And now the end of the weekend mail

Once more into the breach, and a couple of cool lists to parcel out during the week.

Have fun.

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Q: Hi Doug. Maybe now would be a good time for a review of the Raptors? Who's signed, who's a free agent and the biggest gaps to be filled? Honestly with the NFL and baseball playoffs I've kind of lost track of who we've got and who we don't, but I always read the bloggy thing because it's fun.

P.S. Wojohowitz you spell it just the way it sounds :-)

Bob H, Mississauga

A: Okay, a little Remedial HOTH.

Under contract: Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan, Andrea Bargnani, Amir Johnson, Jerryd Bayless, Leandro Barbosa, Ed Davis, Linas Kleiza, James Johnson, Solomon Alabi.

Free agents: Reggie Evans, Julian Wright, Alexis Ajinca.

Gone to Europe: Sonny Weems, Joey Dorsey.

Needs: Starting small forward, backup shooting guard, another big.

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Q: If you look at teams as periods of time (around five years long) what teams do you miss?

For me, the early eighties Expos was one for the ages. They had the names, The Kid, the Glove, the Rock, Cro, the Spaceman. Decent enough too.

What are the group of players that you can't help smile remembering?

Bruce M, Winnipeg

A: I really liked watching that 80s Showtime Lakers team. They played fast and well and had all the bases covered, it seems. Just a fun team for the better part of a decade.

There was Magic and Big Game James and Kareem and just a good group.

Baseball? Don’t really have one, to tell you the truth. I guess it’d come down to the Big Red Machine with Doggie Perez and those Oakland A’s teams of the early 70s who seemed to not particularly like each other but who won.

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Q: Hi Doug...With all the Don Cherry controversies, do you think CBC would like to go back to Ward Cornell and Murray Westgate? What a great, great feeling, what a wonderful sense. Imagine if in 2011 the coverage started mid way through the second period. What a concept. Thank goodness for our pet, Juliette.

Baseball is losing a whole generation of fans by starting the games so late. I am not talking about the youth who would watch early games. I am talking about the leading edge of the boomers who like to be asleep by 21:30.

How about a theme song for the blog?

Pipeline by the Chantays?

Is that all there is? P. Lee?

Straighten up and fly right? Mr. Cole

Hope Dave and Billy settle soon!

Bob E, Kanata

A: Hey, doctor, you can count me in on that group of Grunts Of A Certain Vintage who find it hard to last out a World Series game to completion. And I don’t know what the answer is because they don’t have any way to make ‘em shorter, the 2-1 Game 2 took 3:04 and that’s disgusting.

And if they started hockey games midway through the second period there’d be no Don Cherry, right? Hmm. An idea with merit, some might say.

Theme song?????? I believe we may be on to something here, give me to the middle of the week and we may have to poll Irregulars on this.

But this would be the morning-line favourite, no? Old. Sitcom. Singalong-worthy? Kind of speaks to a lot of what we do, doesn’t it?

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Q: Hi Doug. Your Jerry Orbach mention got me thinking; will there ever be another truly great “network” drama on TV? The freedom cable and independents have in creating drama’s is unparalleled (i.e. having flawed characters, speaking in a language and tone not deemed permissible for network productions, touching on subject matter that is edgy and makes many squirm). I can’t see another great network show gracing our screens as it seems writers/producers want to stay away from networks, despite the wider audience (primarily in the US I would think), and enjoy the freedom to create what they want and how they want it. Thoughts?

Heath M, Toronto

A: They’ve pushed the envelope so far on things like HBO and Showtime and the other speciality channels that I cannot possibly see the “networks” being able to match it. Now, I’m sure there are excellent dramas on NBC, CBS, ABC and the like – although every time I turn them on it seems to some other inane “reality” show clogging the airwaves – but for pure excellence, I think the days of network domination have been over for years.

In fact, if someone reminds me, let’s do a Top 5 Current Drama list this week sometime, shall we?

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Q: Hi Doug! As I send this, the talks are going into Day 3, Stern has the flu but skyping to stay in touch, and what was "cancelled" might soon become "postponed". Simple question, then: Why cancel any games? Why not extend the season? Not through to interfering with the start of the 2012-13 Season (!), but other than shortening your holidays - and while it's ALL ABOUT YOU here, I'm thinking it's not the league's top priority to keep you happy - what prevents a full season being run with playoffs creeping into, say, July? Thank you.

Lorie P, London

A: Sounds like a good idea but pesky little things like arena availability and TV commitments get in the way and, next summer, they might bump up against the London Olympics. There could be a two- or three-week window to jam some games in later than usual but that’d be about it.

Guess what? Start of the weekend mail

Well done, ladies and gentlemen.

A bunch here and some left for tomorrow and one more kick at the can, if you like, by simply clicking here and sending.

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Q: Derek Fisher at 37 is nearing the end of his NBA career and likely not around for the entirety of the next CBA. Do you think this is influencing how he is approaching the negotiations?

K J, Toronto

A: No, not in the least. Mostly because what the players are arguing for – even as they concede several percentage points of BRI – are future generations who will have to live with whatever CBA is in place. If Fisher was truly self-serving and only worried about what he might get out of the deal, he’d probably sacrifice the next few years. That’s not happening.

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Q: Here I go again - I try to help out when I can. With regards to your blog, every so often (actually, rarely!) someone points out in the comments a factual inaccuracy in the blog - wrong first name, etc. You get the comment, and generally say "Fixed." From a 'technology' point-of-view, what is done to 'fix' the problem?

Tim H, Windsor

A: And how I appreciate the weekly help.

I have this magic way of getting back into blogs to make the odd correction, hopefully before too many notice.

If it’s a wrong name (seldom) or a wrong fact (more seldom) or a problem with some arithmetical answer (every single stinking time), I usually hear right off the bat from the early readers and get back into the blog to fix it up. To my credit, I usually try to leave the wrong word, name, math problem, in there with a line scrawled through it but it does usually get changed.

I guess it has to do with my (a) constant monitoring of this place and (b) the ability of Irregulars to politely draw attention to mistakes in fact but we try to set the record straight as quickly as we can.

