On The Eve Of Doomsday

Well here we are sitting on the edge of lockout abyss for the NBA. If you consider yourself an optimistic person you will be encouraged by the fact the NFL appears to be on the verge of solving their labour issues. But to compare the two disputes is a little misleading. The NBA is in much worse shape overall than the NFL. The NBA is much more in a position similar to the NHL prior to their lockout that took away an entire season. Which ultimately never solved the issues. At the time it appeared the NHL Owners had landed a major victory. They got a salary cap put in place. A 15% rollback on salaries and all seemed good. But at the start of that new agreement the NHL Cap was 39 million and the cap floor was in the low 20 million range. Fast forward to today and that floor is now 48 million dollars. The major issue for the NHL has been the rise of the Canadian Dollar and that has made the NHL an even more profitable league as a result based on it's 6 Canadian franchises(Soon To Be 7). Now obviously the NBA is different and only has the Raptors here in Canada. The impact of the Canadian dollar is helpful for the Raptors but really has little impact on the league as a whole.

Why I bring up the NHL example is that if the NBA is going to go down this road they have chosen they better get it right. I think you can list a number of reasons why this lockout needs to happen in terms of the NBA Owners. While interest in the NBA has grown thanks to those 3 guys down in Miami. So has a growing issue of players control of the league. Sure it is great if you live in certain cities the way the NBA is currently constructed. But for small market teams and a team like the Raptors it is not exactly a great setup. While the Raptors can survive the fact that they basically are playing at a disadvantage there are other teams in this league that can not survive that over the long haul. Not to mention the whole idea of competitive balance which is fading fast under the current CBA.

While the impact of this lockout on myself and others like me could have a major impact. I mean for the last few years I have tried to eek out a living in covering Raptors and the NBA. So this lockout is no doubt devastating for me and others that try to do the same. But as a fan of the game I can understand why this is happening. If after all is said and done the NBA is better off I will be happy. However if this ends up similar to the NHL result in which nothing is actually solved I will be less than thrilled. I make it no secret that I have not been a fan of the NHL or Hockey for quite some time. The fact they blew an entire season away and basically stuck up their middle finger to the fans of their sport is part of why. Most of Canada has long forgotten that lockout and support the sport and league with very little consequence. But in the U.S the story is different for the NHL. The league dropped off the map and is not really on level with other major sports. Now the NBA will not have this happen but it will be a blow to the league should they let a season go away.

The outlook is far from optimistic for this lockout but I have a lot more faith in David Stern than I would in Gary Bettman who once upon a time worked under Stern in the NBA. It is vital for the league that he does. But it is going to be a long road to get there and you only need to look at how long it has taken the NFL to finally gain some momentum towards a deal. The issues in the NFL are far less and then is far more money to be made. The NBA issues are much more complex and not easily solved. How do you create a CBA that ensures teams some kind of security that players will not just stay with a team and then bolt at the first opportunity to do so. Players on the high end of the NBA pay scale make far to much money that is the major issue. Chris Bosh and Lebron James already were going to be loaded for life before they made the choice to head south. In the past greed was always the secret weapon for owners in CBA's. If a player could make more money playing somewhere it was always more likely that team had a great chance to retain that player.

Here at the Dino Nation Blog we will try to fight and stay alive during this lockout. It is not going to be easy but I have not given almost 4 years of my life to this to let it just be taken away. More than ever we will count on you folks that read and support the blog to help in that. What will happen during this lockout and how it will impact on us is unclear. But I urge you all to stick with us and support the DNB. I will do my best to keep things rolling along some how. It will likely mean less blogs and having to be very creative but I will do my best to keep this thing rolling along.

How long will this last is uncertain but it would seem highly unlikely we are talking about an NBA season getting started at the end of October. Things are always a little slower in the summer but with no off-season at all that will make it very different. It is hard not to be some what emotional about all of this. I have worked extremely hard to get everything I have with the DNB. Although this is something that is out of my control and really out of all fans of the NBA's hands. Still I refuse to give up and pray that we will all be better for this on the other side.

