The start of the weekend mail, Aug. 13 edition

All right, folks, here’s the deal.

I’ve got about four questions leftover to get us through Sunday morning after I stopped looking late Friday afternoon ‘cause a stool was beckoning (Hello, Mick and Angelo’s).

Now, depending on what happens with the Mighty Rockies today and what kind of celebrations or commiserating unfolds that might be enough but, really, I could use some more. You know how.

Thanks

-

Q: Greetings, just read the piece that deals with Brian McIntyre. Among other thoughts, I found myself wondering if there are marked differences in how the media is dealt with between the assorted professional leagues? Obviously the content would be sport specific but are there subtleties in how the NBA may see the value of the media involvement that the pucks, as an example, don't necessarily share?

Thanks, as always, for what you do.

Doug T, Brantford

A: There aren’t a lot of big differences, actually, but you have to realize I’m somewhat of a neophyte when it comes to some of the other sports and the day-to-day stuff. Basketball players, for instance, do their post-game stuff in front of their lockers, baseball players are brought to one spot.

But as for how the sports deal with us? It’s basically the same, I think. I’m not sure we’re the favourites of some who works for a team – we can be a demanding lot when it comes to requests for one-on-one time and there certainly are a lot of us in Toronto – but for the most part we’re treated well and the guys at the teams in our city are good.

I do think the age has long gone where teams feel that newspapers are remotely important in getting their names out to the public. With team websites and in some instances team television networks, the era has long gone where newspapers were seen as something that could “help” a team get publicity. I think that’s made us, in some cases and certainly not with the Raptors, as much a nuisance as anything.

The leagues are rather consistent: They have media policies that dictate when players and coaches have to be available to writers and broadcasters – it differs sport-to-sport by dint of tradition and pre-game rituals – and they are fair enough.

-

Q: Favourite Raptors coach and why?

Cary G, Jasper

A: Isn’t that like asking which is your favourite kid?

Anyway, for the combination of quotability, access, social interaction, coaching ability, success, longevity, it’s a dead heat between Butch and Sam.

What you want in a coach is all those traits I just mentioned and both of them had ‘em in spades.

Now, that’s not to take away from Jay, Brendan, Darrell, KO and Lenny but those two stood out.

Truth is, I got along with all of ‘em pretty well – I found Lenny a tad condescending and had issues with his work ethic – and that’s made the job a bit easier.

-

Q: Would you have written the ESPN story regarding alleged stealing of signs by the Blue Jays based on the information of four anonymous sources without speaking to any members of the Blue Jays organization or any ex Blue Jays for their side? If not, what would you have done differently?

Steven C, Toronto

A: Actually, the original report did speak to a member of the Jays organization – GM Alex Anthopoulos – but, no, I don’t think I would have gone with what I knew would be an inflammatory story based solely on four anonymous players without having reached some former member of the Toronto organization. It’s not like there aren’t any around to find and it’s not like it was a story that had to get out right then because others were chasing it, too. There was plenty of time to do a little bit more work.

-

Q: Hi Doug! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought sign stealing was, if not a glorious part of the game, at least a recognized part of it. Isn't that what is referred to as "the game within the game", and if you allow your signs to be stolen, well that's just too bad. Really, what is all the fuss about? Thanks. (And how can an "investigative" story use only anonymous sources and finish by saying the "evidence" may be "circumstantial"?)

Lorie P, London

A: Much ado, as the guy said, about nothing.

But stealing signs by artificial means – cameras, guys in stands, etc. – is rather verboten. The other means to stealing signs and tipping teammates off – by runners, base coaches, bench coaches, what have you – is a time-honoured baseball tradition.

-

Q: You asked, so here I go!

How about another list question? You may have to ask others about this topic - I don't know how familiar you are with it.

Top five desserts (generic or specific - you choose).

Thanks again for keeping us entertained even though there is precious little basketball going on!

Tim H, Windsor

A: Can I go with:

Chocolate

Double chocolate

Chocolate fudge

Chocolate chip

And fresh fruit (on healthy days)

(Sense a trend?)

Seriously, though, I’d probably go with a nice chocolate mousse cake, some fresh raspberries lightly sprinkled with sugar, a strong cup of coffee and a biscotti of any description, a nice variety of fruit isn’t too bad, either, and I’ve come to appreciate a red velvet cupcake every now and then.

But, and this is the honest truth, I’m not a big dessert guy. A nice espresso does just fine.

-

Q: Doug, with the continued growth of Twitter and other social media sites, I was curious as to whether NBA players (or athletes in any other sport for that matter) were subject to any rules and regulations beyond the standard expectation that players don't use Twitter and the like during games. I am, admittedly, a Twitter addict, and follow a handful of NBA players and was curious as to whether their respective NBA teams or the league as a whole are concerned with players and the type of language they use from time to time, or topics they discuss, online.

Will M, Ottawa

A: You’re right on the league-imposed ban on all social media during games, which runs from 45 minutes to tip off until the locker room is open to the media and includes halftime.

But other than that, all the league does is warn – through its educational program and media training sessions – of the dangers that go with inappropriate use of Twitter, Facebook, what-have-you. The players are free to do as they see fit, although most realize there are repercussions to everything they do or say on social media sites. Or they should.

