Spanning the globe; and the bookshelves

Well, we’ve got a little bit of stuff here today, nothing earth-shattering and nothing to do with the local NBA side but what the heck.

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Hey, there’s basketball being played at the Air Canada Centre.

Canada basketball, senior men’s team, a few days of camp before they first head to Puerto Rico for an exhibition tournament and then stay there to take part in the world qualification tournament later this month and into the first week of September.

Leo Rautins has his team – it’s here in this release we got from the folks at Canada Basketball yesterday – and to say it’s a hugely significant tournament for the team would be an understatement.

As we’ve seen all summer, the programs for the younger kids have had some success – the Cadets qualified for the worlds, the juniors finished seventh at the world championships – but the senior men, really, haven’t done squat in several years and it’s about time they got back on the global stage.

The team is good – not great, but good – and filled with guys with international experience, which cannot be discounted at this level. It’s all well and good to say we’ve got some promising teenagers in the pipeline but this is a man’s tournament and it’s time for the men to step up.

It won’t be easy.

There are four world championship berths at stake and even though the Americans don’t have to get one – they get in the worlds as Olympic champions – there are a handful of very good teams Canada will have to play.

The Dominican Republic, for instance, is getting Charlie Villanueva, Al Horford and, we believe, Trevor Ariza. Argentina’s Argentina, Brazil’s chock full of talent and if Puerto Rico doesn’t qualify at home, the joke is they’ll keep everyone there until the run the tournament again and they do. Even Mexico, hardly a major player in the past, can now boast Eddie Najera and Earl Watson, which gives them one more NBAer than Canada has.

Talking with Leo – whose contract runs this year with an option for next that’s surely in question if they don’t make the worlds – he knows Canada’s in tough. This is how he put it when we chatted before they went to Europe:

“The reality is, we’re still younger and less experienced than our competition but that’s our world, we just have to find a way to not beat ourselves. The talent aspect? There’s nothing we can do about that, we just can’t beat ourselves in situations and that’s what we have to work on.

“Look at the NBA component on those other teams and then look at the EuroLeague component. We have one EuroLeague guy (Carl English). You can’t substitute for that so the next thing you have to do is you have to nearly play perfect basketball.”

We’ll get to more on this in the next little while because this team’s going to become the basketball story around these parts as this month turns into next.

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A little light reading?

Let’s say you’ve got a vacation planned, like maybe to Vancouver, Whistler and Seattle and you’ve got some down time planned.

What would you take?

Well, if I had the library open and some time to sit and read, here’s some of the basketball books I’d recommend.

The Breaks Of The Game, David Halberstam

The true literary giant spends a year with the Portland Trial Blazers, and it doesn’t get much better than this.

Foul, The Connie Hawkins Story, David Wolf

It was mentioned in the comments yesterday quite often and is a truly amazing tale of a guy you don’t know enough about.

The Inside Game, Wayne Embry with Mary Schmidt-Boyer

One of the all-time greats, on and off the court, his book’s an intriguing look at life on both sides of the ledger.

The Last Shot, Darcy Frey

Maybe the seminal book about high-pressure, high-stakes high school hopes in the New York City area, it’s a good look at a young Stephon Marbury.

Loose Balls, Terry Pluto

This is truly light reading, as in hilarious light reading about the life and times of the ABA.

Now, this is by no means the definitive list but it’ll get you started until you find They Call Me Coach by John Wooden, Rick Telander’s Heaven is a Playground, Life On The Run by Bill Bradley and Big Game, Small World, an underappreciated book about the globalization of the game by Alex Wolff.

Now, trot off to your library or your book store, grab a coffee and enjoy yourself.

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Do they have it turned around?

I don’t know but, for a day at least, Pape and Boniface and the lads finally put the skids to the losing streak.

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This came from Mr. Cook (why do I think some old high school teacher is stalking me) over in the comments section yesterday and we may as well get to it today.

(Oh yeah, mail’s a bit light, folks; get cracking, will ya?)

Doug,

I'm curious about the CBA ideas you presented in a blog the other day--the one piquing my curiosity is the length of contract. What's in it for owners and the NBA to limit the maximum number of years that a contract can be guaranteed? Is it for the prima facie reason that if a player's ability declines or they become injured they aren't owed the money? Or is there a larger business method at play?

The other question I have came from a response you gave in the comment section, I don't have it in front of me but someone asked why would we go to Sioux Falls and you said that in later years you can call up the Wolves and say "Hey, come to ________ (insert desolate Canadian land)." The question following this is, are there a couple teams that the Raptors as a grand corporation have better contact with than others? And what creates this collegial relationship, the nature of the business, some execs that have worked for both, coincidences that lead to friendships over time? Or none of the above, it's pure business phone calls?

Mr. Cook, Parts Unknown

A: On the CBA issue, it’s pretty simple according to the people I talk to in various ownership and high front office roles: The shorter the contract, the less money committed long-term and the single greatest problem with the NBA today – financially, at least – are those albatross contracts for big or even little money that run out to five or six years. Mandating that they run one, or even two, years less would be a huge win for the owners.

