Cutting a game is music to one's ears

Bunch of little things here today, it’s a dog day at the end of a dog week.

And this jet lag kinda stinks, tough to keep “engaged” on North American time.

It’ll be better next week, I hope.

-

Best.

Pre-season.

Ever.

Only seven games, only one neutral site and it’s Montreal which is a great city where we know everything works and no back-to-backs!

I don’t know if it was Ed Stefanski who got it all done, or Bryan or whoever but, I tell you, this is the greatest. It was aided and abetted by the fact if they wanted to have a home-and-home, so to speak, with New York that they couldn’t because Madison Square Garden is still being renovated and I guess there just wasn’t another team with an open date on its schedule.

Look, I’ve always thought eight pre-season games was about four too many, a cut back to seven is hardly going to be noticeable.

And the fact it’s such a good one on the calendar makes it even better.

Here it is:

Oct. 8, vs. Real Madrid, 7 p.m.; Oct. 10 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 12 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 at Memphis, 7 p.m.; Oct. 17 vs. Washington, 7 p.m.; Oct. 19 vs. New York at Montreal, 7 p.m.; Oct. 22 vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Trust me, after some of the crazy pre-seasons we’ve had – try doing a Columbus, Ohio-Winnipeg back-to-back some day – this is a dream.

Thanks.

-

Speaking of the Raptors, saw tweets last night that Jay Triano’s up for an assistant coaching job in Portland with Terry Stotts.

It’s not done yet, according to some people I talked to late last night, but it won’t, or shouldn’t, have any impact on the 95 per cent chance (nothing is ever done until it’s done, we’ve come to learn here) he’s back at the Canadian senior team head coach.

-

How’d I miss this?

The 35th anniversary of Elvis’s death was yesterday, causing much reflection and a whole lot of Elvis music blaring over the radio airwaves.

True confession: I was never a big fan, he had little impact on me, even though I was pretty much of the era when he was making his mark.

Oh, I listened – how could you not? – and slightly remember the movies and the TV appearances but my recollection now is more of a caricature than a performer.

Too bad, I understand he was pretty good but I don’t think I’d have him near the top of any solo performers list. How about you?

But, he could warble.

-

Yikes!

You know I’m a Niagara Falls guy – hi, Mick and Angelo’s, will there soon – so, man, in pains me to read about the shenanigans at Marineland about the treatment of the animals there.

I’m not going to get too far into it, it’s not my bailiwick and I’m not really up to speed on the issue, except to offer this total disclaimer:

In that one summer where I nearly expired standing on the hot pavement directing cars to parking spots for about $3.50 an hour – if that and Super Son making about two and half times that now pushing buggies around a parking lot drives me batty – I grew to hate Marineland with the, as the famous saying goes, the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.

So there’s that.

And it must be serious if the voice of those omnipresent commercials disavows them, that’s a solid byproduct. It’s one of those jingles you come to loathe because you hear it too often and I won’t go all Tubthumping on you by playing it here.

-

It’s always nice to hear from a good guy from the past and when Billy Diamond’s name popped up in the e-mail in-basket last night, it was cool.

Billy was Oak’s business advisor back in the day and one of those guys you’d run into at the NBA Finals or all-star game or lottery or somewhere and always catch up with. Good guy all around.

And last night he was bringing news that one of the fine young promising Canadians – Toronto guard Tyler Ennis – has committed to Syracuse after an outstanding prep school career.

The story Billy sent along is here, have a look.

-

Speaking of in-baskets …

Click. Write. Send.

Thanks.

-

This, I couldn’t believe and it’s probably because it was so out of mind over in London the past three and a half weeks it was wonderful.

Was sitting around with some of the folks after the Mighty Red Tigers finished the regular season last night (gut-wrenching loss when we gave up three in the bottom of the last inning, playoffs start tomorrow) and, of course, the TV’s on in the corner.

And there was an NFL exhibition game?

Wow.

Had forgotten all about that sport and where it was on its calendar and I’m glad I did, pre-season NFL football – especially the first couple of weeks – might be the worst thing ever.

Well, maybe not ever, but it’s pretty bad. In fact, of the four main major league sports – basketball, baseball, the pucks and the gridiron – I’d have to rank exhibition football as the worst, wouldn’t you?

Sure, the others are all way too long – if they cut hockey and basketball in half, no one would suffer, I can understand baseball needing time to get pitchers ready but it’s probably a week and a half drawn – but football is just short and bad, isn’t it?

But it did strike home where we on in the calendar and if the NFL season’s just around the corner, that means summer is almost over and that kind of sucks.

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Simone]

Not sure if you heard about the man who had the fatal heart attack at Jays game last night. Sad story. Think game should have been cut short?

Blogger's note: Terrible story but no, I don't

[Mike D.]

Saddened but not surprised to read the Marineland articles. I have only been there once and refused to return because I was so disgusted by the sight of all those bears, some of them obviously ill, wandering around eating little marshmallows tossed down to them by visitors.

Good investigative reporting by whoever authored the articles (I didn't think to look), but I wish they had done it sooner.

[Dave B]

I wasn't a big fan of Elvis either. Maybe he peaked a little before my partying years. However I did visit Graceland in April. and I learned last night that my visit contributed to his 55 Billion earnings last year. Not bad for someone who passed away 35 years ago.

I also learned that he did not write any songs,not one.

My disappointment with Memphis was that I was there Sunday and Monday and the Rendezvous is closed Sundays and Mondays. However the Blues Cafe was very good.

