Injured Raptors, morning eats and are you ready for some football?

Believe it or not, there is one snippet of Raptors stuff in here, along with the usual fun and frivolity.

-

Okay, I’m going to say this knowing it’ll smack of homerism and boosterism but it really doesn’t matter.

FIBA screwed up with the format for the Olympic qualification event down in Argentina.

Knowing that positions three through five are significant because they earn entry into that last-gasp tournament next summer, it’s shameful they aren’t having a playoff round to determine the fifth place team.

I know it’s going to probably have a huge impact on Canada but I’ve felt that way since the draw was first made. With something as big on the line, I can’t imagine why they didn’t at least have the teams five through eight after the second round play a couple of more games to decide a final standing.

I can’t remember a FIBA tournament that didn’t have that kind of playoff, even with nothing on the line.

I’ve sat through “classification round” games for years, games that decided ninth through 12th or 16th at world championships or other qualifiers where there was really nothing at all to be gained by playing them.

It wouldn’t be hard to simply schedule two more games – fifth vs. eight, sixth vs. seventh after the second round, winners to play for the final spot next summer. The teams are there, there are games going on for the top four teams so it’s not like there’d be any hardship for the organizers and it might create some drama for the teams playing for that fifth spot.

There is a lot on the line for Canada, Venezuela, Uruguay and even Panama, to let it just end after a round-robin round makes no sense to me. They’re playing it out to the end over in Lithuania, they aren’t letting round robin standings determine spots three through six – which carry spots in next summer’s event – no reason they can’t be doing it here.

I know the players and coaches would love it, even if it meant two more games at the end of a really long slog. FIBA screwed it up, I would hope they get it fixed before the next one rolls around.

 

 

-

NFL season?

Already?

Weren’t they locked out?

Anyway, you folks are in for a treat this season.

For some reason, the Tall Foreheads figure Uncle Cathal and I should become the NFL dudes around our place in some sort of to-and-fro, give-and-take, Sunday-Monday thingamabob that we’re still trying to work out.

Now, I’m pretty sure Doug Flutie isn’t quarterbacking the Bills and I understand Jim Brown’s not running for the Browns any more but I bet I could name all 32 teams although I probably couldn’t get them in their right conferences.

But I do know my way around a point spread and vig is a word with which I’m familiar so I do have some knowledge.

And, besides, if I’m “reacting” to stuff that Cathal does, there’ll be all sorts of material to play off.

Oh, and a disclaimer: Perk and Griff and a gaggle of other fellas got me roped into some pool where you pick teams and I’ve got Philly, the New York Football Giants, the Miamis and the Seahawks so I do have a rooting interest.

-

Has to be good news that the NBA and union met Wednesday and are going to meet again today and may chat tomorrow, too.

And the fact they’re keeping things almost entirely under wraps – details of whatever it is they’re working through, I mean – has to be equally good.

The one thing that always seems to scuttle labour talks, or at least set them back, is rhetoric and leaks. One side rips the other for some specific part of the negotiations, the other side responds in kind and they waste time talking to each other through the media instead of trying to find some compromise.

I’ve always thought this would end with a quick and unexpected pronouncement that a deal had been reached without any build up and everything that’s happened this week makes me still think that way.

Guess I should probably start looking at the schedule to find out where I am when.

-

So I’m sitting in the breakfast room at Super Grandpa’s new abode, doing the early-morning thing and the day usually starts with a bowl of cereal.

Got me thinking, which is always a dangerous idea:

Best Breakfast Cereals?

(Another disclaimer: Cereal is not a thing I do regularly anymore)

Cheerios

Yes, they have to top the list, or so I’m told by a cereal aficionado friend whose opinion I trust. I just remember them all over the floor when Super Son was a tot and eating them by the handful.

Sugar Frosted Flakes

Who among us didn’t love Tony The Tiger?

Never mind how good the cereal was, he was a giant of a pitchman.

Rice Krispies

Yes, a breakfast food you could melt down into a tasty snack. What an idea!

Shreddies

Nabisco, back when it made them, had a big old plant in Niagara Falls, I can still smell the aroma wafting over the city. Or was that Cyanamid?

Anyway, another good one.

Lucky Charms

Magically delicious, as they used to say.

What have you got?

Fruit Loops? Count Chocula? Fruity Pepples?

-

Oh, some Raptors stuff?

