There's no place like home

Ah, home, sweet home.

Super Dog’s glad to see everyone (not the least bit bitter at being left with the friendly, neighbourhood house-sitter, it seems), it was nice to back in the comfy, womfy confines of Casa Doug and now life, we hope, can return to normal.

As normal as it gets, I guess.

Funny thing about vacation, though. Just because you’re away it doesn’t mean the grass doesn’t grow or the bills don’t come in the mail or that life suspends itself completely for a week or so. Guess that means there’s stuff to do today, along with trying to ferret out news and watch Canada-Brazil.

Speaking of …

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What now for Canada? Well, a miracle might help.

RICARDO ARDUENGO/AP

Don't count on a wild card spot for Canada at the worlds.

Seriously, as we mentioned yesterday, it’s probably going to take three wins in four second-round games to make it to the semifinals and the loss yesterday to Argentina – where they didn’t play horribly and we simply beaten by a better team – was probably a killing blow.

There is a way – a longshot of all longshots – for Canada to qualify even if they finish out of the top four in Argentina but I certainly wouldn’t bank on it.

FIBA, in an effort to give relative developing nations a chance to “grow the game” has left open four “wild card” spots for next year’s tournament in Turkey.

But, here’s the gig.

If you’re FIBA, won’t you give one to Africa, where the game is truly just developing, maybe another to Asia and one to Europe because the seventh best team at EuroBasket probably deserves it.

And let’s say that leaves one for FIBA Americas. Do you give it to Canada, a country that hasn’t played in a significant senior international event since the 2002 world championships, where they finished 13th out of 16 countries? I’d be surprised, actually.

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I’m desperately trying to come up with some Raptors news, or at least something marginally interesting you might not know and, frankly, I’m out of stuff at the moment.

Wish it wasn’t so, and maybe things will change once I really get back in the swing of things talking to people in the organization but we’re in that dead zone where players are just getting ready to drift back into town and the GM’s busy thinking about the season rather than continuing the demolition of his roster.

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Almost five hours in seat 21D with two fighting siblings in 22C and E and a newborn in 20E and a gaggle of screaming urchins in my left ear makes a flight home a very, very, very, very long.

(I know kids will be kids, especially ones about two or three years old but surely to all that’s good in the world, parents need to exhibit some level of control over the urchins out of simple respect for the other 150 people trapped in the airplane. It’s common courtesy and certainly not too much to ask. Oh yeah, the kicking of the seat back? That sucks, too. End of rant).

However, the never-ending journey was made slightly more bearable by the presence of a copy The Breaks Of The Game, the excellent David Halberstam tome about the Portland Trail Blazers that, to me, is the gold standard of Season In The Life Of … writing.

And where does one pick up a copy to replace a long lost one?

Well, at the Elliott Bay Book Store, one of the all-time great bookstores I’ve ever been in; a reason to wander around the lower part of downtown Seattle. Makes one long for the Sonics, indeed.

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Why do I think Ricky Rubio played David Kahn like a fiddle through this entire buyout-no buyout, come-not come schmozzle that seems to have finally ended? Why do I think Ricky – and his agent – used the Timberwolves as leverage to get out of his Joventut contract so he could sign with Barcelona with no intention of even thinking about the NBA for two more seasons?

I think Rubio’s a unique talent who will have a great NBA career, there just seems to be something special about his game. However, he hasn’t distinguished himself at all during this whole process.

But it seems he got what he wanted, two more years in Europe, a manageable buyout at that time and it would not surprise me in the least if his rights don’t get traded by Kahn sometime before the 2011 season arrives.

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Let’s do one out of the early mail:

Q: About a month ago Jose mentioned in an interview that his leg injury was still healing. Do you know if it has healed? Is their a chance that it won't heal and he'll need surgery?

CJ L, London

A: When I spoke to him early this summer, whenever it was that Bosh was over at his camp, his leg was fine, his finger (on which he had minor surgery after the season) was fine. There is no chance either won’t heal and will require further surgery.

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Oh, if you get a chance to hear Jimi Hendrix cover Like A Rolling Stone from the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival, do it. Sitting and listening at the Experience Music Project at Seattle Centre (Thanks, Paul Allen!) was tres cool.

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Hey, did you hear they’re having the Olympics out in the Vancouver area? Like next year or something.

Well, having seen a whole bunch of the facilities – the sliding area at Whistler, the ski jump hill, at least parts of the downhill course, I presume, while going peak to peak at Whistler-Blackcomb – it seems to me everything’s under control.

One debate I’ve heard waged among the brethren and sisteren who’ll actually go cover the big event is whether you’d like to spend the entire Games in Whistler or Vancouver or travel to and fro as required.

