Condensing things doesn't help and easiest gigs in sports

With two weeks lopped off the NBA schedule already (perhaps you’ve heard?) one of the questions around here is does it help or hurt the Raptors?

Quick answer?

Probably hurts.

There are several factors at play here with the HOTH, not the least of which is a condensed training camp, pre-season, regular season sure isn’t going to help a team in transition.

With a new coach implementing some kind of new system, and with so many roster questions to be answered, they really could benefit from as much time as possible.

They’ve got to find a way to defend, they have serious questions about a starting small forward, a backup shooting guard, maybe another big and who knows if they truly want Jerryd Bayless to challenge Jose Calderon as the starting point guard and the only thing that would help them, really, would be time to figure it out.

And time they don’t have.

Now, I’m not saying they can’t catch lightning in a bottle, or come out of the gate quickly against other teams still trying to figure things out, but it’s going to be far more difficult under these circumstances.

(I hate to belabour a point made last spring but everyone in the world figured something like this was coming, might it not have made a bit of sense to leave the then-coaching staff in place so a shortened season/camp wasn’t exacerbated by all kinds of new things to deal with? Just askin’.)

And if you look at the games they’ll miss – home to Philly, at Cleveland and Minnesota, home to Dallas and the Clippers and on the road at Memphis and Oklahoma City – it’s a mixed bag. No way they ever beat Dallas and Memphis-OKC on a back-to-back is fraught with peril but there might have been a couple of wins in there that could have given them some confidence as the early part of the season unfolded.

Now – and we have no idea if this indeed will turn out to be true so take things with grains of salt – they’ll open with Phoenix and Milwaukee at home before a trip to Boston, Orlando and Miami and then Boston again.

Yikes!

Of course, there is one flip side but I know you’ll know what I think of this.

Am sure there are “fans” who think another bad season to get another high draft pick to go along with Jonas is a good thing. Sorry, I can’t get onside with that train of thought, you need to win as many games as you can, regardless.

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Hmm.

Seems I messed up and forgot a couple of things yesterday on that Facebook thing.

First off, here’s a link that might make it a tad easier for you to go to the page and hit that “like” button (I shall be eternally grateful, honest) and there are a couple of other things you need to know.

My “actor” friends were real live cool people, Jessica (who is not in any way a ditz, honest) and Greg (who I’m sure has rolled his eyes at me on more than a few occasions).

The hugely talented Randy Risling of our multi-media department shot it, edited it, made it foolproof for me and the kids and all I had to do was, you know, be myself.

And if you ever find yourself near Square 1 in Hazelville and are parched, the “set” was a stool at the Boston Pizza there and I owe them. So go take care of them if you can.

And to those who’ve hit the right buttons …

Thanks.

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Guess the best thing to say about an American federal mediator getting involved in the NBA talks is this: Can’t hurt.

Now, it’s not binding arbitration or anything like that but a third set of eyes, and someone to maybe steer the conversation when it inevitably gets off course, certainly can’t hurt.

From all I’ve read about the mediator he’s first-class and hugely respected and if he can inch the process along, all the power to him.

But I wouldn’t be holding my breath that there’s a major breakthrough when they meet with him at the first of the week.

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Okay, we know we’re of a certain, um, vintage around here so who doesn’t join me in going, “holy crap” when you find out Paul Simon’s 70 years old today?

And who couldn’t sing every word to every song on Bridge Over Troubled Water if they had to?

Well, for today’s musical interlude …

And wasn’t that concert in Central Park – which was in nineteen eighty freaking one!!! – one of the first true biggies that everyone can remember?

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While watching and working that NLCS game last night (and thanks to the few Irregulars who turned out) I couldn’t quite figure out which lefty that Tony LaRussa Boy Genius would bring into face Not Cecil Fielder late in the game.

And who’s he go to? Well, no one other than Marc Repzsincki Rzepcinsky Zepchinkski … well, you know who, the guy who used to pitch for TOD.

Anyway, Zep gets him out, his night’s done and I’m thinking, isn’t left-handed situational reliever the greatest gig in all sports?

You can pitch unitl you’re about 60, it seems; if you fail every now and then they’ll just chalk it up to the law of averages; you might face three batters in a week and you’re very well compensated.

(I know Super Wife should have let me tie Super Son’s right arm behind his back for the first three years of his life so we could have an annuity for our dotage).

(I keed, I keed)

But on the list of great sports gigs, is it first?

