It's time to get this game over and done with

Okay, I’m suffering quite a lot from Chris Bosh burnout.

Really.

But I don’t know if you are so …

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It was actually not bad to sit down with Chris with Zic and a gaggle of Miami writers because he did have some marginally interesting stuff to see and, despite his flaws, he has always been willing to engage in conversation.

Nothing earth-shattering, as you know from having poured over this tome, right? But the rather short conversation did cement home one thing I’ve thought about him for a long time.

He wants to be liked. He likes to be liked. He needs to be liked.

Doesn’t make him a bad guy, in fact it makes him like a lot of us, but I wonder if the desire to be all things to all people doesn’t take away from his abilities on the court. He doesn’t have a mean streak about him, which is a good trait in almost every instance, but a wee bit more nasty would have made him that much better a player.

Now, if we can just get tonight over with without any great incident, I’ll be quite happy.

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I have a new thing in basketball that I hate more than anything.

Coaches who call timeouts in the dying seconds of lost causes for no reason other than to show someone that they’re working or something.

Frank Vogel did it in Indy last night, calling one with his team down seven and 15.2 seconds left and Vinny Del Negro did it Sunday with, I believe, his team down six and about five seconds left.

Really, what’s the point?

You think either of them had some super-secret seven-point play they could draw up? And don’t give me the “they get to advance the ball and you never know what’ll happen” stuff; that’s too far-fetched.

I think they do it so they feel good about themselves, they can leave the court knowing they did everything in their power to make themselves noticed or something. Or to drag out a game and make my writing life miserable (and we know, it’s all about me).

It’s right up there with a reset to 14 on the shot clock off a kicked ball and the refs who aren’t going to call a foul if a shot goes in but mysteriously toot their whistle late if there’s a miss.

I’m cranky when it comes to that stuff.

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Want to know what they’re writing in Florida about this gigantic struggle tonight?

Well, Ira’s right hand man Shandel got up to Toronto early and filed this somewhat telling piece; and here’s what Ira had to say about the game in Indy.

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I’ve seen a lot of things on the basketball courts over the years but I cannot ever remember a 90-foot lob pass.

So when Dwyane Wade threw one to LeBron James last night – rebounding a miss under the basket and heaving a perfectly-placed pass to James at the other end, it was perhaps the “wow” moment of the season.

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Phil Kessel scored two goals in one game?

I was going to make some snarky comment but I got distracted by the pigs that were flying past my head.

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Okay, I have a direct 7 a.m. flight from Indy to Toronto and a speaking engagement out in Scarborough at 11 a.m.

Surely to all that’s good in the world, nothing can get screwed up, can it?

Wish me luck.

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I would assume a lot of you read, or heard, about Bill Russell getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom down here yesterday, right?

Now, you know how I feel about Russell and what he meant to the game with all his many accomplishments.

But what he went through off the court was no picnic and he took stances at a time when it was a dangerous thing to do, he broke down barriers (first African-American coach of any pro sports team) and carried himself well in every possible manner.

Now, we can debate the role of athlete’s in a city, whether they should be lionized or loved or simply appreciated for the time they are there before moving on but I don’t think that’s the case with Russell. He was Boston.

And every time I’m in that city and go through the Ted Williams tunnel out of Logan or see the statue of Red at Faneuil Hall or hear them talk about Yawkey Way or the erecting of a statue at the Garden for Bobby Orr, one thing comes to mind: When are they going to get around to doing something for Russell. And I mean something big.

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Send me some mail.

Please.

Here.

I’ve got five hours to kill in a plane, the current issue of The New Yorker has been read; not sure how much of Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Edition I can handle and I need something to kill some time.

Thanks.

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So I’m sitting on a stool after the game typing some of this stuff up and the fellow next to me looks over and says: “It’s too late to be working, man.”

And I’m thinking, I need to put that guy in touch with the honchos at the Home Office.

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You remember TJ Ford, right?

Slight fellow who played in Toronto once?

Well, he’s still in Indy – ran into him in the hallway at Conseco the other day – but he’s certainly not part of any Pacers future.

