A Game On T.V That Everyone Can See...What A Concept.

Wow a game on T.V that is a real break through in this modern world we live in. The Raptors will have a home and home showdown with the New York Knicks. You will be able to watch both games on T.V as well that is truly thrilling is it not? Seriously it is pathetic how basketball fans have been treated this year. I have talked about it for a long time. The product on the floor this season has been bad but this cable war has made it even worse. I do not want to hear one person complain about ratings for basketball for the next 2 years at least. That is how long it is going to take to repair the damage that has been done by this mess. If you can fix it at this point. That is just a guess but T.V people complain about ratings but you have no base to do that for the next little while after you have insulted fans of the sport. I have said it all when it comes to this topic. It is not about who is to blame anymore. Wake up at MLSE and see what this is doing to your fan base. You need to do something to erase this ugly chapter in the broadcast history of this team. It is the insult to the injury of what has been a hard season.

Knicks Are On Right Path

No more Thomas and a clear direction, and play in New York, has lead to a thing that had been long lost for Knick fans.... HOPE and it has nothing to do with Obama. I questioned if Mike D'Antoni could bring his system to New York and make it work. Well so far so good and the Knicks are doing a solid job leaving the Thomas Era in the rear view mirror. Donnie Walsh was able to unload more of the bad of Thomas yesterday and brings back a solid guy in Chris Wilcox. He was going to be a Hornet but winds up a Knick. Even if they do not get that Lebron James guy in 2010 the Knicks are heading in right direction regardless of that. The days of Knicks getting attention because of Spike Lee and short guy stealing dunk contests are coming to an end. Nate can take his little green ball and dribble it on the bench or elsewhere cause change is coming to the Knicks and his little side show is no longer required. Spike Lee can stay because for a fan to have stayed loyal through all of this he deserves too.

In fact Knick fans are almost like Leaf fans in thinking the team has done to well this season. In that race for 8th of teams that are clearly flawed why not the New York Knicks? It sure seems a lot more realistic to me than the Raptors. If the Raptors want to change my mind, if that is possible at this point, it would take a convincing sweep of the Knicks to even make me consider. Chris Bosh is coming back for this series and even he understands that the slim hope the Raptors still hold for playoffs requires him to be out there. That is why I stick behind Chris Bosh while everyone is trying to run the guy out of town. I have had many conversations about Bosh with folks. Some think he can't be a player that can be a franchise guy. They are convinced he is leaving in 2010. I have been of the opinion that he has been loyal to this franchise he has busted his butt and given a lot to this team through tough times. I respect that. So if that means I have to be the last one on this train so be it. I was last one off the T.J Ford train and many out there said Jose would replace T.J it would be easy for him and he was going to be an all star. How is that working out for you? Not so hot right? I find it funny that so many folks have shifted over to my side of things. I was the guy saying all this last year. So forgive me if I don't welcome you all with open arms. But the addition of Shawn Marion will force Jose to become more aggressive on offense. If it doesn't really what is the point of all this talk of running. He even said he needed to improve his defense. The newsflash will be if he actually can.

Bosh meet the NYC Media

It will be interesting to see how Bosh handles the 2010 question that you know will come from the New York media win or lose. I would be shocked if Bosh did anything but what he has done all along which is take the high road on the issue. I know this Raptors media relations Guy Jim LaBumbard won't have him sitting behind a Knick back drop like Lebron did earlier in the year. Leave that for someone to photo shop it. The reality of an image like that is not a good thing. This will be the first meeting between the Knicks and Raptors as crazy as that seems at this point in the season.

Bosh and Marion Combo

It will be interesting to see if Bosh and Marion can have a better on court relationship than that of Bosh and O'Neal. The bar is pretty low in that regard. It just never seemed to gel with O'Neal and Bosh. It felt like an arranged marriage that both parties tried to make work but just could not. Marion may offer a better option for Bosh. However it is likely all for not. The chances this is anything but a spring fling are great indeed. I am not convinced that Marion will remain in Toronto beyond April 15th. However if some kind of amazing duo were to emerge from all of this it would be something that Raptors would have to consider. The question really is ultimately is would Marion? Seems highly doubtful and I don't think the Raptors can afford to over pay for Shawn Marion.

