Marc Stein on Marion Deal - ESPN
In short Bryan Colangelo is pretty amazing. I had said that you could not truly judge a half painted picture a few days ago. Well Colangelo as truly added some masterful Michaelangelo type strokes to his Raptors canvas. The Raptors have gone from DeRozan and Douby. To Wright, Delfino, DeRozan and George. That addresses the wing spot. About the only thing he could not manage to do in unload Marcus Banks. Had he done that as well there may well have been a Bryan Colangelo parade today in Toronto.
Suddenly, Chris Bosh wakes up to having a team build around him that is pretty good and has some options at pretty much every position. Hey the roll B.C is on maybe Bosh will sign and extension as well.That is not likely to happen but the odds on Chris Bosh coming back have greatly increased in the last 48 hours. The combination of the info on the cap, The Raptors making massive change. The future of Chris Bosh has become a lot brighter to stay in Toronto.
In the end that is what matters the most. That is why all of this has happened in a lot of ways. However even if Bosh were to walk the Raptors are much better prepared for that as well. I still have concern over some of the contracts in terms of Andrea and Hedo. Having a team with some depth makes me a little less worried about that.
People had said B.C was not done. I was sure that he was not done trying. But I wondered if he could pull anything off. Well B.C did that no doubt about this. Even with all of this the Raptors still at best are the 4th team in the East. Still who was thinking that or saying that as a best case even a week ago?
I still have a wait and see approach to all of this. However the big difference is I can't wait to see instead of dreading the rest of this summer. Will this finally put an end to all of you that were thinking/hoping Chris Bosh would be traded this summer?
I am hopeful this will be enough to convince Chris Bosh to remain a Raptor. I truly hope that he can play his career as a Raptor and one day see a #4 hanging in the A.C.C. I feel like, as I am sure most Raptor fans do, that we have all watched Chris grow as a player and a man before our eyes. That is why I am a card carrying member of CB4 Nation. There are some guys that I will always root for their entire career. Bosh is on that list. I just would prefer I am doing it with him as a Raptor.
I want to close with some thoughts on Anthony Parker. He has been one of the most classy and professional people in his time with the Raptors. He finds himself in a situation where he should have an excellent chance at winning a championship. Can you think of a person more deserving of that then him? It would be a short list. So I am extremely happy for him. I also think we are all better off at getting to know someone of such high character and classy. So best of luck to A.P. Here is a list of truly nice guys from Raptors history. They all had varying degrees of talent but all were people that made me smile and hopefully you as well.
#5- Matt Bonner AkA The Red Rocket.
#4- Dell Curry
#3- Muggsy Bogues
#2- Anthony Parker
#1- Morris Peterson.
There were others that you could add to this list. If you have some you want to include or have your own list feel free to make a comment.
Yesterday I decided to do a live blog of the Andrea Bargnani Press Conference. The numbers and turn out for that was fantastic. So if you came out for that thanks a lot. It went so well that I will be doing another one for the Hedo News Conference and I am going to consider some form of a weekly Chat/Live Blog. I really love interacting with folks as you can probably notice if you follow the blog on Twitter (@dinonationblog). So if that presser happens today look for a live blog to be posted here on the site.
I suspect the majority of Raptor fans will be happy today and after last season you have earned that right to be so. Bryan Colangelo took a large step back towards the super genius that got a standing ovation when he came to town.
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Well put DNB. I'd most certainly have to add on my list, JYD! His energy and love for the team and city was like no other. The minute he found out he was traded from Detroit to T.O. he drove via his pick-up with basically only the shirt on his back! That's a man well deserved to be on my list. :)
ReplyDeleteI have only one word for BC ........ GENIUS!
Gosh I feel bad for leaving JYD off the list. I had all this math and people rumbling in my head. I met Jerome and he is a super person and really should have been on that list. SORRY JYD!!!
ReplyDeleteB.C has a lot of people thinking WOW that is for sure!!!
We need good back up point guard. That is going to be our main problem unless BC does something about it. It was a major issue last year, hopefully something is going to be done about it.
ReplyDeleteWell with the MLE back on the table he can do that and if Delfino comes back he does play some point internationally.
ReplyDeleteJust curious as how you would define a player as being "classy". A lot of people use this term to describe Anthony Parker, but what is it about him that makes it so? Is it because he is articulate and interviews well? Is it because he sports no tattoos and does not use profanities? Does being older have anything to do with it, as I noticed you also had Curry and Bogues on your list? How about being active in the community and with charities? All of these things?
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Bonner or JYD as being among the classiest in Raptors history. No doubt they were two of the biggest fan faves. But JYD's howling and self promotion rubbed some people the wrong way.
I certainly do agree with Mo Pete being #1. He's never had a bad thing to say about the city or team. In his last year with the Raptors, he was in Mitchell's dog house and played sparingly, but you didn't hear Peterson complaining in the media. He played hard when called upon, and who could forget his game-tying bucket against the Wizards as a last minute sub?
If you draw up a model of the prefect team player it was A.P. Always out in community, Treated Media with a ton of respect, Treated his team with the same. He just was really a stand up dude.
ReplyDeleteJYD has done lots of work for Anti Violence and he did a promos for everything including my Radio Show. He was the best to be honest I have tried to track him down to be in the blog some time. I would like to do that with some Ex-Raps think it would be good.