Thursday December 31 2009 – 6:36pm Eastern – Toronto, ON

As the Raptors were preparing for this “15th Anniversary” season, I compiled a list of the all-time Raptor greats and put together the “All-Time Team”. 

But given that the calendar flips to 2010 tomorrow and a decade will have already passed us by, I figured I’d give you my take on Toronto’s all-decade team.

So … from 2000-2009 … here’s who would make my roster:

PG – Alvin Williams
SG – Vince Carter
SF – Morris Peterson
PF – Chris Bosh
C – Antonio Davis

* Mo Pete and VC could be interchangeable at the 2-3

BENCH:
- Jose Calderon
- Charles Oakley
- Andrea Bargnani
- Jerome Williams
- Anthony Parker
- Donyell Marhsall
- TJ Ford

INACTIVE:
- Jorge Garbajosa
- Matt Bonner
- Jalen Rose

I kept guys like Shawn Marion, Jermaine O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon off the team ’cause they didn’t really log enough games in a Raptor uniform to warrant legit consideration.  Kevin Willis was on the bubble … but the true bulk of his time in Toronto was in 1998 and 1999 … so I didn’t think he was part of the 2000′s “decade” team.

I’m sure the “Comments” section below will rage with debate over certain selections and/or omissions. 

But before you launch away … how ’bout we take a look atthe last 12 months in Raptorland (a very disappointing year to say the least):

January 2009 -The new year starts with 4 wins in 5 games but Toronto quickly falls back down to earth again – and the frustrating season continues – with a mid-month 7-game losing streak

February 2009- Toronto sends Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks

March 2009- The team kicks off the month on a nasty 6-game losing streak and Pops Mensah-Bonsu joins the Raps as a late-season free agent.

April 2009 – A disappointing 2008-2009 season ends with no post-season berth and only 33 wins

May 2009- Jay Triano signs a 3-year contract as head coach of the Raptors

June 2009- Toronto selects DeMar DeRozan out of USC with the 9th pick in the NBA draft

July 2009- Bryan Colangelo acquires Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright, and Marco Belinelli … and signs free agents Jarrett Jack and Rasho Nesterovic

August 2009- The Raptors get Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems from Milwaukee for Roko Ukic and Carlos Delfino

September 2009- The new renovations are done at the ACC and the Raptors host their annual Media Day in the new Atrium

October 2009- Training Camp opens up in Ottawa with both Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu sidelined

November 2009 – The Raps sputter to a 6-10 record for the month … getting whacked a number of times … while turning in some of the worst defensive performances in franchise history

December 2009 – Toronto goes 9-6 and finishes the month/year with a 5-game winning streak

Happy New Year folks. 

See ya in 2010.

E. Smith

Thursday December 31 2009 – 1:09am Eastern – Toronto, ON 

Allow me to divert from the Raptors and the NBA for a moment. 

I mentioned the name “ANTHONY LUE” during last night’s Raptors/Bobcats game …

Anthony was in attendance at the ACC … he tracked me down … and I had the pleasure of meeting him.

Here’s my on-air mention of Anthony:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/AnthonyLueStory-es-20091230.mp3]

He’s a courageous, inspiring young man … and his story is a great way to end 2009.

Please read this article (by DAVID GROSSMAN) – which originally appeared in the Toronto Star and on www.thestar.com on Friday December 18 2009.

All the best Anthony.

E. Smith

——————– 

It all happened in a horrifying split second and, three months later, Anthony Lue still can’t quite believe it.

“I should be dead,” he said.

Lue’s voice cracks as he recounts the events of a bizarre and near fatal industrial accident that has left him in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down.

The dreams of the 21-year-old former Pickering High School student are in tatters. There was a time when he aspired to major league baseball, or even compete for Canada in the hurdles at the Olympics. In high school, he was a multi-sport star and an athlete of the year.

With his parents and family at his bedside daily, he was treated at first at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and now at the Lyndhurst Centre, a facility known for spinal cord rehabilitation.

The memories of the accident, that saw Lue crushed inside a car at a recycling facility, are still horrifyingly raw to him.

“It’s a miracle that I’m still talking about this,” he said. “A few more inches and, well, I wouldn’t be here.”

Lue had been working as a mechanical apprentice at Auto Boyz, a specialty car repair shop, which delivered scrap vehicles for recycling.

On the day of the accident, he had driven a 1989 Oldsmobile from the shop to nearby K and K Recycling Company. While he was in still in the car, it was pushed on to a scale used to weigh vehicles for scrap metal.

