Not a lot of news so let's tell stories

Slow news day for the lads so we’re all over the map here this morning. Enjoy the journey.

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So I’m sitting here wondering whether Sam’s going to sit in the firetruck going up Yonge or down Bay for the parade this afternoon.

Tough call.

But, seriously, it’s going to be good to see the guy; the only thing is the Nets don’t have a shootaround this morning because they played last night and that will cut into the time to tell stories. Actually, with Sam, it’s more often listen to stories but it’s all fun anyway.

Say what you will about him as a coach but the guy loved to tell stories and talk; about politics, sports, golf, life, whatever struck his fancy and it was always entertaining.

I don’t want to get into the Xs and Os and stuff like that, I enjoyed Sam’s company away from the game more than I did every day trying to extract basketball news out of him. And, truth be told, I bet if you asked him, he’d tell you the same, that it was more about standing around jawing about life than it was going over the intricacies of the game.

Three moments:

One night Detroit’s in town and I find myself wandering Yorkville near the Pistons hotel hoping to run into a writer friend and perhaps have a cocktail and trade a story or two.

Well, Chris isn’t to be found so I’m giving up the ghost when I happen upon Sam and Chauncey Billups out for a walk. Turned into a really nice sojourn around the area listening to a couple of old friends catch up and talk about families, life, and the game. They didn’t mind that a grunt was honing in on their session and made a guy feel welcome.

And …

A bunch of us – assistant coaches, writers, media relations people, as I recall -- are out for dinner on the Riverwalk in San Antonio one night and we finally get Sam to join us. He’s not a big out-to-dinner-with-a-crowd kind of guy and when it’s over, it’s time to walk around and I figure maybe he and I go and grab a nightcap or something. Nope. He’s kind of directing the direction and we end up at some ice cream parlour for a cone and it’s a pretty cool night.

And …

We’re in Oklahoma City and after a morning shootaround, it’s time to walk up and see the memorial to the bombing and Sam’s on the walk with me, Stumpy and Eric and Jonesy, as I recall.

It’s a moving experience and we’re all kind of silent when we’re walking around a place where such evil was perpetuated on innocent victims.

Sam’s as choked up as any of us and as we’re walking out, he says something to the effect of: “Thanks for asking me to come; we need to be reminded that evil can grow anywhere in the world.”

Good guy, that Sam.

It’ll be nice to see him.

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Hey, remember the night in Denver when the Raptors were getting drilled?

(Oh, wait, that happens every time in Denver. Let’s start again).

Hey, remember the night in Denver when the Raptors were getting drilled and there was a little bit of chatter between Jay and Linas Kleiza?

You know how it started, right? It wasn’t really Jay that Linas was jawing at, it was a player on the Raptors bench and Jay was just getting involved a little bit.

I’ve seen found out that Linas had a bit of an issue with a guy he’d played against in college and had a couple of set-tos with in the NBA and it’s going to be quite interesting tonight.

The dude was The Hump and it could be something to watch for this evening.

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The HOTH had Thursday off so there was no real news; did talk to a couple of people but there was no update at all on either Calderon or Bargnani.

I know Jose felt better Wednesday than he did on Tuesday and if he came through Thursday’s workout all right he could go this evening.

Bargnani? Can’t say at all. I think with him right now, it’s going to be a little bit of rest and treatment and a day-to-day thing.

Wish there was something more definite but there’s not.

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Speaking of the Nets, want to know what’s going on with them? My all-time fave Dave D has moved on to the greater tasks – he’s a high-falutin’ columnist over there so we don’t get his excellent hoops reporting any more -- but they’ve still got the inimitable Fred Kerber covering them and here’s what he says about New Jersey today.

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The only thing I know about cars is that I know nothing about cars so when they started talking about sensors and bearings and shoes and pads and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, my eyes kind of glazed over.

Seems fixing up a Smelly Ford Focus can put a dent in a wallet pretty darn quick.

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Seriously, folks, there’s a dearth of mail over there in the in-box. Can you help a fella out?

Click here, do your stuff.

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I’ll tell you, this news about Yao Ming and a stress fracture in his foot is really, really sad.

I think you know what I think of Yao. I love to watch him play, every time I’ve ever dealt with him he’s been accommodating and gracious and to have seen how he handled incredible pressure and demands during the Beijing Olympics was something I won’t soon forget.

He was more in demand than any athlete I’ve ever seen and he made appearances everywhere, more gracious than anyone probably should have been.

I just feel bad for the guy.

We’ll have some more on him as this story develops but right now, it’s just kind of sad.

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Let’s get one out of the mail anyway:

Q: It's December 15th today, and you mentioned in your blog that today is the day that the rumours really get going. My question is this:

When do the rumours that you hear turn into stories that you write? How many sources do you need, or is it just a matter of hearing the right things from the right sources. How does the process work for you, is it something that you get to decide on your own at this stage in your career, or do you run it by the "bosses" before publishing (to the web or otherwise)?

