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.

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Jack Is Back In Dino Nation Blog

Well it is a bit of good fortune that I had scheduled a talk with Jack Armstrong and we had some big news happen. Allen Iverson was heading to the Pistons for Billups and McDyess. In addition to that some Raptor News as Chris Bosh was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. That is the two things that we talk about in the starting 5. The audio on this was a bit of a challenge. But I think I have fixed it up fairly well. So here is the link to the Starting 5 with Jack and your Dino Blogger.

Jack Armstrong in the Starting 5

I did an entire blog about the fact I was happy with the comments made by Jermaine O’Neal. He stressed how he felt that the Raptors were a team of nice guys and they would help guys up and that this year they were not going to be that way. I asked Jack for his reaction to those comments made by Jermaine O’Neal.

Jack Armstrong- I like it. I think this team has taken on Sam Mitchell’s personality more so than any team he has had here in Toronto. They respond to him. He got that technical foul the other night( vs. Bucks ) the team automatically responded to him. After time outs they responded to him. I think when you have a guy like Jermaine O’Neal that a very passionate intense guys. Along with Bosh who has just been incredible. Your going to have a better chance at success. I think Jermaine O’Neal has brought good things rebounding and shot blocking wise. If he can do that consistently time will tell. His offense quite frankly has been up and down. If they can get the numbers they are getting from him right now you can say this was a good trade if he can continue with these kind of numbers.

So can Jermaine be the leader on defense in the same way that Calderon is the leader on the floor for Mitchell in directing the offense?

Jack Armstrong- I think everyone has bought in James, I really do. Chris Bosh in particular has shown me a greater level of alertness, in regards to what is going on around him as a player. Jermaine O’Neal backs that up a little bit in how he blocks shots and how aggressive he is in the lane. I think they will be an interesting team to watch as we go along.

One thing fans will be watching with both interest and concern about is the Raptor bench. Andrea Bargnani and Jason Kapono have been doing well in some respects but beyond that nothing to speak of. I asked Jack if fans should be concerned about this going forward.

Jack Armstrong- When you are 3-0 you tend to kind of look past some of those problems. When you look at the minutes through the first 3 games you only have 2 players playing significant minutes in Kapono and Bargnani. Can an eighth guy and a ninth guy develop for the Raptors. I think that becomes that much more important as you move along and play more games. In finding that eighth or ninth that is going to play consistent minutes for you. That is going to be important because it is a long year and injuries are going to happen and fatigue is going to happen. You need to have that in your repertoire to utilize.

Sam Mitchell will be the one that needs to find those guys to fill that roles. But Sam takes a lot of heat from folks. I think 3 games in he has done a fantastic job with the Raptors. I asked Jack if he agreed that Sam had performed well to this point.

Jack Armstrong- I think his team is playing really hard. I think they are getting better defensively. He knows exactly what he wants. He knows this roster very well and has a number of returning guys. I think he came into the season knowing how he wanted to have the whole thing play out. This is a team that if they stay healthy despite the fact if they are on the road or at home, they have enough talent to be a contender. If they actually content and get in that is another story. But I think this team has enough potential to contend. Part of the reason why is they have a coach who’s players are buying into his philosophy big time as a coach.

Part of that philosophy has been an increased use of zone defense. I asked Jack if he was a fan of the Raptors making more use of the zone. Jack had this to say about the Raptors use of zone defense.

Jack Armstrong- I said that in the pre-season as well. I really felt strongly that this was a team that needed to look long and hard at looking to use zone sometimes. They are not the most quickest team out on the perimeter. You have find a way to have a happy balance. Keep you defense in it and keep you team in it. Sometime I think not being stuck on individual match-up and man to man and instead playing some zone defense. I think is a big factor for the Raptors.

I asked Jack about his thoughts on the new combination of Bosh and O’Neal and how he feels it is working at this early stages of the season. Is he happy with what he was seen thus far?

Jack Armstrong- I think so, I have been pleased with it. I think O’Neal is still a little rusty offensively. But defensively he has been very effective. I just kind of like what I have seen from this team overall. I think they have been really locked in and engaged. I am seeing some stuff that I like. Depth is an issue , let’s hope they find a way to work that out. But I think they will find it. That eight guy and that ninth guy to get them over the hump. But what we are seeing from those first seven guys I think we are seeing some really good things.

I to am encouraged by the changes we have seen. Speaking of change it is election day in the Untied States. Awhile a go I wrote about NBA players getting involved in politics and the election. I didn’t ask Jack who he is voting for. But I did ask what he thought about the involvement of a lot of NBA folks in this election. Did he think it was a good thing to have players getting involved in the politics and the election.

