Glad I didn't stay up all night for that!

So a guy wakes up expecting the world as he knows it has changed but noooooo.

The quad vente non-fat latte tastes the same, it’s a nice brisk fall day, Super Dog needs her morning constitutional and the NBA earth didn’t move.

Glad I didn’t stay up.

Anyway …

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In a previous episode, The Kindly Old Grunt discussed his feelings that Chris Bosh was really looking to be wooed in this free agency process, that he would like to see what teams have to say before doing anything rash like deciding his home for the next half decade or so.

Well, Super Wife, who does these things, just calls down from her breakfast perch to the Cluttered Bunker that Bosh has already met with Houston, Chicago, Miami and – ta-da!!!! – Toronto and we’re only 7 1-2 hours into the frenzy. (Yeah, I’m up a bit late trying to get this drivel finished for all you lovely holiday readers).

Yes, Toronto.

Guess Bosh tweeted that or twitted it or whatever the heck you do with that nonsense about four ago shows you how he spent his night.

He also said he was waiting to see who else came in from the cold today and I’m hearing the Knicks are definitely paying a visit and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Dallas didn’t try to get in on the action, too.

Not sure about the Toronto part of those meetings, no one I’ve talked to at the Raptors holds out any hope he’ll come back, but they did have to make their pitch.

Anyway, guess I need to get into this twitter thing. Either that or make sure Super Wife or Super Son sit next to their machines while I spend Canada Day afternoon in a high level Mighty Yankees Coaches Meeting.

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Speaking of Bosh, and I presume we’ll be speaking a lot of him in the next little while, here’s something you should look at for sure.

We have a raft of extremely talented photographers working for Mother Star and Steve Russell has put together an exceptional picture blog of Bosh that takes us from his rookie day to now.

Seriously, there is some excellent work in here.

Talk about the minutia of these times.

During our Mighty Yankees tilt last night – more on that later, which is a warning to those who don’t care about them and shame on you – was playing something akin to a game of Where’s Waldo with a couple of other intrepid fellows spanning the globe.

Was Bosh in Dallas? Was Bosh in Chicago? Was Bosh going from Dallas to Chicago?

Was Bosh on Mars.

It was kind of comical because there were conflicting reports out there and, as it turns out, it appears he was in Dallas so the world can rest easy.

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Okay, I need to apologize.

After promising myself I wouldn’t jump to any guns with this whole sorry episode of free agency that’s precisely what I did Wednesday morning with the story out of Miami.

It was not a moment of great pride, that’s for sure; the first story didn’t make clear enough the dubious nature of the original report and, yes, I was kicking myself pretty quickly.

Won’t happen again and I can only chalk it up to rust developing from one free-agent season to the next.

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Mail? Sure. Why not send some. Click here and we’ll try to weed out the “why don’t they get this guy?” queries and hopefully come up with something good for the weekend.

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As I mentioned in today’s yarn (click here if you missed it and shame on you if you did) the Bosh thing is really creating some havoc with Bryan’s other free agency plans.

Not knowing what he’ll get back for sure (A big? Two starters? Starter and rotation guy? Nothing but trade exceptions and draft picks?) he’s finding it tough to go after the few guys he’s got his eye on with his mid-level exception.

Now, he didn’t share that list with me (I know, huge surprise there) but as I cast a glance over the list of available guys who might be had for the right price, here are some I’d sure consider.

Now, I’m not saying any of these guys are the bee’s knees or anything, just that they’re the kind of affordable pieces who might fit here.

Matt Barnes

The guy can defend like a demon and is the kind of gritty kid this team doesn’t really have.

Ronnie Brewer

A bit surprised the Grizzlies let him walk, he can defend three positions, doesn’t do anything flashy but the kind of guy I like.

Luke Ridnour

If there’s a point guard vacancy, I’m all over Ridnour who can make shots and plays and is by all accounts a great addition to a locker room.

Shannon Brown

If for no other reason than to watch him and DeMar DeRozan dunk against each other after practice.

Now, I have no idea if any or all of these are on whatever list Bryan’s compiled but they’d be on mine.

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Okay, we’re all tied after four last night and playing our best game of the season. We’ve made some plays in the field (we threw a guy out stealing third and in bantam house league baseball that’s like an unassisted triple play), we’ve got some hits (a couple even got to the grass) and we’re tooth and nail with a pretty good team.

Top of the fifth we go nuts and get seven and it looks like the Mighty Yankee winless streak is coming to an end.

But, alas, they’ve got this curfew for the late games, probably because they don’t want the urchins up too late although none of them would go home and go right to bed) and when we struggle to get three quick outs, the drop dead minute arrives.

We’re still up four but the score reverts to the last completed inning and it’s a tie.

Guess it’s not a loss but, man, it’s tough to be so close and not get the first W of the season.

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All right, if there’s a chance we may host an afternoon soiree I’ve got some major league deck and house cleaning chores ahead of me so this has to go to end.

Sure hope the Heroes Of The Hardcourt don’t make life difficult (Bryan: If you’re reading this, please do what you’re going to do this morning rather than this afternoon).

