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by Terri Workman… Shawn Williams scores game winner and Merrick Thomson named game MVP.
Meeting each other for the fourth time this season, the second seeded Toronto Nationals and the top seeded Denver Outlaws faced off against each other for a final time in 2009 in Annapolis, MD this afternoon. Fans at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium saw the Nationals take the game 10-9 and win the 2009 New Balance Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Championship for their inaugural season.
Toronto opened the scoring a minute into the game on a breakaway goal from Nick O’Hara, giving the Nationals a positive start to a game that would test the fitness of both teams who each played intense tight games yesterday in the semi-final matchups. The Nationals secured a place in today’s Championship after scoring five of the last six goals of the game for a close 14-13 win over the Long Island Lizards Saturday afternoon.
Denver answered back early on with midfielder Josh Sims putting the Outlaws on the board and that would be it for the Outlaws in the first quarter as Nationals goaltender Doc Schneider stopped a number of Denver shots to keep the scoring low.
John Grant Jr. gave Toronto a one goal lead with his first playoff goal on a behind the head shot past Outlaws goaltender Jesse Schwartzman finishing out the quarter 2-1 in favour of the Nationals.
Nationals’ attacker Jeff Zywicki scored to begin second quarter action before the Outlaws responded almost immediately when Matt Brown beat Schneider in front of the net bringing the score to 3-2. Brendan Mundorf tied the game at three a piece a minute later and the Outlaws took the first lead of the game at 4-3 after Brian Langtry scored on a power play.
Mundorf put another past Schneider for Denver before Zywicki scored his second of the game bringing the score within one and the first half came to end with Denver holding the lead at 5-4 and both Schwartzman and Schneider recording 10 saves each.
Second half starting goaltender Brett Queener, who didn’t appear in the semi-final game on Saturday afternoon made his first save of the playoffs early to open the third quarter and Merrick Thomson evened the score at five with a diving goal just outside the crease.
Jeff Sonke gave Denver the advantage scoring on Queener seven minutes into the third followed by another Outlaws goal from Mike Ward, his first goal of the season. Zywicki recorded a hat trick for the Nationals with his fourth goal of the playoffs followed by another Toronto goal from Thomson to tie the game once again at 6-6. The tie was short lived once Mundorf scored his third of the game for Denver with just under a minute left and the third quarter ended with the Outlaws ahead by one, 8-7.
Grant Jr. took one to the net and scored his second goal of the game unassisted and heated up a vocal Schwartzman to begin the final quarter of the Championship game in a tie. Sims scored for the Outlaws on a powerplay before Shawn Williams secured another goal for Toronto assisted by Zywicki with just under five minutes remaining in the game to tie it at 9.
With :45 seconds remaining, Williams cut toward the crease after a pass from semi-final game MVP Joe Walters and scored another huge goal for Toronto. That would be all the Nationals needed to win the game with a 10-9 defeat over the Denver Outlaws and hoist the Steinfeld Cup for the first time.
2009 MLL Defensive Player of the Year Brodie Merrill was the first to raise the trophy after the game. This is the third championship for the defender but the first time he’s been presented the Steinfeld Cup as captain.
“It’s a pretty special experience to get it, I’m very humbled by it,” said Merrill earlier this week before heading to Annapolis, MD. “The fun part will just be enjoying it with the entire team. We are very team oriented, and this is what we worked towards”.
Attacker Jeff Zywicki would lead the Nationals in points with four on three goals and one assist and was joined by major contributions across the board for Toronto. John Grant Jr, Merrick Thomson and Shawn Williams each contributed two goals and Nick O’Hara with one. Thomson was also named the game’s Bud Light MVP.
Brendan Mundorf led the Outlaws offence with three goals followed by Josh Sims who scored twice.
Goaltender Brett Queener recorded the win saving 11 of 15 shots in the second half and Doc Schneider held Denver to just five goals in the first half saving 12 of 17 goals.
The Nationals finish the season with a 9-5 record as Major League Lacrosse Champions.
For complete game statistics, please visit Pointstreak at: Toronto vs. Denver Boxscore<http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=1080366
by Geoff Zochodne… 
We enter the Toronto Blue Jays’ clubhouse. Roy Halladay is watching game film of his last start against the Boston Red Sox. It is 3 a.m. and the only other person in the room is a drunken John McDonald who is trying to catch self-tossed, beer bottle, pop fly’s. He snags every. Single. One.
Roy Halladay: Well, that wasn’t a great start last night. I can do much better, nay, I WILL do much better. Maybe if I just-
Roy Halladay’s Arm: Roy, listen to me for a second.
RH: What is it Arm?
Arm: I’m tired man. Maybe it’s time for an “anxiety” trip to the DL, no?
RH: Sorry arm. I owe it to this organization and my loyal fans. I’m all they’ve got right now and I need to be the man.
Arm: But you’ve tossed five complete games already! First in the American League! Your WHIP is lower than a chandelier in a dog house. You’ve pitched more innings than is allowable by the Geneva Convention. I’m pratically falling off here.
RH: Cram it, I’ll get the soldering iron out in a bit.
Roy Halladay’s Brain: Roy, I think it’s time to call it a season buddy. Let’s go A.J. Burnett all over this town.
RH: What did you just say to me? (Brain begins cowering) Brain, you just get back to watching film. I gotta bounce back and win this next start.
Brain: What for? No one cares anymore. I want to get back to curing cancer and putting a man on Mars. You promised me we could do those things Roy.
RH: I know Brain, but I must pitch well. I can’t not try hard, I mean that’s like sacrilege to me. The team and the fans appreciate my effort, I just know it.
Roy Halladay’s Stomach: Not according to me. Your gut instinct is saying it’s time to move on, and also to get a chicken parm sandwich.
RH: No I’ve got to get back to work. There’s no time for sand-
Stomach: NO TIME FOR SANDWICHES?!?!?! HOW DARE YOU!
Brain: Listen, there will be plenty of time for sandwiches (Stomach growls in approval). Let’s just focus on getting the hell out of Toronto first. Roy, the team is going to trade you in the offseason and the rest of the league already knows how good you are. Arm needs a break, I need to think, and stomach needs food. Do I hear a ringing? Because I think it’s time to start phoning it in.
RH: Well… if you put it that way, maybe it is time for a little break.
Roy Halladay’s Conscience: ROY! How dare you? I’m ashamed to be your conscience. You get back to work. It’s time to start preparing for your next start.
Brain: Hey, the team is going nowhere. That nice guy who played right field…what’s his name? Allan? He got dumped for nothing! They couldn’t even sign all their draft picks for crying out loud! There’s no plan in place, it’s time to bolt.
Stomach: I think his name was Alex…
Brain: SILENCE. Let me speak. Think for a second: The organization is cutting costs while saying they’re going to increase payroll, there are whispers about selling the team, they traded away your best defensive asset in Scott Rolen, Cito’s lukewarm about returning, the rotation has a guy with a name I can’t spell AND WE’RE STILL IN FOURTH PLACE. Did Frankie just go to Hollywood? Because it’s time to relax, pal.
