Iversonless Raptors Rewind

So Allen Iverson is not in the line-up. He is stuck in trade limbo. Chancey Billups has yet to have been cleared by the Nuggets by having his physical. So sorry Toronto it will not be the big debut for you. But given the history of Allen Iverson vs. the Raptors that is likely a good thing. Besides Rodney Stuckey is not a chump, so 4-0 is not just a given. The Pistons are a quality club and it will be a tough task for the Raptors.

Chris Bosh is coming off the Eastern Conference Player of the week. Ready to get back to work on a Wednesday night at the ACC. Raptors first trip up the floor they would turn it over. But a Piston miss and Chris Bosh would score and head to the line and make it. Rodney Stuckey who was getting the start with no AI. He would make good use of that with a drive and score. Bosh had the Raptors first 5 points and lead 5-4 in the very early going. Rodney Stuckey had his second of the night he had 4. But the Chris Bosh show marched on with another 2 points. Jamario Moon would break the Bosh run of scoring with a long two point shot.

Rodney Stuckey would score and get a foul on Bosh, so Stuckey with the basket and free throw and he had 7. Anthony Parker would respond nailing a 3 pointer and getting fouled and he would convert for the rare 4 point play. Raptors had a 13-10 lead. Rip Hamilton would get back to back buckets and the Pistons would take a lead 14-13.

Rasheed Wallace would score and Raptors were not looking to break a 6-0 run by the Pistons. Raptors had been have some turnover issue with 5 already. But Jose Calderon would step up and score a basket and then created a turnover for the Pistons right after he scored. Jermaine O’Neal would get on the score sheet and Raptors were back in front 17-16.

Rip Hamilton was fortunate to get a goaltending call as O’Neal was looking to block his shot. Will Solomon would check in late in the first quarter for his first action of the season. He had been injured to start the year. Raptors were looking to build a lead to end the first. J.O would help the cause with a basket and score was 23-20. But J.O would pick up an offensive foul on the next trip up the floor his second. Raptors would end the quarter still up 23-20.

Joey Graham was in the game and the early signs were this is a bad Joey night. A miss on offense and a foul on the other end and capped off by a silly turnover. Despite all of those “Bad” Joey moment the score was even at 25. But a Prince 3-ball would give the Pistons the lead. Detroit had a 6-0 run going which would be broken by Andrea Bargnani with a two point shot. That was the first bench points of the night for the Raptors. Jason Kapono would add a couple to that total with couple free throws. Andrea Bargnani would make a 3 pointer and the bench was being powered by it’s two main scorers. But Detroit was matching the scoring to this point 37-32. Will Solomon would get his first official points as a Raptor on a drive and score. Pistons came back and matched that making the score 39-34 and a time out on the floor.

Prince had a very quiet 12 points, as he scored to extend the Piston lead to 7 with just under half the quarter to play. Raptors had 8 turnovers so far in this game and it was not helping matters. Chris Bosh after a hot start had cooled off, but was trying to get it back going with the turnaround jumper for the score. But the Raptors in general were struggling to get points on the board. The Pistons were not having these problems. Jermaine O’Neal being on the bench with his 2 fouls has obviously a plus for them. Pistons had built up a 48-38 lead late in the second quarter. Rip Hamilton would make that a 12 point lead as part of a 13-4 Piston run. A Jose Calderon three pointer cut lead to single digits. Rodeny Stuckey answered with a 2 pointer. Kris Humphries got the old fashion variety 3 point play. Raptors cut it down to a 54-46 lead heading into halftime.

8 Turnovers and the Pistons shooting 50% was not a formula for victory if you are the Toronto Raptors. Will shall see if Sam Mitchell was able to address the concerns at halftime. Raptors were doing better on the glass though as they were 20-20 on the glass. Chris Bosh became the Franchise leader in offensive rebounds all time. However he was much more concerned with finding a win for his team.

A Prince 3 pointer to start the scoring for the second half was not a good start. Raptors had started the quarter shooting 0-3 and Pistons were off to a 5-0 start and a 13 point lead. Chris Bosh would attempt to get Raptors back on track with a basket. But the Prince was in effect with another basket. Not since the show Fresh Prince of Bel Air had I seen a guy score so much. Pistons were hot but unlike Will Smith’s prep school squad they had lots of scoring options. Raptors would get a basket from Jose but they trailed 63-50.

The Raptors were getting frustrated and Jermaine O’Neal would get a technical foul. It was Rasheed Wallace getting under the skin of J.O. The two once upon a time were team mates in Portland. Mid way through the 3rd quarter Pistons lead 66-52. Jamario Moon would hit a 3 point shot that may have been ill advised but he made it. Calderon after a defensive stand would hit a basket cutting the Detroit lead to single digits at 66-57.

Pistons just looked to good for the Raptors on this night. Rip Hamilton would slide to the basket for a lay-up. Chris Bosh would score and get a chance to make it a 3 point play but he mis-fired. Jose Calderon would take his chance at a basket and one and would make it. But anything the Raptors were doing the Pistons were coming back with an answer. Not that answer but let’s just say a response. Still Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh were trying to keep the Raptors in it. the score was 74-66 Pistons. J.O would come up with a block but Raptors would miss on a chance to cut the lead to 6. A second chance to cut the lead to 6 would be missed by Bosh on an off jumper. Prince would not allow a 3rd chance as he would score. Jermaine O’Neal was able to respond and score but could not convert the and 1 opportunity from the line. Chris Bosh was able to draw another foul on Rasheed Wallace.  The Raptors had got to with in 5 at 76-71. That is how the quarter would close.

I will be honest with you, I am not sure how the Raptors were in this game but they were. They had picked up the defense down the stretch in the 3rd quarter. If they were able to some how pull of the comeback all credit would go to Bosh and Calderon who refused to let this team give-up. They also cleaned up the turnovers from the first half. Bosh would start the quarter with a Jam. Raptors were down just 3 after being down by as many as 16.  Will Solomon would score and cut it to just a one point lead. Pistons were on the ropes a bit could the Raptors make that last push.  Detroit would get a much needed 3 pointer and lead 81-77.  Andrea Bargnani would answer with a 3-ball of his own.  Raptors would make a defensive stand forcing a shot clock violation. A time out on the floor and Raptors would have the ball and amazingly but they would have chance to take the lead.

Will Solomon would carry the ball and make a costly turnover. Pistons would get to the line on a second chance opportunity. Rodney Stuckey would make no mistake making bot free throws.  Anthony Parker got a rare basket on this night. But Pistons would respond as Kwame Brown would get fouled by O’Neal and have a chance for a 3 point play which he would convert. Jose Calderon would get caught in a trap and a jump ball that Detroit would control would be the result.

Chris Bosh is playing like an M.V.P, he made his way to the line scoring points 23 and 24 on the night. He already had a very big double double. But he was looking for a win. But Detroit came down and scored and had a 88-84 lead with 5:09 to play. A Jermaine O’Neal miss looked to be getting converted by Rodney Stucky for an easy 2. But A.P made a defensive play and that would lead to a Bosh score.  Raptors tried to take the lead on an A.P 3 point attempt but he missed it bad. Rip Hamilton scored on the other end Pistons were up 90-86 under 3 minutes to play.

Rasheed Wallace hit a long 2 point shot and Jose Calderon had a long 2 pointer of his own. Pistons still had a 4 point lead and a Bosh miss would give them a chance to extend it to 6 and they would. Prince was the guy to get it done. He had been all night with 27 points and 9 rebounds. A.P would mis on a drive with less than a minute and Pistons looked good to hang on for the win.  A couple Calderon free throws with 32.2 seconds left cut the lead to 4 points. But the Raptors would need some help if they hoped to win this game. Rip Hamilton was fouled and sent to the line and he was not about to help out the Raptors.  Anthony Parker would hit a 3 pointer on a second chance off a Kapono offensive rebound. Rip Hamilton was fouled and back on the line and giving nothing making both.  So there was no AI required to push the Pistons to 4-0. They would take this one 100-93.

Give the Raptors credit for making a game of this. But they really stuggled early and could not come back on a team in the Pistons that his very much a veteran group that knows how to win. For the Raptors they are still in the process of learning to play on that level. However the way Bosh and Calderon played to get them back in this game it is clear they have the tools to get to that level eventually. Raptors will head out on a 3 game road trip with a 3-1 mark. They will see stops in Atlanta, Charlotte and a big test against Boston. None of these games will be easy. Well maybe Charlotte but they have Larry Brown coaching so they even present a challenge. But before we get there look back at tonight’s numbers. No podcast tonight as with all our interviews the podcast site needs to get a bit of work done to make some room.

Pistons vs Raps- Boxscore

Sherman Hamilton Debuts In Dino Nation Blog

Before I get started with today’s blog. I have to make note of a truly historic moment.  If the Toronto Raptors are to ever reach the goal of winning a NBA Championship in the next 4 years. They will be heading to the White House at some point to be the guest of the 44th President Barack Obama. On the day he made history Obama played a game of pick up basketball. The White House is going to have a basketball hoop. But more important it will have something that many people thought they would never live to see. In a campaign that was all about “Change” and “Yes We Can”. It has been an inspiration to so many including me. I hope this can be something that can make this world a better place for all. We have a President in the United States that shares a love we all have for basketball. But he also offers hope for the future.

I am always working hard at expanded on the guests I talk with for the blog. It allows you as readers to get a number of opinions from a variety of people. It also allows me to only call on people individually not as often. They all are very busy folks covering the Raptors. Sherman Hamilton is among those busy folks. He can been seen doing lots of stuff. The pre and post game coverage on Raptors T.V, Raptors Today and he is working on The Score on some of their NBA stuff as well. I was pleased he was able to make time for me and the Dino Nation Blog.  In the Starting 5 Sherman tells us his thoughts on trade for the Pistons, He breaks down the match-up for Raptors versus this new look Pistons team. He also talks about who and what needs to happen for the Raptors bench to improve.

Sherman Hamilton In The Starting 5.