Something then went horribly wrong.

An overhead crane operator, presuming no one was in the vehicle, began to crush it.

Nino Baggieri, owner of Auto Boyz, was standing nearby as the accident happened.

“The crane, it’s like a six foot disk in diameter and weighs around 20 tons, swung around and hit the car on an angle,” recalled Baggieri. “If it had dropped straight down, he’d be dead. Then another crane, with jaws, lifted the car.”

“There was miss-communication somewhere,” recalled Lue, who said he was conscious but couldn’t recall for how long. “He dropped a big magnet and it crushed the passenger side. Then the car was picked up and someone had said that I was still in it. The car was dropped enough to make an impact.”

At first, the damage Lue suffered appeared minimal; he only had a minor cut on his finger. But he couldn’t feel his legs.

After being airlifted to Sunnybrook, Lue underwent surgery to stabilize his back.

He had sustained a broken back, a fractured neck, broken ribs and spinal cord damage.

“They said I’ll be in a wheelchair forever,” said Lue.

“But they don’t know me, my desire, and with all the medical research, I don’t give up that easy. It sucks what happened to me, and it may have been an accident, but I’m not one to hold grudges and I have a new life to live.”

His mother Marcia had been picking up a daughter when she received a cell phone call urging her to get to her son’s job location.

“Everyone was frantic when I got there,” she said. “A firefighter said he was alive, but I didn’t realize that they were talking about my son. In the hospital, he knew I was there but he was traumatized. I can’t forget that car … it was crushed and I thought how close he came to brain damage.”

“Doctors said it was horrific, we were lucky and he would never walk again. But I told them that one day they will see a miracle and he will walk.”

The Ontario Ministry of Labour is investigating the accident and K and K Recycling president Kevin Morgan was not available for comment.

Marcia Lue has retained the Toronto law firm of Singer Kwinter.

“It’s an absolute tragedy what happened and (K and K) hasn’t admitted liability,” said lawyer Jason Singer, who has been in contact with the Labour Ministry and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario.

“(Anthony) will need attendant care, home modification and more to care for him. I know we hear of miraculous stories, but it’s too early to tell now.”

Baggieri said Lue came to his firm 11 months ago looking for an opportunity to work.

“A great kid, very ambitious and wanting to learn,” he said.

Lue had a fondness for cars, but he was also quite the athlete.

An outfielder with the Pickering high school team that won the Blue Jays-sponsored Prentice Cup, he also was a defensive back with the school’s football team that won a Metro Bowl.

But it was his performance on the track that had coach Cyril Sahadath beaming.

In 2004, Lue set a provincial record in the junior boys’ 100 metre hurdles and had a partial scholarship offer from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. Nursing an injury at the time, he chose instead to work – while completing his studies at Durham Alternative School in Oshawa – and save up enough money to help with his university education.

“He excelled in sports, he was a gamer and was always on the go,” recalled Sahadath. “What happened was devastating, people were shocked, but (Lue) has this relentless passion to do well and I believe will be the next Rick Hansen because he’s that type of person.”

When Hansen was 15-years-old, he sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The Rick Hansen Foundation has raised more than $200 million for projects, awareness and research.

——————–

http://www.thestar.com/sports/highschool/article/740711–star-athlete-s-dreams-shattered-after-bizarre-accident

Wednesday December 30 2009 – 10:59pm Eastern - Toronto, ON 

Bobcats @ Raptors

Final Score:
107-103, Raptors (Toronto now 16-17)

“Smith and Jones” Player of the Game:
ANDREA BARGNANI
28 points
4 rebounds
11/20 FG
4/4 FT

“Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game:
CHRIS BOSH
33 points
13 rebounds
2 assists
2 steals
11/20 FG
11/11 FT

Shout-out to the Bobcats:
RAYMOND FELTON
23 points
7 rebounds
4 assists
2 steals
10/12 FG

Stats that stood out:
- Points in the Paint: 42-38, Charlotte
- 2nd Chance Points: 20-9, Toronto
- Fast Break Points: 39-22, Toronto
- The Bobcats with 23 turnovers leading to 33 points for the Raptors
- Toronto out-rebounds the Bobcats 16-7 in the 4th QRT
- Hedo Turkoglu did not play in the 2nd half … with a right knee contusion.  No word on his prognosis.
- Gerald Wallace grabbed 16 rebounds for the Bobcats
- Toronto had 12 steals as a team

Thumbs Up:
- The 1-2 punch of Bosh and Bargnani combined for 61 of Toronto’s 107 points.  Bosh was aggressive and intense; even diving head-first into the Bobcats’ bench at one point!  And Bargnani was down in the post a number of times … getting ‘big’ … and not just settling for the outside.