They’ve been trying to trade him for about a year and haven’t been able to finalize a deal and you know they are working diligently to ship him about before Feb. 24.

I have no idea whether he can still play even a little bit – and I would suspect the answer is no since he hasn’t now for two different Pacers coaches – but I will always give him this: After every game or practice, he’d walk by the assembled media and ask, “do you guys need me?” and not too many athletes do that.

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The things you see when you’re paying a little attention when you normally don’t:

Roy Hibbert skips rope on the court before the game to get loosened up.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

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What’s the rest of the week look like around these parts?

Good question that I don’t really have an answer for.

Guess there’ll be the usual gobbledy-gook here in the morning before a noonish flight to L.A. and I’m wondering about the advisability of an IGBT on Sunday night?

May as well, right?

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Comments

[DaveT (Ottawa -- er, Dublin)]

Oh, you! The flying pig thing. I see what you did, there.

[jhp]

Morning. Earliest post I've seen in a while. It's kind of telling of how far the team has fallen when you are off covering other teams during the regular season. I guess winning one in every 4 will do that to you. I really hope they don't boo Chris and just enjoy watching the Heat play. LeBaron/Wade are two of the best players in the league and Bosh does add depth to their team. By the way did you see the local story where Reggie mentions they are having more fun then last year. I know you guys have to keep pumping out stories but I'm confused by the message it's sending to the fans.
Of course the bean counters will not overlook the fact this will be one of the few sell outs of the year.

Blogger's note: I went to Indy to write about Bosh; it was a nob-brainer call and I would have done it if the Raptors had been 39-16.

[Matthieu]

Hi Doug. Thanks for the early post. I hope that the fans will refrain from booing CB tonight....
A good one on Bill Russell: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/sports/basketball/13russell.html

[Blake Kennedy]

I realize coaches and media guys with deadlines and general game-fatigue have different agenda, but as a coach I wouldn't hesitate to call a TO down six with five seconds left. Firstly, there's a precedent of being able to overcome that (Reggie Miller against the Knicks in 1995, for instance). Secondly, I NEVER want my players to give up, not for a single possession. I want them to contest and do their absolute best until they finally run out of time. Thirdly, even if deep down I know we can't win that game, that doesn't stop me from using those final possessions as a teaching opportunity: if my team can go out there and get a good shot in those possessions, they'll be better late-minute performers in the future because of that experience, and if they can maybe only deny one thing defending the inbounds pass, hey - that's okay, next time we'll be better and get a 5-count.

That's a coach's perspective. I understand a beat grunt's will differ. I don't coach in a big enough college to warrant its own beat, though, but I do understand at the NBA level the media is important because you need to market the team to help sell tickets and the media's big in that so you need to keep them (reasonably) happy.

Blogger's note: If you think NBA players are listening intently and going all out while a coach draws up some play down 7 with 15.2 seconds left, you are sadly mistaken. And I've been around the league far long enough to know that to be a fact. This hooey about "doing their best until the final second" of a lost game is fantasy.

[Jean-Marie]

The most of the readers - and the writer a bit, as well - seem to miss the real point for an objective opinion on the Bosh case. The fact is not that he left, if he had the right or not to move on, what he said afterwards, or how he played being in TO. The fact is that he left leaving a wrecked house behind him, for not allowing his team to find a useful trade with ANY team who could get the Raps some good pieces. THIS was the principal point from the beginning: we were assured that, even if he was going to leave, we should have had many good motives to carry back home. Not just a miserable - and almost useless - trade exception.
So basically, Bosh didn't just left, but betrayed the mutual expectations of his team, his GM, his fans.

Blogger's note: No, you're missing the point entirely. Bosh decided where he wanted to go, there was no "trade" out there and there was nothing the Raptors could have done. And if you give me the "everyone knew he was leaving a year earlier" line, I will challenge you to give me proof.

