Getting ready to get going for real

Welcome back, kids.

First day about to unfold after some leftovers from a rather uneventful media day.

We’re going to keep going with the usual pap and drivel here each morning but if you’ve got suggestions, I’ll be glad to listen to ‘em. Can’t promise we’ll implement any or all of them but, what the heck, may as well hear what the people want.

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What did we learn yesterday?

Not a whole lot, actually.

Bosh is noticeably bigger (the 20 pounds seem concentrated on his upper body and arms), Rasho’s waif (yes, you can be a 7-foot waif) and Hedo talks really, really slowly (which is good for those of us who have to take notes when he talks or transcribe tape of his conversations).

Other than that?

It was pretty much the same old, same old, which is kind of surprising given the number of new faces traipsing around the atrium eating hot dogs for part of the afternoon.

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The quote that could come back to haunt. It’s Bryan’s:

“Are (we) shooting for a target of 50 (wins)? Yeah, I think that’s what we should be realistically looking at.”

Now, it’s not like a bold prediction or a guarantee or anything but, frankly, I’m fine with it and I think others should be, too.

There’s no problem with setting a bar high and putting some pressure on some people. I’d much rather have a coach or a player or a general manager say something worthwhile instead of the usual drivel about working hard, coming together and seeing what happens.

Is 50 realistic? Well, no one knows but it’s a nice round number to shoot for. So why not say it? We chastise people for saying nothing far too often, we should welcome it when something’s uttered that’s got some juice to it.

TARA WALTON/TORONTO STAR

Which one's Abbott?

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It appears the Rowan and Martin or Martin and Lewis or Abbott and Costello of this collection of Raptors may be the old college buddies.

Jarrett Jack on Chris Bosh’s dreadlocks:

“The next order of business is to get him to cut them off.”

Chris Bosh on Jarrett Jack’s high comedy:

“It’s just Jarrett being Jarrett. He’s just mad because he can’t grow hair.”

Hey, I didn’t say it was knee-slapping funny.

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I’m asking the coaching staff who they think the surprise of the pre-season is going to be, the guy who impresses and makes people sit up and take notice.

The consensus?

Marco Belinelli, in a tight race over Reggie Evans.

Each brings something this team needed.

The word is Belinelli’s got a flare for the game, just a style that excites.

Evans? He’s as tough as a $2 steak. And tough is not something this team had in abundance last year. Or the year before. Or the year before. Or the year before, now that I think of it.

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If that under-construction ink on Chris Bosh’s back says I (Heart) New York, we’re in for a very long season.

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Hey, Waterloo?

My abject apologies for that training camp faux pas yesterday.

Speaking of training camp in Waterloo (which is not Kitchener and should never be called Waterloo and I should be severely chastised for doing it) as part of our never-ending pursuit of trivial stories to pass on, we present: One Day At Raptors Camp, I

One thing we’re pretty good at as a group of making fun of each other, or whatever we want to mock, good naturedly, of course. And, of course, you get all kinds of media at these things that you might not see during the regular season.

So we’re sitting around the RIM Park place (it’s in Waterloo, dummy!) busting on each other and whatever, an old grunt who’s gone on to Hollywood fame and fortune comes back in from outside, where there’s a vehicle all decked out and painted with Raptors colours and logos.

It stands out, to say the least.

It is, good naturedly of course, a perfect target for cynical old goofs:

“Hey, Smith, is that your truck out there?”

Much laughter (the last thing any of us would do is show the colours, so to speak) until a voice comes from the media room.

“It’s mine.”

Seems the hard-working young fella (and a bit an over-exuberant member of the media, apparently) was sitting right across from us in the media room.

Sheepish look on older grunts.

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What’s up today, you ask?

Two practices scheduled, 9-11 and 5-7 and a whole lot of teaching.

And that will include the two achy Raptors, Bosh and Turkoglu.

Bosh won’t do anything but he’ll be next to the court listening and, hopefully for them, learning, and if Turk only goes through one workout – which I believe will be the plan – he’s going to go through the one that’s instruction rather than scrimmages.

