Too Much Of The Same

Take that title how you will, too much losing, too many jump shots, not enough defense. It really does fit in a scary number of ways for the Raptors. How I see it is simply, too much of the same player, the same attitude. Ironically, some of the skills our Raptor players have would be sought out by many other franchises, it's when we put them on the floor at the same time where we become less than the sum of our parts.

The main thing that has stuck out to me probably since the post Mike James/Mo Pete era is that we have too many players being unselfish, too many players trying to be more than they are. Our sharp shooters, Parker and Kapono, it seems that they don't want to be labelled as three point shooters with parker taking perhaps the toughest off balance shots with regularity than I've seen from anyone. Granted, he does make a decent share of them but I'd much rather see him take a spot up three than a jumper on the move. Then we have Kapono, camped as a three point threat with his patented pump fake and travel, or pump fake and tear drop. Last time I checked, you were not Tony Parker. Both these players want to be seen as more than sharp three point threats, but both after being in the league for years should know, thats what they are! I'm constantly reminded as I walk past the ACC where there is a Kapono quote about finding your niche in the league. Ironically, he doesn't mention staying IN that niche. Personally I don't understand their fear of being labelled. Sharpshooters will always have a home and I have to believe this desire to show a wider skill set is the reason they are so hesitant to take 3 after 3. Meanwhile, the Hornets know what they can do from the long bomb and are willing to take 6 or 7 3's in a row, something I have never seen the raps do more than twice or thrice. It's nice to have post ups and all, but when we can't guard the three, swapping 2 for 3 just doesn't cut it. Meanwhile we have Jamario who wants to be a sharpshooter and should realize his skills are rebounding and playing the passing lanes. Hump to be an energy player and give us offensive put backs, but he's taking jumpers from the free throw line.

What separates the best from the rest is not always talent, sometimes it's simply players knowing their roles and staying within them and becoming more than the sum of their individual talents. Look no further than Boston, Allen and Pierce taking a step back, LA, Odom off the bench, Spurs, Ginobili off the bench and so on. The Raps need to get more players who know what they can do, accept it, and actually do it.

Remember, shooters shoot.

Nashy-Nash and BD are Step Brothers

i know. not raptors-related, but so worth checking out. who knew nash had moves?! i wish i was rich and could make low-budget videos like this. because you know, i got time to waste doing that. haha

I'll Take It.

i'll take that loss against the Lakers. i didn't expect to win, and frankly, i expected to lose, much like anyone who's been following the raptors lately. yes, we lost. and i hate calling these games "moral victories", so i'm not going to. all i want to acknowledge is that we actually played for 48 minutes. we were competitive for 48 minutes and i can't remember the last time that's happened. so kudos to the Raptors (minus Jamario Moon).

random notes:

. jamario, jamario, jamario... when tv announcers keep calling your shit out, that's when you really need to take a look at your game and see what's going on.
. CB4's cousin, brother, and girl need to stFu. anyone else notice Odom talking smack to them after he made that dunk? (aka MGD's smooth play of the game...)
. whatever joey's eating, sniffing, inhaling, drinking, watching, listening to, etc ... he needs to continue. and endorse that shit if this level of play continues.
. i almost feel bad that JO might not be traded. the man is running out of time, ligaments, and knee braces, and i would like him to get his shot at contending for a title again. or at least making the 52 some-odd games he does play in a season more worthwhile.
. being 5 feet tall, i'd love to sit in Phil Jackson's chair and swing my legs
. Devlin pronouncing Vujacic as Voo-ya-sich made me cringe and giggle at the same time... everytime

Delfino, where are you?

I'm not going to lie, its pretty difficult to write about the Raptors when you're sick about speculating on rumors, venting frustration or praying for a rally. So let's take a refreshing take at not someone who can save us now, but may be integral in the future. A player we all came to love last season for his calm demeanor, do it all attitude and fantastic two way ability, Mr Carlos Delfino.

