Canada, the crowd and a Raptor says goodbye

It is entirely impossible – and utterly unfair – to judge a basketball team after seeing it play one game so I can’t offer any real assessment of Canada at the moment.

Maybe tomorrow.

But for now, it does look like this team will play hard, it’s athletically-challenged, it really, really, really, really needs point guard Jermaine Anderson to get healthy and it’s young.

There is, however, some depth to take care of those times when one or two shooters go stone cold and I do quite like the intensity with which they play.

I still contend getting out of the first round at the worlds will be a solid accomplishment for this group as it tries to build something for the 2012 Olympics and 2016 2014 worlds.

I know there is some sense of optimism about the future given the youth of this group but that future isn’t here quite yet.

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The crowd? It was terrible. Just over 2,600? Shameful.

I know, ticketmaster and service charges and no TV and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah; there should have been more people in the seats.

Canada Basketball is trying to do something to enhance the program’s image here, they also know it’s a long and hard road back to capture the imagination of casual fans in this city.

But games like last night, and tonight, are a good starting point and I’m sure there was some disappointment running through the ranks when they announced the number of people in the seats.

But I know Wayne Parrish pretty well and Maurizio’s not going away any time soon I do know they aren’t going to get too discouraged and throw up their arms in despair.

Still, they could use some help and that’s where people who squawk about no basketball to watch need to get involved.

Besides, the Chicken was there and a half dozen or so June Taylor Dancers showed up and there were contests and noise (although FIBA, bless its heart, doesn’t allow music to be blared during the actual playing of the game) so what’s not to like?

See you there tonight, right?

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It’d been a while since I’d been in the press room at the ACC and as I rounded the corner to my little piece of work space, it became obvious something was amiss.

There are pictures of various Leaves and Raptors lining the walls, huge action shots, and the eagle-eyed reporter in my noticed large sections of wall where photos once were.

Combing the dark recesses of my mind (a dusty cobweb-infested place few should go) I tried to recall what had been there in June when I last stopped by.

Ah. Right.

Chris Bosh.

Body’s not even cold yet and the pictures are gone.

Funnily enough, glancing back over my shoulder I did happen to see the same old shots of Hedo Turkoglu that had been there all last season.

Figure they’ll be gone today.

Wonder if they’ve got replacements of Jarrett Jack to fill the spaces?

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Given we’re at the start of the big international basketball season, here’s a little teaser from the mail.

Q: Hey Doug, just wondering how you would rank Canada's developmental system for young players, and how it compares to other countries like France, Spain, Greece, Argentina, Brazil, etc.?

Ange A, Toronto

A: How it compares? Not nearly good enough.

And that’s the biggest issue going forward for the poobahs who run the game here in Canada. The most successful programs in the world have great club systems that have better coaching, more dedication to practice and skill development and more emphasis on getting kids into one system and keeping them there than we do.

A perfect example:

A few years ago, Super Son said he wanted to play basketball one winter so he joined a local Mississauga house league (which one doesn’t matter because I understand this happens too frequently) and off he went.

Well, it was supposed to be one day a week at a local gym, 45 minutes of practice and a 45-minute game.

There were a handful of times there were no coaches at all, sometimes some parents would try to run some drills but most of the time the kids ran layup lines for half an hour or so and then they played what could only loosely be called a “game.”

He dropped out after a couple of winters because, frankly, he was getting nothing out of it.

Now, I’m sure that doesn’t happen anywhere, and there’s every chance he might have bagged the idea anyway but he also might have gone on to really like the program.

Except it didn’t like him and who knows how many other kids are lost.

I know they are trying, and it’s hard to find gyms and coaches who know what they’re doing and have the time, but until the grassroots programs improve, there’s no way we’ll ever really catch up.

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Raptors news! Raptors news! Raptors news!

Well, sort of.

Let’s put this in the category of Guy Who Wasn’t Going To Play Won’t since I’m told the Raptors will put Dwayne Jones on waivers today so he’ll clear by Sunday and they can release him before guaranteeing any of his 2010-11 contract.

I know: “Who?” Jones would be the other guy who came over from Phoenix simply as cap ballast and to give Toronto a bit bigger trade exception from the Hedo deal.

He never was going to play here and, come Sunday, he officially won’t.

He will be missed.

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Hey, you know how in the regular season we try to give you links to how friend cover games for their papers.

Well, the bilingual among you might like this.

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I miss tennis.

Who won last night?

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Oh, right, mail.

