Mental toughness, movie time and me and Method Man

So, how big a trap game is this for the locals?

Charlotte, owners of an underwhelming 9-25 record, arrives tonight smack dab in the middle of two other key Eastern Conference games for the Raptors and if there’s one that they could possibly spit up, this is it in spades.

I imagine they know that, you can be assured that Dwane has hammered that point home a zillion times this week but, again, we’ll get a look into the psyche of this team by how it plays tonight.

Do they have that sense of urgency so necessary against any opponent?

Or do they bring the laissez-faire attitude they had against Sacramento, in another trap game following a big win over Portland and before a key game with Philly?

Who knows, and that’s why this team is so interesting to cover.

As the great Rick Bonnell down in Charlotte points out, the Bobcats have won two straight on the road and are feeling not so bad about themselves and since one of their wins this season came at the expense of Toronto, you can be sure their confidence will be high as well.

That loss, of course, should also rankle the Raptors and, while I don’t think any athlete should need it, it should also serve as some kind of motivation, shouldn’t it?

If you remember, that was the game the league admitted that the referees blew on the non-call against Andrea at the buzzer and if there’s such a thing as payback, this would be a night to show it.

So far since the middle of December, the Raptors have pretty much taken care of business as they should have. They’ve won games they “should” win, played hard most of the time and when challenged, they’ve responded.

Tonight is more of a mental challenge than a physical one; getting up for a so-so team is sometimes hard, the tendency is to look at record and recent history and coast just a tiny bit, hoping that turning it on at some key point in a game will suffice.

It won’t. They better hope they know that.

-

Well, that was a delightful evening.

Thanks to the good folks of the local Lithuanian community and the Raptors, got invited to a screening of The Other Dream Team and, as I mentioned before after I saw it on a computer thanks to a friend, it’s an amazing story about the role basketball played in the emergence of a nation.

The director, Marius Markevicius, has done a masterful job weaving the story of the 1992 Olympic bronze medallists into a historical piece.

I’ll have a lot more on Markevicius and the movie sometime later today (there’s some tape transcribing to do and we didn’t get to chat with Jonas after the film so that needs to be done) but suffice it to say that it was a great, great night and now I have to pay a bit of attention to the various awards shows coming up because it’s going to win.

And, before you ask, I don’t think there will be a general release in Canada for some odd reason but the flick is going to be available on iTunes shortly. Trust me, I’ll tell you when that is because I think fans should see it.

Oh yeah.

Lithuania. Basketball. Tie-dye. Grateful Dead.

Naturally …

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Pardon the digression.

I work with words. I write. I consider myself at some level an educator. I provide readers with information and hope it allows them to broaden the depth of their knowledge.

I am not a teacher but aspects of my job include that.

That the man ostensibly in charge of the education of a city’s youth would find it in any way possible to blatantly steal the work of others and pass it off as his own is shameful and, frankly, a disgrace.

I didn’t follow this Spence fellow when he was whatever he was with the Toronto school board because it’s not the board that’s in charge of my son’s education.

But I have followed it the last few days because blatant plagiarism is a blackmark on writing and education; it cannot in any way be condoned.

That he resigned is the only just conclusion to this matter; and I’m glad he resigned because if he’d been fired he would have been paid more money and that’s wrong.

It’s not often I think someone should lose his or her job, I tend to forgiving like that; this was such egregious fault, a dismissal or a firing had to happen.

End of rant.

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We all know TV runs the sports world, right?

It has a hand in who play whom and when the games start. It is involved in all manner of scheduling, from the full season to in the game.

It is all powerful because it pays big bucks and leagues and teams are forced to kowtow to far too often.

So should this – brought to my attention by the good folks at The Basketball Jones during my daily foray to their sight – should not in any way surprise anyone, right?

And doesn’t the simple fact that the camera and microphone are so intrusive speak to TV’s power?

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Yes, folks, I run in some pretty cool circles.

Method Man and I sitting around chatting yesterday – or Meph as we know him – and Sam’s over there talking to Raghav and it’s a pretty good day.

Thanks to the good folks at Off The Record – and Sam, who brought my name up – got to do the show yesterday.

And that opened a can of information I didn’t know, although I did know Method Man and was basically familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan from the olden days.

But thanks to The Mighty Q I know about Cheese and his unseemly demise on The Wire and, again thanks to The Mighty Q, to some I will henceforth be known solely as Crazy Beggar.

Got a nice ring to it, no?

-

 

 

Comments

[Mike D.]

Going back to yesterday's "zebra zebra zebra" discussion for a moment: are we 100% sure that the incident wasn't actually a teaching moment of a different kind, in which Dwane was in fact trying to draw the attention of his players to escaped zoo animals passing through the ACC? That explanation fits the circumstances of the play surprisingly well because if the Raptors who were on the floor were temporarily distracted by itinerant wildlife, it would explain why they didn't foul (or, apparently, defend) Evan Turner on the play.