It is always a pleasure doing this blog and I will miss doing it as often and speaking with you on a more frequent basis. For now we will wait and see how things play out and once things have settled in likely take a break and come up with a plan for how we move forward from here. I thank you all that have supported the Dino Nation Blog and together with your help we will keep it alive through these difficult times for all of us.

DNB Top 10: NBA Lockout Edition

As Friday quickly approaches the one thing that's stuck in the minds of NBA fans around the world is whether there will be a lockout of not. The last time a lockout occurred was way back in the 1998-99 season, in which the season was shortened to only 50 games. This year many are saying that it will most likely be a year long lockout so we many not be seeing the likes of the Raptors, Miami's Big 3 and Kyrie Irving take the court until October of 2012, but lets just hope it doesn't actually come to that. A few weeks ago, James, gave us the top 10 things he'll do if there was to be a lockout and today I'll be giving y'all some suggestions of things to consider doing until the owners and players can eventually come to an agreement on a new CBA. So here we go.

Top 10 Things To Do During the Lockout:

#10: Discover Sarah Palin's Alaska

#9: Build a time machine to fast forward until there are NBA games again

#8: Enter into a deep hibernation until a deal is reached between the players and owners

#7: Have a telethon or record a CD to benefit NBA players

#6: Go golfing with Charles Barkley

#5: Petition to have the WNBA season extended to 82 games

#4: Re-watch Smallville, Lost and Friends from season 1

#3: Run up and down your street yelling "JIMMER" at 12:01am on July 1st

#2: Familiarize yourself with that other sport that's on in the fall called hockey

#1: Solve the mystery behind Lebron's hairline

So while we wait for the official word on the lockout situation at midnight on July 1st, consider these few suggesting if the foreshadowed lockout does indeed happen, and for the Canadian folks don't let if affect your Canada Day celebrations too much and remember you can always just Blame It On The Rain.

Money Weems Still A Raptor For Now.

When the Raptors acquired James Johnson it sent Sonny Weems to the bench from the starting line-up and it lead to a unhappy Weems. It seemed all the signs were there that Weems would be gone this off-season. Now that still could be the case but the Raptors did extend a qualifying offer which allows them to retain his rights as an RFA (Restricted Free Agent). Which means should Weems seek offers elsewhere the Raptors will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives.

It did raise a few eyebrows that the Raptors did this. But I can see the logic in doing so. If Weems gets another offer you can rationalize to DeRozan that you at least made an attempt to keep his best friend on the team but let him walk. While if you keep Weems on just that qualifying offer it is not the end of the world. Under Casey should he stay perhaps his defence will improve as well which was the major knock against him in comparison to James Johnson. The Raptors earlier picked up the option on Johnson's rookie contract along with Ed Davis and Demar DeRozan.

Lots of house keeping moves being done before the CBA expires and the expected lockout kicks in which will bring all NBA business to a screeching halt. In reality when we come back under a new CBA who is to say that RFA's even exist anymore. It is guess work to know what will remain and what will go in the new CBA. Clearly everything is up in the air. The clock is running out on the old CBA and while the NFL seems to be nearing a deal, the NBA is just starting it's labour war and many feel it will be a nasty battle. Comparisons to the NHL Lockout that wiped out an entire season have been used by some.

But heading into the lockout Sonny Weems will still be a Raptor if he chooses to be. The Young Onez may just not be dead yet. When we get to see them play again together or apart is a whole different question. One that we could be many months from knowing the answer to that.

Catching up from the Weekend

There were a number of minor news items for the Raptors this weekend. The first is the Raptors exercised options on Demar DeRozan, Ed Davis and James Johnson. Not exactly earth shaking or surprising. Those rumours about Barbosa leaving 7.2 million on the table and playing in Brazil? Forget about it, he is taking his money and exercising his player option for next season. Meaning if and when we play basketball he will have a very attractive expiring contract should the Raptors want to move him or keep him as the case maybe. While Jonas will not be coming next year by the looks of it. One more season in Europe and then a buyout looks to be the path we are heading down. Which if there is no NBA Season would still be the case. Speaking of which that NBA Lockout that we have all been warned about could be here as early as this week. The current CBA is set to expire and then the Owners would need to vote and make the lockout official.

