Monday June 7 2010 – 12:06pm Eastern – Toronto, ON
A little Monday afternoon potpourri for ya folks …
GO WEST
When the Canadian Men’s National Team announced last week that they’d be playing two exhibition games in Toronto this summer (against France) I reported that at least one other game was likely on-tap as well — in Montreal or Vancouver. Well, it sounds like it’s going to be Van-City … with a ‘friendly’ against China scheduled for early-to-mid August. With the large Asian community in Vancouver, I’m sure the game will be huge for both countries.
CAMP ON THE COAST?
Speaking of Vancouver, some of the literature I’ve seen for my Raptors season seats (yes, I PAY just like all of you (no ‘freebies’ here)) seems to show that Toronto will head west for Training Camp this fall. Wouldn’t it be great if the Raps played a pre-season game against Steve Nash (BC native) and the Phoenix Suns while they were out there as well?
FINALS SPOTLIGHT
Think about all of the storylines in last night’s Game 2 between the Lakers and Celtics:
– Kobe Bryant’s foul troubles
– Lamar Odom’s struggles
– Ray Allen nailing a league-record 8 three-pointers
– Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett contributing very little
– LA’s guards getting schooled by Rajon Rondo
– Rondo tallying yet another triple-double
– Andrew Bynum blocking everything in site despite playing on one leg
It has been a great series so far and we’re only 2 games in. With 32 championships combined between LA and Boston, I was SO looking forward to this rivalry being featured yet again … and I’m anxious to see what Game 3 has in store tomorrow.
ARCH ENEMIES
Further to the point above … there is NO greater rivalry in sports than the Celtics and Lakers. Baseball has Boston and New York (Yankees) but that’s too new; there’s not enough history there (the curse of the Bambino doesn’t register for me in that the rivalry was very stale for a LONG time and has only been re-ignited in the last 10 years or so). Hockey could boast Toronto vs Montreal but with the Leafs getting skunked from the Cup since 1967 I don’t know if that rivalry is as legit. Football may be the closest to the NBA’s LA-Boston battles … when you think about match-ups like Green Bay vs Chicago AND Pittsburgh vs Cleveland.
DRAFT SCHMAFT
With the NBA Draft coming up in about two and a half weeks you know you’re going to hear a ton about the Raptors’ draft history. How ’bout this Top 5 (well, LOW 5) of all-time busts for Toronto:
1. Rafael Araujo
2. Aleksandar Radojevic
3. DeeAndre Hulett (*never played in the NBA)
4. Kareem Rush (immediately traded to LAL with Tracy Murray for Lindsey Hunter & CHRIS JEFFERIES)
DeeAndre Hulett, Albert
5. Michael Bradley
Have a good one folks. I hope to check in again before tomorrow night’s Game 3 in Beantown
E. Smith
8 Responses to “Monday Musings”
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I kinda liked Bradley. He could rebound real well. That being said, he didnt have much of a NBA career & I dont disagree with him being on this list. I hear he is a player agent these days.
- damionEric, Rondo is very impressive!
- Mr.CuriousI know that he could improve his FT shooting, and shooting range but…he’s only 24 and can get ever better.
1) Do you think he could be MVP of the playoffs?
2) Is he the best player on the Celtics?
3) How does he rank in terms of the best guards in the league?
Eric, are their any good players from the league right now that were picked 13th in the 1st round?
- Raps FanThanks for the “Draft Schmaft” reminder, Eric ;)
But, I gotta place Aleks firmly in the Numbero Uno spot as the worst draft pick in the history of the franchise. As weak as “Hoffa” was, at least he played. And, his wife was smokin’ hot. My season seats are second row upper level, but we often sneak down to section 106 where the players’ wives and families sit.
Just a warning: It’s kinda difficult to concentrate on the game from that section, so be prepared ;)
One last thing…no joke…I see a lot of Araujo in Bargnani. For real. It’s that deer-in-the-headlights look they both have (or had). Sure, Bargs has far more ability but, as of his fourth year in the league, he has achieved little more than Hoffa did.
The thought of Bargnani being the number one option for the Raps should spell the end of Bryan Colangelo’s horrible tenure in Toronto. Let’s pray Bargs is nowhere near our “main man” this season…or else, it’s gonna be a long, long year…yet again.
- brento.Brento … for once … I was willing to agree with you… until you brought up Araujo and Bargnani. Come on.
Now, as for the part I agree with …
I battled with Radojevic and Hoffa. I nearly did put Rad-man at #1 but I went with Araujo because he was a top 10 pick. Rightly or Wrongly that “top 10″ selection comes with MAJOR expectations. Thus, in spite of actually playing and getting solid minutes, he came nowhere close to living up to “top 10″ potential.
Granted, A-Rad was VERY CLOSE to being a top 10 pick as well … but … that was my reasoning and i’m sticking with it.
- Eric SmithRE: Rondo
1. If they win, 100% YES he has a shot. he probably will be the MVP if he keeps playing like he has in the first two games
2. I don’t know if he’s the ‘best’ but he’s certainly the most important right now and he is the leader of that team
3. top 3 PG for sure. Some would even put him at the top when you factor-in health and durability as well as defence, speed, playmaking, etc
- Eric SmithThere was a guy named Kobe who went 13.
- nateI think you have to say pro sports rivalry. There’s no way anything could compare to a game of cricket between India and Pakistan
My tongue was partially “in cheek”, Eric ;)
But, there was a bit of truth in my statement, too. Not talking about talent at all. Just that sense that the player doesn’t have the skill set to anticipate on the defensive end…a critical skill that sets apart poor/average players from stars.
On the defensive end (the end we NOW know is much, much more important than the other one!!), Andrea has always been a full step (perhaps, two) behind where he needs to be. That has always been my biggest problem with Bargs. He has almost zero defensive impact on a game.
And, worst of all, it seems to be about effort, not ability. I, for one, was very unhappy when Bargs put up that 19 rebound effort during last season. It showed he was FULLY capable of giving a huge effort — he has simply decided not to do so on most other nights.
That kills me. It seems to be worse with NBA players than in any other sport. Guys who have huge hustle games out of nowhere…and then regress back to the mean.
I would have been much happier had Bargs NOT had that game. No joke.
- brento.