Raptors Sign Sampson…What Does This Mean About Jawai?

The Toronto Raptors have made a signing:

Raptor Press Release ( From Eric Smith’s blog “The Rap” )

The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they have signed free-agent power forward-center Jamal Sampson. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

Sampson, 6-foot-11, 235 pounds, is a five-year NBA veteran who has spent time with Denver , Sacramento , Charlotte , the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee . He posted career-best totals of 3.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23 games for Charlotte in the 2004-05 season.

Sampson has appeared in 72 career NBA games, averaging 2.0 points and 3.4 rebounds. He recorded career highs of 10 points at Orlando on January 7, 2005 and 12 rebounds January 30, 2007 at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sampson was drafted by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft. He played one season at the University of California where he averaged 6.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.17 blocks in 32 games. He posted four double-doubles, and had 15 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks versus Washington . He was named to the PAC-10 All-Freshman Team.

Sampson is the cousin of Ralph Sampson, the number one overall selection in the 1983 NBA Draft.

The question becomes was this a move to be safe in not knowing the future of Nathan Jawai? It is not a good sign that the Raptors acted so fast to sign someone. It could just be them being safe. But it does suggest that there is some major concern in regards to Nathan Jawai and his health issues. I am hopeful this is just the Raptors being safe. But it would suggest that they have concerns about Nathan Jawai given that Samson plays the same position as Jawai. It is not likely that we will know much about Jawai until he and the Raptors are going to tell us. Doctor and Patient confidentiality is the reason why. This could obviously be something that would be beyond just playing basketball. The Dino Nation Blog has been a big supporter of Nathan and we wish him the best first and foremost to be healthy. Second it is the hope that this will turn out to be minor and allow him to continue on the path to play basketball and add to his amazing story.

The Rap On Media Day

The Nathan Jawai Story

In case you missed it Nathan Jawai is out for now. A concern from a cardio exam is the reason being given. I have sent out a few e-mails hoping to get some more info. I had made contacts in my research about Nathan in Australia. But to this point I have heard nothing back. I may not at all but we will see. The point is that as of now it is unclear what this is as far as Nathan Jawai is concerned. It may be something minor or it may not be. I am not going to play doctor and guess about it. The point is the Raptors are doing what is best for Nathan at this point which is right thing to do. Until they figure out the problem it is no rush to get Nathan out on the floor. Nathan Jawai and his story have become something that have been a big part of what I have worked on in this blog. I just hope for the best for Nathan and hope it is nothing serious and he can move on to a what I think will be a great NBA Career. If I find out anything I can share with you I will do so. But for now I know nothing other than what I have read in the news. Nathan seems like a great person and I hope for the best outcome for him as a person and a basketball player.

Sam And Dino Nation Blogger

No Sam Mitchell has not gone Hollywood with his shades on Media Day. Sam Mitchell and yours truly now have something in common. Coach Mitchell like your Dino Nation Blogger have been through laser eye surgery. Having been through the procedure myself I can tell you that after that is done, light is your enemy for several days. So that is the reason for the shades for Sam. I can totally understand what he is going through as far as this is concerned. So, if the day every comes I get to interview Sam Mitchell at least I have some common ground. Once Sam is able to remove his shades and get to work. He will hope to see a team that is much better on the defensive end of the floor.  A big factor in that will be Jermaine O’Neal. When they had the press conference to announce the trade you could see the excitement on the part of Mitchell. J.O is a Sam Mitchell type of player. Mitchell said today that he will be counting on Bosh, O’Neal and Calderon to show leadership and keep this team in line on and off the floor. There have been times that some fans would say the Raptors toughest guy as far as being vocal and defending this team was Sam Mitchell. But that role is clearing going to fall to Jermaine O’Neal. The cheap shots that have been taken against the Raptors in recent years will now have an answer. This means you Atlanta Hawks. Who not only were the ones involved in the injury to T.J Ford but also an ugly incident later in the year where Jose Calderon took an elbow to the head. Well now the Raptors are tougher. J.O will make them tougher!!!

Media Good, Media Bad

When you get tough you also get confident. That is the major theme I have seen in recent days through out this Raptor Roster. Even Andrea Bargnani seems more engaged with people as Eric Smith made mention of on the Fan 590 Webcast from Media day. Before moving on I want to say good for the Fan 590. They covered the event live. Raptors T.V did not and I am deeply troubled by that. I don’t want to tell people how to do their jobs. But the network is called “RAPTORS T.V” ,so if there is a “RAPTOR NEWS EVENT” like media day, does it not make sense for them to be there with “live” coverage. I have had the channel from almost the start and they use to cover it live so why they do not now is anyone’s guess???

Gold= No Limits For CB4 and Raptors

But back to this confidence idea. Chris Bosh won a gold medal playing with some of the greatest basketball players in the world. Some will be locks to be in the Hall of Fame someday. You can’t help but gain confidence from being a part of that. It also should be said that Bosh earned his spot on that squad and he was not there as any favour from Jerry Colangelo to his son Bryan. Bosh became a key part to the puzzle that landed the United States Gold. Not since Vince Carter in Sydney had the U.S enjoyed any international success.

Chris Bosh is a little more confident in the way he does everything and you can see it if you are paying attention. He even made a joke about not getting an intro when he joined Eric and Paul on the webcast from Media Day. It is a little thing but is shows that Bosh has truly grown into his role as the team’s franchise player. Eric called Bosh the King of All Media. Bosh laughed but it is kind of true. Bosh is making his way into his fan base in unique cool ways that are a product of this modern world we live. He is a smart guy not only on the basketball court but off it as well. You can sense how much he thinks that the addition of Jermaine O’Neal is going to mean to him and this team. He continued with his theme of putting NO LIMITS on what he feels this team can do. He said he didn’t not want to give a total as far as wins because he wanted to have no limits for how high this team can go. I am not saying he said this. But does no limits mean he thinks the Raptors Can Win The Atlantic over Boston? He may indeed. After all if you caught his act on the Jay Leno Show in the summer he did put a curse on the Celtics. Remember the Jersey?

J.O Says Toronto Was The Winner

Every conversation on the day all related back to one of two people. Andrea Bargnani or Jermaine O’Neal. We will leave Andrea for later and talk about J.O some more. He had some truly interesting things to say. The fact that he and the Pacers had long agreed he would be traded and he sat out most of the time last year to get healthy for his new team whoever that was going to be. He also said he made a list of 5 teams and Toronto was on his list. But he goes on and says the list of 5 became a list of 2 and it was the Raptors and The Cavs. So, if we are to believe J.O than Lebron James has reason to be upset you would think. Mo Williams is nice and all but he is hardly J.O anymore than T.J Ford is in comparison to J.O.

The reasons for Toronto making the list include us. O’Neal talked about the crowds at the ACC, The overall Organization lead by Bryan Colangelo, Chris Bosh and A lot of shooters all as reasons that Toronto was a great place for him to be. There was a lot of though behind all of this which makes me tend to think this is far from PR spin on the part of O’Neal. If you recall I had serious concerns about O’Neal when this trade first happened. But everything I have seen as far as attitiude I have been impressed with. Everything I have heard as far as health concerns has been good as well. I did say that I would wait to see if my concerns were valid after I got to see Jermaine for myself. Thus far I have been impressed with his professional attitiude and his wanting to have team success above all else. I am not one to change my opinion easily. I stuck by T.J Ford all last season when it was not always the cool thing to be doing. So for anyone to change my mind takes a lot. But to this point Jermaine O’Neal has gone a long way to doing just that. Almost to the point that I am hoping he can follow through on the massive expectations people have for him.