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Q: Hi Doug. We've been hearing on and off that the owners have been unable to agree amongst themselves about the direction they want to take in their negotiations with the players. Why would owners insist on continuing to negotiate with the players when they can't agree on a unified approach? Shouldn't they get their own business in order first? If so, what's preventing them from doing so? The players have seemed for the most part quite unified in their approach.

Thanks as always,

Dominique K, Ottawa

A: Of course they should but you have to remember, there are so many diverse parties on the ownership side it’s like, as a friend says, herding cats. And what’s preventing them from doing so is the stubbornness and militant nature of some of them who can’t seem to manage their business well enough.

But everyone knew that going in. These are not normal business negotiations because in those, you have two sides – management and workers – and management has one message. Here, you have several and it’s the biggest mess of the whole thing right now.

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Q: Hi Doug. I know that many are bored and frustrated with the labour negotiations, but I do find the back and forth and positioning among the four sides quite interesting. Your man Sheridan has done a great job with his coverage.

Quick question - Who is representing the Raptors at the NBA Board of Governors as owner? Larry Tanenbaum? I assume the Raptors ownership are more so in the lets make a deal group given that they were profitable last year?

Thanks,

Greg M, Halifax

A: Larry is the team’s governor, yes. And I don’t know exactly how they feel, to tell you the truth. I’m sure they’d like to see some changes to the economic system; to say they were profitable is probably right but with the conglomerate that is Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, it’s impossible to separate one entity from the others.

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Q: Hi Doug, I have two questions. The first is, where does MLSE stand among the NBA owners' hawks and doves on the lockout? Big market teams have generally been doves and small markets have been hawks, but given that Toronto is a large market with a mid-level payroll and a small market mentality (in terms of feeling that players don't especially want to play here), I'm curious where the Raptors stand. Second, is there any way that those of us that want to express our frustration with the lockout can contact Richard Peddie and Larry Tannenbaum?

I doubt it will make any difference, but I'd like to express my displeasure with the owners' behaviour.

Thanks.

Daniel A, Toronto

A: As I mentioned earlier, I don’t know where, precisely, MLSE stands on this whole thing; I’d guess in the middle somewhere. They’d like a better economic system but losing a nights in their arena probably hurts. I’d put them in the middle, actually. They’ve proven they’d spend to the middle of the pack, at least, and would probably want the nights in their arena open rather than closed.

And I’m not going to give you a way to reach either of those people, sorry. Am sure enterprising people would find a way to register complaints.

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Q: Hi Doug. I read the link you posted to Henry Abbott’s article on the moment the NBA talks fell apart. I confess I was intrigued by the racial connotations that he brought up, with respect to young black athletes, becoming executives almost, and demanding to change things in a league predominantly owned by (I think) older white men. I was also was interested in his comments about the whole LeBron's James "Decision" show, and how this was viewed differently by the younger black athletes, and was almost viewed as "no, he doesn't owe the owner anything, he can do things his way". I recall you being quite negative about the way LeBron handled things, and I wonder if looking at it from this point of view would has made you reconsider your feelings on that? I'm NOT insinuating that there was race involved in your feelings about it initially (not a chance given many of your other posts/comments), just if reading this article made you have second thoughts about your feelings on it. Keep up the good work as always.

Sohail G, Collingwood

A: I was quite critical and nothing’s happened to change my mind. It was narcissistic and self-serving, a direct slap in the face to fans who had made him more money than is imaginable and the entire episode was handled in poor taste. He either got bad advice or just doesn’t – and didn’t – get it.

I saw Henry’s piece, while I hold him the highest regard, I’m not sure he can trace back what’s happened in these negotiations to the ill-handled “Decision.”

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Q: A contribution and a question on my mind today. Firstly regarding the motivations behind "Big Time" sports fans, after some consideration I would venture that the impetus for the "devotion" might have less to do with the sport in question than it has to do with offering an opportunity to be a part of something. A sense of community, being able to share with a group of like minded people, an opportunity to enjoy time away from their everyday existence. Personally I have found the interaction of the IGBT similar to what one would experience while enjoying the game with some buddies in a sports bar for example. Leaving me to think that perhaps the actual sport involved is, oddly, secondary to the experience.

On to the question, has basketball ever had a market and a personality that could rival the impact that one Mr. Don Cherry seems to have around these parts? I have been staggered, and somewhat horrified, by the outflow from "vomitgate" (in deference to the family nature of your blog). As always thanks for what you do,

Doug T, Brantford

A: Staggered and horrified are two very apt adjectives, ones I share actually, from the few times I’ve listened to Cherry’s diatribes.

I guess the only guy who could come remotely close in the basketball world would be Charls Barkely but, to tell the truth, he’s not nearly as offensive to me as the hockey guy is. And because of the nature of the sports and the countries, Chuck isn’t afforded the bully pulpit the other guy is.

Bad news, new news and a bunch of baseball

Feared this was coming.

A breakdown in talks, some name-calling, some bitterness, a lot of anger and, I presume, an announcement today that at least another two weeks – maybe three – have been cancelled in the regular season.

Who’s to blame?

Well, I continue to think there’s more than enough blame to go around but by all indications – and I trust the fellow scribblers working the talks more than I trust the people in the room – it would seem, as we also feared, the owners are far from “together” on what they want.

Always figured there were four sides to this dispute:

Players.

Some owners.

Some other owners.

Agents.

And if the hard-liners among the owners – and by reports it’s people who own so-called “small market” teams – aren’t willing to make any concessions whatsoever, and who seem quite fine with missing an entire season or at least squashing the players instead of working with them in some way, we’re in for a much longer and more protracted work stoppage than a lot of us ever imagined.

The most troubling aspect?

The anger that surfaced for the first time last night, with Derek Fisher telling reporters they’d been “lied” to by deputy commissioner Adam Silver, who had accused the union of walking away from talks.

Maybe it was just a function of the time they’d spent together over three days, tempers do get short when strong-willed men with a lot riding on things can’t come to anything close to an agreement.

But you can see more disgust, at least publicly, than we’ve seen in some time and that’s a big step backwards. How they get past that and move on in beyond me but it has to happen.

Saner heads prevailing?

