Some things are effective, even if they aren't pretty

I know Kyrie Irving is a very good basketball player because everyone I talk to tells me he is and it’s a virtual certainty that he’ll be the NBA’s rookie of the year.

And he should be glad he doesn’t play the Raptors too, too often because, for some reason, they make him look very pedestrian.

And with that …

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THREE POINTERS

It ain’t pretty but …

Not sure there are too many players in the NBA – especially big men – who drive the ball quite so awkwardly as Andrea Bargnani.

He kind of galumphs along, couple of dribbles and it looks like he’s either going to crash into whichever two defenders are there until he goes careening off to one side to finish one of those finger-rollish, off-balance layups or quasi-jump shots of his.

But if it works, as it did a couple of times last night, it really makes him a much more effective offensive force.

Bargnani looked far more comfortable both driving the ball and shooting it last night than he did in either of the weekend games and the one thing that’s going to warm the cockles of Casey’s mind is his aggressive showing on high screen-roll defence. He got out and disrupted the ball-handler as well as he had in the first 20 or so games of the season and that remains the biggest surprise improvement to his play this year.

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Retinas burning

Was odd to watch a game from a couch, hadn’t done that in a very long time it seems, and it provided one very ghastly sight.

Ed Davis free throws.

Now, I know they’re not pretty at all from watching him live but the low baseline shot from behind him showed just how gruesome they can be.

Ed had one of his best games in quite a while, overall, but the little corkscrew, start-at-his-right-hip-finish-at-his-left-shoulder foul shooting form is quite alarming.

I know they’ve been working on it with him but it might be a case that they need so much surgery on the form that it’s best to just suck it up this season – he’s shooting 65 per cent from the line – and really break him down and start over in the summer.

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He doesn’t miss

No, you did not see Amir Johnson miss a shot last night.

He was 4-for-4 from the floor – and a game-high nine rebounds – and he might be the hottest shooter in the game right now.

Over his last five games, Johnson is 22-for-31 from the field – the abacus tells me that’s somewhere around 71 per cent – and he’s almost perfected a little jump-hook floater from about seven feet.

The thing is, he’s often thrived when he’s been on the floor with Bargnani, the spacing is just better suited for Johnson and now that the other big fella is back, good things may be ahead.

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And …

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Well, Saturday’s coming and you know what that means?

Some of the best music is Irish music and even though this is a Texan (remember this Steve Earle song from Treme right before his character was killed off?) it’s got that Irish lilt.

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Let me get this straight:

The Orlando Magic have beaten Chicago and Miami in the last week, they have the third best record in the East and the fifth best in the NBA and Dwight Howard is bleating about management needing to “roll their dice” this summer because he wants to stay past Thursday’s deadline?

You know, I used to like Dwight Howard an awful lot, he played the game with a smile on his face, was very good and it looked like he was on his way to being one of the very best in the game.

Now, he seems to be something of a petulant little spoiled brat who wants his own way right now; he’s with an organization that’s bent over backwards to accommodate him, they surrounded him with all kinds of good players – good enough to get to an NBA Finals – and paid him as much as they could. He has a fawning fan base to adore him and perhaps the nicest arena in the NBA to play his home games in.

And he wants them to “roll their dice” in the summer.

The Magic ought to find one of those “rental” trade scenarios being kicked around – Houston, maybe? – and ship him out and roll their dice with the rest of ‘em.

And sometime next year, when Howard’s taken a huge financial hit and he’s playing Brooklyn for a team that will always – always – be second fiddle to the Knicks in that market, maybe he’ll realize what “rolling the dice” can mean.

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I don’t know how many of you closely read the various comments that are posted here daily – I would hope most of you do – but I look at them and am continually amazed.

The willingness of people to share personal stories and the often well-thought-out replies to things written here truly show what kind of cool community that’s developing.

Yesterday’s replies to the pro-casino rant are a perfect case in point. You made excellent points, created interesting debate and made this a discussion as much as anything. And if one of them led one of you to re-think a position, or learn something new, then that’s all the better.

When we began this little endeavour almost five years ago, no one knew how people would take to it.

We’re at more than 50,000 comments posted, the vast majority well spoken opinions, and when we get the good ones, it makes the few that make me crazy seem far less important.

Thanks.

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Not sure what the issue is about NBA trade deadline going up against first day of March Madness for one season and one season only.

It's not like either is getting short-shrift in the coverage department, there still seems to be lots of stories on both out there.

Is it perfect? No. But things will be back to normal next year; the only reason it's about two weeks later than normal is that this is an abomination of an NBA season thanks to the lockout

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Ready to mock?

I’m told the Smith/Kelly March Madness Bracketopalooza will be posted around here sometime around noon and here’s a sneak preview:

Forget the chalk.

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Speaking of comments, have an early airplane ride this morning to Jersey, will get to them when I can.

