Senior men wrapping up and a drive down memory lane

 

We’ve come to almost the end of a rather inglorious European tour for Canadian senior men’s team with games today and tomorrow in the Czech Republic.

Seeing how they’ve gone winless so far – two dropped in France, rather disheartening losses to minnows Bulgaria and Macedonia in Italy – not sure there’s a lot for optimism n these last two games. Teams not going so well have a tendency to want things over quickly, I imagine some of them will play with visions of airplanes in their heads, which is in some ways quite understandable.

But what’s it all mean?

Less than some of you think.

Yes, losing four in row, and to teams not considered basketball giants at all in Bulgaria and Macedonia, is not a good thing in any way, shape or form.

You want teams – even teams that will change significantly before a season starts for real – to learn to win rather than suffer unexpected losses.

But now the real work starts, or at least it starts after they take a week off following the Czech games.

As we’ve pointed out, this team in Europe is not the team that will play in Argentina with the Olympics in mind. Cory Joseph and Joel Anthony, who are going to play central roles in whatever transpires, weren’t in Europe; the trickle down effect of their absence meant guys who probably couldn’t handle the game had to play. They won’t when things are truly on the line.

This is not meant in any way to excuse what went on over there, two losses to France are entirely understandable, the other two are worrisome, but I’m willing to wait and see what they’ve got when they depart for the tournament rather than a month or so before it starts.

There are still a handful of games left, the ones against Belgium in Toronto and Hamilton in a couple of weeks and a tournament in Brazil immediately before the Olympic qualifier.

I think there’s one thing a few are losing sight of: The last time this team – and a lot of it is the same – had to win something of significance, they beat Dominican Republic to earn a berth in the world championships, getting back on the global stage for the first time in a while.

We said then that it was a good step, a baby step, back to international relevance. That journey is not going to be easy and it is going to be long but they are indeed on it.

And as we’ve seen, it’s going to be bumpy. But bumpy rides are sometimes fun if they end smoothly.

-

Hoo!

And

Boy!

Q: Hi Doug. It thrills me whenever I see a correct usage of a semi-colon, such as your sentence below from today's post:

"In the basketball, we stand around at lockers and wait for guys; in the baseball, they bring whoever we need to a central location."

You seem like a guy who appreciates good writing, so are there any particular problems in bad writing, perhaps from readers who write to ask you questions, that annoy you more than others?

Daniel M, Calgary

A: Now, I are not as smrt as the average bare, fore suur.

But when it comes to matter of English language, I do appreciate correct usage and there are moments when I fear for the future of written communication.

It’s not one thing, though. It’s spelling, it’s “there” “their” and “they’re” and “to” and “too” and don’t even get me started on “than” and “then.”

I will fully admit to having too many typographical errors here (and it truly is mainly because of wrong keys hit rather than not knowing the correct spelling) but that the basic tenets of grammar and punctuation, stuff we used to learn in grade school, are so forgotten it saddens me sometimes.

Than I right sumpin stoopid and I is feeling better about other peeples.

-

I Am A Dope, V. 2.0 (or, actually, about V. 2,000,000)

So after the radio gig Monday, I head to Niagara to tend to matters, rise about 6 a.m. Tuesday to entertain you, deal with Super Grandpa at breakfast and plan relaxing Starbucks post-breakfast time puttering away on work before dealing with Super Grandpa at lunch and heading back to work out Mighty Rockies ‘til they drop.

Check on the 6 a.m.

Check on breakfast.

Check on blog done while operating off battery power at table.

Putting computer back in bag and about to head for coffee and, oops, no power cord.

Frantic call home and, yep, it’s still on the desk.

Race from Niagara to Hazeville at 9, turn around at 10:15, back for lunch at noon, back to Hazelville for Rockies, back to Niagara.

Yes, I am more familiar with that stretch of the QEW than maybe anyone in history.

And how was your day?

-

Man, I’m pretty glad the United States is solvent since I’m going to be there tomorrow.

Hope they didn’t close the libraries to keep the country afloat.