New league doing it right, and it's Hall of Fame time

Been kind of remiss in hitting this hard over the last few days but you have to give the folks at the nascent National Basketball League of Canada some credit.

They’ve had a flurry of announcements of late, mostly of teams in London, Oshawa, Moncton and Summerside and they are truly moving forward to a November opening for the latest attempt at pro league in Canada.

And they seem to be doing it at a perfect pace.

They have chosen markets carefully, not too big where teams would get lost in the hubbub of the city and not too small so that the economics wouldn’t work.

They haven’t made any grandiose signings or plans or pronouncements, they seem to realize that slow and steady and well thought out is the way to go.

Now, I don’t know enough about the economics of each ownership group or what support each civic government is giving (that’s for a story to work on next week) but from what I do know, they are solid. Sure, there are likely to be hiccups along the way, that’s to be expected in any new pro sports endeavour, but so far, everything they’ve done seems right.

The game needs a league in Canada, if for no other reason that to increase awareness of the sport and let fans in smaller cities see games live.

I don’t think it needs to a feeder league for any other, nor should they promote it to players as a step to anywhere else.

It should be self-sustaining, smallish without being bush league and as long as the league office and each of the teams realizes what it truly is, I can’t see any reason it won’t be hugely successful.

Hope it is.

Oh, and the league’s first draft is next week, better get started on my mock draft.

-

Man, did I get some heat last night.

Show up at Mighty Rockies practice Coach Steve is all over me about the U2 thing and best band of the era and the first thing that comes to mind is, “he reads this crap?”

But apparently he does and ignited a bit of a debate because while he’s all over U2 (and he’s very much a Man Of A Certain Age), he has these guys No. 1 and there’s no debate.

Is there?

-

So they’re doing the Hall of Fame inductions down in Springfield today and it’s a huge class.

Dennis Rodman, Chris Mullin, Artis Gilmore, Arvydas Sabonis, Satch Sanders, Goose Tatum, Tex Winter, Tara VanDerveer, Teresa Edwards and Herb Magee.

Can’t see an argument with any of them now that I’ve come around on Rodman, who I wondered about initially because I wasn’t sure he was enough of an all-around player to warrant an honour I think they give out too easily.

Anyway, the one guy who intrigues me, of course, is Sabonis because we only got to see him at the end of what was an astonishing career. When you look at the gifted big men in the game today – the guys who can run and pass and shoot – he was the first.

Besides, I saw this the other day on twitpic – or someone pointed it out to me, I can’t recall – and while a guy like Rodman did some wild things, I’m not sure he ever jumped rope while wearing a fedora.

-

A wistful feeling at the ball park yesterday.

Last Mighty Rockies practice of the season and it’ll be sad to see the urchins go.

We’re in The Big Championship Game on Saturday (if we lose in the first of the double-elimination final we go again Sunday) and I think Ticketmaster might have ducats if you look really, really, really hard.

Or not.

-

This comes out of the mail and gets to some news I heard about the other day.

(And speaking of mail, I’ll have an afternoon and an evening in Niagara Falls to sit and putter around, please help me fill the time. Pretty gloomy over in the in-box, click here to send something along)

Q: Hi Doug. I just read that "The NBA plans to bring its All-Star Game and weekend-long festivities to Houston for the third time in 2013".

Didn't BC say that we'd get them in TO?

Dead Issue or is he still trying?

Thanks.

Mary-Anne B, Toronto

A: I don’t think it’s a dead issue but it’s not an active one, that’s for sure. There are several issues at play that may make it difficult for them to ever hold one, though.

First, the back-of-house at the Air Canada Centre is simply not adequate enough right now to jam everything in that they’d need without causing major headaches.

I’m also told the convention centre that’d be needed for the Jam Session and stuff like that is booked for some kind of shows through at least 2013 and perhaps beyond.

And I’m not entirely sure how the NBA and its “family” of sponsors and business partners would deal with late-February in Toronto, weather-wise.

Now, all of those things may not be insurmountable but, honestly, I think it’s a long shot they ever bring an all-star weekend to Toronto.

Oh, and consider this: If this season is delayed, or cancelled, they’ll have to make amends to Orlando, which is supposed to hold the 2012 event. So, no game this year, Houston 2013, Orlando 2014 and then we’ll see where we are might be how it plays out.

-

One last Hall of Fame note, of a personal nature.

I don’t imagine any of you know Brian McIntyre, who is now the senior communications advisor to David Stern and the man who ran the NBA’s media relations department for almost 30 years.

He’ll being honoured today with the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement award which, according to the Hall itself, was instituted by the Board of Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and is the most prestigious award presented by the Hall of Fame outside of Enshrinement. Named in honor of Hall of Famer John W. Bunn (Class of 1964), the first chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame Committee who served from 1949-1964, the award honors coaches, players and contributors whose outstanding accomplishments have impacted the high school, college, professional or international game.

And that last sentence sums up Brian perfectly.

In an era where too many media departments of too many leagues and teams work as impediments to the media, and see us evil-doers of some level, Brian always had, and always has, the interests of the media in mind.

If you had a problem with a team or a player or needed anything from the league, you called Brian and the thing got fixed. Fast.

They don’t make ‘em like him any more, sadly. This is an honour richly deserved.