And if I can get to some mail to begin the long weekend process with an afternoon puttering in a hotel room, that’d be nice.

Do it here, as you well know, it’ll keep me occupied until the IGBT starts just after 7 p.m.

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So, Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson for Monta Ellis, Epke Udoh and Kwame Brown?

Trade Deadline Week got off to a big start, didn’t it?

Who wins?

Well, we know it’s impossible to tell the winner of any trade in the first 24 hours – and it’s even more impossible to figure out this one since Bogut isn’t likely to play the rest of this year, and Jackson’s just a rental.

But I like what both teams did.

The Warriors got – if he’s healthy – one of the most under-rated big men in the game and sent a clear signal that Stephen Curry is the man of their future.

The Bucks now have insurance for when Brandon Jennings bolts – which will be at the very first chance – but watching Jennings and Ellis share the ball and shots might be enough to cause coach Scott Skiles to have an episode of some sort.

Today?

If you pointed a gun at my head and asked who “won” the trade, I’d say it’s the Bucks. But ask me at this time next year when it’s an awful lot more clear.

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The demise of civilization is not upon us

So there’s a casino coming somewhere in our neck of the woods, it would appear from this story, and the debate is going to rage about where they put it, who really wants it, what the social cost will be.

And the debate will centre on one salient point:

Are these places worth it?

A bit of background, first:

I will fully admit I have never once in my life pulled a slot machine handle or played video poker, I’ve not once set foot in Rama and the only time I was ever in either of the Niagara Falls casinos was to attend a rollicking 150th anniversary bash for the Mighty Stamford Hornets. Casinos really aren’t my style so it’s not like I’m itching to have the right to stay close to home and be separated from my money by a government-run gambling den.

I did, a very long time ago, telephone a football bet or two into a People Who Shall Remain Unknown but that was in a different time in life (I should tell you a story sometime about having to hand over a small Super Wife Christmas bonus to a fellow the first year we were hanging out) and since I know the perils of sucker bets like parlays, I wouldn’t put a Pro Line wager down if knew how to, which I don’t.

That said, though, I fall entirely on the side of “bring the casino on” in this argument.

They do generate some kind of revenue, they are a centre of entertainment that runs the gamut from gaming to concerts to sports events.

They – at least this one in the GTA – would simply be an extension of what’s available an hour to the south or an hour to the north and, having some first-hand knowledge of at least one of them, they have been a boon to area rather than knocking it down into some kind of perilous tumble into darkness and disaster.

They are not bad, evil things, not at all like modern day opium dens with zombie-like gamblers wobbling table to table blowing the family fortune every hour of every day.

The neighbourhoods, at least around the one I know of, has not denigrated into brutal traffic and dark alleys populated by broken souls.

Yes, they need to be closely managed and we need to be wary of the social costs but, really, gambling -- government-sponsored or internet-based, or telephoned to People Who Shall Remain Unknown – is now a basic fact of life for so many.

To think otherwise is folly, to think that another casino would bring about the downfall of some small segment of civilization is equally foolish.

They are here; one more isn’t really going to hurt.

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Couple of final words on TJ Ford, aside from my thanks for all the nice comments yesterday afternoon.

(I had a marathon sleep and didn’t get to see them until early this morning).

First, TJ for Charlie V might be one of Bryan’s best, under-stated moves, no? Been more than a few rip jobs out there for some that didn’t work out, best to make mention of one that did.

And, right after the news got out, I was talking electronically to Jose to confirm what I remembered to be true and to get his feelings on a guy he still considers a friend.

“Everybody was talking about that bad relationship, but it was never a problem. Yes we compete for minutes but nothing else.”

And that’s how I remembered it, too. Couple of guys who wanted to play tying to convince the coach they should.

Oh, and Jose’s ankle?

It’s feeling better but that’s about it.

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If they’re looking for a perfect case study in over-reaction concerning a professional sports team, they will do no worse than to examine this year’s version of the New York Knicks.

Fascinating, in many ways.

Team, and it’s fans, and some of the media that cover it, wildly over-estimate talent level coming out of camp and when things start of slowly, people have to get fired, traded, benched or whatever.

Hero, for the moment, comes in and is lauded for his greatness, even if it’s unwarranted. It was one of those amazing flashfires and perfect storms, good story, good guy, and blown so incredibly out of proportion it’s not even funny. It was so nutty that there were legitimate commenters wondering if Jeremy Lin could be a late add to either the NBA all-star game and whether or not he’d paly in the Olympics for China or the United States. As if.

Now the Knicks have – and we’ll borrow an IGBT saying for this – regressed to the mean big, time. They were never, in some opinions, particularly good or well constructed. They have a faltering big man losing explosiveness every day in Amar’e Stoudemire, a gifted scorer who was traded from one team because he was a bit of ball-stopper who didn’t make his teammates any better in Carmelo Anthony, a point guard who is good but far from great and is exhibiting traits that many saw from the very start in Jeremy Lin.