I’m hearing through spies in Lithuania that Linas Kleiza’s on schedule in his rehab from knee surgery. He’s been doing some broadcasting over at the European championships and is due back in North America later this month to be seen by the doctors who did the surgery out in Colorado.

He’s still looking at a couple of months before he can get back on the court but things are coming along as well as can be expected.

-

Hey, who’s crazy idea was it to have another election?

Seriously, we vote more often than any country on earth, it seems.

Now, I’m not complaining too much since Super Wife makes a penny or two off these various campaigns but, yeesh, aren’t you getting tired of ‘em?

But, and I’ll say this again, all you Irregular Ontarians better be ready to vote because it’s important.

-

Kind of a dull day at the Euros today, isn’t it?

With all the top teams in Group E, the Group F days are going to feel like a letdown, I think. Not that there aren’t good teams there but they don’t have the cache of, say, Spain, Lithuania and France, who I still think finish one-two-three.

But today does have biggest overachieving team going and I’m quite interested to see how Macedonia makes out. It’s a team made up almost exclusively of guys who play there in the domestic league – the exception being American Bo McCalebb – and I defy any of you to name me four teams in the Macedonian professional league.

But they have rattled off four wins after losing their opener to Montenegro and are the biggest single surprise of the event.

It should go to show you that, yes, there is a lot of basketball talent in countries where you wouldn’t expect it, something you should keep in mind the next time Canada loses to a team you think it “should” beat.

-

I’m guessing my invitations to all the Film Festival Galas are stuck in the mail somewhere. Hope they arrive today because there’s nothing I like better than preening on the red carpet for the paparazzi.

-

Okay, I’m Mr. Baseball again tonight and tomorrow – I’ve seen the Orioles more than any human should – so there’ll be some time where I can get a start on the weekend mail.

You folks didn’t do that good a job yesterday, get cracking and send something now. Here. Please.

-

Comments

[Bart]

Is anyone else excited at the prospects of an NFL IGBT? I can't wait to see all the exciting stuff you can come up with during all those 40 second gaps in plays.

[Shawn]

I'm looking at the standings for the Fiba Americas. Why in the world does a team get a point for a loss?

Reese's Puffs, the best cereal for me.

[LeeZ]

Growing up in the States as I did, the only choice for me was The Breakfast of Champions. Yes, none other than Wheaties. Yesterday at a gas station of all places, I saw them selling some cereal called Holy Crap. Has anyone ever tried it, and if so, any good? That game that Team Canada managed to almost screw up yesterday would have cost Leo his job had it gone the other way. Leo has Jermaine Anderson to thank. With one exception, he was the ONLY one out there who kept his cool and showed leadership out there. The other being Levon Kendell, who played an absolutely huge game. Doug, somewhere in my memory banks I seem to recall he was named after Levon Helm in The Band. Please get your crack research team to work on that one! And SuperWife makes money off the elections? What is she, a bookie? (lol)

Blogger's note: He was indeed named after Helm; Kendall's dad was the drummer in Doug And The Slugs.

[Lorie]

Morning, Doug!
Sugar Bear! Sugar Bear! Sugar Bear! The first cool dude hipster that has forever dictated the type of cool dude hipsters that'll get to me everytime! (Did he remind you of Dean Martin, too?) Aand who can forget the (oh-so-innuendo-laden and fraught with a certain "tension") interplay between him and Granny Goodwitch??? Can you imagine in these health conscious days trying to market a cereal whose very name - Sugar Crisp - invites images of cavities, hyperactivity and other dangers! But, oh man, how I loved it. And still do. Remember this from Saturday morning TV?
http://youtu.be/7aXLyZIfDAE
Now, this NFL stuff'll be fun, but weren't you and Cathal going to try and get to New Zealand to cover the Rugby World Cup? There's still time! Go Canada in your match against the Dastardly Dudes From Wales!!!

[Peter]

Vector. Best cereal ever! Sweet enough to be tasty, legitimately gives you more energy then something like Cheerios... Relatively healthy. Mmmm.

[voislav]

Hi Doug,

a small correction about the Macedonian team. Not quite the David you make them out to be, since most of their players don't play in their domestic league, but in fairly strong European leagues (Italy, Turkey, Russia, etc.). Then again, I could name two of their domestic teams without pulling Wikipedia up (Rabotnicki and Pelister).

One of the amazing things at the Euros this year is that all six ex-Yugoslav teams qualified (Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia), so a quarter of the teams come from what used to be one country.