Thumbs Down:
- Toronto came into the game sitting 3rd in the NBA over the past 5 games in opponent’s FG%.  Their “D” has been solid.  But not tonight against Charlotte.  The Bobcats shot 54% for the game (hovering around 60% for a good chunk of the night!)

Smith Says:
- “They came, they saw, they conquered.  Five wins in a row for the Raptors to close out 2009.  Now the team must match this intensity and attention to detail when the calendar flips to 2010 and Toronto faces Boston, San Antonio, and Orlando right out of the gate.”

Jones Says:
- “Good intensity and hustle plays led to this win for Toronto.”

Keep the 3-ball Streak Alive (893 games and counting):
- The Raptors were 5 of 19 from 3PT range

Next game:
- Raptors @ Celtics – Saturday January 2 2010 – 7:30pm Eastern
- Tune in at 7:00pm for the pre-game show and just after 7:30pm for the “Pizza Pizza” starting line ups

* Missed our post-game show?  You can catch it right here:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/TheRap-es-20091230.mp3]

Wednesday December 30 2009 – 11:47am Eastern – Toronto, ON 

It has been a couple of days since I last checked in so I won’t return with an “I told you so” …

I’ll just say … some folks out there should be eating crow right now.

I told you a week and a half ago that this was a key stretch and that the Raptors had to go at least 3-2 in their final 5 games of 2009 to have a legit shot at getting their season turned around in the new year.  I even hinted at the very real prospect of going 4-1 and mentioned that 5-0 was a distinct possibility … given the level of competition the Raptors were/are facing in those 5 games (all teams that were/are under .500).  But, of course, many of the naysayers spelled doom and gloom for the Raps … while others opted to label me as a homer – or something close to that – for even suggesting that Toronto could go on a run of 4 or 5 wins.

Well, some of us were right … and some of us were wrong.  We’ll just leave it at that.

Tonight’s game is an important one.  As some of you have noted in previous blogs (in the “Comments” section), Charlotte does have talent.  They can be a dangerous team.  But I’ll stand by my comment that Toronto is the better team and they have more talent overall.  I know Jack Armstrong agrees with that sentiment as well.  I’m not just looking at individual talent (thought I would give Toronto the edge in at least 3 of the 5 starting positions and give Toronto’s bench/depth the nod over the Bobcats’ second unit as well) … I’m looking at how they play as a “team” – something we couldn’t say about the Raptors just a few short weeks ago – and I’m looking at things like the road woes the ‘Cats have endured.  While Toronto’s 5-12 road record is nothing to write home about either, Charlotte is a brutal 1-13 away from home!  That says something about the mental toughness and cohesiveness of a club if they can’t win on the road.  That 1-13 record is second-only to the freakin’ New Jersey Nets for “worst in the league” honours.

Now, if the Bobcats go out and get the win tonight at the ACC … good on them.  It’ll be a much-needed victory for a club that has 2 wins in its past 6 games. 

It should be a good one tonight … as Toronto will be looking for a little “revenge” – for the pasting they took in North Carolina earlier this year – and both teams will know the importance of this tilt as it relates to the current playoff positioning (TOR – 6th; CHA – 8th) and end-of-the-year tie-breaker scenarios as well. 

Here are a couple of key stats / stories to watch this evening as well …

For those that are singing the praises of Stephen Jackson’s impact in Charlotte … here ya go (there has been a slight improvement in the ‘Cats since Jax’s arrival):

                         Before Trade     After Trade

Record                3-6                        9-11
PTS/game          82.4                       95.3
FG%                  39.4                       45.6
3PT FG%           29.2                       31.9
FTA/game          22.4                       28.6

Toronto is a league-best 12-0 this season when holding opponents under 100 points … while Charlotte is 5-1 this year when scoring more than 100

Enjoy the game tonight folks. 

Jonesy and I will have the call at 7pm on the FAN 590 and we’ll be on the air after the ball game as well – ’til 11pm – with “The Rap”.