And now people should get traded, benched or whatever.

It’s hilarious and is one of the great stories of the season to watch from afar.

When the season began, there were those who thought the Knicks would be life and death to sneak into the bottom one or two playoff spots in the East; we arrive at the trade deadline feeling exactly the same way but the journey has been fascinating.

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Oh, yeah.

My Man Kelly is down in Cleveland making sure the lake doesn’t spontaneously combust and watching the HOTH tangle with the Cavs so the IGBT gets a night off.

We’ll be back tomorrow from Jersey, my first foray into Newark, lucky soul that I am.

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Presume you’ve all breathlessly read this little NCAA thingy from our paper today; a bit more on Andrew Nicholson, a little more on other Canadians, some notes and such.

Well, tomorrow you get to mock openly, if you like, since The Aforementioned My Man Kelly and I are both submitting brackets that will live on-line for the duration of the tournament.

Better get Super Son and Super Dog involved, there’s no way I’m taking the hit for my ignorance alone.

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One of the good guys hangs 'em up; good call for all

We’d all be standing around the middle of the Raptors locker room after games a bit awkwardly, maybe 10, 20, sometimes 25 beat grunts and camera operators and drop-ins, waiting patiently for whichever Raptor got dressed first so we could get some passable quotes to use in whatever story we were working on.

Chris Bosh was always the last – he had to get the earrings in and the tie knotted just so because you can’t do TV while looking slovenly – and the seconds would turn into minutes and the deadlines would be rapidly approaching.

And then, without fail, TJ Ford would be done, he’d approach the middle of the room where everyone was gathered and he’d catch someone by eye, stop for a second and say:

“Anyone need anything from me.”

It didn’t matter if he’d played well or poorly or at all, he’d stand there and answer questions honestly and with candor until the last questioner was gone; didn’t matter if they fled to talk to someone else or what, he’d wait and do whatever he had to do.

It was just the kind of guy he was, and is, and of all the Raptors to come down the pike in all the years, the tiny point guard was among the most honest, self-critical and forthcoming of them all.

News yesterday that Ford is going to have to retire from the game he loves so much because of neck/spine/back fears hit like a bolt of lightning, out of nowhere but not entirely unexpected because of the clouds that had been gathering for a while.

I wasn’t there the night he collided with Mark Madsen of Minnesota Timberwolves to cause the first injury that brought his genetic spine flaw to the forefront. TJ was playing in Milwaukee at the time and was as fearless as anyone in the game and the fact he and Madsen developed a friendship afterwards speaks volumes, I think, to TJ’s credit.

I wasn’t there the night in Atlanta when Al Horford smacked him and he fell so hard, so many of us at home holding our breath hoping he’d be okay.

But it was always like that with TJ. He’d go in there, looking to get hit and he didn’t care. He knew about his neck and his spine and his future and he’d do what he had to do. And we’d cringe. Always. If there was one trademark to the style of Ford’s play, the only way to describe it was “fearless.”

He was slight – maybe the tiniest Raptor ever – and he didn’t care. We’d hold our breath – as would his teammates and coaches – every time he’d attack the basket, knowing that the next hit could be his last. Never deterred him, though. He’d get in the paint among the giants of the game and take his hits as they were dished out. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew the next collision could be his last but he didn’t care. It’s the way he was.

It’s probably good that TJ hung ‘em up when he did, the last hit, from New York’s Baron Davis a week or so ago, got him a “stinger” and the realization that he was tempting fate pretty much every time he stepped on the court.

I can only imagine his sadness, deep in his heart, that it’s over; that all his speed and agility and uncanny knack for getting to the basket among far bigger men is not something he will get to do again.

Now, there can be no question, in his time in Toronto at least, that TJ had some issues. He didn’t handle the competition with Jose Calderon all that well – although I will tell you without question that the two remain friends today – and TJ had a tendency to sulk when things didn’t go his way. But he was a relative kid and in the grand scheme of things, I guess hindsight should give him a pass. He was TJ, and the stubbornness wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Oh, and one more thing:

On so many of those nights when he’d make sure he was available and accountable and would stand there and take whatever we had to dish out, there’d be a really cute little fellow over by the locker.

That’d be TJ Junior.

And that’s the guy TJ Senior needs to worry about now.

The decision he made today is the best for both of them.

 

A big week when nothing should happen

Okay, after three games in three nights in three cities with about 1,000 more kilometers, it’s going to be nice to have a couple of game-free days here.

And it might give me a chance to get some other stuff in here.

Until then …

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THREE POINTERS

An important man

I say this only partially in jest but the most important man in the Raptors organization this week could very well be Ed Stefanski.

That’s because he’s the guy who’s going to be disconnecting the phone when Bryan tries – and you know he will – to get in on every transaction going leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline.