At one time I thought that entirely possible.

Now? Not so much.

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One last kick at the mailbag, okay?

Go here. Type innermost thoughts. Hit send. Entertain me.

Besides, they want a couple of questions to put in the paper tomorrow and I have to fill two weekend days after that and, so far, we’ve not nearly seen enough probing queries. Or even easy questions.

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Totally under-rated TV show?

Big Bang Theory.

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Now that was some kind of baseball game, no?

And goes to show how little things – at any time in the game – can make a huge difference.

You know me and baseball defence, right? Best part of the game and those two plays the Texas middle infielders made in the middle of the game made that ninth-inning Rangers rally possible.

The double-play in the fourth – the backhanded flip from Andrus (now maybe my fifth-favourite Elvis) to Kinsler who made the bare-handed catch and the turn, and Andrus’s diving stop in the fifth – kept the game close enough so that Texas could get those two in the ninth and win.

They were, as we call them, the “wow” moments.

Now, we went over the individual pitching matchups and how important they were yesterday but I wonder if Tony LaRussa (smartest man in the room, just ask him) might have over-managed in that ninth.

I’m not sure hooking the closer Motte to get Rhodes vs. Hamilton (lefty vs. righty) was the smartest thing. No question Hamilton’s not himself (something about a groin injury) and at that point in the game, I’d stick with my closer. But that’s just me.

Of course, none of it might matter if Pujols doesn’t botch the cutoff play on the single to right in the ninth. If he catches the ball – and the throw was not great but still okay – the Rangers don’t have runners at second and third and maybe LaRussa sticks with Motte and who knows what happens then.

And gives the chattering masses something else to talk about; isn’t always that way in baseball? Managerial decisions are debated and debated and it’s fun the morning after, especially on a travel day in the Series.

Anyway, this is shaping up to be a good one and given the dearth of other good sports on TV, it’s going to make weekend evening viewing pretty good.

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Not often we break news here in this little corner of the interweb but we are today.

Got an e-mail early this morning to tell me the good folks at Roma in the Italian basketball league have turned down the ashleymadison.com sponsorship deal.

No reason given – probably doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out – and I hope they can find an equally willing sponsor with deep pockets ready to right a cheque while the season’s going on.

Guess it’s not all that big a deal over on this side of the Atlantic but, still, it’s news.

There you go.

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Hmm.

Things seem pretty normal today, don’t they? Got up, life went on, made a long drive, saw sun come up, sitting around typing.

Guess the end of the world thing’s coming later on. Hope I get the mail done before.

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Speaking of the mail:

Q: One can knit pick the ESPN top 500 rankings but all in all hard to really argue with in general. Important take away the Raptors along with 4 other franchises do not have a single player ranked in the top 50, worse at 81 AB is the highest ranked Raptor! He is the lowest ranked 20pt scorer in the league, B. Lopez at 51 is the next closest. BC can sell us on our young nucleus, but that is a pipe dream as all of the top ten teams have 3 players at least in the top 50!Can any of our young players make that leap? One can dispute a position here or there, but again the hall of shame is Toronto, Utah, Clevland, Detroit and Charlotte and their records speak for themselves!

Jason P, Toronto

A: Of course the good teams have good players high on those totally subjective rankings done only to provoke discussion.

Can’t imagine anyone’s surprised by the fact a team that’s been out of the playoffs for three years in a row and comes off a 21-61 season would have highly-ranked players. That’s not going to happen, nor should it.

And you can talk all you want about “pipe dreams” but the fact is the Raptors are – as we’ve said for a year – a team of young, unproven talent that is going to need some time to figure out how to play and win in the NBA.

Until they do that, I’d suggest their individual talent will continue to be “ranked” low but experts who have their own ranking criteria.

I don’t think anyone’s ever suggested this was a good team ready to make its mark but I do think there are a few promising young players and let’s see where their subjective “ranks” are in, say, two seasons.

For now, enjoy it for what it was: A talking point in a dreadfully boring summer.

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A little Raptors update and the usual fun and frivolity

So, remember the Raptors?

Professional basketball team that used to play around these parts?

Well, I heard something abut them yesterday talking with a guy.

You sitting down?

With all this hullabaloo about a new front office body, it’s time to report what I heard from the highest of levels and you can take this to the bank as legit:

The search for a new employee is down to two at the moment; I didn’t get the names but if you were to think back, the four-man original list of Kevin Pritchard, Jeff Bower, Dennis Lindsay and Ed Stefanski.

Except that the timing for Stefanski didn’t work; there was noting about a “snag” or a “breakdown” in any chats, it just didn’t work.

(An aside: Stefanski’s departure from the Sixers the other day has everything to do with the economics of the time and the new ownership there; the thing here had nothing to do with it).

There is no timeline, but I would think they’d probably like to be ready to hit the ground running whenever things at the labour level get solved.

And – this might be most important – no one knows what the title will be so all this chatter about Bryan hiring a “general manager” may not prove to be true.

Colangelo is very much in charge, nothing is changing there; the job has not been offered to anyone although talks between Bryan and others continue. If he doesn’t see a good fit at the end, there’s no rush and he’ll open it up again.

It is, as we’ve been saying all along, a chance to add a voice to the front and, who knows, perhaps set up a succession plan.

Masai Urjuri left and never was replaced.

Maurizio Gherardini’s job description will change once the game returns.

Jim Kelly is in the same boat as Maurizio.

This is, as it always has been, all about Bryan adding some depth to his front office or, as it was put to me, “strengthening the bench.”

And that’s where we are with that.

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Some ball game last night, eh?

Pretty entertaining and it would appear, for the most part, that we’re going to be down to five- or six-inning games because of the talent of those two bullpens.

I love seeing the machinations of each lefty-righty matchup late in close games. You’re going to get Arthur Rhodes to face Josh Hamilton for every significant late-game at-bat, just like you’re going to see Marc Rzepczynski (hey! I got it right) against whatever dangerous lefty the Rangers have at the plate.

These one at-bat outings for relievers usually provide the most drama in these games and I’m pretty glad we might see one or two every night.

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Hey, it would have been this guy’s birthday today.

