The reinforcements have arrived! Wake up, Raptors fans, Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks have come from the Sunshine State to revitalize the franchise and help us on our playoff push! Thank you, Commander Colangelo! Our divine march into March begins tonight against the Cavs.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see it (unless you have Bell, but c’mon, who has Bell?) Yep, us basketball-starved fans will have to sidle up to our computers and radios (Eric and Paul the horror) thanks to yet another important game on TSN2. It’s starting to get old, for serious. This is horrendous customer service on every level, and even our affiliation with the WorldWide Leader (and TSN’s owners) won’t stop the continual (yet ultimately futile) abuse until either this thing gets straightened out, or there’s a blood revolt on the streets of Toronto. (and yes, I’m parentheses happy today. It’s my of celebrating “hump day”. Deal.)
The Cavs are without Delonte West, Sasha Pavlovic, and potentially Ben Wallace for tonight’s game, but a rested James, Williams, and Big Z should be more than enough to give us fits on the defensive end. I’d be remiss not to mention our two game winning streak prior to the break (which I didn’t get to see thanks to TSN2), but we’ll be hard pressed to continue that tonight against a Cavaliers team that’s no doubt starting to lock down for their post season run.
On paper, Marion definitely brings improvement on D, but I can’t see him seamlessly fitting into whatever scheme we have going in his first game. Still, Colangelo is optimistic, though that’s no surprise.
It’s a chance for Shawn to be a little bit more useful to his team,” said Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, who drafted Marion in 1999 as Phoenix GM. “I don’t think they were fully maximizing his potential down in Miami. That was maybe a system thing more than anything else. I think the system here will work in his favor.”
What that “system” we’re running here is, I’m not entirely sure.
Quick tangent – Part of me can’t help but worry Marion’s going to come out and play the last 27 games with his shoes untied. He knows he might be here for only a couple months, he wildly underachieved in Miami, he’s prone to taking plays off, he’s not the most motivated dude, and it’s clear that it was the Nash-D’Antoni combo that made him a fantasy juggernaut for a few seasons. And I’m pretty sure consistent exposure to that jump shot will blind a brother.
Tangent over.
Bosh is listed as doubtful and Jose as probable, but frankly I’d like to see Offense-Only Ocho sit out so we can see Banks play some minutes. He’s one of those guys that looks like they have all the tools, but something in their wiring is off. I remember watching him play in Phoenix and he’d have flashes of physical, heady defense but couldn’t create a bucket off a 4-on-1. If he ends up being the Anti-Calderon, I’m fine with that, but if he ends up being Mini-Joey (circa 2006), he’s going to have RapsFan and AltRaps working overtime to coin a condescending nickname.
I’ve got to run to a meeting so I only have time for one of the Starting Matchups or the Opposing Cheerleader…and I don’t need a poll to tell me which you’d prefer.
Meet Kelly. When she’s not busy building awkwardly freakish neck muscles and looking like someone’s Mom, she enjoys ice cream, Christian Rock, and Chapstick. But really, who doesn’t?
STREAK: 2-8 in our last 10 matchups.
Gotta run. Any anger for this lame post, please direct it here.
109 Raps
FREE BANKS!! DOWN WITH CALDUKIC!!
I have Bell. :P
geez, maybe we’re more alike than i thought?
i’m with bell too, made the switch in the fall…ah, the fall, back when there was the hint of optimism.
anyway, i’m super happy with it…the service from my cable provider (not rogers, i’m on the eastcoast, and the cable provider has TSN2, but not the score or rapsTV in HD, which is why i switched).
too bad it’s not a realistic option for many living in the city, or in condos/apartments.
can anyone honestly say they watch rogers sportsnet for anything? i can’t remember the last decent thing they aired…it always seems to be poker, idiots yakking, or sports ‘news.’ it’s like they aren’t interested in showing, y’know, sports anymore. oh wait, i guess they show hockey. that’s a relief, can’t see hockey anywhere else.
anyway, back to bell…i’m not trying to plug for ‘em, i’m sure they have many enemies, but in ~6 months, i don’t really have anything negative to say. the picture in HD is better than what my cable provider had in HD, the SD picture, even on my plasma, is exponentially better than the cable provider’s SD, and i haven’t had nearly as many ‘outages’ due to weather as many said. come to think of it, the only people who seem to think it’s a realy problem are the morons at the cable company.
so, yeah, better picture, more channels, for relatively the same price.
No arguments there. Ultra happy with it.