RH: NEVER. I didn’t get to where I am by relaxing. I will persevere and this team will win, for I am Roy Halladay: Defender of the Blue Jays. Randy Ruiz will be a good DH, the rotation will blossom, we’ll be just as good defensively, Cito will stay, I’ll win the Cy Young, the organization will spend money and the Snidawg’s back. Snidawg, Brain. SNIDAWG.
Brain: Ugh. Fine you jerk, be that way. Start throwing more curveballs inside to lefties.
RH: Thank you, Brain.
Enter J.P. Ricciardi, cue up music: Fastball’s “The Way”
J.P. Ricciardi: Hey Roy, can we talk?
BRAIN: KILL.
Arm: PUNCH.
Conscience: RUN.
Stomach: EAT.
RH: Sorry pal, I’m a little busy getting ready for my next start.
J.P.: Oh, well can you write me a letter of recommendation later? Things aren’t looking too good.
RH: Of course J.P.
J.P.’s Stomach: I’m starving. Where did you put Halladay’s soul?
John McDonald (spotting J.P. through a veil of alcohol-induced tears): I got your letter of recommendation right here J.P. (He gestures towards a PG-13 area of his body). Why would you re-sign me and then just have me pinch run? WHY?!?!
(Note: All screenplay inquiries should be forwarded to geoffzochodne@gmail.com. The working title is, “Look Who’s Chirping Now”)
by Dan Boone… 
Doesn’t pro football make you groan?
Do you roll your eyes and moan when you hear the billionaire owners and millionaire players playing in taxpayer-built palaces threaten a “work stoppage”? How about when the TV talking head talks intently about the gathering dark clouds of an ominously looming labor contract?
If the players want to strike, let ‘em go. Since free agency, the quality of the NFL play has dropped dramatically, and teams only retain the majority of their players for a few years.
No more Steel Curtains, Fearsome Foursomes, Monsters of the Midways, Doomsday Defenses, or Purple People Eaters, no the turnover is too great and good teams are torn asunder.
As B.B. King sang, “The thrill is gone.” Okay, the thrill may not gone, but it’s fading in comparison to college football.
Let’s check out how the college game, despite the BCS playing a playoff prevent defense to keep its paws in the money pot, is better than the pros.
1. The Quarterback Can Be Tackled, Sacked, Rushed, Touched, and Brushed.
He is a player. He is one of 11 guys who plays football just like all the other players.
The NFL has protected its perfumed princes of the pocket to such a degree that it has taken away from the quality of the game.
2. College Players Seem To Enjoy the Game More.
The NFL has become the look-at-me league.
Players, making millions, dance after every simple tackle or catch.
Some players call press conferences to air individual complaints after each loss.
Some very well-paid players do not try on every play. They say it’s a business, just a business.
Some players seem like they could care less.
In college football, the players at least try on every play.
3. College Coaches Have Personalities.
Steve Spurrier says some stupid, albeit often funny, things.
Lane Kiffin came out verbally swinging in Tennessee.
Joe Paterno can be a grumpy old man.
Some college coaches appear mad or sad, angry or happy, sarcastic or mean, but at least, most coaches show a bit of emotion, unlike the coaching drones on the NFL sidelines.
The NFL coachbots are afraid to say anything the least bit interesting or controversial. They just drop the same staid sound bites week after week after week. Maybe the heavy hand of Goodell fills them with fear.
Or perhaps, like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, they have all just been transformed into drones.
Different coaching personalities make for a variety of offenses and defenses. The NFL is a copycat league where innovation is seldom seen anymore.
4. College Teams Do Not Switch Cities.
Sure, sometimes they switch conferences, but it’s highly unlikely that Penn State will suddenly relocate to Los Angeles, or the Alabama Crimson Tide will move to Cleveland or USC to St. Louis.
Although, Joe Paterno would be a hit in La La Land.
5. Natural Rivalries.
The NCAA has messed this up a bit.
Penn State doesn’t play Pittsburgh, and Nebraska doesn’t play Oklahoma every year, but generally, teams play their natural rivals annually.
Which begs the question, why doesn’t the NFL have the New York Jets and Giants play every year? Why not these matchups: the 49ers and Raiders, the Steelers and Eagles, the Cowboys and Texans, and the Chiefs and Rams?
Well, okay, an annual Rams and Chiefs game would actually be viewed as cruel and unusual punishment in Missouri.
6. College Football Has No Greed-Driven Personal Seat License Scams or a Preseason with Full-Priced Games.
The personal seat license is perhaps the most vile, greedy creature ever spawned in the history of sport.
And the NFL and its twisted accountants bore the beast.
Then they added the full-priced preseason tickets to twist the financial price even further.
Have they no shame?
Nope, guess not.
Washington Redskins owner Danny Snyder just laid off four more groundskeepers to prove he is suffering in this economy, too.
7. Giant Egos.
The NFL seems overwhelmed with monster me-me-me ego men.
Look at Terrell Owens.
Look at Brett Favre playing “Mississippi Hamlet.”
To quarterback or not to quarterback, that is the question?
Look at Ray Lewis doing the look-at-me pregame dance.
No, on second thought, don’t look.
8. Tradition and Atmosphere.
College football has the more exciting traditions and rivalry games.
Since free agency has made the NFL a mercenary league, what little tradition some teams had has disappeared.
It’s gone in a puff of smoke. It’s musical chairs year after year. Players are as interchangeable as cheap car parts.
College football has mostly outdoor stadiums with better tailgating, student sections, bands, and mad-eyed mascots.
9. Defense.
In college football, defense is still allowed.
In the NFL, the quarterback is untouchable. The receivers are “unbumpable” and protected. Due to liberal holding rules, it’s mostly wrestling on the line of scrimmage.
The NFL has become pass, pass, pass, and protect the glamor boy at quarterback at all costs.
Scoring, the NFL bigwigs believe, brings ratings which brings money, which makes them happy.
Soon, the offense will have 14 players, and the defense only 10. And the quarterback will have armed bodyguards.
10. Cheerleaders.
I’ve to go with the college cheerleaders. Some of the NFL ladies, while obviously striking, have had almost as much plastic surgery as Cowboy owner Jerry Jones.
Natural girls, like natural grass, are much better.
Some extremely cheap NFL teams, like the tightwad Chicago Bears banning the Honey Bears, have eliminated cheerleaders altogether.
Shame on them.
11. Rabid Refereeing.
Sometimes, in college football, some refereeing crews are extremely biased towards one particular team.
Sometimes, some crews, who work for conferences, seem determined to give one team a victory in order to better the conference’s overall postseason hopes.
Some college crews just like home cooking.
Still, college football officiating is generally better than the NFL, where the zebras sometimes seem to want to be the stars of the game.
How many NFL games are interrupted by a constant flow of penalties?
How many times do you see the zebra more than you see the team’s stars?
They want their faces on television, too. They want control of the game.
After all, the game is about the refs and the rules.
So what does the NFL do?
It adds more rules.
