Thursday 31 January 2013

Gay To TO


Rudy Gay is officially a Raptor.  Finally they have a coveted small forward.  As I have said before the only way for Toronto to acquire talent is through trade or draft.  High name free agents are not coming to Toronto.  Coloangelo, atrocious GM, rolled the dice with this one.  The future will tell as to whether this deal works out for Toronto.  Let’s look at the pieces. 
                Rudy Gay is very talented yet very overpaid for two more years.  He is having a bad season so he was bought for a low price.  He is a good friend of Kyle Lowry, who becomes the man at point guard for Toronto, this chemistry should help.  He is paid like a #1 and wants to be a #1.  Can he be a star?  Toronto is banking on it. 
                The Rap lost Calderon and Davis in the deal.  Both were a pleasure to watch.  Davis finally got some minutes this year due to injuries and was impressive.  However, his rookie deal was up and Toronto was going to lose him for greener pastures in the coming years.  Plus with JV and Bargs coming back soon his minutes were sure to drop.  Caderon was a surprisingly solid point guard for eight seasons in Toronto.  His contract was expiring and the Raptors were sure to let him walk over the summer.  Davis and Calderon were good players on their way out and the cost of losing them was an overpaid wild card in Rudy Gay. 
                With the deal the Raptors roster is very redundant.  Derozean and Gay are the same type of player with Gay being a superior version of the two.  Both are slashers who shoot poorly from three and are below average defenders.  Derozean was just signed to a monstrous extension! Yikes! Now Demar needs to be dealt.  Bargnani as well has to be dealt at the very least before next season.  Dealing the pussy cat Andrea must be priority number one for Colangelo and I believe the Raptors board must have told him that if Gay comes Andrea must be dealt.  Fields is also overpaid and a new home for him is needed.  There isn’t much financial flexibility for the Raps.  Yikes! 
                If the above mentioned are dealt there might be some hope with the deal.  This deal is a predicated on what happens next with the roster.  If players are dealt it looks promising.  If not? Yikes! 
                The combinations with Gay playing some power forward are intriguing.  Lowry, Ross, Demar, Gay, and Johnson?  Very athletic!  As long as Demarr and Bargs are dealt I think I am behind this deal.  Building around Lowry, Ross, Gay, and JV seems the way to go.  Add Johnson to the mix and I would like to see what happens. 
                Standing wise the deal goes two ways.  The Raps either remain an 8 to 10 seed or they make some trades and build around the ones they should and they elevate to a 4 or 5 seed. 


                Memphis has taken themselves out of the West race with the deal.  Prince may help a bit but its over for the Grizz.  The financial realities are harsh for the small market teams. 
                Detroit may join the race for #8 in the East.  Calderon should help their bigs.  This summer Joe Dumars will have some cap space but given his record in free agency, is this a good thing?  

Thursday 24 January 2013

All Star Reserve Insanity

Deng over Lopez?
Randolph over Gasol?

Pucklife


HOCKEY HOCKEY!  Is back!  Yippee!  Go Bruins!  Go Sens!  Should be a wild condensed schedule infused year.  I am shocked given the stupidity of the lockout that the fans have come back and the games have been so entertaining.  The players certainly seemed to chomping to get back at it!!!!

CBB Thoughts


1.       Duke got destroyed last night by Miami.  It was unwatchable baby.  Look for the Blue Devlis to fall off as Miami, North Carolina, and NC State gain some steam.
2.       Miss you Ryan Kelly. 
3.       Michael Carter Williams has a true baby face. 
4.       This year is wide open.  There is no dominant team. 
5.       Loving the Kentucky struggles!  Brings a smile to my face to see the agent Calipari fail. 
6.       Final Four:  Butler, Oregon. NC State,  VCU

Two Awful Teams


The soap opera in LA keeps getting more interesting.  The Lakers held a team meeting yesterday for everyone to air their grievances.  According to reports Kobe and the Dwightmare went at it a bit.  Game by game the train wreck that has been the 2012-13 Lakers has been fascination to watch.  Kobe started the season off strong but has cooled off of late.  He has joined twitter, a pleasure for us all, and has somewhat behaved himself.  Howard has looked disinterested and healing on the fly from his back woes.  He’s picked up tech fouls left and right.  One wonders if he ever will regain his stature as a top player in the league.  These days he looks serviceable.  And will he resign in LA? 
                Gasol has shown flashes after being demoted to bench player.  What an awful situation for the talented big man, he has served as the whipping boy for years.  Nash looks old and slow.  Really old and slow. 
                There is no cohesion or effort from the Lakers when it counts.  Yet still they are only four games out of the playoffs. 
                It is a shame the Lakers will never blow it up, that is not their style.  D’antoni should be axed but given the fact that they already fired Brown this year, D’antoni and his contract will stay.  Gasol and Howard should be unloaded for assets so the rebuild can happen. 
                Maybe they turn it around a bit?    It has been a spectacular failure thus far 
               
