Better late than never? You be the judge

Well, hello everyone.

Back from the computer black hole I’ve been living in since about 6 a.m.; replete with a new external keyboard, a new mouse and things seem to be going well.

(Of course, a new keyboard and mouse take some time to get used to so pardon the inevitable typos, okay?)

So, where were we?

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Joakim Noah gets dinged for $50,000 after Kobe got $100,000 for pretty much the same thing and the reasoning from the league is that Bryant abused an official so that’s why his transgression was deemed more serious.

I’m about ready to call shenanigans on that.

I guess you can see the logic in the explanation about the difference but I think the mitigation in the Noah case would be the fact he apologized abjectly at the first chance he got and there may have been some provocation.

Now, don’t get me wrong. You know where I stand on the use of that word and the impact it can have. It’s a terrible thing to say, a slur that should never be used and there can be no justification for it. Ever.

But with the way some fans behave, the only thing that surprises me is that there aren’t more incidents of at least verbal jousting between players and possibly over-served spectators.

I am all for fans cheering and urging on their team and that kind of stuff but the sense of entitlement some of these people feel – to make remarks personal and cutting and hurtful and about things outside the game – shocks me.

Talking to a handful of Bulls yesterday, it was obvious that the guy that Noah yelled at was being non-stop abusive from just about the opening tip.

What also surprises me, though, is that if the guy was that bad, how the Chicago security official who sits near the bench – and every team has one at every game – didn’t get involved and have the guy thrown out or at least moved.

Until that happens and the message gets delivered loud and clear that some behaviour won’t be tolerated, I fear we’ll have more incidents.

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If you put a guy and a gal from Chicago, one from Newark and one from Toronto in the same cab you get all kinds of fun conversation. Ours started with a lament for late Harmon Killebrew (the dude from Chicago is an old Twin Cities) guy, morphed in a great baseball trivia question that was solved quickly (Name the two northernmost cities to host a World Series game?) and then we got the hard one. Really hard.

And if you promise not to peak, I’ll give you the answer down below:

Only three players in the history of the game have hit home runs both before their 20th birthday and after their 40th birthday. Who are they?

Have fun.

And NO PEAKING!

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So, who’s the MVP of the playoffs so far?

Has to be Dirk, right?

Two 40-point games in one series, his team’s probably the best one playing and he’s virtually unstoppable.

Trouble is, unlike say, the pucks, there is no playoff MVP in the NBA. The only thing they give out is a Finals MVP so when it comes to post-season awards, Dirk’s really done nothing.

Well, not “nothing” but you know what I mean.

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Let’s get this one out of the mail and we’ll start the weekly process of asking for questions now. Click, write, send.

Q: I tell my wife, no real rules for food. Cake anytime. But if it is good cake then it is no more healthy than bacon, so why not have more bacon?

When do you think the Raps will have a real sense of who they want and create a one to five list?

An all NBA question, are teams told to keep their picks quiet (ala Survivor voting off the island) so it makes better TV? You have to feel that #1 choice has no reason to be a secret, plus we hear of 'promises' being made all the time.

 

Bruce M, Winnipeg

A: Your wife buys that? Good for you!

Anyway … I’d say, because there’s a bit of indecision surrounding some of the teams ahead of them (Will Minnesota deal the pick? What will Utah do?) and there are still so many interviews to hold and workouts to conduct, I don’t imagine they’ll narrow anything down until at least the second week of June and even then it’ll still be quite fluid.

And teams aren’t told to keep their picks quiet but they do to make sure those teams drafting around them are kept in the dark. The draft, and the runup to it, is a time of great disinformation campaigns.

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Oh yeah, since I’ve got this fancy schmancy new keyboard, we may as well gather here tonight around 8:30 p.m. for an IGBT, right?

See you then.

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I’m sticking with Kirstie Alley tonight, by the way. Although don’t sleep on Hines Ward.

(Obligatory DWTS note, even if I’ve missed most of the season).

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What of the Oklahoma City Thunder?

A meltdown of biblical proportions last night probably killed their season, there’s all kinds of stuff swirling around on whether or not Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant can co-exist, there was the fourth-quarter benching of Westbrook the other night and you can get a sense there’s an uneasiness around a franchise thought to be a model one.

Now, I’m not saying blow it up and if they were to at least acquit themselves well in however many games remain it’ll ease the pain of losing. But doesn’t it show how fragile things can be? A week ago everyone was lauding the Thunder; today they are questions.

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Okay, ready?

Gary Sheffield, Ty Cobb and Rusty Staub.

You’re welcome.

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Comments

[Nick]

Hey Doug,
Are the raptors really going to draft another euro? Please tell me that is not the case. I know you and bc are friends....can u please tell him we need a guy like kemba walker or something. An african american...pardon the pun. Another euro toronto does not have the appetite for. Trust me. it will kill bball in tdot.