With more rules to protect the quarterback, the NFL gave the zebras a chance to make more game-making or game-breaking plays.
What fan wants the zebra to be the star of the show?
Final Perspective
If the NCAA could only bury the BCS, shed the greedy ties that bind conferences to bowls, and institute a playoff, then it would stand head and shoulders above the NFL.
So, come on boys, how about a playoff?
This playoff’s ratings would make the NFL blush?
By Mark Ritter… 
Every once in a while we meet a person who has the ability to capture the imagination of millions of people, someone who is so moved by an event in their life that they make significant sacrifices to spread the word to many, someone like Ben Verboom. Who is Ben Verboom? Read on, his story will move you.
Growing up in Ajax, Ontario, Ben Verboom was introduced to cycling by his father, Tim Verboom. Ben and his father spent countless afternoons cycling the waterfront trails along Lake Ontario and exploring Ontario’s mountain bike trails. It was there, along those trails that the seed was planted, as the saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Ben was hooked, cycling was in his blood.
In response to the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City, Tim cycled to Ground Zero, supporting the Red Cross relief efforts. Tim’s efforts went off with little fanfare, but Tim didn’t do it for the celebrity, Tim wanted to help spread awareness and raise monies for the families of the Men and Women who lost their lives on that historic day. Through his strength and determination, Tim set an example of selflessness and courage for Ben and others to emulate, a true unsung hero, an inspiration and a symbol of hope.
In January of 2004, tragedy struck the lives of Ben and his family, Tim, who had been suffering from depression for sometime, committed suicide. Tim’s illness was hidden by his tremendous generosity and love of life and family, no one anticipated such a terribly overwhelming event happening. Sadly, for the most part, nobody ever does. Mental illness is a very quiet illness, one that needs a voice.
On May 20th, 2009, in Cape Spear Newfoundland, Ben, now 20 years old, started a journey across Canada to help create awareness of mental illness and suicide. The 9000 kilometer transcontinental ride will take approximately 90 days to complete. Ben’s goal is to start a compassionate dialogue about the issues of suicide and depression, making those who are suffering feel comfortable seeking the treatments and resources that are available, so that less people will have to experience the tragedy of suicide.
Ben knows that mental illness needs a voice, with your help Ben can accomplish his goal. Ben has started a not for profit charity called “Cycle To Help”. All monies raised will be channelled directly to local Canadian organizations providing coping resources and treatments for those who are depressed.
Recently, I caught up with Ben via cell phone. At the time of the interview, he was just outside of North Bay, Ontario. When I first reached Ben he was full of energy and upbeat, he seemed to have a tremendous sense of purpose and pride in his voice, clearly this was a highly motivated young man that will stop at nothing to try to change the way we think about mental illness. His voice resonates confidence, he is mature far beyond his years, yet very humble and he’s single ladies…Sorry Ben, I just had to include that tidbit of information!
Ben, who is riding alone, had a tough start to his journey. When I asked Ben about his first days on the road he said, “The first couple of days were pretty challenging physically. The training I did in Ontario did not prepare me for the hills and winds associated with the terrain out here. Mentally it can be a grind, I have goals and sometimes you can’t get as far as you want, I set the bar for myself at 100-120 kilometers a day, early on, I remember thinking to myself at one point, what are you, crazy? Is this even possible?”
Along the way Ben has encountered thousands of Canadians. He was particularly fond of those from Nova Scotia. “Out East, in Nova Scotia, the hospitality was unreal,” said Ben. “Wether it was someone offering me some food or a place to sleep for the night, the community outpouring was unbelievable”. Ben has been humbled by the kindness and unselfishness of his well wishers, he often thinks about them when he is on the road, they are a source of motivation and strength. “It can be pretty discouraging some days. My bike has needed repair at times and there are days I just don’t feel like doing it, but I always think back to the people that have supported me, their words of inspiration are always in the back of my mind. I am also motivated by my Mom and Dad, of course”.
For the most part, Ben is supporting himself on his journey. “I am sponsored by Westmont Hospitality Group, so I often have a place to stay. I’ll get up in the morning, have breakfast and then I usually stock up on a few bagels for lunch. My Uncle Bill slid me a few coupons for Mr. Sub, they have come in handy”. There have been other acts of kindness along the way. While biking through Montreal Ben encountered a man who owns a bike shop. He helped Ben make a few repairs and then asked Ben if he needed anything? “I said, I could use a pair of sunglasses. I couldn’t believe it when he took off his personal pair of Lance Armstrong Oakley’s and gave them to me”.
As I interviewed Ben, I got the sense that this is an individual that appreciates everything everyone is doing for him. Fact is, this is not about Ben, he has never lost sight of why he has embarked on his journey. I asked Ben why he chose to take on the challenges of his journey, Ben responded, “Terry Fox was one of my heros. Obviously, cycling across Canada, a lot of people draw similarities between us. I want to send the same message Terry Fox did, a message of hope and inspiration for the mentally ill, that’s my goal. When I am out there on the road and my muscles are aching, I often think about Terry Fox and his work ethic, it gives me a boost. He averaged what? A marathon a day? Terry inspires me to go on”. Terry Fox was indeed an inspiration, his Marathon of Hope serves as one of the most incredible feats Canadians have ever witnessed. Cancer research in Canada would not be where it is today without Fox. With that in mind, perhaps when Ben has completed his journey, Canadians can come together once a year for a day of cycling dedicated to mental illness, just like the Terry Fox Run. “That’s my dream”, said Ben. “It would be a tremendous breakthrough for those who suffer from mental illness and a great tribute to my Dad.” Are you listening Prime Minister Harper?
Ben had other hero’s, Lance Armstrong for one. “Armstrong had to fight through so much adversity, it’s unimaginable,” said Ben. “I wear a “Livestrong” bracelet everyday, I often look at it, it reminds me of his plight and it inspires me to move forward. Being a cyclist, we have something in common, He won what? 7 Tour de France’s? With all his struggles, it’s amazing…” Inspiration, indeed!
The next major city Ben will encounter is Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He anticipates being there by Monday, July 13th. Ben will continue North West on his journey towards Winnipeg, where he expects to be in 2 weeks time. Eventually, after a hard fought battle through the prairies, Ben expects to land in Victoria, British Columbia by the end of August. This will signal the end of Ben’s journey, but not the end of his cause.
If you see Ben on the road, give him your support, it takes a lot of commitment to pull off what he is doing. You can make a donation at HYPERLINK “http://www.cycletohelp.org” www.cycletohelp.org. Please, give what you can, help Ben be the voice for mental illness, help Ben give others HOPE where there is none.
If you didn’t know Ben Verboom, now you know, spread the word.
Good Luck on your journey Ben! You are an inspiration for others and, like your father before you, an unsung hero.
By Micheal Malcolm and guest Robert Seagal… 
Well loyal readers, I felt that it was only appropriate that I share a conversation that I had with the lead writer of all things Raptors, Robert Seagal.
I think Robert is an intelligent, dynamic writer and his passion for DeMar DeRozan is unmatched. So without further ado here is our debate based on this article.