Bigger is Better???

Andrea Bargnani is bigger as evidence in the picture to the left. There is also a much more friendly and outgoing Andrea Bargnani. Eric Smith talked about the changes he had seen on the Webcast from Media Day. I noticed it to in the sense even though Andrea is still not exactly reading to hit the public speaking circut, he did seem to try to answer questions more and seemed much happier to be talking with people. The expectation level for him in year 3 is going to be high but he will also have a bit lesser of a role coming off of the bench. I do still have on great concern. Andrea has been talked about as playing at both the 3 and 5 spots as well as at the 4. Even though Andrea seems willing to try playing the other positions he still goes back to the fact that in his mind he is a 4 and I am not sure if anyone can convince him otherwise. He has been working on building a post game. He talked about his work in Las Vegas with Jermaine O’Neal and some of his other team mates. Maybe it is getting lost in the translation but I just don’t know if Andrea will work out playing at any spot on the floor that is not his natural one. The big plans of having all 3 Raptor Big Men on the floor at once sounds great in theory. But remember when Sam Mitchell was talking about playing an uptempo style like the Suns. Well that sounded good too. Problem is it didn’t work out so well in reality. I think for short stretches the all big line-up can work but not for long ones. Much like when you played Ford and Calderon at the same time in certain circumstances it could work and be a weapon. But if not used correctly it can just turn into a gimmick that can be over used. What is a positive no matter where Andrea in playing is the idea of him building a post game. What also is good in the extra size (12 to  15 pounds according to Andrea) may encourage him to rebound more and challenge shoots. Andrea Bargnani is going to determine his NBA future in on direction or the other this season there is no doubt about that.

Bryan Believes In Joey???

I think Bryan Colangelo is a smart guy. He really seems to have a good handle on everything. Maybe that is why the story that Joey Graham told about last year’s trade deadline makes no sense to me. Joey told a story in which Bryan comes up to him and informs him that he had not traded him and to prove to him right to Joey? The idea that Bryan Colangelo has any faith in Joey Graham truly scares me. Please tell me that Colangelo was just trying to motivate Joey to do better. If there is ever a time for Joey to do something it is now. After all he is in that magical season for any pro athlete, they call it the “contract year”. Someone find Mike James and he will tell you all about how that works.

Solomon or Ukic???

Will Solomon may actually be the back-up point guard to start the season if I am reading what I am hearing correctly. Roko Ukic may not be ready to just walk into the back-up roll. There has not been glowing reviews of Ukic from what some have been saying outside of Toronto. Solomon may indeed be the filter gap until Ukic can adjust to the NBA and handle the responsibilty of running the basketball club. Even if it is only for short spans of time. Anthony Parker speaks highly of Solomon and seems to think he will be a good addition the team. The more the Raptors have been working out the more I am hearing about Solomon and I don’t think that is an accident.  He is making an impression on his team and I think it may pay off for him at least in the short term.

Some Random Raptor Thoughts

Another thought is that if this issue with Nathan Jawai is not something that is put behind him quickly, Kris Humphries is going to have some real chance to perform. Jamario Moon may be in the dog house but you would never know if he was or wasn’t. He is just so happy to be with the Raptors and in the NBA in general it is great to see. Jamario told us all to be prepared for a show. After last season I am very excited to tune in for year 2 of the Jamario Moon Show.

Jason Kapono may read the Dino Nation Blog. Why do I say that? He made the exact same comparison that I did about him now playing in a situation that was not unlike his one in Miami with another O’Neal. Just kidding about him reading the blog. However he was a judge for the Raptor Dance Pak try-outs so maybe he was checking out the Lexi Haslam interview. Research for judges never end you know. Getting back to reality the point I am making is what I was saying about the Miami feel seems to be on the money as far as Jason and his thinking about the offense.

So now the Raptors take the show to Ottawa. I love that city and had a lot of fun their as I had friends that attended Carleton where the Raptors will be calling home. Ottawa is Canada’s Capitol and the Raptors want to be Canada’s team so it seems like a good fit. I don’t know if they still have “The Market” in Ottawa but let’s hope Raptors are not hanging out there to much and working hard. “The Market” is what they called the area with all the bars when I was hanging out in Ottawa about 12 to 14 years ago. A trip to Edmonton as well is in the cards. I just wanted to remind you that if CNN can have I-Reporters, well so can the Dino Nation Blog. So if you are in Ottawa or Edmonton and get photos, chat with someone connected to the Raptors, Let me know and I will share it with the blog if it is appropriate to do so. Just send it to me @ dinonationblog@sourcecable.net in fact any mail you have for any reason can be sent to that address unless otherwise stated.

It has been a long busy day but it is great to be busy talking about a season that is almost here!!!

Big Aussie Starting On Sidelines Because of Health Concern.

This is not exactly great news on the eve of Raptors Training Camp. Nathan Jawai who was on hand for Raptor Media Day in Toronto, will miss the start of training camp as a result of a health concern to do with his heart(as a result of concerns raised during routine pre-season cardiac screening). Doug Smith as well as Canada Press is reporting on this story. The quick answer is more tests are being done and till Raptors know more he will be on sidelines for the start of camp in Ottawa starting Tomorrow.

Source Toronto Star- Doug Smith

Here is Link To Nathan At Raptor Media Day Earlier Today before this story was realeased.

Jawai at Media Day- From Raps.com

Happy Media Day!!!

Media Day is the first true sign that the NBA Season is not to far away. In fact this is less than a month away from when the Raptors will tip it up with the Sixers. Everyone gets lots of pictures taken and answers lots of questions. But it really is about the fact that Training Camp is starting and a new season is almost here.

So for today in the blog I am going to be reporting on the reporting and getting all the info from media day put together for you here. So check back throughout the day for updates and new info. Later in the week Jack Armstrong will be stopping by to visit. That should be on Thursday and I look forward to it. It has been great being a caller on his new show several times. But I enjoy the chats we have for the blog much more.  Oh and lastly Lexi Haslam and her interview here have done REALLY WELL.  It helped push the blog to it’s largest month in history. While the blog on Lexi is #2 all time on the Dino Nation Blog all time list. She knocked off Nathan Jawai and Paul Jones on her way to the second spot. It proves that the blog is growing and Lexi is quite an attractive young lady. But hopefully if you read that you realize she is a smart lady as well.  Lexi may be back at some point we will see if we can work something out.

So Check Back throughout the day for Updates

Update 12:15

You Can Listen Too Starting At 12:30pm

Listen To Media Day Live On The Fan 590

Live Blog

No coverage on Raptors TV the Fan 590 webcast is now on the air with Eric Smith and Paul Jones. Segements of this webcast will be on the Fan 590 after 1pm.

Jason Kapono 12:40 pm

 Talking about golf and haow Paul meet Jason Kapono at the U.S Open Golf Tournament.

Kapono joked about Basketball being his second sport to Golf.

Kapono said that playing with O’Neal will be similar to his time in Miami and playing with Shaq.

 Team is excited about the possibilites based on the trade.

Easier for Jason this year after having a season with the Raptors under his belt.

Thinks Raptors can play more of a tradional style of game mixed in with some small ball.

East is Stronger Conference. Going to be a battle. Can’t afford any droughts.

Players don’t Focus on the schedule the key is just building as a team.

Some joking about his new hairstyle.

