Nothing says all-star like a fashionable Hump

I know, way late today but at least you had the mail to get you through, right?

Anyway, after another boring All-Star Saturday (and that had to be one of the most boring in recent memory) it’s almost time to get life back to normal, isn’t it?

Until then, though …

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The prevailing attitude among the ladies and gentlemen I spoke to immediately after the dunk contest was the DeMar probably should have won.

He had a better series of dunks but the miss on the first attempt of the last one probably cost him.

But, really, wasn’t that entirely underwhelming?

The star of the show might have been Sonny Weems – excellent pass off the side of the backboard, all-star work as a prop for DeMar to jump over – because the rest? Well, let’s just say with the exception of maybe half a dozen of the dunks, the stuff we saw was stuff we’d see in some regular season game.

Really.

I don’t know what they can do to jazz up that contest but if they can’t come up with either A List stars to take part or some way to make it more compelling, maybe it’s time to find something else entirely to take its place.

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Because of a bit of miscommunication, got to the media availability about 90 minutes early Saturday morning and was lucky – and by lucky I mean doomed – to get there in time for some fashion show on the practice court at the Jam Session.

And that’s when we saw the sight that kind of made the day.

After guys like Robert Horry and Bruce Bowen went, along with a couple of “real” models, here comes the last guy:

The Hump!

For real.

Sporting a rather nifty fedora, this thin tie and sweater combo and looking entirely jaunty as a matter of fact.

And when you go to a basketball practice and find a fashion show and get to see Kris Humphries in it, you’ve had a good day.

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Steve Nash has maybe the quote of the night after he wins the punt-pass-kick contest, or whatever it is they call that skills demonstration.

He’s talking about going on “a couple half-hours” of sleep after his little foray to Vancouver and how it was hard to get in and get ready.

“But it makes it okay when you win a resume-builder like this.”

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Oh, David Stern is going to make our lives miserable.

Not with boring talk of dire economic straights but more with his concern about execs talking out of turn.

There was a quote this week from an unnamed team official about the league’s CBA offer and its financial implications that said something like if LeBron James wanted to make more money could go play football if he wanted or Dwyane Wade could go be a model because the NBA gravy train was drying up.

A pretty harsh, anonymous quote and the players were understandably miffed.

And so was David:

“If you know me and you know our owners, that’s not what we do. That’s not us. And the players were upset with those quotes, which I find cowardly if they were actually said.

And if I ever found out who said them, they would be dealt with, they would be former NBA people … not current.”

Great, the Wrath of David comes down on anonymous quote-givers and writers everywhere cringe.

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Speaking of fashion (and we’re far more than just basketball in this little corner of the web), get ready to be, um, shocked tonight.

You know how players – and the companies that love them – like to use the all-star game to show off some funny-looking or new footwear?

Well, when Chris Bosh, and a handful of others, showed up at the East practice yesterday, the retinas started burning like I was watching a 20-foot Amir Johnson jumper.

The East is wearing blue, dark blue.

And the shoes some players were wearing? Well, if they were supposed to be blue, they better have found a new manufacturer over night.

Think a combo of light blue and turquoise, a total clash with the colour of the jerseys and it was an ugly, ugly look.

Okay, end of today’s fashion diatribes, I swear.

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So Dallas trades Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and some stuff to Washington for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson and some stuff and what’s this got to do with the Raptors, you ask?

Well, it means that Caron Butler isn’t going to the Boston Celtics, and there was a chance of that happening about 48 hours ago, which has to make Raptors fans a bit happy because as long as the Celtics aren’t improving, there’s always hope.

It’s been pretty quiet around here on the trade chatter front, which isn’t usual for all-star weekend, and things might heat up this afternoon when we’ve got nothing to do but hang around waiting for the game to start.

I haven’t heard a single reputable mention of the Raptors this weekend, as a matter of fact, despite the presence of Bryan and his henchmen and a handful of other execs.