I presume some TV network has a marathon on, or at least it better.

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Don’t suppose the small puddle on the kitchen floor under the skylight after a night of teeming rain is necessarily a good thing, right?

What was that movie?

The Money Pit?

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Right, the NBA labour talks.

Yawn.

The most fun any of us is having at the moment are reading the tweets and e-mails from guys who are staking out the talks.

We’ve heard of random meetings with Gregg Popovich, dissertations on the wallpaper in the room, the goings-on at the lobby bar, the food being delivered for them.

The talks?

A cone of silence has been placed over them by the mediator and the leakage has been less than expected. I’m not sure what to read into that, there hasn’t been to have been any major breakthrough but they’re going back at it again this afternoon so that can’t be a bad thing.

The various reports – quite nicely put together by My Man Sheridan at the his website that you can find here – suggest there’s been movement on the revenue split to get the sides closer to 50-50, which I always thought made the most sense.

(Or if the players want to get 52 per cent, something has to come off the top for league and franchise marketing expenses).

Anyway, yes, it does seem like we were here before only to have the talks derail over “system” issues like the luxury tax and cap exceptions so I’m not sure getting back to close to 50-50 represents any kind of major breakthrough. The other stuff still hangs over the talks like a mushroom cloud and I truly expect any time now some kind of explosion from either the league or the union and a step back in the process.

Oh, and that Tuesday deadline to get some movement or else have more games – perhaps until Christmas – cancelled? The one referred to as fake?

Hmm, it’s Thursday and no more games are gone.

Just sayin’.

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Let me get this straight.

Pucks play two games, get a week off and then play three nights in four, four nights in six and five nights in seven?

Helluva schedule.

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Oh yeah, mail.

Please. Here.

Or go here, do that whole “like” thing and get into the mailbag that way.

Thank you.

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It's not the same but the Series still matters, doesn't it?

A quick question:

Does the World Series still hold some allure?

I mean like it did back in the day, when (and I know there are Irregulars Of A Certain Vintage who are with me on this) you might sneak a tiny transistor radio into the classroom or you’d race home at the end of the school day hoping to catch the lat couple of innings?

Probably not.

I think interleague play, while giving some juice to the middle of a long season, has taken away a lot of the mystique, I think the number of playoff rounds and games has diminished it somewhat; the whole designated hitter/no designated hitter thing sucks.

But, still …

It’s still got it, I think.

There’s still something about my league vs. your league that gets me excited; since I seldom pay attention to mundane matters of the regular season, even if the teams had played each other in June or July, I wouldn’t care.

The Series is still The Series.

Maybe it’s our, well, my, upbringing, where it was far more a baseball house than, say, a hockey house. It was “who’s playing third for the Yankees this year?” and “hey, I’m going over to the park with the guys to play for hours” and it was the game we grew up on.

And the World Series was always special. Cold weather, mostly good games, the end of a long season reduced to seven games at the most.

I may not be quite up to speed on the intricacies of these two teams – it seems Tony LaRussa (smartest man in the room, just ask him) manages his bullpen like he’s got a zillion relievers; Josh Hamilton is one of the most compelling stories in all of sports – but that doesn’t matter, does it?

The game’s the thing, it’s the World Series and it’s destination viewing for me. Of course, that means I’ll have to stay up way past my bedtime for a week or so but you gotta do what you gotta do.

You folks still get jazzed for the Series?

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Now, look, I know we’re pretty parochial around here – we do love all of our things Toronto and Canada, and I’m one of you on a lot of things – but hear me out for a second.

Was watching one of the Top 10 Moments In The World Series things last night, it was on a Canadian network, and sure enough No. 1 was the Joe Carter homer in 1993.

Is it?

It was big, no doubt about. Won a World Series. Second of its kind ever after Bill Mazeroski.

Dramatic? Yes.

But for pure drama and excitement and the unexpected nature of it, I still say the No. 1 highlight in World Series history – at least my history – is Kirk Gibson’s homer for the Dodgers off Dennis Eckersley back in 1988.

Yes, better than Carter’s.

Yes, better than Mazeroski’s.

Yes, better than Larson’s perfect game.

Better than them all.

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List time?

Was sitting around sipping the quad vente latte yesterday morning (hi, Starbucks, Lundy’s Lane) and I remember an Irregular once asking about who the best TV reporters were.

No, not the Huntley/Brinkley, Mansbridge kind of reporters, these kinds of reporters.

So, a Top Five?

(In no particular order)

Lou Grant

He was hilarious on Mary Tyler Moore but he was really good on Lou Grant. And when I was watching that intro/trailer/whatever, it all came back to me. Great show, no?

Murphy Brown

I wanted to be her secretary for a day, just like Kramer.

Oscar Madison

If you don’t think he was my idol a long, long time ago, I’ve failed.

Rory Gilmore

I’ve told you, guilty pleasure, right? The kid had spunk.

Les Nessman

Another classic.

Now, they weren’t the most realistic, of course, but as reporters go, they’d make my list.

Now, I am going to tell you who won’t.

That’d be Ray Barone.

Dude’s a sports writer, big shot columnist and he’s never on deadline, always home and never stressed about what he’s going to write in his morning blog?

Yeah, right.

At least Oscar Madison went to ball games. And the track.

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Could I have some mail, please?

It’s the time of week, I see.

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You saw the Andrea story about joining Roma in an insurance/sponsorship deal with ashleymadison.com, right?

Any number of jokes about rebounds and commitment were flying around last night but, thankfully, no one took any exception to a discreet dating sight for married folk getting its name out there in some big deal.

Why wouldn’t they?

And why wouldn’t a franchise that could use the money take it?

I don’t imagine that some guy or gal is going to go out and have some extramarital fling simply because they saw the name of a company on a sports jersey.

I know it’s not UNICEF or one of the other big sponsors of European teams that may be more, um, mainstream but money’s money, if a company wants to hand some out to help a sports franchise along, who cares.

And as Noel Biderman, who runs the thing told me, there’s a lot of benefits to his company, too:

“To get naming rights for a major city franchise plus the guaranteed TV spots on their own would make marketing sense. Add a homegrown NBA talent in to the mix and I think this could be the best idea since starting a dating website for married people.”