Jack Armstrong- I think political activism is good. Getting involved in your community, caring about the issues and caring about people is an important thing. I do think I can honestly say that I could careless about what a player or coach has to say about who I vote for. I don’t think it is going to sway me in any way. But i do think it is good to have people that are passionate about the political machinations of where they live and what they do.

Chris Bosh was not one of those folks that got into all of the politics and the United States Election. After all he has his own campaign to run for M.V.P of the NBA. As for Jack he has a very busy season of basketball ahead of him. So we have talked and he will be back to visit but it might be for awhile. Jack has radio show, a blog, he covers the NCAA and NBA he is a very busy guy. But I thank him for making time for us. He promises he will be back at least a few more times through out the season. He is after all our most frequent guest. He is also a favourite guest as well. But you all can talk to Jack both on his show the “Game Plan” on Fan 590(2-4 Weekdays) and he will be back on HOOPS (Thursdays 7pm)  as well with Eric and Paul Jones. Hoops is scheduled to kick off this Thursday. I will be calling the show as I always have.

But we keep working hard and I actually have another guest for you tomorrow. He is new guest making his first appearance in the Dino Nation Blog. So I hope he will get a warm welcome. Sherman Hamilton from Raptors T.V and The Score drops in to visit with us. I had a long converstaion with Sherm about a lot of things. I think it will be something very interesting that you will enjoy. I have to thank Matt Devlin who gave me the intorduction to Sherm at the Raptors pre-season game vs the T-Wolves that I attended. Sherm has been busy working hard on Raptors TV even working on the weekends a bit right before the season starts. So it is great he was able to make some time for the Dino Nation Blog.

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.

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 May Get Early Start To Season.

The Toronto Raptors Season may start 1 hour ahead of schedule. The blame falls on the World Series Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays. If this series goes 6 games the Raptors and Sixers tip at  6. Um..6Sixers6…Yikes. Maybe that is just superstitious but what is very real is the Raptors only had 9 healthy bodies at practice. That lead me to thinking. Sam Mitchell…Player/Coach?

O.K maybe not but Sam did say he had five good minutes left in him. But I think the lack of numbers is getting to be a growing concern. Meanwhile Fans are in a rage over TSN2 and Rogers not having a deal and Raptor Fans with Rogers cable being left in the dark for 25 Raptor Games. In a time when there should be a lot excitement heading into a new season, there seems to be a lot of worried and angry people.

In regards to this TSN 2 mess. I got couple things for you:

Raptors HQ has a look at how this mess happened in the first place.

Also If after reading and you are mad as hell. Do what everyone does in today’s world. Join a Facebook group:

TSN 2 took away 25 Raptors Games From Me

If we are going to mention Facebook Groups you can join our group as well, for the inside info on the Dino Nation Blog:

Dino Nation Blog Group On Face Book

So as I sit here on a Sunday it has come to my attention that I have not made any picks for the season here on my own blog. How did this happen?  I wrote one for T.O Sports who I am told will be hitting the street in Magazine Form soon. I actually did get a chance to write something for them. Some of it is the same stuff I have said here but if you would like to check it out here is a link to it.

James Borbath on Raptors @ T.O Sports

If you want to read some of my past work, there is a link to my articles over on the right on the main page. I also said over on Raptors HQ that Raps would win 49 games. Well I will get picks for my own blog prior to the season I promise. That would mean Tomorrow or Tuesday.

I also have some help too. Eric Smith is the best Raptor connection to the L.A Lakers we have. I was a Hornet fan before the Raptors and Eric’s second choice in the NBA is the L.A Lakers.  So what are Eric’s thoughts on his Lakers and if anyone can knock them off in the West. We will find out.

Also Raptors T.V has been taking a lot of shots from fans. But I will give them some love. They have had weekend editions of Raptors Today as we get ready for the opening of the season. That is something for the people that can not get enough Raptors even on a football Sunday.

I also am working hard at getting some guests to come join us at the start of the season. They are all busy guys but I will do my best to get some of the folks that cover our Raptors to come by and visit us as the Season rolls along. They have all been great and a big part of what makes the Dino Nation Blog what it is and what it will be. There is lots of things to be excited about this Raptors Season and here at the Dino Nation Blog. So I hope for both the Dino Nation Blog and the Toronto Raptors it is a successful season. I know I am working hard and I am sure the Raptors are as well to make that happen.

So see you Monday and hope you are having a great weekend and are excited to get the season going.