Put on a Raptor uniform again!








On a side note, I thought it was hilarious that on google images, this was the first image that came up for him.












But in all seriousness, when I first heard the rumor of him wanting to return a few months back I was ecstatic! When we first got O'Neal, I was of firm belief that we would be a strong force IF we could keep Delfino. Use him how you will, our starting sf to help Parker with defensive assignments, or a nice solid lead by example player with a scoring punch for the bench. Either way, he satisfies our two greatest weaknesses, the ability to penetrate and draw fouls, and the ability to play two-way basketball, be a threat and guard your position. Unfortunately, Khimki knows what a model player and person they have and are committed to keeping him there as a center piece. As expected, he is helping them contend for the title and be one of the giants of their league. As more and more NBA players are striving to return to the NBA however, BC and many others feel confident that Delfino will attempt to return. I doubted whether BC had full intentions to bring him back, but after witnessing the Raptors plight and hearing him express his desire and plans to in fact do so, my faith is renewed.

For those of you including myself, who wish he never left, we fail to see the benefit of his leaving. For one, this gave Graham a final opportunity and to his credit, he is making use of it. Not only to help restore our confidence and his own, but to also prove that although he will never be a star, he has a place in the NBA as a solid cheap rotation player. Whether he remains in Toronto is impossible to foresee but he has definitely increased his trade value and I'm sure he will play somewhere in the NBA. The more important reason however is the opportunity for growth this provided for Delfino. He stormed into a situation where for once, he could literally be the man and with his package of shooting ability, penetration, defense, speed and strength, he was in a position to bring some magic to that league. As was the case with Joey, he took full advantage of it and has blossomed into one of the faces of that league. Sources say that he has not only thrived, but developed greatly in his already high basketball IQ, basketball abilities and his team play, a staple of European basketball. Another key benefit, he's learning to be clutch, has become a fourth quarter factor and has led Khimki through a lot of last minute battles. Can you name a certain team that might need that?

I for one can't wait to see the new and improved Delfino with the Raps again next season, and you know you're lying if you're not excited either!

Oh no...The Raptors are sad :(

I just finished watching the Leafs lose 4-3 in overtime to the Florida Panthers. There's a lot of similarities between the Leafs and the Raptors this season. One being that both lack consistent talent to make a comfortable playoff challenge. But after finishing the Leafs game, I felt something: satisfaction. The Leafs blew the game with 40 seconds to go, but they put a hell of an effort. I saw an ACC give an ovation to their players as they left the rink following Bryan McCabe's OT winner. This is the kind of effort that has renewed the fan's confidence that atleast we can go down with a spirit worthy of a Toronto franchise. The Raptors? Not so much. I don't think that players play worse when unmotivated. When on the court, I believe nothing matters: the press, the money or stats.

(Enter Jose Calderon scolding the press for even giving 2 damns about stats. "What are stats, I have never heard of such things".)

But there is something we can all relate to when playing sports, and that's giving a %$&@ enough to give that extra effort that really goes a long way in a fan's mind. I think Bosh, Jose and AP DO give a damn, but I think their efforts have been wasted in vain after many last second losses. They're down, simple as that. And in the NBA you have about 40 hours to get over yourself until you get destroyed again. Is it the fan's responsibility to bring them back up? It sure as hell would help, believe me. Now I'm not saying that the fans start going over Bosh's house so he can cry on their shoulders (I'm looking at you Aldrin), or surprise JO with a teddy bear (I'm looking at Malin, who actually works at the ACC).

Here is where I like to look at history, but I've never seen many teams become contenders after such a depressing mid- season. Even a string of wins are meaningless, especially when they know they will get eaten by the Lakers and (insert any above average NBA team here).

So what now? Any solutions left? It depends on the problem obviously. But with the Raps we have a lot.