Why don’t ppl switch? I don’t get it…
I’ll probably be at Philthys…
Will there be any stream links?
Yeah, someone will add them.
i’ll be there too
Isn’t Rogers’ fault?
I’ll be at the game. (BOH!!) :D
Hey Realizar I’m still not over you dissin Kevin Durant like that
check his stats over the last 10 games
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii7/theondeckcircle/?action=view¤t=durantlog.jpg
How many other nba players could do that???
Did you see his display in the Rook/Soph game??
Why are you sleeping on him man???
does anyone have the address for wherever the TSN building i located? I think i’m going toegg the hell out of their front door today
I used to work with them, i’ll join you. ha
I think O’Neal is a great player, but his presents was a “Double Sided Blade”.
POSITIVE SIDE
O’Neal showed Barganai how the Juggernauts (Gotta Use it too Dino) of the league BANGED around. Game Time OR Practice Time O’Neal showed Barganai how to use the Skills he learned at the Big Mans camp PLUS O’Neal is an Old School player. Physical, Tough, Mean, GAME FACE… I’m going to rip your Heart out & eat it Errrrraaaa!! Barganai has defiantly improved in ‘Leaps & Bounds” under the bucket & on defense.
Come on, pick one guy in the NBA to back you’re in a bar fight….? I’d take O’Neal!! O’Neal toughened up Barganai!!! O’Neal can just look at you and you’d piss your pants.
NEGATIVE SIDE….
O’Neal forced Barganai to play SF and was ‘Used & Abused’ and almost regressed because smaller quicker SF would just run by him. BUT Barganai never hung his head…. Never stopped shooting… not shy… I like that.
O’Neal REDUCED Barganai minutes but you could argue that it gave Barganai LESS pressure while developing…. BUT I wouldn’t buy it. Andrea wants to play though his slumps. He has the hunger!
Barganai would still have his tail between his legs if O’Neal didn’t show him how it was done! BUT O’Neal services are no longer needed here. Thank-You O’Neal. I’m now a fan!
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
We got our ‘Diverse’ Wing player we desperately wanted. Marion gives use Hustle, Offence Rebounds, Defense, Experience, & weird jump shot that goes down… somehow?!? Now if we can Trade Banks for a SG and put Parker on the Bench we’d really be onto sometime here in Raptor Land.
I just Kick the Shit out of a 4000ft Mountain in Vermont. Was in the Clouds and pissed on the summit top to show who’s boss. Broke a piece of Jay Peak off and brought it home! That’s the attitude the Raptors need.
We’ll either do really good or VERY bad to make the lottery. Someone said we got nothing to lose by playing Banks. I agree. He’s already hit rock bottom. Only up from here. Then Trade him next year. For our final tweak!!!
You poor suckers in T.O. can’t get the game, but I am in hockey loving St. Catharines and haven’t missed a game all years thanks to Cogeco Cable. That is funny to me, not to you guys I’m sure, but funny as hell to me. I have become the expert that my father and friends in the Toronto area call to ask “Did the Raps really play that bad last night?”, which for most of the year I have answered yes to both wins and losses.
Screw TSN2 and the f’ing idiots (nunya, can I use your catchphrase?) who didn’t bother to find out if Raptors games would be available for fans in Toronto. I’m watching Denver vs. Philly. I’ll read about Marion’s debut and the Cleveland beatdown in tomorrow’s papers.
Free Banks
THE MOVEMENT IS ON!! FREE BANKS, BABY!!
Sam, we started an epidemic!
I feel bad for the people missing games.. but they could switch. You know what would set me off if I were them though? TSN has this new commercial… “Did you miss…” or something, and it shows different games on TSN2 and then proceeds to say “Get TSN2″ I know I’d be upset.
They charge you a penalty to switch, I believe. And there are a few other financial reasons why I’m not doing that. And is it too much to ask that the people who promote a sport that isn’t hockey in this town try to make it as accessible as possible? But Denver and Philly play better basketball so I come out a winner in the end.
Apart from the whole the team I irrationally support is sucking thing, this season has had some high comedy. If Colangelo had consciously set out to have the most mediocre season ever, could he have reproduced the year so far? What’s coming next? The Raptors come out actually looking like SSOL 2.0 but Marion breaks his leg, Garbo-style, after a series of sick dunks and wicked defensive plays?
(and I’m not saying BC is a victim of anything but you have to admit that usually a few bad decisions get swept under the carpet thanks to dumb luck. This year though, everything BC touches seems to turn to lead.)