I started the rest of my conversation with Sherman Hamilton talking about the fact he is an ex-player turned broadcaster. Sherman due to injury was forced to cut his playing career short. He played professional basketball in Europe and was a proud member of our National Team. I asked him to tell us about both the challenges and advantages of going from on the floor to covering others playing the game in broadcasting.

The Challenges

Sherman Hamilton-  For me the main thing when I got into it. Yes I know about the game and I have experienced basketball at a high level. But I needed to figure out how to operate in the media. I took voice lessons, and did things in terms of getting in touch with people that I thought were good in the media. Really taking a lot of note and being a sponge around them and listening to them and hanging around them. Just trying to get all the information that I could. We have seen it out there, some very good players who have played at a high level. But when it came to being on air they have struggled. I did not want that to happen to me. I worked at speaking clearly. I really have worked at trying to project when I started that was a problem. In terms of on camera stuff you got to learn to be yourself. If humour is a part of who you are, you want to show people that you have that. I think overall the main thing was just look like you belong. I think that the stuff behind the scenes in putting in the reps.  At home I will tape myself on camera and looking at that stuff. I think all these thing are invaluable in terms of improvement.

I am a graduate of a Broadcast Journalism Program. All of the things that Sherman has mentioned are things I have done myself in my working in broadcasting. Just like Sherm’s experience this whole blogging thing was something new for me. I am learning to get better in this form of media. So I can relate to a lot of this. I feel that people do not understand how much work goes into broadcasting in general. In my blog I have done my best to get people to share and show you how much work it takes to work in the broadcasting world. I hope you enjoy this kind of information. But the one thing I will never know is the advantage of being a high level athlete and the advantages of that in working in broadcasting. Sherman does have that advantage and I asked him about that aspect in working in the business.

Advantages

Sherman Hamilton- I think one of the things I am able to do. I have been in situations not in the NBA, but I have been in situations that I have had to run a pick and roll. I have to figure out how to execute a pick and roll both offensively and defensively. It gives me an insight into what players are trying to attack the pick and roll. The way the help side works, the technical aspects of the game. Being a point guard, you know that you are a coach on the floor. You have to know positions and plays from every position on the floor. So you can use them effectively. I think that attention to detail as a point guard really helps me in the broadcasting field. Not only can you see a play when it happens. But because of my background I can see it developing. So that way I can tell what went wrong right away if it didn’t work, or what went right if it did work and why it worked. Knowing what to expect from each position and each player you can break it down on the fly. Part of playing is action and reaction and I think the same thing holds true for me in broadcasting. See it, and access it and you have to break it down right away. That really helps me in terms of being a former player.

That does make a lot of sense. I have always said that point guard is the hardest position to play in the sport. When you look at football as an example some of the best athletes turned broadcasters are ex-quarterbacks and coaches. I hope that was as interesting for you as it was for me. But we do shift are attention to Raptors basketball. The one thing the Raptor fans may still be concerned about is the bench despite the 3-0 start. Yesterday we had Jack Armstrong and his take on the bench. Today Sherman Hamilton shares his views on the topic.  I asked how the Raptor bench can improve. Is it a case of improving form with in or do changes have to happen?

Sherman Hamilton- I think a little bit of both. I think this bench is going to play an important role for the Raptors. I do think this bench can be good for the Raptors. A lot of it hinges on how well Andrea Bargnani plays. But, I think it is about time that he takes that next step in his career. The truth of the matter is he has got to play at a higher level. He had a disappointing year last year. He has gotta be a better player for the Raptors. But having said that, I think if the situation arises that they have the opportunity to upgrade that bench based on trade or finding some free agents out there. I think that is something the Raptors have to consider. The bottom line at the end of the day is for this team to get better.

If there is a lack of something on the bench. I think that it is Bryan Colangelo’s job to find out where to improve this team and if it is on the bench, find the players to improve that. But I do think the Bryan Colangelo is a proactive G.M. He is going to search thing out. If that deal is there to make the team better he will make it. But I do think the bench has to get better as you mentioned, has to get better. So the quality of play improves from with in. It comes from practice and getting on the floor and doing what your suppose to do. If that bench is clicking and getting consistent production from that bench.  I think it can be a pretty solid bench.

My feeling has been that the Raptors will need to try to find a way to upgrade. Bryan Colangelo will be challenged by his cap situation but I think he will find a way to make it happen. But I do think as well you can not count on that happening and Sam Mitchell must get the most out of the people he has and improve from with in.

Improvement has been a staple of Chris Bosh and his rise to NBA stardom. In an interview with Sherman Hamilton, Bosh said that he wanted to be the M.V.P. He talked about the things it would take to get in that M.V.P conversation. It has been an interview that I have mentioned several times in this blog. So I wanted to ask Sherm if he was surprised by the comments of Bosh and if he could indeed follow through and get into that M.V.P conversation.

Sherman Hamilton- I was not surprised. Sam Mitchell last season had talked about getting across to Chris that he belonged among the upper echelon of NBA players. Being an All-Star that is just something that is going to happen. His next step for his development is to get in the conversation for being an M.V.P candidate. I remember him(Sam) saying that. Chris had a great summer as you know with the U.S Olympic team and became a vital part of your success. People probably thought that he would be just another big guy another NBA player on the team. But he ended up being on of the big factors for the U.S Dream Team.Coming Back(This Year) there is this air about Chris, you talk to him, the way he is talking, he just walks around differently. He just basically said that I have to make that move. I’ve got to all the work to put myself on that level. He talks about it, in terms of being a practice player everyday. Working out as hard as he can. Making sure his body is right and taking care of it. Understanding that his leadership is not just how he does it on the court but it is being vocal as well.

He has been very vocal in these first few games. He has been very aggressive and vocal especially in late game situations. So there is a lot of things about Chris Bosh that I have seen different this season. For me, he can take that next step and get into that M.V.P conversation if he is healthy. Because his work ethic I do not question. His ability for him to improve and build on his skills on a year to year basis I do not question. So it is just about health for Chris Bosh. Now that he has some defensive toughness with him. I think that his defensive game can pick up as well. If Chris Bosh is going to give you 23-25 points a game, 10 rebounds and a couple of blocks. We are talking M.V.P numbers.

That defensive toughness Sherm is referring too is of course Jermaine O’Neal. I have spent a lot of time talking about how Jeremaine O’Neal has impressed me personally. I have not been worried about what he will bring offensively. It will be great if J.O can have nights where he can contribute that is great. But what the Raptors truly need is that defensive presence. He has been bringing that and I asked Sherm if that was  good enough for him to be successful regardless of what he provides offensively.

Sherman Hamilton- I’d like to think so. When Bryan Colangelo decided to bring in Jermaine O’Neal on of the big things he needed to address was interior toughness. Which includes, blocking shots, just being physical in the paint and not allowing people to just walk into your paint and set up shop. Also getting on the glass and helping out in the rebounding department. I think he has a player in Jermaine O’Neal that addresses all of those areas. I am a firm believer that a tough guy coming into a situation can help a lot. He can bring some players along. But if they don’t buy into it, they are not going to be tough enough. Right now the Raptors are buying into what Jermaine O’Neal is selling. That’s a good thing. We are seeing a team who due to Jermaine O’Neal is playing better defense because they know they have someone back there that is going to be accountable. Who is going to be there if they get beat. He is going to sacrifice himself to take offensive fouls as well.

I think it is one thing to talk about that kind of thing in the pre-season. Saying that is what I they want to do. When he was saying all of that I could just see Raptor Fans eyes just lighting up, when he was talking about defense and toughness and that kind of stuff. In the first 3 games we have seen all of that stuff. The shot blocking, the aggressive play in the paint and trying to take charges. Now he has gotten into foul trouble. But I can live with that because I think at some point he is going to make the adjustment. They are not major just slight adjustments. To keep himself in the game longer without getting into foul trouble. But I think yeah, when you bring in a guy like Jermaine in. Other guys there shoulders raise up, their chests stick out a little more. There is a bit more swagger when they step out on to the court. We can mix it up a little. We can make it happen if it gets physical out there. I think that is something that the Raptors have not had in A LONGTIME.

So for Jermaine O’Neal that is a lot of pressure to be that tough guy night in and night out. But he accepts that role. He wants to be that guy for his team. The best thing about Jermaine O’Neal right now is he is focused on winning. He knows that defense wins games and he talking the right stuff and he is doing it so far.

I have heard over the history of this blog one name when this topic of toughness comes up. That name is retired NBA Player and former Raptor Charles Oakley. I asked if Jermaine could fill that long lost role that Oakley filled for this modern version of the Raptors in Sherm’s opinion.

Sherman Hamilton- I think he has that Oakley effect. Now Oakley was just a straight up tough guy. I don’t think he gets enough credit for his intellect. He was a physical, rough house player. He wanted to mix it up and he wasn’t afraid to mix it up with anybody. I think Jermaine O’Neal is a bit different, a bit more in terms of talent, in scoring the ball in different ways. But I think Jermaine O’Neal is kind of what you said, the Charles Oakley for this team. That Oakley was for his teams back then. That is a good thing. I am sure you agree James in past few years, toughness was not on the list when you thought of the Raptors. You thought about finesse team, a jump shooting team a skill team. But when it came to getting physical in the paint and throw some  elbows the Raptors were not going to able to stand up to that. But now things have changed. The Raptors have a guy that is down there who can be physical and can demand respect from the referees for playing that physical way. I think yeah that is a good comparison bit of a different style of game. The Charles Oakley for the Raptors of 2008.

I think J.O gives the Raptors a respect that was just not there these past few years. But from tough guys to the man who survived the point guard civil war. Jose Calderon has a brand new challenge and to this point early on he has responded. I asked Sherm if was was surprised at all that Jose has made such a clean transition into the the starting point guard role.