Robert Seagal:
You’re absolutely wrong on every point, and I’m willing to put my reputation and whatever credit I have on the line for it. DeRozan isn’t raw at all. His last few games at USC showed what kind of player he is, and if you watched them (and you have not clearly), you’d see just how dominant he could be.
The Raptors will give him a chance, and he’s talented and driven enough to do something about it. I assure you he’ll be at the rookie-sophomore game and that he’ll finish in the top three for rookie of the year voting, with only real threats being Jennings and Griffin.
His shot is much better than Tyreke Evans, his handle is better than people are giving him credit for, he’s a good rebounder, and a terrific finisher. If the Raptors move Calderon for a better passer, DeRozan could see 13-16 ppg in year one. If not, it might be closer to 10-13.
Micheal Malcolm:
Robert, I am flattered that you have taken the time to comment on my article, and I apologize if I struck a nerve (and clearly I have). As much as you think that I have not watched DeRozan, I have and I am NOT saying he’s not a good player, and won’t be in the future.
I’m saying that I believe his contributions this year will be somewhere in the range of 10 ppg, 5 rpg, and 3 apg. I think that if he did that, I’d call the season a success. However, I do not believe that he will avg between 13-16 ppg (I find it interesting that you do not find Calderon to be a good passer. It’s not that I do, it’s just an observation).
I believe most reasonable young players (Juilian Wright for an example) with good athleticism are good finishers. In order to play in the NBA, though, you have to have some other skills besides “finishing.”
I do not believe that DeRozan will open the year as a starter, but I think he may finish as one. If he keeps up his defense (as you have said), I don’t need you to put your “cred” as you put it on the line. This is just another viewpoint.
I respect your work and I do enjoy reading your articles but I respectfully disagree on your “overly-rosy” outlook. There are no guarantees as a rookie, and a lot of things have to fall in place for DeRozan to make the kind of impact you’re suggesting.
Thank you again for taking the time to comment. As a true fan of the game and a person who calls Toronto home, I hope I’m wrong. I just don’t see it this year.
Maybe next year? Please feel free to continue this conversation at your leisure.
Robert Seagal:
Well, I do agree that things have to fall into place for him. But at the same time, being the ninth pick and playing a position of need are both things that will, at least to some degree, give him a SHOT to get significant minutes.
Look at Marion or Amare in their first year in the league, or the opportunity we gave CV. People want to see their top-10 picks play, especially when there is no chance in hell at a championship. I think he has a chance to be a special talent.
I’ve been high on a lot of players in the past two or three drafts. These drafts have included Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Ricky Rubio and yes, DeMar DeRozan.
If you go back a few months, I’ve been pushing for this guy for a while now. He started the year as a top-three pick and moved down to 15-18 after his first few games at USC, which was understandable. He looked terrible; much like Blake Griffin looked like a terrible defender. However, you have to understand that there’s a reason for these things.
For Griffin, as he stated, he was told to stay on the court at all costs. Thus, he couldn’t foul, resulting in him to be cautious defensively. For DeRozan, he said that he played the majority of his first year trying to work out kinks in his game.
Unlike Harden, who faded when the games mattered, DeRozan actually played better in bigger games because he was playing to win, as opposed to the rest of the year when he was playing to improve.
I have played ball overseas, and I had games that didn’t matter where I would go out and focus on going left to improve, or to work on shooting off the bounce. When you play like that, you play poorly, but you improve.
Like Jennings, DeRozan would have opted to go straight into the NBA but was forced to play out a year for the NCAA. While he didn’t go to Italy, he did use the situation to his benefit. Instead of giving USC a season of DeMar DeRozan, he took from USC a year of tutelage from a former NBA coach while trying to ensure he could make a big impact the second he made it to the league.
This is going to be a Carter-esque rookie season on a lesser scale because he has three or four players he’ll be playing behind, where as Carter had none. I have no doubt he’ll be one heck of a player. I think they’re waiting until the summer league to get a read on where he’s at and I expect big, big things.
Robert Segal:
Being from Compton, CA, he is mature and has a lot of high-profile buddies. He reminds me of J.R. Smith by having money and “super-stardom” on his mind.
Unlike J.R., he’s mature and committed to both ends of the floor. If you told GM’s that eight of them passed on a slashing, 19-year old J.R Smith with a commitment to defense, he probably wouldn’t have slipped past three or four.
The Raptors are lucky as hell that he slipped, because had he come out of high school last year, someone would have snagged him with the sixth or seventh pick. The point is, he’s a much better player after one year.
I watched him a lot this year and he was my favorite player in the country. I saw him do small things that he wasn’t doing, and he did more of them as the season went on.
He really became a smarter player as the year went on, and his defense is underrated. I know I sound like a fool for saying that the ninth pick in such a horrible draft can be special, but the point is he slipped five or six picks lower than he should have gone.
There is no doubt he’ll be a better player than Thabeet three years from now. However, people don’t need wings, they need point guards and big players. That’s why Thabeet and Jordan Hill went before him.
If you told me in 2008 that those two would even have a chance to go ahead of DeRozan, I would have laughed my ass off. The same story can be said about Jennings.
These two players are going to make a lot of people seem silly for paying too much attention to stats. Had DeRozan gone back for a second year, I have no doubt if he was trying to play to his ability, he’d be a 20 point scorer, without a question. The difference between him and a guy like T-Will is SO enormous, you almost have to slap yourself to imagine that they went two picks apart.
Robert Segal:
Also, watch some of his high-school videos. I haven’t seen a player like him in a log time. It isn’t how high he jumps or how easily he scores, but it’s about that look he gets when the situation calls for it.
It’s that “IT” factor, and “IT” is what separates Austin Daye from Kevin Durant, or Vince Carter from Deshawn Stevenson, or Carmelo Anthony from James Johnson.
The talent level between a superstar and a role player isn’t THAT far apart, but their minds are entirely built differently. It’s what made Jordan great, and Drexler not AS great.
It’s what made Andrea Bargnani, in my view, a better pro-prospect than Chris Bosh. He has a killer instinct and is has cold-blooded composure in bad situations.
When the team is down two, some players rise and others fall. Why a player like Carter always won, and why a played like Bosh always failed is really just a matter of how reactive they are.
Bosh is emotionally reactive, while Carter is a cool customer. Bosh, or a guy like Adam Morrison for example, reacts to the things around him.
Micheal Malcolm:
WOW!
Well Robert, again your comments are very much welcomed and I encourage you to keep up our friendly banter. All I have to say is that while I do not share your optimism at this point, I wish DeRozan all the best in his first NBA season.
I would love for him to put up 15-5-5 if he could. Then again, I am the type to temper my expectations. With your reference to Charlie V, it took some very interesting situations (managerial pressure, media attention) for anyone to realize that he wasn’t playing much.
Any young player with a shred of talent and work ethic generally will improve with playing time. Again, Charlie V with the Bucks has improved greatly than the Raptors version (ditto for Charlie Bell, Mo Williams just to throw some other random names out there).