Forgot this a couple of items ago and the mailbag’s a little full already but there’s always room for more.

Click. Here. Send. Missives. Say. Hi.

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Figure we’ll do the usual junk like this tomorrow – we’ve got the game tonight and the Hall of Fame induction to touch on since it’s been totally ignored.

And that’ll give me something to type this afternoon while waiting for the big game to start. And to start the in-game blog thingy since it seemed to be okay last night.

See ya.

Comments

[petro]

Doug... you called it "shameful"... my wife called it "embarassing"... I called it "typical".

Typical I say because it is typical of the Toronto "sport fan" to throw their noses up at something that is not hockey.

Furthermore... I think last nights attendance proved to me that diehard Raptor fans are not true basketball fans.

Let me say this... you bring that game to Hamilton - at Copps - no way does the Hamilton basketball community (some call it mafia) let Basketball Canada down with only 2600 butts in the arena. NO WAY!!!

Maybe one day if Cory Joseph, Devoe Joseph, Kris Joseph, Tristan Thompson, Myck Kabongo, Andrew Nicholson make the NBA... they will have the HYPE behind them to bring these bandwagon basketball fans to the arena... and remember... that is if they decide to represent Canada at the senior level.

[John Culligan]

Doug, much thanks for the billigual link, was a blast to get it all in our other Official language.

[Cam Rowe]

I went to TicketMaster at lunch yesterday and the cheapest tickets they had were $42. I wanted to go to the game but not that badly. You could get tickets to see USA-France in NYC for $15.

This is a failure of marketing and price setting. There are plenty of great basketball fans in Toronto, you can see them at Raptors games.

[Jeff]

I agree that the ticketmaster fees being almost as much as the ticket price is a bit over the top... But don't you think the Raptors (or MLSE) could have done some promo for that? I'm a Raps seasonticket holder and I always get some promotional e-mail about Toronto FC games and the likes. Well, I understand that MLSE has nothing to do with Basketball Canada but it's still basketball, you'd think they could promote the game. How much effort would it be to send an e-mail to all seasonticket holders?

[Shawn F]

And how does the article on Kaberle, written a day and a half ago, all of a sudden get bumped to the absolute front page of the star?

[The J]

I think it goes down to a shameful lack of promotion and not shameful fans. Bash Toronto or Ontario or Canada or whomever you want, the bottomline remains that the average Canadian and even Canadian Basketball fan knew nothing of this game. I never saw it mentioned on Sportsnet or TSN, the Score or even CityTV. I never saw it on-line anywhere except this particular blog. And when I say promotion, I'm not talking full-page ads or bilboards. But like, Jeff said, a simple email to season ticket holders would have brought a lot of attention to people who are obviously Basketball fans and are accustomed to trips to the ACC. I'm not a season ticket holder but I do get promotional emails from MLSE. They never forget to let me know when Marcus Banks will be signing autographs at CentreSports, so why not a quick email to let me know about a game I can go to and show my patriotic pride?

[Sam Rook]

Box Office will cut the fees by 2/3rds. So come to the game and buy your tickets at the window.
I just did at lunch (walked past French team on the way and booed them) and they said ticket sales were pretty good so far today. Hope to see a better crowd tonight. Go Canada Go!

[MikeS]

The people who are (rightly) complaining about Ticketmaster's service charges: why not get to the game a little early and buy at the box office?

[petro]

Will call had tickets for 25 and 34 bucks yesterday... were a lot more online at ticketmaster website.

[Redapples]

#To Lorie
Yes the "Kinder" sponsorship logo refers to the chocolate company ... This may explain why boris diaw is so fat!

By the way, i'm french and I'm very disappointed that the Raptors - Nets games in europe won't be in Paris!

[Zombywoof]

It's not just the ticket price, it's the whole experience. First you've gotta contend with downtown traffic & construction, then pay $15 to park your car, then there's the $10 beers and $5 popcorn... it's just too much. You can bet those 2,500 diehards who came out didn't get any breaks from MLSE at the concession stands. Greed rules at the ACC, always has and always will. The best way to put butts in the seats is to play the games somewhere that's not associated with MLSE.

[Rob.V]

HWSNBP is good however how about these:

HWSNBN-2.0. Simple, and to the point.

Or "Lapdog"... all in favour? Thank you Mr. Van Gundy for the "inspiration".

Ok, one more! Half Man... Half Face... Eveyone get that?... it talks to both of them.

Ok, really, last one I promise. How about - 7 years In Tibet! I've never seen the movie however wasn't it about an escape or something?