-

Speaking of the QEW to Niagara (a six-lane highway to those unfamiliar) does anyone remember these?

Used to be one at Stoney Creek, one at Hwy. 10 and QEW and, if memory serves, one at the Hwy. 427 and QEW.

I’d love – LOVE – to see ‘em back just so I could go sit by them and watch the carnage.

And aren’t roundabouts something that top the list of vehicular things Europeans do better than us?

-

Okay, one more on traffic and, really, I’m done.

For now.

Someone has to explain to me how the first car in a regular, run-of-the-mill volume-created traffic jam come to a complete stop?

Seriously. Shouldn’t traffic flow like water? Sure, it might be trickle sometimes but to come to a dead stop?

I don’t get it.

-

 

Comments

[Jeff D]

With all due respect Doug, couldn't you have just bought a replacement power cord from Best Buy/Future Shop or wherever they sell electronical stuff?

Blogger's note: But then it wouldn't have been nearly as good a story

[Normiyuki Haga]

Doug, I've always had the same issue with highway traffic. If everyone is going in the same direction and there are no red lights or stop signs, how can traffic come to a dead stop? I think it starts with the first car not coming to a complete stop but just slowing the pace a little bit. E.G. he/she is driving at 100 kph, then something causes them to slow to 85 kph. Spilled coffee, talking on the phone, racoon, rocking out to the Beatles, cars don't know how to merge properly, dump trucks, etc. In a normal situation no big deal but in rush hour with congestion, at some point one of the cars behind him/her is slow to react and slams on the brakes. This causes the chain reaction and each car behind has to brake a little bit harder than the car in front until eventually traffic comes to a complete stop. Meanwhile, car number one is safely home while cars 100-1500 are in a 1 hour traffic jam. A good example of this is the hill on the DVP just past Lawrence. Most drivers don't realize how big of a hill it actually is and that if you hit it at 90 kph and don't give it more gas to maintain speed, by the top of it you'll be at 70 kph. You'll notice that the traffic jams on the DVP always starts and ends at the top of that hill.
It's taken me 18 years of driving to come to this hypothesis. Don't get me started on why the TTC is a failure.

[john]

Hey Doug, I am not sure if there used to be a roundabout at HWY10 and QEW, but I do know that it was host to first "cloverleaf" intersection in Canada and the area was know as Cloverleaf back in the day...

[Dave in BG]

Close the libraries to keep the country afloat?
Naaaaah, the libraries are closing down here because librarians are dinosaurs and think libraries are for, like ya know, reading. Until you put books on phones, you wont get anyone under 30 to even look at them. Interferes with texting ya know.
Oh wait, you CAN read books on phones, there is still hope!!!
Hmmm, what then is the point of a library?
Roundabouts-Amen to that. Brilliant efficient road planning, however the average US driver cannot be trusted with them.....there is that whole texting thing coming up again.....whoever invented texting did not do us any favors (oops favours, sorry 'bout that!)

[doug]

roundabouts are the best best thing ever...I love them but and this is a big but...people for the most part just don't get them which baffles me....in Ladner in B.C.(near Vancouver) where I lived for a bit there was one that was oddly plunked down in the middle of this neighborhood....well I had a friend that visited and he was and is a smart guy and he never got them at all, it was like a Monty Python skit driving around it with him, and another friend who lived out there, we were in her car one day and I said why are we going this way??...as it was this long convoluted route and she said I avoid that "circle" intersection it confuses me....so as you say they are ingenious, but to watch drivers on it would be classic stuff.....see in that Jays game last night in the 9th Farrell's decision making or lack thereof almost cost us...up by 2 runs and he has Lind hold the runner on at 1st creating a hole which Upton singles thru, 2 men on all of a sudden when game should have been over...even Tabler said why was Lind holding on the runner?/...that was and is managing 101....I think Farrell needs a strong bench boss, Cito had one,Cox had one, Francona has one,Torre had one etc,etc..,..Farrell is alone in the dugout by himself most times if you see the shots in the dugout..managing can't be a one-man show, next year the jays need to hire a strong veteran presence to work alongside him..as NBA coaches do with assistants...