[yertu damkule]

fwiw (not much, i'm sure), but both indy & the clips have a lot of young players & are in rebuild mode. calling meaningless late TO's may not be anything but an inconvenience to most, but for a coach trying to teach, it's an opportunity to practice &/or execute an out of bounds play when the D is likely not going to be going all out to stop it...basically, it's a slightly more intense run-through of a play in a 'real' situation.

[doug]

I have no problem with people lionizing athletes as it's going to happen...I did it when i was younger but now not as much, now i tend to appreciate their abilities and accomplishments....what i don't get is people idolizing stadiums or venues, come on their mortar and brick,,,I have been to Wrigley Field 15 times more or less and yes it's a quaint place, and one of a kind but I could care less if they ripped it down tomorrow...same with the parquet floor in Boston or Fenway...their arenas, ball parks whatever...their not iconic places of worship, when they achieve that level then something is out of whack...but for some fans to even hear such talk is blasphemy...

[Chris C]

I will Boo Bosh on my TV as much as I can tonight. While my CB4 jersey still hangs, and there is no doubt he was good for the franchise in many ways, you have to remember what the word leader means. A leader doesnt tweet should I stay or should I go, thats what a teenage girl does when going to a dance. A leader doesnt miss putback game winning dunks in their last meaningful play in a uniform and then move on like they are something special. That play should have eaten at him, and then getting hurt for the rest of the season...he went out in a bad way, with a lot left to prove to us fans. A leader should be up front and have some onions. If Bosh had said after the season, thanks for all the support for the last 7 years, but I have to move on, I think a lot of fans would have still wanted him to stay, but others would have said ok you have put in your dues, nothing has worked so lets move on as a franchise. But instead, Bosh has lead himself into everything he gets tonight by his BS off the court talk. I would boo him tonight simply because he said people need to be careful diving for loose balls. Maybe he told Bargnani that a while ago?

[Mike D.]

The Phil Kessel flying pigs comment wins "funniest line of the day" but I think it's premature to assume that the pigs would be flying past your head. Because of their substantial mass and generally cylindrical shape, it just seems more likely that they would fly slowly around at waist level like bumblebees.

[MJ Walk]

Doug: Great metaphor in yesterdays story regarding the man and woman in Indy. What is even better is the number of posters who missed out on what you were saying.

[Blake Kennedy]

Doug:

Even if you don't think players are going all out down 7 with 15 seconds left, you can't allow that to be the norm as a coach by quitting yourself. You have to demand fight out of your players, and show fight yourself or they'll never respect you. It's not "hooey". I understand there are norms of effort in the NBA that are a result of playing 82 games that aren't what a high school team and its 30 games schedule is, but you have to prepare your team to play the right way. And you take every opportunity to drill that home to your players and demand excellence. The minute a coach accepts failure, he's doomed to it because basketball players are like water: they'll always take the path of least resistance.

If that happens to make a media-type unhappy, oh well. They're getting free tickets to the game (and a salary to cover the team), they really have little standing to complain.

Maybe in Toronto we're just used to soft teams who quit and give up and think that's the norm.

[Rob.V]

A very late poster yesterday suggested that we should cheer Bosh during the introductions, then boo his ass all night long while the game is being played.
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I''d be all for that if everyone else is. Really, the relationship was 6 1/2 years of good times, the last quarter of last year that wasn't so great... and 1 off season where he showed some immaturity.
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Overall the positives should outweigh the negatives, no? Anyway, that suggestion sounds like a good way to receive ex #4 to me.
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Stay classy, Toronto! This is not VC 2.0.

[Nick]

Hey Doug, I can appreciate your argument for not booing Bosh tonight but I think everyone is making this too personal.
Simply put, should you boo tonight; yes. But for the right reasons. How he left, why he left, soft, misleading, these are all reasons that require us to put too much subjective opinion into drawing a conclusion. I'm willing to wager that nobody reading this blog has spent a significant amount of time with Bosh to know how he thinks and even someone like yourself; does so wearing a media badge that predicates his words carefully are chosen and well-guarded.
Whether he wants to be liked or not is irrelevant; he's in the wrong profession for that because ultimately only 1 of the 30 venues he will play in will "like" him.
Boo tonight because they're the best team in the conference and we are not. As Raptor fans we should want our team to succeed and theirs to fail, especially in our house. I think Bosh is a fabulous player and I loved him here in Toronto, but tonight he's wearing the wrong jersey. I'm going to boo because our guys need the encouragement and if the fans can make this game even a little bit uncomfortable for that Heat team then its a job well done.

