Back From Toronto With A Message From ATL

I am back from another visit down to Toronto. I was hanging out at The Score, was hanging in the crowd they have on Court Surfing and taped something that will be ending up on the web for sure and maybe cross your fingers on next week's Court Surfing show. Regardless it was fun and I taped the segment with D.J and Randy and member of the crew from Real G.M named Peter. I think things went well and it was fun to do. I even Twittered from The Score yesterday. It was all a lot of fun and The Court Surfing show was simulcast on NBA T.V in the U.S. that is where I am going to start today.

Sam Mitchell Has Some Advice For Raptor Fans

Sam Mitchell talked about Chris Bosh and his future in Toronto. Mitchell is still cashing pay checks from MLSE so he was not going to saying anything bad about Chris or the Raptors. However he did say one thing that I was referring to in the blog a couple of days ago. He said if you truly want Chris Bosh to remain don't boo him or the team. He said that he understands the frustration of fans with the way the season has gone but it was not that team is not trying hard to win.

The part about booing Bosh I agree with. It has been a disturbing trend to me that this fan base in part has driven talented players away from this franchise only to later learn in some cases it may have not been the best idea. If you expect loyalty from a player to the city and the franchise should he not expect the same from you? It makes a lot of sense really doesn't it? Chris Bosh is here and he is the best player we have and an element of respect has been earned by him in my view. This season has not worked out and I am confident the person most upset about that fact is Bosh. I just worry that this franchise is heading in a direction where the fans are going to be a negative influence and not a positive one. Often in today's society of big money contracts and big prices to go to games their can be a dis-connect between the pro athlete and the fan. I am not saying that fans have a huge impact on ultimately where a player will go. However whatever that % is should we as fans not do what it takes to make that % a positive one and not a negative one. This is not about supporting MLSE or being caring about them at all. It is about caring for us as fans and playing the role we do no matter how small in making players want to be in Toronto.

I always liked Sam and am happy to seem him doing well and getting some work in broadcasting. I am confident he will be back in the league and at some point return to Toronto. I would hope that Raptor fans do the right thing when that day comes and cheer him. He clearly gave all he had in his time here and enjoyed Toronto and I think Toronto enjoyed him. Regardless of coaching just in the sense of press conferences and talking with the media Jay Triano is not nearly as entertaining and I miss the almost daily laughs I would get from a Sam Mitchell presser. It was an event in Toronto.

The Season Marches On In Philly

Andrea Bargnani a question mark for this game. He was a no show at shoot around with the flu. They said Flu like symptoms for the record. I can here someone saying that T-word. Tanking is not something the Raptors are going to engage in as if you look at the standings it is awful hard to think the Raptors will get worse than the bottom feeders in the West. This game is suppose to be simulcast on Raps-TV as well as this is a TSN 2 affair. But to the point of tanking the Raptors are not going to even try to do that. Will they look at what they have and give some people chances like a Pops Mensah Bonsu. Yes and they should do that. But remember that turn in the schedule that you have been told about all year well it is basically here. In more optimistic times I suggested that based on who was on the schedule the Raptors had a potential 12-3 to finish the season. However even when I threw out that number I said that I had no confidence they could deliver based on this team and it's lack of ability to string wins together. But to suggest that the Raptors can't win some of these last 15 and have something close to a .500 record would still be reasonable.

The Sixers after a slow start to the season have rebounded and at least found their way into the playoffs in the East. If it was the West they like the Raptors would be long dead. But they are not in the East and they are in the heart of battling for position in the pathetic bottom of the Eastern Conference Playoff race. So in theory the Sixers should be motivated enough to get a win over the Raptors. But they have lost 2 of their last 3. But clearly this is a game that if Raptors are at full strength is a winnable game for them.

Thoughts and Thanks

So that is about all for now. I just want to give special thanks to Anas Ahmed for the invite down to The Score. I have been down to The Score a couple times now and everyone has been very cool and nice to me. I appreciate that. Part of bringing the blog under The Score banner so to speak as part of The Sports Federation was because I truly am a fan of the work of a lot of folks on the network. They are the best of the networks when it comes to basketball on all levels in this country. They cover NBA, NCAA and CIS basketball. In fact I was chatting with Adnan Virk who is the one person I do know well at The Score. He is going to be hosting The Score's coverage of the CIS final 8 this weekend. I admit that the CIS is never high on my radar but maybe in time that will change. Basketball is basketball regardless of level. If you love the sport you can love it on all levels. I also am pleased to say the Adnan will be back in the block hopefully in the not to distant future. There was also the ground work laid to bring another guest into the fold for the Dino Nation Blog and I will be excited when this one comes together. Basically stay tuned. I hope by having the variety of people I attempt to bring into the Dino Nation Blog it helps give you a variety of opinions on basketball that is the mission of it. I like to hear what others have to say and talk with other people. I think on a daily basis in between all of the interviews people get a clear view of my thoughts and opinions. A lot of the guests we have offer different takes and come from a variety of places. I take pride in all the guests we have been able to have. I take has much pride in that as I do in all of you out there that read. I am still some what shocked when I mention the blog to people how many times people have said they have heard of it or read it. The Dino Nation Blog is hopefully always growing and will continue to do so. I am extremely grateful for what an idea that I had at 2am has brought into my life. Chances to talk with tons of good people from Interview guests to readers. It has been a lot of fun, in a season that has not offered much of that. I still have been able to keep hard at work and doing the best I can to make this something worth reading on a daily basis. I hope, I am successful in that mission more days than I am not.