-

 

 

 

Changing of the guard and a list of must-read baseball books

They’re starting to finalize the roster that’ll represent Canada at the men’s Olympic qualifier and got some good news yesterday when point guard Cory Joseph was cleared to play.

(He should be able to go Saturday and Sunday against Belgium; one last shameless plug for them, get tickets through this link.)

Now, I don’t think the addition of a young point guard making his senior international debut should be construed as automatically making Canada a favourite to get one of two Olympic berths from the qualification tournament. I still say they really need to focus on being in the top five so that they at least get a last-chance shot next summer to get to the London Games.

But for years – and I truly mean close to a decade – there’s been a crying lack of depth at that key spot and Joseph should be settling in for a long run getting used to running the show.

That’s not to take away from Jermaine Anderson, who’s hit some big shots and made some big plays, but you need depth of talent to compete against the men they’ll be facing and having Joseph on board solves that problem quite nicely.

I’m sure there will be times when he finds it difficult and there will unquestionably be growing pains. This, however, is a big first step.

-

Let me get this straight:

There’s supposed to be some guy in the Rogers Centre stands with binoculars who figures out the catcher’s signals, relays them to The Guy In The White Shirt who then signals to a hitter 450 feet away what pitch is coming all in the time in takes a major league pitcher to get a sign and throw a ball.

And this was found out by four guys in the Chicago White Sox bullpen, who had to be looking sideways and up just to figure out what was going on?

What are they smoking out there while they wait to get called?

Really, that might be one of the more ridiculous scenarios I can imagine.

Now, if the Jays are somehow stealing signs by using runners on base or first- or third-base coaches, all the power to them. That’s what you’re supposed to do and it’s a tradition as old as the game itself.

If you’re not trying to steal signs – from catcher to pitcher or from manager to third base coach to batter – you’re not doing your job.

Heck, we figured out when a Dastardly Opponent of the Mighty Rockies was going to bunt and felt a great sense of accomplishment when we told the kids.

But from centre field? Two guys in cahoots eventually getting some signal to a hitter? As a wise man once said:

“This whole thing is stupid.”

-

Remember the other day when we were lamenting the lack of cool nicknames these days?

Well, I think we need to start calling that Lawrie kid Hobbs.

As in …

Sure, he doesn’t hit left and as far as I know they don’t let ‘em play when there’s lightning in the vicinity and I’m pretty sure the young fella’s never caused a power outage but what the heck.

Hobbs it is.

-

Hmm.

Day game.

Middle of summer.

Nice day out.

Gonna be loud down at the yard.

IGBT will be going around 12:30 for you laggards who are dodging work.

-

List time?

It is impossible to come up with a list of the five best baseball books because the game simply lends itself to brilliant writing and storytelling and has for decades.

But I was asked in the mail for a list and, dammit, a list you shall get.

The qualifier: This is a list culled from books I’ve actually read over the years, not ones I’ve heard of, and my reading of baseball has fallen off over the years.

So I’m waiting to hear yours; these are mine, in no particular order:

Eight Men Out, Eliot Asinof

The 1919 Black Sox scandal wasn’t just about players and gamblers, the team’s ownership was complicit and this is an outstanding look at the sorry saga. Better than the movie.

Glory Of Their Times, Lawrence Ritter

An oral history of the game told through the voices of some of the true greats to ever play.

Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game, Jimmy Breslin

The 1962 Mets lost 120 games, they introduced us to Marvellous Marv Throneberry and were managed by Casey Stengel. Toss in Breslin’s style and it a great one.

Shoeless Joe, WP Kinsella

Sure, you know it better as the book that spawned Field of Dreams but the movie can’t hold a candle to the book. Really, it’s that good. Yes, I know, the Iowa Baseball Confederacy should be on this list probably but there’s a one-book-per-author limit.

Bang The Drum Slowly, Mark Harris

Baseball, friendship and a unique style. Helluva story, some make it the best baseball book ever done. Not sure about that but it’s good.

-

Speaking of mail …

You know the drill and you really have to work this week. If we’re going to do two on the weekend we are so far behind it’s not even funny.

I’ve got an afternoon in Niagara somewhere on Friday, and maybe a night tonight so get cracking.

Click. Write. Send.

-

How many are hoping for a Sunday afternoon PGA pairing of Tiger Woods and Adam Scott?

How good would that be?

Might be the only reason I’ll even sneak a look at the PGA this weekend it’s so far the fourth major it’s not even funny.

In fact, I’d suggest the Players or even the Memorial have supplanted it on the most-anticipated list of annual golf majors.

If you ask me, I’d rank the traditional four as:

British Open

Love the different courses and conditions.

US Open

Isn’t it nice to see then humbled a little bit.

The Masters

I’m waiting for the year Jim Nance actually cries.

(Pause, long pause)

The PGA

They still count it as a major, right?

-

The Goods On The Game, A's at Jays, Aug. 10

Hey, welcome back!

Quick path to the Hall and a tough show to miss

Miss me?

Like the mail?

We now return, for a bit at least, to our regular schedule.

I hope.

-

Now the debate about Yao Ming’s Hall of Fame credentials can begin in earnest.

Scott Howard-Cooper reports here that Chinese officials are going to nominate Yao as a “contributor” to the Hall as early as next year, bypassing the five-year waiting period for retired players.

