Finally, it's here in all it's glory: It's Media Day!

Happy Media Day!!!!!!

I know, it’s like the first day of school, isn’t in? Everyone shows up all shiny and new, ready to tackle the new year full of vim, vigour and enthusiasm.

I presume a lot of you know how it works, it goes noon-3, the players wander up from the privacy of the locker room and run through a series of media stations. They do interviews with us and the radio and TV folks, some in scrums, some in one-on-one sitdowns and there’s no real order of who shows up when so it’s something of a circus if three or four of them arrive about the same time.

Then we all retire to our respective writing places and try to come up with something fresh, or some angle no one else has and it’s generally an exercise in futility because there are so many of us there, there’s no real “news” to report.

This is my 15th one of these things (missed 2007 because I was traipsing around Rome with Super Family waiting to head up to Treviso) and they really do kind of meld together.

So, because I kind of have an idea of what’s going to be said today; and because I’m always trying to give you stuff well in advance of it actually happening, here’s what they’re going to say. Or not.

It’s up to you to figure out what’s real and what’s imagined.  

It's okay, we want to prove people wrong.

 

There is no point guard controversy, the guy who can help the team the most plays.

 

It's not who starts games, it's who finishes them.

 

Ball.

 

It all starts with defence.

 

Chris who?

 

We embrace our European-ness, it's a heckuva continent.

 

We're going to bring Linas and Leandro and David along slowly, the world championships took a lot out of them.

 

My goals? To help the team any way the coach wants. And to be an all-star.

 

Of course I have to rebound better.

 

We have the greatest Beat Grunts in the history of journalism covering us on a daily basis.

 

At least we’re not in Buffalo.

 

Anyone want to go play pickup ball in Oakville?

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Got the three worst camps out of the way last week one day, let’s do the three best.  

 

Treviso, 2007

Look, the front acreage of the hotel was a vinyard that grew the grapes that made the wine that we drank with dinner in an outstanding hotel restaurant and we were half an hour from Venice and they played pre-season games in Rome and Madrid.

There’ll never been a better one.  

 

Ottawa, 2009

Second time’s always better, right? The first year was like a scouting trip; the second time around we knew where all the cool kids hung out (Hi, Keg in the Market, good afternoon Pub Italia). And a nice relaxing train right to and fro.  

 

Hamilton, 1995

It was new. It was a hoot. And since a lot of ‘em tend to run together, why not throw it on the list.

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I was thinking about doing some kind of “Five Questions” thing heading into the media day but then the poobahs called and wanted something for the Monday morning paper and, voila, it’s done.

Read all about it here.

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Hey, we’re not forgetting the women, right?

No way.

They’re in super tough to get into the quarter-finals and have a top eight finish since they’ve got the Americans today, France tomorrow and Greece on Wednesday.

It’s impossible to say for sure what it’ll take but they’re going to need at least one win and probably two to advance and that’s a tall order.

Still, the worst can they can be is 12th when it’s all said and done – they could finish as high as nine if they don’t move on – and that’s a pretty good feat.

Trouble is, neither I nor the Canada Basketball people I’ve been talking to in Czech Republic this morning have any idea when the games might be broadcast here in Canada. TSN or TSN2 are supposed to show them but they haven’t been scheduled yet.

The game to watch, of course, is USA-Australia which is Wednesday afternoon our time, in case you were wondering.

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Pops Mensa-Bonsu and Jannero Pargo sign in New Orleans and all I can think if is where are Garth Joseph and Donald Whiteside gonna end up?

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This is really apropos of nothing and it’s a wee bit old but, to be honest, I forgot about it for a day or two.

Did you see this story, where they found a tape of Game 7 in the 1960 World Series among Bing Crosby’s belongings? You know the game, Bill Mazeroski homers over Yogi’s head to give Pittsburgh a 10-9 win and championship.

One thing stood out beyond all else.

The game took two hours and 36 minutes!!!!!! Today, a 10-9 Game 7 is five hours if it’s a second.