On a different note, watching the Euros and the FIBAs, it's amazing how much more movement European teams generate on offense, you'd think guys would start running into each other. Makes you think that there is an argument for cutting the NBA games to 4x10 minutes.

[Geoff Read]

Hello Doug and company,

You redeemed yourself by telling people to vote... but to all who complain about elections: I hear there are no bothersome elections in North Korea if you wanted to check that place out. Which is to say that we should be grateful for what we have, and that, as Doug says, it's important to participate in the process lest our apathy and indifference pave the road to dictatorship.

I'm totally with you on Cheerios. I love 'em, my kids love 'em, and doggone it if that honey bee ain't cute.

[LogicalDude]

Why don't we have Fruity Pebbles in Canada? It's the best cereal ever. I always pick up a few boxes when I'm coming up from our southern neighbours. I'd also put out there Frosted Flakes, Captain Crunch, Chocolate Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops and pretty much any other sugary cereal that's not good for you.

[EricNS]

Not excited about your covering the NFL (though I'm sure you'll do a good job).
The Rogers fixation with the NFL seems part of the embarrassing Toronto wish to be as American as possible. I'm not keen on this seemingly endless campaign to promote the NFL over the CFL (a perfectly fine league our own, with a game that's a little faster, a little more interesting). It wouldn't matter so much, but so many media decisions are made in Toronto. As a result, it's actually easier for me to see NFL games from here (in Nova Scotia) than CFL games.
Just sayin'

[doug]

speaking of wafting smells there was a Kelogg's plant and a McCormicks plant right near each other on Dundas street in London..talk about great competing smells (cookies and cereal), never mind the Labatts plant near where we lived ....I use to love good old porridge ate it by the boatload but as a youngtser I have to admit my cereal preference was dictated to by the prize in the box, with 4 other sibs there was a battle for that prize, many a time hands were scrounging inside the box looking for that little trinket, whatever happened to those prizes??.....yes the format at Fiba's should be universal but really this team needs a re-jigging for instance Kendall was by far the best player yesterday and yet in our biggest game against Venezuela he hardly gets a sniff of the floor, perplexing....and it seems like there may be a light at the end of this NBA tunnel as that was a good article by Sheridan explaining the differences, ...and Nash should have just said he needed physical rest for his body, not that he had no idea the strike would be this long, hell everyone knew that, so flimsy excuse there I think if Jay were coach he would have been there...seeems like some bridges were burned between B-ball Canada and Nash is my guess...NFL use to be my sport I loved it, am not a fan of Goodell's and it's so over-hyped it borders on the ridiculous plus my team has Jerry Jones as the owner so as he rolls around in wads of cash with a team worth what 1.8 billion he hasn't put a truly competitive team on the field in years so my interest has wavered....and please the governments all levels beg for cash, well do what England does and have bookie shops all over the place , as billions are lost here on off-shore betting, why????/..cheers....

[Lorie]

OK. A correction. I mucked it up a wee bit: Canada does not play Wales in the Rugby World Cup (that was my "other" team, the Springboks from South Africa); Canada (ranked #14) plays Tonga (#12), then France (#4), Japan (#13), and then - to finish in style - we take on the home team, and #1 in the world, New Zealand All Blacks. Hopefully our mighty Canucks will have worked out any kinks by then. :)

[Jeff D]

Fruit Loops
Frosted Flakes
Apple Jacks

Quick question for you Doug. Pop tarts or Toaster Strudel? I've got Toaster Strudel hands-down!

Blogger's note: Strudel

[TM]

Chocolate Rice Krispies now being in Canada has made breakfast the meal never to miss!

[doug]

there was more raptors news yesterday ...JV had a superb game and i can't waitt o see this kid in a Raps uni, at 19 he is competing and holding his own agaInst men..

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/49293/arti.html

[The J]

Agree with Lorie on Sugar Crisp. It's funny, in the states they call it Golden Crisp to hide the word sugar. But although that's a good one it doesn't quite make my top 5:
5. Lucky Charms - Great Marshmallow to that other stuff ratio
4. Fruit Loops
3. Cinnamon Toast Crunch (smaller boxes, but great taste)
2. Count Chocula - Gotta love a cereal where you could get more nutritional benefits by eating the box rather than the cereal.
And #1? That's easy by a good country mile. It's got to be Cookie Crisp. Unfortunately not sold in Canada, but it's a must try in the States. It's basically a big bowl of Cookies for breakfast, how can you not like that?