Look at the history in Toronto: Back in the Summer of Vince, the contracts awarded Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Hakeem Olajuwon weren’t for obscene amounts of money (it was the going rate and Toronto probably had to overpay a wee bit to keep free agents back then) but in every single case, they were at least one year too long.

On the exhibition games, yeah, there are relationships that make it easier to ask a team to travel to some neutral site to play a game in return for maybe doing a favour for them some year down the line. There have also been instances where teams have made trades and one will suggest a “future consideration” may be a visit for a pre-season date. Sometimes, it is just business, but most of the time you make those “business” calls to a friend where you think you’ll get the answer you want.

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So, Andrea and Marco had pretty good games yesterday when Italy beat Finland – check out the story here – but the interesting thing to me is that the entire summer probably comes down to this week’s return match with France and how many points Italy has to win by.

I’m sure there are those among you who will quietly be cheering for Tony Parker and the his buddies because if France wins, Italy can’t make it to Eurobasket and the two Raptors will have the entire month of September off.

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Glorious Cadette triumph, as Tanya reports here, but given the margin of victory and the fact the Americans edged Dominican Republic 128-17 in the opening game – yes, a mere 111-point victory – I’m wondering about the depth of under-16 talent in FIBAAmericas.

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All right, I’m off later this morning to bring a golf course to its knees so if the comments take some time to get up, tough noogies.

See ya.

Comments

[Raps Fan]

Who holds first public media conference: Vick or Pitino?

[Chester]

A another great read is "Buffalo, Home of the Braves", that discusses some of the origins of NBA basketball in Toronto (the Braves of course played some games in Toronto back in the 70's).

[TJ]

Hey Doug, hope all is well in your world, and the family is doing well.
This is more of an idea for a blog then a comment. But I was reading an article about Iverson (and no I don't want the Raps to sign him), and it got me thinking. If AI were to sign somewhere for the min, and he played well enough for an all-star selection, would he be one of the cheapist priced all-stars to play at the half time classic?
So my idea for a blog would be for you to compile (or us fans) a list of all- stars from the past who had the best years at a small wage. I know it's a lot of work but with these financial times we are in it is quite possible to have an all- star who is getting paid less then the mid- level.
Just thought I would throw his out there.
And wish your son all the best of luck in his playoffs.
Cheers

[Arvind]

Hey Doug,
Just wondering what you think of 7 Seconds or Less, the in-season book by Jack McCallum with the Suns.

Blogger's note: Jack's a friend so I'd love to promote it; good book, a nice read about unfettered access.

[Steve]

Doug, somehow I don't think that limiting the number of guaranteed years on a contract is going to work. The players union wouldn't agree to such a thing without getting something in return, and the easiest way would be for the contracts to be front-loaded, for the same amount of money to be paid out, for example, over the first 4 years of the contract.

But front-loading the contract has its own problems, like making it more difficult to build teams if the salary cap and luxury tax levels don't go up as well, which would be counter to what the front-loading was supposed to do in the first place - save owners money. It also creates a disincentive for players to honour the rest of their contract if they think the peanuts they get for years 5-7 isn't worth it.

[montreal raptors fan]

Hi Doug ,

I would like to comment about the so-called international players playing for their country after signing a big contract with their NBA team.

All the players on the US team at the last olympics make huge amounts of money paid by their NBA team.

Most NBA players are proud to represent their country , the nationality or how big their contracts are does not matter.

[Andrew]

David Halberstam's "The Breaks of the Game" was recommended to me 20+ years ago long before the NBA in Toronto and without knowing anything about Halberstam. It remains by far the best sports book I have ever read and turned me into a fan of the literary genius that was the late David Halberstam. Anything written by Halberstam will enlighten and educate you.

[Liffeylad]

Slightly nerdy question Doug. Where in the ACC are the Canadian team practicing? Is it in on Raptors/Addidas training court? Or, is it on the main Raptors court? Obviously the locker rooms, physio rooms and weights area are helpful for the players, not to mention access the ACC catering services for proper nutrition etc. But don't you think it’s weird for a FIBA team to be practicing on an NBA court? Or do they have all the FIBA lines/dimensions marked on the court?

Blogger's note: On the practice court and the lines for three pointers and the trapezoid lane are there

[Kent Driscoll]

Another great b-ball book, Second Wind by Mr Bill Russell. Absolutely a must read.

[Lee]

Hi Doug,
With all this talk about pre-season games, and why, where, and how many should be played, It leads me to wonder if this "desolate Canadian land" of St. John's, Newfoundland shouldn't be high on the list of potential locations for next season?

I know you're not keen on the preseason games, but here's why they can be beneficial.

I was a 17 year old kid - not to mention a gigantic Raptors fan, when then-rookie LeBron and the Cavs came to town to play then-rookie Chris Bosh (along with HWSNBN, JYD, and some other memorable characters) in October of 2003.

As you remember, the game was never played, and the most I got out of my several-hour drive and days skipped from school, was a glimpse at warm up, and an opportunity to talk (complain) to Glen Grunwald, Richard Peddie, and Larry Tannenbaum.