Sherman Hamilton- I am not surprised. I think Jose has proved to us that when asked to he can step his game up. Jose given another opportunity as he was last year, a time that he stepped up and took advantage of it. The fact that he is being success now is not a surprise to me. I think Jose has a hard season ahead of him being the lead point guard. The guy is going to be depended on for a lot of quality minutes. I think teams are going to go after him and try and wear him down during the season and he is going to have to step up to that challenge. I think his confidence is high. Jose is playing with a bit of an edge, because I think he wants to prove to everyone that he deserves to be a starting point guard in the NBA. Prove that the Raptors didn’t make a mistake.  One way you can help a point guard is putting quality players behind him. Bryan Colangelo has put a defensive player that can also score behind him in Jermaine O’Neal. I think that can help him because now he doesn’t just have to depend on Chris Bosh he has got someone else to throw the ball too. For Jose Calderon I think that is good. He needs to have those releases because he is such a good passer. I think Jose is going to have good season. Teams are going run at him. But if he can stay healthy and does not wear down, I expect big things from Jose.

That is the trick though. Granted Jose has not had a history of injuries. But how do you stay healthy and log all of those minutes. I asked Sherm how you can keep Jose healthy and fresh if you are Sam Mitchell?

Sherman Hamilton-  That is the tough job that Sam Mitchell has. He has got to find a way to keep both Jose Calderon and Jermaine O’Neal both fresh for the middle to end of the season. I think you have to be creative. You will have to play some different combinations on the floor. Give Roko Ukic some more time. When Will Solomon is healthy you put him in there to spell Jose for some time if you choose too. I just think you have to give Jose some breaks during the game. So that he is fresh later on in the season. That is going to take some creative coaching.

But for Jose coming into this year. There was an understanding that he was going to have to play a lot of minutes. He is going to have to play a bit injured sometimes. he is going to have to do some things that will extend him physically. When you sign that big contract you know they are going to be coming for you. He will just have to figure out ways to fight through. Sometimes it is about coaches trying to figure out how to get players breaks. But sometimes players just have to figure a way to mentally dig deeper and step up to the challenge. I think it will be a bit of both.

This has been a great conversation with Sherm. There was more to our conversation. We had a long chat about Canada Basketball and Canada as it relates to the NBA and the Raptors. But I am going to save that stuff for another day. All of that will make for a whole different topic for another day very soon. I did ask Sherm for his thoughts on the upcoming schedule. He talked about how the Hawks and even Bobcats will be tough challeges for the Raptors based on their athletic abilities. But He had an interesting take on the Celtics vs Raptors coming up on November 10th. It was to good not to share with you.

Sherman Hamilton- Boston is more suited to the Raptors style of game with Jermaine O’Neal. Boston is not necessarily going to run up and down the court. They are going to try and play you in the half court. Now with Jermaine O’Neal in the front court for the Raptors. Kevin Garnett is a handful for anybody. But I tell you want if Chris Bosh is going to have to guard Kevin Garnett and you have Jermaine banging with Kendrick Perkins. It is a bit better of a match-up than it was last year for the Raptors. That is not taking anything away from Boston. They are still a great team. I have them coming out of the Eastern Conference as Champs. So take this for what it is. The Raptors are better suited to play against a team like Boston than they were last season because of what they have done in the front court.

We talked about the overall improvement of the Eastern Conference as well. There will not be those easy nights for the Raptors in playing teams in the East. But that challenge should the Raptors make the playoffs as expected , the Raptors should be better prepared for the challenge of the Post Season. Sherm pointed to the game vs. Golden State as a game that was very playoff like in nature. The more games the Raptors play like that the better prepared they will be. On this night the challenge is going to be the new look Pistons. I want to thank Sherman Hamilton for visiting and I hope he will come visit again when he has the time to share with us. Remember to check back tonight for the Raptor Rewind of what happened with the Pistons and Raptors.

Dino Nation Blog has a New Home Come Join Us There

www.dinonationblog.com

Rapid Fire Raptors

There is a lot of stuff to get done today for me. So today’s blog will be a bit shorter than usual. Part of the reason for that is I will be talking with Jack Armstrong today for an interview. I always look forward to talking with Jack. I know that personally I always learn a lot from our conversations. He told me the Raptors would be better off with this smaller roster. Seems at least to this point Jack was on the money. He just has a lot of knowledge about basketball and at the core is a sports fan. That is why he makes a great guest and is always great to hear from.

But that is later today and will likely be in tomorrow’s blog may get it up late tonight but will see. The Raptors will be back at work today after getting a well deserved day off.  You really could not have asked for a better start for the Raptors. They sit on top of the Atlantic Division and will get a chance to take on the defending NBA Champion Celtics on November 10th.

So how has this 3-0 start happened? I will give you some of my reasons why the Raptors have been successful so far.

1. CB4- Chris Bosh is always the beginning of any conversation that is about Raptor success. He has taken his game to a exciting new level. His numbers have been off the charts. He has not only been producing more on offense. He has been picking it up on the defensive side as well. Chris Bosh is in the very early conversation for the M.V.P of the N.B.A. That is just how good he has been

2. Jose is Jose- I admit that I thought he may slow down a bit and have the new challenge of being the last point guard standing take a little time to get use too. Well no signs of that so far. In fact he is coming off a career high in points and still had 9 assists. Calderon has been outstanding and he at times has been able to get a bit of rest when Roko Ukic is performing well. You still worry a bit about the huge amounts of minutes Jose will be playing and has been playing. But thus far he has been up to the challenge.  So for all of you that have had faith is Jose he is rewarding your faith in him.

3. The J.O Factor- We talked a lot about this yesterday. Basically J.O has been health and active of defense. But he has added a lot to others defensive effort as well. Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and Jamario Moon are all helping out with Jermaine’s nightly block party. Raptors are able to make those key stops that in the past. But above all of this as it was said yesterday, J.O makes the Raptors tougher. Jose Calderon said of the game vs the Bucks that last season that was a game they would have lost by 10. Well now that is not the case as the Raptors have got mental toughness to hang in the fight. J.O can take credit for some of that.

4. The New Andrea- Yes two games he has not scored a single point. But he has in all 3 games been a factor on defensive end. Blocking some shots grabbing the odd rebound. It is something that we would not have seen from Andrea last season. His effort was directly connected to his point total. That is progress and he has been committed to scoring on the inside. We have seen less of that hanging out beyond the 3 point line waiting for a shot.

5. Jason Kapono is Money- Jason Kapono is likely to be on of the people most impacted by the moves in the off-season in a positive way. He is shooting the ball well and he will get to see a lot more open looks at making those shots. He will be a key part of the bench and be counted on to produce points off the bench. Jason Kapono is up to the challenge.  I think he will be a big X-factor for the Raptors on most nights. So keep shooting J.K and we will see you at the All-Star Game to defend that 3-ball title for a third year. He is likely going to have some friends joining him the way the Raptors are playing.

So that is my thoughts on some of the early keys to success. You can add your thoughts on why the Raptors are 3-0 in your view. Love to hear from all of you and a lot of you have excellent points of your own. So share them with us. Have a great day and be sure to check back tomorrow for “The Coach” Jack Armstrong.

J.O Says No More Mr. Nice Guys…Dino Blogger Cheers

There have already been some comments that have jumped out to me this season from the Raptors. Chris Bosh and his saying he wants to be the M.V.P this year. In the first rankings on NBA.com he is #5. So he is in the conversation. But last night I was interested in what J.O had to say.

J.O’s Post Game Comments

What jumped out to me was what was said near the end. The Raptors were nice guys last year if they knocked you down they would help you up. This year J.O says that the Raptors are going to knock you down and walk right over you. That got me excited. I am one of the many that has thought the Raptors have missed the tough attitude that was brought to this team by Charles Oakley. J.O seems to be the guy who just might fill that long missing role.

Last year the Atlanta Hawks knocked around the Toronto Raptors. They sent T.J Ford crashing to the ground. They later in the year had someone hit Jose Calderon in the back of the head with an elbow. The best way you stop a bully is you smack him in the mouth. No one stepped up and did that for the Raptors and did that last year. Someone should have and I personally was disappointed in this team for not doing that. Raptors will be playing the Hawks on November 7th and I am guessing there will be a response if the Hawks choose to play dirty. The Raptors will not be those nice guys on the floor anymore. J.O has brought a new attitude that is spreading through the Raptor locker room.

Sam Mitchell was the guy that came storming on to the court when Ford went down in Atlanta. He was the guy who was the emotional leader of this basketball team. That is a problem when your toughest guy is your coach. Mitchell now has a guy in J.O that understands his brand of tough and rough attitude. Chris Bosh seems to have got the message that Mitchell had tried to express to him in the past I would think. Now he sees it from a guy in his locker room that is going on the floor with him. I am not suggesting the Raptors are going to become some modern version of the Detroit Bad Boys team’s that won a couple titles. But I am suggesting they are not going to be pushed around.

Sam Mitchell now has a team that is taking on his own personality more than any he has had in the past. It allows him to build on the principals that he believed in as a player and now as a coach. J.O is the type of player that Sam Mitchell has been searching for. Jose Calderon as the point guard is an extension of the coach on the floor for the Raptors offense. But I think J.O is Sam Mitchell’s head of defense. Mitchell will enjoy having a guy like J.O in his locker room and it will help the Raptors be a little less warm and fuzzy. The proof of that new found grit can be seen in the last two wins that the Raptors have pulled off.

A big test to all of this lies ahead in not only the Atlanta Hawks but also the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. These two squads are solid defensive teams that don’t mind to mix it up with other teams. The Raptors seem to be willing to take on those fights this season. They are willing to battle and fight and play defense.  This according to Chris Bosh there are two factors that have made that happen. J.O was the first, but he also points to how this team was cast aside so easily by the Orlando Magic. It really made the Raptors take a step back and look at what happened to them. Basically they just could not play well enough defensively to get the job done. Whatever is the reason the Raptors seem to know what they did wrong and are looking forward to changing it.

So is Jermaine O’Neal the new Charles Oakley? Not exactly to me. But he does bring that same tough attitude and accountability that has been lacking with this Raptor Team for years. A guy who in the past has been tagged by some as a “Cancer” to a locker room.  I first and foremost hate that expression. But aside from that J.O has shown no signs of that here. He in fact has added something to this locker room that was badly needed. If it cost 22 million dollars of whatever the exact number is that Jermaine is making. Whatever the cost it is to get back that feeling that Charles Oakley brought to the Raptors it was worth the price.