I believe that if young players received an opportunity, they may flourish if they have the drive to cultivate their potential. Can you imagine what would happen if Brendan Wright of GS or even Jerryd Blayliss of POR would do with consistent playing time?
Look at Monta Ellis for example. People knocked his talent, and the Raptors would have killed with him at the two spot. Nevertheless, the point I’m making is that the Raptors have been generous with the PT for rookies if they earn it and im not sure how DeRozan will handle that challenge (I mean if J. Moon can stay on the floor jacking up threes, then defense makes all the difference).
I feel your passion for DeRozan in your words, and I suppose I am the Yin to your Yang You expect flashes of greatness and I expect small spurts of passable consistency.
As far as the Raptors go, DeRozan is no savior (at least not yet). He, like much of his draft brethren, has some ways to go before super-stardom beckons.
If anything, your article was well though-out and factual based, as was mine. However, I do want to say that your point about playing the game consistently and non-emotionally is a great one. It is something that great players do possess.
Robert Segal:
Just wrote a new one. I think my faith in DeRozan goes way beyond what he showed on the court, but more or less what he showed off the court. There is a process for evaluating talent.
Skills, work ethic, polish, age, and mental toughness are all points in the right direction. Also, I’m not alone in my “Koolaid” frenzy as Colangelo is on record saying DeRozan has more potential than Marion or Amare. Talk about a compliment, those guys are All-NBA’ers (you can read Robert’s article here).
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did going back and forth with Robert. I hope he reads this, I really do.
Once again Robert, when you do, please know I would love to do this again. You can pick the topic this time.
By Robert Seagal… 
I couldn’t help but feel ecstatic about the Raptors selection of DeMar DeRozan on Thursday night.
Not only did it mean that I was correct in my article which projected their draft board, but it also means that the Raptors just drafted an absolute stud who is going to shock the league next season.
You’ve heard that, with DeRozan, you’d have to wait a few years to see him really make an impact on the court.
I respectfully disagree.
DeMar DeRozan is far from a finished product, but he’s ready to make an impact today, and considering Jay Triano’s recent comments about potentially starting him, the Raptors seem to think so as well.
His skills make him a better NBA player than a college player due to his athleticism and ability to impact the game defensively. He’s still got a long way to go before he’s being talked about as a top-tier wing player, but he isn’t as far as some may think.
He has a great mid-range game, crafty foot work and he really developed his skills throughout his first year at USC. Unlike a player like Terrence Williams for example, one could really see the maturation and growth from game to game.
Given his mother’s medical condition, it was almost guaranteed that he would make the jump to the NBA as soon as possible.
However, had he gone back to USC for a second season, I have little doubt he’d be a top-five pick in a pretty loaded 2010 draft. He’s got scary talent, and he has the work ethic and desire to grow into a well-rounded basketball player.
So what can we truly expect from DeMar DeRozan as a rookie? He’ll likely have two seasons in one.
When he breaks in, he’s going to be inconsistent offensively. He might go off for a few nights that make you think he has a chance to be a superstar, and have other nights where he scores five points.
Ultimately, he’ll have to bring a consistent defensive effort to stay on the court through his offensive inconsistencies. Sometime in December however, I fully expect the light switch to go on.
This is a proud individual who has a serious toughness about him and I don’t expect him to wait till year two to show the league that he’s arrived.
One thing that all great players have is a switch that can be turned on and off. Like a Kobe Bryant or Vince Carter, DeRozan also has a switch that he can turn on, and the God-given talent to be an absolute force on both ends of the court.
It was this switch that earned him PAC-10 MVP honors, and it is this switch that separates him from your average 19-year old who can jump out of the gym.
He certainly has limitations at this point. He’ll be a much better three-point shooter than people expect, and I expect him to be a pretty good one in his second year, but at the moment, this would be an area of weakness. He also has to tighten his handle if he’s going to play as a shooting guard.
The only potential hindrances I can see in his cards at this point would be the players around him. While it is certainly a great thing that Calderon likes to pass, his game isn’t going to help DeRozan, much like it didn’t help Shawn Marion last year.
DeRozan can have a lot of success on isolation situations and by crashing the glass, but with Calderon, he’s going to end up taking a few more long range jumpers than he should.
Chris Bosh’s tunnel vision also doesn’t do much to help DeRozan. Bosh tends to miss a ton of players on cuts, and has a tendency to hold the ball and have his team mates simply stand around and watch him.
Another player who may end up hurting DeRozan is potential-Raptor Carlos Delfino who has never seen a shot he didn’t like.
DeRozan will have a lot of hurdles to cross in his first year, but having a few exceptional passers who take risks in the open court and are actually willing to allow him to create his own offense would certainly ease his transition.
With that said, Roko Ukic could be the wild card, especially if DeRozan ends up coming off the bench to begin the year.
Ukic is a much better play maker than he showed last year, and while he isn’t quite Rubio or Nash, I’ve seen enough of him in Italy and Croatia to say that he’s by far the best passer on this team with Bargnani as a close second.
How quickly DeRozan becomes an impact player for the Raptors is anyone’s guess. He could take a few weeks, a few months, or a few seasons.
However, I’m confident as ever that he will get there, and that when he does, the Raptors will have a blossoming star where they’ve needed one in the worst way since Air Canada packed his bags and flew to New Jersey.
By Geoff Zochodne… 
I asked my Mom what she thought about steroids in baseball, and she laughed. It sounded like a, “I don’t really care” laugh, so I pressed her and she said that she thought it was bad.
She thought it wasn’t good that some players had an unfair advantage.
It’s refreshing to ask people who don’t really care about baseball what they think about America’s past-time. Mostly because they don’t have a vested interest, it helps you to realize that some things in life are more important than asterisks in the record books.
The thing that struck me though was that it seems everyone has this same response hardwired into their brains: Drugs-Bad.
People will throw up their hands even at the thought of performance enhancing drugs without having thought through their response. They just “know” it’s wrong.
Millions of people will wake up tomorrow and not even care or know that Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire used PED’s. Yet for the people who are close to baseball, their world has been rocked.
The biggest beef has been the lack of disgust displayed by people with regards to Sosa’s outing as a juicer. The “Culture of Acceptance” has shocked the old guard, leaving them sputtering their outrages to an audience that they feel just doesn’t understand.
That’s wrong, we understand, we’ve just moved on.
Swallowing story after story of baseball writers’ disdain for juicers and the people who won’t join them is getting painful.
Make no mistake about it, I am not condoning the Steroid era of baseball
I’m tired of having the papers and websites holler at me from their soapboxes. They haven’t realized the world has shifted out from underneath their feet.
I’m not here to discuss the ethics of steroids, I’m here asking why I’m being forced to read story after story, all of them reading the same. Objectivity has been completely thrown out the window.
Even when you read a story about the War on Drugs, a mention is at least made to the low income situations that cause drug dealing in the first place. No one deals drugs because they’re rich already, just like baseball players wouldn’t have used them if they didn’t need to squeeze big contracts from their teams, knowing their window of opportunity was shrinking.
