Yes, we're here late but at least we're here

Grrr.

I hate when technology screws you around.

Wireless woes at Super Grandpa’s new abode along with some other responsibilities interceded early morning and I guess better late than never, right?

And if any of you thought I was really “tied up” I’m sorry to disappoint.

Anyway …

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So apparently there was some basketball “game” in Baltimore last night with LeBron and Carmelo and Durant and a gaggle of others.

Durant has like 59 points, reports vary on whether LeBron scored 38 or not and the final score was about a jillion to a billion.

Let the good times roll!

Seriously, I cannot get even remotely interested in Drew Leagues or Goodman Leagues or faux games where a bunch of guys just get out for a run and everyone gets all jazzed up about it.

It’s silly summer league basketball taken to a ridiculous level and if there wasn’t a lockout, I can’t imagine (a) any of these guys would be doing a thing and, therefore (b) no one in the media would care.

To me, the essence of sport is competition and effort, not showmanship and goofing around and certainly not basketball games with scoring in the 150s.

I honestly get the sense that these “games” are more about marketing and a brand more than anything else; someone’s making money off them – and I’m sure some charities are benefiting and that would the best thing about the whole affair – but to suggest they truly are doing things entirely out of the goodness of their hearts is a stretch.

What these “games” are is glorified practices or scrimmages or defence-free workouts that are a show. The cynic in me suggests they are attracting some major NBA names simply so the players can win the battle of public opinion in the lockout. Sort of a “hey, can’t you see we want to play the game we love?” kind of thing. I promise you they wouldn’t be doing this kind of thing if this was a normal summer, they’d be doing their normal summer kind of things, loafing a bit, working out, travelling with their business “partners” and so on.

The battle for public relations is probably working but it doesn’t really matter what the public thinks, actually. The real work is getting done today in New York when the heavyweights of the two sides sit down to chat.

These games?

Impressed or excited?

Nah.

But go ahead if you can be.

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Anybody see any of the FIBA Americas stuff yesterday?

I caught some highlights of Brazil-Venezuela later in the evening and actually came away unimpressed.

Guess the best thing from a Canada angle is that Brazil really needed to work hard to get the win and might be a tad weary when they meet tonight.

Speaking of, you know it’s on TSN2, right? At 7:30 p.m. our time and I’m glad this time around the network is showing stuff live rather than on tape delay. I guess the deal with Canada Basketball is they have to show it, not necessarily when it happens, but it’s nice that it’ll be in real time for the first round from Argentina.

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A Grunt’s Guide to a Happier Life

(A new, every now and then game we’ll play here)

Rule No. 1,202,492

The last thing you ingest before calling it a night should not be warmish black sambuca. Freshly cold out of the freezer is preferable.

Rule No. 11

A couch that looks and feels comfortable near the end of the evening will not be so cozy at 3 a.m.

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When in Niagara doing stuff …

Best Niagara Falls band ever?

I’d make that case. Not that there’s a whole lot of competition from the city, now that I think of it.

Check out the hair!

Besides, who among us doesn’t like a glimpse of the Mighty Falls every now and then?

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Let's get this started.

Mail. Here. Please. Now.

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I’m telling you, you folks are doing well on the Name The Canada Basketball Teams thing from yesterday.

I’m still thinking Canadian Shield’s got some love but there were all kinds of good ones.

Keep ‘em coming, ok?

We’re looking for something unisex, representative and original, or as close to original as we can get.

An aside: A friend thinks there’d be a couple of great, great long-time coaches out west who’d love Canadian Shield(s).

Anyway, figure we’ll come up with one Friday? Sound good?

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The plan was to get up, get through this usual stuff and maybe watch some basketball.

Best laid plans …

Although I do see Andrea had 22 as Italy lost to Serbia (I’m telling you, I like that Serbia team, Teodosic can play) and that Jose didn’t play very much as Spain edged Poland by five.

Lithuania’s got a late game, which will give me something to perhaps follow when it’s home time.

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Some return to glory for Brian Tallet to the TOD, no?

Ugh.

But I must admit I was glad not to have to write that buzzer beater.

One thing did strike me as I was watching, though and it might a legit question: Is Jose Bautista the best defensive right fielder since Jesse Barfield?

Man, that guy can go get ‘em and throw it, can’t he?

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Comments

[JT's Hoops Blog]

Thank God. At last I get some basketball through this lockout. Too bad it will be Canada getting waxed by Brazil. Hell, it's better than nothing, I guess.

[sam]

The TOD is in a bit of a funk.....aside from Romero, the starting pitching looks spent. The Bullpen haven't been reliable for the most part this season. You really can't fault Tallet last night. He really had no reason to be out there last night, but Wakamatsu had his hands tied the rest of the arms available have been overworked and underperformed.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Noonish greetings to ye, sir!
All right, how about one more kick at the barrel here:
The Cod Squad
The Moose Crew
The Goose Gang
The Polar Express (they'd need to be awesome to live up to that one)
The Canadian Club
or just the Canada Nationals; or, alternatively, Nash-inals
Cheers.

[Kevin Murray]

Hi Doug,

I seem to prefer Wave Babies for some reason.

For those who are TSN2 challenged you can watch it on the net.

If interested, here is a link that will take you to the Euro championships (watching Spain-Poland) as I type You should also be able to view the FIBA Americas games on the same site but haven't confirmed yet I do know that ESPN 3 is streaming the games but I checked the site and they have possible blackout restrictions. Will advise.