I was not sure about Jermaine O’Neal when he came here. I had bought into all the hype around him. Well I want to say that as far as J.O is concerned I was dead wrong. It was also worth giving up T.J Ford to get that tough feeling back. I think T.J has a lot of that tough attitude that J.O does. But it does not have the same impact coming from a guy of such small size. I do want to thank T.J and his Pacers for the help in beating Boston though. Raptors will get their chance to beat the Celtics on November the 10th. But today is a day off for the Raptors and a well earned one at that.

Have A Great finish to your weekend and see you sometime Monday.

Bucks and Raps – Raptor Rewind V308

DANGER…DANGER!!! I have heard a lot of talk of 3-0 today. Yes the Raptors are better than the Bucks. But this is a rested Bucks team and it is their home opener.  Add a history for the Raptors that has not been the greatest versus the Bucks.  But on the positive side Luke Ridnour a scratch for the Bucks. But is it really as this will give Ramon Sessions his first chance to get in and show what he can do. I expect the Raptors to win but just like Barack Obama is telling people not to be over confident and get out and vote. I want Raptor Fans to not take anything for granted as well. I know Chris Bosh remembers a 2-0 Raptor team that was embarrassed at the hands of a Bucks team not to long ago in Raptor History. The good news is the Raps to not play again till next Wednesday so no excuses not to go all out tonight.

Charlie V would score the first points of this game on a nice look that gave him an easy lay in. Villianueva  was fired up as he got an early foul on Bosh on the next trip and made both free throws. Raptors were 0-3 and Richard Jefferson hit a mid range jumper and the score was 6-0.  The Bucks continued to get it done as Andrew Bogut took a feed from Charlie V and it was 8-0 and reason for Sam Mitchell to call time early.

Out of the time out Raptors wanted to get the ball to Bosh but Bucks denied it, so Jamario Moon would get a look from 3 point range that he would hit. But the Bucks would keep control of this game. Early on it was Charlie V and Richard Jefferson getting it done. The score was 12-5 for the Bucks early on.  Jose Calderon was given an open 3 pointer which he was happy to take and make. A Moon steal and another basket for Jose with his foot on the line for a two pointer this time. Raptors had it going now as Bosh would continue what was now a 7-0 run. It was all set up by a J.O block. Jermaine would then get his on offense.  Bosh with another 2 points and Raptors have an 11-0 run and a 16-12 lead.

Michael Redd would end the run by getting to the line and making a couple of free throws. Calderon would hook up Bosh for a jam and Raptors were rolling along. Jose would then make a shot on the next trip and the run was 15-2 for Raptors. Raps would cool slightly as the quarter was coming to an end. But the still had a 6 point advantage after Jose Calderon headed to the line for a couple. The Bucks would run off back to back baskets to close the quarter and Raptors had a slim 24-22 lead. But when you consider the way the quarter started it was pretty good.

Roko Ukic was in to start the second quarter. Kapono and Joey Graham along with Bargnani and J.O was your Raptor starting-5 for second quarter. J.O had a basket it would be answered with a Michael Redd 3-ball. Charlie Bell would give the Bucks a two point advantage. Both teams were struggling to score but the Bucks still held a slim 29-27 lead. Andrea Bargnani had yet to score but got a nice block on Richard Jefferson and had a few rebounds as well. Roko Ukic was really ineffective in getting the offense going and it was time for Calderon and Bosh to return.

Bargnani was having a cold shooting night thus far he remained scoreless with a couple more misses. Offensively we were seeing more of the jump shots and not the dominant inside play from last night. Bucks had not taken much advantage of this Raptor scoring drought as they on lead 31-27. It was not just Bargnani though as no one on the bench had any points. But the Bucks were struggling as well. Jose Calderon would finally score as everyone on both sides were missing shots at a rapid pace. Jason Kapono would get the bench on the board from the free throw line and the game was tied at 31 points. Charlie V would hit a 3 pointer to give the Bucks their lead back.

Chris Humphries was in for his first action of the season. But it was Anthony Parker who was hitting a big 3 point shot and Raptors had a lead. Jose Calderon on the next trip had a 3-ball as well. Raptors had a 39-34 lead after sleep walking on offense through the majority of this quarter. Bosh would get to the line and hit a couple the score was 41-37. But Bosh was not done he had a big rejection on the other end. A little to big though as the ball would go out of bounds and the Bucks would turn that into 2 points. Raptors would struggle with a short clock out of a time out and commit a shot clock violation. But the Bucks could not do anything with the extra chance and the Raptors had a 41-39 lead with far from an “A” performance in the first half.

Checking the out of town scoreboard. T.J Ford had 19 points and a win over the Celtics. Some of you may boo, but before you do there was a point beyond my love of T.J. Jose Calderon in a half had 16 points and 5 assists. That was one more than the 4 T.J had as far as assists go in the entire game vs Boston. Also beyond the Ford vs Jose debate with a win Raptors could get first in the Atlantic early on if they could hang on for a win. So I made it all relevant and still got to give a little love for the little engine. This game has a second half to play so let’s get to that.

The Bucks would start the half going to Andrew Bogut who would score. Anthony Parker would answer on the other end. A.P made it back to back scores. Charlie V would have another big score for the Bucks with a second 3 pointer on the night. Charlie was at it again with 5 points in the 3rd quarter.  J.O would get his first 2 point in awhile and Raptors had a narrow 51-48 advantage. Bucks had a chance to take the lead but Jamario Moon would deny them with a block causing a turnover.

Sam Mitchell was enraged about a double dribble call against Jose Calderon and Sam Mitchell had his first Technical Foul of the season. Raptors would respond after Redd missed the Tech. J.O would get a rejection on defensive end and a score on the offensive end. It was 53-50 Raptors, until J.o decided he was not done as he got another bucket make that 55-50 Raptors. Bosh hooked up J.O on the high to low feed.  Jose Calderon would continue the run after the Mitchell technical foul. Raptors were on a 12-0 run since the Sam Mitchell Meltdown. Give Sam so credit he got the troops motivated and they were leading 63-50. Charlie V would finally end the Raptor run with a basket. Jamario Moon would hit a three pointer Raptors lead 66-53.

Back to  back turnovers for the Raptors and the Bucks were looking to claw back into the game with score 66-57. Anthony Parker would score but than on the defensive end get called for a foul on Micheal Redd. He would make the shot and nail the free throw. Jason Kapono had checked in and he hit a duece. The Raptors would finish the quarter with a 70-60 lead.

Charlie V would take an early seat in the fourth quarter as Chris Bosh took advantage of his former team mate drawing the foul. Raptors were nursing an 8 point lead 73-65.  Andrea Bargnani would reject Richard Jefferson leading to a turnover for the Bucks. Jason Kapono would hit the jumper from 18 feet in the corner. The Bucks would make a little bit of a push as Richard Jefferon went at J.O drawing a foul the score was 75-69.  Richard Jefferson would get a steal that was converted into a transition dunk. Andrew Bogut would get nailed for a foul.  But Bosh would only go 1-2 and Raptors lead was 76-71. Jefferson was a man on a mission as he would drive to the basket drawing a blocking foul on O’Neal again. They would only go one for two but got a steal on Bosh put they would fumble the ball out of bounds. Raptors would have to hang on with out Jermaine O’Neal who picked up an offensive Foul and he was out of the game. Raptors had a 4 point lead and there was still over 5 minutes to play.

Jamario Moon came in to replace J.O the Raptors were playing small matching the Bucks small line-up. Andrew Bogut had 6 straight points and Raptors were on the ropes big time. The Bucks would take the lead on an R.J lay-up. 80-79 for the Bucks who had come out strong in the 4th quarter and the Raptors had not been able to match it to this point. Bucks had out scored the Raptors 20-9 in the 4th quarter. Chris Bosh would score out of the time out driving on Jefferson. Ramon Session would reply and than it was Jamario Moon from deep. Raptors had 84-82 lead. Raptors would have a miss from A.P and the Bucks down 84-83 would have the ball with under 5o seconds to play. Another thrilling finish in the span of about 24 hours was in the cards.  The Bucks would convert out of the time out with a basket from their UCLA rookie Mbah a Moute. Raptors ball with 36 seconds left down 85-84. Calderon would make a clutch three point out of the Raptor time out. He was having a great night and Raptors lead 87-85. 21 seconds to go. Micheal Redd would get a long look for 2 that did not fall and Jamario Moon got the board and was fouled right away. He converted both and the Raptors lead 89-85 with now just 11 seconds to play. How cool has the last two nights been from an entertainment stand point? Michael Redd would score quickly with a Redd lay-up. Now just 7 seconds left and Bucks poised to foul. Calderon would get fouled and head to the line. Fitting he would have a chance to end this one. He made the first and the second. Redd would get a 3 pointer off but it missed and the Raptors hang on to win. 91-87.

Calderon had 25 points and 9 assists and was the star of the game for the Raptors with out question. For all the rest of the stat goodies you can check out boxscore below. But the biggest stat of all is 3-0 and first in the Atlantic Division. That is as good as it gets. First time since 99-00 the Raptors have started 2-0 on the road.

Bucks vs Raptors- Boxscore

The Podcast

Dino Blogger’s Post Game Podcast

Halloween Treat For You- Matt Devlin Joins Us

I am happy to give everyone here at the Dino Nation Blog a Halloween surprise. I had a chance to chat with Matt Devlin. He has been a guest with us on several occasions and he manged to multi-task and talk with us as he was getting ready for Halloween yesterday afternoon. In the starting 5 Matt Devlin gets his Halloween Treats while he talks some basketball with us. We talk O’Neal and Bosh as well his thoughts from broadcasting his first Raptor regular season game. We catch up with Matt as he is Halloween shopping.

Starting 5- With Matt Devlin

So that was a lot of fun. I also got a kick out of the reference to “Good” Joey in last night’s game. Joey was good in that game even I said he was. But it was also proof that Matt is learning the Raptor fan language.  But it comes to mind that Matt Devlin has a fresh perspective on Joey Graham. He has not been here to have experienced the frustration of the whole “Good” Joey and “Bad” Joey saga. Maybe he can have an answer to how we see the “Good” Joey remain and leave “Bad” Joey behind. Matt’s thoughts on how we can make “Good” Joey stay and what it will take.

