The coaching carnage begins anew

So Doug Collins hangs ‘em up again, Lawrence Frank and Byron Scott both get fired and the NBA does its NFL imitation by whacking coaches the day after the regular season ends.

Right? Or wrong?

I can’t really speak to too many of the specifics in each case because I’m not around Philly, Detroit or Cleveland to really know enough but it strikes me that – once again – coaches pay the price for, frankly, not doing enough with limited talent at their disposal.

It’s not fair, but then life never is, because I don’t think Lawrence Frank or Byron Scott became “bad” coaches all of a sudden; I would presume they did as much as possible with the rosters at their disposal and, as the old saying goes, you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken poop.

But the thing I find interesting is whether Frank and Scott will once again get on that zany coaching carousel and find head coaching jobs in the future.

Both have had success in the past when they had to be considered “good” coaches and with what seems to be a limited pool to choose from, I’m sure you’ll hear their names mentioned for head coaching jobs in the future.

That’s a problem, isn’t it?

Teams – and their fans – are often loathe to accept as head coaches people with no experience but the track record of recycled coaches isn’t very good.

I would think that some GMs need to be a bit more bold in their hiring practices, try to find new people to elevate to a top job and then give them the support and time to succeed.

I entirely get the idea of finding someone with a track record because it’s the safe route to take and GMs – always with their own futures in mind – prefer safe to risky. They can sell a guy who’s been a head coach before far more easily than someone with no experience, sell them to both their bosses and the team’s fans.

But going out on a limb, taking a shot, is the kind of bolder move that I appreciate. Giving someone new their first chance – and then not pulling the rug out from under them too quickly when things inevitably go poorly – is the kind of leadership I like.

This is nothing against guys like Frank or Scott or even Collins – he left of his own volition and you have to respect that – but recycling isn’t the way I’d go except in a very few situations.

Yes, there are good unemployed former coaches out there – Jerry Sloan, the Van Gundys and Phil Jackson come quickly to mind – but the merry-go-round of the second tier and their inclusion in every new job search is tiring.

And not effective.

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Oh, you knew I was going to do this, didn’t you?

It was Hall of Fame night last night so it’s only logical.

Sorry to some of you but I can’t resist.

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Here’s the deal: Need some more mail, and if I get it all done while decompressing this afternoon, will put two files together and have wee mailbags each weekend day. Sound okay?

But you have to do your part. It’s askdoug@thestar.ca and it’s always nice to hear from you.

And if you are wondering what we've already answered, here's yesterday's chat

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As part of our Nothing But Net thing yesterday (here’s the main item in case you somehow got busy and missed it), we had this little look at five free agents out there for you to digest.

And, no, it’s not exactly an overwhelming list but I do think it’s kind of realistic given all the various circumstances.

There won’t be untold riches in the kitty for Bryan to spend thanks to the moves he’s already made and the way the roster is constructed right now.

The only possible new starter – barring anything earth-shattering happening – would be a tough four but other than that, they are looking for backups and depth.

And you’re not going to spend crazy money on them.

The list of available free agents is hardly overwhelming anyway; some dopey GM is going to overpay and give Josh Smith a maximum value contract that the team will regret in about 18 months but past that, there doesn’t seem to be any significant movement on the horizon.

So, unless Bryan goes berserk on me and starts major more major change, this might turn out to be a calm summer.

(Yes, I know, the Jinx is now officially in place).

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So I’m out walking Super Dog in the dawn hours this morning and two things come to mind:

I need Super Son to get his butt back from a school trip to Philly so he can do some dog-walking duties …

And, I can hear the birds chirping and it’s a nice, calm morning.

(And if I ever type anything ever again about birds chirping, you as my friends have permission to give me a slap in the head)

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All right, part of Decompression Day Vol. 1.0 included a bit of the early evening on a stool in a place with a lot of TVs (Hi, Jack Astor’s Square One!) and a few of them have the TOD game on.

It was the first one I’ve watched even remotely closely since opening night – work/life always got in the way – and I have to tell you:

I am dead tired already of shots of fans in the seats eating popcorn and apparently having all kinds of fun, the number sponsored bits and in-inning advertisements is shocking and having an ad superimposed on the hitter’s background in the center field is shocking.

It really takes away from the game and I understand they need to make money to pay the salaries and build interest in a somewhat sluggish start to the season but, yeesh, it’s entirely over the top.

The one thing I didn’t see – and was quite glad for it – were repeated shots from a center field bar; that was the worst part of the opening night show.

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Another one -- more bad than good -- comes to a close

Where does the time go?

Seems like it was just yesterday we were packing for Halifax amid all kinds of optimism and now we’re staring into the off-season abyss wondering what’s going to happen.

Actually, I lie.

That was, without doubt, one of the longest seasons I can remember, and I can remember an awful lot of them.

