getting a gig in the NBA and allegedly going to be a teammate of Kleiza’s in Greece, no big surprise.

What we’re seeing these days, and what we’ll see over the next fortnight, I imagine, is a bunch of little things that will do nothing to alter the balance of power anywhere in the world and are of little or no direct consequence here in Toronto.

Those are the times we live in at the moment.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff, because there’s always stuff, it seems.

Like…

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I wonder how nuts they’ll go in Los Angeles today when they get a whiff of this news about Pau Gasol.

Think they’ll call him “selfish” for putting his country ahead of his team? Rip him for turning his back on the franchise that got him off the scrap heap in Memphis and gave him a shot an NBA title?

Or will they shrug their collective shoulders, say it’s an injury that could have happened any time and with more than 2 1-2 months until the season starts it’s not really that big a deal?

I’m betting more of the last than any of the first two.

And I’m also crossing my fingers that no similar fate befalls Roko Ukic or Hedo Turkoglu or Andrea Bargnani as the summer goes on because if the same thing happens to any of them, I fear the comments section here might physically blow up from the stain it’ll have to handle.

That’s what I love – and hate – about our little passionate corner of the world.

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Right. The Yankees.

Not tragedy but not good, either.

We resumed Sunday’s rain-suspended game, played to a 3-3 tie in a couple of innings and ended up losing by one.

Still have post-season life – it’s a double-knockout tourney – so there’s an even bigger game scheduled for Thursday if you’ve got nothing to do. We’re trying to get network coverage but it’s hard.

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Yikes!

Bad day for the Lions.

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Someone wrote me to say a Philly report had Joey on some list – along with, I believe, his brother, Rodney Carney and another one or two guys – as possibilities to fill out the Sixers roster.

Aside from meaning nothing – it’s a list of possibilities and could very well have included you and me – I’m not entirely sure a team with The Gangster, Jason and Joey could really be considered a lock to retain a playoff spot.

We all know those Philly fans can be quite, ah, cynical in their estimation of Sixer additions, turning the franchise into Toronto South probably doesn’t sit too well.

Personally, I hope Joey gets a deal somewhere, he’s a good guy, relatively hard worker and who am I to say he should be denied employment. Just don’t think it’s going to be here.

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Speaking of international basketball, we’ve got a whole other group of young Canucks to follow for a little while.

The girls under-16 Cadette team.

It’s a first time FIBA Americas tournament going on right now in Mexico City and they opened with a bang, as you can read here.

I know next to nothing about this group of girls – missed their three-day training camp right around the corner from me, unfortunately – but if they get to the inaugural worlds next year in France, it’s another feather in that developmental cap.

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Oh yeah, all kinds of questions yesterday about the omission of the ’92 Dream Team from the list of teams I would have love to watch practice.

Well, the fact is, I did see them practice, I was a Canadian Press basketball scribbler at the Tournament of the Americas when they made their debut and watched them all through the Barcelona Olympics so they were not eligible, or something like that.

And, frankly, their practices were okay but nothing to write home about.

Two good stories about that first tournament out in Portland, if you don’t mind. (And if I’ve told them before, I apologize, the mind’s not quite what it used to be).

Standing in the hallway of the old Portland Coliseum talking to Jay, who was an assistant to Ken Shields on that staff, when who should come wandering down the hall but that Michael Jordan fellow.

Me? I’m pretty impressed just seeing him but it got stupidly jaw-dropping when he spied Jay, stopped, gave him a big hug and said something along the lines of:

“Man, you shouldn’t be coaching, you should be out there playing. You’re not done yet.”

They chat for a couple of more minutes while I stand there slack-jawed.

Second, not quite as good, story:

First game the Americans play is against Cuba and the game’s delayed a few minutes because the Cubans are in such awe they’re taking pictures on the court right before the tip.

The Dream Team wins by about a billion and I’m trying to come up with a lead to the story. Witty dude that I am, I figure the historical nature of the event played off should be the angle. I write what I think is one of the good first grafs, file it to the desk in Toronto, go about my business and am a bit surprised and disappointed that the editors cut the opening paragraph because they thought it was too political.

You tell me, would you continue reading a story that opened:

“PORTLAND, Ore. – If only the Bay of Pigs had gone as smoothly.”