                Boston, the leagues other marquee franchise, has been just as disappointing this year.  They are clinging onto the eight playoff spot in the East.  Rondo has not progressed to the elite level player many thought he would.  Jason Terry forgot how to add instant offense off the bench over the summer.  Green has mastered the deer in the headlights look.  The mainstays Garnett and Pierce along with the youngins Bradley and Sullinger have all been solid.    Unless a major shakeup happens at the trade deadline it would appear that the window on Celtics relevance is closing. 

Sunday 13 January 2013

A Classic?


NFL Playoff alert!  The Ravens Broncos game was a classic.  Aside from the Dierdorf annoyance factor the game had everything.  Two Trindan Holiday special teams returns for touchdowns.  Manning slinging touchdowns and Flacco matching him with long bombs to Smith and Jones, Flacco by the way earned himself a new contract with that performance.  The last throw in regulation time was shocking, how did the Broncos secondary let that happen?  Excitement!  What a battle!  In the end Manning threw an awful interception which led to a 2nd 0T field goal by the Ravens rookie filed goal.  Manning’s arm looked a little rubbery towards the end of that game, maybe it was the cold?  Ray Lewis lives on to fight another day.  As a Patriots fan I am scared of a rematch with Baltimore.  The Ravens look like a team of destiny. 
                Oh and in the second game the Niners steamrolled the Pack behind a fleet footed rookie quarterback. 
                On to today’s matchups!  

Thursday 10 January 2013

Roll em Roids, Pucks, and Tide


CFB Championship

That one was tough to watch as a ND fan.  Absolutely steamrolled by an uber talented Alabama team.  The Crimson Tide seemed to have stallions at every position.  Yes the SEC is still dominant.  Perhaps Oregon would have given them a game.  Saban is about as likeable as a dutchoven moment early in the morning but the overlord gets it done year after year.  Three out of four is unprecedented.  In the end it was a great miracle season for the Irish.  Golston will build on this season and be an excellent player in the future.  Can the Irish match this successful year in the coming seasons?  Sadly, probably not.  The SEC will still dominate the polls.  Oregon will be in the mix.  Ohio State is building something under Urban Meyer.  Perhaps when the playoffs come for college football the Irish will have a chance to get to a championship game but the odds are against them.  Sad to see Teo go.  Disappointing to hear Kelly is taking interviews for the NFL. 

Baseball Hall of Fame

No one got the 75 percent to be elected to the hall.  No one inducted this year.  Consider it a statement year with all the PED users on the ballot.  I think most of them deserve to make it.  Those drugs like it or not were a part of the baseball culture and most of the players in question have hall worthy careers spanning the non “PED” years.  All the PED’s did and do is prolong some productivity by accelerating recovery.  Eventually some of these guys will make it as the writers turn over realizing PED’s have always been a part of the game for a hundred years or so and their morality faces them every morning in the mirror.  Remember the “era of PED’s” by electing a few to the hall.  Preserve history and put asterisks by their names if need be.

NHL

Emotions are mixed about hockey being back.  Living in Canada I find there is an overload of hockey coverage and not enough basketball coverage.  It is painful for a hoops addict.  I root for the Senators and Bruins go to some games and love playoff hockey.  I love it yet hate it.  The lockout was nonsense spearheaded by the worst commissioner in sports Gary Bettman.  Look for the Canadian teams to regain their fans but in the US the fans might not come back. Empty seats will be a black eye for the NHL. The play itself should be wide open with a limited amount of regular season games and a frenetic schedule.  Last years abridged NBA season was wild so perhaps the same thing will happen in the rinks.  