It’s not a perfect situation but, really, it’s not that big a deal if two guys don’t do both first-day workouts.

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It was a rather uneventful train ride to Ottawa last night, even if the wireless kept going in and out, which made it quite difficult to keep up with comments, stories and, you know, the world.

And luckily nothing happened like last year when we were about at Coburg Cobourg (I flunked geography) when we got the news Nate Jawai had a wee ticker issue and was going to miss camp.

Guess that didn’t turn into a huge, long-term issue for the Raptors, did it? Here we are a mere year later and everyone’s forgotten about the young fella.

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It was an eventful arrival, though, and pardon the digression into Doug World.

Arrive at less-than-ritzy Courtyard (one elevator of two out of commission, somewhat drab surroundings), get key, go to room in somewhat of a hurry because there are fellow grunts at some tiny place at Bay and Albert and we need to have a pre-camp meeting.

Put key in door, open it, see TV on, clothes on chair and then get greeted by a rather startled guest who, I have to say, had malice aforethought for the intruder.

Beat hasty retreat, apologizing as I go, return to desk, find out they gave me wrong key and think, ‘well, this pre-season’s off to a rousing start.’

Speaking of out, I keep hearing Pub Italia is a good spot? That true if a guy’s looking to hang sometime this week? The market, where I’m ensconced once again, is all right but it’s time to venture out in the city, I believe.

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Speaking of Nate, I’m sure you’ve all heard he’s got a familiar face to hang around with down in Dallas?

The Mavs have signed Jake Voskuhl to a training camp contract. Not much of a chance Jake makes it, the Mavs have like 16 guys under contract already, but maybe someone sees him and offers him another one-year gig.

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Five things you didn’t hear at any of the media days around the league yesterday:

“We’ve got no shot, I have no idea what we’re doing here.”

“Help the team whatever way I can? I’m here to help me whatever way I can.”

“Oh yeah, it’s a great city. Was probably in the top 15 on my list.”

“Sure, coach is a great guy. As long as I get my touches.”

“I got great teammates, just let me figure out what their names are.”

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Comments

[MC B-Rad]

2 things....its Cobourg...sorry i grew up there...am very protective of my wee little upbringing...and second thing...there is a wonderful hotel in Kanata called the Brookstreet Hotel...very swank, excellent bar, food and staff, might be costly, wouldnt doubt you will run into a few well to do types, athletes, etc..

Blogger' s note: Thanks on Cobourg, got it fixed. And, sadly, "swank" and I are unfamiliar with each other

[Dave]

Doug,

Pub Italia has some OK eats and a beer menu, so it's always in the discussion. Close to Carleton is Patty's pub (Bank and Cameron, just south of Sunnyside) for a good lunch time food (Patty's roll up with half salad half fries is great) and a libation.

For eats, try Gastropub on Wellington, the Manx on Elgin, Murray St. Pub on, well, I'll let you figure it out. You already know about MacLaren's, for pure pool and great tables (minus the atmosphere) there's Orange Monkey just close to the War Museum.

And if you're looking for (relatively) cheap decent food, come to Robbie's Italian Restaurant on St. Laurent Blvd tonight, ask for Dave's section and order a Veal combo ;-) and a cocktail.
(You can leave that last paragraph off of the post, though -- see you if I see you this week, I'm at Carleton every day. If I do I'll stop and say hi.)

[Manny]

Doug,

Bryan Colangelo has mentioned before that he rebuilt the roster to compete now, not wait for the much anticipated 2010 free agency, show Chris Bosh the organization is dedicated to him and winning. Would you say the roster has also been rebuilt the way it is to withstand the possible loss of Chris Bosh via free agency>

Blogger's note: This is a sport of immediate demands, this is all about now.

thanks

[Patrick]

Morning Doug,

Welcome to my former neck of the woods! Are they going to have you once again camped out in a curtained off section of the hallway?

As for funny/goofy Raptors, I think Amir and Reggie might be right up there with the pair you mentioned. From the media that I've seen from yesterday, they seem like fun "dudes".

Anyway, have a good one!