If said lockout kicks in we here at the Dino Nation Blog might take a bit of vacation for a few weeks and then come back on a limited basis. Will see how things shake out. But with no off-season to cover it might be very hard to provide you with decent content 5 days a week. There is only so much labour talk people can stand and that includes me writing about it.

This is a unique time and really something we have never experienced in the history of this blog so will see what we do going forward. I would just ask that you continue to the support the Dino Nation Blog during this time of uncertainty for the NBA. The simple fact is we are dependant on the Raptors and the NBA to keep doing what we do. While there are other areas we go into such as Canada Basketball and NCAA that is not the main focus of what we do. The Dino Nation Blog is just one of many examples of the people not directly involved in the NBA Lockout that will be severally impacted by it. We like all of you just want to see basketball being played and the business of basketball continue. We depend on that to survive.

So please stick with us during this time of uncertainty. It has been almost 4 years of doing this blog and it has been a great ride and not one I would want to see come to an end.

Great Night for Canada But Maybe Not The Raptors

Well the Raptors and maybe you will all be pleased that I can't say I told you so about Tristan Thompson in a few years. Why I can't, is because the Raptors did not pass on Tristan Thompson because he was not there. He was gone to Cleveland with the 4th pick. The Texas freshman will be joining Irving the number 1 pick trying to fix the broken down kingdom that Lebron James left for South Beach. Tristan is a great talent and as much as some people were skeptical about how he would fit here in Toronto, I still fail to understand that. He blocks shots, he rebounds and he is a great force on the defensive end. He also happens to be Canadian and now the highest ever picked Canadian.

Ironically the Raptors would pick next and the mood would change. Jonas Valancinunas was the Raptors pick with both Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker still on the board. Needless to say the Raptor fan base for the most part was not exactly thrilled. Oh and not only is Jonas from Europe he likely is not putting on a Raptor jersey for a year or maybe even two. No the NBA lockout is not the reason, his contract with his European club team is. So we drafted the Ricky Rubio at Center position? Oh and then there is that whole Andrea Bargnani thing. He was the first ever European drafted first overall. How is that working out for the Raptors? Now all indications are Jonas is nothing like Bargnani. He rebounds, he blocks shots and he seems on paper to be a good fit. That being said as much as this may be a global game the Euro League is not the NBA. While some players have been able to translate very easily. Others do not make that transition as well. The NBA is the best league in the world for a reason and it is a different style of basketball.

Sorry to break it to Bryan Colangelo but because of Bargnani there is not a lot of patience for Jonas Valancinunas. Remember when Andrea was drafted and what people said at this time about him. He tested off the charts and had a extremely high basketball IQ. He was mentally tough. So how did that happen to pan out? I think Andrea Bargnani is mentally fragile at best. He may have a high basketball IQ but it is all on one end of the floor. While Colangelo is 100% correct in the need for Raptors to acquire a center. This may not be a guy that will be able to fit in this city. From day one he will face the ghosts of Bargnani and other non North American players that have been complete failures.

While Colangelo seems convinced he is right and the fans and his doubters are wrong, I am sure he felt and may still feel that way about Bargnani. While you can not obviously run a team based on the fans desires. At the same time to have complete disregard for the growing disconnect with this organization and it's fan base is not wise. Colangelo promises the money that they do not have to use likely to sign Jonas will be put to work in free agency. But here is the trick there is that lockout that Bryan is not allowed to talk about. So who knows when that free agency would be? Colangelo in his so called first term in office worked on a plan to build the Raptors through Europe and I think we can all agree that he failed in that goal. So the first move of his second term is to once again look to Europe? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The Raptors in the last two seasons steered away from that euro direction in the draft and have been rewarded with two solid players in DeRozan and Davis.