This is just a case of “hey we can’t play any D and we don’t have any players that can, so let’s try run and gun”. At least that will sell tickets, but gives us zero chance in the playoffs. Still no go to scorer, no inside presence (I swear LeBron will have 55 points in the paint tonight and his own personal dunk contest)..no a damn thing a playoff team needs to have. NOTHING!
I’m guessing Matrix misses 10 games. Of course, that will be due to bad luck! C’mon, we all know that everything that happens with the Raps is bad luck. Contingency plans? Plan B or C? Why would anyone care about that? Not like we needed a legit back point at the start of the year. Not like it was 99% a sure thing Bosh/Jose/O’Neal would miss games.
Best team on paper baby!! Contenders!!
It JUST MAKES ME SICK how he went from contender to rebuilding in 4 months and no one is bothered at all. Everyone is like: “Let’s give him 5 more years, he is a 2 time EOY after all.”
No. Give him ’til the next move. Yes. they have all been terrible, up to the last one, which is trying to right it. If nothing is got out of Marion, then yer right, it was too late anyways. No salvaging of anything if nothing out of Marion. That would close it. Took a shot with JO. That will go down as the biggest blunder in their history if can’t be salvaged.
Where did I say give him 5 more years? Where has anyone said that in the past 2 months? He’s not getting fired tomorrow, we can all agree on that, so we’ll see what he can do whether we want to or not. I was a BC defender because I thought some people jumped all over him just to prove how avant garde they were and felt some of his moves were defendable. Maybe they still are but I really couldn’t give a crap about the team this year. I’ll get back on the bandwagon next year, for sure, but the rest of this year is for watching other teams and dreaming about next year – when Colangelo will still be GM even if we march on the ACC demanding his head on a stake.
Free Banks
Not you Sam. Generally speaking, for everyone this is all of this is Smitch’s and TJ’s fault.
I have documented your growing concern is BC’s work.
Nadir, as FAQ would say, it’s a lil unreasonable to think Marion will not need at least a few games to adjust. Jose will probably play tonight, miss the next 3, Bosh is still out, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he pulls a Wade. There is so much commotion going on, I don’t see how we win many games.
And I think the NY games are the ones that make us or break us. But I don’t know what they point of making the playoffs is.
Flux, you do realize that Colangelo is quickly becoming the underdog in this year’s Raptors melodrama. Soon you’ll be defending him. Free Colangelo!
HA! This is true. Thing is, I didn’t expect anything from this team at the start of the season. I can’t say I saw all this coming, but AltRaps will tell you.. I didn’t have them winning 30 games.
I’m just starting to feel bad for all the people that did have high hopes, they just seem desperate (like BC) for anything to go right at this point. Like who cares if we get pounded in the show, let’s at least make it there.
FREE BANKS!! lol… Man, I hope they play him. I’m telling ya.. he’s about to go off.
I have also suggested that CB4 would like to make the playoffs.
Why Nadir? With no hopes of getting past the 1st round… why would he want to make the playoffs? DWade tanked a season last year.. and now they are in the 5th spot in the East.
The Matrix reloaded…are you RED-Y?
LOL!
FREE BANKS!!!
but seriously, good job on the TSN2 thing. They suck, and I like when we remind everyone just how much they do indeed suck.
Oh, and Calderon is definitely playing tonight according to Triano on 590 this morning. I am curious to see how he can integrate Marion in the offense – the free Banks thing is more of a joke. If he can come in at the #2, I will be okay with that. I still think Roko should get time because it appears he will be our backup next year.
Bosh is doubtful to play tonight.
nunya…. You can leave the name calling at home with your Cool-Aid. We’ll talk when you get your panties out a bunch and the pickle out of your ass! I know we are all pissed at the Raptors Roller coaster ride, but no need to shit on a poster like that! You shouldn’t talk out of your ass like that either… you sound like a winny little girl.
Two points of contention on ‘The Matrix’:
1) While you may have a point that he has taken plays off and has had an attitude problem, he has 27 games to impress the rest of the league enough to give him the contract that he thinks he deserves. This is a league where Erick Dampier once averaged 13/13 after the All-Star break in the hopes of getting a new contract (he got a massive one). Never discount an NBA player in a contract year, especially after the Break.
2) You claim the Nash-D’Antoni combo made him a fantasy juggernaut. That may be somewhat true, but before both of them got there, he was an all-star (2003) and scored close to 20 ppg while average close to 10 rpg. And that was a team run by Stephon Marbury.