What’s better?

Maybe backup field goal kicker but you probably have to play another position.

Backup goalie? Nah, too many pads to wear although you do get to sport a baseball hat and be seen by the fans.

Twelfth man on an NBA team? Yeah, that’d be awful close, I imagine. No pressure, good pay and good perks but that’d have to get boring, no?

Yep, to my money, lefty situational reliever’s the best gig in the games.

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Mail?

Look, here’s the deal. They want to run a couple of questions in Saturday’s paper as a way to show folks what we do around here but the e-mail basket is pretty darn empty.

Help a fellow out, would you?

Click here now.

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Comments

[Mark]

Definitely being Yogi Stewart was the best sports gig. $24 million over 6 years to sit on a bench.

[Peter]

Hi Doug, I'm one of those "fans" who think that getting another high draft pick along with Jonas is a good thing. Not because I disagree with your logic, but simply because I don't see how the Raps can have a solid year this year, especially without a training camp, or a full season. The idea of a high draft pick is simply the silver lining to what will inevitably be another poor season. Don't get me wrong, the absolute best thing that can happen this year is that they find some extra wins, but at least this year, there might be a silver lining in losing, in that they receive 2 high draft picks and not one.

Secondly, about leaving the coaching staff in place. I think when you have one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and you get a chance to sign a good defensive coach off of the NBA championship staff, you do what you need to do to lock that person up. Will it work out? Who knows! But as much as I liked Jay, the team needed to address defence in every way possible, and I can see why that move was made when it was.

Thanks for the Raps content today!

[Paul]

I feel like back-up QB is a pretty good job. Great seat for the game and if you ever get in the expectations are so low that every complete pass is an amazing accomplishment.

1B coach seems like a pretty sweet gig too. Although I'm sure there's more to it than we see on TV.

[Lorie]

Morning, Doug!
What was the wording on those signs we used to march around the downtown streets with? Oh yes: "Condense soup, not books" - or NBA seasons, I guess. Interesting days ahead.
With each passing year this more and more becomes my favourite song by Simon and Garfunkle.
Yes, Paul, how terribly strange to learn that you are, today, 70.
http://youtu.be/BPTOY8FrvNw

[John D.]

Best gig in sports? Got to be bullpen catcher - are they even a player? Are they coaches? Either way, playing catch for a living has got to be pretty sweet at the big league level!

[jc]

Hey Doug,
Don't you think a short season would be a happy place to meet? I agree the goal should always be to win the most games but can you really say that the long term goal of this franchise can be met by garnering enough wins to reach 9th place next season? A short season will let a young team try as hard as they can, give all their effort and strive to win....but when they don't, it won't be a long ugly season of losing and we still have a better shot at the draft. Everybody wins!..except the 2011-12 record.

[saatuk]

I'm glad you chose 'The Boxer'. Bridge Over Troubled Water has been absolutely played to death, and it isn't that great anyhow . . .

[bill bean]

Did you see the story about the Raps new alternate uniform being leaked via NBA 2K12? I think it ranks as an all time stinker if true.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6235829299_fcbee39c09_o.png

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Gee, a mediator. How bloody brilliant already...
Sculling coxswain is a mighty laid-back job, though the pay stinks.
And speaking of brilliant, a fine, fine choice, @lorie. That song never gets enough play. Here's another one from the, yikes, 70-year-old genius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzMh7zHir1I
Cheers. Get to mediating, dammit!

[Mark]

At least lefty situational reliever would feel relevant, there is a situation in which you can be used, even in important time! The rest of the positions are just 'lets see if we can play the least possible amount'... and as you've said before, these guys (pro athletes) are competitive, they want to be out there... the best gig for them is being a star and/or a winner! Heck I'm not even that competitive but if I were on a pro sports team, I'd rather be in the game than watching!

[doug]

to me the person that had the greatest gig in sports was Don Strock back-up quarterback for the Dolphins, first he was the back-up to Griese and then Marino...he played for them for like 14,15 years and never hardly played...now that's a sweet gig.....but lefty reliever is good also ,plus I don't get it the knuckleball must he hard to learn because if you can throw it you can pitch forever it seems..the Niekro's, Wilheim, Hough, Wilbur Wood and now Wakefield....pitch forever and no arm woes....not a bad gig also...

[james lannin]

just read that people are wondering if James may sign w/ the NFL.
people are sad.