Quiet discipline is good; and tilting at Masters windmills

Well, anyone see that coming?

Best half of defence – at least in terms of opponent’s scoring – in franchise history, first three-game winning streak since 2010 and no sign of the traditional “fold when the game gets tough” attributes we’ve seen all year.

That’s why …

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THREE POINTERS

No one’s talking

Not sure what it was with James Johnson, even the most chatty people in the organization went silent, referring to it as an internal matter, but the suggestion in private conversations was that it wasn’t that big a deal.

Think it speaks to Dwane Casey, though, as much as it does Johnson.

This is a coach who’ll do whatever he deems necessary to keep this team headed in the right direction and I’m sure there have been other instances of clashes between coaches and players or players and players this year – it’s inevitable and it happens with every team in the league.

But as with just about everything Dwane’s done this year, even discipline was under-stated. There were no histrionics, no veiled references to whatever happen; it was dealt with quietly and in-house and no one seemed at all put out about it.

Kind of nice, isn’t it? No flare-ups, nothing too much in the public, just an issue that came up, was dealt with and will be forgotten.

Calm is good sometimes.

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The eye has it

Yes, that was a rather ugly gash over Jose’s right eye, four stitches and a nice little goose egg that flared up in the second half.

And when we were talking to him after the game there were the inevitable jokes.

He said he told everybody to stay on his left because he couldn’t really see peripherally out of his right eye; he’s worried about what his parents will think when they arrive for a visit this weekend and he was kind of glad his wife and young son are back in Spain for a little bit so they wouldn’t have to, you know, look at him.

But while it’s hardly a huge story that a guy played with a four-stitch cut over his eye, the fact he had six of his 13 assists in the second half, played 20 minutes of that half and hit the dagger of the three late in the game – from the right side so he could be looking mainly out of his left eye, it should be pointed out – was a pretty good tale.

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So, who stays?

Well, you heard that Justin Dentmon, a point guard who was toiling with Austin of the D League, is coming tomorrow – no sense starting the clock on a 10-day deal today on a day off – but it’s decision time on Alan Anderson and Ben Uzoh today and tomorrow, respectively.

I can’t see a way that they don’t re-do Anderson and, who knows, maybe Uzoh’s play last night allows him to stick around as a third point guard for emergency situations.

Not sure it’s a big deal either way – no one’s suggested any of these guys will be around next fall – so why not just add a fellow and keep the other two and leave the disruptions to a relative minimum.

Makes sense to me.

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More? There’s always more.

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Now, this is just wrong.

Dead wrong. Wronger than the whole Augusta thing (like how I just invented “wronger?”)

Did you hear that because of some zany sponsorship deal that, in the next Jams Bond movie, Bond is going to drink – gasp! – beer?

Yep, no more vodka martinis and I don’t know that there is an enduring cinematic character more closely associated with one thing than Bond and his “shaken, not stirred” martinis.

I hope no one goes to the movie.

Oh, yeah.

Sean Connery.

Best. Bond. Ever.

No debate.

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It’s Masters weekend, I see.

Azaleas, dogwoods, Butler Cabin, green jackets and an exclusionary club of men only.

What doesn’t fit?

Of course, there is no forward-thinking person who would look at Augusta National’s membership policy and not get at least a little irked: This is 2012 and the days of treating women as second class citizens is reprehensible to those of us with, you know, working brains. Save, those, of course, who are captains of industry and members of the club.

But – and this is the big but – this is their club, all the criticism in the world doesn’t seem to have an impact on them in the slightest and if they want to comport themselves like this, well, what are you going to do?

Boycott the tournament sponsors? Didn’t seem to work the year the lords of the Manor simply took advertising off the air.

Protest? To who? Yes, we know, it’s wrong, it’s dead wrong; the members don’t seem to care what we think and there have been far Taller Foreheads than I make far more compelling cases in print and in the spoken word to no avail.

So we do what we do: We hold our noses and watch and complain again next year and watch again next year.

Is that wrong? Don’t think so.

There is certainly about this tournament that draws us back. It’s not the field because it’s not as good as a handful of other tournaments over the course of the season; it’s not the course because although it’s beautiful it’s not necessarily all that challenging, the fairways are wide, the rough barely existent, it’s not like the U.S. Open or The Open Championship by any stretch of the imagination.

It’s not Jim Nance, that’s for sure, because he’s so saccharine I want to throw a shoe at the TV by early Sunday afternoon.

What do you think?

The weather? The camera shots?

How about the history?

Of all the biggies, this is the one that seldom changes, it’s the same course at the same time of year with many of the same cast of characters. It’s what we do around the first weekend of April, it’s got some allure to even non-golf fans, it would seem.

But to go on about the membership policies of a bunch of dinosaurs and their little club is really not worth it, I don’t think.

They’re not going to change, I believe we can say that with a high degree of certainty, it’s a bad policy to many right-thinking people but if history has shown us one thing, it’s this:

They don’t care and we love their show.

Enjoy the weekend.

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Mail? Love some. Have a flight this morning to work; tomorrow afternoon to work and even a bit of Saturday to work before setting out for the wild nights of OKC.