5 Days To A Whole New Season

I think the great thing about sports in general is you always get a fresh start every year. Eric Smith said yesterday he feels like it was just weeks ago the season ended. But to me that Orlando series seems a long time ago. It was a bit of a painful summer for me in a lot of ways. I mean you may not like T.J Ford but I did. Next to Bosh he was likely my favourite player as a fan. So to sit and wait for him to be dealt away was not exactly a fun experience for me. I admit I was stunned at just how much the little Texas point guard would draw in return for him and a few of his Raptor team mates. Jermaine O’Neal was also a guy I was not a fan of when I first heard about this trade I was not sure about it at all. However I left the door open and said basically it was up to Jermaine O’Neal to change my mind. Well as far as all the off-court stuff he has been very impressive to me. I may even like J.O a bit. I really have not had to many strong feelings about what to expect from this season. I look around me and see most everyone seems very optomisitic that is good.

If I am being honest about things I am being asked to put faith in a lot of guys that I have concerns about to some level. Some a lot more than I do others. I am also being asked to put faith in some guys I barely know at all. John McCain in the U.S Election is asking who is the real Barack Obama. I was asking who the heck is Will Solomon and who is the real Roko Ukic. That being said last season I was asking who is this Jamario Moon guy. That worked out pretty well last year. I do know who Joey Graham is and maybe that is why I am truly scared when even folks I respect like Eric are suggesting that he can be the starting small forward. I have 3 years of watching Joey and none of that suggests to me I should be anything but worried about the prospect of him playing a major role on this team.

Someone asked me last night if I was excited about the season. I said that I was excited but it is a nervous type of excitement. I have had the good fortunate to work on the Radio and in broadcasting and that for some can be a scary experience. To talk to a large amount of people in such a public way. But I never am nervous about doing that. I will pick up the phone and call in on the radio whenever the mood strikes me. It really is something I enjoy to do expressing my opinions. Imagine that someone who writes a blog enjoys that….very shocking isn’t it? O.K not so much. I think the things that I do fear in life in general are things like change and the unknown.  I like to think of myself as someone that has a lot of common sense and I like to have control of things. The change and unknown do not exactly play to those skill sets. So I guess the best way to sum up my feelings as we approach this season is nervous excitement?

I can’t help but think that we still haven’t seen this whole plan of Bryan Colangelo’s play out. Not that I expect anything to happen right away based on how close the Raptors are to the tax threshold of the cap. But I don’t see this Raptor roster as complete and I think the pre-season pointed out those flaws. It is very clear that the Raptors need someone anyone to commit to be a driving and slashing force on this team. I had thought that was going to be Jamario Moon. But Jamario has not had the pre-season he did last year that won him a spot on this roster at the exspense of Luke Jackson. The Joey Graham fan club will tell me that guy is going to be Joey. I would agree that ” Good ” Joey can be that guy. But I have no faith in him lasting. I wrote on a forum about Joey Graham this:

Fool me once shame on me, Fool me twice shame on you, Fool me 3 years going on 4 =Joey Graham.

Not exactly a math equation but it is the reality of things. I guess a lot of folks may think I am against Joey Graham. Truth is I am not for or against him. However I am an emotional guy and to have my emotions toyed with is painful. That is why I don’t want to buy into the Joey Graham Experience. However I am happy if Joey can prove his own history wrong and come through because it will mean good things for the Raptors.

There are people that I have complete faith in through. One of those is Chris Bosh and I have no doubt that he will have a great season. He is really starting to come into his own as a superstar in this league. He is talking big throwing out the MVP idea. I love it. Vince Carter seem to be stunned to here a crown chat that for Chris Bosh. But what a group of fans think has to be taken with a grain of salt. Vince believes in that because if he didn’t than he might have to think he sucked. Nah that would never happen as Vince’s ego would never allow it. However this time around it is not the Bosh fans saying this it is the guy himself. It is a great sign for anyone that is a fan of him or the Raptors. Chris Bosh has gained a ton of confidence from his summer trip to China that produced a gold medal. In this tough times I put my faith in CB4. He is truly the face of this franchise and will go down ahead of V.C as the greatest Raptor ever to this point.

The other person I have faith in a lot of Raptor Fans don’t. Sam Mitchell is my guy I have got his back because I like the way he approaches things. Will he ever be a Zen Master like Phil Jackson in L.A. I would highly doubt it. But the core values of what Sam Mitchell is about are ones that I personally agree with. I think at the end of the day his players respect him and sorry to break it to some media folks and some fans that is all that matters. Sam has managed to be the longest serving coach in Raptor history. He may never rise to the level of play calling guru for some but here is what he does do and always has done. He demands and challeges his players and he has the respect of his players. It is not easy to be able to do that in this modern world of sports. Sam Mitchell is at his core a guy that has a lot of old school values that I respect and admire. Give them hell Sam I always will be a Sam Mitchell supporter if for no other reason than he has entertained me more than any Raptors coach in the history of this franchise.