12:48 pm Eric Hughes(Hope I spelled that right)  Assitant Coach

Andrea looks great, spent time with him in Las Vegas.

His Personality has changed he was more open and easy going

On Last Year: Thinks Andrea put to much pressure on himself last season. The addition of Jermaine should help Andrea.

Slow down was the message they tried to work with Andrea on. Worked on post moves.

Talked about modeling Andrea after Dirk.

12:55 Joey Graham

Vegas Summer League gave him confidence as a scorer. was able to have other looking up to him.

Had no problem with going to Summer League at all.

Played some ball out in L.A as well at UCLA with about 20 NBA Guys including Hassan Adams Will Solomon

Think Raptors are more like when he first was draft with more chance to play.

Bryan Colangelo talked with Joey on Trade Deadline last year and told him he wasnt going to be moved

He realizes it is a make or break year.

Eric an Paul Talking Bout Raptors Charity Golf Tournament

breaking down Eric Smiths Golf Game. He out drove Raptor GM BRyan Colangelo.

Kris Humphries 1:05

Added a few pounds been working on his jump shot with Eric Hughes.

Wants to get on the court consistently

It is a good set-up for him to try and earn minutes.

Play hard and have fun

In past we have got the best out of everyone and we need to do the same regardless of how the team looks on paper.

Informal workouts help the team gel. If everyone is fighting to be the best player that is how it works well.

Eric and Paul are talking more about Andrea and how he is bigger and about his development.

Eric refered back to what he had said here in Dino Nation Blog that Andrea had one good year and one bad year now let’s see what happens.

Paul talks about the thing Roko Ukic will have to learn in coming to the NBA. Paul suggests if Roko struggles Will Solmon  could fill in.

Anthony Parker 1:15pm

More Golf chat.. AP not a golfer.

 Talked about guys getting in early to play with the guys. Gets you ready to go.

J.O will open up the court for guys like him, Jason and Jose

We got into trouble when teams doubled on Chris Bosh.

We have a lot of addition and team is different. Is not sure if it was looking towards the playoffs it was more a lack of consistent play.

Go at it week by week and month by month

Everybody needs to know their roles on the team for it to be successful.

J.O has been blocking everything in work outs.

Last year Chris did good job of trying to help block shots, but now J.O and Andrea should also be able to help. In this league you are going to get beat and knowing that you have that support behind you helps.

Looking to improve on driving to the hoop more.

It help Roko that others have been through what he will be going through. It’s harder for point guards based on all they need to know. The combination of Solomon and Ukic should work out well behind Jose.

Bryan Colangelo 1:26

It has been a good summer for team.

New sense of excitement based on the Ford/O’Neal Trade

Talking about how J.O has been for the Defense in the informal workouts.

New Emphasis on Defense

Menatailty of Defense of J.O on Defense.

Still Young at age 30. Should bring his experience to this team and this team and it’s locker room should be a good fit for him.

J.O’s Health is O.K and since the trade we have seen that he is playing healthy. Based on what we have seen he can’t be healthy all year.

We can play a number of styles and this team is very athletic. Bryan said that you could see Andrea at 4 and 5 and a little bit of 3.

Toronto is not going to be like his teams with the Suns as far as offense.

Vital for Andrea to take that step if he plans on being a star in this league.

He has to keep moving forward he has to take steps to show improvement

Bryan Challenged Andrea at the end of last season and you see some of the changes in Andrea based on that.

Maybe it was to early last year and we expected to much.

Andrea expects more from himself.

Eric talks about how Andrea has been more open and talkative. Paul says about how it is showing that Andrea is growing a comfort level in being here in North America. Paul Jones says you will see Andrea, Chris Bosh and J.O on the floor together. You will see the Raptors play a traditional zone defense with them on the floor.

Andrea Bargnani 1:41 pm

Added 12 to 15 pounds

Wanted to add some weight.

Worked in Vegas with Jermaine O’Neal and other NBA Players.

Last year was not Diaster but it was not good.

I love to play the game so it was not pressure but it is in what you put on yourself.

It has been good being in town getting to know the guys.

he is not a big talker but he is doing more.

Im a big 4 but I have to adjust and play other postions and I hope to play as much minutes as possible.

I am getting better playing at the 5. But he said agian how he is a “Big Forward”.

He is happy to try and learn the new positions.

Has talked with Roko Ukic a lot and has been asking him a lot of questions and he has been helping.

Jamario Moon 1:49

Talking about Moon playing PsP with Eric Smith on the plane. Eric Smith talking smack.

I don’t like to work on individual aspects of his game. He like to work on everything.

They told him he did good last year and they wanted him to get tougher. Working on his mid range jumper and 3-ball.

People are in for a show- as far as him driving to the hoop.

He watchs Jermaine O’Neal and tries to adapt his shot blocking to his own.

Moon is not concerned about starting or not starting. He is happy to accept his role whatever it is.

He has no control over it so why worry about it.

Moon thinks we will make the playoffs and take it from there.

Jermaine O’Neal 1:57

was looking for a fresh start. Had decided he was done in Indiana and he sat out based on knowing he would be coming to a new team.

Made a list of 5 teams and the Raptors were on that list.

In the End it was between Toronto and Cleveland

Why? The filled arena, the Organization

Shooters the Raptors had was a big selling point

He doesn’t care about all-stars appearnces and indivdual stuff it is about team goals and winning.

He has been through just about everthing.

this team has what it takes to be good. he would not have let the trade happen if he didn’t think that.

Wants to be back in the playoffs and enjoy the game again.

He hasn’t felt like the new guy and he feels that the guys respect him.

He knows he can change what happened in the Match-up vs Orlando. Now Howard will be forced to play on both ends vs the Raptors now.

He is mentally healthy.

(Thanks to a Real GM poster for the photos)

Chris Bosh 2:11

Talked with Jermaine O’Neal prior to media knowledge of the trade in the media. Talked bout what Jermaine wanted to know about.

Talked about his Goals(O’Neal) and his health.

He has been playing further in the playoffs than me and he has gone further. Bosh said he listens to what he JO has to say.

He feels that both can use each other as a help through out the game.

He (JO) is a beast on Defense. Chris wants to build on what he did on defense from the Olympics. He will help create less double teams.

He has been mentally trying to figure out how he will work with him on offense.

We can be very good. I am not going to say a number because I don’t want to put a limit on anything.

He thinks he can help Andrea. Everyone is motiated bacuse they have a lot of guys that people have written off.

Paul and Eric talked about how Bosh was an important part of team U.S.A. They talked about his Confidence as a result of it.

That is a wrap for the Webcast…Later Today I will some up the rest of the coverage from Raptors Today and other media.  So Check back Later tonight. I will also do an edition blog with my thoughts on the day as whole late tonight. Which you can check out.

Update 5:35- Video Content From Media Day

Bryan Colangelo

Sam Mitchell

Chris Bosh

Jermaine O’Neal

Jose Calderon

Nathan Jawai Update 9:25: Nathan Jawai Out Due To Health Concerns

Andrea Bargnani

It is a whole lot of info to take in all at once so I will have my complete recap of Media Day Late Tonight. But the main theme is CONFIDENCE.

---

 
Fantasy Corner

Here is the Last of our 3 fantasy leagues for you to be a part of.  It is a keeper league and I am excited about it as I have never done one of these before.