Do it here. Thanks.

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Comments

[Dave]

I look forward to the Masters as much as anyone, but allowing the Augusta National membership stance to continue without action is as bad as the policy itself. The PGA should announce that they are removing the event from their schedule until the club changes said policy. Drastic...yes, but it is the right thing to do.

[DannyFromFreddy]

I think that the only thing that could force Augusta to change its policy would be for all of the top golfers to boycott the tournament. They might even have to do it for more than one year. Unlikely to happen since it would potentially cost them (the golfers) a lot of money.

[Mike D.]

Maybe the compromise would be to have James Bond shake the beer before drinking it......

[Peter]

I'm with commenter Dave on this one. The PGA has remained silent on this and they could refuse to participate in it. What about the big names? If all the top players backed out, at least there would be real pressure to change. But ultimately, this is on the PGA. The club can have its rules, but the PGA doesn't have to give them the tournament every year. This is, as you say, 2012.

[Moshigh]

Love that game Raptors played last night. I liked the confidence that Ed Davis showed grabbing boards and playing defence. Grey played some solid big man minutes in the 3rd quarter. Jose is always better when his at least a tad aggressive with his shot.

Anderson played some nice minutes. DeRozan also had some key buckets, Bargnani was solid as well.

Wow games like that make you feel good as a Raptor fan. I know some of you are upset because they are winning a couple of games. But would you really rather them be a joke like Charlotte who gets destroyed on a regular?

Keep family issues in house, I really cant say enough of D Casey his pound the rock, not a democracy way of coaching has been really impressive!!

[john]

There is a wonderful club on Yonge that forbids men. There are also a few 'invitational' golf clubs still in GTA that don’t happen to have a lady as a member. Who cares. I really think that it’s a huge stretch to say that a few guys who have a club which has no women members is degrading to women. The 300 members is a who’s who of Billionaires and how quickly it is forgotten the hundreds of millions they donate to charity’s and causes around the world. I am in no way against equal rights for everyone, including women, but the whole Augusta thing is just getting boring. Here’s a news flash for everyone who reads this blog. None of you can’t join either. Bummer.

As for Bond, he has already branched out in his taste for refreshment. In the casino scene in the last movie where he is playing poker wins a car, he steps up to the bar and orders a Mount Gay and Soda. Mount Gay being a rum from Barbardos brewed for over 300 years. I do agree that the beer switch is a bit pedestrian for someone with his taste. Next he will be racing bad guys in a self-parking smelly Ford Focus…

[JHK]

Office masters pool picks:
Tiger
Mickelson
Mcllroy
Jason Day
Hunter Mahan
KJ Choi
All golf experts from the irregulars, please comment.

[Dude who wants to workout at Curves]

In reference to your rant about Augusta, I'm not saying that it's right but if I am unable to walk into a Curves to workout because I have a penis I don't think they should have to change their rules either. Discrimination is a two-way street.

[Peter]

To John, (the commenter at 9:10 AM) To say that none of us can join either is incorrect. If I was the head of IBM, I'd be a member, just like every head of IBM has been for ages. Except of course the current head of IBM who happens to be a woman, and can't join. So don't say that it's not a big deal. People are being excluded solely because they're female, and that's wrong in today's day and age.

[DaveT (Ottawa)]

Hey Doug,

It's not a very popular thought in the PC world of today, but I've done a 180 in recent years, and I now have no problem with private (and it's key that they're private) clubs having exclusive memberships.

The tipping point for me: I'm on an oversight committee for a large conference for Canadian undergraduate students. This year, the local organizers decided to run a dinner for women only in order to discuss the challenges of being an up-and-coming woman in our field. When I balked (and strongly), the organizers held firm; they had their reasons, however misguided I felt they were, and they were going to stick to them. So I insisted they had to plan an alternate activity for the guys and we moved on.

I guess the point is: it is an obvious thing these days (and woefully under-realized) that women should enjoy all the rights and privileges as men, they should get the same pay for the same experience in the same job, etc. However, women are not men and men are not women and there will always be women-exclusive clubs and there should also always be men-exclusive clubs. If the members of a private club decide that they want to cut their possible demographic in half, that's their prerogative.

[Tabber]

Not to quibble, but I seem to remember that the PGA doesn't run the Masters, in which case they can't really do anything about the sexist old farts who run their 20th century club and refuse to join the 21st century. Of course the golfers themselves could raise a fuss, but they could be cutting their own sponsorship earnings in the process since the big corporations would be embarrassed, and lord forbid they should lose a penny of their millions. Face it, the elites aren't going to voluntarily give up their perks. Can anyone confirm or deny that the PGA doesn't have input?

Blogger's note: I believe you are correct; it is an "invitational" event run outside the PGA

[kent]

If you want to say “that’s why they play the game”, then say it. But when they expectedly get killed and blown out by good teams, can you balance it out by saying “that's why they shouldn't even bother”? That would be great. Thanks.

Blogger's note: Whatever; why do you bother?

[Steve]

Great, three wins in a row. Now all those who spent the rest of the year bemoaning the fact that the Raptors never win are complaining in all the usual places that they have won too much and we should all be very upset we have ruined our shot at Anthony Davis. Gosh.