Blogger's note: I hear we may be in a room this year, and not a hall. But we shall see in a while

[Warren]

Pub Italia is only a good place to visit if you like beer. They have hundreds of brands available by bottle. Each table has a bible of beer to choose from.

Another place to check out for grub is The Works. Best burgers in town lots of topping options.

[Mark L]

Hi Doug,
In that picture for the article "Bosh has winning on his mind" were the players eating those hot dogs? I notice #30 is lining up....

[John]

I've never been to pub italia, but I've also heard that is a good spot for a refreshment. I would avoid the market unless you're looking for the left overs from the frosh week crowd, but there are some good spots on Elgin street. I believe last year you mentioned you went to MacLaren's which is a good place to watch a game. The Manx which is a very small downstairs place a bit further south on Elgin is also very cool place for a drink. They also serve very good breakfast if you're so inclined.

[Andrew]

Doug, what happened to the Matt Carroll deal? Is that Marcus Banks I see?

Blogger's note: Yes, it was. Deal was talked about and died.

[Kevin A.]

Hey Doug,

Been to Pub Italia, great spot. Most importantly, they maintain a rather diverse selection of beer: http://www.pubitalia.ca/beer.html

[Mike]

What about some content from Demar DeRozan! I'm dying to hear about he is doing... can you give us an update if you have a chance to watch him work? What's his head space like right now?

[John MacDonald]

Is there any news about the little bit of controversy between Bosh and his ex girlfriend with regards to his baby she has with him? It seems like they put him through the ringer for a week or so and all talks stopped on the subject. I wonder if it will be any sort of distraction for Bosh this coming season.

Blogger's note: No news, no one's concerned in the least about it. A non-story

[steve]

Pub Italia is nice. If you want to eat a delicious burger in the market, I'd recommend Chez Lucien on Murray, about 20 feet east of Dalhousie.

[Anthony]

If you do end up venturing back into the Byward Market, check out Zak's Diner - amazing nachos!

And I'm gonna guess that Bosh's tattoo is a big heart that says "Doug Smith" on it.

[lukasz skrzeczkowski]

My biggest concernwith the raptors is the volume of players playing pg, sg, and sf positions. We have Jose playing 33 mins Jarret playing 33, and Hedo playing 36 minutes last year. Add those totals up you have 102 minutes, leaving you with 42 minutes to distribute amonge belinelli, derozen, and wright.
(the math: 3 positions multiply by 48 minutes gives you 144 minutes to disribute among the positions listed above. Which of these players is willing to give up playing time without complaint? As much as i love this bench there is not enough minutes to go around. Is there a chance we trade a 2 for 1 or a 3 for 2 durring this season. what other solutions are there.

Blogger's note: There is no definitive math, it's a futile exercise given foul trouble, matchups, injuries. But if you take two or three away from, say, Jack, and limit DeRozan to like 14, maybe 12, I think you can do the arithmetic. But, as I said, it's an exercise in futility because things change game to game

[Peter]

Doug,

I commented last season that I'd like to see Bosh put on some weight and you poo-pooed the idea (on account of the extra weight slowing him down). I know we haven't seen him play yet, but do you still feel the same way?

Blogger's note: His game is built more on quickness than power so I'm quite interested to see how he plays.

[Travis]

As others have said, Pub Italia is a great place to go for some adult beverages - and who doesn't like that? Especially since you have more choice than the sludge of Bud/Coors/etc.

If you like Chinese, than So Good Restaurant is a great spot (www.sogoodfood.com). It's a tiny place, but superb food.
The Clock Tower Brew Pub on Bank is good place for wings and, well, brew.
And, of course, the abundance of Shawarma joints along Bank St. and elsewhere are worthy of checking out - that is, if you want something other than regular pub fare.

[Bryan Cook]

Doug,

If you're looking for something a little different and definitely off the beaten path. Check out Mooney's Bay Bistro it's about a 5 minute drive from Carleton and they have the best Spaghetti and Meatballs in Town.