Now, it’s not like I didn’t have any fun and, as we know, it’s all about me.

I was lucky enough of the course of the season to meet some great new people and that’s of paramount importance to me; we had some fun on the road every now and then and, frankly, got through it relatively unscathed.

Some quick highlights and lowlights?

Don’t mind if I do.

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Where’s it rank?

Well, it wasn’t 16-66 and it wasn’t the drama of the KO year and the players and coaches themselves are as good a group of people as they’ve had around here.

Not an electrifying gaggle of personalities and awful young but, still, a good group.

But overall?

This one has to be among the worst three or four given the expectations, the mid-season upheaval and the angst that carried through almost from the first week of the year.

Losing, and not living up to a billing, takes its toll on people and there were times when nerves were frayed and people were on such edge that the whining factor went off the charts.

Now, that in itself isn’t unusual, happens with every team in the same circumstances throughout the league but the cumulative effect can get to a guy.

And as this one wound down, it was like we couldn’t wait for it to get over.

Too bad, took some of the fun away from being around various arenas.

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Best trip, personally?

Milwaukee-San Francisco-Phoenix-LA

(Well, maybe except the Milwaukee beginning but it was only one night)

Buena Vista to meet Dennis Franz’s daughter and a great dinner at Tomasso’s in San Fran; another good meal and a day off in Phoenix and a great hotel right across from Staples Centre for the first time ever.

Have no recollection who won the games – that was kind of secondary to the season at that point – but good cities with days off wasn’t that bad.

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An aside

Somewhere, Stompin’ Tom and Rita are making some music, I’d think; some good music.

RIP

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Lowest point

The night the season died, Vol. 1

We’re in Portland, the season is pretty much slipping away and the HOTH get absolutely drilled to go to 4-18 on the season.

It’s the end of a long trip, Lowry gets hurt, Andrea gets hurt, I have to rush to get anything of any substance in the paper because it’s so late.

There are two tiny hallways in the bowels of the Rose Garden, one that leads right to the locker room before it ends and a long one that leads out to the area where the bus waits.

Well, Bryan’s on the trip and I’ve never seen him as disappointed/angry/sad as he was as he stood against one wall and I’ve never seen Dwane at such a loss for answers as he stood in the long hallway about 15 feet away trying to figure out what went wrong and what was going on.

It was being at a funeral; the season was the corpse.

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Best win

A day of fun

In the grand scheme of things it was just a home win over a team with a sub-.500 record and you’re supposed to beat teams like that but the Sunday afternoon win over the Lakers might have been the most fun day of the season.

Huge crowd, lots of buzz in the building and everyone seemed to leave happy, even the thousands of Kobe fans in the joint.

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The night the season died, Vol. 2

Washington-Cleveland back to back losses in late-February that really laid waste to any suggestion they could climb back into playoff legitimacy.

Was a time to show what they were made of; losing at home to the team with the worst road record in the league (the Wizards) and then on the road to a team missing its best player (Kyrie Irving) was pretty telling.

And fatal to their slim chances.

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Another aside?

I really need some mail, folks.

Yes, we have the chat here at noon and I’m sure we’ll through a lot of stuff but for those who can’t make it, drop a line at askdoug@thestar.ca and make a guy’s day.

Thanks.

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Big finish?

I have been known to rag on the game ops people down at the arena every now and then.

But the little pre-game ceremony to honour and remember the victims of Monday’s bomb blast in Boston was as well done as anything ever.

Congrats.

And we did get some Sweet Caroline, just no singing. Which might be a good thing, all things considered.

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One enduring memory

It sort of put the human picture of sports in laser-like focus.

It was the Night Of The Big Trade in Atlanta and even an interloper just standing in the middle of a silent locker room basically eavesdropping couldn’t help but feel the emotion.

These were close friends being separated by outside influences, these were men with families being told, ‘okay, thanks for your services but you’ve been transferred to another country and you start work there tomorrow” and while it wasn’t like someone died, seeing the teary eyes and long faces and emotional hugs between good friends put a real human face on things.

Sure, I get that pro sports is a business, a ruthless business at times, but that was a tough few minutes to watch.

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All right, I’ve got some Nothin’ But Net to get at see some of you around noon, I hope.

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The Goods On The Game, Celtics at Raptors

Hey, folks.

Welcome back for the last one.

Have fun.

Solid fans and some forgettable final games

We’re going to keep the game-specific stuff to a minimum, if you don’t mind. Am sure there were three riveting points to make off last night but I’d have to really search the dark recesses of mind and I’m not sure I want to.

So, one big point and we’re off to the more, if that’s okay?

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A POINTER

What to expect?

If there has been one very surprising part of this season it’s the way the HOTH have drawn at home.

Really surprising in a lot of ways: The season got off to a terrible start, the end wasn’t all that great until the last two weeks yet here they are, averaging 18,156 per game with 11 sellouts, more than they’ve had in years.