Note: that Canada plays 7:30 EST tonight

http://youronlinechannel.blogspot.com/

[james]

Quick, climatically correct, unisex, great leaping ability, but polite and unlikely to offend, with the added bonus of being neither endangered nor--god forbid--extinct: I give you the "Snowshoe Hares".

[george]

The Arrows - after the unfulfilled dreams of a great aircraft manufacturer

[saatuk]

I'm like bird names.

Canada Geese (Goosers :)

Canada Jays (also known as Whisky Jacks - which you've got to love as an alternate - and every team needs an alternate eg Canadiens - Habs, Leafs - Buds, Argos - Boatmen ).

[Lorie]

Hey Doug!
Warmish black sambuca? Isn't it usually best served either flaming or on the rocks...(or have you had it with coffee beans added for that extra kick?) And was Rule No. 11 a consequence of Rule No. 1,202,492? (Now you've got me wondering what that all-important Rule No. 1 might be. Can we have another contest???) Since we're still naming things here, I liked that suggestion that was a nod to our RCMP heritage: "The Red Serge"...which could also be nicknamed "The Red Surge" - especially appropriate if we end up, you know, surging. (To be honest though, for me, the thought of Husky Voyageurs continues to linger.) So, Cheers! And Go Canada! Let's make sure the only brazilian waxing down there happens in spa's.

[doug]

Zambuca has caused me to have many a "wireless issue" the next day as well...how about the "Totems" for the name....and I think you are missing the point in regards to those games in the Drew league etc...the NBA doesn't and never will define b-ball, if it went away tomorrow b-ball would still be played by millions, to think in fact the only viable place to play is in the NBA is absurd....b-ball is defined by gym rats, Durant you can tell is one, and all these games are is a bunch of guys getting together playing against like-minded competition and having a run....what's wrong with that??...go to any Y, or university, or playground and there is b-ball being played, b-ball players are unique as they play year round it gets in your blood...so the NBA can do whatever it wants, let the "heavy hitters" get together and do whatever it is they have to do...but b-ball will still be played no matter what....the game stands alone from the NBA....

[The J]

While I do like the name the Huskies, and not just because I thought of it, well, okay because I thought of it. But Canadian Club does work for me as well. Though naming your team after a brand of Rye might lead to a little overly spirited fans. Then again you have to compete with the European fans somehow.

Since the Naismiths doesn't seem to be catching on, how about the Peach-Baskets? I know it doesn't have the strongest sounding name for the guys but it is historic.

[doug]

in regards to Barfield and Bautista they both had/have fine arms...but the best outfield arm I have ever seen is Ellis Valentines...here is a montage of his throws/hitting...look at some of those throws...powerful and accurate, the one at 3:15 in is unreal....best raw talent of a ballplayer I have ever seen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxty8xnRchQ

[SheikYurbouti]

This naming thing is kind of fun, but I have to ask why there's a fair amount of love for Huskies (original NBA team that lasted 1 year?), because what is Canadian about a Siberian Husky? If going with dogs, we have 3 originals that I know of: Newfoundland Dog, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. I don't think either works.
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I guess nobody liked my reference to Vimy Ridge. I don't know what to do with it (Vimmies? Ridgers? Vimy Ridgers?). Nothing quite sounds great, does it, but the reference would be hugely symbolic. From Wikipedia:
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The Battle of Vimy Ridge has considerable significance for Canada. Although the battle is not generally considered the greatest achievement of the Canadian Corps in terms of strategic importance or results obtained, it was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions, made up of troops drawn from all parts of the country, fought as a cohesive formation. The image of national unity and achievement is what initially gave the battle importance for Canada. According to Pierce, "The historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation." The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.

What ever term is used to reference it is certainly not as cute as Huskies, but it would symbolize what we expect from our Canadian team: to gather from all parts of the nation, do battle, and come of age as a basketball nation!

[Nick M]

I recently spent sometime on the West Coast and found the Aboriginal names BC uses to name some of their attractions very cool.
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Now, I am no language expert and as far as I can tell there is no Algonquin to English dictionary on the internet but after a quick search hear are some possible names I found:
Meoquanee(Cheyenne & Chippewa)-means 'Wears Red'
Doya & Tayanita(Cherokee)-means 'Beaver' & 'Young Beaver'
Talulah(Choctaw)-means 'Leaping Water'

[Vince]

Alex Rios has something to say to you about Bautista being the best since Barfield. ;) I know the WhiteSox can't wait for his contract to end (or hope that some team miraculously wants him) and that he had a bad attitude more times often than not, but he was a better fielder than J-Bau for his time in Toronto.

[doug]

so Wade Belak is gone...I hope Don Cherry takes those Rockin sock'em videos and shoves them up his ass....are people so shallow they think these "tough guys' relish the role they are given??...I always remember George Foreman after he walked from boxing saying "you think i like beating people up"...and he had a devastating punch , these guys have to do their role for a living to make a pay cheque it doesn't mean they like it....the whole mindset of the NHL has to change, Gretzky and Lemieux tried to say it years ago only to be labelled soft and crybabies, now Crosby is gone....guys like Cherry and his ilk are neanderthals, but of course they will all be shocked and say the right thing....I left hockey as a fan long ago, and this is the reason why...R.I.P. Wade, your unfortunately one of a growing list...

[Dave]

Doug:

We need a "like" and "unlike" button for the Comments section. I want to send a like to Lorie for the humour.

I just discovered the spell check in the comments section is for US spelling, not Canadian. Please get it fixed as this is one of my per peeves. I did spell Humour correctly.