Some this, some that on a slow day

Slow day, folks.

This is about all I could come up with.

It’ll get better soon.

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I think most of you know that I’m a pretty big fan of Yao Ming. I’d like him to have a long and solid career because he seems to be a very good man at heart and his place among Chinese athletes is so significant.

There are few athletes anywhere in the world who have to do what Yao does for his country, his is their beacon and one of the true giants (literally and figuratively) in that culture.

Watching him at the Beijing Games, where he became arguably the most recognizable figure for the host country, was amazing.

He was scrutinized every day by masses of media and it had to be tiring and taxing yet I don’t remember him once looking at all tired of the attention or responsibility.

It was with much happiness, then, that I read Jonathan Feigan’s piece here that said Yao’s back on the court and playing with no restrictions.

Part of me reads that with a measure of trepidation because one workout in August does not mean anything in the grand scheme of things but it’s at least better than the last time we’d heard about Yao, when he said he might have to retire.

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Not sure if you saw this report but it sure looks like Masai Ujiri’s got a better-than-good shot at the Denver GM gig.

Not entirely sure it’s the best job in the world, given the uncertainty of the Carmelo Anthony situation and what seems like a rather, um, involved ownership group.

Still, it’s a big promotion, it would get him in pretty select company and there’s nothing like first-hand experience to help build a resume.

What would happen here if he goes is tough to say, though.

I know Bryan likes to have a group of advisers around to talk over different scenarios and Masai was a trusted part of that group.

I’d expect there’d be someone in here to fill that role rather quickly.

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Here’s one from a mailbag that’s getting quite full, it seems:

Q: Hello Sir and safe travels to you. I just read that Rondo had 'withdrawn' from the worlds. Following your comments (Tuesday) morning about him appearing to be the odd man out, was this his way of avoiding being 'cut' or is there something else going on? I am one that has been slow to get on the Rondo bandwagon. Before last year there were serious issues in Boston about his maturity and team dedication if I remember correctly. Management was not 'sold' on him. I saw last year’s performance as similar to a player in a contract year trying to impress, then when the ink is dry, they revert back to the norm. From what you are able to gather info wise, was the Rondo we saw in the playoffs the 'real deal' or does he still need a few years of high level and continually increasing performance to be considered a premier point guard in the league? Thanks as always.

Randy M, Crystal Beach

A: Oh, I’m pretty sure “withdrawing” from the worlds was pretty much a face-saving description because reading Chris Sheridan’s piece (which you can read right here), it was obvious Rondo knew what was coming.

I’m not a huge fan at all of a point guard who is a terrible free-throw shooter and whose jump shot is so suspect most teams don’t guard him more than 18 feet from the basket. There’s no question Rondo has skills but I think he’s benefited tremendously from the presence of three strong-willed teammates who get all the attention, shots and responsibility.

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Apparently it’s about 95 F in Izmir, Turkey today. Here’s hoping all the air conditioning units are up to snuff because – and this may shock you – I’m not particularly built for, or a fan of, the heat.

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Speaking of mail.

Click, do it.

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And speaking of Izmir, if anyone out there has ever been there, any suggestions more than welcome.

I know this generally works because I remember in ’07 that M. Grange ™ and I both got a restaurant recommendation from Rome that turned into one of the top five meals on the road ever.

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The Raptors? Well, outside of Masai, nothing. Sorry.

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The word floating around yesterday from some folks I talked to is that FIBA may do the right thing in the wake of that Greece-Serbia brawl last week and hand down some suspensions that will kick in at the start of the world championships.

It won’t mean anything, really, for Canada because they aren’t drawn with either of the countries but with Greece being in the same group as Turkey, it could be huge for them.

Winning that group allows a team to – probably – avoid the United States in the playoff-round draw and that’s huge.

I’ll be quite interested to see what the world body does, I’d imagine there’d have to be at least a couple of games suspension for five or six players.

Oh, and for those who know a local with ESPN, the USA-Greece game is at noon Eastern time. Might be a good one.

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Comments

[SEC]

Hey Doug, you mentioned something a while back about finding a Turksih watering hole somewhere. Just beware of a bar scheme in Turkey where a "frindley" stranger offers to go for drinks to a real bar, then invites you for more at another place - where you get stuck with a bill in the Thousands. It happened to a person I know and apparently its quite common in Turkey.

[Peter]

When you mention you're not a fan of the Heat. Miami too? or just Turkey heat?