Now, the “contributor” description is rather nebulous but I can’t think of a guy in the last decade who’s advanced the cause of basketball more globally than Yao. Yes, they played before in China – heck, Yao wasn’t even the first Chinese player in the NBA – but the boom the game experienced thanks solely to his stature cannot be understated.

No, it hasn’t translated into a flood of NBA-calibre, or even EuroLeague-calibre kids emerging from that country and I’m not sure it ever will.

But the game is the thing, for kids on playgrounds, old guys in gyms, people sitting and watching in the stands and Yao’s ascension to the top of the game did amazing things in China.

The way he handled it, as I said way back when news of his retirement first broke, was amazing. He did it with grace and style and class and that’s what Hall of Famers do.

You can debate the merits of his on-court career and where they put him in the Hall of Fame discussion – they probably don’t make him a selection – but for what he did for the game? No question.

Hope he gets in on the first ballot.

-

A standing O, a hitless debut, a loss.

Yeah, kind of a so-so debut for the TOD kid, eh?

But we’ll be there to chronicle the misadventures tonight, with the 21-year-old pitcher making his debut.

Join an IGBT? Think I remember how to do ‘em.

-

Today’s pet travel peeve?

Do people think luggage shrinks when it actually gets into a plane?

They must or why else would so many try to jam so many big bags into overhead bins when it’s obvious from simply looking at them that they don’t fit.

We’re coming out of Baltimore on Monday on one of those very tiny planes, a turbo-prop job that seats maybe 50. They have the gate-check service where you simply dump your bag at the end of the jetway when you board, get it at the bottom of the stairs when the flight’s over. Easy peasy. No luggage carousel, no time wasted, no chance for them to lose the bag (well, maybe not).

So why, oh, why do people try to jam stuff into a place it won’t fit, ticking off tired people standing in the aisle behind them?

Do they have something, you know, valuable they have to keep close? Like this?

Grr.

Sometimes I have major issues with people.

-

So, we’re about three weeks from the biggest basketball event of the summer, EuroBasket over in Lithuania with two spots in the 2012 London Olympics on the line.

And for those who need a fix, I understand Lithuania’s playing an exhibition game somewhere today, we’ll get you some Jonas stuff for the morning.

-

Well, Five Guys at lunch, ribs at dinner, some newfangled thing to hook up to the TV and play games on?

Yeah, I think Super Son had a not bad day.

Too bad I had to jet down the QEW for the night (hello, Mick and Angelo’s, see you Friday) for some morning family stuff ‘cause I hear there was a pretty good show at Ontario Place the lad would have liked.

These guys. Well, these guys 20 or years removed from this one but still going strong.

Okay, sing along, folks.

-

One more shameless plug.

If you’re interested in seeing the national men’s basketball team in a rather intimate setting, you’ve got two shots this weekend, Saturday night at Ryerson, Sunday afternoon at McMaster.

Tickets are just $10 – the price point they should have all the time to try to pack the house – and if you go here, you can find out how to get them.

Oh, and the folks at Canada Basketball tell me they’ll try to get me a list of invitees today; we’ll see then who’s in and out.

-

This is the kind of guy Bob Elliott is, and if there’s a better man on Earth, I don’t know him.

Neil MacCarl covered baseball like a blanket for The Star forever, including the infancy of the Jays up until the ’92 World Series and was the first chapter chairman of the Baseball Writers Association of America for 15 years.

Neil passed away Friday, another giant of our industry gone, and the tributes poured in, as they should.

The best one didn’t come on the weekend.

Bob, who is every bit the giant of the industry as anyone has ever been in this country, took over from Neil as president of the BBWAA. Because Bob is man who appreciates tradition and respects those who paved the way more than anyone I know does, Bob refused to serve as president for more than 15 years.

True class.

-

Weekend mail on a Tuesday? We're all messed up here

Yeah, we’re a little bit late here but the weekend was full of real stuff too good to pass up. And yesterday was dead.

Have fun with this and there are lists and things left over to help get us through the rest of the week.

A week, I might add, that includes a couple more trips to the ballyard and I think we need to get back to the IGBT since I know how things operate here.

Anyway, enjoy this while I go deal with the fact I’m now a parent of a 15-year-old on Super Son Day.

-

Q: Good morning Doug.

I know this has been discussed already, the 'no communication allowed' between teams and their players during the lockout. However, I was just wondering how strict it actually is. For instance, if a player is getting married and was planning on inviting the coach/gm, or another player's going to become a father again, etc. Are congratulatory phone calls or attending personal events also off limits? I understand discussing league matters being off limits, but if it extends to personal events, etc, does it not seem a little extreme?

MLSE often gets a bad rap as owners, but I believe that sometimes it's misplaced. They have their Team Up Foundation that seems to do excellent work, they're investing $20 million in TFC academy program, etc. Have there been instances where you feel as a reporter that they've been unfairly targeted or blamed? Were there times when you felt that the fans wrath was likely justified?

How's the new barbecue working out? Have you been able to spend as much quality time with it as you had hoped?

Well, thanks for tackling these and for keeping us entertained.

Cheers!