Cheers,
Bryan

[Matt G]

The Manx stinks...literally. Unless beat grunts have an addiction for body odour, the cramped confines of the Manx make for a sauna like atmostphere that unfortunately induces an aroma you're likely all too familiar with.

Gastropub is decent. Overall, though, Ottawa suffers from having too many cheap and boring a** bureaucrats who won't part with the necessary coin to support a vibrant restaurant scene. As a result, we get dozens of decent but not great restaurants and lots of servers who are too jaded and too smart to hustle for non-existent tips.

(Sorry, I'm just feeding off your digression theme of this week)

Pub Italia does have great beers. There's some decent Quebec micro beers at certain establishments like Chez Lucien (also already mentioned). On Elgin, there's also the Lieutenant's Pump which is across from the Manx -- should you wish to air out. If you're into a boorish university and college crowd, there's Hooley's up the street from the Pump and the Manx and across from Maclaren's. I think you're already familiar with the Heart and Crown in the market but there's also one on Preston St. up the street from Pub Italia.

[Dave W.]

I agree with Dave and Steve, try Patty's Pub near Carleton and Chez Lucien in the Market. If you have the family in town take Warren's suggestion and go to the Works for an excellent burger and a milkshake.

A couple of other spots to keep in mind:

The Clocktower Pub (Bank st. just south of the Queensway or in the Market on Clarence St): tasty beers brewed in house and very good wings. Tuesday is wing night(1/2 price!)

Grand Pizzaria and Bar (On George st across from the main byward market) : tasty and reasonable priced italian food. Great thin crust pizza. 100 times better than Oregano's (the place that used to be there).

Oh, and do go to Pub Italia. That place has great atmosphere and a mighty fine beer list. However, if you are hungry there are a lot better places to eat on Preston st (Stone Faced Dolly's, Heart and Crown, Geovanni's, Green Papaya, and the list goes on...)

Hope you have a great time in Ottawa.

[cheese]

Great place for drinks and some good eats is the Whalesbone OysterHouse on Bank Street (at Gladstone). Great staff, great atmosphere, and great food. You should check it out.

[David]

Doug,

In Ottawa you want to go to the Prescott Hotel on Preston for some good pizza just accross the street from the Pub Italia.

Lone Star has amazing mexican food and obviously some good drinks!

I think last year you went to Darcy McGee's on Elgin, big Daddy's Crab Shack on that same street is also great.

Local Heroes has great wings and kind of sports bar feeling!

[John]

I will second the recommendation for The Works (bank street just south of the 417). If you like burgers and have not been to the Works, it's something that you really should try. It is also conveniently across the street from the aforementioned Clocktower brew pub.

[Jojo]

Unfortunately, the scenery around Pub Italia isn't great these days as Preston Street is being ripped up. There are all kinds of Italian restaurants around there if you're so inclined. There's a very tasty but somewhat pricey (unpretentious though) restaurant nearby called Black Cat Bistro. Maybe the players will take you guys out for a nice dinner?

Kidding aside, the Manx is a good recommendation as others have said. It gets kind of busy and isn't all that big but it's a neighbourhood staple. Great pub food to go along with the adult beverages. There are a bunch of places in the Glebe, which is just east of Carleton U on Bank St. but not necessarily a lot of good pubs (someone mentioned the Clocktower Pub, which is a bit north of the area, same street, and the Works is almost right across the street if you like a good burger).

Can't wait for Saturday. Hopefully Hedo will play a bit.

[ro]

If you want to sit down and have nice Thai food, I recommend Khao Thai in the market. Or for burgers, Manx Pub down Elgin has really good burgers.

[rob]

Hi Doug,
about the last item on your blog :
Five things you didn’t hear at any of the media days around the league yesterday:

“We’ve got no shot, I have no idea what we’re doing here.”

“Help the team whatever way I can? I’m here to help me whatever way I can.”

“Oh yeah, it’s a great city. Was probably in the top 15 on my list.”

“Sure, coach is a great guy. As long as I get my touches.”

“I got great teammates, just let me figure out what their names are.”

I guess you missed the circus they call media day at the GS warriors camp.