These are the darkest days in a long, long time

Well, this trip can’t end fast enough and all that stands between me and comfort of home is a flight to Vancouver, a couple hours of laying around and then a long flight back.

Fitting end.

Anyway, one last late one thanks to the time zone thing …

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THREE POINTERS

Gotta do something

I’ve been around this team for a very long time and know the misery of some bad seasons and horrid stretches.

This is close to the worst I’ve seen in many a year.

There just seems to be a lethargy that envelopes this group at key times in games and the mood is dark almost consistently.

Now, that’s entirely predictable given the circumstances and I’m not getting the sense that everyone truly hates each other but they are 4-18 and nerves are on edge.

Everyone knows something has to happen – big trade, small trade, something else – if for no other reason than to change for change’s sake. I’m not usually a proponent of that and I do honestly believe there are some nice pieces here but …

It’s 4-18, no one’s happy, no one can possibly be anything close to happy and the sense you get is that more than a few of the people around the team want something to happen just to get it done and over with.

That puts a lot of pressure – even more than usual – on Bryan and Dwane but that’s what they get the big bucks for.

I don’t know what it’ll be but something’s gotta give before people start punching each other.

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An odd sight

If you had asked me which of the Raptors would throw a mouthpiece at a referee I would have had to go far down the list before I got to Amir Johnson.

That was so totally out of character it’s not even funny.

But out of character or not, you cannot throw things at officials, and you can’t hit them with what you’ve thrown and you can’t get to the point where you’re physically restrained from going after him.

Now, no one knows what was or wasn’t said – Amir said there were no words spoken, but I suspect a couple might have been – and David Jones, the referee, is not blameless in this at all.

But throwing stuff?

I’m thinking Amir’s lucky if all he gets is a two-game suspension and three or four might be more likely.

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Whither Kyle?

I am not at all laying the blame for this totally at the feet of the new starting point guard but I’m wondering where all this “leadership” and “grittiness” stuff we heard so much about has gone.

There is more than enough blame to be spread around but I thought – and was told – that Lowry had one of those “screw this, I’m getting us out of this funk” attitudes in him.

Haven’t seen a lick of it, which is too bad because this team needs someone to take it by the collective neck and shake vigorously.

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More? Very little since I have to run to write off-day stuff and catch a plane.

We’ll recap my own highlights and lowlights of the trip tomorrow morning.

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I haven’t seen a lot of “cool” people in various airport lines over the years that have me want to say something to them.

I can remember seeing some TV guy – home repair dude, if I recall correctly and a friend I was talking to at the time tried to get me to say hello but I didn’t – but that might have been it.

But I did run into the parents of the Notre Dame football kid, Manti Te’o, while waiting in a never-ending security line at LAX on Monday morning; we were off to Portland, they were going to Honolulu and I did take the time to tell them how proud they should be of their son, who seems as grounded and as normal as you’d hope. Plus, I understand the kid can play a little bit.

They were equally polite and seemed a bit taken aback that a guy from Canada would even know about their son and his exploits.

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I had no idea who or what Sklyar Grey was but I knew someone sung this song and it seems a tad appropriate to me.

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I’m going to tell you, the highlight of the trip (at least the part that didn’t involve finding a very cool bar and new beer in Salt Lake City) had to be the half hour I spent hanging out with Christine Sinclair on Monday afternoon for this piece.

I don’t see an awful lot of Canadian women’s soccer, although I did cover the bronze medal game in London and a couple of games in Beijing, so the only interaction I’ve had with her have been in post-game scrums and mixed zone interviews.

Not surprisingly, she’s far more engaging and funny and witty in a one-on-one situation sitting outside at a Starbucks than in those stressed moments right after a game.

A couple of snippets that didn’t make the story.

On the bronze medal, post-game euphoria:

“My parents, they joke, ‘you’re not in any of the celebration pictures, where were you?’ … I just collapsed on the field in tears.

"You’re just exhausted and just completely overcome with emotions. You’re so happy and it was just too much.”

On the team’s place in the world now:

“For so often when we played the Americans, and not just the Americans but the other top teams in the world, like Germany and Japan, it’s almost like we’ve gone in there sort of going, ‘ok, we’re going to lose, we might have a chance at winning’ and John Herdmann, who I can’t believe isn’t up for coach of the year, he should have won it hands down, he changed our mindset, he changed our attitude, he had us believing we could beat any team in the world and it didn’t have to be a fluke.”

Anyway, a lovely time, made this horrid trip a large bit better.

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Not sure the out-of-town Irregulars will get this but there was a big bike lane controversy in Toronto a little while ago; I imagine the Bully Mayor (who may not be the Mayor next month) would have a conniption if he saw this that I saw yesterday in Portland.