Happy Canada Day everyone.

Go wave a flag. We’ve got a pretty good country here, doofuses (doofii?) and all.

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Comments

[Joe]

Doug,
Thanks for your funny take on the soap opera that has become Mr. Bosh and free agency and his twitter posts. Nice to see that the Raps made a pitch and Bosh acknowledged it on twitter. Might be just to be "politically correct" but its still nice. Anyhow, quick question:
1. If a team like Miami, with only a handful of players under contract, were to sign a big time free agent like Mr. Bosh, and give back 2-3 players in a sign and trade, and then resign Wade, can they go over the salary cap in order to fill out their roster? I'm confused on this issue as this whole NBA salary cap thing is like a jigsaw puzzle. Thanks Doug.

Blogger's note: There are always minimum salary slots and exceptions available.

[dallas]

No need to apologize, Doug. this FA period is hard to make heads or tails of. If anything Dan LeBatard should lose his press pass. Thanks.

[City Country]

Thanks Doug.

I still sort of hope we trade for Beasley. I'd rather have him than Lee, Bynum, or exceptions, and if he doesn't work out we don't have to commit to him long term.

[Typo Knig]

Should the Raps get a trade exception for Bosh, is there a time limit on when it must be used/traded?

Blogger's note: A year from the date of the original transaction.

[TO in Asia]

Doug,
I'm not sure why you're so anti-Twitter. You were one of the first sports writers to embrace the world wide web as a medium for disseminating up-to-date information to your readers, and it seems to have brought you some level of success. As for Twitter, it's just another part (I'm hesitant to say it's an evolution) of that transformation of the media industry.

Like it or not, if you want to keep up with what's going on with the personalities you follow for a living, you'll need to know what's happening on twitter, facebook, and whatever else comes down the pike in the next few years. Remember, these guys are just kids who've pretty much never known a world without the Internet. Otherwise you'll just become one of those dinosaur (no pun intended) sportswriters who just clamour on about the good ol' days, and some young whippersnapper will have your job.

Blogger's note: Most of twitter is inane over-shares of lives I don't give a rat's butt about. Other than that, it's a perfect tool for the dumbing down of using the English language.

[Joe Scanlan]

"perfect tool for the dumbing down of using the English language," wow, how about that sentence as an example of excellent language skills. Twitter, just like blogs, contains poor writing and useful writing. To dismiss the medium in its entirety because most of its users can't write ignores the reality of the medium; it's changing the way people receive news, from stock quotes to natural disasters. Your grandpa-style approach to twitter is growing tiresome and has lost whatever charm it had originally.

And your Miami article was just plain stupid, and your excuse contrasts sharply with your attempts to present yourself as a veteran reporter.

Happy Canada Day to you too, you being chief among doofusses.

Blogger's note: Seriously, I believe it's "doofi" but I'll have to check my Twitter dictionary. Brb, fwiw; hope u hv a gr8t day, 2.

[Pete]

For the first time since I moved to Canada, I refuse to wave that red flag on Canada day...
What a mess this country is in...

Back to ball: What's the status on Andrea? Have we seen the peak of him? 18 pt 5 rb guy?

[Chris]

Doug, I think you're being a bit hard on yourself. Everything you wrote yesterday was tempered with sanity, in humble opinion. No harm, no foul. I'll continue to read you every day, even though I think it'll be a week or so before all the LeBronimoes start falling.

[Matt M]

I was a little surprised to see you write the Bosh to Miami article too. I'd say it's a function of competition in the media more than anything else. Nice to see that Bosh is at least talking to Toronto. I'd love to see him resign. Part of me thinks he will just because the Raptors are still the best situation for him if he wants to be top dog. Might piss off a few fans who are holding out hope for him to leave and will definitely show that the whole media culture of anticipating every single move years before it actually happens is a waste of time and energy. OF course, by the time I post this he will probably be in Sacramento.

[AT]

Doug,
Where should we go for breaking news? Are you going to keep us updated on your blog as things happen?

[Tiger]

Terrific photo blog of CB#.
One thing sticks out: he's a walking bad hair day (even with no hair).
Sorry to see him go.

[Rob.V]

Dude, no worries on stirring the pot yesterday. I didnt get a chance to get in yesterday however seeing ALL of the repsonses today... you simply "catered" to what the massess wanted anyway. Goes against your grain for sure... but it would appear no one in Raptorland was complaining.

No harm - no foul!

So, everyone survive armageddon out there??

Okay, I caught a couple minutes of the NBA's "Decision 2010" last night and it had me laughing!! Literally.

The only thing I could think of was: when does the round of 8 kick off in the world cup?

This whole larger than life talk of who goes where is a tad over the top, no? I mean, gone completely OFF THE RAILS!!!

.. and the overuse of the word "summit" is even more laughable really.

Summit? I mean what would these boys have to talk about at a "summit" anyway... whackin off, the latest game offered up by PS2???. Please!!!

What the Raptors really need is some toughness on the defensive end.. and that CAN be accomplished without Bosh.