Dominique K, Ottawa

A: It’s pretty strict, actually. I know the Mavs had to get special dispensation from the league so that Mark Cuban could join the players at a TV awards show and franchises would have to make a great case if there was another away-from-the-court event that had been scheduled.

Now, I do think that if “friends” wanted to stay in touch – like equipment managers and players – they may in fact do so but, truth be told, there isn’t an awful lot of social interaction between management and players in the summer anyway.

Now, I am a big fan of the Foundation, actually. Was a bit bigger supporter when each team had its own and could do some sport-specific work but they do a very good job that kind of gets lost every now and then. But I think people can distinguish between the charitable work and the on-field performance of the teams, laud one and perhaps criticize the others.

The barbecue has got lots of use, not as much as I’d like thanks to various nights and weekends at the ballpark but it was a solid investment.

-

Q: Hi Doug. Seeing the news about the Hawks getting new ownership, wondering what kind of effect the lockout is having on the Teachers’ chances of selling the Raps. Does the lockout make this more of a buyer’s market? Sellers market? Limbo market? And could you take a wild stab at it – who do you think might actually buy this team?

Also wondering – how do owners/managers make use of their time during the lockout? Are they working the phones to get free agent deals penciled in? Or are they just sitting on their hands, waiting? (for example, Colangelo hiring a GM – will that just stay on hold until there’s a CDA settlement?)

Thanks for the great blog.

David M, Ottawa

A: Because the sale is so much bigger than just a basketball team headed to a new economic situation, I’m not sure there’s much of an impact at all; the folks at Maple Leaf Sports are peddling a rather significant package. As for the general feeling, I’d say it’s a bit of a buyer’s market solely for basketball, given the owners seem bent on getting an economic system much more favourable that the one that exists now.

A buyer? Your guess would be as good as mine, I suppose. I keep hearing the usual suspects, Rogers, the Thompsons who have a stake in the Winnipeg pucks and BellGlobe Media. But that’s a predictable list.

I hear a lot of GMs took advantage of the downtime to get some vacation and should be stumbling back in offices this week or next. The search for a new guy here – whatever he’ll be called – will pick up steam in the next two or three weeks, I’m told.

Be seen and not heard, unless it's good music

A series of truly unrelated items today, catching up on the end of what turned out to be a tiring weekend.

I think I’m still not in the true rhythm of the baseball, the day-game-after-a-night-game thing and getting to the park at 3 on Saturday afternoon for a game that started about 8:30 kinda wears a fellow out.

Although I do live by the adage that the hardest turnaround in baseball – at least for a Grunt’s lifestyle – is day-game-after-a-day-game.

No clue right now what’s next on my fill-in career but there’s a homestand this week so I figure there’ll be some time with TOD.

-

Did Steve Williams really say it was “the best win of my life” after caddying for Adam Scott this weekend?

What? Did Scott have a lighter bag than anyone else?

Seriously.

Who is this guy? He was/is a bully, either an enabler or the most naïve man in the history of men, an otherwise anonymous minor league race car driver in New Zealand and he should go home every night and worship at the mantle of Tiger Woods while looking at his multi-million dollar bank account.

Seriously.

Now, I find it almost impossible to feel any sympathy for Tiger Woods, let’s get that straight right now.

But a trash-talking caddy who owes pretty much his existence to the guy who did all the actual work?

Yeesh.

I don’t know Adam Scott from, well, from Adam but as long as that goof’s carrying his clubs, I hope he never wins another tournament.

-

Any meteorologists out there?

Could someone please explain to me on the most humid day I’ve had in maybe ever – temperature 34 C, real feel about 46 C – how can a violent thunderstorm run through downtown Baltimore and leave it its wake EVEN MORE HUMIDITY!

Aren’t storms supposed to clear the air?

I don’t get it.

-

First time covering games at Camden and, yes, it goes on the list of top major league parks.

Small enough to be quaint, big enough to be comfortable, new enough to be functional.

-

Obligatory basketball update:

The senior women are in China for three games this week, the senior men are off before reconvening in Toronto at the end of the week for the big games against Belgium on Saturday and Sunday.

Raptors?

Still dead quiet but at one point I was told it’d be August before they got serious about re-doing the front office and hiring someone with some title to work with Bryan and it’s Aug. 8 so maybe there’s some movement coming on that. Better make the call after the baby plane touches down later this morning.

-

I think the Irregulars – at least those who’ve been here over the weekend – know I hold Brett Lawrie in quite high regard.

Kid had a great first series (the story is here) but, man, getting a good quote’s like drawing blood from a stone.

I know he’s a rookie and they’re supposed to be seen and not heard but I have visions of Crash Davis and Nuke LaLoosh when we were standing around talking to him on Sunday.

(And this is right where I was going to link the clip of the cliché seen from Bull Durham but there’s a very bad word in it so I won’t).

Anyway, he seems to be a good kid and a helluva ballplayer, hope the other aspect comes around.

-

I think this week – well, after the mail tomorrow, that is – we should chronicle airport pet peeves, like we did driving a while ago.

Here’s one:

Airports that don’t have good coffee places on the other side of security, a place where you can maybe get a latte or expresso or a croissant or something like that.

Because of our Institutionalized Security Paranoia, there will be no transporting of liquids through security, even caffeine-laced small paper cups.