The Raps have not had a wing player this athletic/good at basketball since Vince (no offence Mo Pete, Garbo, Joey Graham, etc). He can’t really create off the dribble but he gives us a lot of verstality that this roster has been sorely lacking. We can go big with Jose, AP, Marion, Bosh and Bargs, or we can play small ball with Jose, AP, Kapono, Marion and Bosh. If Bosh gets healthy, this team is going on a run.
Oh and Marcus Banks is a bum and always will be.
Seems both your points of contention start with “you may have a point” and “that may be somewhat true”. You gotta contend more vehemently, you’re a lawyer, after all! “While I can see the defendant’s point…”
1) This is hammered into the ground by too many an NBA fan. Any GM should be able to see through this transparent effort and address the player’s oeuvre (yes, I went there) as a whole. Personally, I wouldn’t hire a guy that starts trying two months before he’s up for renegotiation.
He also doesn’t make us into a playoff contender, and that’s not his goal. As you stated, his objective is to compile PERSONAL STATS. Not the same as winning (see Davis, Ricky).
2) The system brought out the best in Shawn, but I can’t argue with the facts: It’s clear Starbury also brings out the best in people.
Other than that, love hearin’ from ya, as always.
“A lot of teams can (run) in the league, they just don’t do it; they want to sit there and pound the ball,” he said. “The game is supposed to be exciting. I’m tired of playing that boring style, halfcourt, just watching everybody go up and run a play, call this play, run this play. That’s boring, I’m not going to lie to you. And I know fans don’t enjoy it, either. It’s cool when you get a couple of highlights here and there, but people like to see teams have high-scoring games and dunks and stuff, that’s what it’s all about.” – Shawn Marion
Does this guy know what city he’s in?
Looks like he thinks he went back to Phoenix. Yikes.
agree – the raps have become one of those dreaded pound it in teams. of course, you could argue that that’s at least partly due to the lack of a bona fide wing who could not only get out on the break but finish STRONG at the hoop. or perhaps the lack of rebounding at the wing (can’t run unless you have the ball). or the lack of a true stopper on the perimeter.
i know moon’s a high-flier, but he was simply not strong enough to finish in traffic. uncontested dunk? awesome. going to the hole in traffic, drawing contact, and still finishing? not so much. other than graham, the raps didn’t have a single wing player who could actually go to hole with authority & not end up looking silly (yeah, i’m staring you down, anthony…).
take, for instance, the last play in marion’s heat career. end of game situation vs. the bulls, down 1, seconds to play. marion is the inbounder, who gets it into wade, and cuts to the hoop hard, makes a strong move & finishes a contested (at least partially) dunk to win it. among raps, i can only envision graham having the physical ability to make that play.
i have no illusion that they’ll make the playoffs, or that they’ll all of a sudden become some top-flight team. but at the very least, they’ll be able to give bargs all the minutes he can handle. they’ll be able to give joey more burn, esp. if bosh misses time & marion goes to the 4. oh, and they might just become watchable again.
Or is it because of Jose “Pull Back/Guard my stats/Pound the ball 6 feet high at the top of the key/dump it to Bosh” Calderon?
Great, Bargs gets more minutes and reveals that January was the aberration. That’s how this season has been going.
For all the deserved flack people give Bosh on this site, he’s leaps and bounds better than Bargs, was leaps and bounds better than Bargs in his 3rd season in the league and will likely be leaps and bounds better than Bargs for the rest of his career.
What makes people think Bargs is going to become anything more than a poor man’s Okur? I like the guy, I see why Colangelo thought he had potential but unless he makes a leap soon (the next year or so) he is a thoroughly mediocre player. He’s a better rebounder than he was but is still subpar for a 5; he’s big and reasonably strong so he can bang a bit on D but hardly has an appetite for it; overall, he’s not the most efficient scorer in the league, particularly for a 5; his off-the-ball defence is better this year but that just means he’s gone from pathetic to mediocre. Apart from the whole “we could have had Roy” thing, how is Barg’s year anything but a faint hope for the future?