Honourable mention to Corn Pops, Honey Combs, Flutie Flakes and Count Chocula's homies Frankenberry and Boo Berry.

[Tim H.]

Probably the only one who even remembers them, but Kix was my favourite cereal back in the day!Rice Chex weren't bad either.

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

I'm standing here by the floodgates, which will probably open soon, releasing calls for Leo Rautins' ouster. Losing to Panama today about seals it for me. I know the National Team wants consistency and they are trying to build a program, but this is a mess and you have to think that the lack of consistency on this team is due, in large part, to the coach's preparation.

Basketball Canada may want to hang onto Leo for the sake of continuity and give him a chance to build towards something--but build towards what? The London Olympics are out of reach and there are five long years between now and the next time (I understand that in the interim there are the Worlds, etc., but making the Olympic Games is the benchmark for success).

Leo couldn't get the job done. Meanwhile, there is that former national team coach, who is also a former NBA coach, who is not coaching anybody right now. Makes me wonder, with a new generation of young Canadian talent coming up--maybe the best batch ever, if it isn't time to hand the reins back to Jay and let him run with it. Just based on his coaching experience alone, I'd wager he'd do a better job.

AG, Toronto

[Mark]

Best cereal? Cereals are born to be mixed and matched and the best cereal is not so important as the best bowl of cereal... multi-grain cheerios, all-bran, and some sliced banana or blueberries. And it's not even for the health of it, it's entirely delicious. In absence of fruit, banana nut muslix (i think?) is solid.

Disregarding health, quaker harvest crunch. It's awesome, but certainly not good for you.

[Peter]

Just wondering if you would be willing to comment on the questions, (or responses) in the article below. I'm dying for your take on Raptor's related questions. Nothing against cereal, or music, of course! But perhaps this is an excuse to get your Raptor related thoughts? Or else I fear they'll rename the blog without our consent!
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-110908/toronto-raptors-offseason-questions

Blogger's note: Sure, at some point I will; other fish to fry right now

[Andre]

@ AG

I agree with you man. All this talk about Leo not having the personal ... BLAH.. what he did against Argentina was the worst thing possible.. but this team doesnt deserve to go on... Doug says theres a league in Macedonia and that contributed to their FIBA success, maybe the NBL Canada can help grow our Canadians. Hopefully..

[Pal]

Doug -- I hear that Leo just resigned as national coach. Any comments?

Blogger's note: Not in the least bit surprised

[doug]

well I am never happy when someone loses a job but Leo did the right thing in my opinion..but part of the responsibility for this has to lie with Parrish as I still don't get how you take a coach with no coaching experience and put him in charge..as a head coach for a national team has to be many things besides a coach...and the most important is networking, reaching out and really the template was Donahue, well respected in all circles of the game and players wanted to play for this man....that is the route the Shield need to go, and we have that man right in our own backyard, get Jay back as he is well respected, has NBA experience behind him and will build the program moving forward...give him a long-long term contract and let him run with it..

[Carl McMullen]

Totally agree with Buffery's column. Why is Steve Nash milling around having fun when team Canada is in desperation mode. Plus, isn't he too old to have that greasy looking haircut that is too long for a man with such male pattern baldness? I bet you Jason Richardson would never be caught dead with that type of haircut. Sorry, a bit of a low blow. But I'm pissed!!

Blogger's note: Horribly low blow, actually.

[Andrew]

Golden Grahams!

[doug]

I just watched the interview on Prime Time with Leo, and what a crock of a interview, Leo blamed everyone but himself, from the players not playing, and can we drop that whole argument....Nash wouldn't play for Leo plain and simple, Magliore is a fringe player whose best years are long gone, Thompson is a kid attending classes and Bonner isn't a citizen....so come on, and listening to Leo whine about this and that all I can say is don't let the door hit your ass too hard on the way out...I tune him out when he rambles on during NBA games, so yes his players tuned him out...and as far as that interview goes, I hate it when someone says "I am not making excuses or blaming this or that" then proceeds to do so...Leo leave with class leaving as a whiner shows you for what you are....and I am pissed that Nash has become the fall guy in this whole thing...come on let's get real...ask Leo where Nene and Barbosa are, and where did Brazil finish?...take responsibility Leo and quite throwing your players under the bus, ...like saying the advice Bonheim gave him was "you only win with talent", which may be true but don't say it out loud as a coach what are you saying to the players that played hard for you, committed to you?...no wonder Dalembeart walked on this idiot ...there rant over...