I haven't looked at the game footage....I'm just saying we shouldn't rule it out.

[SR]

Great OTR episode yesterday Doug. Who knew Method Man was such a big hockey/leafs fan. I would of never guessed.

I know you "love" hypothetical questions... but hopefully you will answer this one. If Jose does get traded this year, do you think there is a chance he would re-sign here in Toronto? Watching him, I do feel like he is a Raptor lifer.

Blogger's note: There's always a chance, yes

[Jeff]

Even more detailed hypothetical:

Is it out of the realm of possibility for Jose to be VERY unofficially asked if he WANTED to go make a playoff run with a good team and then come back home to Toronto next summer?

Blogger's note: Anything's possible and my run through the hypotheticals is coming to an end.

[David in Oakville]

Wait.... what?

TV work? you? With Landsberg and Sam Mitchell? Does McCown know you were fraternizing with the enemy?

And it is going to take the better part of the morning to decode that last paragraph. Still watching The Wire, only finished season one, so no spoilers please.
+
Completely agree with your Spence comments.
+
GO RAPS!

[UK]

No thoughts on the teachers?

Blogger's note: Not in the context of blatant fraud, no

[john]

Hey Doug, never mind the School Board, I am about fed up with all the Teachers whining and complaining. Enough is enough. They are among the top in earnings in their profession in the world. They were legislated a pay raise but are unhappy that they cant go on strike and get even more so are calling the legislation un-democratic. I truly belive they are the building block of society and have as much or more influence on our children than parents do but my lord, how much is enough?

[Geoff Read]

Good morning.

I hope the Rudy Gay rumours - as reported in the Star this morning - are wrong unless AB is going the other way. Davis and Calderon for Gay? I'm not sure that improves the team.

Anyway, just wanted to chime in on Spence and agree. How did you feel about Margaret Wente? I am still in disbelief that a newspaper that claims to be Canada's "paper of record" didn't fire a blatant plagiarist. They lost a lot of credibility in my eyes.

Blogger's note: Lost a bit in mine, too; but this was shocking for its depth, the serial nature of the fraud and the position of authority over the education of a city's youth.

[DaveB]

I missed the OTR show as I didn't see your tweet until last night. I usually don't watch such shows because they are 99 percent pucks. Do you know is it is available on=line?

as for Chris Spence, I give him credit for doing the honourable thing and resigning. Was there an issue last year with a lady write with the Globe and Mail who did the same thing and didn't resign? If I remember correctly, she used the excuse of a fine line between using people ideas and formulating them as your own versus plagiarism. I guess our opinions are influenced and even changed by what we read so some rantings would sound like other peoples writings. A fine line indeed.

I repeat many of the things I read on this blog but I usually to say I read it on doug smiths blog.

[truth be told]

Hey Doug.

Yesterday you made a comparison of the Raptors, Leafs and TFC since BC's arrival in Toronto the type of stability the Raps have enjoyed. I'm no Leaf or TFC fan but wanted to review some of the other things that have happened "since Colangelo got here".

Since Bryan Colangelo got here we've unfortunately been witness to team building that changes year to year, with heavy player turnover and no defined plan for long-term sustainable success.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here the team has lost a total of 320 games up until now.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here, we have made the playoffs twice on the strength of CB4 and Jose, both players acquired by previous GM's. The former COY who led us to both playoff appearances was dismissed by Bryan Colangelo after an 8-9 start to a season.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here as Raptor fans we've had Andrea Bargnani driven down our throats like it or not.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here we've seen signings (and over payments) of Turkoglu, Kapono, Fields, etc trumpeted as positive additions to the team, while squandering valuable financial resources.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here we've seen no all-star talent acquired under his reign.

Since Bryan Colangelo got here we've become familiar with phrases such as 'asset retention', 'stacking principles' and ' accelerated rebuilds' (when did the actual 'rebuild' start anyways?)

If this is stability, give me some change.

Blogger's note: And still exponentially more successful than the pucks or football was the point. But good research

[Heath]

I think I've asked before but maybe you can include an update in the blog when you're going to be on radio or tv (like when/if you'll be on the Friday round table). That being said, I wouldn't have watched yesterday due to the presence of that Landsberg fellow....but congrats for getting an appearance.

[Nick M]

I only caught the end of OTR, as usual, while I was tuning into to see PTI. But Congrats!
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Although Lorie may be the more accomplished speaker to this subject, I was surprised to see you trade in the 'dusty rose' button up for a more casual top hip with the younger generation. Well done Doug, but it raises one question. Was this your own get-up, with a little help from SuperWife or Son or did you get rushed through wardrobe?

Blogger's note: All mine

[Mike K.]

"I did know Method Man and was basically familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan from the olden days."

I have to admit, that made me laugh (in a good way) - based on what we know of your musical tastes, definitely a sentence I never thought I'd read from you!