Anyways. We were promised at the time that the raptors would return "within two years" by Glen Grunwald, but since then: He's been axed, and his immediate replacement has as well; St. John's has lost the Baby Leaves to T.O. (and with them all formal ties to MLSE); and nearly six years have passed.

Do you ever see them returning? Should I keep saving for Air Canada, and Air Canada Centre tickets? Should I just be content to watch them on tv?

I know you like St. John's, Doug - if you're ever in town, let me know and I'll make sure you check out the must-see spots that you may have missed before. Surely we're better than Sioux Falls!

Thanks Doug, keep up the good work!

Blogger's note: I used to work in St. John's, my wife is a granddaughter of Sir Albert Walsh; the disservice they've done since that night is their eternal shame.

[Lorie]

Ahhh...literary recommendations. Love to see it, and thanks for the tips. Now, along those lines, maybe you can offer some housekeeping assistance as I finally get around to cleaning out a few of the boxes of(formerly precious) stuff the kids left behind when they moved out to commence higher learning. Two of the many books I encountered deal with basketball. They are: "In the Land of Giants" by Mugsey Bogues, and "I Love Being the Enemy" by Reggie Miller. In your opinion, would either of these two titles be (a) worth keeping to read at a later time? or (b) donated to a worthwhile charity? or (c) just stuck under the convertor box so I can more easily access the signal while reclining comfortably in front of the TV?

Blogger's note: The local library will welcome the additions

[Jason John]

Hey Doug ... speaking of Wayne Embry ... is he still a special advisor to the Raps or is his contract over?

Blogger's note: Oh, no; he's still around

[Nick]

Can you do a five basketball movies as well?

Blogger's note: Probably, with some thought. Some day soon

[AJR]

Doug, this is possibly a "mail bag" question, but here goes...

As a journalist, no doubt that your often unnamed sources are your bread and butter. And the best sources are probably those within the organization, including BC and other affiliated parties.

Does this dependance on internal sources limit your ability to criticize moves made by the Raptors organization, (where warranted)for fear that your sources might dry up?

The question came to me while reading this unabashedly Pro-David Kahn story, despite the seemingly bizarre choices he made on draft night. While there is merit to some of the moves Khan has made, it made me wonder if Kahn is merely enjoying a honeymoon with a Minnestota journalist who doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds him.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/53001637.html

--AJR

Blogger's note: I'll move it over

[Mr. Cook]

Hey Doug,

Thanks for the quick response on those questions. I'm comfortable with my knowledge of the game and players, but I find your blog extremely useful on the nature of the business of the NBA, which is a far more interesting side of professional sports than I would have expected. Now I'm off to give kids detention and fix grammar at summer school (har har).

Blogger's note: If you can fix grammar, you've done more of a service to society than I could ever hope to

[Tim W.]

Doug, did you read Paul Shirley's book, Can I Keep My Jersey?

Blogger's note: I haven't yet, no

[Vince]

Doug -

Did you happen to forget about this must read??

Fast Breaks:The Vince Carter Story

Or do you not want to toot your own horn. I read it, excellent read.

[Alex]

Doug,

I understand that Canada is not loaded with talent. But I always thought the reason Rautins was hired was because of his access to NBA players. Do you think his inability to recruit and maintain any of the pros will cause him the job eventually?

Blogger's note: There are, what, four NBA players from Canada: Nash, Dalembert, Magloire and Anthony.
Nash had done his time, regardless of the coach; Dalembert played and then had issues; Magloire has never played regardless of who was the coach; Anthony has only played for Leo.
It's not a factor.

[norm]

Hey Doug, just thought I'd mention that Leo's comments of "we just can’t beat ourselves in situations..." sound eerily similar to your comments about your son's baseball team winning because of the other team's errors. Can they be compared?

Blogger's note: Not in my book, no

[Steven]

Fab Five by Mitch Albom is also good.

[Randy Gabrielson]

Its been awhile since I've written in with a comment or question. I've noticed that you have not commented about making the trip to Poland for the Eurobasket Tournament in September. Let me know if you are coming to Warsaw and I'll be sure to give you the run down on the local watering holes.

Blogger's note: Sadly, the boss wouldn't go for it, which is entirely too bad. I'll be watching, somehow, from here

[Peter Brown]

Doug,

Will the FIBA Americas tourney be televised up here?

Peter Brown
Waterloo

Blogger's note: Not that I know of at the moment but am seeing some Canada Basketball people tonight and perhaps I'll find out

[Carl J]

"Bargnani had 21 with a game-high eight rebounds".

How many games do you think this season that you will read (or write) that he had a game-high in rebounds?

Blogger's note: Often, if they play FInland a lot

[Jason]

I see that you were one of the writers responsible for the All Star Ballot. Can you elaborate on how Kaman gets left off, while Hawes, McDyess and Bierdens get put on?

Blogger's note: I did as much as I can, or want to. There are many factors are play, number of players needed per team, position, etc.

[omid]

hey doug, is it fair to say that alot of credit should be given to stan van gundy for the way turk played these last couple of years, seems like he really got into him. I don't know who can get him going on this team.