Money or Rings

The Raptors are back at square one...again! This is pretty pathetic and should never have happened. Chris Bosh is almost officially gone and the Raptors are going to get basically nothing in return. What do we have on our team? Seriously, what the hell happened to this organization. I was very optimistic after the hiring of Colangelo but since then, I have seen nothing. Hindsight is 20/20 and everyone seems to be a thousand times smarter after the fact but couldn't anyone see that our team was doomed when we went out and signed Hedo? Come on, guy is not worth 5 years. Did Colangelo sign him to try and entice Bosh to sign because if he did, he better share whatever he was smoking with me.

Miami, enjoy Bosh. Enjoy Wade. Oh yeah, come Thursday, you may even enjoy LeBron too. If all this talk coming from all the free agents about winning first is legitimate, then we will see LeBron go to Miami. Salary cap issues and of course position flexibility put a downer on the chances of a Wade/Bosh/James combo but it would be pretty sick to see these guys play together.

How about Amare signing with the Knicks. Pretty sad. Should have tried to team up with one of the big free agents. Amare, enjoy losing. Without Nash you are basically another ballplayer who plays with goggles.

Boozer must be pretty lucky because he just signed a pretty big and fat contract with the Bulls. Did the Raptors even have a chance to sign this guy? Another few seasons of losing and just maybe a lottery pick will turn out to be a future LeBron.

Do Dreams Come True?

Steve Nash
Guy comes into the ACC and brings the roof down.

Holy crap, what a performance Nash continues to put up night after night, day after day. When Nash signed an extension, keeping himself planted as the PG of the Suns, I felt a little sadness come over me. Dreaming of having Nash suit up in Canada as a Raptor was something I was itching for, even though it was something only left for the world of dreams. Oh...dreamssssss.

Another 20pts and 16assists and a few wipes to dry some of the tears from my eyes and he's gone. Only if Nash was a Raptor. I enjoy having Calderon around but he's no Steve Nash.

How come it isn't working?
Looking at the Raptors lineup, I am a little surprised at where we are in the standings. Having Bosh, Bargnani, Hedo, and Calderon in the starting lineup, IMO, is not a 7-11 team.

We all know what Bosh can do on the court and how much energy he can bring so let's move on. How many centres out there can handle Andrea? Guy can hit the 3, put it on the floor and stop for a mid-range shot, and go straight to the hole. He's averaging 17pts a game but he should be in the low 20's. How about Hedo. I was not a fan of the signing but he is a decent player. Hits a few 3's and can play on the perimeter. Looking at Calderon, he's the PG most coaches want. Handles the ball and keeps the TO's to a minimum, under 2 a game, while contributing some at the offensive end.

I know we don't have the interior guy to clean up the garbage and the big stopper on the defensive end but it just doesn't seem right at the moment, sitting at 7-11 with this lineup? Defense wins championships and at this point the Raptors don't have that and maybe this is the main reason we have a 7-11 record going into December.

At the moment, all I want is a guy to come in and grab 10-12 boards a night. A guy who can dish out the hard foul when needed (how are you balls feeling Bosh?). A guy who can make the picks, grab the loose balls, and do all the little things that earn him a reputation in the locker room.

Is there someone out there that wants this role? If so, give Colangelo a ring.

Sunny Skies for the Raptors?

With the bottom-feeding Raptors taking a step back in there pursuit of a playoff position by losing game after game, this is news I welcome. Chris Bosh made an appearance on CTV as a weatherman and I thought it was kind of funny to see. We all know the story about how there is going to be "the free agent class" coming up in 2010 and Bosh is going to a part of it. GM Colangelo and the people of Toronto need to do everything in the world to try and sign this guy because if he leaves, the organization might as well get use to the bottomfeeder status because it will take a long time until we see a true playoff contending team at the ACC.

Or does our GM see something else in his crystal ball. Is he going to let Bosh sign somewhere else and try to build a team around another high prize player. Maybe with the likes of Wade, Stoudamire, or even, I know I shouldn't say his name, LeBron. Just wait and let me explain. We all know that LeBron is looking for world exposure and of course the championship rings. Exposing yourself to Canada, check. Winning championships and bringing it to a team outside the US would classify LeBron as the king of a franchise and he wouldn't have share it would the likes of former greats who played for the Knicks (assuming he signs with the Knicks). Taking and giving the Raptors 3-5 Larry O'Brien Trophies would classify him as a saviour, king, and what LeBron is searching for, arguably the greastest player ever to step foot on an NBA court.

Okay, I just woke up and I am back in the real world. Enjoy the video and the pictures of Bosh.

2 in a Row

"I am so important!"

The Raptors just won their second game in a row since starting point guard Calderon returned from a hamstring injury. Even though it was a against two terrible teams, the Bulls and the Kings, the Raptors have shown me what I feared since the starting training camp, they are super thin at the PG position. The injury to Calderon just proved it.

Colangelo, you better do something quick fast to secure another reliable back-up PG because at this rate your o-so-valuable Calderon is going to be run into the ground with all the minutes he's going to have to log to win.

Rod Benson

Boom Tho!!!!

For all those of you who follow Rod Benson over at Ball Don't Lie, he is back in North America after a stint over in Europe and is suiting up for the D-League. I am no pro scout but I wonder why this guy hasn't been offered a spot on an NBA roster after putting up 12.1 rebounds and 13.6 points a game during the 07/08 D-League season.

Most teams in the NBA need a guy that just picks up the garbage and does the dirty work down low. A guy who can come off the bench and bring some energy while pulling down some boards and blocking or altering shots. What team doesn't need that.

I wouldn't mind seeing Brian Colangelo of the Raptors take Benson on for a 10-day contract and see what he can do. With O'Neal out with an injury to his knee, Benson could come in and give the Raptors some cheap insurance. That is what the Raptors need, a dude that can grab boards.

The Raptors are ranked ahead of only three teams in team rebounds per game. What can they lose except more games?!

Ford vs. Calderon

The return of TJ Ford to the Air Canada Centre was not a successful one. Ford was traded from the Raptors to the Pacers in the off-season for Jermaine O'Neal and was basically told he wasn't up to Colangelo's standards as a PG. In Toronto, TJ basically watched his "younger brother" take his spot from him and was sent packing. So, how did Calderon and Ford fair in the game.

Calderon - 38:08mins, 14Asts, 2TO's, and 11Pts.
Ford - 27:21mins, 4Asts, 2TO's, and 4Pts.

I guess Calderon took this and the victory, 101-88.

The day I heard about this trade I was happy Colangelo decided to stick it out with Calderon instead of Ford. So far the Raptors aren't impressing anyone in the NBA with their lack luster approach to games but that deserves a separate post.

Which PG do you prefer having?


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Laker Territory

The Staples Center is home to Kobe and the Lakers but it seems Chris Bosh of the Raptors wanted to show Kobe, the reigning MVP, who might be the new MVP.

Check out highlight number 8. Bosh just schools Gasol. The Raptors and Colangelo better find a way to bring in a supporting cast for Bosh because if they don't 2010 is going to be a franchise breaking year.