Don’t think they don’t notice, a point Dwane made quite vociferously after Tuesday’s game.

“With our season, we were disappointed as far as our record was concerned but our fans stuck with us. We’ve got some of the most passionate fans, that’s something Ilearend going to Toronto.

“It’s something you don’t see every day, the passion that the fans have. Win, lose or draw, they’re there.

“That’s something our players don’t take for granted and definitely I don’t take for granted. We appreciate it.”

They should.

Drawing those kinds of numbers for this kind of team is mightily impressive and it’s a credit to the people who show up.

Well done.

I have no clue what your reception will be like for these guys tonight, though. That's sometimes the most fun part of the last game.

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Now, for the fun stuff.

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Heard this last night in Atlanta and I am certainly hoping we hear it tonight in Toronto and that those fans so worthy of praise know what to do.

Yes, it has to do with Boston but these days, a little solidarity with that bomb-racked city can’t hurt, can it?

So my Game Ops friends better play it, and you folks better sing it. Loudly.

I’m thinking either right off the bat, first timeout of the first quarter or at the break between the first and second quarters.

Don’t let me down, okay?

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Can’t remember if I’ve ever linked a story written by someone else about a Canadian women’s basketball player but here’s how Kayla Alexander’s WNBA draft looked to chroniclers in San Antonio.

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We are all, I believe, in agreement that Vin Scully is the gold standard by which all broadcasters should be measured. We’ve been over it so many times that it makes no sense to go into it again right now.

But in the race for second place, I think I might put Pat Summerall, who passed away yesterday and who was a broadcaster with dignity and class his entire career.

Understated elegance might be a way to put it, a perfect foil for the excitable John Madden in the broadcast booth.

I don’t remember him ever raising his voice, he certainly never got caught up in any measure of self-importance and he and Madden were, I’d say, the perfect pair.

Unlike some people, he didn’t the foil to Madden’s buffoon, he didn’t feed him lines but his mere presence made Madden’s mannerisms and comments easier to take.

Plus, Summerall had great, great pipes.

If I’m putting together the perfect broadcast team not only does it have to be two voices rather than three, it has to be someone dignified like Summerall to offset the audaciousness of the partner.

RIP, one of the best ever.

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List time!

It being the last game of the regular season and all, a little stroll down memory lane – fuelled by a couple of post-game, decompression-helping Yeunglings and some deep fried cheese gets us to this:

Some Memorable Last Games

(In no particular order)

Brendan’s farewell

It’s the last game of the first year, against Philadelphia in the World’s Worst Basketball Arena and my dear, dear friend Phil Jasner and I are hanging out before the game.

He wants to go say hi to Brendan Malone because they knew each other and we wander into the locker room only to find Brendan diagramming plays on the white board.

“Hey Brendan, see you’re busy, I’ll come back after the game to catch up,” says Phil.

Brendan:

“No, let’s talk now, I’m getting fired after the game.”

And he did.

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Rat patrol

It’s Year 3, ending the 16-66 atrocity and poor Glen Grunwald gets booed unmercifully as he tries to apologize to the fans at midcourt in Maple Leaf Gardens.

We all feel bad for Glen, of course, but not as bad as we felt for the wives and families of players who were sitting in the family lounge when a giant rat ran right across the room.

Yeah, that made it easy to sell free agents on the team.

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Ben Uzoh Night

It was like Tankapolooza a year ago when they finished at home against New Jersey.

At stake were a couple of vital ping-pong balls as it turned out and not only did the Raptors play less poorly than the Nets – and that’s saying something – we all had to re-write previously written stories to get in the fact that Ben Uzoh had a triple-double, first for the franchise in almost a decade.

Just more work than it should have been after having to sit through what might have been one of the worst basketball games ever played.

-

Looting time

The First Lady Of The Beat and I are walking out of the Cleveland arena on the night that ended the 2002-03 season, the same night the Cavs changed logos and colour schemes to the current wine and gold because they new the lottery was fixed (I keed, I keed) and they could build around that LeBron James fellow.

Well, as we leave we notices boxes and boxes of t-shirts in the new colours and, being incorrigible as we are, we take a couple each. We giggled all the way to our stools until we realized we had to get up at the crack of dawn and drive back because the Raptors and Lenny Wilkens were going to “part ways” and there was work to do.

The next season, when they’re doing some other giveaway, the Cavs announce they’ll do it on some kind of wrist-band basis on the way out of the arena to combat the “theft” problem of the previous season.

We giggled again.

Ah, the good old days.

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Okay, it’s a silly 8 p.m. start, see some of you then, right?

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The Goods On The Game, Raptors at Hawks

Hello.

Getting a little wistful?

A different feeling as the off-season arrives

On this, the penultimate day of Groundhog Season Vol. 5.0, there is a different feeling around the lads than there’s been in the past.