[Derek]

Morning Doug,
You said in response to a previous post: "And if you give me the "everyone knew he was leaving a year earlier" line, I will challenge you to give me proof."
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From what I understand, in an interview after going to Miami, Bosh let a comment slip about the fact that he, Wade and LeBron had conversations at the All-Star game the year before about all going together to one team. This may not be a "smoking gun", and maybe it wasn't pre-determined that it was going to be Miami - but I think Bosh knew well in advance that he wasn't going to be staying in Toronto.
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And I don't have a problem with that decision in and of itself. My irritation with Bosh (aside from his "look at me, I need attention" persona) was that he continued to publicly maintain in the media that he hadn't made up his mind, and that he "might" come back to TO right until the end - which pretty much ham-stringed BC from making any moves until Bosh made his final decision public.
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If Bosh had just said "thanks but I'm going" or even "no comment", I would have missed him, but not had an issue with him leaving.
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As I've said previously, I'll be at the game tonight and don't plan to boo him (nor do I plan to cheer him). It's attention he craves, and I don't intend to give it to him. I will cheer on the Raps, and hope they can seize the energy of the moment and pull off a hugely surprising upset.

[SEAN]

Hey Doug,

This should rock you to the core of your being if you need to read something...

http://twm.co.nz/hologram.html

[sam]

The Bosh Rhetoric is a little much -
Chis is a young talented basketball player who for whatever reason decided his future wasn't playing for the Raptors - People change jobs every day - How many people change jobs looking for a better situation for themselves? I'm afraid his ego got the better of him as he searched for confirmation and attention at every turn last summer - To me it shows an insecurity and a little immaturity. As Doug mentioned in his blog, He's not a bad kid, but wants and needs approval. Let him play the game and give him the respect he deserves for his time and effort over the first seven years of his career.

Having said that - It would be great if Andrea, Demar, Weems or who ever slams one in over his head....

[Mos High]

Bill Russell did stuff that many of us people would have the mental strength to handle. Wow

@ Chris C

Back to Raptorland, All you fans who Boo you have to the right is your choice!! But we know most of you dont mean it..Bosh was a leader on this team. Leaders can make mistakes like countless # of us men who cheated on there wives,girlfriends. Or The leaders of the house who stay out at bars and drink when they should be taking care of there children Im sure you get the point

Bosh leaving (as im sure 95% of you would have as well,for the benefit of your career and future)
Media talk about it everyday (will they boo him, will it be as bad as Vince)and the playing of a couple silly commnents over and over in your head making it sound much worse...Its nowhere near Vince! Bosh gave up!!Come on, VINCE GAVE UP DO YOU NOT REMEMBER CRUCIAL 4TH QTR GAMES AND VINCE SITTING ON BENCH!!! HOW ABOUT "I DONT WANT TO DUNK ANYMORE"

Honestly I love the Rap's but they are going to get run over tonight, Lebron said they are "Motivated" How management said Bosh gave up etc, That means they want to crush Toronto!!!! This is not a joke, lets hope Raptors can make it decent!!!!

[Tudor]

Bosh... it's gone, forget about him.
Not that I would go to the game, not sure if I will watch it more than a few minutes (scheduling conflicts with my kids game).
What I WOULD do if I were at the game... Ignore Bosh. Treat him like , I don't know, Luol Deng or Monta Elis :-). Not the MoPete cheeres, not the TWSNBN or TWSNBN cousin boos :-)
The guy craves for attention, positive or negative. So ignoring him, treating him like... Big Z or whoever in the Miami roster would be the thing that he deserves. Show him that , yeap, we are SOOOO over you dude. And I blame TO media for all the "postum" attention they gave him. It is gone ? See yea, thanks for the great years, but see yea, we cover Toronto teams... We cover first string athlets not third string depth players.