The jesting part comes because I know Bryan does really believe in his plan, which is to see how this season unfolds without jeopardizing a summer when he’ll have lots of money to spend – depending on whether they use the amnesty clause and which free agents they renounce they could have between $10 million and $20 million go and spend.

But I also know Bryan well enough to realize that the art of the deal is something he’s quite fond of and I know he’ll at least be exploring stuff to get involved with. He can’t help himself, we always joke, and it’s a bit true.

However, even with Jose out and the struggles that will mean and with a team absorbing losses at a rapid rate, Bryan needs to spend this week taking a series of deep breaths and wondering what next season might look like with Valanciunas, a free agent or two, the core guys he’s got now and another high draft pick.

I don’t know precisely where these guys will be spending every waking hour between now and Thursday but wherever Bryan is, Ed needs to be.

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A key bad stretch

It’s just before halftime against the Bucks and the lads are rolling a little bit and then they have one of their patented mental hiccups that kind of changes the momentum of the game.

Bucks, down eight, get the ball back with about 22 seconds to go and are holding for the final shot.

The Raptors have a foul to give and almost the entire bench is up yelling “zebra, zebra, zebra,” which is Raptor code to give the foul, a move they’d like to make with about five seconds, maybe four, to go.

So, of course, they don’t give the foul intentionally when they should – although there was all kind of opportunity – and the Bucks end up with an old-fashioned three-point play (oh, Toronto fouled, but at the wrong time in the wrong manner on the wrong guy) and go into the half feeling pretty good about themselves.

And Dwane’s pulling his hair out.

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A slow return

We’ve seen on the weekend just how much rust can build up on a guy during 20 games off, aren’t we?

While there were glimpses of the Andrea Bargnani we saw early in the season, he’s not nearly himself nor up to game speed. Some good moves, looks okay in short bursts but it’s going to probably take the rest of this week for him to get truly comfortable.

And it looks like it’s going to take as much time for the rest of his teammates to get used to having him back, too, because he was far too uninvolved in the offence for anyone’s liking.

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More?

A bit.

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Look, we know that Michigan has been hard hit by the economic downturn because of its reliance on the auto injury and you can imagine how many businesses are offering all kinds of sales incentives to attract customers.

Well, this one floored me when the Smelly Ford Focus was motoring down the highway sometime Saturday with the radio blaring.

Seems there’s a big two-for-one sale going at – get this! – a cosmetic surgery clinic.

Seriously.

Come for the liposuction and we’ll throw in a nose job.

Rid yourself of the laugh lines and we’ll toss in a tummy tuck.

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Oh yeah, Rick came by to shoot some photos and this is what he came up with.

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Hey, it’s March Break, watch out for the urchins scrambling about the neighbourhood, would you?

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Now, I know there going to be all kinds of compelling stories that come out now that the March Madness field is set. There will be tales of drama and perseverance and fighting through any number of personal tragedies and difficult situations.

None may be as cool as the one about St. Bonaventure, which got into the tournament by winning the Atlantic 10 conference title when Mississauga’s Andrew Nicholson had a game for the ages – 26 points, 14 rebounds, eight blocked shots.

(Check out this little yarn culled from the USA Today).

Anyway, for a guy whose first memory of NCAA basketball might be the old Little Three and Bob Lanier at Bona and Calvin Murphy at Niagara and whoever Canisius had, makes me feel good to see a program that was almost in ruins for using an illegal player almost a decade back return to the tournament for the first time in more than a decade.

And Nicholson? Well, when I did a little tiny Canadians Who Might Get Drafted thing a few weeks ago, scouts had told me he could possibly sneak into the bottom of the first round of the NBA draft; I’m sure those chances have increased exponentially of late.

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Okay, I need to get to the Tall Foreheads and find out just want they want from a request a week ago asking me if I’d fill out a March Madness bracket to go along with one done by C. Kelly.

No clue if they want mocking or legit or what; I hope they’re okay with total guesswork because I’ve seen about zero college games from start to finish this year.

Stay tuned, this may end up being a hoot.

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To the surprise of no one, Carleton wins the CIS title going away, rolling over Alberta in the gold medal game.

It’s eight wins in 10 years for the Ravens and it’s got to do two things:

It cements them as one of the all-time dominant Canadian university programs – not sure where I’d rank them compared to the old Victoria team, it’s too hard to compare eras – and it’s also got to send the rest of the CIS schools scurrying to improve their programs.

While it’s nice to have one monolith to look at – and coach Dave Smart’s done an outstanding job recruiting and keeping that program moving forward – there needs to be, I think, a bit more competition at the very top of the pole for the game to truly go.

But, for now, hats off entirely to the Ravens, that’s an impressive string of victories.

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The Goods On The Game, Bucks at Raptors

Another day.

Another game.

The end of the weekend mail

Okay, Smelly Ford Focus and I – having lost an hour somewhere – are traipsing down the 402, 401, 403 and then down to the arena so you have fun with this and we’ll talk when I get to the arena sometime this afternoon.