[ET]

Rondo is a solid point guard who has amazing heart and drive. He is capable of getting double digit rebounds consistently. And his defense is very good. Sure his shot is suspect and he is a poor FT shooter. But there is no way Boston would have gone that far in the playoffs with those strong willed teammates without Rondo’s play making!

[Richard]

Doug and all you other basketball fans,
If you want or are able you can catch the USA/GREECE game online for a whopping sum of $0.00 @....

http://www.atdhe.net/index.html

\Richard

[Bill W.]

Doug - share with the crowd. What's the name of the restaurant in Rome that you loved so much?

Blogger's note: I wish I could remember, something de le Mare or somesuch. Just outside the Vatican walls on a dead-end street I couldn't find again even with a search warrant. Great mom and pop spot, about 10 tables.

[John]

@ Peter
I agree. Doug you are not a fan of point guards that make it to the NBA finals?
He was a big part of Boston's sucess last year.
You would prefer Calderon?

Blogger's note: One has nothing to do with the other, as I'd think anyone would realize. Guess not.

[Stavros]

I'd be surprised if anyone other than Kristic receives a suspension. If it wasn't for the chair toss we wouldn’t be talking about this anymore anyway. That kind of melee is not unusual in Euro ball. Besides I doubt that FIBA will want to hamstring Greece, one of the handfuls of teams that can give the USA a game.

[Lorie]

Safe travels tomorrow, Doug, as you set off for Turkey and The Worlds. Are you getting excited? And, this is probably old hat to you, but for someone whose mind and body fight the time zone thing, how do you "prepare" yourself so that you can function immediately in significantly different time zones, and in climatically different environments? (Yikes!!! What if there isn't a Starbucks in Turkey? Do you have a contingency plan in place for that eventuality???) Serefe!

Blogger's note: I generally land, check the time and start living a normal routine. Probably not the healthiest of things but what the heck.

[Jean-Marie]

For your information, guys, Izmir (or Smirne) is most (in)famous for the pogrom that happened there in 1920. In this very ancient city - apart from one of the oldest Jewish community worldwide - lived for centuries strong generations of Greeks, rooting back to the time of Magna Graecia (before Christ). In 1920, for the record, thousands of these Greeks (mostly merchants) were suddenly assaulted and killed by the Turks. All the others had to fly away, leaving everything behind them. A black page of history. The two nations are not friends.

[CC]

i agree w/ you Doug, Rondo was super over rated

[Geoff Read]

I haven't been to Turkey but to the poster who was looking for a place in Rome - Pizzeria da Baffetto (sp?) is great. The pizza is amazing, it's relatively cheap - and it was a centre of left-wing resistance to the Fascist regime during the Mussolini years. Very cool place.

I like Rondo... he just seems like a guy who brings his best game when it matters most. You can never get enough of those guys. Flawed? Sure. But still a keeper in my books.

[TJ]

Not to stick up for Doug, but I think people need to realize that Rondo is a fantastic PG, for his tea. And the NBA. FIBA ball is a different stlye of game, the court is smaller and the key is different and the rules are different. Rondo isn't a great shooter and the players they chose him over are all better shooters, that's what coach k was getting at. Curry, Rose and Westbrooke are all better in that repsect.
When a blogger gives his opinion (as Doug does) on player in a certain situation it is not a knock on him as a whole. People need to learn that one's views are that persons views, no more no less.
Also please stop writing in and asking Doug to justify himself or ask him to justify your views. That's not his job.
PS: Doug could you back me on this one? LOL

Blogger's note: Gladly

[Jeff in NS]

Doug, being a Celtic fan I admit that I prefer Rondo to a lot of other PG's in the leauge, but I do agree with you in regards to his poor shooting. He does however possess a great basketball IQ (from the mouth of Doc Rivers) and is a fantastic passer/rebounder/driver. My question to you is, what do you feel Rose and Westbrook bring to the table that Rondo doesn't. Both aren't great shooters as well, and neither have the big game experience that Rondo does. As always, great work on the blog.

Blogger's note: I believe they are better shooters and either of them can play in the final seconds of a tight game where a suspect FT shooter is out of the mix.

[d]

I think what shocks me most about team USA is that this is literally the C -Team, almost like the scrimmage squad. Any USA team that includes a nobody like Eric Gordon is surely not the best they can get out there.

This team is missing Melo, Wade, Bosh, and James and has no true center.

Coach K is going to have to get miracles out of Billups, Durant and company to even get to the semis, let alone the finals.