That’s gone from these baseball stories.
I feel like I’ve been beaten over the head by the MLB rule book. The same point has been driven into me so many times I feel like I owe sport reporters dinner or something.
When they ask why baseball players cheated, it’s greed or egotism that is usually the rationale. But it’s been assumed, and not ascertained by asking the players who used PED’s. Jose Canseco’s revelations must be taken with a grain of salt as undoubtedly he has been driven to a state of greed that may rival his own playing days.
Who wants to read the story about how a player politely declined an injection from Canseco? It doesn’t sell books. Since the secrets of the steroid era still remain mostly hidden, the truth will too.
Why has no one thought of pride and duty to the fanbase as a rationale? Player X is just trying to sate the appetites of fans who demand success from them and X has no choice but to satisfy them or lose his job. There is no person out there that would stand idly by as their livelihood evaporated.
Accept this: Human beings make human mistakes, and no amount of bible thumping will change the past or change the way I perceive the game.
If PED’s make you mad, be mad. If it makes you disappointed, be disappointed. But don’t let something you read dictate your response. Let it influence it, but never let it envelop it.
Sports journalism is not “Big Brother”, we don’t have to obey it unquestioningly. We must follow our feelings instead of just regurgitating other’s opinions.
If there’s a culture around baseball right now it’s of old men feeling betrayed by players who never owed them anything, but tried to give them something anyway. My tiny violin plays accordingly for them. Remember that it will be our generation that defines this era.
I feel like steroids created a purer and more entertaining game despite their negative impact.
Drug testing now is so stringent that Nyquil may soon be outlawed. More importantly, players have seen the benefits of working out and now do so fervently that the days of overweight players are slimming.
The new embracing of physical fitness has given us a generation of athletes that rival those in MLB’s sister organizations NBA, NHL, and NFL; and the new drug policy keeps it clean.
Right now baseball is as airtight as it’s going to be; but every time men in power feel they have been slighted, they release a name from the dreaded List. Holding that kind of power over a man’s life and having such retribution at human fingertips is maybe more unethical than PED’s in a clubhouse.
Letting names slip is just proof in the fallibility of man, that we are capable of mistakes and should be forgiven. If smart, educated, people can violate legal rights, then how immoral is using PED’s? Who has the authority to dole out punishment if even the purest falter?
The “Culture of Acceptance” isn’t bad, it’s called making your peace with the Steroid era. Never forget, but don’t stand there and throw tomatoes at Sammy Sosa for being human.
Just accepting opinions from others is naive. Question the validity of the source and think for yourself. The present situation is an exercise in your free will, don’t allow yourself to be fed your beliefs.
Think about how you’ve been affected personally; and realize that the drug using era of baseball will never be replicated.
If you dig deep enough into your own emotion maybe you’ll find the empathy that others have tried to smother. If you made a mistake, would you want it to define your entire existence?
How quickly we forget the people inside the stories. It seems that people have developed a vendetta for players who did nothing but make them happy. That it was predicated on a lie seems to be the catalyst for hate.
That’s fine, no one likes to be duped, to be made to feel stupid. We were never lied to though. We observed the changing bodies of major leaguers and lapped up their exploits. The players may have lied personally, but deep down we knew what we were getting. We just didn’t believe it until it was thrown at our faces.
We’ll never see anything else like it again, so keep the good, forgive, but don’t forget the bad, and don’t join the lynch mobs forming in ballparks nationwide.
This is not a popular view, but I didn’t write all of this to be popular. I wrote it to be considered by you and for you to think free of the herd. I’m not here to vindicate cheating or rationalize it. All I want is people to recognize that there’s another way to deal with the situation without being a hypocrite.
Players wouldn’t shy away from revealing their cheating if there wasn’t such a negative stigma with the ensuing holier-than-thou diatribe that follows. If we could sit down and deal with the problem with some emotion other than anger, we might get more results.
Bud Selig should invite Sammy Sosa over for cocoa and chat about his future status. It sounds stupid, but so is burning players in effigy with columns that spout hate like a machine gun.
That’s it. I’m done.
I’ll never forget that players cheated, but as of today I will forgive and wish them the best.
Does that merit Hall of Fame consideration?
I want an impartial mediator in that discussion, someone who hasn’t felt the burn of betrayal. A Hall of Fame decision shouldn’t be solely emotional, just like it shouldn’t be completely devoid of feeling.
I’ve never had thousands of people living and dying with my every swing and I’m not perfect, so I feel unworthy to judge.
I’m human and so are the “villains” of the steroid era.
Let’s do them the dignity of being smart enough to remember that.
By Ranhvir Samra… 
The basketball fans in Los Angeles might be the least knowledgeable basketball fans in the NBA, but one thing is for certain, they know how to celebrate. After the Lakers humiliated the upstart Orlando Magic in a close five game series win, the Lakers are NBA champs once again. This marks the fifteenth time the Lakers will adorn a Championship banner from the ceiling at the Staples Center.
This marked the 10th title for Coach Phil Jackson. The Lakers were favored to win the Western conference since the 2008-09 season began and they lived up to the lofty expectations. Their regular season was not as impressive as their playoff success. The combination of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher proved to be the best foursome in the league. This championship was a team effort. Yes, Kobe Bryant averaged 32 points per game in the NBA finals, but he did not shoot very efficiently from the field and took a whole load of shots. Night in and night out, Kobe had his supporting cast who consistently provided him with backup, something the Lakers lacked last season. If it wasn’t Gasol putting up 20 and 10 boards, it was Lamar hitting clutch shots, making defensive plays or Fisher winning games with his sweet stroke.
Personally, I am not a Lakers fan but I always give credit where credit is due. Kobe looked more focused and determined to win this championship than any player since Jordan. Kobe Bryant is not the 23 year old who was overshadowed by Shaquille O’neal in 2000. Kobe Bryant is now the bonafide leader of the Lakers, the “go to” guy, and he has played this role very effectively since Shaq left California in 2004. Kobe has gone through a lot since then. He was accused of raping a receptionist in Colorado, he lost many endorsement deals as a result and his leadership qualities were questioned. Despite this, the one thing that drove the ultra-competitive Bryant was winning a NBA title without the help of Shaquille O’neal.
With more scoring titles than O’neal, just as many regular season and All-star game MVP awards, and a more complete game than O’neal, it took the 2009 NBA title to get people to start thinking of Kobe Bryant as a legitimate all-time great basketball player. This is partially Kobe’s own fault. Kobe compares himself to Michael Jordan, undoubtedly the greatest player ever. Compare anyone to Jordan and that person appears weaker. Jordan won his first three championships on his own, he had Scottie Pippen but he was young and inconsistent. Jordan’s next three championships, he had the help of a mature Pippen and defensive maniac Dennis Rodman. Jordan didn’t dominate every minute like in the past, but when it mattered Jordan delivered.