But let's not put the cart before the horse and see what we have with this combination. I did like that Marion was talking about the lack of communication on defense. That is something that the Raptors need to improve on. Talking on defense and making that talk result in action. Marcus Banks wants to be useful on this team and get minutes all he needs to do is play defense. That would be something this Raptor team could use badly. It is no secret that Jose Calderon is not getting it done. Roko Ukic could turn into a decent to good defender. In between that time there is a role that Will Solomon was suppose to fill that is open for Banks. Solomon was suppose to be a guy that could play some defense and score the basketball. He did little of that here. Good luck to the Kings with him doing it for them. Patrick O'Bryant comes to the Raptors and he is another 7 footer. He feel out of favour in Golden State and spent time in Bakersfield with the Jam of the D-League. He signed with Boston and has had little time on the floor with them. He will be another option the Raptors can try to use in the front court. Play defense, rebound and know your role and it might work out for O'Bryant. But let's be clear I am not holding my breath.

Jay Triano Is Doing A Good Job?

I have heard this said by a number of folks that I respect and I am confused. What has Jay done that has been so great? I mean no offense by that truly. I wanted Jay to be successful just as much as anyone. Bryan Colangelo has been full of praise for his choice to take over for Sam Mitchell. So what has he done other than shown us that Joey Graham is a capable player when nothing is on the line. He is given credit for Bargnani and his improvement. However is that not more a product of the work he put in during the off-season? He has been better but has shown slippage of late. Maybe I am just not as advanced as these people to see it. However to me it just seem that it is more of the same and refs not making calls is not the problem with all due respect. The problem is that Jay Triano is not a new voice. There is nothing he can do about that. However I think this team needs a new voice in the room. I think they need it in a coach and on the roster as well. The Raptors need someone to shake this whole thing up. Mitchell pushed this team and demanded more. Not saying that firing Sam was wrong. I think that he was still pushing but no one was listening anymore and that is a death sentence for a coach. However it was the right message. This Raptor team needs some tough love. It is clear they have been to willing to accept defeat and make excuses as a group. I am not pointing the finger at any individual for that but it seems clear to me. Give me an Eddie Jordan that did the impossible with a team that suffered injuries and battled through and until this season Jordan was able to make it work some how.

Sam Mitchell never let this team use injuries as an excuse and I think Eddie Jordan is of that same school. He may not be the favourite pick for many for this job. In fact he may not be on many lists out there. However he is at the top of mine. I would have Jeff Van Gundy in the mix as well but for now I think he enjoys his role on T.V. Jay Triano may in fact have the skill and ability to be an NBA head coach. I just have a hard time thinking it can be here with the Raptors unless you do a total house cleaning. I guess that is possible. But if the core remains Jay has to go in my opinion.

Lowest Point In Raptors History?

The Dino Nation Blog has only been around a couple years now. So the lowest point in the history of the Dino Nation Blog is for certain. The Dino Blogger has been a fan from day one long before there was blogs or a Dino Blogger. In the entire history of this franchise has there been a worse moment? The Vince Carter trade was a low moment and comes to mind. That was a low point but we had Chris Bosh as the young star who was going to lead us back from that. Which he did and took this franchise to some places that Vince never did. There was a 16 win season way back a long time ago. However in that season the Raptors level of expectation was not all that great. When you add up all that is going on with this team on and off the floor it could be the worst point ever. Bosh is now being painted with the same brush as Vince Carter and already is considered a dead lock to leave but many folks out there. In watching that mess last night in Memphis it is hard to make the case for Chris Bosh to stay. If you are Bryan Colangelo how do you look Bosh in the eye and say I will fix this and make it better. I mean this is a team that Colangelo built and he claimed was the most talented he has had in his time in Toronto. In firing Sam Mitchell that only served to put the spotlight of attention on Bryan. What has become clear is that Mitchell was not the only problem. Given how this team performed since he has left may just speak to how good a coach Mitchell was. People may debate that but hey this team has never played to a level that was better since Mitchell had his pay checks forwarded to Atlanta. The Raptors are now in a spot where they are bad but are not going to be bad enough to benefit at this point. That is unless they get lucky in the lottery. Today will attempt to go through all the bad and see what can be done to fix it short and long term for this franchise.