Blogger's note: Blues Cafe is outstanding, but BB King's right across the street might be better. Too bad about Rendezvous

[doug]

it was a sad story about that man that passed away at the Blue Jays game..but what irks me a bit about it okay not a bit a lot is Rogers TV coverage, they avoided speaking of it and showing anything about it like it was the plaque, it's a event, life happens, and to shuffle it off into to the corner or ignore it as they did does the family a disservice and the game itself, ..terrible coverage and decision...I get into NFL football come October, when I can wear sweat tops and fall is in the air, not now...I think all animal related venues such as Marineland should be shut down, as where do people think those animals are housed or how their treated, all animals such as in zoo's etc should be in a sanctuary type environment with plenty of acreage and the animals roaming freely...I've never been to Marineland had zero desire to go, the one crystal clear memory I have is taking the ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo in B.C. there off the side halfway through the trip was a pod of whales playing swimming and just doing their thing, everyone on the ferry was mesmerized as it was a sight to behold...ok cheers

[sam]

It's staggering the amount of Money that Elvis still generates. A colleague from my office is a huge Elvis fan currently visiting Graceland - It's something like her 30th trip, and has provided her with a nice collection of like minded friends over the years. She also makes the tour of Elvis tribute Artist Shows and I'm absolutely shocked at how many tribute artists are out there, where they come from, and all shapes and sizes and ages. I'm not sure I understand the appeal, but it seems to be a pretty dedicated community of folks that follow Elvis to this day. Which is a pretty good legacy, I guess.

It would be nice to see Jay on the bench again, and there are worse places to be than Portland.

[wuycik]

Yesterday was also the 74th anniversary of the death of Robert Johnson, maybe the most influential guitar player of all time. He only recorded enough material to fill one album, but, oh the the sounds he could get out of six strings and a piece of wood. You would swear that there had to be someone else playing with him. Maybe the greatest influence on Eric Clapton and other modern guitar greats.

[Rob.V]

That irks you Doug, really? That's funny.
-
The producers most likely wanted to avoid the incident because audiences are generally tuning in to see, um, a Baseball game... not episodes of "faces of death".
-
Yeah, I can see some TV executive sitting in his office (with a little cloud over his thinking head). Yup, there's nothing that will get those Baseball ratings soaring... like a good "dying man".
-
I can only speak for myself here. I haven't watched a Blue Jay's game in 20 years however if I did happen to casually stroll by, the absolutely last thing I would want the telecast to cover... is um... DEATH!!!
-
But that's just me... and I'm a woosy! (woosie?)

[doug]

@Rob V....it's obvious you didn't watch the game as too many times on here people talk without knowing the facts...if you had you would have seen uncomfortable Buck was as he was obviously being talked into his ear to avoid it...then he had to acknowledge it and he was truly lost to as to what to say...whereas to show a ambulance on the field would have described all we had to know...so good try with your drama and theatrics about "faces of death", when a injured player is laying on the field during a game do the announcers not acknowledge it and if a ambulance is necessary so be it....so next time actually watch and comment on something you know first hand...cheers

[coachd]

Hi Doug,
Nice to hear that Jay Triano will be back on the bench of an NBA team. I've been a fan of his since his playing days on the national team. I felt that the Raps gave up on him a little early. It would have been nice to see if Jay could have turned things around. Great to hear that he might lead the national team again. Good to see that Canada Basketball seems to be turning things around.

Blogger's note: Could be, as we know, nothing is done until it's done

[john]

Rob V. Can’t agree more. I have no idea what could be going on in @poster dougs’ mind. How could it possibly Irk someone that the TV crews didn’t show a close up of paramedics trying to resuscitate a heart attack victim. So showing a hysterical family member watching a loved one dying and having it aired on national TV is a ‘service’ to the family? @ Poster Doug, it was not a “life” event happening, it was a death event happening and I as well don’t see the need to broadcast it on a TV.

[doug]

you guys totally miss the point......I know it was life altering event, so why did it take Kevin Youkillis to make the game stop? my whole opinion of him changed then as he did the right thing but then for Sportsnet to be lost was just sad to see...a picture says a thousand words , that's all it would have taken, what were suppose to pretend life doesn't happen??..welcome to the real world, and sorry if a unfortunate event mars a Jay's broadcast or your having to watch it, I watched the game where Darryl Stingley was paralyzed for life...or where Nascar ran a race with fans covered with body bags (so wrong it's beyond words) , life happens, shit happens and to pretend it doesn't is a crock.. sports are suppose to be a break from life but when they aren't deal with it in a mature way...and don't hand me this line they handled it in a "professional way", do you remember or even know of Dave Dravecky and his last pitch ever??it was the most gruesome thing ever in sport, worse then Theisman's much publicized hit...we have seen both a thousand times, it's life deal with it, I don't live in a Ozzie and Harriet episode grow some cajones and learn to deal with life as Sportnet should have as Kevin Y did.,.., ....cheers...

[doug]

or you want a more pertinent example since this is sort a Raptors blog, (glad it isn't 100% of the time) is Garbo's injury ...to hear him yelling,screaming out still resonates in my ears as it does i am sure Doug Smith's...do i wish it didn't happen darn tooting, but it did and the cameras or tv never sugar-coated it, they showed it all ....as Doug is a reporter and says a "story is a story". well I say go a step further life is life...and tv can't pick and choose stories as we can't pick and choose when the negative aspects of life occur...if you want to then your living in lala land as believe me I know doesn't exist...... ...cheers