I won't take any parting shots at CB because he's been a good employee his entire time with the franchise however after reading all the "angst" filled comments from yesterday everyone needs to take a deep breath (if they're really that strung out over this).

The Raptors will be just fine post Bosh. The world will keep spinning, trust me!!

[doug]

excuse me.. but to the idiot that says he refuses to wave the flag as he can't believe the mess the country is in...go get a life, a country isn't about its politics or whatever your personal idealological beliefs are...its about the people, the freedoms, our history and just who and what we are...I am a dam proud Canadian maybe you need to travel and see how well you have it.....

also told you i couldn't believe a word that came out of Dan Lebatards mouth or computer...complete and utter windbag....I don't know how he survives on PTI as i am sure I can hear the changing of channels from North America whenever people see he is on the show....

[John]

I agree with Doug for once on the Twitter thing. I'm only 26 but I think it's stupid and a huge waste of time. If someone had something factual or important to get across, it would get published in a paper or on a website. I don't care what professional athletes do in their spare time, or what they are thinking about every second of the day. Let's be realistic, it's limited public text messaging. Wowwwww, mind blowing.

[Mike Smith]

Doug, with all due respect, readers come here for basketball stories, not elementary school baseball news. It was reasonable when it was a sentence or two but now it has transformed into paragraphs of coverage.

You're redefining your blog from what was once a quality Toronto Raptors blog, answering fans' questions and posting quality insight to something of a daily rant which now includes elementary school baseball stories. I am sure the local school papers cover the games just fine. For your readers, please go back to what made this blog worthy of our time in the morning when visiting TheStar.com

[doug]

just saw this , its something I never saw before...about James and Bosh's g.f. and how she "motivated" him to beat the Raptors the one game..

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/morning-jolt/07/01/thursday.jolt/index.html?eref=sihp

[dave]

What do you think of this news?

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/07/01/cavs.scott.accepts.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2

Raptors should have signed him...

[Cluck Kent]

I hope Bosh makes up his mind quickly so we can get on with the process of putting our team together. Given some of the misfortune Bryan has had in some of the FA choices he has made over the past four years, he must be in line for some good fortune soon.

[Lorie]

Hi Doug,
Yes, Twitter has its place, but one of my issues with it is the ambiguity of the jargon used on it: case in point, "BBB" can, depending on the sender, and of course the interpretation of the receiver, mean "Bye Bye Baby" or "Boring Beyond Belief", or "BS" can be read "Big Smile" or "Bull Sh*#", or "TFN" might be saying "Thanks for Nothing" or "Til Further Notice". So, while tweeting works well in some situations, I think when clarity of communication, not to mention nuance of thought, is of primary importance (and shouldn't it always be?) I give it a pass. So, Happy Canada Day, Doug! Hope you enjoy that most Canadian of all summer pastimes: relaxing with friends in the backyard, moving meat on the BBQ while sipping a cold beverage.

[graham]

nice to see Houston pitch to Bosh: seems he desperately wanted to be courted, enjoy the thrill and then, I suspect, he will do as rumored and sign with Wade in Miami. Hopefully LeBron is as good as his word and resolves his situation quickly also and then all the other dominoes can fall into place.
Still think BC needs to move Turk and commit to the young guns, keep both Jack and Calderon and add someone like a Kamann with whatever TPE he gets from the Miami deal and/or as part of any deal for Turk. Right now for the money and with the team's composition, I would prefer Okafor than Turk. Agree that Barnes would also be a hard nosed guy and a great pick up. Hopefully Amir is a done deal.
I would much rather watch a young team grow together for a couple of years that plays hard than any quick fix.

[Trev]

Stupid question(s), potentially:

If Bosh is listening to the Raptors, is it in good faith? If so, why do the Raptors seem so resigned to the fact he's not coming back?

Blogger's note: I presume it was a courtesy and a "what do you have in mind, where can we work a sign-and-trade deal" kind of thing

[stoneman]

Wow, Joe. So, you don't agree with the guy you chose to read; not a reason to be so, well, so 15 years old.

Twitter is what it is: lots of chatter, difficult to discern value. It's kind of similar to listening to conversations in a bar - may be fascinating but not what you want to use for an investment decision.

And, if you think Doug Smith is up to your high standars of grammar or reportage, you have lots of other options..

Cheers

[stoneman]

..should have read: 'is not up to your standards'

Just making sure I also fall short of your expectations..

[ChrisD1]

Doug - any take on Richard Jefferson opting out? Is that not the craziest opt out you've heard in recent years?

Blogger's note: I don't know if he'll make $15 million in total the rest of his career but he should get a longer-term deal

[LeeZ]

@Joe Scanlon: Why the vitriol? Why try to belittle someone, call what he does stupid and suggest that he's a poor journalist? Does it make you feel good to slag someone? I mean, all well and good to take issue with Doug's comments. That's part of the fun of sports conversations and debates, the back and forth, and so on. So why the need to get personal and sling mud? And if you think what Doug does is stupid and that he's not up to your journalistic standards, why on earth do you read his blog?