Matt Devlin- Consistency, and how do you get consistency? That is an unknown. Joey Graham is a player that if he could bottle up the “Good” Joey and be consistent, he becomes the player everyone expects him to be. How do you answer that? Who knows. Some guys get it and the get it early and they ride it out. Some guys they struggle to get it and it finally happens for them. You just hope for Joey that things are going to come together for him. Because the Raptors ultimately need him to be a consistent player and a consistent force. Because that is a important position in this league.

I understand the frustration of fans because there are players like this throughout the league. When I was in Memphis Stromile Swift was a player was a player like that. From an athletic standpoint was just so over the top. You just looked at him and said if he could only put it altogether. Boy we would really have something.

Despite what some might think I do hope Joey can come through. I just have been let down to many times by Joey. I am going to be the last one to believe or among the last. But I do hope he can prove me wrong. As for Swift he was a lottery pick for the Grizzles back when they were Canada’s Grizzles and he like Big Country and a host of other picks did not work out well for them. Joey Graham did play a lot of zone in his days as an OSU Cowboy. The Raptors last night did a lot of zone defense vs the Sixers. So was this a sign of things to come or was it a case of match-ups versus the Sixers. Matt Devlin gives us his take:

Matt Devlin- I think it has to do with the match-up. I thought it worked really well against Philadelphia, a team that struggles beyond the 3-point line. Dead last in the NBA a season ago. I thought it was brilliant on their part to mix that in. They mixed it in at the right time. They trusted in it even though they got out rebounded in it. But at the end of the day it paid off.

The fear of fans about the lack of depth at point guard got a major test last night. Jose Calderon went down at a key point of the game down the stretch. It turned out he had whacked his funny bone and it forced Roko Ukic back into the game for some unexpected minutes in crunch time. I asked Matt for his thoughts on that and an overall opinion on how Roko did.  Here is what he thought.

Matt Devlin- He really did well. I thought he was steady as you could be. I thought he really did exactly what you hoped he would do. I really liked what I saw from him. Forget about the 2-7, he didn’t turn the basketball over.

A guy Matt Devlin does knows really well is Jason Kapono. He has been called ” The World’s Greatest Shooter” on air by Matt. But I did not realize the man that coined the phrase was actually Anthony Parker. Matt Devlin was quick to give the credit to A.P. Is Kapono that. I am not sure if he is or if he isn’t. But it is clear that with back to back 3-point shooting titles to his credit and career percentages that are among the best all time. He is a very good shooter. The Addition of Jermaine O’Neal to this Raptor roster has had many point to Kapono’s time in Miami. He was asked about it last night and he does see the same type of things for himself as he had back in those days. I asked Matt to give his take on what this will mean for Jason Kapono with the Raptors this year. Will it be like that time in Miami?

Matt Devlin- That is because (The Comparison) with that presence on the inside, with teams having to look to the inside defensively. All it does is give Jason a split second. That is ultimately all he needs. Cause he is that deadly of a shooter. That reference back to Miami is obviously based on the fact he had Shaq O’Neal on the inside.

When we headed into the season when people were asked who will be that 4th guy beyond Bosh, Calderon and O’Neal,  Kapono and Andrea Bargnani were the most common answers. Kapono was scoring and making shots but not so for Andrea. But still he did get some boards and was hanging around the paint. In fact, despite the lack of points on the board. Matt Devlin found things to be positive about in relation to Andrea Bargnani. He tells us about what he liked about Andrea and his efforts:

Matt Devlin- You know I think he played a really solid game last night. Forget about the 0-4 from the floor he had 5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. He was a presence on the inside. If you combine Bargnani, Bosh and O’Neal and their rebounds, in comparison to the team rebounds they had 24 of 33. So the three of them did what they needed to do. I do think he has made great progress.

I was not as impressed as Matt to be honest. But I am happy to give credit to the fact that Andrea did stay engaged in the game. I had said to Matt that last year if Andrea did not score there was no way he would have got 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. I will also say that he is staying in the fight and trying to play more in the paint. It is going to be a process and the signs he is at least willing to keep at it in the paint have been clear. Some will look at the 0 points and just be frustrated by that.  But I do see that Andrea also can contribute in other ways. I think he sees that as well, more than he has in the past.

I asked Matt about his thoughts on the Sixers. He thinks they are a good team and they will be fine. He gave credit to the Raptors gameplan for why the Raptors were better on the night. The fact by playing the zone and sticking to it caused the Sixers to think they could make shots. But when all is said and done the Raptors stayed in the zone and the Sixers struggled to shot. In fact Matt pointed to that as the big need for the Sixers is a guy who can step up and being a long range shooter for them. But to keep with the Raptors and what they are doing. Matt gave a lot of praise to the Raptors gameplan. That is set by Sam Mitchell and we have heard Mitchell get hammered by many folks for his lack of X’s and O’s skill. But not just Matt Devlin but Jermaine O’Neal was impressed by Mitchell. O’Neal gave credit to his coach and the staff for the “Genius” of how they had several plays running out of the same sets. He thought it confused the Sixers and was a key to victory. So given all of that I asked for Matt’s thoughts on Sam Mitchell as a coach from a tactical point of view.

Matt Devlin- Last night when you look at the game plan, it was carried through and they executed. From a coaching standpoint, you gotta have your game plan in place, you have to be able to make adjustments and then your players have to ultimately execute.  The game plan was there and the adjustments that were necessary were made and the players executed. So from my stand point, Sam did a fantastic job. It is always the case it doesn’t matter what town or what city, people are always going to look at the coach and that is just the name of the game. People even come out and get after a Phil Jackson or a Pat Riley. That unfortunately is just all part of it. Sam recognizes that.

I often have said in this blog that Sam Mitchell for whatever you care to say is good at motivating his team to play hard. He commands his teams attention and is able to get guys that make millions of dollars as athletes to give effort. That is a skill to that is far to often over looked. Matt Devlin agreed with me about that. We both to agree that Sam is also very entertaining. In fact if the day came that Sam was ever not the coach of the Toronto Raptors, Matt Devlin had a suggestion for a career move for Sam.

Matt Devlin- Listen, Sam could sit next to Charles Barkley on Thursday Night’s on TNT.

The games on TNT on Thursday nights are part of the package that has been scheduled for TSN 2. That is a important issue with Raptor fans. I have expressed my rage and displeasure. Matt Devlin is going to be on the network as well as TSN. But he has made an effort to keep fans in the loop on the issue in his blog. I asked him for his thoughts on the issue from the fans perspective. He had this to say on the TSN2 matter.

Matt Devlin- I am a rogers customer as well. I would love for it to work out. I hope that it works out soon. Tonight (Interview was Yesterday Afternoon) TNT double header and it is on TSN 2, I want to watch it. That is what I have been doing for a long time. I just hope that everybody can come together and work on it, for the fans sake, fans of the NBA. I hope it all gets worked out.

On the main network of TSN this Saturday we will get to see Matt, along with the one thing TSN did get right, the recently hired Jack Armstrong. He may be new to TSN but Jack has been part of basketball with the Raptors for over a decade. He is also not new to Matt Devlin and I asked if Matt was excited to get back on the air again with “The Coach” Jack Armstrong.

Matt Devlin- I am also excited to have Jack. Jack and I have known each other for years and worked together before. He is a great man. I can’t wait to do it, because he is a guy that is just a great person and everyone knows that. Jack, Leo and Sherm, all three of them, they are all outstanding with what they do. There is not another team in the NBA with the depth that the Raptors have in the annalist chair.

I joked with Matt that people may have questions about the Raptors depth on the court but in the broadcast booth they have major depth. He got a laugh from that. But he may not be an annalist, he is the play by play man, I will take him to be my annalist here. The Toronto Raptors take on the Golden State Warriors tonight. So I asked him for his thoughts on the Raptors versus Warriors match-up which he will be calling tonight on The Score. A different challenge for the Raptors in the Warriors?

Matt Devlin- You know what from a standpoint of the principles they used last night. Transition defense is going to be extremely important against Golden State. That is number one because Golden State they do want to get out and go. All five of there guys want to get it on the floor and go. So you are going to have to get back. If you don’t get back they are going to burn you. I watched them last night when I got home against New Orleans. They took New Orleans down to the end. So from my standpoint that is going to be the most important thing. That along with don’t turn it over because if you do they are going to be successful in the transition game.

How bout some key match-ups to look at?

Matt Devlin- Jose Calderon he has a good match-up there that he can take advantage of. When you look inside to the guys on the inside. Do what you did against Philadelphia. That is the truth. If you can do that all season long your really going to be in a great position. But here is the thing about Golden State in Comparison to Philadelphia inside. They might be smaller but they are also athletic and that is thing you have to remember with them.

I am always thankful for some expert help. Matt makes very valid points and I would add that Corey Maggette has a history of being a guy that has given the Raptors fits in his time with the Clippers. It should not change with a change of uniform. Moon and Graham or whoever is guarding Maggette will have to do a good job. I look forward tonight’s game.

I want to wish all of you a Happy Halloween. Please whatever your plans for the evening are be careful and keep your eyes looking for those kids looking for the goodies that Matt was getting for his home. Also if you are going out for a more adult night out. Please be safe and don’t drink and drive. It is important everyday of the year. But on a night when kids are out on streets looking for candies it is even more of a message that needs to be taken seriously. So have fun but be safe and have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM YOUR FRIENDLY DINO BLOGGER.

Raptors Pre-Season Half Done.

So we are half way through a pre-season.  Time to sit back and figure out what we have learned about this Raptor team. Some of those things are still very much up in the air. Joey Graham and Nathan Jawai have basically been MIA. Graham with his hamstring is far less of a concern and I think everyone has already firm thoughts on Joey as a player. For Jawai he is faced with a heart issue and what exactly it means for him is very unclear. The NBA is now part of all of this as Eric Smith in the Rap reported that is these issues of heart concerns the NBA also gets involved and they too will want to see test results. Nathan himself remains frustrated and says he feels fine and is desperate to get back out on the floor. The thing is that each day he sits on the sideline, if he ends up with a clean bill of health at the end of this, Nathan is falling behind in his development. The chances for him to learn are now and once a season starts he is not going to be able to get in games and learn until he proves it through practise.