That’s a money quote right there.

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Oh yeah, take the Rangers in five, you’ll be glad you did.

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Just what is it about sports that gets you?

What makes us watch games we don’t “really” care about

Jets-Dolphins?

Come on.

Leafs-Avalanche in Game 5 of a million in a long regular season?

Why?

Now, I consider myself something of a sports fan, a guy who likes a game as well as the next lady or fellow but I’m finding it increasingly hard to get too excited about the daily humdrum existence of pro sports.

Perhaps it’s because there is no huge rooting interest; as you know, I’m far more a fan of games and sports than teams and individuals.

But I also I imagine that’s a minority opinion here, isn’t it?

Do you sit anchored in front of the TV some nights simply because it’s “your team?” Do you live and die with wins and losses, feel bad after the latter and better after the former?

I’ve always found that to be quite interesting, even in a bygone era when I was far more “engaged” in the games in other sports than I am now.

Used to watch the Leafs all the time, same with the Jays and to some degree, simply through a factor of geography, the Sabres, Bills and Braves.

Now?

Now it’s white noise unless there’s some compelling reason to sit tuned in and turned on, as they used to say. There’s very little about a regular season that can get me going, even a great rivalry game is hard to really get up for.

I’m sure it has to do with the proliferation of games available now every day. Remember the times when there’d be, maybe, two or three NHL games a week, tops? Or when football was only Sunday afternoon? Or when basketball was barely seen and a trip to a real, live game – the Aud or the Gardens – was the way to satisfy that need and a special event.

Now? Heck, it seems there are three or four games on a night. And they seem to get more inconsequential because there’s nothing special.

Two teams, some sport, some game.

How about you?

I get the feeling more than a few Irregulars are avid sports TV watchers. This game, that game, some other game.

Why?

Is a “team” thing? Or a “player” thing? Or a matchup thing?

Or is it just a matter of habit and a boredom with everything else that’s on the tube?

Let me know, I find it quite interesting to learn what drives big-time fans.

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Okay, I don’t care what you think of reality TV – I tend to hate it all – but if you can find a show that has live appearances by The Bangles (DWTS!), you have to watch, don’t you?

And who didn’t have a wee crush on Susanna Hoffs? (Although I was perhaps more a Belinda Carlisle guy)

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I was going to start the weekly plea for mail today but then I saw where guy says the world’s going to end Friday – the day in May when it was supposed to happen was some miscalculation and I figure the dude needs a better calculator or something – so I’m not going to bother.

And now I better get busy, lots to do before Friday. Get to your own bucket list, too, okay?

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So I’m in Niagara today dealing with real live stuff and that means the morning at Starbucks, the afternoon at some wireless-enabled restaurant and the evening eating peanuts at one of the great locals in the city (hi, Mick and Angelos).

But I’m hoping, at least from noon on, that there are TVs turned on because, as you all know, it’s NFL Trade Deadline Day (we talked a bit about it here yesterday) and surely there will be breathless reportage from a wide variety of experts and insiders.

No?

Ah, ok.

Seriously, is there anything more boring than NFL trade deadline day?

It ranks so far behind the others it’s laughable and I guess it has to do with how difficult it is for a guy to change teams mid-season and have any impact. Those are tough playbooks to learn, I’d imagine.

If you had to rank ‘em, would it look like this, from most compelling to least?

Pucks

I don’t get it, but millions do. This third-line winger for that junior prospect, this anonymous backup for that anonymous backup.

I barely watch but it makes me cackle to tune in and see guys whispering into their cellphones and typing away on whatever I-thingy or Blackberry they’ve got.

Baseball

I know, there are like a thousand trade deadlines, it seems. But there does seem to be some juice in the day leading up to it.

Basketball

Always – or at least the vast majority of the time – it’s much ado about nothing but it keeps a grunt busy; this probably should be No. 2.

Football

See above.

Snore.

Yawn.

MLS

Do they have a trade deadline?

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Man, they’re up early at NBA PR Headquarters.

Got the big announcement just about 7:30 a.m. that the board of governors has approved the sale of the Philadelphia 76ers to a new group of deep-pocketed private equity folks.

But in the whole “timing is everything” thing, how are they going to stand up a news conference later this morning and sing the praises of their new investment when the league, the union and a federal mediator are meeting to figure out at new CBA amid the league’s contention that the economic situation is dire?

That’ll be fun to watch.

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A scene of personal triumph, and basketball starts today!

We all get a sense of accomplishment when we finish something, right?

A significant project at work, some renovation around the house (except for those of us whose best home-improvement tool is the voice to ask Super Wife to call The Guy to fix The Thing) or something in our personal life that finally gets done.

Well, I have to tell you, watching those people – half-marathoners, marathoners, 5- or 10-guy recreational runners) come across the wind-swept finish line downtown on Sunday was something else.

It didn’t matter whether they ran in 40 minutes or two hours, whether they set personal best times or simply survived, when they finished, they felt proud.

And that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it?

Pushing yourself to a limit, working hard to achieve a goal no matter how small or how big. When it’s done, when the job is complete, it’s cool.

I don’t know how many people I saw, all in the middle of the pack, joined by strangers with similar skills, cross the line and throw their arms in the air.

They hadn’t “won” anything of significance but that wasn’t at all what it was about. It was about doing something they loved, something that challenged them, something that gave them a measure of personal satisfaction that we cannot comprehend from afar.

It was cool.

Now, I’m not about to turn into some mushy dude who gets all teary-eyed at the thought of the triumph of the human spirit (what fun is there in that?) but for a couple of hours of one day, it was kind of neat. It was also the first marathon I’ve covered so there’s that. I do ‘em all the time if there was an obvious story line like the one that popped up on Sunday.

And it kind of reminded me that there are all kinds of levels of “sports” that keep thousands engaged and going. That’s not a bad thing, at all.

Now, where’s my snark?

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A glimpse into the mind of a grunt

Driving back from Niagara early Sunday to get to my marathon – oh, and thanks province for closing the QEW at Stoney Creek and making me circle Hamilton to get back – and American Woman comes on the radio.