And that means in some places we’re left to get small kiosk coffee that tastes like sludge and definitely doesn’t get a morning off to a good start.

True story:

It was more than 10 years ago – pre-9/11, I mean – and I’m at Reagan National in Washington.

Approach security check, have Starbucks with me and that was when you used to be able to carry a drink to the other side.

Well, this guy was having none of that and insisted I put my latte THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE!

No, it didn’t spill but, no, it didn’t warm it up, either.

-

So I’m in cab or the lobby or somewhere and the guy on the radio says it’s The Edge’s birthday today and that gets me thinking:

Is U2 the best band of my adult era?

Has to be, right?

I’m a Man Of A Certain Vintage and since I neared the three decade mark, this has been the best music I can think of.

You?

I remember the buzz around the Joshua Tree release (I was working in St. John’s and it was huge) and if this wasn’t the best track, not sure what was.

-

Speaking of mail, which we’ll have here tomorrow since I’m doing some travelling today and there’s really nothing going on:

Q: Good morning Doug. Since there may be no NBA games in October I was wondering what you think you might be doing? More fill in gigs? Maybe follow the Toronto Rock? Pucks (Ha ha ha ha! I jest). And what role or team would you like have/follow if the NBA lockout does extend?

Richard H, Whitby

A: We – that being The Tall Foreheads and I – haven’t had that discussion left but, trust me, they’ll find something for me to do.

Personally, I don’t really care, I’m pretty easy going and will do what they ask and be happy. Maybe I’ll do more web stuff – that’d be pretty cool – and expand the blog a wee bit. But it’s all up in the air at the moment until we get some indication of what might go on with the basketball.

-

 

 

 

 

Over-bearing umps, quick games but long nights, and basketball

We’re talking to John Farrell before the game last night and the discussion is about his ejection on Friday.

Got me to thinking: I really dislike a lot of major league umpires and think they’re the group of officials who do a bigger disservice to their game than any in the world.

They have a tendency to be too confrontational, I truly believe they provoke as many arguments as they react to and it’s as if some of them think people (a) paid money to see them or (b) care about them.

Farrell was telling us that the home plate umpire on Friday – same guy who blew the call at the plate in Boston in early July in a game the Jays lost – simply “didn’t see” the runner inside the baseline, even though I imagine everyone in the park did.

“There was no explanation, he didn’t see him running on the grass, so I don’t know where he saw him running but he said he didn’t see it that way.”

Anyway, I guess that’s not really the point. The point is that for years and years, major league umpires have had an out-of-what sense of entitlement or something that really bothers me.

They get into arguments and often won’t let them go, they too often go to great public means to show that they’re in charge and the theatrics with which they tend to eject players or managers sometimes borders on the comical.

I’m sure it’s a tough job with the ball-strike, safe-out, fair-foul stuff going on but, really, these guys tend to think so highly of themselves, and try to force themselves on to the stage too often, it’s tiring.

-

What a waste.

No, not the Brandon Morrow effort, although I guess you could say that was one, too.

What I’m talking about is a waste of 2:09 major league game. Not too often you get one that quick but add on an 1:11 rain delay at the start and then a rather longish wait for Morrow after and we’re not out of the park until after 11.

Grrr.

As we know, it’s all about us.

-

Now how about this?

The Mighty Rockies score eight in the bottom of the sixth and win 9-6 Saturday and now we’ll play for the championship next week.

I imagine it’ll draw the highest ratings of any Mississauga North Bantam house league championship game ever.

-

So what’s a guy do waiting out a 71-minute rain delay?

Lots of reading on the interweb, some story- and joke-telling with other bored grunts and think, “Am I ever glad they don’t have these in the sport I usually cover.”

And with foreboding dark skies out there right now and apparently a 100 per cent chance of afternoon thunderstorms today, I have a feeling we’re in for more sitting around, grazing and talking and reading again.

Score one for basketball over baseball, that’s for sure.

-

Let’s get this one out of the mail.

(And there’s still time to get in a mailbag that I think might now wait until Tuesday since there’ll be weekend wrap-up junk to do tomorrow morning and a travel day that day. Click. Write. Send. Love to hear from you.

Q: Doug - I haven't see these questions asked, but apologies if they have been. Although official summer league has been cancelled, it seems a bunch of mini, better summer leagues have been formed. One such is the Drew league who have seen performances by LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden among others. As a fan, I love to see players playing for the game and not the pay check. What do the Raptors upper brass think about this? Do they watch these games? Do they appreciate that guys like DeMar are taking time out of there personal time to play basketball?

Regarding Lithuania national team. I just started researching them since the success of Val & co at the U19 championships and I've noticed that Lithuania has finished top 4 in the past 5 Olympics! This is a stunning feat considering it is FAR better than Spain, Greece, Argentina - the teams I used to think were the 'international power houses' (ALL combined have LESS top 4 finishes in the same amount of time!). Is it safe to say that Lithuania is the 2nd best basketball country in the world? Are you surprised by this at all?

B D, Richmond

A: I don’t think they have a thought one way or another, actually, because more than a few NBA players find runs in the summer; this year it’s more widely publicized because of the labour strife. The teams don’t “scout” them or anything like that.

And just because I care so deeply about giving all you Irregulars what you want, here’s this. I warn you, though: These leagues make the Summer League look like Lakers-Celtics.