Playoffs Week Two


Before I begin the look ahead in the playoffs let me touch on the RG3 situation.   The QB was obviously hurt and injured depending on what language you want to use.  After the mounting a 14-0 lead over the Seahawks he probably should have been taken out of the game.  The blame for what happened after is all on Shanahan.  RG3 is never going to let on that he was hurt, that is the football players mentality unfortunately.  Given how he looked afterwards he should have been taken out.  The risk for serious injury was there, it is awful that the coach ignored the obvious and left him in the game.  A healthy Kirk Cousins over a hobbling RG3 probably would have given the Redskins a better shot at beating the Seahawks. 
                This week’s games:

Seattle at Atlanta- Hmm the Falcons need to prove they have some cajones.  Their big play offense will have limited shots against a great Seattle defense.  Can they contain Marshawn Lynch?  This will be another key.  In the end I am thinking the Falcons will fall surprising no one and everyone at the same time. 

Green Bay at San Francisco- This game has the look of a classic.  The Niners trounced the Pack early in the season.  San Fran’s rookie quarterback in the playoffs?  Yikes.  The Niners are a well rounded team on both sides of the ball.  The Packers defense is weak.  Aaron Rodgers must have the game of his life for Green Bay to win this one.  Unless Kaepernick throws pick sixes early I look for the Niners to win a close one.

Baltimore at Denver:  This is Ray Lewis’ last game.  Early turnovers by Flacco will help the Broncos get out to an early lead and hang on to win the game despite some late Ray Rice heroics.  Denver by a touchdown.  Manning will continue his magnificent season.  The Ravens defense’s age issues will be exposed. 

Houston at New England:  I only hope the Patriots are not taking the Texans lightly as Dan Shaunessy wrote.  Thanks for the bulletin board material Dan.  I suspect the Texans will come out strong behind Foster and some playmakers on defense.  Look for a close game early.  In the end the difference will be at the quarterback position.  A Brady to Gronk touchdown will close the first half.  The Patriots will carry that momentum to the second and win going away. 

               

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Honey Nut Cheerios


Monday night’s game between the Celtics and Knicks at MSG had that feel, especially in the fourth quarter.  Spike Lee was making a nuisance of himself heckling Celtics inbounders.  Shot for shot the squads were matching eachother.  Paul Pierce hit some huge ones.  Avery Bradley made the intangible great plays on defense and cutting baseline for open looks.  KG and Melo went at it, the trash talking was in full effect.  All in all the quarter had a playoff feel. 
Is the rivalry renewed to the level of the Bernard King/Bird years?  I think so.  The Celts and Knicks have rarely been both good during the same years.  This season the Knicks are off to a great start looking like a number two seed in the east.  That spot was supposed to go to the Celtics according to everyone, even me.  The C’s have flopped all year except for the last three games.  A good win versus the Pacers at home started it all.  The next night they came back on the Hawks behind a 33-9 third quarter in Atlanta for the win.  Then the big win in at MSG.  It was a statement game!  The true warriors, KG and Pierce, have had enough of the losing.  Book it, with Bradely back things start to fall into place.  The Knicks have started to fall off a bit(Felton injury?) but desperately want to be the new power in the east behind Miami.  Melo’s classmates have rings and he wants his.    All of these factors collided on Monday.  It was a heck of a battle and I can’t wait for the next meeting on January 24th
After the game on Monday there was lots of buzz about breakfast cereal.  Melo and KG got into it on the court picking up t’s and apparently after the game Melo was looking to settle things pugnaciously with KG.  Ahhh the theatre of it all, Melo was waiting by the bus to go at KG.  About 500 security people where in the way, it was highlarious to see. The two never saw eachother.  KG a vicious trash talker had aid something during the game about Melo’s wife and Carmelo though he had crossed the line.  Cheerios anyone?  KG probably crossed the line here as he always does but that is his game, always has been.  Love him hate him he does it again and again.  Melo on the other hand had a bad game and was taken of his pace during the fourth quarter by KG antics.  To react in that manner after the game?   Now the word knows Melo has thin skin.  Dumb move Mr. Anthony.  Expect cereal boxes everywhere in Boston for the rematch.  

Seattle Kings?