Another thing that bothers me is the lack of respect for the overall knowledge of this fanbase. I heard the example used of how fans booed the pick of Damon Stoudamire and the crowd at Skydome chanting for Ed O'Bannon. The fan base is far more educated from those days and the amount of access they have to information and the ability to watch guys play in the NCAA. Back in the days of mighty mouse there were not many that got to see him play out at Arizona. But times have changed and this fan base is far more educated and have much stronger opinions with that knowledge behind them.

While some praise Colangelo for his guts in making this pick. I am not one of them. Ultimately the Raptors can try and avoid the elephant in the room all they like but it is still there. For the Raptors ultimately to be successful they need to be able to make this an attractive destination for Americans to come here and after tonight maybe finally a Canadian or two. That is the problem this franchise has faced for 16 years. Colangelo I give credit for trying his Euro experiment the first time around. It was a good attempt to try and avoid the issue. But it ultimately failed and to head down that same path again is just not wise in my view. It would be nice to think that the Raptors could have a united nations type approach and be successful but the reality is as it has been proven over the past few years it doesn't work.

I stress again that the Raptors are walking a very thin line with their fans and to totally ignore what they feel is wrong. The only way it is right is if you win. Colangelo kept mentioning patience but if he hasn't noticed patience has run out here. He has a shorter term contract to remind him of that fact. If you expect this fan base to have patience, while you ignore their displeasure that is a recipe for disaster. I think everyone can agree that attendance and overall interest in the Raptors has declined. This is not a pick that will do anything to change that in the short term. If you lose fans in a town where you are always fighting against the monster down the hall that is the Maple Leafs that is never a wise idea.

Try marketing your draft pick that is not playing for your team coming off a certain labour stoppage and tell me how that works out for you. Now if you had a player that people wanted to see in a Kemba Walker or a Brandon Knight you are in a better spot. Ultimately I feel sorry for Jonas because it is not his fault. But he is walking into a hornet's nest and he has done nothing to deserve that. But Bryan Colangelo and Andrea Bargnani have. Along with a checkered past that Bryan Colangelo chooses to ignore dating back before he came here. But this fan base has endured it all and you need to understand that as well.

As for myself ultimately I got what I wanted out of this draft in a way. I really had no real passion or love for anyone in this draft other than wanting what is best for our Canadian kids. This draft will go down as one of the worst ever. I have no doubt about that. But at the end of the day the Raptors still have a glaring need at point guard. That leaves a door wide open for Myck Kabongo to walk through next year. I think he could ultimately be the guy out of the three players from Texas that will be the best fit. I am very confident he will follow the same path as Cory and Tristan have and also confident that he can be a potential lottery pick. Which realistically the Raptors should likely be in once again assuming we play a season. So I will try to remain optimistic and look forward to that brighter day. I know this much if Myck Kabongo is a Raptor he will be ready to roll from the moment his name was called.

Myck will be taking over the reigns at point guard for the now departed Cory Joesph. While I totally understood why Tristan Thompson was in this draft in terms of Cory I was a bit concerned. It turns out my concerns on if he would even be picked at all were far from the reality. The San Antonio Spurs who do this whole draft thing better than most surprised everyone by taking Cory Joesph. While it seems Tony Parker will be sticking around this could be a great situation for Joesph to play behind him. Hill looks to be the odd man out for the Spurs.

I am pretty sure this is the first time two Canadians have been drafted in the first round. But the exciting thing is this may only be the start of a group of kids that I like to call the Raptor Generation. One of the things in having the NBA come to Canada and the Raptors being part of the NBA since 1995 it has given kids in this country reason to dream and believe they can be in the NBA. The great success of Steve Nash has been part of that as well. But the presence of the NBA and the growing acknowledgement of NCAA programs that have started to notice Canada as a viable place to recruit talent. The future for Canada in the NBA had a very big night. The Toronto Raptors did not even if they think that they did.