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Okay, I’m out; if you’ve got some pressing queries or want to say high and try to make my life a tad better, let’s start the mail.

Here. Now. Thanks.

Oh yeah, I have a two-hour layover in Vancouver in a bit but that's the only time I'm going to get to posting comments until close to 10 tonight so ...

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Comments

[Ren]

Why did Houston decide to let Lowry go?

[Josh]

Yeah uhhhh, hmm. So we might as well ride out DeMar for a couple more years because he's been productive and Jonas is still very young and learning, but this year is hopeless. Lowry enters the last year of his deal on a very team-friendly number so he's not a lock to stay because there is value and I'm not sure he's signing an extension. This team is not good with Bargnani but they are actually worse without him. Trade him now for a 1st round pick if you can get it. They need to ensure they actually finish in the bottom 3 and keep their draft pick in this lost season because giving up 4 or 5 would be a disaster.

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

Don't envy your long day of flying. I suspect you've already seen all of Air Canada's movies and that you have a good book at the ready. I recommend Richard Ford's "Canada." It'll give you a shiver while you're flying over Saskatchewan.

If the current malaise (death spiral?) of the Raps has a positive note, it's this: there isn't any debate now that changes have to be made. The roster is flawed--not entirely, but enough that emergency measures are in order. If The Raps were hovering around 14-7 they'd still be a bad team, but one with no real urgency. Now something has to be done, whether it's going after a name like Gasol (which I don't think is as easy a proposition as some irregulars and pundits have suggested) or stockpiling draft picks by dumping Bargnani and Calderon and letting the kids play out the season.

Getting rid of Bargnani and his frustrating erraticism opens up playing time for the young players to fight over and that can only be good. It's not like he's helping the team win or even mentoring anybody. In fact I would argue he's bad for team chemistry--he keeps getting rewarded for his mediocrity with consistent playing time.

I think Coangelo is at the point where he really has to pour himself a stiff drink and honestly assess what he's got: a young core with some bright spots that could only benefit from playing together more. Playoffs? Forget it. No one believes that's possible anymore. But as a fan I could get behind the youngsters playing tighter basketball and Dwayne Casey having the chance to re-emphasize his defensive philosophy without his starting power forward gumming up the works.

AG, Toronto

[john]

Hey Doug,
So BC is in his last year of a contract, things are obviously going south. MLSE is under new management and their cash cow is locked out (looks like the teachers sold just before a year of no revenue was coming, whatever anyone says about them they can’t call them stupid)

So BC is pretty much a lame duck manager cause his contract is over so the vultures will be circling cause they know he is desperate. A couple questions,
1- Can you see a scenario where his contract is extended at this point?
2- Does he still have complete basketball decision autonomy to wheel and deal or do his decisions have to be approved by those with taller foreheads than he?

Blogger's note: No, and yes

[james]

I don't want to pile on Lowry either, but there was a guy here last year who occasionally displayed the attitude you're talking about. He's younger than Lowry, purportedly loved Toronto, and ironically has Lowry's old job backing up Mike Conley in Memphis.
Still, there's only one way to go from here and whatever happens, I'll still be watching.

[Brad B]

The Raptors really need a long break - their morale is completely destroyed and it will take some time to get it back. Unfortunately there is no break coming so they'll have to tough it out. I'm betting they'll win at least one of next week's games against Cleveland, Detroit, or Orlando. But if they don't and continue this tailspin, I think by next Friday someone's head will have rolled.

The silver lining of a high draft pick next year is clouded by the fact that, with the luck of MLSE franchises, the Raptors will rank just low enough that Houston will get their draft pick.

Doug, you mentioned the negativity swirling around the club. To be honest, I find that swirling around all of MLSE. The fans of the Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC are all incredibly negative right now and see no hope for the future, or perhaps refuse to. Do you think this relentless expectation from the fans - that some how, some way, MLSE teams will find a way to lose a game - is affecting the players to the point where its becoming a self fulfilling prophecy? In other words, are the fans the reason for MLSE teams' poor performances? Is New York or LA anything like the Toronto pressure cooker?

Blogger's note: Not sure about expectations but if any Raptors fan thought they were more than a possibility for the seventh or eighth playoff spot and, perhaps, high-30s wins, they were delusional; but there is an attitude that permeates Toronto teams that isn't good

[Jack]

This is a team that Colangelo assembled. He should be fired.
Casey was handed this team. When he signed with the club, he preached defense. Some of his players haven't absorbed anything he said and yet, he continues playing them in the last few minutes of the game. He should be fired.
Bargnani? Until the club gets rid of Colangelo, he will be here. And unless Casey changes his strategy, he will continue to play in the last few minutes of a tight game.
12-70 for the season.