Today the rumor mill has been rampant that the Kings will be sold to a Seattle group and relocated in time for next season.  I love this move for many reasons.  Seattle gets a team again, I really miss the Sonics.  David Stern also has egg on his face after engineering the Clay Bennett Midnight run to Oklahoma City a few years ago.   The Pacific Northwest needs a ball team and now the Portland/Seattle rivalry will be back on.  I fondly remember the Payton, Perkins, McMillan, Kemp, Ellis, and Schrempf years.  Wow I am excited the more I think about it. 
The downside in this developing NBA news is that Sacremento loses the Kings.  The Maloofs clearly are to blame for all of this, they ran a once proud franchise into the ground.  Mitch Richmond memories are all I will have.  Weep.  Remember just a decade ago the Kings were challenging the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy.  C-Webb, Miller, Divac, and Stojakovic led a proud franchise capable of cowbell moments.  The crowds were loud in Arco, a great small town.  Since then the owners and recent GM (Petrie) have run the franchise into the ground.  Crowds are sparse and the roster is beyond redundant.  They have about eight power forwards. 
So what happens with the Sac/Sea roster moving forward?  Boogie Cousins is not going anywhere.  Hear Me!  If the team wasn’t being relocated there might be a chance Petrie would be dumb enough to trade him.  He will be a vital marketing piece/cornerstone to build around in Seattle.  He might be a coach killer/freak/baby but he is supremely talented.  If he could ever grow he would be a top ten talent in the league.  I expect the Seattle fans will love him.  Thomas stays as, he is a dynamic young point guard.  Robinson will stay and Thompson will be traded.  This pair screams redundancy and Robinson is the more recent draft pick.  Other than that look for the rest of the roster to hopefully turnover with a new gm and coach in place for next season, these new owners will want their own men in charge.  

Thursday 3 January 2013

Different Directions


And the run continues.  After blowing out the Magic over the weekend the Raptors blew out a lethargic Blazers bunch last night at the ACC.  Sure the Blazers were playing a back to back after beating the Knicks behind Liliard’s heroics at MSG on Tuesday, but the game was another positive sign for the Raptors. 
                The ball moved yet again.  Calderon and Lowry handed out 22 assists.  A far more astounding stat from the pair was the limited scoring and shot attempts.  Lowry is a scoring talent who can be a bit selfish at times, the me first mentality.  When things were stalling through the first 23 games this trait was on display, perhaps it was frustration due a blogged down offense cornered around the plodding/bricking Bargnani.  Ball movement has become infectious and Lowry seems to have bought in.  The entire roster has. 
                Young talent has also been on display.  Terrence Ross was on fire last night dropping threes while scoring a career high 26 points.  Over the last half dozen games Ross has shown the potential that led to his being picked #8 in the last NBA Draft.  He is fearless, never shies away from the shot or moment.  When his shot is on these are great qualities.  As well the highlight reel dunks seem to coming every game.  Ed Davis has stepped up in the absence of Bargnani.  Easy Ed is quick off the floor for rebounds and put backs.  After an injury and bench ridden first few seasons it is nice to see Davis take advantage of his opportunity.  He seems to have bona fide interior skills.  It will be interesting to see how his career shakes out.   The Raptors need to see more of this from Ed before deciding on whether to extend him or not. 
                The veterans have also finally produced.  Anderson has been a solid intangible guy and a great shooter at times.  Fields is back from the wrist injury and contributing.  Johnson has made himself into a solid big man.  Valunciunas is out but showed potential. 
                These good times for the Raptors come with Andrea Bargnani out with injury.  The offense looks better and the ball is moving.  Will it last?  Probably not but after a horrendous start led by the stagnant Bargnani these last few weeks have been a delight.  It will be very interesting to see what happens with Andrea for the rest of the year.  I have a feeling the fans and players might mutiny if he is giving heavy minutes or propped up to be the franchise player once and if he does return. 
                The closest thing the Raptors have to a franchise player is Demar Derozean.  His extension at the beginning seemed to be a head scratcher but so far he seems to be worth it.  He has been efficient and quietly leads the team in output most nights.  Impressive. 
                Colangelo still needs the axe. 

                The Celtics on the other hand have been poor.  Underwhelming they don’t look playoff worthy.  I caught the end of last night’s game versus Memphis.  Rajon Rondo, a predicted MVP candidate, is up to his usual mercurial ill advised ballin.  The two late fourth quarter threes were awful.  Rondo has regressed yet again and does not seem to want to be a leader.  The guy will not take over games like he should given the age of Pierce and Garnett.  Green and Terry for the most part have been disappointing.  Bradely did return last night but he needs time.  As Tommy Heinson said “the pieces on this team don’t fit yet.”  It’s time to panic in Beantown!  I think a major shakeup trade is needed.  They need a big besides Garnett.  Danny Ainge needs to get to work.