[JHK]

What's worse, calling time-outs for no reason or calling time-outs to draw up a 7 footer center iso then fade away jumper...

[Jeff]

Hey Doug,

Just watched the Lebron assist. It was definitely a travel! He caught the ball switched his pivot and then took two steps and threw the ball. Should have been called.

Question though... is travel called more or less frequently in recent years... it seems stars to get some wiggle room when it comes to travel.

[Kent]

And if you give me the "everyone knew he was leaving a year earlier" line, I will challenge you to give me proof.

If you want to be literal about it, you can always say that no one could have been 100% sure before he physically signed the Miami contract. But as a GM, you have to plan for the worst and you have to look at the writing on the wall to make your best hypothesis. A year and a half before he left, Chris Bosh was changing. He started making youtube videos calling for U.S. media attention. He was begining to get frustrated with the team and refused an extension in June 2009. At that point you had to say to yourself, if he is not signing now, that means I will have to compete with the rest of the NBA to sign him in the summer of 2010. Right there and then, you had to know that your chances were slim to none because the Raptors weren't going to get Wade or Lebron and they weren't going to get any ESPN/TNT games. You have to know that those are the two things Bosh wanted and that you weren't going to be able to offer him. The BEST hypothesis at that point is that he was leaving; better than "I don't know, let's sign Hedo"

Next, to the part about Bosh being untradeable; are you sure Miami would not have given you Beasley/Chalmers/something else for Bosh to appease Wade at the beginning of last season? or if Cleveland would not have given you something good for Bosh to appease Lebron and to make a run?

[Dennis]

I'll be at the game tonight and I will be booing Bosh. Not because of any of the comments he made via twitter or in the media, but because he was a total con artist on his way out. As things played out over the summer it became quite obvious that he made up his mind about leaving a long time ago but wanted to create some sort of fake suspense for a reality show that he filmed about his free agent experience. If he was just honest from the beginning and said he wants to leave and join a franchise that has a track record of putting out competitive teams and a legitimate shot of winning a championship, nobody would have a problem with that. Instead he tried to string people along saying "I really don't know what I'm going to do", but you can purchase my dvd and see what my thought process was along way. Screw off Chris! Nobody appreciates your feable attempt to con the public into stroking your ego.

[J]

I'll be the first to admit that baseball and basketball are two entirely different sports when it comes to statistical analysis. Whereas baseball consists largely of one-on-one situations (and the new stats today focus on those very situations), basketball is truly a five-on-five game at all times.

That said, after reading yesterday's offering of comments, I find myself again wondering why Raptors comments here (and on other Raptors-related forums) couldn't be a little more like those @ Bluebird Banter. There's far less trolling there, and far more use of statistical evidence in backing up viewpoints. Again, yes, stats are less telling in basketball than they are in baseball, but at least use what you can rather than ethnic-laced tirades and weak anecdotal arguments. Or is there also an inherent demographic difference between baseball and basketball fans?

In other news, I know Valentine's Day has past, but I think I'm developing a crush on Richard.

[Pipit]

Very well said Blake K. I totally agree with you. Calling timeouts on decided games will offend a casual fan but it is still a good move by a coach who wants to instill late game experience for his team. It's a free practice lesson. As for Doug's opinion about playing hard until the last minute fantasy, it's true on teams led by soft and disrespected coaches in the league. But for teams led by the likes of Popopich, Sloan and Jackson, players still plays hard until the end of the game whether they're in the losing end or not.

[SY]

Doug, in regards to your comment -

Blogger's note: If you think NBA players are listening intently and going all out while a coach draws up some play down 7 with 15.2 seconds left, you are sadly mistaken. And I've been around the league far long enough to know that to be a fact. This hooey about "doing their best until the final second" of a lost game is fantasy.

Why do you think the coaches still do it?