NBA.Com Ultimate Fantasy League-Dino Nation Blog League( Keeper League )

League id: 2000000527

Password: dinos

Draft Time: Sat Oct 11th 4pm

---

Yahoo Fantasy League- Issue Fixed For League 2

I got an e-mail over the weekend with someone that was having trouble joining our 2nd Yahoo League. There was indeed an issue. It has been fixed so if you had trouble signing up my apologies.

So here is the Info Once Again:

League ID: 18872  Password: dinos

If you are in the first Yahoo League and want to sign-up for this on go ahead. I am because I am running them. But if you want to be in more than one that is fine

Draft Date and Time: October 19th 6:45 PM (Toronto Time)

Lexi Haslam… The Peoples Dance Pak Choice

That is Lexi Haslam who was the winner of the final spot on the Raptor Dance Pak. She owes her spot on the team thanks in part to her own hard work, but also to you the Raptor Fans.  She was named the winner of that last spot on the squad a couple of weeks ago. Now as you will recall the Dino Nation Blog interviewed another candidate(Dina) that did not win. But in the spirit of us all being Raptor Fans I offered my congrats to Lexi and a chance to come here and talk with us. Despite my support of the someone else she agreed to do so.

So, I figured the logical first thing to ask was, why did you decide to try-out for the Dance Pak in the first place?

When I was seventeen I wanted to try-out for the Raptors Dance Pak, but I was a year shy of the auditions. Then I went away to school and since I was in Waterloo, I would be unable to commute to the games and practices. It seemed unrealistic. Finally, this summer my mom was getting my hair done at great lengths hair studio in Markham, and she grabbed a flyer that had all the information for the auditions. At first I was a little nervous about going because I hadn’t danced in a couple months and felt out of shape.

As usual my mom wouldn’t take no for an answer, and her enthusiasm got me all motivated and excited. So I decided that this was one of those opportunities that I couldn’t turn down. Plus I was all finished school and this is something that I have wanted to do since I was seventeen! This was my time!

The Dino Blogger has a mother as well and even though she is not a huge basketball fan by any means, she supports me and gives me encouragement. It is great to have the support of family in whatever we do. So with the blessing of mom, Lexi did of course try-out but how did she end up in the spot she did as part of this contest?

During the final round of the auditions five ladies (including myself) were pulled aside by one of the members on the judging panel. His name is Anton, and he is my ‘new’ boss. He told us that we didn’t make the dance pak, however we had a chance too be the very last member added to the pak by entering into this contest. Anton filled us in on the details of the contest, and at first I was a bit hesitant. I really wanted to just be on the ‘dance pak’ without waiting in anticipation, but not everything is always handed to you, and this was a great opportunity I couldn’t pass up!! It was great exposure, and gave me a second chance to be on the team.

I think that involving the fans choice is a great idea. The community gets to feel more connected to the Raptors dancers, and recognize that their opinions/votes are valued.

During that contest a lot of Raptor fans got introduced to all these girls. Through the promotion on Raptors.com, In various Raptor Forums on the Internet and even here at Dino Nation Blog. Lexi had a facebook group that had over a thousand people in it. Obviously people have learned some things about Lexi but I asked her if there was something people didn’t know based on all of this publicity that she wanted people to know?

Well, I drive a 1994 Buick Regal that goes by the name of “Baby-blue.” My loving Grandfather gave it to me as a gift when I went away to University, so I could come home and visit more often. It isn’t the most stylish of cars, but it has a lot of memories and it is very close to my heart. Plus it has an awesome bench seat in the front, so I can fit six people in that puppy, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

I am a graduate of Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. I have my Honours BA in communications, and a minor in psychology. These were the best four years of my life, and I am most definitely going to pursue more education.

I found out Lexi won on one of the forums I read on a daily basis. I checked on Raptors.com and indeed she was the winner. I am thinking the actual winner will have a much more exciting answer to how she found out?

Anton called me first thing Monday morning and told me the great news! I was completely freaking out and jumping around! I called my mom and dad at work and they started yelling on the phone! It was almost a question if they were more thrilled than I was!! It was probably the most excited I have been in a long time. That feeling of relief, and the anticipation of knowing that I was going to be dancing with Raptors Dance Pak was beyond amazing!!

So you the fans gave Lexi and her family that excitement and her a new job.  So what does she think that job is as a member of the Raptors Dance Pak from her prospective?

My new job entails dancing, performing and entertaining the fans while I am on the court. However, there is much more that it requires since it entails a lot of hard work and dedication. There are two – three practices a week that run for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. During game season, the dancers are doing all the home games and rehearsals. There are also a lot of appearances at charity events, tournaments etc. As a member of the raptors dance pak, you are representing a huge organization. Therefore, I believe that my new job expects me to have the same dedication and respect that all the other employees and athletes have at the ACC. This is a professional job, and like any job that is truly valued you take care of yourself in the position, dedicate your time to the position and prove yourself to be the best employee that you can be.

It has to be pretty cool from a fan’s point of view to work for the Raptors in any form. Lexi is now part of that large group of people make a living thanks to the Toronto Raptors and MLSE. So it is quite an experience to be part of that I am guessing. So, what does Lexi hope to gain from this experience in working for the Raptors?

Throughout my life, different experiences have granted me growth within myself and with others. Dance has always physically and mentally challenged me, strengthening me to become a better person and better dancer by surpassing the obstacles. As a dancer for the Raptors Organization, I hope that I will continue to be presented with new challenges as a dancer, form new relationships/friendships with the dancers, and continue my love and excitement for dance.

Fans have a general understanding of what it takes to be a pro basketball player. The skills and the work that goes into that. I would think for the most part they have no clue in how much work goes into being a dancer or a member of a NBA Dance Pak. So I asked Lexi to explain what goes into that for people that do not know what is takes to do what they do?

From going to the practices, it is very intense. I can sum it up by saying that it is a “cardio-kick butt class” that goes for two and a half hours. All the girls are sweating from head to toe, but you can tell they are loving every minute of it. Practices are two-three times a week, and I think that it becomes even more intense as the season continues. I will keep you updated.

Amberley, the choreographer for the dance pak, works very hard. She is very creative with her choreography and her time and effort is evident in her marvellous works of art. It is underestimated the time it takes to choreograph and create innovative ideas for dances!

Paula Abdul who most know these days from American Idol was once a Laker Girl and did the choreography for the famous dance pack of the Lakers.  It is an example of what this can lead to for people. She would end up getting work with the famous Jackson family and eventually moved on to her own singing career. It is an example of what can come from working with NBA dancers or being one. But one of the things I have noticed is for fans they want to have girls who are not only good at what they do and to be attractive,  but also true fans of the team as well.  So I asked Lexi how she became a fan of Basketball and the Raptors and some of her reasons for loving basketball and her favourite player on the Raptors:

To be honest, I was never really into sports when I was younger. I played basketball in elementary school and soccer but I was so involved in dancing that it was difficult to have time for other things. However, the dance pak was what truly sparked my interest in basketball. When I was seventeen I went to try-out for the dance pak, but since I was a year shy I was unable too. While watching the dance pak, it got me really into basketball and my love for the game continued to grow. I couldn’t believe how exciting the games were, in comparison to other pro-sports.

While going to school, my roommate in first year was a die-hard Raptors fan. She absolutely loved them, and went to several of the games with her boyfriend. She was the one who truly got me hooked on the game. We would all sit around our little TV in residence and watch the games, as she screamed at the TV and made us laugh. But usually by the end of the game, all of us were so into the game that we would 4 inches away from the screen! So overall I think that the dance team was an instant influence on keeping me interested in the game, but as my university life continued my friend/roommate got me seriously hooked!