This year, for the first time in years, I don’t think there’s any sense of sweeping roster change out there and that the focus, right now, is what’s going to happen on the management side.

The roster is pretty much set at the top – the five starters should all return – and there will be more tweaking than major change.

A couple of backups are needed, no question, and there will be some new faces but I honestly don’t think they need to dissolve a lot of what they already have.

DeMar DeRozan seems to agree.

“Since I been here it seems like it’s been a constant change somewhere. It hasn’t really been a steady flow of if we have the same core this year, or coaching staff, this, that, sometimes, that can be frustrating. After all the stuff we went through this year with the trade and everything I just think this is time we stick with this and go full head of steam with this. I think everything will pay off from the years of us not making it. People will really understand and see why.”

Makes sense, no?

There’s not likely to be a high draft pick to assimilate or wait on, the time to let a calm settle over the top of the roster has arrived; it’s not like we’re should see a total overhaul.

But the management side?

Well, who knows.

Until ownership comes out and tells us officially the fate of president and general manager Bryan Colangelo, that’s going to be the elephant in the room.

The longer they drag their feet, the more antsy some people will become; it would make entire sense for someone to come out Thursday or Friday or at the very latest the first of next week to tell fans what’s going on.

Ownership here is, of course, entirely invisible. They don’t talk, a lot of the top decision makers don’t show up. We see Larry Tanenbaum at games but the poobahs from Bell and Rogers are entirely invisible.

And that can’t go on.

They have had all kinds of time to evaluate the situation; nothing that has happened this week is going to change their minds, I don’t suppose, so the quicker they give fans a yay or nay on Bryan, the better it’ll be.

I think he should be back and will be back – we’ll have more on why Wednesday on the web and in Thursday’s paper, some player stuff is coming later this morning – but until someone says it officially, fans are left to wait.

It’s time to fish or cut bait for the big shots; hope they realize it.

-

This seems fitting, no?

-

Was I right to tell the young woman making my quad vente latte just after six this morning in my lobby Starbucks that, sure, it’s okay to wear yellow to her prom?

No clue why she asked me in the first place but, as I told her, why not? Why try to look like everyone else?

Yep, odd things happen on the road.

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So, you know how I hate the international side of Terminal 3 at Pearson with, as a wise friend once said, the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns?

Well, maybe it’s only 500 Suns now.

Arrived there for my Delta flight here (codeshare with WestJet) to find – unreal!! – a Starbucks right down by my gate and I see that they’re building a burger joint right across the hall.

Well done.

It’s still got some wasteland to it and the security area is in adequate and there’s a logjam right at the entrance but it’s better now.

Every airport should have a high-end coffee shop and a place to get a reasonable meal on every concourse, that’s the new rule, if you’d like to know.

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Now, I have no words, nothing to say, nothing to add, about the lunacy that transpired in Boston yesterday afternoon.

We live in a world that can be scary at times, where some people who have no conscience, no compunction about cause death and destruction and anguish to cities and countries and a population that, in the back of mind, has to be continually worried.

The symbolism of a terrorist strike at the finish line of Boston Marathon cannot be lost on many.

To run a marathon, to even qualify for it, is a true testament to the spirit of the competitors, to their indomitable will, their ability to challenge themselves on a very personal level.

It is supposed to be a celebration, with family and friends and a joyous occasion that speaks volumes to the toughness of those who are able to get through it and finish.

It made the afternoon and evening even more sad.

We did not lose our collective innocence yesterday afternoon, that started going out the window on 9/11, but a bit more of it was ripped away from us thanks to the senseless slaughter of people who should have been celebrating the human spirit.

No words can adequately explain it.

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Hobbs is coming back to save the day for TOD?

Hallelujah. Season saved.

(It’s a bit of code but Irregulars will get it)

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You all got the change in the game time tonight, right? It’s at 8 p.m., instead of 7:30 because the NBA did the right and logical thing and cancelled the Indiana at Boston game.

TNT needed an early game for the double-header and, yep, they picked up Raptors-Hawks.

Why?

Well, it was the only on the game on the schedule, I guess that would have a lot to do with it.

Oh, and Turner’s headquarters are here so it won’t be hard to put together a crew to do the game.

But to answer a whole whack of you, the broadcast in Canada will be the usual TSN2 feed, you won’t get to see the TNT guys talk about the Raptors.

Oh yeah, that also means we’ll be here just before 8 p.m. for the IGBT and since we had to blow it off last time we were in Atlanta because of news, it’ll be our only one from here.

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Of good numbers, good golf and a WNBA note

And what are we thinking today?

Yep.

Two. Four. Eight.

And then the real work begins, although I will say last week wasn’t bad week, all things considered.

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THREE POINTERS

Does it mean anything?