Having said all of that I have to say that I still can laugh at both Sam and the reactions to Sam. I woke up yesterday and was getting set to do my interview. I checked my e-mail and saw something from someone I did not know. I thought it might be a reader or something so I checked it out. What I found was some pure comedy gold. Sam Mitchell was the co-star of this very funny You Tube video:

Sometimes you need a good luagh to break up all that stress that a new season brings. Speaking of new there is a brand new blog site out there. It is not a Nation but a Republic. The Raptors Republic is a brand new site that is made up of a bunch of bloggers that have come together to form their own team of bloggers. I am not going to start a Raptor Blogging incident. There is room in this world for a Dino Nation and a Raptors Republic. I am always for anything that gives fans more info and fun. I think these guys are hopeful of doing both.

The second part of that Raptor Blogger Round Table is up. I actually am talking about Sam in that too. I guess today is Sam Mitchell Day at the Dino Nation Blog.  But here is a link to the second part of the Blogger Round Table Preview @ Raptors HQ:

Blogger Round Table – Guest Appearance By Dino Blogger

IT’S COMING SOON….

You are going to be seeing some changes with the Dino Nation Blog. They are all part of something that is getting set to happen. I hope you will be happy about it. I think it is going to take the Dino Nation Blog to the next level. So for now that is about all I can say. But trust me when all of this is all done I will have a lot to say. But basically if not for all of you that have read the Dino Nation Blog and supported it these things would not be happening so even though you don’t know what it is yet. I thank you in advance for your past and future support of the Dino Nation Blog.

I Have Seen The Future And It Is Good

Because there was no T.V and no Audio of last night’s game it is almost like a rumour of what happened last night in L.A. But I said in my re-cap based on the numbers I was seeing, this was what Bryan Colangelo was thinking when he made the trade for Jermaine O’Neal. I have been waiting all season for some sign through this pre-season. I think 46 points, 20 rebounds, 5 blocks and 2 steals was as good as any. That was the combined numbers of Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal last night. Both played over 30 minutes and looked every bit the dynamic duo that Sam Mitchell though he was getting this summer. Sam talked about Jermaine and Chris being a combo that could be like Tim Ducan and David Robinson. Last night was the the first signs that Bosh and O’Neal could match-up to that lofty comparison.

Many had been concerned with O’Neal getting off to a slow start so far in the pre-season. But I had said that we needed to be concerned but not lose sight of the fact that October 29th was when it really mattered. Same can apply for this great performance, but it was a great sign of how things can be when both Bosh and O’Neal bring their “A” games. It was the type of encouraging sign that Raptor fans have wanted to see. Well we didn’t exactly get to see it but the stats speak volumes as to what we would have seen.

Not All Is Good….Right Joey?

If you were hoping that Joey Graham was making a big late run at getting into the starting line-up. Your and Joey’s dream took a massive step backwards. I don’t take joy in pointing this fact out on a fairly regular basis. But it is important to look at the history of things. This is not like we have all not seen this movie before. Joey will do some good things and all of this hope will build up and he than falls back to earth as fast as he climbed. I refuse to get sucked in now when it comes to Joey. If you are truly a fan of Joey Graham I truly feel sorry for you. It can be frustrating when you watch a player that you like does not do well. T.J Ford had his bumps in the road last year and I am a big fan of his. I know what it feels like to be frustrated and concerned for the player you like. If you have stuck with Joey this long I doubt you are going to abandon ship at this point. The truth is though that you like me could be cheering for him on another team just like T.J Ford. I do not see the Raptors offering him another contract if this whole “Good” Joey and “Bad” Joey continues. It will be time to move on for Joey Graham.

Be Like Hump!!!

If Joey is in need of a role model I would say look at Kris Humphries. Hump may flew under the radar last night based on the performances of Bosh and O’Neal but he is getting it done. I call him a bull in a china show and he may break the odd dish but he gives you 100% every time he hits the floor. If everyone had the effort that he did the Raptors would be in very good shape. I really often wonder why things did not work out for Kris with the Utah Jazz. They had to really not wanted him to make a trade for a guy like Hoffa. The point is I am glad Hump is now our guy and I am happy to have him on my team. The former Golden Gopher is a guy who played a large role in college and has had to adjust to the fact of in the NBA he is now a role player. He sometimes forgets that fact but based on his overall effort I am willing to forgive the odd misguided jump shot or drive.

