Down memory lane and a note on another tournament

Has there been an ex-Raptor who’s killed his old team more consistently over the years than Tracy McGrady?

Seriously.

Yes, HWSNBN (that’ll send some newbies scurrying to the archives) had some big ones, and dramatic ones, but over the years, Tracy’s beaten them up and loved every minute of it.

Wonder if he can do it again tonight?

Well, maybe finally they have someone who can guard him a little bit because, above all else, McGrady’s been a matchup nightmare that Jay hopes ends.

“We think that James (Johnson) will probably start on him, I think James can probably guard him on the perimeter and in the post. I think we have a little bit better matchup now than we did the last time we played them.”

But what of Tracy overall?

Good career? Great one? Disappointing one?

He’s had some great individual years – he was sublime in Orlando on somewhat so-so teams – but when it comes down to figuring out what he was when it’s all over, I’m going with more disappointing than anything.

He’s never played on a team that won a playoff series, I’m not sure he’s made those around him better and while uniquely skilled, I’m more about overall success than anything else.

I like Tracy’s game, he has that combination of power and grace that no one saw when he was a scrawny kid playing in Toronto but when it’s done, I think many will say, ‘he didn’t quite have the impact he should have.’

I do remember the first night I saw him, though.

NBA draft night, 1997 in Charlotte back when the league used to take its draft show on the road.

Raptors take him with the ninth pick, something of a surprise since Isiah had kept his interest pretty quiet, and I remember him walking through the corridors pledging to donate something like $300,000 to Mt. Zion Christian Academy, the prep school he went to.

Then I remember driving up to the school to do a follow up story the day after the draft and, while I don’t recall specifics, I do remember leaving the place and thinking:

Cult. Basketball factory. Tough life for teens.

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The Ides come and the Ides go and everyone out there who wanted me to talk about Julius Ceasar will have to wait another year.

And I’m kind of surprised so few of you caught on yesterday.

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Since we’re in Michigan and all …

Q: Hey Doug! I've been reading your blog for a few years now, and am a big fan of what you do. I think you're a master craftsman when it comes to print (as evidenced by the short lived grunt-tv experiment :P).

You've got a way of being entertaining without sensationalism, or acting as if the world revolves around roundball, as many television "sports experts" would have us believe (broadcasting from what looks like space stations). Doesn't ESPN kinda look like it's on Mars?

I'm curious as to your take on Jalen Rose's success as an ESPN analyst. He's obviously a gregarious guy. But does it stick in your craw that he's has such relatively quick success at what you've been doing your whole career (albeit through a different medium)? There's no question he's a natural at what he does, but he's relatively inexperienced at it. Are stations like ESPN giving us the best of what's out there? Where's the DOUG?!

Thanks, man. Keep on keepin' on.

 

J A B, Toronto

A: Funny you should ask since I’ve just now looked over my shoulder at the news break on Mike and Mike In The Morning and there was our man Jalen doing is stuff on last night’s game.

He’s good because he’s got a bit of outrageous in him, he’ll say stuff he knows will surprise people and, frankly, he’s more “entertaining” than “informative” and that’s okay because that’s what TV has become to a very, very large degree.

Now, I remember Jalen telling us when he was here that the “a member of the media” because he’d done some summer work and stuff around the finals so I’m not sure he’s had “relatively quick” success.

But he is what he is. He can be funny, he knows the people in the game and he, like so many others who aren’t nearly as good, have the cache of having been in and around the game for a long time.

And, frankly, TV is about recognition as much as anything so guys like him are always going to get the gigs.

Me? I’d like to do something sometime; trouble is, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of free time.

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If you can wade through the never-ending coverage of college basketball in the locals, you find this on the Pistons.

Of course, it’s on college basketball.

Argghh

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Oh yeah.

Green Toronto jerseys tonight because nothing says St. Patrick’s Day better than Raptors and Pistons in front of a few thousand fans in Auburn Hills, Mich., that bastion of North American Irish.

Seriously.

I get this whole “alternate-jersey-how-can-we-separate-our-fans-from-more-of-their-money” thing, honestly I do, but this is a stretch, no?

Or is it more of a stretch to do it at home on Friday a day after the fact?

And I wonder if they’ll break out the Celtic replica jerseys tonight?

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Try as I might, first road trip since Old Blimey and not only couldn’t I find a 350-year-old pub to hang out in, I walk to the sports bar across the street from the hotel for dinner and they’re drink special is $2.50 pints of …

Labatt’s Blue!

Ugh.

Found something local, hung out, watched games, home early.

No, not all road trips are created equally.

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Okay, I have officially decreed that March Madness does not start until Thursday at noon because I saw a bit of the game between two No. 16 seeds Tuesday and my retinas burned.

So, tomorrow you get your Final Four.