With their last two opponents locked into their playoff seeds and probably willing to give a handful of players a night off, there’s every chance at two HOTH victories to end the season.

And while I still contend there is a wee bit of fool’s gold to what’s gone on this past week, two wins will mean that the Raptors will be one game over .500 since the 4-19 start.

(My math’s right, right? They were 4-19 to start and could end 34-48 which makes them 30-29 since early December, correct?)

And is that a big enough sample size considering the various injuries and the significant trade and all the drama that’s gone on since that miserable start?

I’d suggest yes.

Now, you can rationalize this little run to finish the season any way you want and I can hear the “Chicago didn’t have anyone playing” chants now, although I don’t imagine they’d be followed by “Chicago didn’t have anyone playing when they beat Miami and New York, either.”

The thing is that the Raptors, despite still having some roster issues – backup point guard, not nearly enough size or toughness or experience – could finish the final 50 games of a wild regular season at .500 or awful close to it. Doesn’t matter who they’ve played in the final couple of weeks, they’ve played well.

That’s not bad; and I think it does bode well for the future.

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Lessons continue

No doubting that was a pretty solid combined outing for DeRozan and Gay, going 22-for-41 from the field and 6-for-10 from three-point range and maybe this whole notion that they can’t play alongside each other is folly.

Yes, we’ll need a greater sample size and, yes, there have been nights when it’s looked awkward but perhaps, according to Dwane, it’s taking time.

“You can’t throw two guys out there and say we’re going to run this, run that. The guys have to get a rhythm, a comfort level, knowing where they want the ball, how they want the ball.

“Everybody is learning. I’m learning what they can do, what they can’t do. They’re learning what they can do, what they can’t do.”

A little bit late, perhaps, but …

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Keeping it tight

Indeed, that was an eight-man rotation in Game 80 of the regular season but, really, why not?

With Ross still bothered by his ankle and Valanciunas in street clothes, why wouldn’t Dwane ride his main guys pretty hard. Maybe – maybe – there could have been a few minutes somewhere for Fields so that DeRozan and Gay didn’t have to play 42 minutes each but it’s not like they need to get some rest to be ready to play on the weekend.

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More?

Of course. And pretty soon we’re going to be all “more” and I have no idea what we’ll do then. Suggestions welcome.

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Oh yeah, that was some golf tournament, wasn’t it?

Guy makes a huge putt on the 72nd hole to take the lead, the other guy hits one stiff in the pouring rain to tie and a playoff birdie wins it?

Doesn’t get much better than that.

(But tell me you weren’t cheering for Cabrera for two reasons: One, he looks like some of us and, two, I tend to cheer against that thuggish caddy on Scott’s who thinks he’s as important as the player).

Anyway, how could it have been any better?

Well …

Second best sports comedy ever.

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Okay, let’s figure this out.

Today is Jackie Robinson Day around major league, as fitting a tribute to the man as I can think of and we were sitting around on some stools the other night wondering:

Where does he fit in the pantheon of the greatest influences from the sports world ever?

Sure, we would say first here in North America and we would be absolutely right, what he did in breaking the colour barrier cannot in any way be diminished, it was the seminal moment in professional sports on this side of the earth.

But …

I still say, globally, it’s at best a tie with Muhammad Ali for the greatest impact.

That in no way should be construed as a suggestion that what Robinson did wasn’t incredibly brave and hugely important; it was, it will be forever and the world is a better place for what he did.

But Ali was truly a worldwide phenomenon, wasn’t he?

I’m not sure this is even a discussion because to even think one was more important than the other kind of diminishes what the other did and that’s silly.

But if it can be debated, I’m calling a dead heat.

And I think I’m putting Pele third.

You?

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Hey, you folks know me and mock drafts, right? They’re more of a crapshoot than real drafts, silly to do but we all do them.

Anyway, I’ve got the 1,000,000 per cent, dead-bolt lock of ever today:

Britney Griner goes No. 1 in the WNBA draft; if she doesn’t, there needs to be a global inquiry.

But, and here’s where you should start paying attention, there’s a Canadian connection you might want to follow, even if it’s only of marginal interest to you.

Kayla Alexander of Milton, Ont., who finished the leading scorer in Syracuse University history, is pretty much certain to go in the top 10 of the draft and that’s not too shabby at all.

And, like the other dominant collegian – Natalie Achonwa at Notre Dame – Alexander spent a year in Canada Basketball’s NEDA program – a sport-specific, high-level, basketball-only program they used to run out of Hamilton and those kind of hotboxes seem to work pretty well.

But I will also throw this cautionary tale out there: Alexander is a tremendous, tremendous player according to everyone I’ve spoken to with far more knowledge of the women’s game than I have but she’s yet to play a significant game with Canada’s senior women’s team and fans of that team cannot expect her to step in and be a key contributor right away.