Trust me, folks (and I say this with all due respect to Vancouverites), I’d get my butt to Whistler and stay ensconced up there for as long as I could.

It’s nice, the venues are relatively close together and if anyone’s thinking it’s going to be easy getting back and forth from Vancouver, they’re nuts.

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Digression, still.

Okay, so they show some old episodes of Mad Men on the miniature TV screens on the seat back in front of you and as I’m watching one, the one dude looks familiar.

Check the deep, dark recesses of my mind and it seems the guy who plays Sal from the art department was the guy who worked as a “celebrity bartender” one night when I was hanging in the lobby bar of the team hotel in New Orleans

Mixed a mean martini, as I recall.

But no re-runs of 30 Rock on the system, That bites.

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Comments

[anthony.mackay]

Morning Doug,
Just a follow up to my question yesterday about Utah going after Amare when Boozer jumps ship. You said the Jazz don't have the money to do that... but when Boozer leaves wouldn't that free up a lot of money?

If it doesn't, then how were they planning on keeping him before it became obvious he wanted out?

Lets get this pre-season started already !

Blogger's note: No, they'd still have no money

[Paul Clugston]

As a guy who just flew london to winnipeg with a one-year-old, I'd like to thank all the doug smiths out there who put up with his busyness. Flying with kids is hard, but remember: when the plane lands, you get to walk away, I still have to put them in a car and drive somewhere.

[doug]

Canada is toast in the tourney and as far as qualifying goes I don't feel they'll get a invite, they had like 14 turnovers in the first half alone until that team finds a "quarterback" to run things they will be in trouble..it amazes me how in this day and age parents just refuse to discipline their kids for the most part, children aren't born with social skills and manners, and how to act in public, they have to be taught someone has to do the teaching. On a plane or anywhere we behaved as quite frankly all it took was one look from my dad if we started to goof-off and that was that...

Have you ever checked out this site, called "Wolfgangs Vault" http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/... it has all classic concerts from the Who,Hendrix,Zeppelin,Joplin...all live vintage classic concerts, I am listening to Dire Straits as I type this ...you should check it out its a must see site for any music buff, doesn't cost anything to join...

[Mike U]

Hey Doug,

When people ask why some teams don't take players like Carl English, experts, like yourself, say he's not ready for the NBA. Are you experts implying that players like Araujo, Darko, and (insert failed PG, SG, SF here) "were" ready at the time to play in the NBA?

Blogger's note: No; one's got absolutely nothing to do with the other.

[Jamie]

That sucks about the flight Doug! My pops just flew back from San Fran and got Star Trek and 2 30 rock eps (one being 'Luda-Christmas), he's now hooked.

[rob]

Hi Doug,
I hope you enjoyed your time in victoria. But if you were here a couple of weeks late you would have had the chance to see steve nash get an honorary PhD degree from UVic on Sept. 18th.
Victoria's son is doing it all.

[Ashm]

Hey Doug

I really do not understand the folks on ESPN predicting raptors finishing 9th.
Base on what they come up with predictions like this. Do you have any insight into that. Is it because raptors is in north of the border?

Blogger's note: It's an opinion, more like a guess, actually; everyone's got one. No big deal.

[doug]

see this is how parents should handle feuding siblings...Jerry Richardson owner of the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, has 2 sons both as vice-presidents on the team...they were feuding and had different ideas on how the team should be run....solution, fathered canned them both, said they need to grow up, plus it was his team he decides what direction it goes in....there's a father taking control....that ended that

[steve]

Hey Doug, any thoughts on ESPNs Eastern conference predicted rankings having the Raps missing 09/10 playoffs?

Blogger's note: No, not really. People are entitled to their opinions and anything concerning predictions is nothing but a guess anyway

[Anthony Falcioni]

Great work Douglas. Did you see the Predictions for the East on espn.com yesturday? They have the Raptors at 9th. 9th!!!!!! Are we and and the media hyping the Raptors too much, or are the "experts" at ESPN drinking while at work? They had PHILLY ahead of the Raps!!! MAN!

[Ali]

Hey Doug have you had a chance to read Chisolm's two part interview with Jay Triano? I though it was a very solid interview that gave a lot of insight into how the team will be run next year. Triano seems very straightforward (admitting that the team was trying to make JO look good for a trade).

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/tim_chisholm/?id=288787

[Richard Spackman]

I think the Turning Point of the entire off-season occurred, June 9th, when Bryan Colangelo traded a seemingly untradeable Jason Kapono to Philadelphia, for a piece to the puzzle, Reggie Evans. I can't think any other moment that created hope for the future. Of course, with all that happened, I might be wrong. Do you have a better moment in mind?