Roko Gets Some Time In The Clutch

Also lost in suffle of a great night for Bosh and O’Neal was the fact that Roko Ukic was in the game down the stretch and several times he got himself to the foul line in key moments down the stretch. It was a good step for Roko Ukic and it will allow Sam Mitchell to see what Roko can do in key points of a game. Roko and Will Solomon have much different skill sets and give Sam Mitchell to have clear choices of what he feels his team needs out of his back-up point guard position. This was a step in what will be a long process in Roko Ukic getting comfortable in playing in the NBA. It should be noted that Roko Ukic has always dreamed of playing in the NBA and he has been focused on that dream for a long time. He is now living that dream and he is trying to make the most of it.

I am enjoying being able to provide polls to seek your opinions on things so I think we will use this topic as a question for today:

So that is it for today. I am encouraged by things from last night and am more optimistic about the up coming season.

Lakers and Raptors Tonight….Andrea Bargnani was out with a bruised leg last night that he suffered vs. T-Wolves but it is minor and he is expected to play tonight. Raptors Rewind will be done for this game as in all games. Hopefully we can get some audio at least for this game. Late Start in L.A of 10:30 EDT. If there is going to be sound here is link to NBA.Com for it.

Raptors vs Lakers

Raptors Basketball Is An Experience In De Ja Vu

I have been a Raptor fan since the very start. I left my Charlotte Hornets(Now New Orleans) to support the home team. That was way back in 1995 and some things just never seem to change in that time. Some themes have always been a part of Raptors Basketball. The most positive of those is the Raptor himself. I like the Raptor Mascot he is fun and good at his job. I would have him visit for an interview but I have never heard him say anything since 1995. A quick story from back in my college days. I worked on the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey broadcasts for Radio. But I also once in awhile did T.V work that was done with the students taking Television Broadcasting at Mohawk College. They thought it would be funny if I did an interview with “Bruiser” the mascot for the Bulldogs. It was amusing I guess but it didn’t not make any of my demo tapes I will say that.

The point is Mascots may not talk but they do a great job in making kids smile and providing entertainment to us all. The Raptor is one of the best mascots in pro sports and I guess I am a big kid cause I have always enjoyed his work. But there are a lot of other things that always seem to stay the same no matter who makes up this Raptors team. Here are a few of the ones I came up with.

Slow Starts- The Raptors have always seemed to have issues with getting off to slow starts in games. I have been frustrated many times since 1995 and it continues right into this pre-season. In basketball some say that it always comes down to the last two minute regardless of what happens in the first 46 minutes. That is a simple way to look at the game and it is usually said by people in a negative context. But the truth is a lot of what goes on in that first 46 minutes is part of the story that leads to that last 2 minutes.

The Raptors many times get off to slow starts and fall behind and have to fight back and rally and sometimes they are successful and it works out. But ask any basketball coach how hard it is for a team to climb back from a double digit deficit. It makes a team have to work a lot harder and they sometimes are left with nothing in the tank for that important last 2 minutes.

Far to many times the Raptors through every era have been that team that falls behind and is forced to climb that mountain to get back into games and it has been a theme that has lasted from year to year. If the Raptors are going to be the contender in the east that everyone wants them to be this must change. Raptors need to learn how to play as a front runner. That has been something they have struggled with as well on some nights when they do get off to a fast start they have had some terrible collapses allowing teams to get back into games.

The 3 Ball- Chuck Swirsky made references to the streak on consecutive games in which the Raptors had made a three point shot. I offer some advice to Matt Devlin on this one, I do not care about this streak and please only mention when it ends or it reaches round numbers like every 100 games or so. Derrick Martin’s claim to fame in his Raptor Career will be making a truly meaningless three point shot at the end of a game versus the Mavericks as I recall. The real story about all of this is the Raptors over there history have been a team that has lived and died at the 3 point line.

Many Raptors have had a love affair with the 3 point shot and that affair left them passing up on chances to drive to the basket. Vince Carter was so deeply in love with his jumper that he said the famous quote of ” I think dunking is overrated “. I would like to point out Vince has never one the 3 point shoot-out and he has won a dunk contest. So it would seem he has more skill at the thing he claimed was overrated. Vince would later claim that he was trying to be funny.  But what is not funny is the fact that he has not been alone in this love affair with the 3-ball.