My favourite player is Chris Bosh, of course. In Chris Bosh, the Toronto fans have seen his progress in working hard and bettering himself over the years. His true leadership skills have come to the surface, ad he is a truly valuable player to the team. His work within the community as well as his foundation, has encouraged so many youths to strive for their goals. He is the new face of the Toronto Raptors, and a great role model for all fans as well as many professional athletes.

I agree with all of the things Lexi said about Chris Bosh. I think he has done a great job in growing into his role ” The Face ” of this franchise.  I also agree that he has done a ton for kids in the Toronto area and community as a whole. The Raptors as a franchise do a lot of work out in the community working with a variety of programs as part of the Raptors Foundation and NBA Cares and Read to Achieve Programs. Is there anything that you(Lexi) are passionate about as far as that aspect of being part of the organization?

I love that the NBA encourages and motivates children/youth to set goals, as well as offering them the facilities to reach them. Going out into the community shows us, the fans, that being in the NBA is not only about the sport; it is about having the opportunity and resources to help others strive for their goals and become a part of the bigger picture in which we all want to live in a healthier/better community. The NBA Cares and Read to Achieve, sets great examples and sends out a message to youths today, that reading/writing is imperative to success. For many of us, reading becomes an unconscious means of our everyday life. However there are many children, youths etc. who cant read, or were never encouraged. This program is designed to be the ‘support’ system, so that they can function in life with confidence, and strive to be the best they can in their future life, such as higher education and work.

It is true, the NBA for their work in New Orleans and the work they and the teams do in every community deserves some respect from us all. I mentioned American Idol when I spoke about Paula Abdul but another popular reality show is “Dancing With the Stars”.  So I asked Lexi what Toronto Raptor current or former would she think she could team up with and turn into a winner?

Mo-Pete. He is one of the coolest characters on the court and seems to always get those wild lucky shots. His sense of humour would definitely make the show a lot of fun to watch as well as his athleticism and dance skills. We have all seen him bust out some moves on the court and you can tell he’s got rhythm. He would be a great partner and definitely make the tough long practices go by much faster.

I have mentioned in this blog how much I love Morris Peterson. I personally have had chance to be around the guy a few times and he is a great guy. He will always be a loved by the fans of the Raptors and myself personally. I have no idea if he could or would win on that show but I do know he would get a lot of support if he did.

Lexi has had some time to get over the excitement of winning her own contest. I was wondering what she most was looking forward to and her biggest fear as well as she gets set for a season on the dance pak?

I am most looking forward to performing at the games. I am so excited to perform to such a large audience, with a group of ladies that have so much energy. Throughout the practices I have realized how much fun everyone has while dancing, and it is great to share the same love and passion as the others. Everyone really feeds off of each other, and I know that once we are all on the court, we are going to have a blast!!

My biggest fear heading into the experience was being able to keep up with the dances. Since the pak was practicing before I joined, they had about five dances plus fourth quarter routines. However, the girls have been very helpful by holding extra-practices, so I am feeling much more comfortable and confident.

Lexi is getting to live out a dream for sure. As part of that dream comes a lot of responsibilities. Charles Barkley made the famous claim once that he is not a role model. It is something that is debated about athletes in general all the time. So, I was wondering if that idea of being a role model is something that applies to girls on the Dance Pak. So I asked Lexi if she considers herself a role model for young ladies and people in general?

YES. I definitely think that anyone in the public eye is a role model for others. The way in which you act, and treat others is very important because it is being monitored at all times. Especially, young girls who look up to the dance pak or look forward to dancing on the pak – they are highly influenced by our presence. The ladies on the team are great role models because they are confident, outgoing, down to earth and good-hearted. Many of the ladies are in college/university or are graduates, and are all very motivated to achieve goals. This is definitely the role that I embrace, however I have always felt like a role model with my younger cousins. They are a huge part of my life, and I have always wanted to set a great example for them, and encourage them to be their best person.

This whole experience has to have been a life changing one for Lexi. The fact she is doing an interview in this blog is a small example of that. When you look at how she became a member of the Raptors Dance Pak and all of the many things that have gone on in her life connected to it in the last several months. So I thought a good way to end this would be to ask about how this entire experience has impacted on her life?

This experience has definitely been life changing. I think that it is really important to have the confidence within yourself and go for the things in life, that are important to you. I know, like many people, I can be discouraged from pursing something that I love because of the fear of failing. I am so thankful that I went to the Raptors Pak auditions, and was given such an amazing opportunity. Overall,this has given me great confidence to never shy away from great opportunities. I am looking forward to a great year!

I want to thank Lexi first and foremost for being kind enough to come talk with the Dino Nation Blog. I was honest and explained how we interviewed someone who was going against her in the contest. But still she was excited and happy to take me up on the chance to connect with Raptor Fans. I admire that and wish her nothing but success and welcome her back to visit anytime she wants to do so. Be it as a reader or guest of the Dino Nation Blog. The women that make up the dance pak are attractive and in general smart young ladies that have a passion for dancing but also for the Toronto Raptors. I can’t dance and do this as my way of connecting with Raptor fans. We all have the same goals in the end, which is to see the Raptors be successful. If that happens more people see Lexi, more people read this blog and Raptor fans are happy to see the team have success.

The Dino Nation Blog Has A New Home

So if you want to find us in the future just use the Link Below

NEW HOME OF DNB

Black is the New Red? Huh?

I admit I like the new uniforms and they are cool looking. But beyond the cool looking uniforms I took away something else from the event that was covered on Raptors T.V. What was that? Confidence on behalf of the Toronto Raptors through Chris Bosh, Bryan Colangelo and to a lesser extent Jose Calderon. Whatever doubts the media and bloggers like me may have about the Raptors this season, you saw none of that doubt yesterday. Chris Bosh with his new gold medal around his neck had a real sense of confidence. It is not to say he has not had it in the past. However it seemed that he has a feeling that this team could really go somewhere. It is not anything he said specfically it is just a sense I got in watching him. He seems to have become very secure in his role as the leader of this team and is ready to take on the challenge of making it successful.

Bryan Colangelo has always shown confidence from the day he arrived in Toronto. He took a team that was in serious need of a leader in management and gave them one. He has done what has been expected of him and got the Raptors back to the playoffs. But in a world that is based on, “what have you done for lately”, Bryan has given the Raptors Jermaine O’Neal. It has been the talk of the summer around Raptor circles and even in NBA circles as well. It was a big move that in the minds of some has big risk attached with it. Bryan Colangelo has always been a guy willing to take a risk and he continues to be that way here in Toronto as he was with the Suns.

Ultimately what I think or what you think as a fan does not matter as far as if this team will be successful. What matters is if the people that are in the organization do and based on yesterday it seems very clear that they do. The Raptors star Chris Bosh in an interview on Raptors.com said he puts “No Limits” on what this team could do.

Raptors Hit The Links

The Raptors were kicking back on the Golf course today. The Raptors had thier annual Golf Tournament today and good news Jamario Moon has made it in the country. He was referred to in a funny video on Raps.com that sees Jason Kapono show his Happy Gilmore Style golf skills in giving the beat down to a guy from the Raptors Website. For his benfit I will not mention his name. However if you want to know his name and see him take a Kapono Beat Down click on link below:

Raps Golf Tournament Video featuring Jason Kapono

Keeping it short today as I was working on an interview tomorrow for the blog with Raptor Dance Pak member and contest winner Lexi Haslam. If you forget what she looks like here is a reminder:

I am sorry that it took so long to get the blog together today but it was a busy day. Tomorrow I hope to have that interview put together for you to enjoy.