Don’t forget, IGBT around 6 tonight, be there or be square.

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Q: Hey Doug: Since you 'scooped' Cathal in today's (Wednesday's) blog, and talked about soccer, it gave me an idea for a question. (BTW, I also was a soccer 'scoffer,' figuring it was just a bunch of people running willy-nilly around a huge field - until I was asked to help coach a team, and realized that there was actually some planning and strategy involved!)

My question: Purely as a spectator (not a beat grunt worrying about a deadline, or a wordsmith, trying to figure out how to craft his thoughts for a blog), how would you rank your interest in various athletic events? Which athletic events do you find wishing to could watch more of on a casual basis?

Thanks for keeping us informed (and, thanks to some of your commenters, amused)!

Tim H, Windsor

A: Of the major sports, I probably would rank ‘em:

Baseball, for the pace of the game and the ability to kind of relax while watching it.

Basketball, because even if I’m watching it purely as a fan I find myself being a bit analytical and looking as much for stories as plays.

Golf because nothing beats a nice nap on a Sunday afternoon.

Football because, well, because it’s not hockey.

Hockey because, well, because it’s a major sport in some markets.

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Q: Hey Doug, I've been reading David Halberstam's "Playing for Keeps" (which is quickly creeping up my 'favorites' list) and I thought: if you could write a non-fiction book on a sports related theme (including a player), what would it be?

Thanks

Diego S, Toronto

A: Hmm, good one.

I don’t do a lot of fiction, either reading or writing, but it might be cool to tell the story of a former star player as he tries to adapt to real life situations – family and social – after his playing days end. Maybe he goes out a champion and then has to take care of himself without any handlers and be around his family every single day. Maybe he’s got a kid who’s a challenge and some secret in his past that he’d rather not get out but one that’s in mind every day.

Would you buy that?

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Q: Doug, what are the chances that Bargnani's return will in fact disrupt the Raptors, who've nicely adjusted to his absence over the past few weeks?

Ron F, Toronto

A: Um, before the Detroit game they were 5-15 in the games he missed the second time around after being 1-5 the first time around.

Bring on the disruption, I say.

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Hey Doug: Other than the Smelly Ford Focus, what would be your 'dream vehicle?'

Thanks again for all of your various efforts for us!

Tim H, Windsor

A: Oh, it’d probably have to be a nice Mercedes Benz convertible, I’d say. Pretty sleek car.

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Q: Hey Doug. Glad you enjoyed all that the Forest City had to offer! London really is the perfect sized town for quality local sports in my opinion.

Even Co-ed Rec League.

We have our final game before the playoffs coming up against the All-World (er.. All-Campus) team in the league. The team is undefeated, mostly since they've got a behemoth of a centre that dwarfs every other guy in the league by a couple of inches.

So put on your strategy hat, Doug. How do we take down these guys? We've got 3 guys who can bang away at 6 foot 2 to 6 foot 3, but no one close to this kid (he's gotta be 6' 6" or 6' 7"). For a team that has to play close to the net (as GM/Captain/Coach, I've been killing our guys for taking contested threes; they aren't dropping), what is the accepted pro-strategy for facing a team with an obvious height-handicap?

I'm thinking if it were last year's poor outside shooting HOTH versus Yao Ming in his prime would probably stand as a solid example.

We need help, Coach Doug!

Cheers!

Andrew P, Toronto

A: Wow, I’d suggest you need more help simply because you’re asking here.

Me? I put all the big lugs in multiple high screen-roll, get ‘em moving and away from the basket and beat ‘em repeatedly with back-door, off-the-ball cuts.

Of course, I have no clue what I’m talking about but that seems to make sense to me.

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Q: Hi Doug,. Love your blog. Look forward to reading it everyday at work on my coffee break.

I have a comment about the disappointing coverage of the CIS championships by the TV stations. I have been at the CIS championships the last couple of years when they were in Ottawa. The Score was there to broadcast the semis and the final live each year. Even Cabbie was there. It seems to me that 2 of the former announcers, Tim and Sid, had a real passion for all types of Canadian University sports. Now they are gone The Score seems to have dropped the ball in terms of coverage of the CIS championships. In my mind The Score was the channel to go to for Canadian University sports but now they are just like the others and broadcasting US college ball instead of supporting Canadian sports. I hope they get their stuff together for next year and provide coverage of the CIS basketball championships.

Ron D, Ottawa

A: I don’t think we can blame The Score on this one; CIS championship rights are owned by TSN and they’d rather show, I believe, curling on the main network and a car race on the other channel rather than the CIS men’s basketball championship. I’ll give ‘em curling, it’s got a huge draw, but, really, auto racing?

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Q: Doug, it seems like Sonny Weems has fallen of everyone's radar screen. From what little I've seen, he seems to have done reasonably well overseas this year. Is he still a factor in the Raptors personnel deliberations for next year? Is he an RFA, or could he be signed by anyone?