 

Peter L, Toronto

A: You always like to have at least two sources, independent of each other, for any nugget of news that you might be trying to develop. And there are some “sources” you tend to trust more than others, of course. If I hear something from a high-level exec or a trusted agent, I’ll treat it more seriously than if I read something on the internet or am told something by someone I know not to be entirely in the loop.

And, yes, anything I write with sources attached is shared with my bosses before it’s published anywhere.

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You think the malls will be crowded this weekend? Or should I wait until Thursday or Friday to shop?

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See ya.

 

 

 

Comments

[Blake Kennedy]

Doug:

Bearings, shoes and pads: was that for rhetorical effect or was that an actual problem? If so, it sounds like you have a major problem on an axle. Ask them to inspect both hubs and the axle to make sure everything's ok: last thing you want is to get that far into the work, have all that replaced, and find out it was the stuff underneath causing everything to fall apart and have to do it all over again, which will cost double or more.

I work in the maintenance dept. of a major hauling company, this is what I do.

[John]

Thursday? Friday? Whats the rush? Rabba's open Saturday morning...

[Stavros]

Any chance the Raps run "Horns up" as an homage to Sam?

[Lorie]

Hey Doug,
Well being a guy and all, I'm sure you'll find all manner of excuses to procrastinate on starting the shopping 'til Friday next, so here's a bit of advice. (Yet another seasonal public service announcement.) And what will happen if you wait until the 24th??? Guess what? The malls will be busy. Very busy. Filled with guys like yourself looking for something meaningful, special, perfect in the store closest to the entrance they strode in through. It is a frenzy of fustration and the atmosphere is anything but festive. So, please, in the name of all that is sensible, please do yourself (not to mention the folk you buy for!) a favour. Go today. I repeat: GO TODAY. GO DIRECTLY TO THE MALL. DO NOT PASS GO (..oh ignore that one - but in contradiction to that other Monopoly advice, you'd best take more than $200 to do it right!) Thank you for all the Sam stories. Those trips down memory lane are extra fun when in Sam's company.

[sam]

I always liked Sam as the head coach - and always figured the gruff exterior was something of an act - Particualrly the frustration that he showed during his weekly conversations with Landry and Stellick formerly of the Fan590 Morning Show -

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
Sam was/is a damn good coach, and a guy who just seemed to be loaded with character. Not too many coach firings have ever had much impact with me one way or the other, but I still have trouble with Sam's early dispatch and I still don't see anything all that logical or redeeming coming out of it. Would never happen even in a sci-fi novel, but a Toronto coaching staff that sported Sam, Butch and The Oak all on the same lively bench would be something to behold. Christmas wishes and cheers! Go Raps.

[G]

Hey Doug,
Great stories on Sam. I had a rare encounter with him walking down Bay Street. I noticed a really tall guy walking alongside me and realized it was him - this doing the dark days of his coaching tenure. Knowing that these guys may not want to be bothered, I quickly said something to the effect of, "Hey Sam, keep up the good work. You're doing things right." Not expecting more than a nod, he replied "Thanks Man. Really appreciate it." and patted me on the back. Classy guy.

[Paul B]

Any insight on the dynamic between Sam and Jay? I assume Sam's happy for him, as he was a trusted advisor, and likely a friend at some level, but always difficult to deal with the fellow who replaced you?

Blogger's note: They're fine, actually. I think everybody in that business knows they're hired to be fired and are genuinely glad when someone on their staff gets a job.

[norm]

Doug, if you don't mind me asking, what year is your Focus? I'm close to buying one, but am feeling a little spooked.

Blogger's note: 2000 and I, in all good conscience, can't recommend that year.

[doug]

good stories on Sam and just a "real" type of guy it seems...now if I were BC I would have done the same thing, let Sam go and hired Jay..why?/...well to me the x's and o's are important but there is many ways to get that done within the framework of the coaching staff...Sam if I were GM reminds me to much of me, a emotional person that responds spontaneously to whatever emotion he is feeling, frustration, anger, etc...without thinking beyond that point..we saw with Sam how that honesty could be a positive and a negative..with Jay and the younger players he is more constant, fewer ups and downs..which to me as a NBA coach is a important trait...Phil,Sloan,Rivers.. those types react on the sidelines, but they don't over-react or if they do it seems to be with a plan ...so to me the move was/is just fine in my books..and really as people both Sam and Jay seem to be top-notch..

[Steph]

Doug, might Sam's calling be as a counsellor for sports writers? Tough love and no nonsense crap. Steve B also has a very nice article regarding Sam. I hope you get to spend some time with him, and I think he will enjoy that time with you just as much. Regarding Yao, and Sam and the like, what are the chances you ever have enough time and resources to spend time with these individual and write more in-depth stories?

