Colangelo Does A 180 On Triano To Fans Delight

The fact that Jay Triano is out as Raptors Head Coach is welcome news to many fans. It should not be surprising news either except for the fact it sure seemed like he had the support of G.M Bryan Colangelo. Prior to Colangelo being brought back as G.M he even went as far as to say if he did not return as G.M he would endorse Triano to return as Head Coach to a new G.M. Well that new G.M was in fact him and we do not see Jay Triano as head coach. It is a bit of a head scratching moment. What exactly changed in that month or so? Jay Triano never won or lost a game in that time. Colangelo in a telephone conference with the media last night talked about Triano not reaching standards that were set. These performance standards were not based on wins and loses although Colangelo would not get into specifics of what these standards were. Here is what he said specifically on the subject.

Bryan Colangelo:

" Some of those performances standards were certain things that we put in place to measure our progress as a team and an organization. Again not necessarily being measured by wins and losses. That was something that we both acknowledged was not going to be an easy task last year. But it was more about environment and direction. As I said at the time (His End Of Season Press Conference) Jay fared well in a lot of areas. But at the end of the day in terms of a gut feeling about where this needs to go and how we need to get there and how quickly we want to get there. "

Colangelo went on to talk about his conversation with Jay and the conclusion of that conversation being the feeling that there was need for a new voice and a new leader to take this team to the next level. Colangelo went on to praise Triano and speak of his basketball knowledge and how he looks forward to working with him in his new role as his special assistant. What exactly that role could be is up for debate. According to Colangelo you might even see Jay back in his old job as an assistant coach if the man he hires would want Triano.

But reading between the lines of what Bryan Colangelo had to say it would appear that Triano's lack of ability to get his team to play defence ranks high in the reasons why he is no longer the head coach of the Raptors. That also may speak as to why P.J Carlesimo will not be considered for the job.

Bryan Colangelo

" I was not hiring P.J to be Jay's ultimate replacement. That was not the case. What we were looking to do was to amp up Jay's staff, amp up defensive focus and effort. That was the sole purpose of bringing in P.J last year."

Which clearly didn't happen. While P.J is still under contract it would be a surprise if he remained given that he is not even being considered for the head coaching position. In terms of the rest of the assistants they all are not under contract and would likely have to be selected by the new head coach to remain. Who that will be is up for debate. Bryan Colangelo made it clear he wants someone with experience and pedigree and a better defensive mindset combined with a free flowing offence. Ideally more balance in a approach leaning to defence. Here is how Colangelo defined it.

Bryan Colangelo

" Candidates that have a great deal of experience. I think that is something that is important in this regard, I think this young team that was obviously developing well under Jay need to see some that has a pedigree or resume that would indicate that this is some that has achieved success. Clearly someone that has somewhat of a defensive minded prospective. Someone that has had success putting solid defensive units out there. That have had success limiting points while still having some flow to the offence. Finding a perfect blend in someone that does have a good feel of the offensive side of the ball. But at the same time can really drill down on the defensive side of the ball which is something that we need to dramatically improve on. "

So it would seem that the lack of defence is ultimately what cost Jay his job. Some would point to the fact with Bargnani and Calderon as starters that might not have been possible for Jay to do. If both remain under this new coach we will find out. Given what Colangelo desires to have it makes for a very short list you would figure. Raptor fans have long mentioned the name of Jeff Van Gundy as a potential coach for the Toronto Raptors. Colangelo's description sure sounds like him. However it would appear he seems very content in his current role with ESPN as commentator. Other names that have been put out there include Rick Aldeman who also would fit the description Colangelo laid out. Lawrence Frank the former Nets coach now an assistant with the Celtics could also be considered. If you want a long shot how about Jerry Sloan who was the longest serving coach in NBA History until last season when he left the Jazz. But there is no indication that Sloan has any desire to get back into coaching.

This is going to be a huge move in terms of Colangelo's long term future and one he will not take lightly. After all Bryan only was given a short extension himself and really can not afford to get this wrong. You also wonder if the fact Colangelo was not able to make this move sooner has cost him a candidate he desired? Kevin McHale was just hired by the Rockets and Mike Brown surprisingly ended up with the Lakers job. Colangelo is under the gun time wise in terms of finding a coach prior to the draft. Something he says in a perfect world he would like to do. But with the draft fast approaching on June 23rd that seems unlikely. There also is that whole lockout thing coming too. I am not clear on how that would impact on things. If you go by the NFL example it would suggest that Colangelo would need to hire a coach prior to the lockout taking place. He was asked about this but declined to comment based on the NBA rules about talking about the "L" word and the fact he would likely be fined.

But make no mistake about the search for the next Raptors head coach has begun and it will be a huge step for this franchise one way or the other. Triano for my money was never going to be the guy to lead this team all the way to the end of the road in being a contender. So the fact the Raptors have cut bait with him makes total sense to me. It also is clear at least for me that this team never was buying into what he was selling on the defensive end of the floor. While everyone to a man likes Jay Triano he was not the guy to get the job done in the long term to me. He never seems to lose a job anyway so it is hard to feel to sorry for him. Just as he survived several coaching changes as an assistant. He has survived his own demise with this new job as some sort of assistant to Colangelo. Does this mean he will be getting Colangelo coffee? Likely not but it does keep him still a part of the organization which is much more than many coaches get on being fired. Colangelo himself thinks Jay was given more than a fair shake and I agree with him. Here is what Colangelo had to say on it.