Kobe switched his number from 8 to 24 a few years back, because he wanted to be “better” than Jordan. Kobe’s Olympic team number was 10, Jordan’s Olympic number was 9. By drawing comparisons to Jordan, Kobe hurt his reputation. Jordan was a better scorer and a better defender than Kobe. Now as Kobe is into his thirties, he has slowed down. He doesn’t jump as high, doesn’t run as fast and looks tired more often. Despite this, Kobe Bryant is still one of the three best players in the NBA today. The fans in L.A. are clueless when it comes to basketball, they stand up and cheer when Luke Walton hits a shot or when Bynum comes down with a rebound. The good seats at the Staples Center are filled with A-list celebrities, not diehard basketball fans. The diehard fans were out on the streets of LA after the Lakers won the title, causing chaos and havoc all throughout the city. The Orlando Magic could easily have sent the series to six or even seven games, outside of game one, the Magic had a chance of winning each game. The experience of the 2008 NBA finals went a long way in solidifying this title.
As for the 2008-09 NBA finals MVP, Kobe Bryant has done more in a 13 year career than 98% of all the players to lace it up in the NBA. I would even go as far as saying that Kobe Bryant is the second greatest Laker of All-time. Based solely on statistics, Kobe is in a league of his own. His 81 point effort against the Raptors ranks third all time, he has topped the 70 point mark, has been on the All-NBA first team and All-NBA defensive first team many times. But what has impressed me the most is Kobe’s ability to deal with adversity. As a rookie, he took a lot of abuse at the hands of teammates, coaches and fans for putting up airballs when plays were not designed for him. He was labelled as a “showboat” and “Ball hog”. Later he dealt with the enormous shadow of Shaquille O’neal and the back and forth insult barrage between them. When accused of rape, Kobe was booed at every road game. Kobe emerged from all of this as a stronger, more focused player. It took a championship without Shaq for the NBA world to take notice of what I have known for many years, that Kobe Bryant is a legend.
By Stacey Prieur… 
Hey T.O. I’m from the country, born, raised and grazed! I’ve noticed some similarities from the farm to city, and here’s a few of my observations!
Every good farmer knows, when cows mate, they all go for the same Bull, and that Bull has to work that pen like no one’s business, and its known that once a Bull hits it with a lady Cow he never goes back, hence he is the ultimate of animal playas… ladies in the city, I don’t know about you, but I think Toronto is turning into that “pen”.
Do you think we’re drawn to “The Bull” because we have no other choices? Is it age? As young women do we tend to want the Alpha b/c we know he’s the “man” and the best, and who doesn’t want the best, or is it a just personality defect?
As Alpha women, we achieve what we want, when we want it, and how we want it! We don’t settle for less, and of course we want the very best of everything!! Ladies if we’re working that hard for “something” then there’s gotta be a payoff right?
It’s like Beyonce says… “The shoes on my feet, I bought em!” (After I waited for the sale, got a new pedicure, and then asked the clerk for a 10% discount).
So with that said, do Alpha “Dawgs” or “Playas” somehow fit that mold of attraction? They’re cute, they’re motivated, and most of the time they also have the very best of everything to offer!
The Playa comes in many different forms…. and I’m sure ladies everywhere have cursed themselves and said “I’m not dating anyone anymore, guys are just players and I’m sick of it”… OR, have you said “I date all different types of guys, and nothing works out? What’s wrong with me?”
What’s wrong is that you’re probably used to getting everything you want? With hard work and determination the sky’s the limit, and the world’s an oyster, but when it comes to love and relationships, they just have to happen.
You can’t force a person to love you and you can’t plan your next boyfriend-like a lunch time mani-pedi.
SO lets’ take a look at what’s out there! Let’s debunk the playa!
You MAY think you’re dating different types of men, but in actuality the common thread might just be that “BULL FACTOR”.
Let me introduce: the Inaccessible, the Emotionally Unavailable/Wounded, the Made over, and the Oedipus Rex-us Playa’s.
THE INACCESSIBLE - Usually some sort of business or professional type, he’s too involved with work and friends to make you a priority. You probably met at a “function” hit it off and had a great 2 week courtship, and then somehow you fell off the map! Sound familiar?
Why we like him? He’s got priorities, he’s got his shit in order, and he looks great on paper, someone Mom & Dad would approve of!
Why it didn’t work out? Breaking his routine for something he’s unsure of messes up his mind and ruins everything else - like a trickle effect. Plus, he obviously only had 2 weeks “vacation” planned…
How to get him? You’d probably have to become his personal assistant, or his naughty secretary! Don’t expect benefits though, like a new trophy you’d lose your novelty.
THE EMOTIONALLY Unavailable/Wounded - The Artist, The Musician, probably The Middle Child. This guy is the guy we want to scoop up and cuddle with and make everything bad go away. *Sigh* Tear.
Why we like him? He embodies our own insecurities, as women we can relate, and we love his sensitive nature it’s intoxicating.
Why it didn’t work out? We couldn’t change him, and even if we did we’d still want that insecure side to shine through b/c maybe we have our own unresolved issues. We’re natural “changers”, we always want to fix something, make it shinier and new! If we actually succeeded at the change then we’d want something else to change, since maybe we can’t fix ourselves, or maybe we just don’t want to. We are who we are. Roar.
How you get him? You’d probably have to sacrifice you own life’s ambitions and be ok with a toxic relationship, you’ll become wrapped up in a tumultuous affair that would end up with one of you cheating, b/c you’re trying to fulfill emotional needs that should have been addressed with a shrink b/c no matter who you hop to, other people won’t make it better for you, you have to do that for yourself!
THE MADE-OVER - The skinny guy, the nerd, the guy with the really bad acne, or the fat guy has suddenly become a stud muffin and gets shitloads of attention, and is lapping it up like a kitten with a dish of milk!
Why we like them? They have killer personalities, probably b/c they had to make up for their outer appearance, and they are an all around great guy! Sweet, sensitive, funny, and smart! AMEN!
Why it didn’t work out? 2 reasons, 1- they probably think that in their ugly state you probably wouldn’t have given them the time of day and they find you superficial, and 2 - they are makin’ up for lost time and it has nothing to do with you at all. Can you blame them though?
How to get them? Loyalty, you have to stick around and be the friend, so they know that you’re true, and they can trust you, this will take some time. So enlist in the loyalty program but still keep up the flirtations so they don’t start thinking of you as their sister!
THE ODEPUS REX-US – The stunner, the leader, the ultimate momma’s boy, probably the oldest in the family - The George Clooney of Playa’s - These guys scream danger, but you still wanna play, because you can’t help it, they get in your head and suddenly your legs are spread and you have no idea what happened in between?
Why we get wrecked? These guys are extremely in tune with their feminine side, and they are extremely masculine as well, they probably are close to their dads, moms and sisters and KNOW what to say to get to you! They have a plethora of friends b/c everyone loves them and they always give the illusion that they are going the extra mile but really that’s just their game, they are bold, ballsy, relentless in their pursuits and great in bed… Amen!