Back-Up PG

Will Solomon has shown he has some defensive skill and can make a shot. Many feel he has done enough to claim the back-up roll heading into the season. I would agree he has done enough and this should happen. However in the brief chances we have seen Roko Ukic he has not looked out of place. He is much more of a pass first guy. The talk is that he is really like a sponge trying to learn as fast as he can how to play in this NBA style game. I am hopeful Roko can be a quick study and be a contributor sooner than later.

Parker and Kapono

Perhaps these two have been a nice surprise. Both are guys that with the addition of Jermaine many have felt it would benefit them. So maybe this should not be a surprise.  But Parker and Kapono have hit the ground running or should I say shooting.  Parker and Kapono are not only taking shots from beyond the arc but in open spaces all over the floor some created by them on the drive and others just finding that open spot on the on floor. A more aggressive defensive effort has been shown by Parker and a better one from Jason Kapono. That is in large part based on what the have behind them. More shot blocking in J.O and it is not just him Bosh, Moon, and Bargnani have all been able to show some ability at that skill.

Andrea Is Showing Signs

Andrea Bargnani has found the paint. He has shown a new attitude and has been more aggressive in general. Trying to make an effort on the glass, blocking shots and showing a lot more moves in the post and driving to the net. We have not seen as much of Andrea just standing on the outside waiting for a chance to fire away from long range. These are all good signs that Andrea and all the talk of his improvement was not just talk. There is real evidence that changes have been made. The overall success of that is still to be decided but the early returns are good for Andrea. Sam Mitchell who is not one to hand out praise easily had good things to say about Andrea last night in his post game comments. This was on a night when Sam was not exactly in a happy mood overall. That is progress for Andrea in the eyes of the person that matters most.

The 3 Main Guys

Chris Bosh has just continued from where he left off in Beijing. He has been looking to take his own play and this team to another level. The idea of being a league M.V.P has been put on the table by him and that is some kind of challenge to lay out for yourself.

Jose Calderon had a slow start and one could say that was him coming of a bad experience in Beijing and having it carry over. Yes he won a Silver Medal but an injury and struggles to get consistent minutes over Spanish young superstar Ricky Rubio. It was Rubio’s coach that was the head man for Spain and it lead to a rough experience for Jose with Spain. But the injury behind him and the rust has come off. Jose looked the best he has in the pre-season so far. Despite all the love and praise from Raptor fans it will be a bit of a minor adjustment for him stepping into the role as starting point guard. He also is going to be counted on to be more of a leader this year and act as a mentor for Roko Ukic. But I have faith Jose will be able to get it done this year even if his numbers may not match those of last year.

Jermaine O’Neal has had a slow start to life as a Raptor. If you are expecting J.O to be a guy that gets 20 points and 10 rebounds you will not be happy with him this year. But the point is that J.O if he can provide the help on defensive end and he can help others improve their own numbers. J.O’s impact can not and will not be based on just his individual numbers. His impact on the team as a whole is what is going to matter the most. That being said I think everyone wants to see more from J.O. But let’s remember that these are not the games we need to see J.O step up. Those start on October 29th.

The Hump and Moon Show

Kris Humphries I think is always going to be what he is. He hustles he gives you all that he has and at times he gives you to much. Hump sometimes forgets that he is not a main weapon in this offense. But I love his hustle and hair or no hair he will always be a guy I pull for. As for Jamario Moon, I am a little disappointed. I want to see more drives to the basket.  It is clear he worked on his 3 point shot over the summer but this team has people that are always going to be better than him at that skill. Drive Jamario Drive!!! But he is getting on the glass and doing some good things. But I expect and want more from Jamario Moon.

So that is where we are at. Hassan Adams has been going through some injuries and I really have not seen enough to have an opinion of him to this point. But in general even though last night was a bit disappointing to me, I think the Raptors are on the right path so far. One last game in Toronto and I am going to be in the house and am looking forward to it. So there may not be a blog tomorrow we will see. But I will try to get a small one done before I dash off for Toronto.  So that is what I think but what do you think so far. Leave some comments on how you feel about the Raptors so far.

International Edition Of Raptors Rewind

Russia vs Canada. That just screams hockey to most everyone in this country. But on this night it will be basketball center stage. Raptors come of a very typical pre-season NBA contest. This will not be that typical type of game. CSKA Moscow comes in here looking to win and not just looking to get ready for a season. The Raptors will be pushed in a much different way in taking on this Euro-League Champion.

Raptors again go with the exact same starting line-up that they have had the entire pre-season. Anthony Parker gets us started with a nice little runner. But the Raptors would struggle after that as the Russians would  go on a 7-0 run. Jose Calderon would get a steal and a lay-up but the Raptors continued to play sloppy basketball. CSKA Moscow had an early 13-4 lead as they were coming off a beating at the hands of the Orlando Magic and looking for a better showing on this night. Jose Calderon would hook-up Jermaine O’Neal for a jam and the Raptors were trying to get back on track. Bosh would have a monster jam of his own and the Raptors had a 7-0 run going for them down now just 2.

Bosh with a little hook shot as he had back to back buckets for the Raptors but the lead was still 2 for the Moscow squad. The Russians would build their advantage back up to 6 points to 19-13. Bargnani and Kapono had checked into the game for the Raptors. The Russians continued to show some skill with some great ball movement leading to an easy basket. Jose Calderon would respond on the other end with a basket and the lead stands at 5 points for the Moscow. Will Solomon checked in for Jose and made the pass to Kapono who was money hitting his two point jumper. Kris Humpries also checks in now as Bosh is the last of the starters to exit. Hassan Adams was also in for Anthony Parker. Andrea Bargnani was hustling on the offensive glass he got the rebound on a Humphries miss.  He would be rewarded as he was fouled and headed to the line. After which on the next offensive trip he nailed a jumper. But the Raptors were still playing from behind. A Hassan Adams miss at the buzzer of first quarter would allow CSKA Moscow to exit the first up 25-20.

CSKA was burning up the nets at the ACC shooting 57% in the first quarter of play. They would make their first attempt of the second to send that percentage higher. The Russians hit a three point shot and they had extended the lead to 9 points at 30-21. Up to this point it was very clear who the motivated team was and it was not the Toronto Raptors. That being said Andrea Bargnani was showing some aggressive play with a block on the defensive end and a drive drawing a foul on the offensive end. Bargnani would make both free throws and the Raptors still were down 32-27.

Bargnani was one of the few stand outs for the Raptors to this point. He hit a jumper and had been showing a lot of jump and aggression. Roko Ukic would get into the game he did not play on Sunday against the Sixers. Roko would not waste anytime as he took it straight to the basket and the Raptors had clawed back to down by just 2 points with the score 34-32. Roko Ukic was doing a good job at the point since he checked in. A drive and find of Kris Humphries would end up with 2 converted free throws for Hump. Anthony Parker was back on the floor and he hit another running effort. But the Russians were doing enough to stay in front. The CSKA team was doing a great job of moving the basketball and it lead to another 3-ball. That would be followed by another basket with no Raptor reply and suddenly the lead was back to 9 points late in the second. A Bosh miss and the lead at the half would remain at 9 for the Russians at 47-38.

Well the first half was not that good. A turnover to start the second was not a great sign. The starters are back to start the second half. CSKA scores first and has a double digit lead of 11 early in the third. Jose Calderon hits a 3 pointer and the Raptors had a mini 5-0 to get it back to just 49-42. Calderon was back at it this time with a 2 point jumper. CSKA had missed 5 shots in a row and had a few turnovers. This was a chance for Toronto to get back in control of this game. The question was would they? Raptors were missing on chances to gain ground. Moscow would end a 8-0 Raptor run with a jumper and the lead was 6 for CSKA. Jermaine O’Neal would answer that basket at the other end.  He would get another chance to cut the lead down to just 2 points but would commit a turnover instead.

Bosh would cut that lead to just two when he was given the chance to do so. Jermaine O’Neal would score and draw a foul after CSKA had responded to the Bosh score with one of thier own. O’Neal with the free throw and Raptors were back to just one down. The Raptors only lead of this game was 2-0 to this point. Bosh would match J.O with his own basket and foul attempt coming. If Bosh could make the free throw the Raptors would be even in this game in which they had looked like they were sleep walking at times.  Bosh would make it and we were all tied at 55. Moscow had gone very cold from the field which had allowed the Raptors to get back in this game. Anthony Parker missed on a chance to give the Raptors the lead. Moon would get tagged with a blocking foul and Moscow would head to the line and make only 1 of 2 and Kapono would get fouled and make both and Raptors were in the lead for first time since the opening tip 57-56. Jason Kapono would hit a jumper late in the third and Moscow would look to respond but did not and the Raptors lead 60-58 heading to the 4th.

Moscow shooting percentage had plunged to just 41% from the field. Raptors were shooting 46% meantime. Bosh would open the 4th with a drive and score. Raptors largest lead of the night was extended by Andrea Bargnani scoring off the offensive glass to make it 64-58.  Jose Calderon was shooting well in this game he hit a 3 pointer and Raptors had a 67-60 lead. CSKA Moscow seemed to be running out of gas and the Raptors seemed to be finally getting things going.

The Raptors were picking up their defensive effort and it was starting to look like the Raptors were going to get a win. Bosh would get credit for a basket on an offensive goaltending call. O’Neal scored after that and the Raptor lead was 13. Moscow would finally score on back to back trips and that was answered by a Kapono 3 ball.

