A league back and worth a look; and a new era dawns in Brooklyn

It’s that time again and once again the call goes out to all Irregulars in small Canadian cities to at least give the National Basketball League of Canada a look at some time this season.

Not saying you have to see every game but if you go, I’d imagine you’ll find it to be affordable entertainment and basketball at a pretty good level.

And the league seems to be once again doing things the right way – on a smallish scale without any grandiose moves – that connects it with cities like London, Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Oshawa, Montreal and the new expansion team in Windsor.

Montreal’s the interesting one to me, since we were just there and saw a level of basketball interest that was a bit surprising. It’s also the biggest city the league is in, it’s getting a late start to the season because of some issues in Laval that forced the move to Montreal and there’s going to be some work to do to make sure it survives what could a rocky first season.

But there’s a guy named Pascal Jobin who’s in charge – I know him because he was the TVA analyst when the French network did a handful of Raptors games and we have some mutual basketball friends down there – and I’m pretty sure he’ll make it work, despite just getting started this week.

But, again, it’s a big city with lots of other entertainment options so if you were at the Raptors-Knicks game a couple of weeks ago or care about the game, try to get out to see a NBLC game, I bet you’re pleasantly surprised.

The league, as we said repeatedly last season, knows what it is and knows what it has to be. It’s got to be affordable, family entertainment with a strong local connection. The players, coaches and executives have to get out in their cities and meet people, get to be known, get to be familiar with folks at a kind of personal level.

In Windsor, for instance, they are giving away free tickets for their first game – an outstanding idea – because if people see it, I know they’ll like it.

A pro basketball league in Canada is important, it gives Canadian kids a place to play and make money, and it promotes the game where it needs promoting and that can’t be a bad thing at any level.

I’m sort of looking forward to getting back to Oshawa and London and down to Windsor at some time this season to do a bit more writing about the league, was always good time last year, I expect it to be the same now.

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Considering where I’m going today, how cool is this?

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I don’t presume too many of you saw it but the Argo-Ticat game last night was a doozy, 43-40 Toronto on a last-play field goal that sealed Hamilton’s fate.

And I don’t presume too many of you saw it – or Chad Owens eclipse a Pinball record for most yards in a season – because you were watching was I’m told was a somewhat boring NFL game.

Just sayin’

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Mail?

Sure, last shot.

Going to do it today or tomorrow morning and get it up then so we can do the regular fare here Sunday morning after the Nets game.

Click. Write. Say hello (or something along those lines). Send.

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I’m told it took the Miami Heat three hours to get from the airport to Manhattan yesterday after they arrived for tonight’s game at the Garden against the Knicks.

Not only does that worry me about my own travel (have never gone from LaGuardia to Brooklyn so I’m really going into this blind) but it also makes me wonder – again – about the prudence of even playing games this weekend in the storm-ravaged city.

Despite I’m sure the best efforts of every cleanup crew working, it just seems too overwhelming and I honestly think the NBA should have given the city – and the city should have demanded – the weekend to get things right.

Toss in the fact they’re still planning to go ahead with the New York City marathon on Sunday and I can see it being a total circus down there.

Can’t wait to join it, although I would imagine I won’t be venturing too far from the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott tonight and that’s only about a mile, I’m told, from the Barclay’s Center.

Wish me luck.

But it will be something to see, first time we’ve been in the first game for a new arena, let alone the first real game for a team in a new city.

I presume Jay-Z will stop by to say hello and I’d think Beyonce would want to see how things are going with her favourite grunt.

(I’m told they’re famous music people and that you’ll get the reference).

But I also know Dwane’s a bit worried about the electricity in the air – if there is real electricity in the wake of Sandy – because the Nets are good enough without a boost from a crowd.

And after watching them for years in the morgue-like environs of the Meadowlands and then Newark, it’ll be shocking to see them actually have a big crowd legitimately cheering for them.

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I know we’ve got some Expos fans out there and they had to be bit shaken if they heard the news yesterday that Pascual Perez was found murdered after an apparent home invasion.

I never covered Perez but I did know people who did and he was legitimately zany and wildly interesting. Not a great pitcher but a great story and one of the kind of “characters” that pro sports is missing these days. Sure, he had his demons, many of them and that’s truly sad, but he was something else.

Griff knew him pretty well and this is a helluva column and there was this story back in the day from Sports Illustrated that I remember making me laugh out loud.

RIP, Pascual.

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Comments

[doug]

maybe @Rob V was asking for the chicken mascot to somehow give David West a shot, which ties into the late great Pascual Perez , if he was the chicken mascot he would....Pascual alongside Mark "the Bird: were 2 two of the most genuine characters in any game i have seen.....throwing into the Cubs dugout is priceless and the line that "rehab has a good hitting coach": from Griff's article just sums the guy up, I remember once as young'un calling into work sick, my dad saw me at home and asked why i wasn't at work, told him i called in sick, he was none to pleased as that wasn't accepted, no sick days for school/work unless genuinely sick,like on death bed....my dad was no sports fan, but the reason I called in sick was Perez was pitching on CBC and in those days every game wasn't broadcast...so i had to see him pitch, next day my Uncle (dad's brother) came over who was a huge sports and Expos fan, he asked me did I see the game, I said yes sheepishly as dad was there....he was then told story by my dad, my uncle's response...good for him I would have did the same.....my dad just shook his head....but Perez was a one of a kind true gem....ok cheers...

[LeeZ]

Since there seems to be some interest out there in the Brooklyn pizza tour, here's the link. I highly recommend it!
http://www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/pizza.html

[Michel G]

I remember watching an Argos game back in the day. They were 36 points down and I was vehemently informing my father that Chuck Ealey was going to lead them back. It was only the 3rd quarter!!! They didn't come back. But my father watched the whole game with me and let me rant and rave. That was a good day. I'll always watch the Argos.

Now Henry Burris did not have a good day yesterday. The best statistical game of his excellent career, and he's beaten by the 4th string quarterback. Hamilton's defense should have stepped up.

[sportschic]

The marathon's been cancelled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/sports/new-york-city-marathon-will-not-be-held-sunday.html?hp&_r=0

Blogger's note: Less traffic disruption, easier departure Sunday. And they should have done it Wednesday

[D-Mac Ottawa]

So the waiter says, he says, "Howya doo-in', Mr. Berra. You'se want yer pizza cut in four slices or eight, huh?" And Yogi, he says, "Oh man, ya bedda cut it in four... I don't think I could eat eight."
Awright, have a Milla Lite and fugg-ed-a-boud-it. Che-ahs. Go Raps!

[david]

doug - as a brooklyn resident, i can tell you that things might be bad, but you won't be looking at a commute anywhere near as long as the heat experienced. the real issue right now is traversing the rivers, as none of the subway lines are running from queen's/brooklyn/bronx into manhattan and the bridges are restricted to cars with 3+ occupants (and at some times, just foot traffic). the BQE, however, is sluggish as it ever was, but shouldn't keep you trapped for anywhere near three hours.

Blogger's note: Trip was great, my area of Brooklyn is fine, found a good spot with stools and TVs (O'Keefe's) and things working well. First time here, like the area

[sportschic]

It occurred to me that, since a lot of those marathoners have already arrived in town, perhaps they'd be willing to volunteer to help out? Surely the cleanup efforts could use some fit people to do things that would be useful. If I were in a city for an event that was cancelled because of a disaster, I'd be happy to volunteer to do what I could.