T.V Please

This one is the easiest of all. MLSE needs to tell Rogers and TSN to get their issue solved and they need to do it in a way that these folks will understand. How is that you ask? Well MLSE owns another property that both Rogers and TSN drool over. That being the Toronto Maple Leafs. It becomes really simple. MLSE can just hold the future of leafs broadcast over the head of both and say that they are fully willing to pull games from both Sportsnet and TSN in the future and put them on Leafs T.V. If you did that how fast do you think Rogers and TSN are a table signing a deal and singing we are the world. I am saying that it would take under 24 hours max.

I have been saying it all year. Regardless of who is the real villain, they all have insulted us as basketball fans. Even the best game of the year was buried on TSN. Maybe I am wrong screw the folks at MLSE. David Stern was a lawyer can you come up here and fix this mess. After all you brought basketball to Canada and I am sure you would like most of the country to be able to watch it. If they are unwilling to make a deal go to the CRTC and say that you want the rules changed so Raptors broadcasts can be part of NBA League Pass in Canada. But someone needs to step up and help us the fans of basketball here in Canada. Watching games on feeds and hoping you can find them. It may be fine for some. However to me it is just unacceptable to have to hunt down a game. It is not like I am trying to watch porn, I want to watch a basketball game. So why do I have to be made to feel dirty as if I were hunting the net for free porn?

2009/10 Starts Now

No more of this nonsense talk about the playoffs. The focus needs to be on next year and what the future of this franchise will be. The big question is will that future include Chris Bosh. If it is going to it will take an amazing effort from Bryan Colangelo to turn this team around in a hurry like he did when he first arrived on the scene. This is a lot more difficult a task however because Colangelo is not cleaning up a mess that was here and not his own. This is his mess and his mistakes that are looking back at him. Would another G.M walk in to this franchise and not blink in trading an Andrea Bargnani or even a Jose Calderon. They may if they felt they were not the right guys. It is always hard to admit you were wrong for anyone. You also are fearful that you give up on a player to soon and have that come back to bite you.

Joel Bosh Save Us!!!

Maybe they should sign Joel Bosh and that will convince Bosh to stay? I am only kidding but a fellow blogger had a chance to interview Joel and I wanted to give him a hook up with a link. So if you want to know more about Joel Bosh check out this interview.

But the serious changes that need to happen must start to happen now. Start looking for a real head coach for this franchise. Jay Triano is no doubt a smart basketball person but just has not been able to make that near impossible transition from assistant to head coach with the same organization. Not that he would but if I was making a list for Bryan Colangelo with my coaching candidates to take over this franchise here is my list.

Coaching Candidates of Dino Blogger

3. Avery Johnson- I like what he did in Dallas and think Mark Cuban over re-acted in his firing. The question would be in could Colangelo even convince him to come? Memphis tried and failed to get him out of his broadcasting job. Given that Grizzlies have young talent and Raptors are lacking in that regard and not much better it could be a very tough sell.

2. Jeff Van Gundy- Another person very happy in broadcasting. He also recently expressed his desire to have family time now that broadcasting allows. But he clearly still has the coaching bug. If Jeff Van Gundy can't make this defense better who on planet earth can? Again a tough sales job may be needed to convince him. If not for that he would be on top of this list. In my conversations with Jack Armstrong he speaks highly of both Stan and Jeff as coaches and I think he is a good fit to restore pride in this Raptor franchise that is in bad need of some.

1. Eddie Jordan- Look at what he did with the Wizards with very little. It all fell a part this year. But how long can any coach be expected to keep a team going with a star player that writes more blogs than plays basketball games. He has a good sound system of offense and without Gilbert Arenas has had the Wizards be able to play decent to great defense. He may not be on the top of many lists you will find out there to get this job, but hey lots of the people writing the lists also thought this team would be good. I was one of those as well. But point is there are no perfect answers.