Bargs is a wannabe shooting guard, just like Bosh. It’s no secret. I think most people are chalking up his inconsistent play to being bounced around like a pinball at the positions. I’ve given up on expecting a whole lot, but I am never surprised when he delivers. Like BC, I think he has it in him. If he were to play one position for the whole year and was average.. i’d call him mediocre. Till then.. the hope is ALIVE!! His playoff performance alone are good enough for me.
what else is there, but faint hope?
at the start of the season, i would’ve staked my life that his career PEAK would be 18/8/2, with averages around 15/6/1…january may very well be an aberration, but i’m willing to project my average season upwards slightly, and concede that at the very least, he has the ABILITY to put up 20ppg w/ avg rebounding #’s & decent to above-avg D. the key for me is how efficient he is in putting up those #’s, whether he ever learns to consistently get his teammates involved, whether his D will continue to progress, whether he continues to become physically better able to compete with the elite 4s/5s of the league, etc. i.e. will he only find success as a one-dimensional shooter, or can develop enough of an all-around game to make him a valuable part of a contending team even if he isn’t a primary offensive weapon?
I pray I’m wrong because I like Bargs but he has not been efficient in putting up his #’s this year. There were a few games in January where he was (like the loss to Chicago) but even during his hot streak a number of his 20 pt. games came on 40% or less shooting. That’s not efficient for a 5 who can’t rebound well. He’s a unique player so I see it in him to buck every established trend in basketball and maybe even blossom into a star but I think the odds of that are slim. If I were BC I’d be taking calls about trading him and thinking very hard about pulling the trigger on any decent offer, especially since Marion is breaking his leg tonight (or maybe the 1st game after the trade deadline).
Im with both of you, I think the can pull of 20ppg and like 7 boards… but consistency and at what % are the key. I am also willing to bet BC is getting a ton of calls for him, but realizes that under a different coaching staff this guy could be something. Paps or Sloan would have this guy looking like an All Star.
LOL @ Marion… those were the visions I was having yesterday. More along a hammy deal tho. I am not so sure people need to see him play for him to get a fat contract. They know what he can do.. he has little to prove.
I read somewhere that Bargs’ true shooting percentage was in the top 50th percentile in the league. But you know what, that sucks for a centre.
His main offensive value would be to pull other centres out to the perimeter to allow Bosh to operate in an iso. I would love to add “or allow Bosh to make plays/passes out of the post” but he sucks at this.
The good thing about Banks is that he is virtually untradeable now but becomes and asset in 2010-11 as either an expiring contract to trade, or to just let it expire. This is of course assuming enough good is done to keep Bosh here or turn Bosh into another to tier player.
Also what do you guys think of Mo Pete and Garbajosa’s value to the team in the past? To me I think the hustle, effort and no quit attitude is missed more than anyone would have expected. When you watch a game it is clear that the majority of the fans get more riled up about a hard nosed defensive play, than a dunk or ally-oop. Fans get into it, the players get jacked, thos eplays are just infectious. Anyone else get what I’m saying? Sometimes those glue guys do more for the team than the primadonnas. I’m not suggesting that they would have righted this seasons wrongs, and both players really were at the end of their tenures in Toronto, but to me that is the type of players missing on this team.
Colangelo is on the Game Plan on the FAN @ 2:20 today.
Raptors starting vs Cleveland
Calderon
Parker
Bargnani
Marion @ SF
Graham @ PF
Marion and Graham will prob have to play 40+ mins.
i’m surprised one one has mentioned the possibility that the raps use the $3M rec’d in the trade to recoup some of what they’ll be paying smitch over the next year or so…
coaches don’t go against the cap.
i realize that, thanks for the capology lesson. the $$ sent by miami in the deal isn’t cap-relief money, or limited to be used for player payroll or only to acquire picks or use in trades, it’s strictly cash that goes into the MLSE coffers…the same coffers from which smitch will continue to be paid for another, oh, 18 months. so while it’s nice to hear BC state that it could very well be used to buy a pick, either this year or next (or next, or next), over the course of the following months, and maybe years, people tend to forget little things like $3M in cash. would it surprise anyone that it never gets used?
your right. i misinterpreted what you were trying to say.
Just thought I’d mention that those of us on the East Coast with Eastlink and everyone out West with Persona, or Delta Cable get TSN2.
It just you Rogers guys without TSN2.
You gotta think that Colangelo is a little envious of what Phoenix was able to do last night when they fired Porter.
Inside, he is hoping that Marion will have the same impact – i have my doubts. Still, I would take the over on this game, because Cleveland has a tendency to light it up. And, with Joey and Marion on the floor at the same time, I can bet you this will be an entertaining game.
What is the identity of this team? Well, we are in the Eastern Conference. I have my doubts that a running style could be used effectively against the defensive-minded teams here.
I hope to see Banks come off the bench to play SG with Roko at PG.