[Peter]

Not run by the PGA? Interesting.

[Bill]

Why is it so wrong that Augusta is boys-only? Is it wrong that Curves gyms are girls-only? This is something that a small number of ppl care about but that the media makes out to be a much larger story than it should be. Yawn.

[Barry Polowick]

What are the chances of Matt (with either Jack or Leo ) ever calling a game instead of having their own private sports talk show?

[doug]

the issue to me isn't about the Masters being a Men Only Club, as there are many, the National Golf Club right here in Woodbridge is and held a Canadian open which Trevino won with nary a peep being spoken.., so to me that is not the issue as like some have said there are women only exclusive clubs...but a few years ago the PGA made a stand and said any PGA tour stop has to be held at a racially integrated club, some clubs dropped out instead of changing their policies....to have a club have a mens only policy is one thing, but when it holds a public event it changes that, the optics are bad, the message it sends is bad, plus IBM is being put in a tight spot in which they shouldn't be....to me it will happen but behind the scenes and quietly as it should, just as Casey operates...cheers

[TS]

"I know some of you are upset because they are winning a couple of games. But would you really rather them be a joke like Charlotte who gets destroyed on a regular?"

Just for this year? Yes.

For example, take wining 10 games vs winning 20 games. Either way, you are a bad team and irrelevant to the rest of the league. Having much better lottery odds far outweighs the positives (which I'm still racking my brain to think of any meaningful and tangible ones) of winning these games at the end of the season.

[james]

I agree with all Moshigh's points, particularly about the coach. The most sure-footed performer on the Raptors this season has been Casey. It all seems to be going south for Doug Collins though.

[Cluck Kent]

As much as men and women are equal it doesn't mean that they are the same. Men and women are different (in case you haven't noticed)- they walk differently, they talk differently, they like different things and most importantly, they think differently. It doesn't make one or the other better, just different and I put to you that different is way better than everyone being the same and liking the same things and thinking the same way. Imagine if everyone wanted to drive a smelly blue ford focus. If I was not at work I would spend far more words on it but I can't. Suffice it to say, if a club wants to be exclusively men, women, black, white or upside down and backwards that is their right. And it is our right not to become a member or support that club or not watch the Masters at all. I find it odd why this would be 'wrong minded'. I love and applaud the differences between men and women. If that makes me a dinosaur, so be it, but I find this 'women should be able to be men' way outdated. But hey, it's your right to think what you will. That's what makes the world an interesting place. So much more to say and so little time.

Doesn't mean I don't like your blog.

[doug]

no the Masters is a PGA sanctioned and run event...the only 2 that aren't are the U.S.Open which is run by the USGA, and the British Open but the Masters is a fully sanctioned and run event...

[Lorie]

Hello Doug!
It's a great day, isn't it; changing channels back and forth between Jays' Opening Day and The Masters. But the policies of Augusta? Well, here are my (hopefully) measured and considered thoughts about the membership issue. More than anything, the Augusta National Golf Club is about tradition; and even though Augusta National apparently has no formal policy against female members, it hasn't had one in its 80-year history. And in large part they were able to continue this exclusionary practice because there hadn't been a woman who fulfilled their criteria of membership. Because it's not by gender alone that one becomes a member at Augusta; inherited money doesn't get you in, nor does status and reputation. Evidently the best way to become a member is to have what it takes to become the CEO of a large US company. Like Gini Rometty. Who is now the CEO of IBM - one of the three tournament sponsors. And this is what is interesting. She doesn't have a penis. But she does have all the other coveted attibutes. Even Hootie Johnson admitted that one day Augusta National would extend a membership to a woman. I'm thinking and hoping that that day has (finally) arrived.
So, Cheers! Hopeful Ones! Now, Go Raps, Jays, Rory. And Gini.

[Penny]

Hi Doug
I fully agree with commenter Barry about Matt with either Leo or Jack and the way they call the game. At least a couple of times (or more) every game, I end up asking my sister - who's that foul on? or why the stoppage in play? Several times lately, they were so annoying I actually muted the TV. The other thing I find upsetting during the games is the camera focusing on them or someone on one of the benches instead of the action. I don't know how many times we miss part of the game because of this.

[Mike kovacs]

Doug please remind everyone what the probability is of the last place team winning the draft lottery is.

[SheikYurbouti]

Sheeeesh, I'm with other posters in feeling it's much ado about nothing that Augusta is a men's only club. So what? There's plenty of "clubs" of various sorts that are men only, or women only, or business men only, or whatever only, and what's so wrong with that? It's a private club, funded solely by the members, and doing no harm to anybody, or any cause. Don't watch the tournament, feel your making a statement, if it's that big a deal to you.

I just had a chat with my daughter who is a very intelligent, very well educated young women who has put money and actions where her mouth is, on numerous occasions, in regards to woman's rights, yet she even doesn't see the sense in making a big deal of this. She actually laughed when I told her it was a big topic of discussion across North America. She has a few dozen other issues, off the top of her head, that she says she could suggest if someone wants to invest some time or money in though ;).