Bosh and Calderon were remaining in this game and they were playing a lot of minutes. It would seem the Raptors may have been a little more set on winning than they will be willing to admit. Raptors had a 78-66 lead with 5:28 left to play in this one.  Calderon, Kapono, Parker, O’Neal and Bosh all playing down the stretch if you had any doubt the Raptors were taking this one seriously. Chris Bosh headed to the line and hit a pair to but the Raptors back to a 10 point lead with the score 80-70 with under 4 minutes to play. But CSKA was not going a way as they had an 8-2 run and had cut the lead down to just 6 points and were heading to the line with just under 2 minutes to play. They would make both and it was a 4 point game with under 2 minutes to play. Chris Bosh came down and made a big bucket but Moscow would come right back and match. J.O than took a Calderon feed and cash that one in Raptors had a 6 point lead at 84-78. Moscow would no respond on thier next trip and Raptor had the ball with under a minute to play. Bosh would head to the line with 22 seconds and he could ice this one. He would make them both and Raptors would get a steal and dribble it out winning it 86-78.

So in the end the Raptors got pushed into working harder than they may have expected. It was not a pretty game in a lot of ways but ended up with a win for the Raptors. Make no mistake though this was not a great effort overall. The finish was good but there were some good and bad in this game and the key is trying to get better at this point. For me it was nice to see the play of Calderon and Bargnani in this game. Both had good nights and it was really clear that Andrea Bargnani has a new attitude foe this season.

Boxscore Raptors/Moscow

Dino Blogger Post Game Podcast

Mr. Jones and Me….Talking Raps And NBA

Paul Jones was nice enough to take some time to talk with me after the Raptors last game on Sunday. It begins with the Starting 5 for your listening pleasure. The topics are the game he just covered Raptors game this past Sunday versus the Sixers, NBA Economics as the world faces an economic crisis and Paul’s general impressions on the Raptors to this point.

Starting 5 with Paul Jones.

Paul Is of course the Radio Play by Play Voice of the Raptors on the Fan 590. I have always tried to explain in this blog how much work and effort that goes into working as a broadcaster. So I thought who better to explain how that works than someone who does it. So I asked Paul what goes into the game prep for an average broadcast you hear. It takes a lot of work to do this job and Paul explains what goes into an average broadcast prior to the game itself.

Paul Jones- I’ll give you both scenarios home and away. At Home, If it is a 7:00 o’clock tip time. By the time my wife and I get the kids off to school it is literally an all day affair for me. I take from 9 to 11:30 to read papers and get research off the internet. Read the locals from Toronto and the opponent. Some of the stuff is NBA news so it is fresh in my mind. But your seeing if there are any angles of new developments to the stories.  Then for me having contacts through out the league. There is usually a bunch of people that I can phone in that city to get a couple angles on things. So that take the first part of the morning.

Then from 11:30 till 3:30, I’m in prep mode in terms of doing stats, numbers and doing game sheets. It probably takes 3 to 4 hours. Then it is off the the arena as my kids get home from school. I make sure I see my kids before I go, because they will be in bed by the time I get home. So I leave for the arena about 3:30 and I will get there about 4:15 or 4:30 for a 7pm start.

On the road it is the same type of thing. Eric and I and Jack or Leo or who ever is there, we will head to the arena for shoot around. Before that you get up read the papers and do that from like 7:30 to say 9:30 or 10.  Then your catching a cab or walking to the arena for the shoot around. Your there till about noon and then you go back and grab some lunch.  From 1-4 you are doing your game prep. About 4pm you will catch the first bus over to the arena with the training staff, equipment staff and some of the guys not playing as much and the rookies to get some early work in. It’s interesting that over the last 2 years Chris Bosh has been on that first bus a lot. You get to the arena at 4:45-5:00 and away you go.

A Sunday afternoon game ( Like This Past Sunday) it’s great because I get the rest of the day. But it is deadly on prep. It means that on Saturday night has to be spent making  phone calls. When the teams come to town, I try to give players and coaches a call in their hotel rooms and try and talk with them, because when you get down to the arena it is crazy to do it. Your just not going to get that same quality of information because there is other people around. For coaches and players that I know if I can met up with them and talk with them and sit down with them I will attempt to do that. I don’t necessarily have to talk with people at the arena. It’s nice, but I try to do some of that before just so I am not part of the crowd.

Broadcasting is a lot of hard work. I hope that gives you an idea of the amount of work that goes into working as a broadcaster. I try my best to do these type of things that I can do for my work here. Slowly I am building my contacts and Paul is one of them that brings a lot to the table.

Paul saw first hand at the end of last year the need for improvement on defensive end for the Raptors. The Raptors have made changes that should help on that end of the floor. I asked Paul for his thoughts on how the Raptors defense is and should progress through the season.

Paul Jones- I think that Jermaine O’Neal makes everyone’s defense better. Having a guy like him back there, who can not only block shots but change shots. He makes people think before they decide to waltz into the lane and getting what they want. I think he just makes everybody better. People talked about how bad ( I say that in quotes )Jason Kapono’s defense was or is. But he wasn’t all that bad when he had Shaq behind him in Miami. I think Jermaine O’Neal can do that for a guy like Jason Kapono make him better. He can be more confident, he can push up, he doesn’t have to worry about all the stuff on the drive.

I like where they are trying to go defensively. I love the way they have played the screen and roll this pre-season. Not doing anything to fancy with it. Whenever they are brought to a screen and roll it is a hard trap. We see them creating turnovers. The bigs like Andrea and Humphries have been very aggressive in doing that. I like what the are trying to do on defense they are not sitting back they are trying to dictate stuff.

Paul made mention of the fact the Chris Bosh was a frequent passenger on that first bus to the arena on the road. I think it is clear that Bosh has always worked hard and had goals for himself and his team. His latest goal he mentioned in an interview at halftime versus the Sixers. That goal is M.V.P of the League. I have mentioned that I see a new more confident Bosh since he has returned from Beijing with a gold medal. I asked Paul if he agreed that Bosh is different and his thoughts on his latest personal goal.Is the Bosh of today different from the one that left in late April?

Paul Jones-Yes it’s legitimate, I think what happen to him was, to steal a line from Kevin Garnett when he won the NBA Championship and he shouted I am certified. I think that is what happened to Bosh in that sense. Those were the best players in the NBA that were taken over to Beijing. He emerged as an important contributor amongst the best team in the world with players like Lebron, Kobe and Wade. He looks around and says, hey I am right there with these guys, they need me to do stuff. So, sure there is a new found confidence. If there was ever any doubt….We have people foolishly calling into to the post game show saying that Bosh isn’t a franchise player, like come on get off it.  Just read or listen to what guys like Kobe and Lebron say about Bosh. So he is on the radar. That has probably affirmed of certified him. If there was ever any doubt, not to say it out loud, but maybe I am not quite on that level as Kobe, but now he is feeling that I am. I can lead my team the way Kobe leads his. If we start winning I’m gonna be an M.V.P so I am going to do everything I can.

Those are high expectations from Chris Bosh. In fact every where you look expectations are high. Jack Armstrong has set his number for Raptor wins at 48. I asked Paul Jones for his take on that number and the expectations around this Raptor team

Paul Jones-I think 48 is reasonable. I think this team is at point now where they have taken a step. Gone are the days of where to you see the Raptors, are they going to make the playoffs? How many wins do you think it is going to take? I think they are beyond that, they are a team now that is judged or will be judged on whats happens in the late part of April and the beginning of May. The fans are done with this are we going to make the playoffs? They expect to make the playoffs it doesn’t matter how many wins it takes.

I said this last year, when some people were saying like 50 wins or 52 wins. Hold on a second, it is tough to win 50 games. Detroit has done it for like for something like 6 straight seasons. Look at the team they had. It is tough to do, but your team is judged by how far it goes in the playoffs. I said they (Toronto) would probably win less than 47 games but they would win a round in the playoffs. That was the disappoint thing for me. I think this year is the same thing. You can talk all you want about a number.  But the East has gotten better. Philly has gotten better, Atlanta is going to be better, I think New York is going to be better. Cleveland made a move, Charlotte has Larry Brown coaching them and who knows how they are going to be by the end of the year. So I don’t know if there is a number out there. But they got to win a round in the playoffs and that is how you judge if they are successful or not.

I asked Paul for his thoughts on the Raptors and who will be the guys that make the end of the rotation for the Raptors. Andrea Bargnani is going to be the 6th man but who else is in the rotation come opening night? Here is what he had to say on that topic.

Paul Jones- I think you have to look right now at Will Solomon now as the front runner  for the back-up point guard. Then you have got Kapono and Humphries. Your probably going to be nine deep. It is to bad that Joey Graham is hurt. I mean he’ll be ok once we get into the season. But it would have been nice to have him hitting the ground running at the start of the season. He had a good summer in summer league. He played a lot apparently out at UCLA working out against other NBA players out there. He is an athletic guy that can guard people but he just hasn’t shown what he can do. Permanent potential and Jack says that always gets a coach in trouble. But all he needs is to come out and show some of that. Show Sam Mitchell that he can be depended on and you have another guy in you rotation.

I hear what Paul is saying. But as I told him I am just frustrated with Joey and have lost my hope in terms of him. There is no question that Joey has shown moments of great play. Paul pointed to when he came in to replace Garbo in the rotation in the season the Raptors won the Division Title. But as with all things with Joey it did not last.

Paul and Eric at start of last year had a bet for a Kobe Bryant Bulls jersey. Paul never had to pay up as Kobe remained with the Lakers. I am not sure what Eric had to do if he was not traded to the Bulls. However the point of it to me was I think that doomed the Bulls. Not their bet but those Kobe Bryant Rumours. No word on a bet between the two for this season on anything. Tune in for Double Dribble on Raps T.V to see if they come up with something. But as we look to this season I figure we can learn from recent history so I asked him for his thoughts on what went wrong for the Bulls. Was it just a case of Kobe never coming or was there more to it?

Paul Jones- I think there was a sew things. Kirk Hinrich didn’t have a good year. I think there were distractions, Gordon and Deng and the whole extending of their contracts. Unlikely Iguodala who said no extension I am going to wait till the end of the year. Philly said o.k fine will wait till the end of the year. You may not like what we offer you and that’s fine. If you think you can go somewhere else that is fine will take the money and spend it elsewhere. That was it there was not that distraction. But in Chicago it was like do they sign? Do they not sign? Like Ben Gordon again this year. Then the fact that they would be restricted free agents. Boy we put them in a package with some others maybe we could get Kobe. There was so many things. The contract situations, the Kobe situation and Hinrich not having a good year you put those things together and they add up and they have a terrible year.