Much like the men’s side, the international game at the absolute top levels is populated by experienced grownups and while Alexander could very well be a national team mainstay for years, it’s going to take some time. But for today? It’s a time for her and her family to be extraordinarily proud and another step in a journey.

-

PET 2.0 (a stretch, I know) doesn’t show up for his victory speech wearing his jacket like a cape?

Where’s the kid’s sense of style?

-

 

 

 

The end of the weekend mail

Told you there’d be more.

Have fun.

See you in the morning.

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Q: Hi Doug.

Last week in the mailbox you took me to task for the question about Rudy Gay. I asked about leadership and the thought process on an extension for him. Your response was something about too early to consider it.

On one hand, fair enough. On the other hand, I would open Brian and his henchmen have our #22 already penciled in for a specific value and role moving forward. It is likely far too early for them to share any information with fans, but I would think a pro-active front office always has their options in order.

If I was running the Raptors I would have a pay slot and designated role for Rudy Gay. I would also have then eight to ten guys that I would compare Rudy to for either trade or contract purposes.

Your rebuttal please.

Kevin Murray

A: Well, you’d be like every professional sports general manager on earth, then. They have an idea of what the value is of their players, they have contingency plans if things don’t work out and that’s just basic, common sense.

But they can’t be nearly as rigid as I think you might be suggesting, there are about a million contingencies to think about; injuries, a falloff or an improvement in play or other roster additions through trades or signings.

But as for an extension or anything longer than two years out, it’s folly to think seriously about anything, it’s pie in the sky stuff at the moment, like all long-term planning is.

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Q: Hey Doug,

On the scale of 1 - 10, where 1 is Joey Graham (frustrating inconsistent bench player) and 10 is Tracy McGrady (All-Star and scoring champ), where do you think Terrence Ross will end up? I know that it is impossible to tell and that he's most likely going to end up somewhere in the middle. But you've been around him for almost a year now so if you had to put a number to it, what would it be?

Thanks,

Jay

A: As you mentioned, this a total guess based on a very limited body of evidence but I’d probably say in the 6-7 range. A bit above average and that’s not too bad.

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Q: Hey Doug, love the blog and have been reading it daily for many years. I have a question about the history of coaches that have coached the Raptors since its inception. It seems as though none of them except for Lenny Wilkins had any prior head coaching experience.

Certainly not since Lenny. Kevin O'Neil, Sam Mitchell, Jay Triano, and now Dwayne Casey. All of these coaches were rookie head coaches having to coach young players and young teams. I can’t imagine it being very easy for a rookie coach to learn how to become a good one, while coaching young players that are still

learning the NBA game and how to be successful.

Wouldn't it make more sense to find an experienced coach for a change? One that can teach our young roster the game? I'm sure its costly, but certainly not impossible as the 76ers and the Wolves are both young teams that got Doug Collins and Rick Adelman and the teams they coached played well (Not getting anything back for Iguodala and Vucevic is obviously not Doug Collins fault) but I hope you understand my question.

No disrespect to any of the coaches in the history of the Raptors, but I wonder if an experienced head coach that's been to the playoffs and had success is what we need to actually get there. Seems like our players and coaches are consistently the poor man's version of someone else.

With the exception of Scott Brooks and Vinny Del Negro who both lucked out with all world talent at the top of their rosters, it seems like the combination of young coaches and young teams rarely "get there". What are you thoughts?

Ajit, Grand Cayman

A: I understand entirely and you have a valid point.

But I will counter it with this: Sometimes, it’s a chicken and egg thing; when you have a job opening for a head coach there might not be anyone who fits your criteria either (a) interested in the job or (b) worth pursuing if it’s simply a matter of recycling old coaches.

For instance, I don’t know how many people threw out the idea of hiring a “name” coach when they hired Dwane, as if it was a simple as calling, say, a Jeff Van Gundy and giving him the job. First, in that specific case he had no interest in coaching; other times it’s a matter of budget, what a GM thinks is best for his team and whether the job is even remotely attractive to someone with a wealth of experience. Some of that is the responsibility of the GM to deal with – like money and the willingness to give long-term deals – without question.

So, yes, in a perfect world they would have gone from proven winner to proven winner; we don’t live in anything remotely close to a perfect world.

But, yes, I do think a coach with limited head coaching experience can often teach well enough and grow fast enough that it works.

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Q: Hello Doug!

2-4-8. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? Reminds me of that old school yard cheer: "Two! Four! Six! Eight! Who do we appreciate?..." And you'd just fill in the name of the hero of the moment...and thinking of people who should be appreciated (in addition to you, of course) by Raptor supporters, here's a question for you. Earlier this week you offered up the most egregious blunders by Raps' management and, of course, Irregulars were able to suggest even more for consideration. (Bet that surprised you!)

But, in fairness, it's not all been a tale of Disasterous Decisions. Or has it?