[Peter]

I know a lot of talk has been made about trading Bargnani, and perhaps Calderon. But should Lowry be safe from a trade? You know that you've got a good shot at re-signing Calderon. Bargnani is an issue, but maybe he's not all that tradeable right now. So who does this team have left that could fetch a decent player? Perhaps Lowry?

I can't see too many fans being upset if Lowry and pieces could be turned into that dynamic wing player that you've often talked about.

[DC]

If the normally affable Amir couldn't take the strain of more bad basketball, one has to wonder just how dysfunctional this team has become. Though I must admit its pretty funny watching the media reverse course and beg for a trade. The same folks who told raptors fans they shouldn't be panicking are now certain the team is as bad as possible and in need of immediate change. Let's take a moment to celebrate the success of raptors watchers who emphasized consistently, from the start of the season, the following points which equaled a bottom-tier basketball team:
1) the team has no small forward, they'll be at a disadvantage every night based on that mismatch
2) the guards/wings are not good defenders. Not one above average 'stopper' to prevent any dribble penetration throughout a game
3) they don't pass the ball because players are not moving on offense. Most set plays involve 3 guys standing stationary beyond 3 pt. line. Few options open up without motion except jumpers and 'hero ball' moves with most guys out of place to pick up an offensive rebound
4) they're slow defending in transition. First they're stationary on offense and then they still get beat in a foot race down the court. you almost have to try to be that bad
5) they are a step slow on defensive rotations in the half-court and generally uncoordinated. It's hard to tell from watching, but it looks like there is little if any communicating between players in-game.
6) they don't respond well to pressure. They make lazy passes, panic when double-teamed, and have trouble on both ends when opponents adjust strategy in-game

And it all up and you have one of the worst teams (if not the worst) in basketball. Congratulations to those who avoided the kool-aid and saw this coming.

Blogger's note: Go find where you wrote 4-18; prove your prescience. Dare ya

[Rob.V]

Raptors Tickets, get your Raptor Tickets here!!
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Liquidation Sale! All Inventory Must Go!!!
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Here's the thing. We still have (virtually) an entire season of Raptor home games to be played, and personally, I really, REALLY do not want to go!!!
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Didn't the Suns just have a 100% satisfaction (money back guarantee) night a few weeks back. I wonder if MLSE is willing to reimburse me for the next 35-36 games because honestly, I'm not sure sure I'm 100% satisfied.
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Please, for the love of all that's good in the world MAKE A TRADE on Dec 15th. Give me some sort of reason as to why I might want to drive 3 hours to and from Raptor games this season.
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I lost a ton of money on RIM, but the Raptor "stock" has plummeted to a 17 year low this season... let me out!... LET ME OUT!!!

[Brad B]

Doug, sorry I wasn't clearer. I wasn't refering to the expectation at the beginning of the season that they were a borderline playoff team. I was referring to the expectation that the team is going to lose every game they play. Do you think that fan negativity affects the players? Remember what happened to Frank Mahovolich back in the 1964 season, and that was before the days of talk radio and the internet forums.

Blogger's note: Sorry, I misunderstood. I think it affects some, no question about it. Both the expectations and the derision if things don't go even better than hoped.

[LeeZ]

@AG: Bang on. Couldn't agree more, except the part where you lend credence to the idea of perhaps trying to trade for Gasol. Why on earth would we want a guy who's 32, has tendonitis in both knees and is seeing his production decline (and not just because of how he's being used by Mike D'.)? Oh and he has a monster contract, to boot.
@RobV: I feel your pain. Where are your season's tickets, btw? I'd be happy to buy a pair off you for half off next time I'm in T.O., though!
@DC: except for your silly gloating, your actual analysis is spot on.

[LeeZ]

Just to clarify:

So BC is pretty much a lame duck manager cause his contract is over so the vultures will be circling cause they know he is desperate. A couple questions,
1- Can you see a scenario where his contract is extended at this point?
2- Does he still have complete basketball decision autonomy to wheel and deal or do his decisions have to be approved by those with taller foreheads than he?

Blogger's note: No, and yes
Does your "yes" in reply to 2) mean yes, he has full autonomy, or yes, his decisions have to be approved?
And does your "no" in response to 1) reflect any inside knowledge you may have gleaned from sources inside the Evil Empire, or is it simply your considered opinion?

Blogger's note: Yes means he has as much autonomy as ever; at some level, every manager has to get approval but not for relatively mundane things; the no is part common sense, part private conversations that I won't make public

[Steve]

Blogger's note: Go find where you wrote 4-18; prove your prescience. Dare ya

The first response to your blog preaching calm less than two weeks ago actually suggested exactly that. Guess Canadian Paul is Nostradamus.