[Lorie]

Doug!
You want roundabouts? Come to London. Every new housing development built here for the last few years seems to have been mandated to include several of these; in fact, it's been marketed as a bit of a selling point and these new homes are described as being in a "traffic-calmed neighborhood". Traffic-calmed? More like traffic "confused and confounded". And that's just the traffic. You should see my dog as he follows that curb round and round; struggling to find his way "out" of it. For him, at least, it's the roadway equivalent of a living Rubik's Cube. For drivers the challenge seems to be in remembering how to be both "calm" and behind the wheel. So, what tunes are keeping you and the Smelly Ford Focus in good operating humour? Got some favourite travelling music?

[Peter]

Hey Doug,

Roundabouts are verywhere in Europe, especially in England, and I think they come from a time when traffic had to be controlled without electricity. They are actually a pretty effective way to move traffic without needing any traffic lights. It's funny how crazy they get over here sometimes, as in Europe they are so much a part of their everyday driving.

And, Normiyuki Haga nailed it, as they've actually done studies on traffic, and it's a domino effect of one person just tapping their brakes, and each subsequent person steps on their brakes a little harder eventually creating a stoppage in traffic.

Thanks for the blog, Doug. I love that I'm interested and engaged by a traffic conversation among all things. Keep it up!

[sb]

Doug...

Maybe in the future, a bit of time could be saved with a shout out to irregulars, or semi-irregulars, who live closer to your whereabouts at the time than Mississauga and who might have a power supply to borrow?

Still makes a good story!

sb
Burlington
Closer-to-Niagara-along-the-QEW-than-Mississauga

[Peter]

Roundabouts are cool, but they're only effective up to a limit, once traffic is really heavy they can be counter productive. Also they're not very pedestrian friendly

[Dave]

I just returned from the east coast and travelled through several "rotaries". They are very efficient, less costly to construct than overpasses and ramps, plus they use less land. I understand they are going to be used more and more in Ontario as new roads are constructed.

As for language/spelling concerns, I get frustrated with Canadians using US spelling. I think a lot of it is due to most software programs coming from the US. A few years ago, I sent out a training manual. A few weeks later, I received a red inked copy from a person that had gone through the manual and "corrected" the spelling. In fact all the changes was from Canadian spelling to US spelling. This person, educated in Canada, didn't know the difference.

[Jim Rootham]

There is a language annoyance that you are guilty of on occasion: disinterested means impartial, uninterested means don't care.

[Nick Kajganich]

Seeing as I am equally experienced as you, Doug, and if my memory serves me well, Dorchester and the QEW had a traffic circle years ago too. I remember stories of my Mother going around it 3 times before she could get off at the right spot. My Father found this funnier than my Mother did. We kids ing the back seats without seat belts felt as if we were on a ride at a carnival. Great video.

Blogger's note: As a guy who used and uses the Drummond Road exit off Hwy. 420, I certainly remember that roundabout.

[RM]

Talking about roundabouts...we're building one right here in downtown Sauga! Right on Duke of York Blvd and Square One Drive...it's right by the new Sheridan Campus. Can't wait for it to open in the fall...now that'd be some good watching!! Great blog as always!

[Mike kovacs]

"But when it comes to matter of English language, I do appreciate correct usage and there are moments when I fear for the future of written communication"

Doug it was also taught to me by those that know better to never start a sentence with 'but' or 'and'. This does not seem to be a rule that is followed in newspapers or the like. What is your take?

Blogger's note: It was an old rule that has become passe. But I can remember when teachers told us not. And I don't imagine they do any more.

[Mingo Jones]

Wow! It's the second time you brought up an issue related to traffic. Is this a dubious plan to take over Kenzie's corner? Somehow I think you rather share a cold beverage with Jim then over take his ranting.