Moon In The Dog House With Raptors???

Can You Be In The Dog House Before Training Camp Starts?

If you are a reader of Doug Smith’s Blog you are aware of the fact Jamario Moon has not made it to town yet for the unofficial training camp. The excuse being offered is some passport issues Moon is having. But whatever the reason it would appear people with in the organization are not thrilled about it. This also is not going to help Moon’s cause as far as remaining in the starting line-up. Which most have already given to Jason Kapono as his to lose. I don’t know if it is all that bad. I don’t see this as an issue personally call me if Moon is not in Ottawa on the 30th.

Papers Please, Jermaine O’Neal??? You Play Basketball???

Who knows if this story is true or not, so take it for what is is worth. But a poster on Real Gm says that he has a friend that works at our border. This friend came in contact with the Newest Raptor Jermaine O’Neal. Seems O’Neal was bringing his cars/vechiles into Canada.( By the way a helpful hint for J.O that is 100 KM/HR on the Highway. ) It seems O’Neal did not have the proper papers for his vechiles and was told he and his automobiles were not welcomed to Canada with out them. He was told to turn back and get his papers. Not suprisingly J.O was displeased. I have no reason to think this story is true or not. The Interent is full of misinformation and lies. It could be true but what I took away from this story fact or fiction is this…if this was a guy the Leafs had acquired in a trade, he and his flatbed with his vechiles would likely have got a police escort all the way to Toronto. I think we have bigger issues at the border than worrying about people bringing their blingy cars and trucks into the country.

Can We Get Started Already?

I think after these last 2 stories it is clear that we all need to have some basketball to talk about please. But till that time comes we turn to the world of Uniform Fashion. Today the Raptors will announce what most fans have already found out. The Toronto Raptors will have 3rd jerseys that will be black. To model these new items we will have that famous fashion model from Spain Jose. Also a young up and comer in the fashion world from Texas who goes simply by CB4.

I am never excited about this kind of thing. If anyone can explain to me how this is nothing but a cash grap on the part of a pro sports franchise I would like to hear that explanation. I see no other reason for it. I mean be it the Italy Flag Raptor stuff, Spain ones as well or those God awful green things. They all add up to green as in cash for MLSE.

Update- 5:40 PM: This Is The New Look

I admit it they hooked me I like this. I have been sucked in. But still these are nice I have to admit that. Still all about the money but at least it looks cool. You can see the Press Event that featured some interviews with Jose and Chris as well as Bryan Colangelo on Raps TV at 9pm.

Do The Raptors Need A Starbury?

Stephon Marbury is expected to be bought out and as such on the market after a far from successful run in New York. He does have ties to the Raptors through Colangelo from his time with the Suns. Also if memory serves me well, played with Sam Mitchell with the T-Wolves. I doubt this will happen with him coming to Toronto. However if you think the idea of Canada would be an issue on the part of Marbury, that may not be true, as he had suggested he would consider finishing his career in Europe. So coming to Canada would not seem that much of a stretch for him. If the Raptors have any interest on the other hand I would think is doubtful. If they did not believe in Roko Ukic they would have made a move long before now. He also has a reputation of not exactly doing good things for your locker room. So I don’t think there is a Starbury in the Raptors future. But some NBA team will pay the veteran mininum to have him. Miami is a team being mentioned the most which just seems odd. Micheal Beasley is already paying his first fine from the NBA of 50,000 bucks. Why? seems there was more green being used at the NBA Rookie meetings. Having a guy like Marbury would not exactly make the best mentor for him now would he? But having said all this, Marbury has to be buyout by the Knicks and that isn’t going so well, as Marbury wants his $$$ and is not willing to take a discount to play. Detail in Link Below:

Marbury Is Playing Hard Ball With Knicks

AI is ON THE MARKET?

We are not talking about practice. We are talking trades so I guess that is o.k? Iverson in an interview in a Denver paper said he would not rule out a trade and gave the standard athlete line, which I heard from T.J Ford earlier this summer. The thing about being traded is it is proof another team wants you. That is out of the Athlete standard lines book, when you are about to be traded or rumoured to be traded say this. To read more on this item the link is below:

Iverson On Way Out In Denver?

Wizards Are In Full Spin Mode

I am thinking that the Dino Blogger must not be alone in wondering why the heck the Wizards invested 111 million dollars in Gilbert Arenas. The Washington Wizards were trying to put a positive spin on the latest news of yet another Arenas operation that could see the star out till January according to some. Sports teams do damage control just like people in politics. So with that I give you this story that has the Wizards Spin Doctors front and center:

No Agent 0 No Problem?

Fantasy Corner-Dino Nation Blog Yahoo League

I have opened up are yahoo head to head league. It will have a live draft on Sunday October 12th @ 7pm. It is going to have 20 teams and last I checked we already have 8 from the advance invites I sent out. So I would not wait on signing up. When this league fiils I will open another league if response demands it. Below is the info you need to know:

Yahoo Fantasy Basketball

Sign up and choose created league

Enter League ID: 1255

Password: dinos

UPDATE: Sept 26

Our First Yahoo League is Full. The Second League is Open Info Below:

League id for league 2: 18772

Draft Date and Time: Oct 19th 6:45 PM EST

Password:dinos

We also still have our Stock Market League on NBA.Com. There is no max to how many can sign up for that. The Stock Market Opens October 24th 2008. But you can select your roster as soon as you have signed up. League ID: 105921 and Passwords: dinos .

There will be one more League we will be running that will be a keeper league and will be based on NBA. Com as well. When it opens up I will let you know.

Raptors Taking The Gamble For Success

The Toronto Raptors head into this season looking very different than the team that lost in 5 games to the Orlando Magic. It was clear to anyone that watched that series that changes were needed and were coming to Toronto. Some of the media suggested that the first change that would come would be the firing of Sam Mitchell. But that was not the case. Bryan Colangelo instead decided to re-build the team that Mitchell had to coach. If anyone questioned that Bryan was behind his head coach it should be a clear message that is the truth. Colangelo has decided to stick with Sam despite a lot of speculation on a couple of occasions.

So, with coach Mitchell remaining the question became how do you address the flaws in this Raptor roster? The answer would be the trade for Jermaine O’Neal. If this move works out it is a pretty brilliant one. This is one of those trades that will be highly successful or a complete failure. There really is no in between. But in the view of Bryan Colangelo it was a risk worth taking. There is also the fall back of having a huge amount of cap space in 2010. Despite what people thought about T.J Ford in Toronto the rest of the NBA did not seem to share that opinion. Five offers according to Colangelo came his way for his unhappy point guard. He said the O’Neal offer was the best of the bunch and he and the Raptors made the move. It would also cost them Rasho Nesterovic and seldom used Maceo Baston and trading down into the second round from the number 17 pick in the 1st round.

Jawai vs Hibbert

This would produce the other gamble of this deal that is not talked about as much. Nathan Jawai instead of Roy Hibbert or someone else the Raptors could have selected at number 17. Jawai is a raw talent from Australia that has about 5 years of experience playing basketball at all. He could turn out to be a steal of the draft. The Raptors historically have had little to no success with picks from the second round. It will be another second round pick that will be the back-up point guard behind Jose Calderon.  But as far as Nathan Jawai he will not have the pressure to contribute right away at least not from the Raptors.  But the people in Australia have higher expectations for Nathan and most important of all he does for himself.  When people look back on this trade how Jawai does in comparison to Roy Hibbert will also be a factor to consider in who won this trade between Pacers and Raptors.