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/2012/11/advice-that-no-one-wants-to-hear-time-to-chill.html

Blogger's note: If that was you, great; if not, then show your prescience. Please

[sam]

I'm still not sold on Lowry as the starting PG - I could be wrong, and readily admit I'm not an expert, but the offence doesn't really flow well with him leading the charge. For all his faults, Jose seems to be better at distributing the ball and creating for others. I'm wondering if the team along with being mentally tired and frustrated is also physically whipped -

I'm Afraid there are no quick fixes - and anything that BC can pull off won't make a differnece in the grand scheme. Perhaps the plan was flawed from the start with expectations that Lowry would come in and be a saviour of sorts.
Maybe some home cooking will help....

[bob]

A road game in Utah without Jefferson and Favours was a gift. We blew it.
A road game in Portland without Batum and Matthews should've been "guaranteed Raptors win night". But again, we blew it.
I love the Raptors, try to stay loyal and positive and continue to watch, but this is one BAD basketball team.
Earlier I was thinking 32-36 wins, 10th in conference, give up maybe a 10th-13th pick in the lottery, grow as a team, make strides for the next season where we might actually compete.
With John Wall coming back to the last place Wizards soon, and Irving returning to the Cavs, i'm really worried we might just finish last overall, 30th out of 30, this season. Then with our luck, fall in the lottery, give OKC a 4th overall pick, and have nothing to show for all the pain.
At first I blamed the bad start on bad bounces, bad calls, bad luck. But nope, this team is simply bad. Very bad.

[Rob.V]

LeeZ - Section 109, Row 8.
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Half off???. That's a steal... for ME!... I'll take it!!!
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Let me know if (and when) you're coming.

[Edward]

Other than exchanging their underachievers for those of someone else, I don't see many options for the Raptors, in spite of the howls of exasperation. Who would really give up any quality for their assets? Toronto fans should probably prepare themselves for many more years of mediocrity, as far as the eye can see.

[Steve]

Blogger's note: Sorry, I misunderstood. I think it affects some, no question about it. Both the expectations and the derision if things don't go even better than hoped.

On that note I can't help but think that Wednesday night at the ACC is going to be pretty ugly if they fall behind by any decent margin even though it's a game nobody would realistically have pencilled them in to win even before the injuries and assumed suspension.

[DC]

Blogger's note: Go find where you wrote 4-18; prove your prescience. Dare ya

attacking the messenger and not the message. Still love the blog and perspective, though. The exact win-loss total isn't the point a number of fans have made. what the prescient plebeian observers have been consistently commenting on is the make-up of the roster, the style of play and freely available statistics. All of which, if looked at objectively, would not inspire confidence the raptors could be anything more than a slightly below average non-playoff team this season and would more likely under-perform. Those panicked chicken littles who were convinced the sky was falling after a 1-5 start have turned out to be correct at this point. Good observation by them, nicely done. I'm glad to be celebrating what little success I can find surrounding the home team.

for the record, i gave them some benefit of the doubt early on but did guess they would likely go another 3-12 after starting 3-12. you can check my comments from the blog on the 15th game.

[g.t.]

re: the Bully Mayor, it seems the Raptors seem to reflect the problems of Toronto. We can hardly build a bike lane on a not so busy street, can't build subways, or highways, much like the Raps can't seem to catch a break. Perhaps MLSE headquarters is too close to City Hall. Stagnation is contagious.

[Cal]

Doug in his comments:

"Everyone knows something has to happen – big trade, small trade, something else – if for no other reason than to change for change’s sake. I’m not usually a proponent of that and I do honestly believe there are some nice pieces here but … "

Hey Doug, why don't you and your boss Brian initiate trade of TO fan base, so you get rid of "disrespectful", "inpatient" and "overly critical" fans for good ones who will patiently wait for next 5 year for "talent" to develop and read your reporting about "nice pieces" Raptors have?

Blogger's note: You flatter me, thanks.

[Geoff Read]

For the record: I did not predict 4-18 for this time. I thought they'd be better. Having said that, when I saw the early season schedule, I did think a total disaster was possible and that's what's happened.

Anyway - I logged on as one of your out of town irregulars (although admittedly I lived in the Big Smoke for about a decade) to say I got your bike lane reference and loved it. It's time for Rob Ford to take the nearest bike lane outta town.

[Geoff Read]

That should say "team". Gosh darn it! (OK, I said something worse but that can't be printed).

[Patrick S]

Skylar Grey over Bob Seger!? For a guy of a certain vintage I'm shocked! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJuIv41o2DY