Both can can handle to ball and Banks likes to shoot/score.
I think pairing Banks & Ukic could work in limited minutes.
I wondered the same thing. But Banks is only 6′2″ and apparently VERY bad at team defense and GOOD at 1on1 Defense and hogging the ball. I would hate to see Roko’s minutes reduced because of Banks. So that means you gotta put Banks in a undersized SG with like you said LIMITED minutes OR or 3rd string PG. The last thing we need is another gaping hole on at the SG on Defense because Banks isn’t in sync with the team.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
Here is to hoping Banks can ‘Drop Some Dimes’ OR turn his shot into MONEY. (Which people greatly doubt) I’ve just never noticed him before so I don’t know enough about him but it sounds like an over paid problem contract we swallowed just to get Marion.
But I agree… Your going to have to be creative to find minutes for Roko & Banks.
Off Topic But I cant help but wonder MLSE had gone after Kevin Pritchard or Sam Presti in 2006. Those guys were apprentices in the San Antonio front office and were groomed by Buford and Pops. These guys are doing an amazing job so far. Collecting talent all while keeping costs low.
Oklahoma: Westbrook, Durant, Green, Kristic and Tyson Chandler
Add in a top 4 pick this draft and they’re good to go. That’s 5 good players and a real core.
Raptors – Bosh and a bunch of 30 yr olds and players with no defense and no talent.
Portland: Self Explanatory. Great scouting, great ownership
Yet Colangelo makes mistake after mistake and can’t evaluate talent and draft picks. His idea of a great team is one that can shoot the ball and do nothing else well. I have no idea why he is so bad after learning from his Dad for 15 years.
Just like in the playoffs, San Antonio is a real winner and Phoenix is the ugly girl at the dance.
Who knows where we’d be today with one of those gentlemen.
I think the problem in TO is the scouting. Either daddy gave good advice to BC or someone else on the Suns staff had a keen eye for talent in the draft. That’s what has made Presti and Pritchard look good.
But wait until their teams actually exceed the Raptor’s 2 first-round exits before crowing either. Portland is good but will they make the leap and will they be able to keep their assets/convert them to other usable pieces? We don’t know that yet. Ditto for OKC. Presti and Pritchard are basking in the same glow Colangelo did in Phoenix and his first year here. Will it last for them?
before crowning either. No one needs to be crowed
It well documented that BC was always on the brink of pulling some dumb moves until Daddy snapped him back to reality and said NO! He was known then for trying to draft some obscure international player.
What I don’t get is why he is not on the phone with Dad like Scott Cockfoot everyday and running these moves by him… or maybe he is and old man Colangelo is slipping too.
hey Flux I always knew that khandor had serious beef with Carefoot but why do you have beef with him??
I got into it with him on BDL one time. There’s this air of cockiness to him and they way he “talks” to people sometimes (profanity, name calling etc) irks me. Not sure if he still does that, but I remember going over to that site a few times and he just blasted people for not agreeing with him. As a matter of fact, I think he posted a reflectory piece after our little battle and vowed to take the high road. Not that I would take credit for changing the ways of one Scott C.
Comments are approved only over there too.. what does that tell you.
And the Daddy thing is cuz I think he replied my post with: “Wait till I call my Dad tonight and tell him about this” This is a grown man we are talking about. Actually, I think that was the first time I called him Cockfoot.. and he went off.
He even managed to create enemies in the Raptors organization, as far as I know, he is persona non grata over there.
Whatever, no big deal..I’m sure he has his fans.
Who knows where we would’ve been GG had been allowed to continue?
I don’t think Grunwald should’ve been fired, he didn’t fuck-up any worse than Colangelo, Thomas, Babcock or anyone else. Sure, Radojevic and Bradley were mistakes but I liked his gun-slinging attitude. It befitted the team.
Everyone should call the ROGERS owned FAN590 post game show and just complain about TSN2, DON’T TALK ABOUT THE GAME. FUCK ROGERS, FUCK TSN2.
Let’s go ‘TORONTO’ Raptors fans, lets make this season memorable for something. LETS GO RAPTORS, F U TSN2!!!!!!
off in 20 mins…
can’t wait til 7..
go raps go!
Breaking news, the bulls adquire Brad miller and John Salmons for gooden and nocioni. Andres is now moving to sacramento to play with the worst team in the league, he’s way better than that, i feel really sorry for him, we could have used him in toronto
I’d be pissed if I was a Bulls fan, all the rumors the last week about Bosh and Stoudemire, now they get Miller hahhaa!!!
