Searching for a star and a second favourite team

A handful of digressions and list and a look back at some atrocious Thursday night picks.

Yes, it was a quiet day of travel and no involvement with the HOTH so …

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Was walking up the tunnel after the game the other night in Phoenix with a guy I know and we’re quickly dissecting the game and the season.

“How’s it going,” he says.

“Well, they’re 20-51, kids who don’t quite know how to play yet. Can’t wait for it to get over, to tell you the truth.” And the guy looks at me and says, without hesitation:

“They need some stars, guys who can do it themselves.”

There’s the rub.

Neither of the team’s two best scorers – DeMar or Andrea – can create for themselves yet and when it comes down to the final minutes of a close game, they have run plays rather than give the ball to one “star” to make something happen.

Now, maybe it gets better, maybe DeRozan evolves into a guy who can break down his defender and get to the rim and we’ve sure seen him try, most recently on the last drive the other night when Gortat blocked him at the rim.

But until he does, those end-of-game situations are going to be tough, and likely not that successful.

Eleven to go!

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Hey, Air Canada!

Get into the 2000s and put some self-service check-in kiosks in the Phoenix airport, would you?

Perhaps you’ve noticed you run quite a few flights there and since you’re always blathering on about being the “best this” and the “best that” do some folks a favour and start acting like it.

Please.

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You’ve only got a few hours left to get in the MGD Best Seats thingy. The hope is to reach the winners this afternoon so they can have, you know, really anxious time between now and Wednesday all a’tizzy with anticipation.

Click right here to get your name in.

Thanks.

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What’s up with the Warriors?

This is.

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How about those NCAA picks, eh?

Got, what, one of four right last night?

Glad none of you used them for your own purposes.

But, if you’re sitting around today trying to figure out the rest of the Elite Eight, you’d be wise to go with North Carolina, Richmond (gotta love the Spiders!), Ohio State and Virginia Union. Commonwealth (sorry, Sherm; must have had Oak on the mind)

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Speaking of those games last night, it was the first time I’d really had a lot of time to sit and watch undistracted and I have to tell you, there’s something about this Jimmer kid that’s kind of compelling.

Now, I don’t know if he’ll turn out to be Adam Morrison or JJ Redick, to be honest, but I know some NBA team’s going to take a shot at him and hope he develops into some kind of offensive specialist who can have a long career.

But, thankfully, there’s no way these guys here are going to have a shot at him unless the grab up a later first round pick and I don’t see that happening.

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Oh, I knew this was coming.

Q: Hi Doug. Your Magnum reference on Thursday simply begs the question: what are your top 5 TV theme songs of all time?

Gale M, Toronto

A: Okay, here are the rules. You have to realize the era in which I grew up, the songs have to have lyrics because singing sure beats humming and here you go; in no particular order:

Beverly Hillbillies

The Flintstones

Gilligan’s Island

Cheers, and,

 

 

 

Green Acres, which might be No. 1.

I know Cheers is a bit of a cliché so I can be convinced otherwise.

Another digression ended.

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Going to stay up late tonight and watch this one from Oakland?

Might be a good idea if you like free-flowing games with little or no defence.

You’ll also probably see a lot of early offence; the Raptors lead the NBA in fast-break points (18.7) and the Warriors are second (18.6) so it could be zany.

Now, there’s one thing I’m not too sure of anymore. For the longest time, the Warriors seemed to be everyone’s “second favourite” team. Maybe it was Nelly and the way he coached ‘em but they did seem a lot more fun and memorable than they are now.

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching Dell’s kid play and Keith Smart does trot out some unusual lineups but Golden State seems to have lost some of its cachet, no?

I’m not sure who’s supplanted the Warriors as everyone’s second-favourite team. Maybe Oklahoma City, although the Thunder are legit and doesn’t really fit into that “lovable but non-threatening” category that clubs like the Warriors do.

Maybe there isn’t one?

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Now, I know that in your sub-conscience, so many of you want to chat and ask questions, right?

Well, here’s your chance to do it for real and give me something to do after I take a trek to the peninsula tomorrow.

Click here. Write down some words. Send ‘em along. They’re always welcome.

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Speaking of mail, let’s get one done now.

(Mostly because I don’t have a lot of items and would like to get this to the usual length)

Q: Hey Doug. Can you comment on the overall mood of the team these days? It's been a tough season and I worry about how it affects the team going forward. There are a lot of young guys and possibly some fragile egos. How does the atmosphere around the team compare to other losing seasons?

Thanks

 

 

 

Simon G, Belmont

A: There is no effect going forward and the mood, given the circumstances, is just fine. Sure, they’d all like to be 50-22 and headed to the playoffs but there’s also a feeling that there’s something brewing that will take some time to fully cook but will be well worth it when it’s done. And, because of the youth of the team and the promise they think that holds, it’s a far more pleasureable mood than, say, at the end of the KO year or the 27-win season of 2005-06, or even last year when there was a huge No. 4 cloud hanging over the franchise.

No one’s “happy” but no one’s thinking this is the worst thing in the world.

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All right, no IGBT tonight or tomorrow, right? Game’s are too late, I’m likely to be planted on some sofa watching them through tired eyes and I’m pretty sure a lot of you have, you know, lives to lead.

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Comments

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Well, you've gone and done it again, Doug. TV theme songs is a bloggin' hit!
There's just nothing home-ier than the Green Acres and Beverley Hillbillies intros, or that whistlin' dude from The Andy Griffith Show.
Anyone remember Bonanza? Maverick? Gunsmoke? Davey Crockett? Combat? Swamp Fox? Any love for George, George, George of the Jungle?
And then there was this offsetting little 60s icon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi6wNGwd84g&feature=related
Stars? Stars would be nice. One razz-ma-tazz Hall of Fame point guard and one huge, hulking, shot-swatting, rebound-devouring Hall of Fame scoring-machine center please. That should do the trick, shouldn't it?
Cheers. Go BCo!

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Yo Adrian,
I truly would love to meet you face to face some day. Oh look, I think there's a lineup. I'll take a number.
Cheers. GO RAPS!

[Matthieu]

Guys,

You cannot be serious. The Persuaders is the best TV Theme ever both in terms of music and video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99QQIXez4M

[James]

I'm way late on this but yes, M*A*S*H has gotta be up there....

[some guy in canada]

Jimmer Fredette on the Raps?

[HopeCaper]

Got my dancin boots on
Got my Sunday best
Goin to the barn dance tonight

Shamelessly maritimes!!! No I don't have a life. Safe trip.

[Aditya]

45 pts in the first quarter given up by toronto's defence.....defense wins championships...(heck defense wins games also)..what does one not get about this?

[Aditya]

45 pts in the first quarter given up by toronto's defence.....defense wins championships...(heck defense wins games also)..what does one not get about this?
i am watching the raptors after a while, bargnani's help side defense is laughable....LAUGHABLE......

[Don]

Hi Doug, I guess you can take your comments back about GS losing their cachets. They put on a hack of a show last night.