- lack of confidence- CHECK

- lack of consistency (aka: major talent)- CHECK

- lack of depth- CHECK

In my own experience, the solving the first one of those can bring results. The current roster won't do this on its own. And this is why MEDIOCRE FOREVER is officially supporting the trade of Will Solomon for a DVD copy of Rudy. (oh and Morris Peterson and (the retired) Jerome Williams, just for fun).

If that doesn't pick up the Raps, NOTHING will.

*Mediocre Forever's credibility is instantly destroyed*-

Give Me a Reason to Cheer

so theres been plenty of discussion about the appropriate/inappropriate use of boo's by fans towards the Raptors and Chris Bosh. as shown through my headline, i'm taking a different approach. speaking not only for those who boo, but also for those who remain silent, i'm asking the Raptors to give myself and fans reasons to cheer.

until then, i can't cheer so long as...
. teammates can't call out their leader
. defensive intensity is lack-luster
. players keep falling for the pump-fake
. players keep falling for the pump-fake around the 3-pt line
. wing productivity is constantly inconsistent
. the team can't play a full 48 minutes
. players don't box out
. the team blows comfortable leads
. help defense is equated with no defense or unnecessary fouls
. the team settles for jumpshots
. players stand and watch opponents get into the paint
. players watch other teammates fight for rebounds
. the team relies on their offense to win games
. offensive intensity dictates defensive intensity
. players stand around on offense
. people can't even get a damn hand up
. players don't rotate quickly enough (if at all)
. CB4 curls into a fetal position against opponents who actually challenge his game
. Andrea Bargnani gets pushed around three different positions
. the Raptors bench doesn't cheer for their own teammates (lets admit - even Voskuhl isn't his cheerleading self as of late)
. the team doesn't show any desperation/nitty gritty fighting in regards to extending their season beyond April (in actuality, the way the Raptors play games is the way they're approaching the season and making the playoffs - good start, inconsistent middle, and a hard push at the end that usually falters and comes up short. if that's the case, let's get these team scouts on the grind.)
. the team expects themselves to crumble once their shots aren't falling
. the team doesn't show consistent effort

it's not as though i don't want to cheer. of course i do. but i'm a Torontonian. and apparently, as a Torontonian, we can be tough fans. so again i say, give me a reason to cheer. and i will.

I Promise.

The Worst Crowd In The NBA

I couldn't believe our poor showing this afternoon, but more importantly I couldn't believe how bad our crowd is. It's no wonder so many players refuse to come here when our home crowd is more of a 6 man for the enemy. I think the worst part of this whole situation is that the other teams can't believe its happening.

Jameer Nelson said "I don't think that is right for any players. Everybody has a right to do what they want at a game because they pay their money, but at the same time he is out there fighting and playing hard. You shouldn't boo the guy, he is an all-star and is great for this team. I don't think he deserves to get booed, I don't think the team deserves to get booed."

Nelson is right. To be a fan means more than jumping on the bus when we're winning. Being a fan means being a fan always. So many of our current fans are quick to blame our players, quick to blame management, coaching but who would want to play for fans who will throw you under the bus the moment things start to get ugly. I'm not saying fans have no right to complain, we can and should comment on games, discuss the team and give our thoughts but all of this should be left at the gate to the ACC. When tip off happens, you should be happy to be there to support your team, no matter who or what they have.You don't see players booing each other because they want someone gone, or someone benched. Carter was one of the few to do so, to express how he felt, to complain about the team as much as the fans complained about the team, yet we boo him. Why boo him for giving up when we gave up on them as well? Imagine how the NBA would be if players acted like the Toronto Raptors crowd. We would have a sea of players without character, integrity or loyalty,an abundance of Vince Carters throwing in the towel.

I remember reading something about how the Raptors were doing so well in ticket sales and attendance within the NBA. Quite frankly, I'd rather see 5000 fans in the building that are going to support the team no matter what, 5000 true fans.

For all you fans who are quick to boo Bosh or any of the Raptors, I hope you have something to smile and cheer about when they start wearing different jerseys. After all, you practically forced them to.