Have a good one

E. Smith

Sunday December 27 2009 – 4:19pm Eastern - Toronto, ON 

Pistons @ Raptors

Final Score:
102-95, Raptors (Toronto now 15-17)

“Smith and Jones” Player of the Game:
CHRIS BOSH
25 points
16 rebounds
3 blocks
8/14 FG
9/14 FT

“Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game:
ANDREA BARGNANI
16 points
6 rebounds
2 blocks
7/13 FG

Shout-out to the Pistons:
JONAS JEREBKO
14 points
7 rebounds (6 of the 7 coming on the offensive glass)
6/10 FG

Stats that stood out:
- Points in the Paint:  40-34 Toronto
- 2nd Chance Points:  18-12 Toronto
- Fast Break Points:  13-12 Detroit
- Toronto’s 19-point halftime lead (and 20 overall at one point) was shaved to 1-point in the 2nd half, but the Raptors never did relinquish the lead completely
- Tired legs?  Richard Hamilton had only 4 points in the 2nd half (2 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th)
- Toronto shot 68.8% FG in the 1st QRT … and 62% FG at the half
- The Raptors improve to 12-0 when holding their opponent under 100 points
- The “sweater record” now sits at 5-0
- 19,800 in attendance (sellout)

Thumbs Up:
- This was the longest non-overtime game in franchise history (2 hours and 49 minutes).  The previous high was 2 hours and 45 minutes (the 1st game in franchise history … back in the SkyDome days)

Thumbs Down:
- The loudest ovation of the day (from a very, very quiet SELLOUT crowd at the ACC) came after a Bosh FT gave Toronto 100 points … feeding the house with Pizza Pizza in the process

Smith Says:
- “4-0 now during this key 5-game stretch.  Closing out 2009 with a win over the Bobcats – and a 5-game winning streak – would be huge.”

Jones Says:
- “Another solid defensive effort … to hold an opponent below 100 points and at only 40% shooting.”

Keep the 3-ball Streak Alive (892 games and counting):
- The Raptors were 4 of 13 from 3PT range

Next game:
- Bobcats @ Raptors – Wednesday December 30 2009 – 7:00pm Eastern
- Tune in at 7:00pm for the “Pizza Pizza” starting line ups

Sunday December 27 2009 – 10:51am Eastern – Toronto, ON

Well, those 3 days flew by in a hurry …

The Christmas ‘break’ for the Toronto Raptors is over and the club is back at it today against the Detroit Pistons.  But this won’t be the same crew Toronto saw on December 23rd.  It sounds like the Pistons are (finally) healthy.

Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Gordon are all expected to play this afternoon.

The threesome suited up at yesterday’s practice and head coach John Kuester is cautiously optimistic that they’ll be good to go today.  This would be the first time since the pre-season that Detroit would have its full compliment of players (note: ‘star’ players).

Charlie Villanueva, however, may miss today’s re-match … dealing with plantar fasciitis.  He’ll be a game-time decision (technically, so will Hamilton, Prince, and Gordon).

As for the Raptors … Jose Calderon (hip) was unable to practice with the team yesterday and is expected to miss today’s game as well.  He’s scheduled to meet with the team doctors some time on Monday to discuss his injury – and the prognosis – a little bit further.

Reggie Evans (foot) is still out as well.

I will update you the minute I get more info … both here … and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/Eric__Smith)

Have a good one

E. Smith

Friday December 25 2009 – 9:59am Eastern – Toronto, ON

I ran into the man himself the other day and said, “Santa … I need a picture of you for my blog.”

The big man agreed … so here ya go:

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

If you celebrate today, have a great holiday with family and friends and we’ll get back at the Raptors-specific blogs soon!

All the best,

E. Smith

—–

And I’ll leave ya with this one as well:

How ’bout a “Fan 590 Christmas” – http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/NoTRlzxW2s6n5GSp

The FAN promotions department gets the credit for putting that one together!

Wednesday December 23 2009 – 10:17pm Eastern - Toronto, ON 

Raptors @ Pistons

Final Score:
94-64, Raptors (Toronto now 14-17)

“Smith and Jones” Player of the Game:
ANDREA BARGNANI
21 points
4 rebounds
2 blocks
9/15 FG

“Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game:
HEDO TURKOGLU
11 points
11 assists
3 rebounds
4/9 FG

Shout-out to the Pistons:
WILL BYNUM
12 points
3 rebounds
3 assists
6/14 FG

Stats that stood out:
- Points in the Paint:  30-26 Detroit
- 2nd Chance Points:  27-9 Detroit
- Fast Break Points:  12-2 Raptors
- Toronto gets its first win IN Detroit since April 2, 2003
- Toronto led by as many as 31 points
- Amir Johnson had 4 blocks (as well as 9 points and 6 rebounds) against his former team
- Jarrett Jack … solid again in the absence of Jose Calderon:  14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 0 turnovers
- Toronto with 26 assists on 35 field goals
- Raps have now won 3 in a row (Detroit (Dec. 27) and Charlotte (Dec. 30) up next)

Thumbs Up:
- Toronto held Detroit to only *27* second half points!