Starts me thinking:

Burton Cummings can sing.

I like Running Back To Saskatoon, too.

Hmm, songs about cities?

What are the best?

Presto:

(In no particular order and I realize there a thousand others)

Running Back To Saskatoon

A fop to Canada? No, a good song.

New York, New York

Omnipresent? Maybe. But it’s still Francis Albert.

Katmandu

Bob Seger could belt ‘em out, no?

Dancing In The Street

Martha and the Vandellas, not technically about a “city” but it’s my gig here and I can set the parameters.

And this …

You knew Springsteen would here, right?

Great song, great city and the first one that popped to mind when the thought process was unfolding.

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Basketball?

There is some, actually.

The EuroLeague starts today with Zalgaris Kaunas (yes, and Old Friend Sonny Weems) against CSKA Moscow, where Andrei Kirilenko is hanging out during the lockout.

Not sure if we can see it here because the last time I tried to get into ESPN3 it was blocked out and a 7 a.m. Oct. 17 check of NBA TV Canada’s listing had shows for Oct. 9-17 (thanks, folks) but if you can find it, there are a couple of things to watch for.

Far more drive-and-kick action from the guards, enough moving screens that you think you’re looking at a Boston Celtics highlight video, and a whole lot of high-post action.

It’s certainly not the NBA because the depth of talent isn’t quite there but, as we’ve said all along, just because it’s different doesn’t mean its worse.

As a primer, here’s the league’s website preview box.

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Hey, you folks should come over to the Faceoff Facebook thingy.

Not sure how well it’s going but it seems to be fun and, frankly, the more likes the better.

We’re trying to figure out different things to do, a FAQ seems to be one of them, so any suggestions welcome.

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Best new-ish fad in all of pro sports?

Football players jumping in the stands after scoring a touchdown.

Not sure why, but it seems very cool to me and a lot of fun.

I know it was the Lambeau Leap to begin with but now that it seems to be spreading a bit, that’s even better.

Easily beats those goofy choreographed end zone celebrations that make the eyes glaze over, doesn’t it?

Watching guys dance or hug each other or put on some elaborate show (remember the dude who pretended there was a cellphone attached to the goal post?) was and is boring.

Seeing guys leap into the stands is not.

Now, I do know there was one touchdown celebration that really caught on.

You remember this? (Sorry it takes a minute or so to get to it)

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Basketball?

Sure, just as an update.

Don’t forget the American federal mediator starts chatting with David and Billy and The Boys today to try to break this logjam.

Be prepared for more endless updates that offer precious little for those wanting to know when games actually begin.

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Quick seamhead question:

That Marcum for Hobbs deal’s looking pretty good today, no?

I know, I know. No way the Brewers get to the post-season if it wasn’t for Marcum’s regular season efforts most likely and the TOD, despite Lawrie’s debut, are spending another fall watching games on TV.

Still …

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The end of the weekend mail

This is one of the best in quite a while, folks.

Enjoy it while I’m off covering a marathon, which takes another thing off the Grunt Bucket List (not really, but it’ll still be a first)

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Q: Greetings, Mr. Doug! It's been a while. I haven't forgotten about this space; I just don't get around to it much these days. I will try to do better.

Here's a question that may have been answered in my long absence. All this talk of the BRI has me wondering what, exactly, are its practical results. That is, do players get a cheque for their share on top of their salary? If so, is the cheque equal for all players or reflective of their respective salaries? Or is the BRI given to the Players Association for funds? It's all very confusing. Hope you can elucidate.

Guy M, Vancouver

A: I’m trying to figure out the easiest way to explain this – and I certainly haven’t done it to this point – so here goes:

BRI “is” the players salary.

It is the total money available, after accountants from the league scour books each July, to pay the players under the cap and tax system. It includes TV revenues, ticket sales, some merchandising, some concessions, some signage, some league-wide sponsorships. It is the amount by which the annual cap (51 per cent of it) and tax threshold (57 per cent of it) are determined.

It is the pie they are trying to equitably split; the one problem I have with it is that it’s gross revenue, it doesn’t take into account expenses incurred generating it, which then have to come out of league or team coffers.

But it is not extra or a bonus or anything like that, it is the money available.

If that’s not clear – and I have idea if it is – this link might get you to a place where it’s more clearly explained.

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Q: Hey Doug, since so far we seem to be having an extremely great playoffs for Baseball, how about a top 5 of baseball playoff memories, either in person or on the tube.

Enjoy the weekend.

Scott M, Ilderton

A: Okay, dark recesses of the mind, time.

In no particular order:

Kirk Gibson’s homer in the ’98 World Series.

More drama than you can imagine and two of the greatest broadcast lines ever.

This one

And this one

Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.

Jack Morris vs. Tom Glavine. Maybe the best 1-0 game of my lifetime.

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series

Not Carlton Fisk’s homer but the one that save the game by Bernie Carbo. Still the single greatest baseball game I’ve ever seen.

And for pure zaniness and all kinds of crazy things happening, and the only one of these I saw live and in person, I’m going with Jays 14, Phillies 14 in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series.

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Q: Hey Doug. Pretend you're the mediator in the NBA labour dispute. You want to suggest one demand that each side should drop. What owner demand do you ask to be dropped/amended? On which demand do you tell the players to give their head a shake? And finally, from the fans' perspective, what is the single most positive change that could come out of this dispute's resolution?

Gary M, Ottawa

A: Let me answer the last one first in our backwards kind of way: The best thing, I guess, is some sort of more even financial playing field. For the most part – and it’s not 100 per cent true – teams that are willing to spend gobs of tax money have a leg up; I think that has to change, either to make the tax far more punitive or staggered so that teams that may not want to pay it aren’t so far behind the others. How to do that is the difficult thing.

Now, for the sides?

I tell the owners to come off their demands for 53 per cent of the BRI, although if they go to 50-50, I’d let them lop some money off the top for marketing expenses. And I’d tell the players to give their head a shake on any insistence that all contracts be fully guaranteed (there has to be a way to make them partially-guaranteed) and if it’s true they’re looking for 10 per cent annual raises, I’d make them cut that to something more sensible, like between five and six.