And that, my friends, may be baseball’s fatal flaw.

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The Gangster signed in Russia?

Somehow I think that’s fitting.

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Yes, as we mentioned last week, the Raptors have been in contact with Erick Dampier. They, like the rest of the league, figured he was headed to Miami at the end of last week and kind of pulled back from those talks.

When he decided not to go there, they were in touch with his people again but they think it’s far-fetched that he’d take the minimum-salary offer they can make to come play in Toronto.

But they did make the cursory calls.

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Let’s finish off with one from the mail that I hung on to:  

Q: I hope this isn't too late for the mailbag.

Based on all of your years of following this team, how much of the fan excitement (or angst) throughout the season is dependant on actual success, or the success of surpassing expectations. I seem to remember the early years when they would win more games then fans expected, as really exciting times. If this team was able to match last year’s record, would you expect the fan base to jump behind this team and get excited? Or is a 40 win team (and a lottery appearance) a disappointment either way at this point in the franchise's history?

 

Peter L, Toronto

A: Oh, I remember those early days, too, when all the fans wanted was a competitive, hard-working team that would do them proud. Times have changed, though. I think fans have changed, too, and not necessarily for the better.

There is a far greater level of impatience it seems, perhaps born of expectations from the past, but mostly from this age of instant gratification that we live in. Not necessarily sure I like it, I think watching a team, or a player, grow and improve is something fans should appreciate and I’m not sure they do.

I will say this, though, to you point: If this team wins 40 games and is in a playoff race until the final days of the regular season, fans should be appreciative of it. I don’t imagine all will be, but the should be.

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Okay, still have about four hours left to figure out what, if anything, to tweet from this mess we’re about to walk into. Do you really want to know who showed up when or what they’re wearing. This might be my first big test (follow @smithraps, if you like because I could use the numbers) and I warn you it’s very much a work in progress.

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Comments

[AT]

"We're going to bring Linas and Leandro and David along slowly, the world championships took a lot out of them. "

Doug, you were joking about this one, right????

[Matt M]

I think the majority of fans will be more appreciative of hard work this year. For example, the Blue Jays this year were expected to suck beyond belief and instead are having a slightly worse year than last year. This in spite of the loss of Doc. The vitriol reading posts etc is still present, but it isn't in every single post you read. Heck, even Vernon Wells must think he's on vacation this year compared to the last few. Fans, I know I do, appreciate the fact the team is working hard in a rebuilding year. I think it could be like this for the Raptors too. If the team is playing hard then nearly everyone will be happy with 40 wins.

[Gavin]

I actually think Toronto fans are extremely patient. 15 years, countless roster blow-ups and the Raps have made the playoffs twice. The fact of the matter is that the team is basically starting from scratch again this year. Take your time Brian, we loving paying top dollar for an inferior product!

Blogger's note: Twice? Um, okay. Guess you missed the first, what, three appearances?

[SEC]

I think Toronto fans absolutely would appreciate a hard working growing team especially one filled with young athletic talent competing for the playoffs. It's just Toronto fans are equally sick their teams constantly rebuilding, whether its the Leafs, Raptors, or Jays. Our teams always seem to be going through a growth period and once they gain some momentum of respectability they just as quickly fall back to mediocrity before any real success is achieved.

[DanH]

Hey Doug

In your story in the paper, when you were listing the various possible bigs to pick up in free agency, you listed David Harrison twice: once as a former NBAer, once as a former Pacer.

Just a heads up - may want to fix that on the next edit (I see you just put subheadings in the latest edit).

Blogger's note: Hmm. Got 'em to fix subheads, will get on the Harrison thing when I get in

[Jacques]

Doug, what about Kyrylo Fesenko from the Jazz. Would you ask BC this afternoon. He's pretty big :)

Blogger's note: Already have, there is some interest not reciprocated

[Chris]

Blogger's note: Twice? Um, okay. Guess you missed the first, what, three appearances?