Free banks!!!
Flux I’m vibing some weird optimism from you. And you’ve taken over this reply thread.
I like it!!
THE REVOLUTIONS WILL BE TELEVISED!!
FREE BANKS!!
A body language expert just told me that Bosh and Colangelo are lying in their recent interviews and Bosh is done with Toronto. She says she watched that show Lie to Me and it coincides with her findings.
Good deal for Chicago BTW, Nocioni never impressed me and we’ll finally see if Salmons is a good player or just a mediocre one on a bad team.
I agree. Neither will be in Toronto in 3 years.
Surely you jest, BC probably has a lifetime contract here.
Obviously… When SAS claimed that Bosh wanted out they didnt go all out and call SAS a liar and try to convince everyone that it was false, but they just casually and quietly said no without any emotion.
I’m really hopin’ that GSW bites on Shareef 2.0 and gives Biedrins, Turiaf, Bellineli, Anthony Randolph and a pick for him. You might think that theyre giving too much but at the same time if that happened GSW’s lineup would be
Bosh
B-Wright
Stack Jack
Monta
Jamal Crawford
————-
Maggette
Kelenna Azubuike
Morrow
CJ Watson
Pretty good lineup still while wed get a good Center(and slide Bargs to his natural position) and depth that BC gave away. Discuss
I’m after Monta if there’s any talk of Bosh going their way. If we’re trading our best player so should they. Biedrins is a solid player but he’s nothing to build around and I think you must have a key centerpiece to surround players with. If we make your proposed trade we don’t really have anyone of “star” quality.
Yeah that trade is BUNKO, and like Arse said, unless Monta is involved, I dunno. Those guys are all fillers for stars.
it would be hilarious to watch Bosh play his “catch-and-hold-the-ball-for-5-seconds-before-i-make-a-move” offense in G-State
I would prefer Bosh + Kapono for Amare + Barbosa … because the outside games of Bosh and Kapono fit a lot better with Shaq than do Amare and Barbosa. The Suns are in 9th place and need help to get into the playoffs now. Do you think PHX would be stupid enough to bite on to this trade???
This trade is all hypothetical. There is nothing to “bite” on. It’s all about American “reporters” causing more shit as usual.
Goddddamnit!!!! My gf forgot to pay the cable bill!!! I’m gonna miss the game tonight! I have to miss it cause I got to go to a concert but I was gonna DVR it and try to not check the scores on my phone. Now I have no choice.
Now I’m in the same boat as YOU damn canadians :(
I’m gonna have to go chris brown on the woman.
Too soon?
Free banks?
Missing the bill? HA! YOU KNOW that was no accident.
FREE BANKS!!
Sadly it was. I called her throwing a fit. But now she is making me call them. Is this raps game really gonna be worth sitting on the phone with the cable company?
iiiiiiiiiiiii thinnnnk sooooooo!!!
Friz biz!!!!
Accident or no accident, what you have right there my friend, is a free ticket to PleasureVille courtesy of GuiltTrips Transport. Or you can bank it for later when you find yourself in IScrewedupVille and cash it in.
And YOU! are on the phone?? That’s not how Chris Brown would handle it.. I tell you as much.
; ) I kid, I kid.
No luck. I gotta bail. Gotta monitor from the phone. Lemme know how shawn marions d*** taste.
(I had to say it…sorry)
Go raps!
For all you O’Kneel apologists
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/sports/epaper/2009/02/17/0217heat.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46
“With this change I feel like I’m 22 again,”
Don’t get your panties in a bunch. It was a great PR statement. Plus, he is in a warm climate – Florida has made Canadian elderly feel younger for decades.
I never doubted his effort when he was on the floor, and I can understand it if he was hesitant to play when not feeling 100%, even if I think it was lousy. The only real issue I had was not showing up to games when he was absent.
cut to 2:18 if you can’t wait.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qffy6uHkcTU
Next time he gets traded he’s going to claim he’s aging backwards.
The Curious Case of Jermaine O’Neal.
Hey guys check out this article, I think the author may actually be retarded.
http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/weaving-through-traffic/marion-for-o-neal-trade-could-work-out-great-for-miami-ar50129.html
Jamario Moon, potential all-star!?!?!?!? WTF
Can we get a decent stream going ??? I am listening to some indian rock band on this lame stream … PLEASE WANNA WATCH THE GAME
Nice start to the game for the Raptors. Shawn Marion has played very well so far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OZFoolJj3o&feature=channel_page
Bosh sure sounded happy to get rid of O’Neal & Moon…
Its official: Anthony Parker is shit.