Why it didn’t work out? You probably fell for the same shit that every other chick does, even though you SWEAR that they were “for real”. The Oedipus looks for a woman to mirror their Mom and their own ambitions, she’s gotta be up to par! If you’re not smokin’ hot, book & street smart, chill, motivated AND charismatic… then you’re S.O.L. sister!
How to get him? My guess is you’d have to penetrate this dudes’ Friends and Family before you get to his heart. He’s well protected and for good reason, he’d be the ultimate catch, if ever caught. You can’t be overly aggressive either, or else you’ll be duped the “Psycho” and we all know how much we love that term.
Check out more interesting stuff at Karmacake.ca
by Robert Seagal… 
Through the disappointing 2008-2009 campaign, Raptor fans had very little to cheer.
They’ve seen their offseason acquisition traded mid-season for a player who will likely sign elsewhere next, a franchise player who’s failed to show up, a point guard they anointed an All-Star turn into the source of the team’s woes, and two coaches fail to inject this team with anything that even resembles pride, desire, and heart.
But through the dark, there is generally some light. While there may be up to seven or eight Raptors returning to Toronto next season, these are the three that will not be moved come hell or high water.
The We-Won’t-Move-’Emables
Andrea Bargnani
If you were one of the fans who questioned this guy’s desire, what Andrea Bargnani has shown this season should certainly put to rest those doubts. Since stepping in for O’Neal, he’s been a 20-point per game scorer, improving his rebounding and actually playing solid defense.
Furthermore, far too many times over these past season, he’s looked like the only Raptor who even cared.
He’s shown emotion that was lost in translation through his first two seasons, he’s shown the ability to show up in key moments, the mental toughness to fight bad starts and he’s shown that given a full season under the role—he’s an All-Star.
There are few player’s in this league who are less likely to be moved this summer than Bargnani. Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Durant, Paul, Deron Williams, Yao, Duncan, Rose, and Brandon Roy come to mind.
For all the mistakes Colangelo has made as a GM—Bargnani has proven that he wasn’t one of them.
His talent, size, and potential make him a player the Raptors will likely have around for the foreseeable future.
Furthermore, credit Colangelo for not succumbing to the temptation of pleasing Bosh by trading Bargnani for immediate help. The vultures had sensed blood in the air and put in offers for Bargnani this offseason.
Had Colangelo given in, I certainly can’t imagine how many Raptor fans would be on suicide watch given what Bargnani has become this season.
Roko Ukic
While his numbers aren’t staggering, his place on this team is cemented in stone. There is nothing short of him being a deal-breaker for a superstar that is going to see him in another uniform next season.
His work ethic, creativity, size, and coveted defensive ability at the lead guard spot, make Ukic an indispensable asset.
When Bryan Colangelo became the GM of the Raptors mid-season nearly three seasons ago, his first question was “Do we have enough to bring Ukic over?”
This team has been extremely high on him and if he can improve his jump shot, he’s capable of being a contributor on a good playoff team.
Pops Mensah-Bonsu
I remember commenting to my girlfriend before Pop’s first game as a Raptor that he was my third favorite player on the team already.
“But you havn’t even seen him play!” she remarked.
Actually, if you’ve been watching the international scene, or the NBDL, you’re all too familiar with what Mensah-Bonsu can bring. He’s worth signing for a multi-year deal this offseason, and I certainly hope the Raptors stop showcasing him so much because some team going to throw some substantial cash his way if the word gets out.
He’s an ideal hustle guy off the bench, and can easily be the Raptors’ version of Chris Anderson, Anderson Varajao, or the handful of other energy guys who have destroyed this team over the past three seasons.
I would keep him here at something close to three years, seven million. He’s more than worth it, and it’d be great to see him have a chance to stick with one team. I have not seen a standing ovation for any player this season prior to the response Pops received from the fans as the Raptors blew out the Pacers.
It was genuinely heartwarming to see the fans recognize him. I’m sure he’ll carry that moment with him.
You’ll Be Back, Unless Someone Else Wants You Enough
Jose Calderon
The Raptors won’t have the resources to replace him unless they acquire a point-guard for Bosh. He’s signed to a fresh deal, and considering this season was spent with a bum hamstring, perhaps Calderon can return to being the player the Raptors thought they re-signed last summer.
Jason Kapono
This move is mainly due to the fact that his contract is brutal. Considering what he brings, and he’s had among the worst seasons of his career shooting this ball this season. He would likely go in a trade with Bosh, but this would only lessen the value of what the Raptors were getting back.
Joey Graham/Delfino/Parker
I’m sure one of these three players, if not two will be back. Having three would be redundant. If the Raptors however acquire a star wing for Bosh and move Kapono in the process, all three of these guys could be Raptors again next season.
Marcus Banks
Much like Kapono, he’s a former member of the Heat that is locked into this roster due to the fact that he is grossly overpaid. If the Raptors can extract some productivity out of him, it’ll be a bonus.
Nathan Jawai
Considering he had the set-back early this season with his heart, the Raptors will likely use the coming season to evaluate their second rounder over a full healthy season. I doubt they’re attached to him, but with his attitude and work ethic, I doubt they’re itching to move him either. He’s got some potential yet.
Never a Better Time To Say Goodbye
Shawn Marion
There is about a 75 percent chance that Marion is elsewhere next season. This team isn’t a contender, it isn’t located in a warm climate, and the style of play is not suited to the Matrix.
The Raptors’ best bet is a sign-and-trade. Unless something dramatic happens between now and the end of the season, Marion is the least likely Raptor to return.
Kris Humphries
The Raptors have actively tried to deal him two times already, and I’m not certain how much of a market there will be for him this coming offseason considering he’s sat out the majority of the season with an injury.
All things considered, he’s a hustle guy on a decent contract who also happens to be the youngest player on this team outside of O’Bryant. There will surely be a handful of teams who wouldn’t mind taking him back in a big deal.
Patrick O’Bryant
Patrick O’Bryant has squandered his lottery-pick status and will likely be sleep-walking his way to the Euroleague next season. We hardly knew ya. He will not be back. You can lock this one and throw it into the bank.
Chris Bosh
This will be the Raptors’ big move of the offseason. Along with the return on Marion, a lottery pick, and the mid-level exception, this will be the fourth and largest chip the Raptors will have to re-structure this team.
While I’ve been for trading Bosh for nearly three seasons now, it seems many have quietly entertained the idea this offseason. Every media source has him leaving, and where there’s smoke, there is generally fire.
One might argue that even if Bosh had stuck it out and signed a max-level deal, the Raptors would be incapable of surrounding him with the players he needs to win.
Moving Bosh could prove to be extremely difficult due to the fact that to get anything substantial back in return, the Raptors would have to convince their trading partner that Bosh was willing to stay.
This limits the teams that Bosh can possibly be moved to, and currently, the only teams I see with the resources to land him without completely dismantling their core group are Chicago, Golden State, and depending on how high the Raptors are on Michael Beasley, the Miami Heat.
One thing is certain, Bosh will not be a Raptor in 2011. Will he be shipped this offseason? It certainly seems likely. I’d say there is a 60 percent chance he is shipped this offseason.
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