Jamario Moon is the latest that has been taken in by this vixen that is the 3-ball. Moon is not going to be asked to enter the 3 point contest to go against Jason Kapono this season or any season in the future. He is a guy that is known and made it into this league in part based on his tremendous leaping ability. So he needs to play to that strength and drive to the basket and add to his dunking hightlight reel. Leave the 3 point shooting to his more skilled team members like Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker, Andrea Bargnani and even Jose Calderon. They all are the ones that shooting the majority of the 3 point shots the Raptors take.

It has always been a big part of Raptors basketball. The Raptors are truly a team that has lived and died by the 3 point shoot through out it’s history. That is likely not to change this season. The Raptors will look to use it’s new found dynamic duo to create open looks from long range when they can not find the other one of the duo or do it themseleves. There may be no more ring it up from downtown Hamilton for the Dino Blogger. But the 3-point shot is going to be an important for the Raptors and it is for many NBA teams for years to come.

You The Raptor Fans- I love Raptor Fans in general. I don’t think you could be doing what I am doing without that. I suppose you can but for me I make it part of my job to know this fan base and try to understand it. Some of the things this fan base has always been debating have not changed over the years. The first on this list is that position of point guard.

Yes from when most of you booed Damon Stoudamire until you picked sides in the Ford and Calderon debate. The point guard of your Toronto Raptors has always been a focus of the fans. Even this year with Jose as the clear #1 point guard Raptor fans still need something about this position to debate about. I am not saying that Ukic vs Solomon will turn into as heated and divided a debate but people are having it.

From Mike James and his motor mouth only matched by his number of shooting attempts. To Chris Childs and him not knowing the score versus the Pistons in the playoffs. We have had Rafer Alston say he was going to quit the game altogether.  Raptor fan favourite Alvin “Boogie” Williams. There have been many colourful and memorable players at the point guard for the Toronto Raptors. Piston star before he was a star at all Chancey Billiups was even in Toronto for a short time.

It will always be at the front of any Raptor debate. If Jose Calderon does not have a great start or has the numbers dip that Paul Jones and I have also said could happen, Raptor fans will no doubt react to it. I would venture to say short of being the franchise player being the point guard in Toronto is the second hardest job to have. But the same can be said in many NBA cities.

The Post Oakley Era- Where have you gone Charles Oakley? Oh wait I know the answer to this he was on Pros vs Joes. So Oakley is taking on Joe “Six Pack” and Joe “The Plumber” and all the other average Joe’s out there. But Raptor fans still worship the golden age of Oakley in Toronto. The Atlanta Hawks would not be pushing around the Raptors if we had Charles Oakley.

I have been one who has missed that Oakley old school tough attitude. I even suggested the Raptors should just sign him and have him in a suit(Which Would Be Styling) on the end of the bench.  If trouble happens Oakley could take off his jacket and through some blows.

The Raptors team toughness has always been an issue since the trade of Oakley to Chicago. Some say that J.O will be the answer to this question once and for all. I am hopeful of that. I recently claimed that the Raptors traded away the new Oakley in Roy Hibbert. It was in part a joke based on his early exit from his first ever NBA contest. But there was some truth in it too.  It was one of the reasons I was pushing for the Raptors to draft Hibbert. They would draft Nathan Jawai who does have the size to be that type of a player but the question on eveyones mind is Nathan’s heart at this point. Not the heart he will have as a player but the one that pumps the blood in your body. If things work out for Nathan he can add to that toughness as well.

But the whole “soft” label has been one that has dogged the Raptors for a longtime. They will look to put this one in the rear view mirror this year.

Coaches Please Apply- This one is not unique at all but the coach of the day is also always a key talking point. Sam Mitchell despite all the stuff you may read is the longest serving coach in Raptor history. Considering all that has gone on since he came to Toronto it is pretty amazing. But all the Raptor coaches with the possible exception of Brendan Malone have all felt the heat.  Malone would have his problem with his boss and not as much the fans. This season will be no different and in fact should be the climax of the Sam Mitchell debate once and for all. Sam if he is successful is going to take away the wind in the sails of the many folks that have been his detractors over his time here. However if he fails and this team is not successful he will be hard pressed to remain as the coach of the Raptors. Sam has been a person that has been here for some of the worst and best of the Toronto Raptors and he will get a big chapter when you tell the story of this franchise at some point in the future. The ultimate end of that chapter is still being written.

I forget who said this but it has been said the more we change the more we stay the same. I think that is true about the Toronto Raptors. What will happen in the future is anybody’s guess but I bet some of the things in this blog will be part of those conversations. Raptors in LA LA Land and taking on the Clippers and TBA that is Team To BE Announced. That TBA should end up being Barcelona. No T.V that I am aware of for this. So you may need to head to free radio feeds from NBA.Com for these ones. Raptors game versus Nuggets in Edmonton that will on Raptors TV. Tip off for the season is just 11 days away. It is coming fast.

