8/23/10

The Calderon Curse Continues

It was bad enough that the Raptors have failed to be able to trade Jose Calderon. But now he gets injured, in a exhibition against the United States in preparation for the World Championships that start this week. The estimated recovery time according to the story in The Toronto Star is 4 weeks, which would be right around the time the Raptors will open camp in Toronto. This will kill any hope that Bryan Colangelo can move Calderon prior to training camp. It would appear, he was not having much success at it anyway.

I will not give my whole speech on how international play is having a negative impact on the NBA for the 100th time. Clearly this is just another example that people can use as evidence to support that case. This is now the 2nd time Calderon has been injured representing Spain and not the Raptors. It just never ends and as much as the World Championships benefit from the NBA being a part of them it doesn't help the Raptors any right now. The World Championships actually could have served as a good way to showcase Calderon for trades. But forget about that now as Calderon may not even be in camp for the Raptors.

This injury to Jose's leg is also not going to help his now infamous terrible defense any. An overpaid and injured back up point guard just what ever team wants. Calderon at full health has questionable speed to begin with. Each time that leg gets injured the questions just become bigger and bigger. After all you don't get quicker by injuring your leg consistently. It is safe to call Jose injury prone now. I got slammed by some the last time I did so in the blog. I will let this latest injury be my version of I told you so.

The larger picture of this Raptor off-season just gets worse. It is becoming increasingly more likely this may actually be it. The Raptors you see now likely are the Raptors you will see open camp. If that is the case this team has some serious issues. I love the Young Guns but even if they all played out their minds, it still would not be enough. Andrea Bargnani in playing for Italy this summer is not exactly showing much improvement on the defensive end. Not that playing internationally is the same type of defense we play here anyway. A move to the 4 spot for Bargnani seems highly unlikely given the Raptors current roster. That was about the only good thing about Bosh leaving was that Bargnani could move to his natural 4 spot. But so much for that.

I hate to think a team is dead and buried before they ever play a game. That being said, if I started working on my eulogy on the Raptors season would anyone blame me? I had been working on my Jose Calderon is no longer a Raptor eulogy and sadly it has been put away once again.

Jose Calderon honestly is at the root of a lot of the problems this team has faced. Things starting falling a part, when the point guard controversy with him and T.J Ford started and from that point on the Raptors have been a mess. It was the spark that led to a long list of bad moves that have left this franchise without much hope and without a true star player. It makes you wonder if Calderon actually makes that pass to Bosh vs the Nets would the would the Raptors situation be entirely different?

We will never know but that pass getting picked off was just the start of the Curse that Calderon has become. I was talking on Friday about the lack of a rival and that is in part a lack of tradition. Well how about a curse....The Curse of Calderon.

6 comments:

  1. Jose wouldn't even be on the team if Horford hadn't injured TJ. I hate you Al

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  2. I was really hoping that the Raps would trade Calderon this summer. It wasn't because of the player himself, Jose is a complete professional. It wasn't his contract. Only two players on the Raps are being paid above the MLE. So his contract isn't debilitating at all. I keep watching these replays on RapsTV and I pay really close attention to Jose. While he's no Gary Payton, his defense is adequate. I've certainly seen worse. I really wanted Jose traded so I wouldn't have to hear or read the constant whining and complaining from the bloggers that follow the Raps. Ah well!

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  3. Evidently, you are racist. . . . . and non Canadian (don't forget, Canada National Basketball team is in Turkey now!),. For you is OK for team USA to be in competition with NBA players, but not the rest of the World? Yeah, right

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  4. Evidently you forgot what your name is. You also are a bit confused on what a racist is. What you comment suggests is I am a nationalist not a racist.

    It has always been my position that all nations should not have NBA players in non-olympic years. The U.S of all the nations is the least of the problem given the huge pool of depth they can draw upon. Players on team USA do not have to play the extended minutes a player might play on a nation that lacks NBA talent.

    But the point is the NBA pays these players and having them play for national teams is a risk that they should not be forced to endure unless it was part of a contract that a player and a team agreed to. Would a player leave money on the table for the right to play for his country for basically free? Show me that guy and I will respect the hell out of him and have no problem with him playing for whatever flag he chooses.

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  5. If you have been reading this blog I have been on the Calderon can't be good banwagon long before it was the cool thing to do. I don't consider it complaining or whining that he can't play defense. He get erased on a pick and never fights through one. He can not stay in front of anyone that is considered quick.

    He is overpaid and that is least of my personal beefs. There have been lots of those over the years.

    As for Jose being professional I don't totally agree with that. Was it professional to run to Spain and suddenly make a statement that you deserve to be a starter like he did in his contract year? I don't think it was.

    Jose is a good person and human being that I totally agree. But when words like professionalism and leader get attached to him I chuckle to be honest.

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  6. I am not in the Al Horford fan club as well. That being said he has turned into a heck of a player for Hawks and is only guy that was busting his butt in the playoffs last year. Still he made a bone head rookie mistake that dramatically has impacted on Ford's Career in a negative way.

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