But I see by a tweet from my friend Allison McNeill that there are 13 Canadian women in the NCAA tournament and that there’s a big game Saturday out in Salt Lake between Natalie Achonwa (Guelph) and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Michelle Plouffe (Edmonton) and the Utah Utes.

Wonder if I can get the dude at Mickey Mantle’s in Oklahoma City to put it on the TV for me?

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Comments

[JHK]

Had Raps kept Tracy over HWSNBN, what do you think would have happened?
He probably is a little less talented than HWSNBN, but probably is more 'motivated'.
Besides, he would not have attended any college graduate ceremony because he didn't go to one :p

[Matt M]

I got to watch to Bulls break out the Celtics green last night. It was memorable indeed. I can't wait until the Lakers and the Pistons wear Celtic green. It will be a historic moment for Celtic fans everywhere.

[Mike kovacs]

I thought that I had sent in a comment about Julius Caesar yesterday unless I did it wrong. My Gr 9 English teacher Jim Barry really brought that play to life for us.

[Chris]

Hi Doug,

Is the Mt. Zion Christian Academy story available somewhere on the Star's interweb? it probably wasn't what it was now back then. But i think it's interesting because didn't Jamario Moon go to that school also? and try to break out?

Blogger's note: I did a quick look for it earlier, unsuccessfully. Let me see what I can do with more time this afternoon post-shootaround work

[Boko]

I would love to watch you discussing all things basketball with one, two, three, four or five friends. Which five would you want to join you on TV? Which pub would you broadcast from? What time of day would you prefer? Before games &/or after? I'd tune in, for sure.

Blogger's note: That sounds like something we should try to put together at the end of the year

[Rob.V]

JHK - It would appear that Tracy was as "motivated" as HWSNBN was after all... read what the people closest to him had to say about his work ethic... eerily similar to our thoughts on VC.
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“Tracy McGrady was 1,000 hours of practice,’’ Van Gundy, now an NBA analyst for ABC and ESPN, said sarcastically at the conference. “He should be a Hall of Fame player. His talent was other-worldly. He was given a great leg up in the race against other players. He’s as close as I’ve ever seen to someone with a perfect body and a good mind… I just wish I could have changed his practice habits and his mentality.’’’
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Said Morey, “McGrady was the most gifted player I’ve ever had on the roster. I do think (his talent) got in the way of Tracy’s development. Much of the game was so, so easy… When it’s that easy to dominate at that young age (that McGrady did), because of your physical tools, his wing span was freakish, his size was enormous, his IQ. But my sense was that all of that did get in the way of Tracy reaching his highest heights.’’
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Mr. Morey's statement is absolutely ridiculous if you ask me. Did Kobe's talents stop Kobe from working hard? MJ???. How you twist the truth that he was a "lazy ass" into... he was too talented is the most comical thing I've heard in 2 weeks lol!!
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Tracy's "talents" didn't get in the way of Tracy reaching lofty heights... TRACY MCGRADY... got in the way of Tracy McGrady not becoming more than what he was.
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But meh, who cares anyway? Some things do not change - Tracy's still full of crap. Read, a recent comment of his.
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“I’ve had talks with Joe (Dumars) and he definitely wants to bring me back,’’ McGrady said of the Detroit executive. “And I’m excited about him having that willingness to bring me back. But that is something that I will evaluate. Maybe I’ll be here again.’’
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Sound familiar veteran Raptor fans? The ONLY way McGrady goes back to Detroit is if he cannot find a gig in Miami (or some other contender or warm weather city). Nope, some things never change... this guy is still talking out of his ass 10-12 years later!!!
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Again, Tracy is so irrelivant in NBA circles these days that I no longer carry any schadenfreude for him (that's about 10 years removed)... but it wouldn't it be nice if James Johnson holds him scoreless tonight with zero assists.... just because!!

[LeeZ]

As if on cue, Jalen Rose writes an entertaining AND informative article in today's Huffington Post about paying student athletes a modest stipend. And idea whose time has long since come, IMHO. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jalen-rose/paid-college-athletes-a-r_b_836449.html
Do you agree, Doug?

Blogger's note: I do, and have for a long time

[Lorie]

Well, Doug, you're barking up the wrong tree - or sidling up to the wrong stool - if you're looking for 350-year-old bars in Detroit! But speaking of very cool, very old pubs back in Canada, here are three I know of and I wonder if you've ever paid a visit to them? The Collins Brewhouse in Hamilton (really Dundas) has been around since the 1840's, as has The Lafayette in The Market up in Ottawa. But the oldest (and I may be corrected by an Irregular with more knowledge than I possess of Canada, History and Drinking Therein!) I believe is L'Oncle Antoine, a pub that has been serving thirsty souls since the 1750's in beautiful Quebec City. Now, that would be a nice vacation, as I mull it over...visiting the as many of the oldest pubs in Ontario and Quebec as a two-week vacay allows. And might make for a wee bit more socializing than the previous summer holiday trek charting Great Lakes' lighthouses! Cheers!!!