Alan C, Kawartha Lakes

A: The only thing he is to the Raptors at this moment – and I cannot for the life of me seeing it changing – is an asset as a restricted free agent. There is no interest on either side in a return.

He is having a pretty good year over in Lithuanian; won a fridge by being his team’s MVP in the league’s all-star game.

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Q: Diaw would seem to be a player that many teams could use: a team-first guy, not a knucklehead, can play almost any position: think there's any interest from the grownups at the ACC? Anything they have that the Bobs might want that would work?

Brad W, Courtenay

A: There was a time when Boris Diaw was coveted here but that was before he got grotesquely out of shape and fell out of favour with his coach and teammates by putting out half-hearted efforts more often than not. He is certainly not any better right now than anyone Toronto has playing; different, perhaps, but not better.

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Q: I was reading an article on Aaron Gray on Hoopsworld that, in the process of praising the screens he sets, described his listed weight of 270 as "highly questionable." Does the NBA exercise any oversight over the accuracy of roster data? Does anyone other than the fans use roster data, or do the folks in the league keep their own data (I imagine a GM trading for a back-up centre wouldn't want to find out on arrival that his new 7-footer is actually 6-8)? Or could the Raptors, just for the hell of it, list Gray at Jose's size and vice versa?

Mike D, Toronto

A: It’s funny but a lot of the information on the websites is monitored and handled by the NBA itself so they perpetuate the myth of weight and height. But teams do their own measurements, etc., at training camp each season – long after most team information is in the process of being published – so they know what’s up.

The Goods On The Game, Raptors at Pistons

Hey, everyone

What's new?

An evening well spent with the NBL Canada crew

Hey, London!

You do it right.

That was absolutely the essence of small-city sports at the John Labatt Centre on Friday night, excellent crowd of families, lots of kids, lots of fun and people cheering their heads off.

We’ll have a lot more later today here when they get around to posting the story I just filed for tomorrow’s paper but a few quick hits off the Doug Does The NBL Canada Night.

(Oh, and all you Chaucer’s people, thanks a lot for the tip, great spot; see you back for the final, I hope)

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So what’s the talent level like?

Well, there aren’t a lot of talented big men in the games I’ve seen and there weren’t any in London so there’s not a lot of play off the post but there’s also not a lot of isolation and the game does have a bit of a flow.

There are a lot of drive-and-kick moments, neither team really had a “break-down” guy they could put on the wing and let go so it could be a bit frenetic at times.

There were a lot of three-pointers, a bit of off-the-ball movement and there are guys who get at it defensively.

A couple of people – London coach Michael Ray Richardson and Gabe Freeman of the Lightning – equated it to a D League game and while I’ve only seen D League games on TV, I don’t doubt that the top NBL Canada teams could more than hold their own in a game.

But the game was competitive and went down to the final seconds – the Mill Rats had an open game-tying three go in and out with about four seconds left – and you can’t ask for much more than that.

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Best “entertainment” moment?

The Chicken does a front roll-tumble over three June Taylor Dancers who were lying face down on the court.

(That’s code but it was cool).

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Oh yeah, Raptors take note:

We’re sitting courtside just before the start of the half and the nice lady from the scoring table crew comes down with a box of homemade “playoff cookies” that were delicious.

A tradition that should begin at the Air Canada Centre, by the way.

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I’m watching the warm-ups and there’s one guy who looks really familiar, a rather chunky big man on London who has the look of one of those grind-it-out defenders and rebounders teams have for those moments when grit is called for.

I’m trying to figure out where I know him from and he takes off his shooting shirt, his uniform has “M. King” on the back and it hits me.

Mike King.

Played for Canada a long time ago, was with Jay on the ’04 team that went to Puerto Rico and failed to qualify for the Olympics. Hadn’t seen him or heard from him since.

But what’s it say about a guy that eight years later – and I don’t know what he’s been doing in the interim – he’s out there still making something of a living playing ball the same way.

There’s your “Where Are The Now” for the day.

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A digression of sorts:

I’m watching TV and polishing the NBLC story and doing this before the Smelly Ford Focus heads to Auburn Hills and there’s a quick hit on the big lacrosse game at the ACC on Friday.

And I tell you, if these aren’t the most gaudy (read “ugly”) jerseys in the recent history of sports, I don’t know what is.

Whatever happened to teams just having a couple of uniforms, one light and one dark; you work light at home and dark on the road and it was a special night when – back in the day – they switched up for one night.

Now you’ve got home jerseys and road jerseys and third jerseys and throwback jerseys and special occasion jerseys and – you know I can’t wait for these – camouflage jerseys and the head spins.

I know it’s all about marketing and sales and separating fans from a bit more of their hard-earned money but, really? It’s too much sometimes.