Thumbs Down:
- Offensive rebounding:  23-5 for Detroit.  *23* … wow!

Smith Says:
- “As much as the offence was a major contributor (53.8% FG), it was Toronto’s defence that got it done tonight.  Without Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, and Tayshaun Prince, Detroit struggled without any kind of go-to / reliable scorer.  They were stifled by the Raps.”

Jones Says:
- “Nice to see the Raptors on the other end of the classic ‘back-to-back’ scenario.  Other than Detroit’s offensive rebounding, Toronto’s defence was solid.”

Keep the 3-ball Streak Alive (891 games and counting):
- The Raptors were 8 of 15 from 3PT range

Next game:
- Pistons @ Raptors – Sunday December 27 2009 – 1:00pm Eastern
- Tune in at 12:30pm for the pre-game show and just after 1:00pm for the “Pizza Pizza” starting line ups

* Missed the post-game show?  You can catch it right here:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/TheRap-es-20091223.mp3]

Wednesday December 23 2009 – 1:47pm Eastern – Detroit, MI

What says “Christmas” more than Detroit, Michigan.

I digress.

The Raptors are on the road to face the Pistons and Toronto should be licking its chops at this one … as Detroit is playing on the back-to-back (after losing in Charlotte last night) and riding the choppy wave of a 5-game losing skid.  The Raps, meanwhile, are well rested – having not played since Sunday afternoon – and they’re hoping to carry the momentum of two-straight wins into tonight’s tilt.

For more on the Raptors and Pistons – including some roster/injury queries, check out the VLOG:

Enjoy the game tonight folks.  We’ll be on the air at 7:00pm with the pre-game show … and we’ll have the tip-off just after 7:30pm.

Merry Christmas … Happy Holidays.

E. Smith

—–

* Note to the techno-geeks:  The usual HD camera was left in Toronto … so if today’s VLOG seems a bit ‘grainy’ and the quality isn’t as good … it’s ’cause we’re using an old school cam.  This is just a one-time deal.  No worries.

Sunday December 20 2009 – 3:58pm Eastern - Toronto, ON 

Hornets @ Raptors

Final Score:
98 - 92, Raptors (Toronto now 13-17)

“Smith and Jones” Player of the Game:
CHRIS BOSH
25 points
11 rebounds
2 assists
10/16 FG
5/6 FT

“Alice Fazoolis” Player of the Game:
JARRETT JACK
15 points
7 assists
5 rebounds
2 steals
7/12 FG

Shout-out to the Hornets:
DAVID WEST
21 points
12 rebounds
2 assists
9/21 FG

Stats that stood out:
- Points in the Paint:  52-50 Hornets
- 2nd Chance Points:  19-11 Hornets
- Fast Break Points:  31-21 Hornets
- 15 turnovers for the Raptors … leading to 23 points for New Orleans
- In spite of those above stats though – all favouring the Hornets – TOR holds New Orleans to just 39.5% FG and 14.3% from 3PT land
- Toronto … second in the league in FT attempts and makes … go to the line only 19 times (13/19 – 68.4%)

Thumbs Up:
- Solid defence by Jack and Marcus Banks on all star guard Chris Paul (holding him to 3 of 13 FG … 10 points, 7 assists, 5 turnovers)

Thumbs Down:
- New Orleans pulled down 18 offensive rebounds … leading to 19 second-chance points.  That has to improve for the Raps.

Smith Says:
- “A quality win over a quality opponent (although the Hornets are/were under .500).  2-0 now in this KEY 5-game stretch for the Raptors.”

Jones Says:
- n/a

Keep the 3-ball Streak Alive (890 games and counting):
- The Raptors were 3 of 15 from 3PT range

Next game:
- Raptors @ Pistons – Wednesday December 23 2009 – 7:30pm Eastern
- Tune in at 7:00pm for the pre-game show and just after 7:30pm for the “Pizza Pizza” starting line ups

* Missed the post-game show?  You can catch it right here:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/rappostgame-fan-20091220.mp3]