Keeping that in mind I have a Poll Question for you.  What are you most looking forward to this season?

Raptors vs Clippers 7:30 EDT

Listen To Game on Net @ NBA.Com

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.

Matt Devlin From Raptors TV to The Dino Nation Blog

(Photo From One Of Our Readers From Ottawa)

Matt Devlin fresh off his debut on Raptors TV took the time to come and visit the Dino Nation Blog. We talked about a number of things about himself  and early impressions of the Toronto Raptors. Like we did with Jack Armstrong recently Matt was happy to be the second guest of what we here at the Dino Nation Blog are calling the starting 5. It is designed to allow you to hear the first five minutes of our conversations with our guests when that is possible to hook up with them on the phone. This Starting 5 begins with Matt’s thoughts on his first broadcast with the Raptors…have a listen in the link below:

Starting 5- The Guest…Matt Devlin Raptors T.V Play by Play Man

As always the conversation continued. We started with some talk about the guys from the bench that have been seeing some time in these first two games. Will Solomon and Kris Humphries, Matt shares his thought on these two Raptors reserves:

Matt Devlin- I think they are going to be extremely important once we get to the regular season. You look at someone like Kris Humphries, and his time already in the league, he is still extremely young, and he is somebody that can provide some energy and spark off the bench. Last night he came flying in on a Jose miss on a lay-up and had an unbelievable follow dunk. I think those are the things that their going to need. Get on the offensive glass and get second chances. As far as Will Solomon, there has been no question ever about what he can do offensively. He can score and I think that was a great signing over the summer time. He has the experience now, he was in a tough spot in Memphis, on a team that wasn’t that good and he was thrown into the fire a little bit. You want to see him cut down on turnovers a bit which he did. He told me from game one he said “listen I had 4 turnovers in the first half, I’m not gonna lie to you I was a little gittery out there it was my first NBA game in six years. So I was kind of feeling it a little bit”. But defensively he has such long arms and wingspan that I think he can do an excellent job guarding not only the 1 but also the 2 spot depending upon the match-up.

The Toronto Raptors also have some expectations for Roko Ukic. He has been dealing with some bumps from camp so far. But he has seen time on the floor but always with another point guard playing along side him at the 2 spot. I asked Matt for his thoughts about this and his overall opinions on Roko and where he is at.

Matt Devlin-Well I think that is what you want to do. Everyone that I have spoken with from the Raptors compare Roko to where Jose was as a rookie. He is extremely quick with th ball and now he is learning the system and that takes time, Along with Nathan they are the two rookies on the team and you look for there progression. Even for the great European that come over, very few have just made sensational impacts in year one. It takes time and for roko at the point guard it will take time your extension of the coach on the floor and that growth process does take time.

As for this idea of Roko being out their with a second point guard to watch is back. Matt mentioned he felt it was more a case of the Raptors lack of numbers at this point in combination with the fact that the Knicks were going small that lead us to seeing the combinations of Roko with Will Solomon and at time Jose Calderon on the floor with him. So this may be something that Mitchell could consider vs. small line-ups if he wants to get Roko out on the floor. But it may just be the fact of numbers and it being pre-season as Matt said. We move from the reserves to the main two guys. Jermaine O’Neal and CB4 together.  What has it looked like early on. Have we learned anything yet?

Matt Devlin- I think at this time of the year everybody is trying to feel each other out and nobody is really going to show their hand. Everybody is bluffing, it’s like poker. The Raptors are not doing anything special with those two guys. This isn’t the time for that. It is for everybody to get comfortable on the floor, everybody to remain healthy. Last night though there was a sequence when the double came to Bosh who delivered a pass to O’Neal that was a little low. O’Neal was unable to handle it but he was wide open. You know there is going to be a ton of those opportunities that one of these two guys is going to be open because of the double team. They are going to make teams pay for it. I am personally not concerned with Bosh and O’Neal and how they play together. I think they are going to be a perfect compliment to each other.

The person everyone is focused on this preseason beyond Bosh and O’Neal is Andrea Bargnani. He has had what most would say is a nice first two games of the pre-season.  So what is Matt’s take on Andrea and where he is heading at this point?