Some names not on my list:

Mark Ivaroni- He to me had a chance to show his stuff with Grizzlies and failed to get it done. I am not sold on him and think he is a guy that was an assistant that showed he can not make the transition to being a head coach. Just cause Colangelo knows him and was rumoured to want him in the past does not mean he is or should be a candidate for this job.

Ettore Messina- I am not going to try to take away from what this man has accomplished. It is impressive what he has done in Europe and the Euro-League. That being said that is not the NBA. It has different rules and a entire different culture of how teams work and function. The power of the players in Europe is far less than that of the NBA players. I will not get into the nuts and bolts. Just in general coaches have far more power and control. There is also obvious rule variations and a learning curve for a coach as well. Any Euro coach that would come here great or not. Euro players have to take time to adjust to the NBA so why would a coach be any different? No thanks not now. Chris Bosh is not staying and no North American star player will go near Toronto to be part of this Euro experiment. The fact this guy's name is out there speaks to me that Maurizio Gherardini has to much of a voice in this team. I am tired of Raptors ignoring North American options for European ones. This team needs to stop having a Euro Bias and fast. In hiring Messina it would only increase that issue and make this team look more like a Euro League team than a NBA franchise which it is.

Don't Buy Into The Mirage

You can think this is Joey Graham bashing or whatever you care to think. But this is just proof of what I have said all along about Joey. When it means the least Joey plays his best. You can buy into all the hype and nonsense if you choose too. He is a athlete the likes this franchise has never seen. I include Vince Carter in that mix and anyone else. But here is the difference. Graham does not have the ability to show up and play in games when they mean something. Joey has always thrived at points when this team has been at some of it's worst points as a franchise. If you or more importantly the Raptors get fooled into it so badly that Graham is re-signed with the Raptors you will both get what you deserve. That is a flat out slap in the face back to reality when Joey fades back into the player he has always been. Flashes of great play after 4 years is not reason to lose your mind and ignore the 3 and half years that happened before it.

Ask yourself this when has Joey performed well when it meant a lot in his career other than his play down the stretch in the Division title year that some point too. Personally I think that gets overrated. Also I hear a lot of people saying trade Bosh and keep J.O? What has happened this season that makes people think that? When healthy which as been few and far between J.O has played well but better than Bosh? I mean Bosh is going to the All Star Game not J.O. Bosh was on team U.S.A not J.O. When J.O was team U.S.A had one of the worst performances ever internationally. But that is going far off topic. Point is Chris has a solid history with this team that has been disrespected and tossed aside. Why? Just because a couple knuckleheads like Jalen Rose and Steven A Smith said he was leaving? Even prior to that fans were booing the guy. This team is in rough shape and Chris has given everything he has all the time he has been here. A lot of the same people on his case now are the same ones that were on Vince Carter and saying he did not try and gave up on the team. Well Bosh has busted his butt and you hate on him too. So what is it exactly that you want? It seriously makes me sick. Some fans that can chat M.V.P for a guy and in a short amount of time later want to run a guy out of town. But it is nothing new. T.J Ford after his injury got a nice and well deserved cheer from the ACC crowd. By April he was booed and eventual wanted out of town by this same part of the fan base. I am a loyal person in all that I do and to see that kind of lack of loyalty in people really makes me angry. If you have never liked Chris Bosh or T.J Ford or whoever that is one thing. But to go with the wind or mob as the case maybe... is another. May people in your lives treat you that way as well. I mean seriously how would you like that. It is not fun if it happens to you.

The thing I find in all of this is it will bring out the worst in some people and it is just sad and painful to watch. I have said many times everyone wants what is best for this team but the way some of you go about that is just wrong. You can be upset, you can be angry, all of that. Heck, I am all of those things myself. But that does not mean you have to become some kind of person that is part of a mob of hate. Be angry at what has happened and not the people it is happening too. Judge them on their entire record not just the latest chapter of the story. Just some things to consider before you write that next Bosh hating post, or Colangelo, or whoever it is you blame for this mess. You can still have class and express your displeasure. It is possible but it is a lot easier to just react and say whatever is on the top of your head. It is going to be a very long trip to April 15th.

There is much more to cover, but hey by April 15th I am sure I will get to it all.