Personally, I like HWSNBN and LAPDOG.. can't go wrong there!

Mr. Smith, you should run the contest for X period of time indicating when all of the "submissions" must be entered by. Then, of course because it is your blog YOU will make the official announcment... but not just ANY announcement... we need to hype it up!!! You know, MIAMI style!!

Hey, i've got a unique name for the contest... Let's call it "THE DECISION". Now, I'm guessing we won't get an hour special... but a few days in the blog should do.

Then, THEN!... Mr. Smith, you will UNVEIL Lapdogs official moniker one morning in your blog.

I'll throw in tickets to a pre-seasons game for the winner of the contest (how generous of me, I know).

I can hardly wait!...

[Jack]

"And how does the article on Kaberle, written a day and a half ago, all of a sudden get bumped to the absolute front page of the star?"

Because it's hockey. People in Toronto will gobble anything if it's about hockey. This is a hockey town. It doesn't matter if the merchandise being sold by MLSE is lousy (re: the Maple Leafs) people will still flock to the arena to watch it, because it's hockey.
It's the middle of summer and the Star puts hockey news in the front of its sports page because people will buy it.
It will not change at all.

[AJR]

I think that really poor commercial is partly to blame. I kept seeing a spot on Raptors TV introducing us to one of the players, and then there was an "oh by the way we're playing France soon" 2-second flash at the end that you hardly notice. Way to bury the lead on that one. If you have limited marketing resources, your TV spot needs to work a lot harder.

[Joe]

Doug,
A couple of quick questions:

1. Has that Bellinelli for Wright deal officially gone through?

2. Is it true that the NBA will have new uniforms for all of the teams this season? I was at the Real Sports store at the ACC last night at the ACC (I was one of the few people that attended the game) and the sales people in the store told me that the NBA will be changing uniforms for all of the teams this season, including the Raptors.

Thank You.

Blogger's note: Yes. And I have not heard a word on that

[csmith34@hotmail.com]

I prefer RPOBM for Bosh. "RuPaul of Big Men"

[R Spence]

I was at the game last night and my sons and I had a good time. We bought the tickets from the box office and used the $10 we saved to get better seats. The game as fun to watch and my kids had a good time.

Canada Basketball missed an opportunity to make some bucks as my two sons would have loved to have gotten a team shirt or jersey. Its unfortunate that some many of the players are overseas as it precludes the team from playing games in Canada.

My son wants to watch the world championships, I just have to find them on tv (or the blogger could take him to Turkey!)

[GM]

I don't blame fans for not going out to see the national team. The cost was prohibitive. There were no marquee players that would attract the masses. The game meant nothing. And there was next to no press hyping it up (sadly, that seems to be what people need). Also, I hate the idea of "supporting" the arts or sports. I go to plenty of live events, and went to the game in Vancouver, because I enjoy such things, not because I'm supporting them, which always has a hint of pity to my ears. If the events didn't do anything for me, I wouldn't go just to support them. It's a two-way street, a reciprocal arrangement. If I like what they have to offer, I give them my money and my warm body and they give me entertainment.

[fernfig]

I was at the game Friday...looked to me more like 4,000+ crowd! There was even a line up in the washrooms at the half! So I don't know who does the counting? a first grader? Funny thing as well, I lined up at box office for my ticket. To find out they were charging a $5 service charge! When I questioned the woman about it she told me,"actually there are no more tickets available" So I turned around and bought a ticket from one of the ( I don't know if I would call a scalpers) for $20. I saved $5!....true story!

[Steve Baker]

Hey Doug;

Basketball Canada seems to find a way to shoot themselves in the foot every time they turn a corner. There are hundreds of thousand of kids who play basketball in the province of Ontario and are members of Ontario Basketball but were most likely unaware of the game in Toronto. Why not send out a free ticket to every player and coach who registered to play in the OBA Championships last year. Yes that would have been a large number of free people in the stands but guess what. 90% of those kids would have needed a ride and the parents would have paid for a ticket. Merchandise sales (if Basketball Canada was smart enough to market their product) along with food and beverage sales would have bee fantastic. The atmosphere would have been electric and oh yeah by the way, people would be excited about our Canadian Team. Instead like usual the marketing was terrible, no one showed up and again those of us who have been working for years at the grassroots level watch and shake our heads over the ineptness of those at the highest level. Basketball will never grow in this country if you don't get kids engaged at an early age and Canada Basketball dropped the ball once again by missing a chance to sell their product to thousands of kids and their parents in Ontario.