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Q: Your request is my command! I have a question for you: Although I know you don't get a lot of opportunities to watch/listen to sports during the NBA season, I assume that you have had the opportunity from time to time. So, what words/phrases do announcers use that make you want to throw a brick at the TV/radio? One that drives me crazy is "athleticism."

I am so amazed at how your blog continues to be such an interesting read, despite the fact that there is no real NBA news!

Keep up the great work.

Tim H, Windsor

A: I’m with you on the “athleticism” thing but every time I hear anybody talk about a guy’s ability “to score the basketball” I want to throttle him. That’s so far at the top of the list you can’t see the second one.

But if there are others, I’d probably put “warrior” on the list and round out the top three with “athleticism.”

Oh, and toss “great effort” on there, isn’t that what they’re supposed to do?

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Q: Now that the NBA and NBPA have agreed to introduce an outside mediator to their negotiations, I was wondering if this is just the first of other alternative resolution mediums they might try. I am thinking a one on one with Michael vs. Kobe. The pay per view alone would be enough to bridge the BRI gap. Maybe a chess match with Bonner or Battier vs. Stern: winner sets the cap. How about a monopoly game with Cuban vs. Garnett where the winner sets contract lengths...I was wondering Doug, if you could suggest a list of alternative resolution mediums and the player and owner best suited to represent their parties.

Rob Neves, London

A: Five words:

David. Billy. Steel. Cage. Match.

Or how about a “quote-off” between Metta Word Peace and, say, Stan Van Gundy? Most outrageous statement wins.

How about Lamar Odom and Hump in a dishwashing/housecleaning pay-per-view to augment BRI?

Mikhail Prokorov vs. Andrei Kirilenko: I Love Russia More Because …

Dan Gilbert vs. LeBron James in anything.

Over to the Irregulars for more.

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Q: Doug...Best couple of comedy lines ever?

The WKRP turkey one.

Norm's..Did you ever feel like it's a dog eat dog world, and you're wearing milkbone underwear?

Amos and Andy's!!!! ...If she looks like Sapphire's momma, the Lone Ranger gonna be alone for a long time.

And where is this from... You say you've been cleanin floors all day, and your legs are ready to buckle... Is that what's troublin you bippo? Is it White Fang ( definitely not Blacktooth) from the old Soupy Sales show?

Any more?

Bob E, Kanata

A: Nothing – NOTHING – beats “as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”

But …

Ed Norton: Hey, Ralph, you care if I smoke?

Ralph: I don’t care if you burn.

Or

Kramer: My boys are out there and loving it.

Or

Jerry: And you want to be my latex salesman?

Got to be more, right folks?

The usual start of the weekend mail

Well, folks, you came through again.

And there are a few leftover for tomorrow – and some lists! – but there’s always room for more.

You know the drill.

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Q: Doug, first a quick thank you for the obvious effort you are (very successfully) putting into keeping us irregulars entertained and informed through your creativity and adventurous diversification. Thank you for venturing outside of your comfort zone, I am sure it isn't easy..._I am a bit of an optimist, so to put a positive "when..." spin on this season, what are you looking forward to most about the upcoming Raptor's season? What are your top 3 things you are focusing on and/or anticipating this season?

Really enjoy your blog. It has been fascinating watching it evolve from a weekly e-mail bag to now!

Allan F, Burlington

A: My Top 3 are, I’m sure, shared by the vast majority of fans.

In no particular order, I offer:

Can Dwane Casey team ‘em how to defend better? Not sure what “system” or “scheme” he can or will put it; I still contend players simply need to work harder at it but improvement in that area is a must.

Can Jerryd Bayless continue to develop. He had a pretty good run as a spot starter at times last year but he’s young and still relatively unproven, I don’t think they know what they’ve got and need to find out quickly.

And, finally, it’s going to be interesting to see what Ed Davis does in his second season. He had some fine moments last year pretty much out of nowhere and teams won’t let him sneak up in them this time around.

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Q: A few:

Q1: Is Joey Dorsey's contract set in stone in Europe?

Q2: Would we like to see him back here?

Q3: What's more complicated, an NBA labour dispute, or any other labour dispute?

Q4: Isn't the very best gig being the substitute 3-point shooter on any NBA team?

Q4: With Jonas in Europe this year, didn't 'the powers that be' decide to tank this season? (The fans are just recognizing it, after the fact.)

Bo K, Mississauga

A: There is no out, which is fine because there was really no interest here.

Sports disputes are always more complicated because instead of having just company vs. a union, the “company” in a sports negotiation is always a disparate group that may be at cross purposes sometime.

I’m sticking with situational season and, no, the powers that be did not “tank the season” in any way, shape or form.

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Q: Doug, this may have been asked before -- I can't recall. I was wondering: Have you ever had a player talk to you about an article that you've written about them? Either a positive "Thanks for the great story" or a case where they've taken exception to some criticism? Do many players even read the stuff written about them?

As always, thanks!

Chris C, Toronto

A: It’s funny. If you ask athletes – most of them, anyway – they’ll tell you they don’t read the papers or watch TV or listen to the radio. And then every now and then, one of ‘em will make some remark about something you’ve written and they’re caught.

But most of them, in my experience, have thick enough skin that when they make snide comments, it’s only a tweak; if they play terribly, they know it.

Specifically? The only guy who truly took exception in a bad way was Keon Clark, who stopped answering my questions for a week or two one time. Oh, and Oliver Miller once put us “on probation” because we were critical of him and it wasn’t that big a hardship, to tell you the truth.

On the good side, I did once in the last year have a guy thank me for a story I wrote because his mom read it and liked it.

That was cool.

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Q: What kind of impact, if any, do you think the NBA lock-out is having on the potential sale of MLSE?

PS - Think it's awesome the "tall foreheads" realize what a great product they've got with your work. Don't let them screw it up!

K J, Toronto

A: There are so many moving parts in the sale, and some many components to the conglomerate, that I don’t think the lockout is having any impact at all. And I’m not hearing that it’s an issue from anyone I talk to, either. In fact, some think a new “economic order” in the basketball, and it is coming, would be better for a potential buyer.