Looking forward to this season the big topic seems to be the rise of Philadelphia. The Sixers or Raptors has been the talk around the Raptor fan base. I asked Paul for his thoughts on the Sixers and in his mind who was better Sixers or Raptors heading into 08/09.

Paul Jones-I don’t think we know the answer yet and I don’t think we will until it all plays out. I think the one thing that is different for Philadelphia is how do the integrate Elton Brand. A lot of their success last year was based on creating turnovers, playing defense and getting out running and getting easy baskets and playing that quicker type game. Well you got Elton Brand now and he has to touch the ball and he’s not going to touch it in a system that goes up and down all the time. Philly Assistant Coach Jim Lynam said he is a willing runner but he is not the fastest guy in the world. But he will run and position himself and get some easy baskets. But it is when they are not doing that how do they balance the touches between him and a guy like Iguodala who had a lot of them last year. It wouldn’t surprise me if they struggled to find an identity at first. In terms of figuring things out. Who is better? Well Toronto is basically going to play the same way. Now they have a guy they can throw it to inside, with Jermaine O’Neal not always being concerned with being the offensive guy. More defense, rebounding and taking charges saying that he is willing to do that. I think the Raptors can play the same way. Based on the last year although that Philadelphia was coming on, Toronto still had more wins. They both went out quickly in the first round. But let’s go with Toronto and give them a slight edge but it is very close.

To conclude this visit I asked Paul what he was looking forward to for this season for the Raptors:

Paul Jones- Just hopefully the team not having to fight through injuries, I mean they are going to come. But you just kind of hope that it is not the type of injuries that are going to kill the season. All it takes is one or two guys going down and you end up like the Miami Heat did from Champs in 06 to getting in the money for the first or second pick two years later. I think I am looking forward to a good season and for this to be improving and looking like a solid contender in the East. That would be one thing. But I’m just looking forward to the season as a basketball guy the off-season just seems to last forever and the season seems to just fly by. But at this point it is like let’s tip it up and get going.

I think we all share that same feeling here at the Dino Nation Blog. Thanks to Paul for stopping by and taking the time for us here at the Dino Nation Blog. I want to say that Tuesday is Election Day in this country so no matter who you support go out and use the freedom you enjoy to express your right to vote and be heard. After you have done that sit back and watch some international basketball as Raptors host CSKA Moscow. You can catch the game on Raptors TV at 7pm. Raptor rewind as always after the game. I am going to being heading to Toronto for the big Return of Hoffa with the T-Wolves. So there will be no re-cap on Thursday in case I forget to mention it.

Multimedia Jack Armstrong In Dino Nation Blog

I am very excited to start a new feature for our interviews here at Dino Nation Blog. It had been asked if there was a way the you the readers of the Dino Nation could hear the interviews I do. It was not possible from a technical stand point for me to do until now. So who better to kick of this new era than the Dino Blogger’s Favourite Guest Jack Armstrong.

So how this is going to work is that when I am able to do interviews via the phone they will start with what I am calling The Starting 5. If you have watched the show Pardon The Interruption they do the segment 5 good minutes with _________. Well for here at the Dino Nation Blog we are going add audio of the first 5 minutes of my interviews we do. It may go a little longer than 5 minutes as it did in this case. But the goal is to ask the 3 most interesting (Hopefully) questions and have the answers in form of an MP3 that you can listen too on the link to the blog’s podcast site. It will be followed by the rest of the interview in written word. Hopefully it is the best of both worlds for you the reader.

So in this first edition we have Jack talking about something he said on his radio show the Game Plan on Fan 590. If healthy Raptors could be good enough to get to Eastern Conference Final. Why does he think that? He will tell you. Also Andrea Bargnani at the 3 is it realistic for the Raptors and help them have success? Lastly it seems Jamario Moon is not in Sam Mitchell’s dog house and in fact he likely is the guy who has the 3 spot to loss. Doesn’t it make sense to have both Parker and Kapono on the floor together instead of both playing at the two spot? Jack breaks it down for us.

Dino Blogger Starting 5 with Jack Armstrong (Audio Link)

But five minutes of Jack Armstrong is not enough so we continued to chat and that will make up the rest of the blog. We started the rest of our conversation with the topic of Jermaine O’Neal. Yesterday I went into detail how I had over the summer went from unsure about Jermaine to the point where I feel now that I am a supporter of him. I shared these thoughts with Jack. I also expressed how he(Jack) once made the claim that Bosh had become better than O’Neal and how I was a supporter of that when he said it. But now J.O is here with Chris so what was his thought on what we have seen and heard from J.O thus far?

Well, first of all the most important thing is he is saying all the right things which is great. But as we well know saying and doing are two different things. For Raptor fans there is expectation, and with expectation people want results. So, Jermaine O’Neal is saying all the right things now and if he backs it up with the results that is when people get excited. If he says all the right things and doesn’t back it up with productivity and health, than the frustration sets in. I think the biggest thing is keep your fingers crossed and if he is healthy, I think he will back it up with productivity. I think he makes this team better. He is proven to be that type of player in the past. I definitely think J.O is an intriguing player to keep an eye on.

It has been said by Sam Mitchell that he is going to be counting on Chris Bosh, Jermaine O’Neal and Jose Calderon to lead this team. Does this help out Chris Bosh and take some of the pressure off of him? Here is Jack’s take on that idea:

When push comes to shove and the chips are down Bosh is going to be the guy no matter what you do. It is nice having some other people to kind of take a little bit of the pressure off of you. Chris is still the guy and I just think when you have a guy of that level and your able to surround him with better people, it makes them better and the team better. So, I think it is an intriguing situation for Chris Bosh. I think he has really matured and grown up dramatically as player and he has always been a heady and responsible person. It is a situation that allows you to get the best out of him.

I said to Jack that I see a change in Chris Bosh since he won his gold medal with Team U.S.A. That it seemed to me that the Gold Medal was almost a validation to Bosh of the fact that he is one of the best players in the NBA. Jack shares his thought on my view on this topic:

You make a good point. I think you see it with veteran players and coaches there is that security from a money stand point and a contract stand point. You have spent time with those peers that are some of best in the game. Great coaches and great management people and it all rubs off on you in a very positive sense. You learn things by listening, talking and just by osmosis just being around it and observing. I think all that stuff rubs off on Chris. He is a bright, responsible and mature young man. I was reading the Buffalo News and they were talking about the success of the Bills so far in the NFL. Marv Levy is the G.M that selected all these guys including Bills QB Trent Edwards. Marv has some great quotes that I have used. He says “Ability with out character always loses”, but he has another great quote ” smart guys get better ” .  Chris Bosh is a smart guy. If you have met him, If you have spoken to him, if you just have heard him speak about himself, about the team , and the sport, he is a smart young man. Smart young people who are highly motivated, driven and hungry to win get better. To his credit there is a big reason behind that, he is a hungry guy that wants to be a great player. You tell him what he has to do to get better he is smart enough to understand it and he is smart enough not to take it personal, and smart enough to figure out what it takes to get better.

The conversation about Chris Bosh continued. I mentioned about how as a fan I think Bosh gets it as far as reaching out to the fan base. Through his videos on You Tube to his Fantasy Football League for Raptor Fans. It was more a comment about Jack saying how smart a guy he was. The fact that Chris was a smart guy and embraced the fan base in a unique way. However Jack had some reaction to my comments.

It is interesting, I think it is year six for Chris Bosh with the Raptors. Here is the difference, the last superstar that you had in Toronto was Vince Carter and we saw a deterioration of work ethic, attitude and passion and desire to improve and to win. Chris Bosh to his credit over the years and a lot of it was losing, put up the good fight and grinded it out and kept after it. Now a guy like him is getting the fruits of his labour. There is something to be said for that. When the Raptors made the decision that they were going to give this guy a long term deal and he is our franchise player. They made the choice few years before that they were going to trade Vince Carter, now the trade was a disaster, they knew that this young man (Bosh) had the chance to be really good. I think they were right.

The conversation continued as I shared with Jack that when I was doing radio I actually interviewed V.C. I shared my opinion in which there was a feeling that you got that he was Vince Carter. In other words he was this big thing. I have never interviewed Chris Bosh but I said I just don’t get that sense. Jack had some more thought on V.C and C.B.4:

I think Vince Carter was a lot like Chris is now in his first few years in the NBA. What happens is the money the fame and all the exposure, how do you handle it?  10% is what happens to you and 90% is how do you handle it. Chris Bosh is a very mature and grounded individual. A lot of credit should go to his family and more importantly to him for how he carries himself. I’ll never forget the first game he played as a Raptor. Paul Hewitt the head coach of Georgia Tech is a friend of mine. He and his staff came to see Chris in his first game as a Raptor. He said to me, Jack you are going to love this kid, He is a hard working, coachable and hungry young player who is going to get better and better. You are going to love him and Toronto is going to love him. He was right.

It is interesting to look back on Chris Bosh as we look forward to this season. I often look back on his career and think how far he has come on and off the floor. The stuff about Vince Carter and Bosh being compared was interesting as well. Bosh when you put aside all the hate for Vince Carter is rapidly making the case to be considered the best Raptor of all-time. It was not something I planned on talking to Jack about but his comments were interesting and it was something that I feel will interest you.

I have enjoyed my conversations with Jack and having him come to visit the Dino Nation Blog as often as he does. He is someone who’s opinion I truly value not just about basketball but about what I am doing here.  He has been very kind to take an interest in what I am doing here and that is a great thing for me. I long have admired his work and the fact that I now talk with him on a fairly regular basis is a great honour for me. I hope by adding the audio element to some of the interviews I will be doing will allow you to share in that experience.  At the end of the audio interview I said that I love Jack and it is the truth I really do. I am lucky to have the support of fine people like him and I am always grateful for it.  I am always looking forward to the next time we get to say HELLLLOOOO. But for this time around it is good bye for this latest visit from Jack.

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