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Oh yeah, another thing about this quasi-vacation I’m on? I don’t feel compelled to get up just after 6 a.m. to finish this thing off each morning so I’ll be relatively tardy for the next couple of weeks.

So there!

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Comments

[Greg]

Hedo and Andrea - Yes. Belinelli too. But, do you realy think Toronto fans would be overly upset if the third string point guard got injured

Blogger's note: Hell, yeah

[NC]

What do you think it is about Toronto, New York and Philly fans that make us so "unique"?

Blogger's note: Historical mediocrity, basic insecurity, too much time on their hands

[Mike Kovacs]

Doug given how quiet it is I am surprised that no one has asked about what music will open the games this year!!!

[Nick]

Okay - so Kleiza is out of the picture, Delfino was long gone, what do they do with the little bit of money left? At this point, is BC still trying to fill that last roster spot?

Blogger's note: At this point, he's on vacation. But, yes, I imagine they'll fill it. And, no, I don't have any idea with who

[Caleb]

Hey Doug,

Thanks for the continued effort squeezing some news bit out, especially in the dog days of summer where the basketball headlines read "Kleiza to Olymipiacos" (sp?). Needless to say I'm itching for training camp to start (doesn't hurt that they are coming to my home town again for camp!)

My question actually has to do with books on basketball. I most recently ordered online Jack McCallum's Seven Seconds or Less on the recommendation of many people (I believe you mentioned it as a good read in one of last years posts). If I'm looking to get through the summer and fill my basketball fix, what would your top 5 basketball books be?

Blogger's note: I smell a list for the morning. Thanks

[Thomas]

HAH! that's ruthless... but I probably would read it... while most would complain

[Lazaros O.]

Kleizas got indeed much more money that he'd get here. The 12.2 million for two-years quoted by his agent is not so far from the truth. Just read in the Greece press that he'll get 2 million euros/year. If that's tax free and his tax rate here would have been 50% he is getting the equivalent of 11.2 million USD.

[Andre]

You tell em' Doug.. YOU wake up AFTER 6, don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Do it for the children.

[Scott]

Where do the Yankees play?

Blogger's note: TBD still, sked's a bit messed up what with all the rain

[Lavi]

Hey Doug,
When you referred to Jay in the Michael Jordan story, were you referring to Jay Triano?

Blogger's note: Ah, yes, I was

[Wallace]

Hi Doug,

I think that if these high profile NBA players want to play for their countries, that's fine. But I do find it just a wee bit hypocritical of them to only play after they have secured their multi-million dollar contracts from the owners of their respective teams. There is no way they would play a minute of international ball otherwise, and yet they expect their employer to eat the contract in the event of a serious injury, sustained while playing for someone else's team....for free.

[Mo]

Since you're in Mighty Yankees mode, how about a baseball question:
Everyone knows fans are overly critical of GM's, so I want your opinion - What do you think of J.P. Ricciardi? and how does the future of the Blue Jays look to you?

Man... I thought the knicks were bad!

Blogger's note: That future would be rather bleak, I believe

[doug]

I liked your story on Jay..as a lot of readers here don't realize how renowned a international player he was, he is just not a token Canadian assistant coach that BC decided to make head coach....BC is not a stupid man, Jay is coach because he was a hellava ballplayer, knows b-ball and deserves a head coaching gig, even the Amercians with their plethora of coaching choices hired him to work with them this summer..this guy bleeds b-ball...

also not b-ball related but my admiration for Tiger just went up exponentially as he is being fined for speaking out about being put on the clock..it was a classic duel Tiger down by 3, up by 2, then down by one then some idiot marshall puts the group on the clock....and ruins a match that was destined to be a great one, Tiger apologized to Harrington afterwards and spoke his mind as they were the last group of the day, it was classic theater...the fans got screwed once again, as they did with Stern's ruling in that Spurs-Suns series, so good on Tiger he had the b*lls to speak his mind...rules are rules but also is common sense common sense...

plus Kenny Williams I think just jumped to the front of the list for people I would send christmas cards to if I were the Jays...hell i would even buy him a gift..

[AC]

Hey doug... check out that lions box, pape hit a three!