[Mike D.]

Further to your Thunder meltdown comment, may I please be the first Irregular to ask whether this means Russell Westbrook might soon become available to the Raptors.....say in a trade for Linas Kleiza or our remaining TPE? I'm not going to ask about the possibility of a Durant trade because that idea would just be ludicrous. :)

Blogger's note: You're the first

[Kevin A.]

Nick -

I don't care if the guy is from Mars - if he's the best player available, take him.

There are plenty of stiffs from the USA in the NBA too, you know.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning (oops Afternoon) Doug,
The technology is great when it works, isn't it? I'd think Tie Domi could make a killing in crowd control.
I was 0-3 on the under-20/over-40 thingy. Not bad! I got my 4 playoff semifinalists right, but looks like I'm about to go 0-2 on my finalists. Not bad!
And to quote a firesign or two, "Nicky nick nick nick... you're such a tool!". I count no fewer than 14 "Euros" on the four teams still duking it out for a ring. Clue one: Basketball is a global sport. Clue two: More than ever. Clue three: It could be the #1 sport in the world (yes, even including... ew... Europe...) in your lifetime. Clue four: You're in the world. Get with it.
Cheers. Go TOD!

[Steph]

The Thunder don't look like a team that can win it all. Westbrook does not appear to be a team player, and is thus the impediment. Every team needs a distributor and the Thunder are missing that element. No need to blow the team up, but you have to move Westbrook. He has value, and I don't think the Thunder need a top 5 point guard to win, top 15 maybe.
..
Doesn't Dirk look great out there? Durant seems to play faster then Dirk, but I have no doubt that he will one day dplay at the pace that the greats play at, like Dirk does today.

[nate]

I picked Dave Winfield, Darryl Strawberry, and Harold Baines - Please remember that was off the top of my head, and I'm going to check but I hope all 3 qualify in at least ONE of the categories.
I can't possibly see the Thunder making an All-star from a super-young squad who just went to a conference final available. And talented players can co-exist no matter the style, it's been proven many times. It usually involves concessions of one's own offence in some way.

[Lorie]

@Mike D.
Plese ask about the possiblity of a Durant trade. I love how Doug Deals With The Ludicrous! Snark And Mockery to the Max! Fun!!! @D-Mac: I was 0-3 on the quiz, too. Tough question, Doug. Can we have an easier one next timeÉ (And I am having keyboard issues as well. Hence the Capital-E-accent-acute which heretofore is to be recognized as a question mark.) Is this a new @Nick, cause the usual @Nick is generally pretty sensibleÉ Maybe he just indulged in a wee bit too much of that cake-n-bacon stuff which can clog cranial-destined arteries. Now, Doug, truth: Did you feed some of that breakfast special to your keyboardÉ My own computer issues are being blamed on the Cleaning Staff. Go Bautista (and, of course, the TOD) Cheers!

[John]

HA! Shenanigans it is...
Here's a scenario, if you were at work and swore at a fellow employee or you swore at a customer who may even be a little irate and abusive, which would you estimate would bring the bigger punishment from the big boss…
The hypocrisy snowball just keeps gathering steam...

[RD]

What were the two most nothernmost cities to ever host a World Series Game? It can't be Toronto.
Milwaukee and Minnesota!?

Blogger's note: Answer tomorrow

[Lee]

Although it's probably the fault of the keyboard,but peaking should have been peeking, unless of course you were concerned that the immense amount of excitement your column conveys would indeed cause us to peak too soon.

[sam]

I'm surprized by the Euro talk that rears it's ugly head every so often.
Last I checked the Raptors had Jose and Andrea as the only two players from across the pond - Kleiza played his formative years in the States I believe. Who else is there with a European background?
Why is it an issue?

[RD]

Nick, that's some ignorant stuff right there. Just because a player is African American doesn't make him automatically a better choice than someone who is European. Let me ask, who's arguably the MVP of the playoffs thus far? Dirk. And I'm quite certain you would be extremely excited if Dirk were to ever join the Raps. You pick the best player available. It doesn't matter if they're black, white, blue, green or orange.

[JHK]

Jose + Alabi + 5th pick
for
Westbrook + Cole Aldrich + Daequan Cook

Get 'er done BC.

[Andre]

What the thunder needs is a Pass first PG and to play westbrook as the off guard. It just doesnt make sense him going coast to coast missing a layup and not starting the play. the thunder seem to be a half court team. I think with Maturity Westbrook will find his way... Love my Supersonics :)

[Stavros]

Great comeback by the Mavs. I would be shocked if Westbrook is moved. You just don’t give up on that kind of talent. I’d say that OKC still hasn’t filled their biggest weakness from the start of the season; a legit threat in the post. No, I don’t believe Perkins and his scowling fits the bill. OKC is a scoring power forward away from having all the pieces. If there’s a scapegoat to be had it’s likely to be Scott Brooks for the lack of offensive vision. Ibaka can’t be too comfortable with his spot for next year either, I’d think.