[Lorie]

One more thing: whilst watching those games, did you happen to catch Charles call Billy Packer a "jackass"?(Can I say "jackass" here?) Oh, yeah. March Madness is going to be some must-see TV for me this year.

[Erik from Iroquois Falls]

Doug, you'll have better luck watching Nat and M. Plouffe in Oklahoma than anybody in Canada - all the games are on ESPN3.com, which is their online side, but none are available in Canada...

Convenient spot for a rant about TSN coverage of the NCAA. Going to TSN for US College Bball coverage is like watching the NHL playoffs on Versus. While the TNT/TBS experiment with Barkley and K. Smith will be interesting and is an unknown going into this year, I certainly think it's better than we'll get from Jack and Leo et al. talking about the dozen or so Canadians in the NCAA.

I don't think the NCAA tournament is a Canadian story - it's an American story that there are Canadians involved in - so I don't think that having a Canadian perspective adds anything to the story. The Canadian story is CIS, which was pretty much ignored, other than having the final on TSN.

[Kent]

T-Mac was definitely lazy. I remember a couple of summers ago reading about how the Rockets wanted T-Mac to go rehab his knee with a specialist in Chicago during the off-season. T-Mac refused and said he will just rehab during the season. Contrast that with a guy like Wade. That very summer, Wade went to Chicago to rehab a horrific shoulder injury; saw videos of his workout and it was all tears and pain. But look where Wade is now; T-Mac could have done the same but chose not to.

[Bill]

I see you are staying at M Mantles in O city - I think that you are a bit of a reader - I would recommend the last biography of him " The last boy" - Jane Leavy
( i think we are ` the same ancient age - growing up with him as the baseball god- another part of growing up was realizing that he was human)

[doug]

to me this whole T-Mac discussion is pointless, just like when someone says or asks is Ed Davis the next Horford? and so on....people are who they are, they are the next no one, to me the same goes with T-Mac, I don't know T-mac as a person, I don't know how he is wired, so for me to call him "lazy" is irresponsible..whats the old parable?..."Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes."...were too quick to criticize and pass judgement it seems in today's society, ...Mcgrady is who he is, does he have regrets?, does he wish he worked harder?, did the injury hinder him? and what's the take on his career?...I don't have those answers, opinion yes but I there meaningless as those are questions are for him to answer and him alone, not for me to sit here and surmise, it's not only a fools game but disrespectful....I like Jalen as I do most former players that are in the broadcast business, there far more enlightening, understand players psyche', actions and reactions moreso then former coaches that broadcast...look at b-ball you have Walton,Kenny Smith,Barkley,Rose,Miller, etc, the only coach that is any good is JVG as he just speaks his mind and isn't clamouring or kissing up for a new gig....coaches speak the same message, their inter-changeable for the most part and quite frankly listening to some of them I can see why there unemployed...give me ex-players broadcasting anyday whether it's in the booth or courtside...for the first year ever I never did a bracket and really have no motivation to watch any of these games, I am fed-up with all things NCAA...

[Jerry]

Yesterday Doug said
Blogger's note: After it's checked and confirmed. I'd rather get stuff right than first. Sorry, it's the way all of us should operate. And we don't

What I don't understand is who he has to check it out and confirm it with if he heard it with his own ears.

Blogger's note: What if there was more? What if something was missed either before or after? Do things get said in vacuums? Not all the time.

[doug]

this whole Spooner thing is just ridiculous...why is Spooner so defensive about it?, my god if I went to court over every disparaging comment made about me I'd be there 24/7..sometimes as Spooner was advised to do, just let it go....by trying to "save face" he is in fact just making himself more of a target...he went the wrong route and his "reputation" is more sullied now then if he would have just shut-up and let it go, as he was advised to do...to me it's interesting that people are calling the reporter "unprofessional" which maybe he was, but is Spooner not being the same??..he is, this just shows how cuddled officials are and how they have this culture where they think or believe they should be protected from all insults,slurs, etc...welcome to the real world, grow up and be a man....and let it go...

[Kent]

@doug. I am so sorry for commenting on somebody I don't know PERSONALLY. I am sure you know everybody you comment on. Say hi to them for me. Geez, get a life.

[doug]

@kent witty comeback also I don't comment on the character of people I comment on actions of people there is a big difference...as Spooner may be the nicest guy in the world, i don't know..but is actions are not to professional to me...and how can someone call another "lazy" when we don't have a clue about that person....here is a example of a positive thing done by some players that isn't talked about and a further illustration of a owner whose actions are just sad....

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=yhoo-ept_sports_nba_experts-wp184

[Bob Wesley]

Hey Doug,I heard someone broke Keon Clark's shotblocking Record.Were you at the game Clark broke the record?Any lasting memory's of that outstanding game?

Blogger's note: Nah, no recollection at all

[Jamil]

Its Old Blighty and not Blimey...Blimey is what people say, not a reference to England.