[Peter]

So, you're view on the ESPN story ranking the Raptors as finishing 9th is that their guess is just that... a guess. What's your guess on where they will finish in the East?

Blogger's note: Haven't thought about it much; total guess right now would be top six

[Lawrs]

Hey Doug

Canada really doesn't have a chance at qualifying. But are there other tournaments that they can enter to give them a chance? I don't really follow Canadian Fiba.

Blogger's note: No, this is the only tournament

[Andre]

Hey Doug,

Is that team, the best players that Canada has to offer? I just don't get it. You see the same faces every tourny, i dont know what they expect to get out of those guys... Carl English (i guess I'm a Carl English hater) is SO crap. Takes bad shots. I think the only bright spot on the team is Jesse Young. What can you do? If it were me, I scrap half the team, and bring up the under-19 players and expose them to some good competition. That way, in 4 -5 years they will have top quality experience. If were gonna lose, let the young ones play.
What would you do?

Blogger's note: Not sure, but I wouldn't send teenagers to a men's tournament

[Joe]

Doug,

Thanks for the information on Rubio. How long does Minnesota hang on to his rights? Does Rubio have a desire to play for the Timberwolves or is he trying to push for a different team?

Blogger's note: I don't know what he thinks but Minnesota holds his rights in perpetuity

[Alex]

Hey Doug Im curious, do you have like a million Aeroplan miles accumulated from your countless trips every year?
And if so why did you treat Super Family to some seats up in business class. that oasis of urchin-free travel?
Hope you had a great trip and welcome back!!

Blogger's note: If I had 'em, I would have used 'em

[Kevin]

Right now you should be giving our national team a big push and not worry about the Raptors until next month. If we had some solid coverage and solid reporters behind what should be our national pride (since it was invented by a Canadian) maybe our basketball program would be considered in the top 10 team world wide. Just think if guys like Nash, Maglore and even one of Dalebert or Bonner suited up and joined our current team. What a difference! Other countries would actually fear us instead of looking at us as just an obstical. Why is it that other countries have there players fighting to get on there teams (including the USA) and we have to beg ours. This is our country love it or leave it.
GO CANADA

[doug]

I get tired of fans ripping on Canadian b-ball it is what it is, at least those guys English, Young, Kendall, etc. show up when the ball is tossed...maybe that's why Nash doesn't anymore as its a no win situation...if we had Nash we would have qualified easily for one of those spots....we are NOT the States with a never-ending supply of talent, and to blame Rautins may have some merit as some of his coaching decisions were questionable, as even in this last game Young played 10 minutes, and they do nothing to accentuate there inside game...but I am a little pissed at Nash yes he did his time as a national player, but where does that end??...he is Canadian when does that end??...Scola played as did Charlie V, etc....if I were of the caliber of Nash I would be there in a heartbeat, if he can show up in a Chineses gym in cognito he can play for this team, I am sorry I lost a lot of respect for him...so what he paid his dues, you never pay your dues as far as playing for your country is concerned...end of rant,

[SY]

Luckily, the predictions for the East on espn.com are merely......predictions. Personally, I think both Washington and Toronto should be higher in ranking (I actually think that they both have more talent and depth than at least 3 teams above them). BTW, How does the Heat remain @ the 5th seed? I truly don't believe Wade can/will reproduce the same stat as last year....I mean....what for? So that he can put more stress on his body to carry the same mediocre team to another first round exit. Not to mention that the other teams in the East have improved quite a bit during the offseason and the Heat literally have the same rosters.....Just some thoughts.

-SY

[brian]

When will fans in Canada demand to not tolerate losing in basketball? I am a huge basketball fan and deperately want Canada to experience success, but what is going wrong? Is it leo? I know with young talent like tristan thompson, manny arop, cory joseph, myck kabongo, coming up canadas future is getting brighter but these kids need to be coached, and I dont think Leo is capable of taking theses kids and Canada to the next level, time to bring in a coach who can be a mentor, a teacher, a coach and someone who demands nothing but the best from his team

[Appel]

About the wild cards.
FIBA is selling (yes, SELLING!) the wild cards
2 days ago Meneghin (president of italian Federation) told we( Italy) are ready to pay the requested (yes, REQUESTED!) 500thousand euros for the wild card
http://basketcase.blogosfere.it/2009/09/esclusivo-meneghi-ci-parla-della-nazionale-vogliamo-la-wild-card-recalcati-ha-un-contratto-e-in-pole.html

Of course, we're not qualified for the Euro Championships 2009 (we have lost with France and FINLAND !!)

I think Canada can buy a wild card too (this is sport???)