And don’t worry, the TFs are incapable of screwing up, at least the one I deal with on this Facebook thingy.

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Q: How about Condrege Holloway in your top five CFL QBs?

Thanks!

Ed D, Detroit

A: Oh, he’s a Hall of Famer and had a nice productive career but I can’t see him cracking the Top 5, and maybe not the Top 10 if you take in the olden days.

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Q: Hi Doug, I understand your argument that the Raptors should do everything they can to win every game they can, but I don't think they should spend money on lengthy free agent contracts this year (assuming there's a season).

The Raptors have an intriguing young core of players, but are missing a starting SF (you said it yourself in today's blog). This year's draft is notably strong and deep, particularly with small forwards. Jonas isn't playing in Toronto this year, and there's a new coach implementing a whole new system.

I don't think Bryan should add any free agents this year (likely a SF and big), only to win a third to half of their games, maybe squeak into the playoffs, get a mid-teen lottery pick, and have less money to spend next year. I think it makes more sense to save those dollars for 2012/13 when you have a better sense your team needs, including Jonas's ability to contribute, and look at drafting one of the small forwards likely to go in the lottery of the 2012 draft.

I'm not suggesting they tank the season by any means, but I think they should be strategic about how they spend their salary dollars. It might mean fewer wins this season, but I believe it will be better for the team in the long-term.

Thoughts?

Graham V, Vancouver

A: They do have a somewhat intriguing young group that needs augmenting and my rule of thumb is you have to strike while the iron is hot. Now, I’m not advocating some huge deal whenever they’re allowed to sign players but I don’t think you can make a blanket statement about not signing players just because you think the core’s good. I have no clue about the calibre of the 2012 draft and anyone who says they know for sure is guessing, if not lying. And I’m not sure they need more unproven youngsters on a team with a lot of them; I can make the case they need some old heads more urgently.

If there’s something they think makes sense to do soon, they need to do it.

A comical idea, another fake deadline and the offspring of stars

Okay, of all the crap we’ve heard during this NBA lockout – owners crying poor and talking about concessions that are simply smaller takeaways than first proposed, players talking about being “united” while a lot of ‘em are exploring overseas options, all the other boring BRI and “system” issues – here’s the one that I find most laughable:

A Players League!

Seriously. I read somewhere that Amar’e Stoudemire – while on a tour shilling his shoes that he wants fans to buy – made some crack about the players forming their own league since the NBA won’t “let them play.”

What’s that old saying?

Hahahahahahahahahaha.

Yeah, right.

Players – or the money-grubbing agents more interested in their future 4 per cent than anything – are going to find arenas, enough guys who want to take part, sponsors willing to run afoul of the league by backing something doomed to failure and the organizational skills to pull off a league?

You have got to be kidding.

Look, if you held a gun to my head, made me hold my nose and pick a side this ridiculous dispute over a $4 billion business, I’d come down on the side of the players. They are being asked to give back gains they’ve made in legitimate collective bargaining sessions over the years and the owners simply want protection from themselves. It stinks but it’s the way it has to be, I’m afraid.

But to think the players could somehow start a legitimate league is laughable.

More of those silly exhibition games? Maybe.

A competitive league? Ridiculous. And not just for them, either. There are no TV deals to be made for some rival league – at least not ones worth anything – and there are no arenas that aren’t already locked up or an infrastructure in place.

So we can forget that, okay?

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You know, I’m a big fan of fall in a lot of ways -- love fall baseball, the weather’s better than frigid winter or scalding summer, it’s usually a sign that my work season is about to begin – but …

These darn varmints as still screwing with the growing sod and seem to have set up winter camp under the deck and as I sit on the front porch and watch the magestic maple and skinny birch trees create leaf carnage I’m rethinking that.

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David Stern goes on a popular New York City radio yesterday and then sits down with NBA TV and I figure if I turn on the TV this morning, he might be chatting with Rachael Ray.

Oh, and it’s all doom and gloom: League wants a deal, he doesn’t think the union does; Tuesday’s an important day because he can see the whole season slipping away; Christmas games are definitely in peril.

Oh, and the players are meeting in Los Angeles today, I believe, and I’m sure we’ll be inundated with stories of solidarity and not giving in and sticking together.

Yawn.

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Interesting item by my colleague Zelk on CFL quarterbacks now that Anthony Calvillo has passed for a billion or so yards and become the most prolific QB in history.

Is he the greatest CFL quarterback ever?

I must admit I’ve seen less of him than I have of the others who’d get some consideration, watching CFL games on TV has become a victim of time, I simply don’t have enough each weekend.

But if I had to rank them, I’d probably go with:

Doug Flutie

I was a CFL scribbler for a couple of years in the 1990s when Flutie was around and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more creative football player in my life. He just did wild things. And well.

Warren Moon

If you go by winning, he has to be here, no? What’d he have? Five Grey Cups in his short career? I think people might forget how good he was.

Anthony Calvillo

By sheer dint of yards and time, he’s definitely in consideration but somehow, he doesn’t elicit the excitement in the mind that the other two do.

Damon Allen

He’s retired, right? Bet he’d still be able to do something for this sorry lot of Argos.

Now, I don’t know where Russ Jackson fits on this list but if you’re doing Top 5 – and Zelk’s story on did four – he’d have to be the other one, wouldn’t he?

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Grr.

Mail.

Please. Here. Now. Thanks.

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Hey, how come nobody told me Chynna Phillips got whacked on DWTS? People!

And I’m not sure I realized – or I’d forgotten – that she was the progeny of half of the Mamas and Papas which can only mean …

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There’s nothing like a long late-afternoon/evening of baseball playoff doubleheader is there?

Seriously, two fine games yesterday, one hugely dramatic one followed by an okay one the night before and it’s like a ritual of fall.

But the problem I have this year, or this week at least, is that I cannot come to enjoy the announcing teams.

We know that good tastes runs more to the under-stated – Vin Scully should do every post-season game every year – and these guys on Fox and the international feed we’re getting on Turner just seem to turn me off.

Too excited, too verbose, not nearly enough good stories told for my liking.

Besides, just about every time I hear Gary Thorne I think of the pucks and shudder a bit.

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