What is scary is when and if all the above players come back into the fold of USA Basketball and prepare for London 2012. That team will be insane, athletic, young, and unstoppable.

The only advice I can give on Turkey Doug is from a freind who got home yesterday from Istanbul-----prepare for insane heat, and people everywhere, at all times of the day and night, and try the local breads from traditional bakeries. The EU is forcing Turkey to change all wood ovens to gas, and you may never taste breads/pastries the same ever again in Turkey.

Safe travels Doug !!! Sunscreen,sunscreen and more sunscreen !!!!

[pain777pas]

Doug,
Yao is overall a better player than Howard if he plays as he used to. Yao is the best centre in the world when healthy. Like Hakeem before him he can do it all. As a fan I can't wait to see the Rockets suprise some people in the future. Now about Rondo. Defensively, running the break and hustle he is one of the best. You need to shoot or the Europeans will crush you. I don't like the US team that much but Durant, Rose, Gay, Iggy, and x factor Curry should get something done. Who do you like to win the worlds this year Doug?

Blogger's note: I still like Spain but don't sleep on Brazil

[Mike kovacs]

For all of you former Expos fans it is intersting to see that the man who was most responsible for ruining the expos franchise is being exposed for what he really is: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AufXBX12A5RtkCffL3nkiyU5nYcB?slug=jp-marlinsfinancials082410

[Mo]

headsup... this post is all food, no ball!

When in Rome... Pizzeria da Baffetto!!!
As soon as Doug mentioned Rome it's all I thought about! (I feel a strange bond to Geoff now :S)
Best Pizza I ever had. Went there twice in my 2 days in the city :S

But there was a small mom and pop place in Rome that I can't remember the name of either that gave us the best MEAL I had in Europe. Funny that we only called it the "mom and pop place" and never bothered to check the name, even when we were in it...

As Doug would agree, those are the places that stand out the most.

So Doug (and you may have done something similar to this before, but....) can we get a list of the best 3 meals in Canada (really I mean the GTA, so I can try them), best 3 in U.S. and best 3 overseas?

Blogger's note: Will do that sometime, yes

[Zombywoof]

Slow day, no kidding. Can we talk about movies or steroids or something? Hey, at least there's no one trashing Jose today. Of course, the day isn't over yet....

[arun]

@Richard
ATDHE is an old story that everyone knows about...

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Bon voyage, Doug,
30 for highs, 25 for lows, and I don't believe that's super humidified heat, so that's not killer stuff, but yeah, hope the AC's working for you.
Get your two-hour power nap as soon as you get to your room (you gonna be dogged if you're talking Toronto-Frankfurt-Munich-Fill-in-the-blank-Istanbul by the time you hit that bunk!), then force yourself to stay up that first night until midnight in Istanbul (or whatever your "normal" bedtime is), and you should be ready to hit the ground running that next morning. (Coming home – west to east – always takes longer to adjust to, for some weird reason.)
And if you can't find the Starbucks, don't sweat it. Nothing like a couple of Turkish coffees in your standard Mideastern hookah shop to put a little hair on your teeth. Serefe, happy travels and a fond WTF to Hedo from all of his fans back in Canada! Cheers.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Oops, that should have read "east to west"... and I'm not jet-lagged...

[Lorie]

@D-Mac Ottawa
Geez, d'ya think if we asked him nicely Doug would treat us to an episode of "GruntTV The Turkish Edition" - complete with hookahs, tanburas and a his new gaggle of friendly Turkish Irregulars? (Please, Doug???)

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Yeah Doug, what Lorie said!!!
Cheers galore.

[Joe]

Doug,

Good points about Rondo. I think he's a real good PG but that shooting needs to improve. In the finals, the Lakers played off him to prevent penetration in the key, which is what Rondo excels at. Sometimes I think Rondo gets frustrated playing on a veteran laden team where Garnett, Allen, Pierce, and now Shaq garner so much attention and leadership. Rondo's got a rebel streak in him and I think he'd like to lead a team rather than be the young kid on the block.

[doug]

Jeffrey Loria gives snake oil salesmen a bad name, he's a slime ball...doesn't say much about MLB when they have put up with his crap for years.....he should be sitting beside Madoff, exchanging pleasantries....I agree about Yao hope he doesn't turn into another Walton a truly talented center, whose best years were taken away due to foot injuries......also agree about Rondo, he's not a leader, he's petulant, pouts and has a over-inflated value....and of course Rivers is going to say he has a great b-ball I.Q., he needs to stroke his ego, what do you want him to say...the truth???....