Friday September 5 2008 - 10:45am Eastern
I got so busy yesterday with pre-trip errands, laundry, and packing … that I completely forgot to check in with a blog. Sorry about that.
It’s not like there’s a whole lot going on in Raptorland anyway - let alone around the NBA.
The biggest news out there seems to be the naming of the Oklahoma City franchise; the “Thunder”. Ugh. What a terrible name. I would have gone with “Barons” or even “Marshals”, but “Thunder”? Don’t we have enough weather-related nicknames in sports? Plus, am I wrong to think that in a part of the U.S. where tornadoes are prevalent and have wrecked many homes, and ruined (and even taken) lives … that naming the team “Thunder” is kind of in bad taste? Plus, how do you draw thunder? Well, apparently you don’t … ’cause the team’s logo is simply the letters “OKC” on a sort of make-shift shield with a basketball on it. Plain Jane. Blah. For more on this (if you haven’t already seen it) check out: http://www.nba.com/thunder/
And how ’bout Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers. Good God … give your head a shake boys! You’ve just fulfilled a lifetime dream; you’re a professional basketball player! This is what you’ve worked for. How ’bout saving your “fun time” for your “personal time” - away from NBA-related functions, camps, etc.
I could go off on some PC tangent about “don’t do drugs” … but … whatever. Do your thing. It’s your body; your life. Just be smarter about where you do these things. Common sense just ain’t so common anymore I guess.
For more on this one, check out: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3567481
Finally, while I’m not going to lose sleep over this - ’cause I’ll be in Paris (a pretty good alternative) - I’m a little big disappointed that I’ll miss the Hall of Fame induction ceremony tonight.
Congratulations once again to Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Pat Riley, Adrian Dantley, William Davidson, and Cathy Rush and Dick Vitale as well.
Ewing - 11-time All-Star and 2-time Olympic gold medalist
Olajuwon - 2-time NBA champion; 2-time Defensive Player of the Year; 1 MVP
Riley - 5 NBA championships; 3-time Coach of the Year
Dantley - 6-time All-Star; Rookie of the Year; Olympic gold medalist
Davidson - Owner of the Pistons since 1974 and has 3 NBA championships as a result
Rush - A record of 149-15 over 7 season (a .908 winning percentage!)
Vitale - 28 years with ESPN; former HS, college, and pro coach
Well, I’m off to the airport in about 2 hours. Thus, if I don’t have a chance to check the messages or respond to any emails, don’t hold it against me!
This blog will be in hiatus ’til I return some time on Sunday September 21. And then we’ll have one week until Media Day and the opening of the Raptors’ Training Camp in Ottawa.
Talk to you in about 16 days. Take care
E. Smith
By fluke chance I met Sam Mitchell yesterday and talked to him for a minute. He was a nice guy.
- MilesI find it amazingly funny how you have to explain to your readers what CIS stands for, while you use the NCAA without explaining what that means.
- Rick GRaceConsdiering some of your readers must have attneded a CIS school.
You know. In Canada. That big country to the north.
You should visit us some time.
Eric, Come back already.. I can’t stand checking your blog everyday and you still haven’t posted. lol
- Aaron McMillanwow, Rick, you need to chillll. perhaps it’s because many people - like it or not - still refer to the CIS as the CIAU. and on top of that, interest in the CIS is minimal for a lot of folks in this country (or at least this province) as well. thus, asking telling folks what “CIS” stands for - ONCE - made sense. Is it that big of a deal?
i wish there were more fans of the canadian universities AND colleges. it’s too bad they’re not supported well at all.
- E. Smith