Who does what and a haircut for charity

Oh yeah, we’re super tardy today.

Sorry about that. Long night of story telling and somehow the wake up call got missed.

Things happen.

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There’s been a few questions about the coaching staff over the past couple of months and who does what and who’s in charge of this aspect of the game or that aspect of the game.

We were talking to Jay up here and he set the record pretty straight: They’re all in it together.

In the context of a chat about Marc and the team’s defensive philosophies, this is what Jay had to say:

“I don’t want to get into offence and defence.

“Obviously, his (Marc’s) focus is at the defensive end of the floor and Alex’s is at the offensive end of the floor and Micah’s is about the scouting.

“But we’re all coaching everything all the time.”

And it’s true.

Of the snippets of practices we get to see, you’ll have Alex working with one guy one day and maybe Marc the next. Micah’s with this guy today and that guy tomorrow.

They are all just walking around, offering advice and tips here and there.

And, Jay told us, he likes to have a variety of voices in the players’ ears:

“I don’t want to have to point a finger, we’re a team … We’re all in this together. I want the players to hear different voices because if they hear one for 82 games, they’re going to get tired of it.”

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Sometimes things just snowball, you know?

We’re standing around before dinner and someone makes a crack about Amir Johnson’s faux hawk haircut (at least I think that’s what the young kids call it) and someone else (I believe it may have been the president and general manager of Your Toronto Raptors) suggests E. Koreen would look good with the same cut.

Much hilarity ensues until B. Colangelo starts asking how much we’d donate to see Mr. Koreen shorn of most of his curly locks and all of a sudden we’ve got $1,000 in pledges.

So, yep, the hair’s coming off – at halftime of Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage – and the Make A Wish Foundation’s going to get at least that much money as the young fella’s charity of choice.

Here’s what I need you to do:

Find out how to make a donation to that very worthwhile charity, make it in the name of Eric Koreen, and we’ll turn a pre-dinner gag into a pretty good money maker.

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Halladay hits Ortiz? Sweet.

I’ll take that guy on my team any day of the week.

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The most pleasant surprise to the coaches so far has been that no one – through four practices, mind you – has been banged up and everyone’s remaining healthy.

No matter what anyone says, the biggest thing about camp is surviving it and making sure no one comes out with a tweaked muscle or some lingering injury that hangs around for a while.

Oh, sure, Marcus Banks had to sit out a workout the other night because his heel was sore – seriously, first night, he couldn’t go – but he was back on the court yesterday.

Other than that, though, everyone’s still healthy and that’s a big deal.

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SEAN KILPATRICK/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Also standing out at camp: Bosh's new guns.

The one thing about this camp that stands out is the lack of extra bodies hanging around.

No Jamal Sampson (and I use that name only because he was here a year ago and it’s about the only one I really remember) or anyone in the gym just to act as a warm body.

What it’s done for those of us who have to scribble about these guys once, maybe twice, a day is limit the story possibilities.

Given that there’s a month of the pre-season, and there’s a finite number of players to write about, we used to like having extra guys around to knock off an off-day story when the ideas are starting to dry up.

I guess it’s good for the coaches to only have guys here who’ll be here all year; we’d like another one or two to help provide fodder for the dry days.

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I believe we should band together and put in a bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes.

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One more digression.

I was talking to Maurizio last night and mentioned that I’d stopped at this cool beer joint in Ottawa and sampled an Italian brew – Pedavena – that I’d never seen before and don’t even recall from the training camp it Italy, where it was all Nastra Azzuro or Moretti.

Well, you should have seen his eyes light up.

Seems Pedavena’s brewed just outside Treviso, it’s owned by a good friend of Maurizio and the guy who imports it over here is in Toronto and another buddy of Maurizio, who I think knows every big shot in the world.

All I need now is the dude to make it available places I can buy it and we’re all set.

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Since it’s training camp for us, too, we’re all trying to figure out how the season’s going to unfold and who’ll become our “go-to guys” in the locker room.

Those are the guys we know will provide good quotes, solid insight and be available every night.

At the moment, it’s still a work in progress but the early leaders in the clubhouse among the newbies are Jarrett Jack, who seems to have the support of a few of us, and Antoine Wright, who’d get my vote if balloting occurred today.

Sure, the old staples like Chris and Jose will carry us plenty of nights but it’s nice to have some new blood.

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I could use some mail, folks. It’ll give me something to do on the train ride back on Saturday night.

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Comments

[Eric]

J, that's a 20 million+ average for an ungodly six years. I wouldn't pay that for a week let alone 6 years for this injury-prone star who's won 3 playoff games in his career. If there's any journalist who believes Chris bosh is worth that kind of coin on the basis on his play to date, that should tell you all you need to know. LBJ, Dwade3, Kobe category? UVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! END THE MADNESS!

[Thane]

"Seems Pedavena’s brewed just outside Treviso, it’s owned by a good friend of Maurizio and the guy who imports it over here is in Toronto and another buddy of Maurizio, who I think knows every big shot in the world.

All I need now is the dude to make it available places I can buy it and we’re all set."

Volo, on Yonge near Wellesley, carries it, as I recall.

[NRapz]

Doug,

Give me your prediction of how many games raptors are going to win. Tell me a straight up answer, no ranges. I say 48 wins. Even though its hard to predict at this point, what's your prediction?

Blogger's note: Sorry, not yet. Can we at least watch them play a pretend game or eight?

[doug]

yea all i was asking last night is Dave Feschuk still writing for the Star? I never see his name attached to a article anymore....I loved it when Halliday hit Ortiz, as the Red Sox fielded a triple A line-up...Oriz was the man and as a writer somewhere today pointed out how stupid was Papelbon to do that in the first place, as there is going to be pay-back, and the Red Sox are going to the playoffs the Jays are not...the red Sox had so much more to lose...

loved Van Gundy calling out Vince in practice for letting J.J. Reddick go back door on him, although I don't know what that does to the mind-set of Reddick...but Stan knows Vince is far more valuable then J.J. in the big picture..

and as far as I am concerned I could care less if Bosh, Hedo played one minute of exhibition ball, its meaningless, these guys are good, they catch on they know the systems...in the NFL the regulars hardly play...if Payton Manning never played a down in the pre-season if i were a Colt fan I could care less...as he is a pro...i would be more concerned if DeRozan missed time, or Jack etc...but those other 2, come on they'll be there when it counts..

Blogger's note: Yep, Dave's around. He's in the paper tomorrow as a matter of fact.

[Aditya]

Evans, who lists his favourite player based on toughness as Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, said his work ethic comes from growing up without much, raised by a single mother who worked two jobs to support four kids.

surprised doug? i am honestly not, randolph loves to play ball and competes everytime i have seen him....ye he takes bad shots (like a couple of 3 pointers once in a while but i can see his desire to win)