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Okay, almost time to drive, which means you’ve got a couple of hours to get the final mail stuff in; do it here and I’ll talk to you from Auburn Hills tonight around 7:30 for the IGBT, right?

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The start of the weekend mail

Well, that was a lot of fun in London last night; good game, great atmosphere and you’ll read all about the snippets here sometime later this morning with a full NBL Canada piece in tomorrow’s paper.

Until then? Enjoy this while the Smelly Ford Focus moseys on down the highway to Auburn Hills.

If you want me to work really hard when I get there, you know the drill.

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Q: Hello... Do new Canadian citizens have to "pound the rock"?

Ottawa just hosted the OFSAA Boys Basketball. There is a lot of good players coming up. Eastern Commerce started five guards. Is this a new trend since all our bigs tend to go south to play Prep ball?

Since the HOTC are in Detroit, who ya got?... Motown, Seger, Kid Rock, Mitch Ryder...

Bob E, Kanata

A: Not sure if it’s a new trend but if it allows players to not be pigeon-holed and smalls to play big and bigs to play small, I’m all for it. Glad you had fun.

If I had to rank those four, it’d probably be Seger, Motown, Kid and Mitch.

And we can't forget this one:

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Q: Hi Doug. This is one that's been floating in my head since you made a comment some time ago.

You have talked several times about some of the young players needing to get in the weight room, and indicated that coaches were of the same mind. Weight training is slightly tricky, it's one form of work that can be overdone and rest is part of what makes it work.

Is there any indication that the players are not doing what Scott McCullough is setting out for them? Or lack of enthusiasm for that part of their training? I have to figure he has worked out programs to optimize the available space for this.

Jim R, Toronto

A: No, no indication at all. But with so many games in so few nights and the need for time to rest and eventually get some on-court practice in, there isn’t much time for a lot of weight-room work. They do lift once or twice a week, schedule-permitting, but the real dedicated work can’t happen during the season.

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Q: Hi Doug. Looking back, in the big draft year, when Bosh et Al got drafted, would you still have drafted LeBron first. I propose to you that considering what they have done, my draft would have gone as 1- Wade, 2- LeBron, 3- Anthony 4- Bosh.

I think Raps made a big mistake by not taking Wade. He brought an average Miami team the cup. What do you think?

Arman P, Oakville

A: Never mind that.

How about when they screwed up by taking that McGrady fellow instead of Kobe? Or Vince over Nash? Yeesh. How did they ever survive?

Ain’t hindsight grand.

But if you’re doing do-overs for the ’04 draft and don’t still take LeBron No. 1 you have issues.

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Q: Doug. I just read your blog where you advised Brian Colangelo and the Raptors against making any more moves until summer. I'm not sure what inside information you possess, or what great insight you possess. It seems a bit over the top that you would advise any NBA GM about this type of thing when you base of information is obviously limited. For the most part your blog and stories are very good, but in this case you made a suggestion without providing any basis for it. Not really the type of comment or information that provides us as readers with much value.

Bob H , Medicine Hat

A: These, as the man says, are My Irregulars.

Value? It allows some to nod in agreement and others to openly mock. If that ain’t value, I don’t know what is.

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Q: Top of the morning to you, a question that relates more to the business of newspapering than basketball specifically. So on any given game night yourself and perhaps Cathal are covering the game. One of you will be on deadline for the "gamer" at, obviously, the end of the game. I find myself curious as to why the first story to appear (on the Star mobile site) quite frequently carries someone else's byline? The other night just to mess me up, the story first goes with one name and some time later, same story different byline. Can't say this keeps me awake at night but, as mentioned, it does leave me curious.

As always thanks for what you do.

Doug T, Brantford

A: Well, here’s the thing: Things have changed a wee bit.

What we need to have is a story to them by 10:30 p.m., which on all occasions in Toronto means we can go and get post-game quotes, write fresh and totally after the game and still make deadline. Sometimes, and this is a change we’ve made that I’m not entirely in tune with, they will use a wire story for that period from the end of the game until the morning when they will “post” my gamer to catch the early-morning web traffic. In the past, they would just use a wire piece until I filed and then replace it whenever I got my story in. I’m not in favour of the change but I’m just a grunt and I’m sure it makes sense to someone at some level.

Mine’s generally up by 8 a.m., if that’s any consolation, which I doubt it is.

A hoops dynasty may continue and bounties shouldn't

Who do these guys think they are, the male equivalents of the Edmonton Grads.

(Google it, kids)

What may unfold in Halifax this weekend at the CIS men’s basketball final is the continuation of one of the great, under-reported basketball stories of the past decade as the Carleton Ravens chase their eighth national title in 10 years.

The reasons are many and varied, I’ve come to learn in the few times I’ve covered the CIS (couple of times in Halifax, a big Saskatchewan win in Ottawa one year), and run from excellent coaching from Dave Smart to an abundance of talent to a wide disparity in ability between the top teams in the country.