When you compare Hibbert and Jawai it is interesting. Some of the skills people question about Hibbert are strengths in the game of Nathan Jawai. I have no doubt that Roy Hibbert is going to have a productive NBA Career.  But based on my own personal opinion and the great amount of research I had done on Hibbert leading up to the draft, I do not think he will ever be a star in the NBA. I also did a tremendous amount of research about Nathan Jawai. Based on that and my own opinion I think there is a chance that Nathan could be something special. You have to take into account how young in his basketball life Jawai is in comparison to Roy Hibbert. In Roy’s time at Georgetown I learned in my research how much he developed in his time there. He is much closer to the max level of what he can be as a basketball player than Nathan Jawai. The gamble that Jawai can become that special player is a small part of the larger gamble that Bryan Colangelo is taking. This is part of this deal that most will overlook but it could be a key to evaluating it in the future.

Can J.O Have A Rebirth In Toronto?

But the thing that will be the focus for most is can Jermaine O’Neal be healthy and productive for the Raptors. He says that he was a man playing on one leg with the Pacers for a year and a half. He says that he is healthy and ready to put the Pacers behind him. The Raptors did their homework and seem to agree that he is indeed healthy and ready to go. There is also the mental aspect of what went on with the Pacers. O’Neal who was the leader of that franchise watch it explode on his watch. The Ron Artest brawl that happened in Detroit was the start of the Pacers fall from grace. A team that was thought to be a contender prior to that night fell from contender to not even in playoffs. The blame for that fell at the feet of O’Neal. In Toronto the buck stops with Chris Bosh and that should be a good thing. O’Neal can focus on helping someone else lead rather than lead himself.

The Reason Why Was D

The whole reason for the gamble that the Raptors have taken is the need to get better on defense. A healthy O’Neal is going to go a long way in doing that. A big body like Nathan Jawai could also impact down the line. Not to mention the star player of the team just won a gold medal and it was based on a new found defensive intensity on his part.

More D = Less O?

The question becomes how much offense have they given up to get better on defense? Jose Calderon no matter what you think can not produce the combined numbers with Roko Ukic that he had with T.J Ford. What Raptors fans can expect from Roko Ukic is a real unknown and that is part of this gamble as well. Jose Calderon is not super human and there will be points that this offense will be in the hands of a player that has not played a single minute in the NBA. A fast learning curve for Roko Ukic is going to be needed. In fact he must out perform what Claderon did as a rookie for the Raptors to feel confident they have their point guard situation on solid ground. The fact people are wondering if a Marbury reunion with both Bryan Colangelo and Sam Mitchell is being talked about says not everyone is convinced in the fan base. The artist formerly known as Starbury is expected to be bought out by the Knicks by the end of the weak. If Colangelo is still in gambling mood that would be a big one.  But there has been no indication that the Raptors intend to do anything to it’s roster prior to the opening game vs Sixers.

The real thing that may decide the amount of success on offense is the guys on the wing. A new look on the inside should give more open and easier looks from the outside. This should mean more chances for Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker from the outside.  While guys like Jamario Moon and maybe even Joey Graham to drive to the basket. You also have Hassan Adams as part of this group and combo guard Will Solomon.  Who ever steps up to the challenge could become a guy that will see his point totals rise. The smart money goes on the shooters in Parker and Kapono.  The Raptors Offense should look more like the one Kapono played in with another O’Neal in Miami. While Anthony Parker can have a chance to be a bigger part of the offense to if he steps up to the plate. There is also that Bargnani fellow. He may even play some time at the 3 spot according to Bryan Colangelo.  Sam Mitchell was not as willing to say that.

Regardless of where he appears on the floor, this is a key season for perhaps Colangelo’s biggest gamble of all Andrea Bargnani. Jermaine O’Neal said that Bargnani will be a key to this team being successful. He has worked with Andrea a bit in Las Vegas.  It seems pretty clear to almost everyone if Andrea Bargnani breaks through this season the Raptors chances at success take a dramatic rise. He is truly the ultimate X-Factor in all of this. He is said to be bigger and worked on some basic post moves to add to his key weapon of long range shooting. After last season I really have no idea what to expect from Andrea. But for those who want to see the positive side of the fence, the pressure to perform should be less on Bargnani. He also will get to see a lot second team units from the Raptors opposition on a consistent basis. These are all good signs for Andrea to rebuild his confidence. That has been a very fragile thing over his first couple seasons in the NBA.

The Health Question

There are a lot of gambles for the Toronto Raptors including the reduced number of bodies. Only 13 players makes you very worried if the injury bug enters into the Raptors this year. A injury to Jose Calderon would be a death blow for this team. For as much as the talk is about the health of O’Neal the health of Calderon will be key. Thankfully Jose has had a fairly good run in the NBA as far as that goes. But the injury in the Olympics at least for me brought the fear that if Jose is not healthy this team is in serious trouble.  But that is a bridge we all will hope this team does not have to cross.  I am looking forward to seeing how all this looks on a basketball court. That day is fast approaching.  CAN’T WAIT!!!

Your Raptor Stock Market Report

I have been talking about the first Fantasy League that has been set up for the Dino Nation Blog. It is a league on NBA.Com that runs like a stock market. I encourage you all to take part in that. Here is the info you need:

If you do not have a free account with NBA.Com you will need to sign up for that. once you have use the link below:

Dino Nation Blog League

The password for the league is: dinos

But for the purpose of the blog I wanted to use the values of the various Raptors and do a blog about it. Because is some ways Fantasy Sports actually tell us some things about reality to a point. For example if you were going to pick 3 players as your choices to win the M.V.P of the league right now who would they be?  Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Lebron James? Is that a good list?  Well it will not surprise you to learn this:

Stock Value

Kobe Bryant 100.00

Lebron James 100.00

Chris Paul 100.00

Those are the top 3 players in terms of values on the NBA Stock Exchange. Most Raptor Fans cry out that there is a unfair U.S bias against the Raptors. So if this is true the Raptors should make good value stocks in this virtual market. Well lets see about the top dog on the Raptors Chris Bosh. But wait a second he isn’t even the highest Raptor in the market. That would be Jose Calderon. 

Jose Calderon 45.00

Chris Bosh 40.00

This is where Fantasy goes away from reality. Chris Bosh is the clear best player on the Raptors to most I would think. But based on his fantasy production Jose Calderon is actually the top rated Raptor. That Fantasy aspect also Factors in on the price of the Raptors Jermaine O’Neal. Most feel that O’Neal is a better player than T.J Ford. Even myself a Ford fan has stated this for all to read. But in the Fantasy Market T.J Ford is worth more than J.O.

T.J Ford   26.00

J.O 17.00

Yes Jose Calderon fans in this Stock Market it is true:

Jose > T.J

Here is one for all of you frustrated with Andrea Bargnani. He lost the Rookie of the year award to Brandon Roy. So where do these two guys stand in the market place?

Brandon Roy 40.00

Andrea Bargnani 13.00

That is not a surprise to anyone I am sure. But if you believe in Andrea he looks like a good buy at that price.

So what about the rest of your Raptors in this market:

Jason Kapono  8.00

Jamario Moon 26.00

Anthony Parker 20.00

Joey Graham 4.00 ( His Twin Stephen is 3.00 )

Roko Ukic  3.00

Kris Humphries 3.00

Hassan Adams 3.00

Nathan Jawai 3.00

Will Solomon 3.00

These prices do confirm something about the Raptors that we already know. The Raptors do not have a lot of depth of talent on the bench. You see a lot of 3 dollar players on that list and that is the lowest value for players in this market.