We’re only four days until the deadline and that’s usually when things really start bubbling but I honestly think the Raptors won’t do anything of substance.

Of course, I’ve been wrong before but if I’m not, this is going to be a boring week.

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All right kids, we’re going to try to do an in-game blog thingy tonight off the all-star game. We’re planning to start right after 8 p.m. Eastern but I warn you: No one has any idea what the working conditions are going to be in the football stadium.

Hopefully, we see you then.

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Comments

[chris]

Weems should'a thrown down a couple for the crowd. He's a better dunker than anyone there, including DD.

[dave]

thanks as always. dunk shake up suggestion. raise the money to get the stars. 50/50 for player/player's chairity. give a time limited session like they do for skate boarding. improve the judging. you can pass that on to mr. stern for me, no?

[JHP]

If nothing else the labor negotiations have truly gotten off to an entertaining start. The owners seem motivated to get concessions and I'm sure the player's union is not in the mood. Do you see this going away to summer or re-appearing every few weeks ?

Blogger's note: I think it'll go away now for a good long time

[Katrina Wu]

Excellent sartorial reporting, Mr. Doug! I feel like I've been a good influence on you. Happy Year of The Tiger! [or "Le Tigre" as we say in fashion circles]. I'd tell you to wear red for luck & prosperity, but that would clearly clash with The East. Please tell Chris his hair is awesome.

[Rob]

Hi Doug, do the Raptors players prefer one away jersey over the other (red or black)? Was it DeMar who chose to wear black instead of red last night? Thanks.

[Yama F]

Doug. So much for your inclination that this time the dunk contest wasn't fixed. You may have been right. But considering that NY's population compares with entire Canada and more poeple in NY watch BB than Canada ever will, taking Canadian and NY votes out of the picture, it was a land slide victory for DD.

[Ian]

Wow, quite an underwhelming All-Star Saturday Night. I can't remember a more boring one. At least since you were there you didn't have to listen to Chuck, Kenny and Reggie chatting constantly during the dunk contest. I know it's not an actual sports event, but they could have had at least a bit of professionalism. I really don't think they shut up the entire time. Any reason why they the D-League all-star game takes place at the same time as the Saturday Night stuff? There must be a better time to have it then that, although I think next year I'll probably watch it instead!

[Matthieu]

Hi Doug,

What's your assessment of the Dallas-Washington trade? Does it make Dallas a (more) serious contender for the title?

Hope you don't die of boredom over there....

Blogger's note: Dallas improved itself but not enough to win the West, I don't think

[jimt]

Straight up Demar got punked Yall :(
Nate ehhhhhhhhhh not so great!
brown and wallace are both worse than each other,in fact jordan is working the phones as i type,lol
Wallace i might add looked like he was partying with snoop all nite :)/
Doug enjoy your holiday and let us know where your sitting in that massive stadium thx

[greg]

the owner who made such a quote about the contracts of lebron and wade does not seem to be an owner who thinks very much about the NBA and its players. I wonder if he's in Chicago ?, Although I believe that owner is too experienced to make a silly comment such as that.

[greg]

the dunk competition would have been more exciting with college kids. and DD should have one, Nate did one good dunk.

[Ken]

I have seen the theory on the net that, once a good team makes a significant trade it will "force" other teams to react. Do you believe this? If you do, was the Dallas trade big enough to start the trade cascade?

Blogger's note: I don't think so

[mando]

Nash is a triple threat, ran the torch relay, lit it at the opening ceremony and wins the the skills competition. What else can you ask of a guy!

[Norrin Radd]

Sony Weems for the dunk off next year!!!

[Husky]

Well Nash winning the Skills Comp was the highlight of the week-end other then the actual game itself.

That Dallas-Washington trade is a doozy!

Dallas just got a whole lot better. Interesting to see how they do now if it's enough for them to contend in the West.

[RyanS]

That quote just adds another to the many reasons Canadians can be proud of Steve Nash.