Joey taking too many J’s, can’t beat AV off the dribble.
Colangelo has got to trade calderon and acquire a creator if this team is gonna go anywhere. He never drives and gets blown by every time. And some people wonder why our shooters aren’t very effective.
Yeah, I’m still reserving judgement on Calderon. I’ve heard many say he can run the break and has done so successfully in Spain. So I have to ask: Is he just retarded? Is this some mental block Smitch created? Because right now, he seems like the weakest link in the core AND the player who you could upgrade the most, I’d say. This team isn’t going to run with him, sorry. I have a huge boner for his character don’t get me wrong. We need a black point guard is basically what I’m saying.
I still think he could fetch some good value around the league.. he’s held in pretty high regard around the league. He’d obviously fit in a lot better on a team with competent guards who can get him shots and help to hide him on D. He’s definitely proven to be a very good backup as well. Not at that salary, though.
Raptors go back to the old habits. First half was pretty decent but second was pure bs. That line up of calderon parker bargnani capono and marion blew back at triano in the 4th and caused a blood clot to the poor guy.
I find they didnt go to marion enuff after some good baskets. And Roko should have started the 3rd.
Is Bosh finished as a Raptor now, and BC is keeping Bosh safe in deep trade storage until he’s gone? Isn’t tomorrow the last day for trades??
Jose and change for Baron Davis. (And I didn’t even see the game)
And Free Banks
——————————————
Do you think PHX would be stupid enough to bite on to this trade??? – FAQ
——————————————
No.
not suggesting that you’re a part of the ‘dumb’ fan base or anything…but BC was already in TO when d’antoni gave banks that contract.
othewise, the rest of your post is brilliant.
For the 12,000th time, BC didn’t give Banks that contract, D’Antoni did. Get it right. And what kind of girl drops f-bombs in 5 consecutive sentences? I hope you don’t kiss your six cats with that mouth.
Nunya… I only hope you are off the charts hot. That would make this whole experience even more enjoyable. I love a girl with a temper. LOVE IT!
Now, now.. time to take your happy pills Nunya.
Please spare me… Andrea was tough before O’Neal got here. His Caliper test proves it… he was showing Dwight around in the Orlando series, and I have never seen him shy away from anyone. All this crap about O’Neal bringing toughness to the team is fables and myths.
You are giving the guy waaay too much credit. AND WHO ON EARTH IS BARGANAI?
LOL,
Thanks Flux I needed that!
DG IN DA HOUSE!!! MY MAN!!
LOL… no worries. Good of you to check in!
Bargnani never put his back to the basket and back someone down until O’Neal came here. Never seen Bargnani take one charge until O’Neal showed up. Never seen Bargnani throw somebody to the ground until O’Neal showed up. Never seen Bargnani take a hard foul till O’Neal showed up. Sound a lot like Ol’School ball. Sounds a lot like O’Neal.
I’d guess you’d say the big man’s camp taugh him how to be tough. I think it help him understand his position, but O’Neal show him how to use his size.
But I know you love stirring the shit barrel to see what floats the the surface. I’ll take well spoken critizism any day. But I think your just an O’Neal hater…. am I right…
Plus Dwight never pushes anybody around. He’s too nice. Big body that just dunks, grap rebounds & get blocks and not BANG. He’s not a Banger. He’s a New School big man. The human highlight reel. Wimpy Bosh own him a couple time last year.
O’Neal hater in the sense of what he was going to bring to this team. Yes.
He was never going to mesh well with Bosh, IMO and his contributions came at that price.
As far as Bargs… you must have missed some Rap games in the past. Back to basket.. OK. Charges, mixing it up with people, hard fouls.. seen it. Perhaps not at the rate you like.. but I’ve seen it. Again, for someone to attribute and increase in those activities to O’Neal doesn’t make sense to me. How do you envision this happened?? What did O’Neal show him or say to him that people in the past haven’t? Andrea has a mean streak and is cold blooded more then people think, IMO.
Are you attributing his hard fouls to very sloppy defense and flailing arms that happen to smack a guy in the face. Yeah that was his style last couple years but now he means it when he hacks someone.
Cold Blooded Killa. Yes. Hard fouls on purpose last couple years. No.
I guess I am biased … like you are with O’Neal.
My man don’t back down…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu06LS8usG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhdGQn3k7Aw
Mom, she just needs a hug.