However this is how the Market has been set up. The people like you and me have yet to have any influence on it. That will begin on October 26th. So beyond playing the fantasy aspect of this league it can also provide you a way of understanding how fans in general feel about players in the league to a point.

It also is great way to start some debates among fans based on the values of players. Fantasy Sports are mostly based on two factors. Popularity and Productivity. Which only one is of concern for teams in the real world. Well actually both are important I guess because popularity means sales of merchandise. But from the stand point of on the floor it doesn’t mean a thing.

Fantasy Sports ARE GOOD

I also encorage people to play fantasy sports as a way to force yourself to pay attention to other teams in the league. It is always good for us to step out of our Raptor Fan Bubble and see what is going on in the rest of the league. It helps you know your enemy. You are more likely to pay more attention to the league at large if you are engaged in fantasy sports.  

As far is this stock market goes it is all about fun and it is not going to cost your life savings.  But it is a good educational tool for anyone that wants to learn a bit about how a stock market works. An injury to a player is like a bad quarterly report for a company. Retirement of a player is like a company going bankrupt. It all translates to simple terms that sports fans can understand. But stick to fantasy sports markets for now if you don’t want to have any stress in you life.

A Hello Is Coming Your Way….

Happy to tell you that Jack Armstrong will be visiting us again very soon. He makes a good advisor for you NBA Stock Market needs. Not to mention the Raptors as well. At some point during next week while Raptors are hard at work, we will have Jack to tell us what he thinks about a number of things.

Week to Go Till Raptors Hit Ottawa.

So it is almost show time for the 08/09 Toronto Raptors. Everyone is back in town more or less. The unofficial camp is already underway. The Raptors just don’t have to hear Sam Mitchell officially yell at them at this point. But the players are getting together and having their own work-outs.

Some of the guys had already worked out at the Impact gym in Las Vegas together right after summer league. Both Nathan Jawai and Andrea Bargnani got to learn a thing or two from Jermaine O’Neal. The Vegas native promised yesterday that he will be out in the community here in Toronto. I posted a video of J.O’s appearance on The Score from their street party on Saturday.

The Raptors New Trio Of Leaders 

One of the keys to all of this pre-camp and training camp is to establish some things. In the past this was a team was lead by one man and that man was Chris Bosh. He still will be the leader and face of this franchise. He has a gold medal as evidence that he knows what it is like to play with the very best of the NBA. But this year the role of leadership will have some help in the forms of Jermaine O’Neal a six time all star in his own right. Also expect Jose Calderon to take a more active role in leadership too.

One of the first things Toronto Fans and Media heard from Jermaine O’Neal was that this was Chris Bosh’s team. He was here to help Chris Bosh and the Raptors get to a new level. I tend to believe J.O means what he says in this case. After the many things he had to deal with as the leader of the Pacers I think a role as Robin to Chris Bosh’s Batman will be just fine with him. The message of better defense will be one that you can expect to hear from Bosh and having someone who will no doubt be the foundation of that defense backing him up will drive that message home.

Meanwhile Jose Calderon is a guy with more cash in his pocket. But along with that comes some added pressure and responsibilty. The first job for Jose will be to mentor the Raptors new back-up at his position. Roko Ukic will need to learn all he can from Calderon so he can make a quick transition to the NBA game and way of life. Jose can pass on his experience as it was not long ago he was in the exact same shoes as Roko Ukic.

But in addition to that Jose will have to get this team to apply the vision that Sam Mitchell has for his team on offense. Mitchell has expressed he has looked back to the days of Ducan and Robinson for some ideas on how to use his two all star big men. It will be Jose’s job to make what Mitchell has come up with work on the floor. He will need to keep this offense clicking and keep the other teams guessing as to where the Raptors are going to attack from next. Jose will need to find away to keep everyone happy and make sure others beyond O’Neal and Bosh are getting touches and staying engaged in the attack.

Big 3 is Earned Not Given…Or It Should Be.

I am not really ready to declare these 3 guys a “big 3″ just yet. But it is clear they will be the 3 biggest factors for the Raptors on and off the floor. Does that make them a ” Big 3″ ? I think success makes you that. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had to go out and prove it. So do the guys the Raptors are counting on in Bosh, O’Neal and Calderon. What may look great on paper still needs to translate into the real world.

Chris Bosh wants to take his game and his team to a new level. J.O wants to re-establish that he is an all-star level player in this league. While Jose Calderon needs to prove that he was indeed the better point guard of the Ford vs Calderon debate. These things all need to happen for the Raptors to have the kind of success that G.M Bryan Colangelo expects. Bryan has created a team that he feels can reach that next level and it is now up to the players and coaches to help prove him right.

Dino Blogger’s NBA Notebook:

Salim Stoudamire the cousin of Ex-Raptor Damon Stoudamire may be heading to where Damon finsihed last season.  Stoudamire was a selection out of Arizona and drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. He has been lost in the suffle of young talent in Atlanta.  The Spurs hardly ever make mistakes so it could offer a good chance to the younger Stoudamire. For details link below:

Spurs Target Another Stoudamire?

Shaun Livingston had one of the most ugly injuries I can recall in the many years I have watched the sport of basketball. Screw being bias and all of that I flat out am pulling for this kid to make a successful return to the Clippers this year. It is no surprise that Shaun himself is excited about a return. Check out the detail in this article and hear what he has to say by way of Slam Magazine interview from their website.

Slam goes 1 on 1 with Shaun

Ex-Raptor Juan Dixon could be going back to where it all began for him. The former Maryland star may be heading back to the Wizards who are little bit thin now that Gilbert is not going to be doing much other than blogging for the start of the NBA season. This news comes to us from the Washington Post who were pretty helpful to the Dino Blogger in doing the feature on Roy Hibbert leading up to the draft this season. Check out about Dixon and some other news on the Wizards in this link

Dixon To Return To Wizards?

Darius Miles is back in the NBA in Boston. Well he will be after a ten game suspension for a drug related incident. But is seems at least one of Boston’s Big 3 is ready to welcome Miles with open arms. Miles has been a guy with a load of talent and a lack of production. Maybe he can drink the Celtic cool-aid and become part of a championship repeat with Celtics. Ray Allen is hoping so it would seem. For the details here is you linkage:

Allen Welcomes Miles To Celtics

To wrap up the Dino Bloggers NBA Notebook, I have some advice for someone. Mike Bibby will you PLEASE SHUT UP. Seems Bibby is still talking trash about how his Hawks almost beat the Celtics. The bottom line is Almost doesn’t count Mike, you almost beat the Lakers to when you were with the Kings. But I am sure Mr. Bibby will point out the Ref Scandal and  say his Kings were screwed. Well no one screwed the Hawks chances other than Mike Bibby shooting off his mouth and getting Boston fans fired up. But in the spirit of equal time you can read what Mike Bibby has to say for himself in this link.

Bibby and Other Things Hawks 

 

You Got Game?

 

Can you play some serious basketball? Maybe you are the next Jamario Moon? Well the Toronto Raptors new D-League affiliate the Idaho Stampede is holding open try outs. These are going to be taking place at Humber College on October 5th and 6th. So for anyone that thinks they have what it takes you can have your shot. Here is a link to full story from the Stampede Website.

Stampede Holding Try-Outs