[james]

Perhaps Mr. Spence will be able to reinvent himself as a Globe & Mail columnist.

Blogger's note: As long as he's not in charge of the education of kids, I couldn't care less

[Matt M]

Color me surprised to log in to the blog today to find you name-dropping a Old School Rap star.

[Geoff Read]

Doug - it's a good point that a serial plagiarist (Spence) is even worse than a occasional one (Wente) and that an educator has an even greater responsibility to act with integrity.

But then, we do live in a country governed by a man who is a proven plagiarist - he lifted a speech from the Australian PM (or maybe it was a cabinet minister - I can't quite remember) a few years back. I think the internet has made 1) plagiarism easier and 2) people complacent about it, unfortunately. 20 years ago Harper would've been at the centre of a major firestorm for the same offense and certainly his speechwriter would've had to resign; in this day and age he was able to just shrug it off. The same applies to Wente. At least in Spence's case he was forced to pay for his actions. I wonder if U of T will strip him of his PhD?

[GM]

I don't get why people are congratulating you for being on TV. Like it's somehow better than newspapers. Would people congratulate Landsberg for being mentioned in the paper? I like that show -- at least in theory. Like another commenter said, I never watch, though, because it's 99% pucks.

@ J Yesterday you responded to me saying that point differential comes into play at season's end in the event of a tie in records. If that's the case, that's one more reason not to quit until the final buzzer. Pile on those points while you can because it may come down to the Raptors and Sixers.

[larry lukeeborg]

goodness, stevie harpercite a plagiarist? considering his other acts, this is benign

[LeeZ]

So you say your run through the hypotheticals is coming to an end. I'll just get mine in before the window closes, then.
Say you're on a ship at sea, and José is in a plane buzzing overhead, going in the opposite direction. If each craft is travelling at the same speed, who would arrive at the ACC first (and don't forget the international date line), and the second part of my two-part question is: would the Lakers be interested in making a Kobe for José trade straight up?
Thanks Doug!

Blogger's note: As long as the bar's open when I get there, who cares? And, yes, I'll get Bryan on that today

[Aaron]

Doug on OTR:

Segment 1: http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=shows-otr/latest/1/0/840943/clip/466

Segment 2: http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=shows-otr/latest/1/0/840944/clip/466

Segment 3: http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=shows-otr/latest/1/0/840945/clip/366

Also, if you think that Off the Record is 99% hockey, you haven't been watching the show in the last 18 months.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Thank you in a big way, @Aaron, for those posts. Helped clear up several things cuz I was likewise waiting for major help "to decode that last paragraph". Been reading this blog for many, many moons but this was the first morning I felt like I'd been parachuted into an episode of Twilight Zone... OTR, Raghav, Wu-Tan... what the... still hoping to figure out Meph, Mighty Q, Cheese and Crazy Beggar, but... "Sam" I got. I was already onboard with "Sam" – catch that dude's crazy legs stretching about three feet beyond the cozy Corbusier knock-off?
Now, if the zebras would learn to stall their whistles as well as they stall for the TV gods... guess we'll wait for the playoffs for that.
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Mos High]

@ Truth be told,

The Raptors arent a great sucess story but the other MLSE team are terrible. Leafs one of the top earning NHL teams have done nothing, I mean nothing. Best moment in last 25 yrs loosing in semi finals to I believe LA Kings.
TFC is a complete joke.

The funny thing so many people say oh American players dont want to play in Toronto. What? But never dwell on the fact the best NHL players including Canadian players dont want to play for the Leafs? None have express or demanded to play in Toronto, not one that I have heard about and I dont even follow hockey closely.

Most professional atheltes dont rush to play for loosing teams bottom line!!!

[Lorie]

@D-Mac:
You must - simply MUST - watch the show "The Wire". This will explain "Cheese" and "Meph" and introduce you to unforgettable characters such as "Proposition Joe", "Stringer Bell", "Avon Barksdale", "Omar Little" and (for me the most unforgettable and tragic - and believe me, that's saying something on this show!) "Ziggy Sobotka" - one of which was killed by "Cheese" and two of which were killed by the character who killed "Cheese". Or something like that. It gets confusing. But a great show. Gritty to put it mildly, but well worth the time to it would take to watch all five of its splendid seasons. And speakinf of great shows, very good job on OTR yesterday, Doug. Looked as though you were having a blast. (And you were indeed looking good, too!) Were you as impressed as I was that Method Man knew the year the Leafs last won The Stanley Cup? Wow. Pretty sure Wu-Tang Clan came after The Summer of Love...

Blogger's note: Meph's a renaissance man

[J]

@GM:

It might come down to that, but my point was more about teams needing to be on the same page. And if they are on the same page (i.e. both teams playing hard to the last second), then any extra points you might eek out from playing hard to the buzzer becomes quite trivial compared to the potential negatives.