Can you identify a couple of management decisions that - if not exactly mensa-like in their astuteness - advanced the franchise, short or long term, in its evolution. Thank you. (And soon it'll be: One! Two! Four! And Then No More! DRINK!!!)

Lorie P, London

A: I was actually going to do this one morning this week and probably will anyway.

So here are three quick ones and while I am going to scoop myself, we’ll get into them in more detail maybe Tuesday morning if I remember.

Engineering the draft of Vince Carter. Trading for Charles Oakley.

Finding Garbo and Anthony Parker on the relative cheap.

More later, as they say.

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Q: Top of the season to you, couple of random thoughts this week.

Regarding Kobe's injury, first and foremost please understand that in no way do I feel anything but bad for Kobe. Harkening back to a mailbag question from much earlier in this season in which I posited that maybe it was time to consider moving Kobe. I am not in any way gloating, but in the stark reality of the business world as it pertains to professional atheletes they are but "assets" or "liabilities" to their employers. In the unfortunate event that Kobe"s career has come to an end, as all careers must, then in this situation the Laker's organization has a taller mountain to climb in their attempt to replace Kobe(like there will EVER be another Kobe). Among all the tasks and decisions entrusted to the management of a team of any sort is to know when to "hold 'em or to fold 'em". Hopefully Kobe does not go out in this manner, from a humanisitic point of view he deserves far better.

Secondly, in consideration of Mike Weir's anniversary of his Masters win. Rivetted to the TV I was for that final round all those years ago, and most certainly I took great pride in his success for his country, beyond the fact that it was a great victory on it's own merits. Subsequent to his Master's win I began to think that expectations for his ongoing performances on the golf course were blown way beyond any reasonable degree. I truly hope that he has been able to enjoy his win and at no point afterward ever felt that somehow he was letting his country down by not being able to scale the mountain again.

As always thanks for what you do,

Doug T, Brantford

PS: visiting Hazelville tonight, the Harp for dinner followed by the Abbey Road Pub to catch a friend's band, it will just like old times!

A: I can tell you this about Mike, without doubt. He knew how much support he had and has here and desperately wanted to do well for his fans across Canada and it bothered him a bit that he never won a Canadian Open. But to be the first Canadian to win the Master’s was an incredible accomplishment and an historic moment that made him prouder than you can imagine.

And Abbey Road is like a home game for me, been there a few times and always enjoyed myself. Hope you did, too.

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Q: Hi Doug Smith

Just wondering about John Lucas. When he is on the floor, there seems to be added energy, not just from John but from some of the other guys as well. I know that a second unit guy's job is to bring a shot of energy into the game so I guess that explains some of what I see.

He seems to have good chemistry with his teammates; they seem drawn to him more than...well, you know...that guy who starts.

I don't know enough about the game to critique Lucas' play and

development so could shed some light on John Lucas and how he might fit in the Raptor plan? Assuming there is one. A plan, that is.

Doug, you sure took some heat for your Thatcher comments. Yikes. This town is in a very testy mood these days as Mr. Kelly pointed out.

Ditch Dickinson, The Beach

A: John’s biggest problem – and his biggest blessing – is that he’s more of a scoring guard than a point guard, he’ll often miss open guys because he’s trying to get his shot. I think his future here is, frankly, cloudy. There’s a team option at about $1.5 million for him next year and I’m not sure they’ll exercise it right now. He would come back to the role that he has, a third point guard and as a scorer off the bench in dire circumstances.

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Q: We are losing games this season by an average of 2.3 points. If we had just one more three-pointer made per game, we'd be between Brooklyn & Chicago, in 5th place! Which NCAA player or NBA free agent could fill the void? And which current player could they push out of the rotation?

Bo K, Mississauga

A: It’s certainly not that simple that pure arithmetic would suggest a five-team leap in the standings, I’m sure you understand that.

And I pretty much guarantee you that there is no college player ready to come in and consistently knock down NBA three-pointers on a regular basis, it’s a longer shot, the defenders are better and it’s not an easy transition at all. So, quite aside from a pipedream of a kid taken with a draft pick they don’t have, you can put that one out of mind. Please.

NBA free agents?

They don’t have enough cap space other than a mid-level exception to offer anyone and I’m not willing three months before the fact to suggest who might be a possible addition.

The Goods On The Game, Nets at Raptors

Good afternoon, everyone.

Hope all's well.

The start of the weekend mail

Okay, folks, same dilemma as last week.

I got a bunch of these done with all great intentions to finish up on Saturday until I discovered I needed a break from thinking and working.

So have at these, there’ll be more – and some good ones – later on tonight because I have about a zillion loads of laundry to get at, some tape to transcribe for a couple of stories and other things that were on my mind.

See some of you around 3:30 this afternoon, right?