[Peter Brown]

So your editors thought that 30 years is too soon to crack a "Bay of Pigs" joke? What a humourless bunch of prigs.

[LeeZ]

Doug, seeing as how it's the dog days of August and there's nothing really to talk about, I think the time is right for some language snobbery, no? To wit: the word "unique". Here is the definition: 1. Being the only one of its kind; 2. Without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled. It's a superlative. Adjective/adverbs/modifiers are superfluous, nay, redundant. So for NC to write: What do you think it is about Toronto, New York and Philly fans that make us so "unique"?, well, that's wrong on two levels: 1) By its very definition, unique means one of a kind, so it's a contradiction in terms to write that more than one group of fans is unique. And 2), the use of the word "so" is like saying "she's so pregnant".

There. Now don't you all feel so damn edified? And Doug, don't forget Basketball Diaries in your list tomorrow. Strictly speaking, not a book about basketball per say, but very cool, and the author Jim Carroll played against Lew Alcindor back in high school, which makes the book even cooler.

[doug]

I was just reading this article on S.I. I know how much you love mascots "sarcasm" as do I for the most part, but I have to admit I agree with this, this mascot was the funniest one out there, he made me laugh many times I saw him/her? in person, it always cracked me up with its antics, mannerisms no mattter how much I never wanted to laugh or be amused by a mascot this one got to me... and is one of 3 mascots to be "unofficially" in baseballs hall of fame which I never knew...with the Chicken and the Phanatic...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/specials/remember-when/baseball/25things.html?eref=sihpT1

[LeeZ]

Oh and btw, LOVE the Bay of Pigs line. Your editors were...well, pigs.

[Tim W.]

Doug,

just out of interest, where was it that Jay and Michael knew each other from? International players and NBA players didn't really move in the same circles at that time.

Caleb,

Have you read Paul Shirley's book, `Can I Keep My Jersey?'. Fantastic read and it gives a little different perspective than most basketball books. Plus, its highly entertaining. My wife, who is in no way, shape or form, a basketball fan, read it and loved it.

Wallace,

You think it's hypocritical to want to make sure you are going to have a bit of financial security before risking your future? I, personally, think it's a smart decision not to risk losing millions of dollars, but maybe that's just me. Unfair for the owners signing them to the contract? Not really, because there is usually insurance, with the national team and with the NBA, that covers the owners if the player gets hurt. Unfair to the insurance companies? I don't think anyone is going to say that. Especially not in the US where insurance companies generally don't stand on the highest moral ground.

Blogger's note: They knew each other from things like camps, club events, Canadian national team tours

[GM]

Books... I'm just finishing off "When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball", by Seth Davis. It's not particularly well-written, but the story is compelling. It's about the Michigan St-Indiana St game, going right back to when Magic and Bird played in high school. Man, Bird's life story should be made into a movie.

[Geoff Read]

I would definitely have read that story. You could have stretched the metaphor further with talk of having the necessary air support and so on.... ridiculous but funny.

In response to your query about sports teams practising etc., I once saw the Canadian women's hockey team practise up at York U - it was pretty damn impressive. Fast, hard-working, talented - you could see why they were the world's best.

But facetiously I'd have to answer the tennis doubles pairing of Ana Ivanovic and Maria Kirilenko. Ay caramba.

[jim t]

hey doug do you know if the euros in poland will be televised anywhere?

Blogger's note: Don't know for sure, not on conventional TV at the moment, presume there'll be some kind of web streaming

[Nathan]

Just curious about the Jay/MJ story. What is their connection? I think a lot of Raptor fans are surprised at how well-connected Jay Triano is.

Blogger's note: Various connections, the national team used to play American college teams; various camps and the like

[Patrick]

Hi Doug,

Not to step all over your soon-to-be list but, if you'll allow me, I just wanted to give a couple of basketball-related book suggestions to the person who asked about them (Caleb).

Specifically, although I read it about 10 years ago, I remember enjoying "The Last Shot" by Darcy Frey. Also, more recently, I started to read "Can I Keep My Jersey?" by Paul Shirley... it's fun and light.

Have a good one!

[Aaron D]

Since everyone is making Jays references today is there any way we can waive Marcus Banks and have Chicago pick him up? Or maybe the Jays can with their newfound cap space. Just a thought, have a great break.