[Chris]

Just got back from a month-long trip to the US. Somewhere on the I-80 we saw orange traffic signs. And then the traffic slowed and eventually stopped. I was behind a truck and had another truck beside me. At one point, the truck in front of me pulled forward so that I was able to slip into the right lane. And guess what I found? A good 500+ feet with no traffic at all! The two semis had just decided to mess up everyone behind them, I guess. So there's another cause for traffic slow-downs -- transport drivers with a sick sense of humour. Grrrrr.....
Off topic, have you tried Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City? About 2 or 3 blocks east of the arena. The milk shakes are so thick they're basically just ice-cream-in-a-cup. Burgers are pretty darn good too. And thanks for previously mentioning that Five Guys gives you a stupid amount of fries -- fed the kids for free that day. :)

[Jovan]

Doug - Speaking of grammar, what are your thoughts on schools eliminating cursive writing from the curriculum?

Blogger's note: Is that so they can teach the little urchins to text more quickly? It's another step down a slippery, bad slope, in my opinion.

[The J]

Roundabouts are popping up everywhere in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge area. People were very confused at first but they are slowly getting the hang of it. That being said, they are definetly not quite there yet.
-
Usually when traffic is slowed you reach a point and it just starts moving. At that point you can give the area a quick look around and can usually determine the cause. A slight merge or bend in the road, a car stalled on the side of the road, construction, etc. But every once in a while, you get to that point where traffic is basically a standstill and suddenly starts moving and you can never figure out what the cause was. Now that is one of life's mysteries. Or just an idiot on a cell-phone, one or the other.

[Alan C.]

Doug, the ways of 'freeway' traffic cannot be fathomed. Years ago I lived in Miami, and there was one place along one highway were the road gradually rose and fell to accommodate another underneath. No exits, no entrances, straight road. Yet as rush hour developed traffic always started to slow there first. Go figure.

[Tim H.]

Hey Doug:

A couple of things:

First, regarding grammar, what do you think of this poster?

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling

Second, I am a secondary school teacher who was asked twice this year not to use cursive writing on the board, because the student couldn't read it!

I think education reform to get back to the basics is definitely needed.

Thanks for keeping us informed/amused during this slow time for basketball!

[Mike kovacs]

Doug what local or world problem should we all try to fix tomorrow?

Blogger's note: So many to choose from!

[m]

My son related a traffic circle story to me. A girlfriend of his, riding a motor scooter, couldn't get out of circle in Cairo, Egypt. Imagine the poor terror of that!

[m]

"Imagine the poor girl's terror......."

[Pete Wilkinson]

27 and QEW was a traditional cloverleaf in the late '60s.

I grew up in Long Branch and we used it regularly.
The 27/QEW was in part designed by my High School (New Toronto Secondary School) Math teacher Mr. Sitarsky who was married t o to my grade 6 teacher Miss Hubenick (James S. Bell School) who not supprisingly became Mrs. Sitarsky.
I grew up in Long Branch and we used it regularly.

It became 427 when they built the Ramp to Heaven and built 427 west of the beer plant north of the 401.

The Roundyround at Hwy 20 made a 1 hour drive to Niagara a 3 hour affair.
5 hours on holiday weekends before the Skyway and Garden City bridges were built.
I still have the pay tokens for thoses bridges.

[Ted S.]

Any stats on Leo's coaching record over the last two years?
.
Last week I recall you mentioning how the Canadian program's current strength centered on their ability to keep the same nucleus of players. I'm beginning to see this as a huge weakness. Canada isn't getting its best players on the court. We are getting out gunned by the elite teams and out worked/executed by the minnows. I'm not even seeing the cohesion or growth of the talent. There are some special young players about to break on to the world stage (Joseph, Thompson and Wiggins) in the next few years. I pray we have a coaching and leadership team that can take them to greater heights than this current mess. Some of the basketball has been painful to watch.
.
Big shout out to your coverage of the Jr. Women. Some excellent performances by Nirra Fields, the Plouffe sisters, and tireless team defence. Looking forward to watching that group take the next step at the senior level. Thanks again Doug for recognizing a good Canadian basketball story.