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Q: Hello...It seems Tiger plunked one in a patron's cup at Augusta. The revealing fact is that beer is only $ 3.00 a cup at The Masters.

Any chance a Toronto sporting event would sell the stuff for $ 3.00? When was the last time you had a cheap beer at a sporting event?

How about all leagues have a game to honour # 42 once a year?

Will the Dinos have a new point guard next year? Will AB be at their training camp? Just threw those last two queries in there for fun...and consternation

Bob E, Kanata

A: Cheap beer at a sporting event? What’s that old saying?

Hahahahahahahahahaha.

A story: A buddy of mine goes to a Raptors game and he figures it’s time for a beer. He orders, hands guy a $20 and gets back a couple of coins. He says to the guy: “I think you made a mistake, I gave you a $20.”

Dude looks at him with the “yeah, right” glare and moves on to the next customer.

Some kind of Robinson honour would be excellent sports-wide, it’s going to be interesting this afternoon to see Jerry Stackhouse representing Brooklyn and wearing No. 42, won’t it?

Yeah, consternation, indeed. Don’t really need/want it at the moment, there’s months for it to percolate.

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Q: Doug, as the season winds down a grab-bag of questions come to mind.

First, a couple of playoffs related questions: Do you think the Lakers can grab the last spot in the West in light of Kobe Bryant's injury? Also, with Toronto the only team in their division missing the playoffs, I was wondering if every team in a division has ever made the NBA playoffs with the current format in place?

As for the Raptors, do you think Sebastian Telfair comes back next season? Finally, if I want to catch one last game at the ACC, would you recommend the Boston or Brooklyn game?

Thanks for your coverage throughout the season.

Bill G, North York

A: In light of Friday, I’d say there’s a slim – very slim – chance the Lakers hold on.

And under the current format, no division has ever sent every team to the post-season.

I doubt Telfair will be back, at least that’s the sense I’m getting right now; there are other fish to fry roster-wise but if he does return, I think it’s as a last-resort.

Which game?

Yikes. Hate to try to tell a person how to spend their money but I’d guess today’s game will be better but you’d have a better chance at getting some token gift on Wednesday.

If it was Super Son, I’d tell him to go this afternoon.

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Q: Always enjoy the read Doug. Here's the question: can you play 'arm-chair GM' for a moment? It's the end of another season without a sniff at the playoffs and you need to decide if the team's going in the right direction or not. Do you A. re-build (or re-tool) again or B. stay the course around the current core?

Related 'arm-chair owner' question. Has Colangelo done enough in your/their estimation to keep his job for another year or is time to break with him and give someone else a shot. If the owners do that, what would be the top 3 issues for the new GM to address? Thanks for the great stuff.

Troy, Toronto

A: I don’t mind the core, actually, and if you talk about moving out four or five rotation players, you get into a vicious circle of always wondering if you’ve got the mix right. I think this mix – the five starters – needs to grow together.

But you’re always re-tooling, every team in the league is looking to make moves to get better, it’s no different for good teams or bad. New York did it this year with Kidd, Prigioni and Felton, Miami with a couple of additions to the end of the rotation and Oklahoma City did it with Martin over Harden.

And, yes, I think Bryan has done enough to put the team on a track that he should get the final year of his contract picked up.

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Q: I think you missed one, perhaps intentionally and that is Jose & Ed. I believe this one will be one of the last huge blunders by Colangelo. Calderon was the heart and soul of the franchise and the one PG who could get the most out of a healthy Bargs. Ed was only just beginning to blossom and given the right circumstances will become a good one!

Toronto should be looking at the character of a team as well as asset value. Sometimes you are better off taking care of the quality assets you possess.

Linda S

PS: I used to wish we didn't have a franchise here in the west because I was a Raptor fan who didn't want to live with "black-outs". Now, bring on a western franchise......the sooner the better. Until Colangelo goes this franchise is doomed. My guess is that if he stays Casey goes. Casey is making mistakes but he has the right philosophy and needs better coaches around him.

Thanks for all your great work. You are my constant link to the Raptors.

A: I agree entirely that character and fit have to be taken into consideration when compiling a roster; it’s not the end all and be all but it is important.

There is no question they miss the character of both the players they dealt away, it remains to be seen how the fit is with the current group, I’m not sure they’ve had long enough yet.

And, yes, bring on another western team, I miss the road trip a lot.

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Q: Doug

Was trying to figure out if you could have an NBA team (all-time) made up of guys who changed their names as adults. We have Kareem, Mehta, and World B, which is actually a pretty good start for a team. Can you add any, I have one more in the back of my head but it isn't coming forward?

Bruce, Mississauga

A: I don’t suppose you count (H)Akeem Olajuwon or Nene (Hilario), do you?

But how about Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf? He was a far better player than Chris Jackson, wasn’t he? Except for the whole “not standing for the anthems” thing.