...because we're horribly impatient, with terrible long-term, and spotty short-term, memories. Sick of paying "top dollar" for this product? Easy fix bud, stop paying.

[john]

" So, because I kind of have an idea of what’s going to be said today; and because I’m always trying to give you stuff well in advance of it actually happening, here’s what they’re going to say."

i always love your sense of humour. Keep it up!!

[Shawn]

According to TSN.com, the Canada-USA game will be shown at 9PM on TSN2

Blogger's note: Thanks

[Lorie]

Hi Doug,
Might be (unintentially???) more entertaining for us (and can it be all about us today???) if your tweets were about what the members of the media were wearing? Or their comments/witticisms/acerbic asides? Sort of media coverage of media coverage?

[J]

@ Matt M:

"I think the majority of fans will be more appreciative of hard work this year. For example, the Blue Jays this year were expected to suck beyond belief and instead are having a slightly worse year than last year. This in spite of the loss of Doc."

Just a minor correction before I disagree with you), but the Jays are having a BETTER year than last year, considering last year's team went 75-87 and this year's team is already at win # 80.

I think there are a few things that make baseball and basketball incompatible for comparison. 16 out of 30 teams make the post-season in the NBA; half that number make it out of the MLB regular season , so upward progress in wins tends to be acceptable in lieu of a playoff appearance. Factor in the lack of a salary cap, whether soft (NBA) or hard (NHL), and two of the perennial powerhouses being in our division, it wasn't until a team like Tampa Bay started winning that the Jays lack of playoff appearances was deemed (relatively) unacceptable.

Baseball teams are also inherently more "hopeful". Fans have not only the seemingly endless draft (with more random distribution of talent than say the NBA draft) to look forward to, but also the minor league pipeline. When the main club is struggling, the development of the team's minor league prospects becomes part of the entertainment value. Jays fans are happier this year because for once in a very long time, our cupboard seems quite full, and that's with guys like Romero, Cecil and Morrow already shining.

That brings up my last point: a single player has a much larger effect on a basketball team than on a baseball team. The focus on the Jays tends to be on the team's overall development, whereas the more negative Raptors fans will simply see the lack of a superstar talent in the lineup and dismiss the team entirely. It's all about the "franchise player", where even a *very* good player like Bosh can lead to a feeling of dissatisfaction and derision because he's no LBJ, Wade, Kobe or Durant. I'd be so happy if Raptors fans would save the vitriol this year as long as the team plays hard and focuses on development, but the truth is, if neither DeRozan or Davis look like the next big thing, it's probably going to be another long year.

[Jon K.]

Wonder if there's a correlation between the 2007 pre-season location and the results... hell I know I'd work a lot better if I had a European vacation every August.

[Peter]

Idea's for media day: Request a sit down with Ronald Dupree, after he tells you his name, say "WHO??" Then spend the next 15 minutes asking him how he feels the Raptor's organization is helping him "build his brand".

Isn't that one of the big draws of being a professional basketball player?

On a serious note, I feel for you Doug. The Raptor's website has been hosting live chats with various athletes. It's probably fair to say that this is the first and last time Dupree gets as more media coverage as Andrea Bargnani this year!

Media day is BORING!

[Paul]

Worst ever season coming up? Quite possibly.

Blogger's note: You're not old enough to remember 16-66?

[kiwi Andre]

Doug – thanks for filtering out the garbage you must receive. The internet makes people think they can rant stuff they’d never say face to face.

Surely we should appreciate the entertainment value of the Raptors. Soap operas make it fun and they have given us them. They even got to be screwed along with Cleveland – that was one of the biggest sports news stories of the decade. Us fans should value the drama like journalists do. Only one team gets to win but we can all enjoy the spectacle. If winning were everything it would be no fun to play for losers so all the best players would get together to make a few superteams.

As to the Blue Jays – they maintain a winning record while playing in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox. They should be our heroes.