Colangelo is off to a rocky start in his second tour of duty. This time around there is less desire to think that Colangelo is all knowing and will save the franchise as there was when he road in on his white worse from Phoenix. There is an old expression that Bryan Colangelo might want to take note of. If we forget our past then were are doomed to repeat it. The fans clearly have not forgotten the Raptors past even if Bryan Colangelo chooses to ignore it.

There is one thing that you have to admit in terms of Colangelo that he is always a guy that will make bold moves. But the problem is in terms of the Raptors a lot of his bold major moves have been failures. While I admire the sentiment in Colangelo feeling he did what was best for the franchise in the long term. I just don't agree with the decision he has made.

I want to thank Manu and the staff at St Louis Wings for a great night with working together on this draft party. I had a lot of fun and think everyone that was there did. I have enjoyed working with the folks at St Louis Wings and it is great to have a business that is so supportive of basketball. We have all had those experiences of going out to places and having to beg to get a basketball game on T.V. That is never the case there and they give basketball the love it deserves.

Draft Day Is Here Come Join Us.

Come join us at St Louis Wings for our Draft Party tonight at St Louis Wings 595 Bay St at the Atrium for all the fun of the NBA Draft. No matter if you like the Raptors pick or not it will be a good time. There will be specials, prizes and fun. I will be on hand acting as you host for the event there. It promises to be a fun night. We had a great time the last time at St Louis Wings welcoming Chris Bosh back to Toronto. Tonight we hope to welcome the newest Raptors to Toronto. So come out and have some fun. It might be the last chance we have to do something like this for awhile with an NBA Lockout looming so make sure you come out and party with us at St.Louis Wings. It promises to be a memorable night and will hope to see lots of you come out and join me for a DNB Draft Party bash. Toast the newest Raptor or have a tear in you beer. Regardless we plan on having fun so don't stay at home and watch the draft on T.V come out and experience it with the rest on the Dino Nation and enjoy the experience with other fans like you.

DNB Top 10- Things Dwane Casey Will Not Say

Hello all. It is yours truly James Borbath the Dino Blogger filling in with your DNB Top 10 this week. Ryan is busy blowing up balloons for our draft party at St Louis Wings on Bay St at the Atrium. Come out tomorrow night just after 7pm and join us for the NBA Draft. Pitchers of Canadian will be on sale to toast the newest Raptor or cry in if you don't like the pick. Other fun and excitement as well along with great food. But before our party let's give you 10 things that we can almost guarantee Dwane Casey will not say.

• #10- I wonder how Jay Triano would have defended this?
• #9- I bet if I use this neutral zone trap they have in hockey we could win the title this year.
• #8- I should have took the job in Detroit.
• #7- Here is my coaching staff. Sam Mitchell, Jay Triano, Butch Carter, Kevin O'Neil and Lenny Wilkins
• #6- Seriously these guys are not as bad on defence as I thought.
• #5- What we really need is to draft more tough Europeans.
• #4- Andrea Bargnani is the Dirk of Italy.
• #3- Ok guys what you need to do is clap more on defence like Jose.
• #2- Maybe if the lockout was longer I could have fixed this mess.
• #1- Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon were our best two defenders on the floor tonight.

Things that didn't make the cut? I have to pay for breaking that clipboard? Seriously? Also Bryan Colangelo is way cooler than Mark Cuban. But all that said Dwane Casey said a lot of the right things yesterday and here at the Dino Nation Blog we wish him luck. After all we are just happy to not have to endure another year of defence under Jay Triano. Something tells me Dwane Casey won't be trying to tell us his team's effort was good when it wasn't. Draft day is tomorrow so with the party and all may only get a quick post up. But B.C says his list is down to 4 players and let's hope that for everyone's sake it is not another Euro. It would not cause me to riot like a Vancouver Hockey fan but it sure would not make me a very happy man.