Lithuania? I’m not surprised at all, actually. The game is an absolute passion there, has been forever, and I remember watching them win the bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and have seen them at world championships and other Olympics ever since. They have the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen and for the amount of talent they produce from such a small country, I’d put ‘em a solid second in the world.

-

Oh, some basketball?

Got a little bit since I hear the Canadian senior women dropped a game to Japan in Japan earlier this morning, giving them a split of two games over there.

They are off to China for some games now before they take a little break. Then it’s back to work to get ready for their Olympic qualifier, which goes in Colombia in late September.

-

 

 

A solid debut, a celebration and, of course, a song

We rush to judgement these days, don’t we?

Need to make definitive assessments too quickly in this hurry-up age of 24-hour news, opinion, thought.

Well, here’s one:

Brett Lawrie’s gonna be good.

I know. One game and I’m not a real Seamhead so what do I know anyway but there really is something about this kid that makes one think extremely good things are coming.

The new Jays third basemen just has an air about him that makes you stop and notice.

He swings rather violently, plays hard all the time and, I tell you, when Butterfield held him rounding third in the second inning last night, the third base coach might have done O’s catcher Matt Weiters a favour because there was a collision for the ages coming – one I think Lawrie would have relished.

I, like you, had heard all the hype about the kid from B.C. from the spring and when he was tearing up the PCL before he broke his hand and the feeling one gets is maybe it was justified.

The game’s cruel and he’s going go through some rough patches because everyone does but in the short period of time I’ve had to interact with him and from talking with those who know him better, I bet he’s equipped to handle it, mentally and physically.

It’s not often a guy like Lawrie comes and meets the expectations of fans dying for someone to idolize.

This kid could very well do it.

Now, of course, catching the ball was an issue.

Charged with an error on the first ball hit to him, should have been charged with a second later in the game, delivered a too-low throw to Aaron Hill at second that cost ‘em a double play but that’ll probably come.

His manager, John Farrell, said it might have been jitters:

“If he didn’t have nerves tonight he wouldn’t be human. I’m sure there was some anxiety, some emotion running high and rightfully so. He’s going to get his reps there, he’s going to get a chance to get his feet set under him and settled in.”

-

Let me get this straight:

All kinds of people are excited by the fact Kevin Durant had 66 points in a game at Rucker Park this week?

Um, isn’t one of the top half dozen basketball players on the planet supposed to do that?

Yes, I know. Playing basketball outside in the middle of the summer when you’re a bit out of shape and the atmosphere is entirely different from pretty much everything you’ve seen and everyone’s gunning for you to make their name might not be easy.

But, really, if he didn’t dominate, that would have been a story. That he did? Yawn.

-

Sign of creeping age?

Lucille Ball would have turned 100 today.

Yeah, a century.

Now, I know there are a gaggle of highly-talented female standup comics working today and there are other comedic actresses who are hugely skilled.

But I’m putting Lucy at the very top of the all-time list of female comics. No, not standup but physical comedy, sitcom comedy, the whole gamut.

The lady had the goods and those of us of a certain again know it.

Check this out.

-

I thought this interweb thing was powerful?

As I type, the Mighty Rockies are playing an early Saturday playoff game and I can’t find live streaming of it anywhere.

Right. Internet. Strong. Sure.

Anyway, we’re two wins into the a double-knockout post-season tourney and if we beat The Dastardly Other Team this morning, we play for a title next weekend.

So I’ve got to get this done so I can get to texting the boys back home to see how we’re doing.

-

Yes, this normally would have been a mail day but the Lawrie thing and the fact I had some other items rattling around in my head scuttled those plans.

Maybe tomorrow (depends on how the afternoon goes) or maybe Monday since I have an early flight and Sunday night free to putter around.

Here’s one for those who miss it; there isn’t an awful lot for me to do so if you’ve got something on your mind, please let me know. I like how your minds work, most of the time.

Click. Write. Send.

Q: Hey Doug, what’s with Baseball players and Chewing tobacco?

Time honored tradition, helps their game?

Nice to see Rasho doing good.

Bob W, Winnipeg

A: Oh, we hardly see anyone any more with big old chaws in their cheeks, that seems to be something of a habit that’s disappeared. I do know the leagues – minor and major – have all kinds of education programs on the dangers of smokeless tobacco and that’s probably got a lot to do with it.

A confession: Back in the day – and I’m talking a very long time ago – there used to be a bag of leafy Red Man in my baseball bag; glad it’s not there any more.

-

The things you see.

A fivesome are sitting around a table at the Pratt Street Ale House (highly recommended Camden neighbourhood joint) dissecting a game and decompressing – you can get a cold Yeungling in this village and I don’t mind that at all – and what do we spy on one of the TVs in the corner?

The Saskatchewan-BC CFL game.

Really.

And, upon closer inspection, there’s actually a fellow sitting at the table right below it wearing, yes, a Green Riders sweater.

Couple that with the gaggle of Jays fans in baby blue 1977 jerseys sitting outside and it was like being back home.

-

We’ve got Danielle Lawrie and Brett and Lauren Bay and Jason and what the hell are we doing in Canada where we grow brother-sister baseball duos?