Matt Devlin- I think the big question is if he can keep it up. He did have his surgery in the off-season to clear up his sinuses. I think that is important for anyone that has had to deal with something like that in the past. Certainly for a professional athlete that can be hindrance. He’s young, I think he now understands what it takes. I think the fact that he put in the time that he did in the summertime shows that. Also, I think it was a great idea by Sam Mitchell to say hey we know you can shoot a three but I don’t want to see you shoot a three. You can’t shoot a three. For the first three days of camp he wouldn’t allow Bargnani to take a three point shot. How to the change that mentality of a guy saying this is what I do. You say well hey you can’t do that anymore you got to go in the box you have to go down low and I think that is a positive.

I related it to when you have a kid just starting out in basketball. You make the child put there strong dribbling hand behind their back and force them to learn to dribble with the other. Matt agreed with that example as far as what we talking about in Bargnani. The goal is to force him out of his comfort zone to make the other aspects of his game stronger. So far so good for the Raptors in that regard. Matt will be working with Jack Armstrong on TSN when the season gets rolling. Jack as many of you may be aware made a prediction that the Raptors(if healthy) could win 48 games this season. I asked his broadcast partner for his thoughts on Jack’s prediction for the Raptors.

Matt Devlin- He has gone out there with a number already? I’m not a predictor because there are so many variables to that. Do I think they have the ability to get to that number? Absolutely they have that ability. But, everything has to fall into place. What I mean by that is they have the potential win more than 48 if everything falls into place. Can you stay away from injuries? Do you get a good start to the season? How do you handle the road trip at Christmas time out west? There are gonna be some key points to the season that determine if they are going to reach Jack’s number. But I like the fact that he is confident. He is willing to go on record to which is a good thing.

But it is not just Jack Armstrong making predictions of success for the Raptors. Bob McCown on the show Prime Time Sports said in a recent interview with Jack his number is in the 50’s. The Raptor fan base and various blogs have had their say as well. A lot of this can be put into one word “expectations”. So I asked Matt how he thinks the Raptors deal with that heading into this season.

Matt Devlin- I have been around a lot of teams in this league and they say we don’t care about what anyone else says, were just going to go out there and do what we can do. You know I do think as players they understand the expectations. Chris Bosh after last night’s game, talked about winning, and needing certain players. Is that a result of getting that gold and getting that hunger to go further after two disappointing first round exits,  to reach that next level. To me James, this is a team that doesn’t need anyone around them to say anything. They know, you don’t bring in a guy like Jermaine O’Neal, you don’t make the moves the Bryan Colangelo made without everybody totally getting the point. They are saying we are going move on from where we have been in the past. We are going bring in a 6-time all star and create this dynamic duo. By the way we already have the best 3-point shooter in the league, we have a versatile two in Anthony Parker, An athletic guy in Jamario Moon. Probably the most…No I am not even going to say probably. The most underrated in the NBA who is an all star point guard. That level of a player. So the parts are in place. Can Bargnani continue to show improvement and Can Humphries contribute. I think they all freely understand the expectations. Their expectations may be higher than the ones out there.

So what about the rest of this preseason? Can we expect to see more from the Raptors and what this team may look like come October 29th. I asked Matt about his thoughts on the progression of things as these pre-season games move forward.

Matt Devlin- Sam has said that he sees these games as an extension of practice and that is not going to change for him.  I think the progression you want to see is Jermaine O’Neal and his legs. Does he have his legs back? You want see progression from guys like Will, Andrea and Roko. But you know what your going to get from Jose. You know what your going to get from Chris Bosh. Same goes for Parker and Kapono. There are known entities for the Raptors. As the pre-season moves on your still going to see a lot of the bench. Your going to see Bargnani a lot. You will see a bunch of different combinations on the floor. Think that is more what you can expect to see as far as combinations that Sam is working with. Think this is a team that Sam already has a lot of the things in his mind made up. He is not going to share that with people at this stage. These are our 5 starters we know what we have coming off the bench. As I mentioned before can Andrea Bargnani keep producing what he has to this point. Do guys like Joey Graham and Hassan Adams get healthy and we get to see what they can do. Those are things I think we look at right now.

Like in the past Matt was very generous with his time. He is getting his house all set up in Toronto and getting things all set for the season on the home front. So I am grateful to him for taking the time to talk with us at the Dino Nation Blog.  So If Matt did not get everything done around the house today. I want to say to his wife it is my fault.  But on a serious note I wish Matt and his family a smooth transition into their new home and a new life in Canada. We always are grateful to the people who make time for us and we should also say thanks to their families that in a sense share them with us.  It is something we sometimes all forget that everyone from Chris Bosh, Matt Devlin and yours truly all have stuff we do away from the work that we love that is important too. Good Luck to Matt through this upcoming season and we look forward to his views in future editions of the Dino Nation Blog.