Blogger's note: Time is an issue for everyone but what I've got to get better at doing is compiling stuff over a few days to use in one more in-depth piece

[Penguin]

Funny how many people love Smitch now that he's gone. Like the guy, but never a fan of his coaching (little imagination on offense). Given the choice, I prefer Jay and think that he's doing a pretty good job with a young team (though not yet convinced that he's the long-term best choice for coach; I'd at least extend his contract through next year and see how it evolves). No comments about Popeye's return, as well? Always a hard worker and fun to watch. Likewise, I've always been a fan of Hump and his effort. Thanks for the link, as always, to the story about the Nets. Not surprising that Hump made a key play to get the win and did you see the number of rebounds? Always though that Smitch could have made more and better use of him, despite his limitations. I never thought he got the credit he deserved as an okay (not great) shooter, but, regardless, he really worked the boards.

[Neil]

Doug, I went to the Denver game and saw Bayless for the first time, and though "wow he is really small" but he is listed at 6'3. I would say he looks more like 5'11 6ft which is more accurate?

Blogger's note: 6-3

[painsev]

As people Sam and Jay are good. Who is the better coach? I think that Sam had less experience coming in and Jay was running the Canadian teams for a few years as the guy. I think that overall I think Sam did a good job. We were all over him on the radio on the fan when he was fired and I remember that most were happy predicated on the coach that would replace Sam would be a hall of famer or potential hall of famer like Fratello. I know that hindsight is 20/20 but man. Sam motivating some of the energy guys on this team would be great. I think that Andrea would not be happy though and he has played better since Sam left and that is the only thing that we can account for the coaching change in reality. CB4 was just naturally getting better and put in the work to get better so I don't credit the coach with his performances. However, Sam almost destroyed the franchise with the Vince fiasco. The trade that we got for Vince (worst in raps short history) has reaped absolutely nothing and the Nets were doing well with Vince, Kidd and RJ. I loved how accessible Sam was to the media even if they did not get along at all. Gord, Stellick and Sam... good banter. Sam never taking responsibility and complaining that they call him too early in the morning just another day of laughs to start off the day. Classic (A Crystal and JR are great sometimes over the top but great). I digress. Sam is missed for so many reasons. I think that if Andrea and Sam could sit down in front of each other and hash things out maybe they would be better. Andrea just was not allowed to make any mistakes nor be lazy on the defensive end like he has been on some nights. Now, at times when Sam would put Andrea on the bench he has to leave him in the game because he has no other choice. If Ed Davis starts to pick up the NBA game then there could be some changes even this season. With this team, who knows? Nets will lose. Bayless, Amir, Derozan and Barbosa will win this game for the Raps pride. Go Raps.

[The J]

Weird reading people debate on who is/was the better coach, Jay or Sam? Why debate it? Can't we all just agree that neither one is really all that good?
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Lorie - I have to disagree with you 100%. I see your point that the malls will be very busy on the 24th and as you said "The malls will be busy. Very busy. Filled with guys like yourself looking for something meaningful, special, perfect in the store closest to the entrance they strode in through.". But you are missing one thing. The malls will filled with procrastinating men who are now up against a wall and as such are on a mission. This means every person in the mall is focussed on getting in and getting out. Nobody is meandering around, enjoying an icecream or looking at the fountains. There are no women touching the fabric of sweaters or asking the store people questions, or even worse trying things on. Just men who want to get out of there as fast you, and that's why it's the best day of the Xmas season to be in a mall.

[jimt]

Pssssst Doug, Sam's on the other side now,he's working for the Russians!

[Lorie]

@The J:
Well that sounds like a Yuletide memory to treasure. Allow me to try to lock on a visual: legions of men on a mission in a mall with their collective backs to the wall. And the clock chimes as the countdown continues. I understand more clearly this whole last-minute shopping thing now; I'd never had it explained quite this way. So, carry on, chin up, eyes forward, shoulders back (wallet at the ready) and at least try to enjoy the 30 or so minutes you have to devote to the task. Stop for a minute and smell the Cinnabons. :)

[GM]

* Doug, do you think your personal times with Sam (or any other coach) might be a reason you're never in favour of a firing? Obviously if you like someone on a personal level, it's difficult to see them get the pink slip.

Blogger's note: No

[doug]

to me the greatest salvation at xmas time is a simple invention....gift certificates, you pick the person's main interest...go to a store in that field...buy certificates and bam I have never been so appreciated by nieces and nephews and friends and shopping was done weeks ago.....they buy what they want, i don't buy what they don't want and happy faces all around..Nuggets-Spurs game was another gem last night, gutsy call to end it but I feel officials are over-stepping there bounds at end of games we have seen to much of it lately, first-hand and from afar...song of the day Brothers in Arms played on the Q, Mark Knopfler's guitar playing has always been unique, he just can evoke emotion...Telegraph Road is one I play regularly...