When we last saw T.J Ford in Toronto
That was the last time we would see T.J Ford as a Raptor. Many people have anger for T.J Ford and blame him for what went wrong last season. But a new season and still problems in Raptorland. I respectfully say to you T.J was not the problem. It is just that he was deemed to be not as good as Jose Calderon. I dispute that, and I am willing to bet T.J Ford does as well. If not for his injury in Atlanta the entire story could be very different. Ford prior to that injury, what often gets forgotten is that he was playing some of the best basketball of his NBA Career.
I am heading down to the A.C.C to welcome back T.J Ford. I will cheer when his name gets announced. I think T.J Ford put his body on the line for this team. The strength of T.J Ford to come back from 2 injuries that many felt could have ended his career should tell you all you need to know about T.J Ford. He is not some evil figure like Vince Carter. He never asked to leave Toronto. He wanted to play in Toronto the problem was he wanted to play as the starter. He felt it was his job and that he never did anything beyond getting injured in trying hard to win. Jose Calderon was able to take the injury of Ford and turn it into a huge step for him in his NBA Career. Calderon made the same feeling be known that he wanted to be the starter.
So Bryan Colangelo made a choice and Ford would end up in Indiana as a Pacer.Many point to the fact Jose is more of a team player than Ford. But T.J is a team player as well he just goes about it in a very different way. He feels he can be a team player by doing what he can on the floor to help his team win. He is not getting Gatorade for his team mates and in a comparison of who is the better guy he could never win. That is not to say T.J is not a great person as well. He is and just head down to Charlotte and find D.J Augustin he will tell you. Ford worked with Augustin and got him ready for the NBA draft which would see the fellow Texas point guard end up in Charlotte. He has had a great start to his rookie year and T.J is part of that through his help and work with D.J.
Looking at the game tonight. T.J Ford will no doubt be fired up and take this a personal challenge. The danger for Ford will be to play under control and not forget about his team. If Calderon is smart he will try to get Ford to get engaged in a battle between the two. But the key problem for Calderon will be very simple. Ford is to many the fastest point guard in the NBA and I think will have a huge advantage in a match-up with Calderon. So Jose may be in trouble like he has been against Rajon Rondo and Devin Harris recently. They were not motivated to kick his butt on any personal level. Ford will be.
In the end T.J Ford was a huge part of this team's only every division title and he did nothing but try as hard as he could to be the best player he could be in his time hear. He almost gave his basketball life for the Toronto Raptors. I respect that and respect him. Anyone that even puts T.J Ford and Vince Carter in the same sentence is dead wrong. Ford is not a guy who never gave all he had. Would he get frustrated and moody. Yeah he would. But he never quit on Toronto. Vince Carter did. That is why people boo Vince Carter. It is also why you should cheer T.J and Rasho as well. Both guys gave a good effort in the time they spent here and gave all they had. So I am going to cheer T.J when he returns and any time in the future I will do the same. You can have your say in the poll.
Speaking of your say. I want your question and comments for the Nation Speaks. It is your chance to ask questions of me or just let us know your 2 cents on any issue. It is all good to me. Just make sure it is something I can publish. PG-13 level language please. Beyond that it is all good. So seen an e-mail titled NATION SPEAKS to me at the blog's email address.
dinonationblog@sourcecable.net
That is it for me till tomorrow. No Raptor Rewind but lots of thoughts on what should be an interesting night at the A.C.C. I am going to be hosting are contest winner Brett and making sure he has a great time. Hopefully will have some photo to share from the experience for you all to check out. Last time I was at A.C.C my camera was not being good. But I figured out the problem so I will try to take some photos of the experience.
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I think TJ Ford deserves a positive reception when he returns, I don't think he'll get anything close to that though.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the game tonight! I considered entering your contest but relented when I won Raptors tix -- against the Kings next month -- at my company holiday party. Should be a rockin' house at the ACC.
ReplyDeleteAs for Ford, I don't question his heart or ability. I just ended up screaming at the TV too much with his decision making. I anticipate a mixed reaction.
if you don't like swearing in blogs then check out your boss's blog! http://www.raptorblog.com/
ReplyDeletewow!
i hope the raptors go on a very long losing streak...like 20..my gift to them for firing Sam Mitchell
ReplyDeleteIt's not I don't like swearing. I am not a saint. I just have always felt that for the Dino Nation Blog I wanted it to be something that could be read by the youngest fan to the oldest.
ReplyDeleteScott runs Raptor Blog in a different way. He has been doing it for a long time. He makes choices for his blog and his readers.
We both respect what the other does and how we do it. There is room for both kinds of blogs. I don't hold any lack of respect for Scott or anyone else that choose to allow colourful language. Just given my background I tend to side with the more traditional way of doing things.
If Scott happens to read this he can add his 2 cents if he feels like it. But I know from my point of view we have a respect for each other and what we do. If we did not I doubt that I would have been offered the chance to work with The Score in a partnership and the fact that I accepted the offer shows that I am fine with what he does and they do.
The game was great and our contest winner Brett had a good time. I will talk more about the whole experience tomorrow.
tj is madd sexy,and the raptors better had welcome him wit open arms
ReplyDeleteFrom:sexy chocolate
No doubt that part of the blame has to go to Colangelo. I know I wasn't the only one watching the Blazers game on Sunday dreaming of Roy or Aldridge in a Raps Uni. I have always been a Bargs fan, but it's clear that he is a 6th man at best - both Roy and Aldridge, in hindsight, would have been the superior choices. If we'd drafted Aldridge, there would be no need to make the Ford/Nesterovic/Hibbert - O'Neal deal and could use those three to upgrade the wing position. If we draft Roy, Parker comes off the bench, we still get O'Neal, and Roy acts as both our starting SG and back-up PG.
ReplyDeleteI know, I know, hindsight is 20/20, but imagining these things gives me something to do while the Raps are down 25
The unnecessary double-teaming on the block is definitly the legacy of Sam Mitchell, a legacy that remains inexplicable in all our minds. Unforunately, it's my belief that this type of defensive strategy will not be rectified until a new system is introduced. That implies a new coach, obviously. Because, if it's obvious to us, it must be obvious to Triano and his crew. Thus, they must preach it since its continuance is blatant.
ReplyDeleteRaptors pull off a victory tonight over the Pacers, though. I don't think Indiana matches up particularly well with us.
Main reason they win still has to be the quality of the opposition. The recent spat of games has made it very clear that present Raps are not on the door to moving into the next echelon of the league. However, I don't think it needs to be the most depressing time to be a fan. There were a lot of very tough games there.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone want to consider the question of whether the team would be better now if Babcock had been allowed to see his plan through? Would we look like the Trailblazers right now?
Someone sent in a comment that the last few comments came from Raptor Blog. I honestly have not had a chance to look and confirm if this is true. But please keep your comments for this blog unique. It is not cool to take other people's ideas and use them here. I do not wish to have people stealing ideas from anyone.
ReplyDeleteI think Bargnani should come off the bench for the remainder of the year because he is not a small forward period. even though he had a bad game I think they should go with Kapono in the Starting lineup, and let Bargnani work the other teams backup bigs and gain his confidence back because it takes some players longer than others to fully reach their potentials, just ask Chauncey Billups and Steve Nash
ReplyDelete