As this release from the CIS tells us, this Ravens team may be the best of ‘em all, they are unbeaten in domestic play, win by more than 30 points a game and have been seriously challenged in Canada just once – a three-point win over Lakehead.

But in talking to people who know the game far better than I do, the depth of talent is far superior now than it’s been in quite some time. There are all kinds of good players playing at a high level and even if the Ravens roll, the other seven teams in Halifax are probably better than the other seven behind the winner at any championship.

I talked a bit to Roy Rana of Ryerson for this piece and when we talked about keeping the talent at home, and allowing programs to build, the age-old point was made:

Most of the kids who are drawn to the allure of the NCAA are wasted or forgotten when they get there; they are fodder, end-of-the-bench guys who don’t get better as players and don’t get nearly the quality of education they are likely to get here in Canada.

If they stay home – and many should – they will play, they will get top-notch coaching, their skills will develop and – most important – if they are good enough to be pros in the NBL here or somewhere in the lower divisions of Europe, they will be found.

And they will be found at places like the CIS championships because people who scout the game will be there and be watching.

That’s more than you can say for some Canadian kid stuck on the end of the bench at some low-level NCAA school no one ever hears about or sees.

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Hey, look what’s here?

Yes, it’s a part of our weekly Nothing But Net stuff (main story and a chart) and part of what turned into a busy Thursday.

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Oh, and since I may loafing around a London hotel this afternoon waiting for my first Lightning game, if you’ve got mail, I’d be glad to read it.

You know the drill, right?

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I’m not sure how closely any of you have been following this NFL story about the bounties placed on players by teams; financial rewards for everything from knocking a guy senseless to knocking him out of the game.

It centres on the New Orleans Saints and assistant coach Greg Williams, a franchise and an individual sure to be hammered with fines and penalties by commissioner Roger Goodell whenever he gets through all the investigation.

This is a guy who drilled the New England Patriots for money and picks for spying on opponent; I can only imagine what he’ll do in this instance.

Now, I would guess that bounties – or financial rewards for big hits – have been around forever in some form. I cannot imagine some coach didn’t slip a guy a $50 bill or $100 or whatever years ago for some momentum-turning, particularly-impressive hit in a game.

But that was then, as they say, and this is now.

Now the players are bigger and stronger, the equipment is harder and less forgiving. Now players could be paralysed or worse from some especially hard hit, I would suggest the back in the day that wasn’t as much the case.

And the financial incentive is, frankly, meaningless. There was a time when $500 or $1,000 meant something to a pro athlete, now it’s pocket change or tip money for the clubhouse kids.

So it is time to police this issue more seriously, I’d suggest; time for teams and coaches and the league to crack down hard in the name of player safety more than anything else.

It’s no longer fun to ring a guy’s bell or knock the snot out of him; it’s not funny, it’s a part of a dangerous game and there really is no need for it for any reason.

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This stinks a bit. But is kind of telling.

Let’s say you wanted to watch the CIS semifinals tomorrow night or the final on Sunday afternoon.

Unless you have access to EastLink TV, or want to watch on your computer you are out of luck.

Oh yeah, the good folks at NBA TV Canada will let you see the semis and final on tape delay late Saturday night, early Sunday morning and late Sunday night but other than that?

Nada.

It’s curling and golf on TSN, which has done these in the past, the out-of-touch programmers at NBA TV have a nondescript NBA game against the national championships and that’s simply a bad decision.

I understand there might be something of a broader appeal to an NBA game than a CIS game but at some point, someone has to step a bit outside the box and do what’s right for the game in the country.

It’s not like NBA TV would be losing a lot of revenue – NBA games are not a huge money-maker for them – and it would be better if they did them live.

End of rant.

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Quick question:

If I have an afternoon to kill – and I’m not sure I will – or if I want to wind down for an hour or so post-game, where would London Irregulars send a fella who’ll be at the John Labatt Centre and staying in the neighbourhood?

Thanks.

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You know it’s almost playoff time at the Brier (I know this because I was checking TV schedules to see why the CIS semis and finals weren’t on TSN) and I haven’t watched a single end of curling this entire season.

I feel un-Canadian or something.

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Raptors?

Relatively quiet yesterday, this tiny piece on Bargnani’s impending return was about the only news but if you’ve been reading and following the IGBT (as you all have, right?) we’ve been pointing to a return this weekend for a while.

But what kind of return?

Dwane says he’s not going to leave it up to Andrea to let him know – truthfully – how he’s feeling and whether he needs a rest. And Andrea told us he’ll do what the coach says and not push it.

Makes entire sense not to make him play 40 minutes a night but if the guy’s healthy – and enough medical people have cleared him so that shouldn’t be an issue – I don’t see why they can’t trot him out there for his usual 34-36 minutes a night.

Conditioning, and being up to game speed, would be the only reason not to.

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