And now all I have to do is watch Jason play in the majors in person and I’ve done ‘em all, seeing how I did more women’s softball at the Beijing Games than almost anyone.

-

Camden Yards is a fine little ball park, great sightlines, tight seating that makes it feel cozy and there’s nothing like real grass.

And I’m sure this is a tradition after Take Me Out To The Ball Game and I dare you not to either sing, clap or smile.

Dare ya.

-

 

Great expectations and great TV

So, a guy gets a chance to poach a couple of baseball series because of scheduling issues and he sure lives right.

Fenway and Travis Snider’s return that turned into a good story.

The Alomar Day and that sure turned into a solid story.

And now Brett Lawrie.

Not bad, good breaks all around.

As a writer, all you want is something that’s out of the ordinary if you’re doing a team every day, or several days in a row. It’s kind of rejuvenating to get something “extra” or removed from the run-of-the-mill.

As a wise old Grunt once told me back when I was wet behind the ears, you have to be able to embrace these kinds of things instead of resent them.

The easiest thing for a beat guy to do is get trapped in a same old, same old kind of world. Notes, games, notes, games, lather, rinse repeat.

Hard not to but when things present themselves like the arrival of a newbie who carries a load of expectations, you have to want to do it, to relish the chance to see something new, not throw your arms up in the air and wonder you have this extra gig.

Now, here’s a question about Lawrie that’s been rattling around in this cranium for a night or so.

Is he the most anticipated pro athlete to hit Toronto in years?

I’d say yes.

It’s mostly got to do with the game he plays, where you can track the career arc of young players and watch them develop from afar.

Doesn’t happen in the basketball, where you don’t know who the next big thing is until the draft in June and then he’s in camp in October.

Doesn’t happen in the pucks, I don’t think, because the truly great young prospects hit the big leagues quickly; I don’t imagine there are a lot of people charting the game-by-game progress of some minor leaguer or junior.

Football? There are too many guys.

Soccer? Do they have professional soccer in Toronto?

Anyway, there is no question that the kid from B.C. hits the big leagues with a big target on his back and it gives some juice to an otherwise ho-hum part of the season.

And keeps alive my string of pretty good stories to do.

-

So, what is there about Baltimore?

Doesn’t seem to be an awful lot outside of crabcakes, to tell you the truth.

Except good TV. Gritty police TV, I guess.

Now, I have going to get beaten up by some friends for this (hello StackMack) but I’ve only seen about one episode of The Wire, which I’m told is a wonderful drama set here.

It may be, but it’s got to go a long, long way to beat this one:

That was as good a crime drama as there’s ever been. Luther Mahoney, the guy in the subway, and if Yahphet Kotto didn't have one of the great voices on TV I don't know who did.

Oh, and it had Melissa Leo.

And that’s never a bad thing.

-

Mail.

Please.

Here.

You’re being a bit tardy this week but I guess that’s okay. With the game and travel schedule this week, not sure when we’ll do what so there’s no real urgency.

-

Shameless plug for the folks at Canada Basketball.

The senior men have their only home games of the summer next week against the mighty Belgiums. Saturday in Toronto and Sunday in Hamilton and I’m told there are plenty of good seats available.

If you click here, you’ll find out all you need to know.

-

Institutionalized Airport Paranoia, Vol. Too Many To Mention

I guess the plastic knives in the nice lounge at Pearson made me feel so safe because no one could get a real one and do something stupid.

Might have felt a tad more secure if they weren’t next to real forks that had four long steel tines that could have done as much damage as any real butter knife with a one-inch dull blade could have.

(Hmm, airport issues? I smell another series like our traffic one)

-

Remember, with having to get my bearings at a new ballyard, we’ll hold off on the IGBT to see how things work out tonight.

If all goes according to Hoyle, we’ll get ‘em done Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

-

Baltimore thing?

Thanks to all for the various suggestions, I’ll try to get to as many as I can with today, tomorrow during the day and Sunday night to kill but if you get in this neck of the woods and don’t go to Elements in Pikesville and try the crab macaroni and cheese, you’re not living right.

Trust me, I know mac and cheese ‘cause it’s the best comfort food going and it was a good find for a weary traveller last night.

Oh, and Vaccaro’s for a hunk of cake.

-

So I wander out of the hotel yesterday to see what the city affords and, bang, there’s Camden Yards right in the heart of dowtown.

Wandered Eutaw Street behind right field and harkened back to the only other time I’ve been at the park.

It was late in the Horror That Was The 16-66 Season and Butch Carter, who knows people everywhere, decides when we’re in Washington for a game with the Wizards that we’re using the off-day to head to an O’s game.

Of course, he knows the guy who built Camden Yards or designed it or funded it or something big like that (Butch knew people!) so we’ve got great seats behind the dugout and it’s a nice enough night.

There’s four of us – Butch, me, an old Sun Grunt gone off to fame and fortune interviewing movie stars and, I believe, assistant coach and bon vivant Joe Harrington. Limo arrives, we make the drive from D.C. to the park, wander around a bit, have some barbecue at Boog Powell’s joint and around about the fourth inning we all look at each other and think: “Yeah, I’m tired, too. Let’s head back.”

Most fun I’ve ever had at four or five innings of major league game.

And we did get to see this; was nice to see him again yesterday on the walk.

-