[Kent]

it's difficult to win 9 games in the playoffs and soil your reputation at the same time but Russell Westbrook has somehow managed to do it...Scott Brooks has to be responsible for the meltdown as well; they started to milk the clock with more than 5 mintues left. That's way too much time to just sit on the ball...full marks to Dallas so far, but they will lose to Miami though...14 Euros still left in the playoffs? well,18 of 20 starters on the 4 teams are Americans. Don't take this the wrong way; just want to counter a fact with another fact.

[Dave]

Boston needs Westbrook, and OKC needs Rondo. Both teams win again! Who balks at that trade? Please impart your wisdom upon me, oh knowledgeable irregulars!

[D-Mac Ottawa]

18 of 20 starters being American in an American sports association isn't much of a newsflash. A few "Euros" in an American sports association was something of a newsflash a few years ago. A small number of people (especially Raptors fans, it seems) want to try to keep making newsflashes out of something that isn't in the least newsworthy nor noteworthy. The sooner we can move on from these items – in the same vein as the sooner we can move on from "the first woman to [fill in the blank]" or "the first African American to [fill in the blank]" or "the first [expletive deleted] to [fill in the blank]" – the sooner we can all get on with talking about matters of substance. And with a far better level of respect for who we are in this world. As in people. Cheers.

[Steph]

Nadal and Isner had a great match this morning at the French Open. Where does Tennis sit within DS's radar?

Blogger's note: I enjoy the late rounds of Grand Slams but it's not near the top of the list

[Bart]

@Lorie

These instructions are for Windows XP but they should be similar for other Windows operating systems.

Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Regional and Language Options.
On the Languages tab, under Text services and input languages, click Details.
Change Default Input language to English (United States).

This works best if you close all open programs. There is a keyboard shortcut but I can't remember what it is and all the ones I find online aren't working for me.

[Mike D.]

@Lorie, I can never resist a damsel in distress......

[clears throat, cracks knuckles on typing fingers] So Doug, what do you think of Bargnani plus Kleiza plus this year's #1 pick plus some TPE for Durant plus Perkins? That way the Raptors get what they need and OKC gets the scoring PF that @Stavros wisely indicates they need, an outside scoring threat to replace Durant, and a young player with upside. Durant will be happy because Jose will have no problem feeding him. Westbrook should be happy because he'll be the undisputed alpha male in OKC. Jose will be happy because any opposing PG who beats him and drives the lane will end up seated next to Super Fan, courtesy of Perkins.

[leaves his desk hastily in case the snark factor in Doug's reply blows out the screen like something from the end of Total Recall]

[Lorie]

@D-Mac:
Are you the first Ottawanian (sp) to advocate for "talking about matters of substance"? Methinks so. :)
Doug, any insight you might be able to share about Sir Charles' location tonight? Will he be exposed to the Inner or Outer Louts and Boors?

Blogger's note: None at all; had to miss shootaround for computer woes

[SR]

The Thunder need Phil Jackson.

[Kent]

"18 of 20 starters being American in an American sports association isn't much of a newsflash...The sooner we can move on from these items – in the same vein as the sooner we can move on from "the first woman to [fill in the blank]" or "the first African American to [fill in the blank]" or "the first [expletive deleted] to [fill in the blank]"

huh? having a starting spot on a final four NBA team is not an equal-opportunity issue. It's not the same thing as a woman or an ethnic person not getting a promotion on a regular job. No one is blocking capable European players from entering the league and taking those spots. If Euros playing in the European leagues were good enough, the NBA door is wide-open. Look, no one is denying that there have been some great Euro players but American are still head and shoulders above everyone else combined. All 5 players on the all-NBA 1st team are Americans; 12 out 15 players on the All-NBA teams are Americans; had there been a 4th team, based on the votes posted on nba.com, all five of them also would have been Americans. From a base-rate perspective, maybe it is better to draft an American.

[Lorie]

@Bart:
Thanks so much for that great advice, but confession time: I'm a technically challenged construction type who, while savvy with a circular saw, struggles mightily with computers. So by the time I read your help tips, I'd already gone through my usual fixing drill: unplugged it, shook out the cookie crumbs, oiled it, shone it up and voila! All better. And don't ask how or why that works, but it does. :)
@Mike D.
Great response! But if Doug blew out his screen, after this morning's Keyboard Crap-Out, well, this was All Your Idea.
Cheers, All! Should be a great one tonight. Let's IGBT!