Bryan Colangelo

" There are certain things that I felt we needed to address from a different point of view, with respect to a fair chance I think that by virtue of a couple things. Jay was here for a full 2 and 2/3rds seasons. There was a team that arguably had a lot more talent and a team that had arguably a lot less talent. Again not being measure by wins and losses being measured by overall performance. There was many things that go into that performance beyond wins and losses. It was determined that it was the right time to make a move. I would say by virtue of Jay having an oppurtunity to remain with the organization to continue to be part of this rebuilding plan and still have input into the on going process. I think Jay not only got a fair shake but he has an ongoing fair opportunity to be part of this."

I would agree with that one hundred percent. But it all seems very odd to me that Colangelo even though he gives no indication of it seems to have done a 180 degree turn on Triano. Anyone that walked away from his end of the season press conference that did not feel Jay Triano would be back if Bryan was didn't see same press conference I did. Yet that is not the case. It makes you wonder what exactly happened. I can only come up with two explanations. When Colangelo was brought back there was an understanding between himself and MLSE that he would make a move at the coaching position or he would not be back. Now who was the one pushing for that is unclear. If it was Colangelo it would seem odd that he would keep Jay Triano on as his assistant. If it was the MLSE Board that wanted Jay out that would seem odd as well given they have kept him around for so long in the organization. The only other thing that makes any sense is the meeting that Colangelo had with Triano changed his thinking on Triano's ability to coach this team going forward.

Still I am not going to complain as to why this has happened or how. I am just glad it did. I have expressed it many times how I feel in terms of Jay Triano and his future as coach of this team. I feel this was a positive step in the right direction. I am also encouraged by the type of coach Colangelo wants to bring in to replace him. Ultimately regardless of what you think of Jay Triano you have to respect him for all that he as done as man for Canadians in terms of coaching at the NBA level. He has and will remain a historic figure for others to follow. Give him credit for all that he has been able to accomplish. However that is not enough in my view to keep him on board coaching without having really proven anything to justify it. It will be very interesting to see who in fact Colangelo can land to replace him. When the Lakers are only getting Mike Brown to replace a coaching icon in Phil Jackson you have every right to be a little worried. But Bryan Colangelo has to get this right not only for the franchises future but his own.

DNB Says TGIF

2 more teams joined the Raptors on the NBA sidelines as the Suns and Spurs sent the Blazers and Mavericks packing. So that leaves 3 series in play. Lakers and Thunder with Lakers up 3-2, Jazz leading Nuggets 3-2 and Bucks up on Hawks 3-2. Of those 3 the obvious surprise is the Bucks are not only alive but leading over the Hawks. Should the Hawks go on to a rather large failure you wonder what the fall out will be. Could Mike Woodson job be in jeopardy? Might be another team for Sam Mitchell to interview with as he lives in ATL and is seen at some Hawks games every once in awhile. I did say another team didn't I. That is because Mitchell was among a number of names that Sixers will talk with to fill their vacant coaching position. Among that list apparently is Jeff Van Gundy.

Bryan Colangelo had predicted 6-9 coaching vacancies this off-season. He also said Toronto would not be one of them. Given some of the names out there maybe it should be? If Triano does not turn out the way Bryan hopes will the Raptors miss a chance on landing a coach they desire? Jeff Van Gundy should he decide to leave the T.V gig he has with ESPN/ABC, might be the one name that fans would point too. Many times his name has come up in the fan base as a potential coach here in Toronto. You also have Avery Johnson working for ESPN in studio as well as a guy that is a former Coach Of The Year with Mavericks.

I suppose coaches will always be hired and fired but there seems to be more interesting candidates out there than I can ever recall. That being said isn't this like a married guy checking out all the available women at a singles bar? I mean it is not like Raptors are going to get any of these guys. Still you can't help but look and think and wonder. Also it wasn't me that made this marriage. Bryan Colangelo is the one that made the commitment not me or you.

That being said what exactly do the Raptors have as a selling point to a coach? Bosh would have been one but he is halfway out the door. The prospect of having to yell at Hedo Turkoglu for 4 years? Well maybe not.

Why? It would appear that at least Colangelo is going to try to tie Hedo with Bosh to unload his contract. That is at least what they seem to think in Houston. However this rumour is flawed in a lot of ways. Bosh is apparently the number 1 free agent target for the Rockets. I can buy that, and playing in Texas makes sense it might appeal to Chris. Here is where problems start in terms of what else is in the deal aside from the Hedo dump. Trevor Ariza coming back to the Raptors. Isn't this that same Ariza that was rumoured to have turned down more money from Raptors and went to Houston. Which caused the Raptors to go after Hedo. Ariza at least based on the rumour mill of the past would not exactly embrace a move to Toronto.

It is so easy to make a rumour. It is even easier to pick them apart. This appears to be my job at least part of it for the next few months. It leads you think....THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY.....and see you Monday people.

Oak, V.C and Pistons

How Ironic is it that a team struggling on the defensive end of the floor they are going to honour and celebrate Charles Oakley. It was said Oakley has some interest in coaching. I suggested why not here? If for no other reason that quotes would be entertaining. Sam Mitchell has nothing on the Oak man for telling it like it is. Jay Triano might be wise to have a talk with Oakley and see if he has interest in coaching as an assistant. If you think I am lying about the quotes, go check out this article in The Toronto Star. Charles Oakley would bring accountability to this organization or die trying. You already have Alvin Williams on the staff so why not add another former Raptor to the mix? It made sense when I thought about it in the summer and it makes sense now. Maybe even for one night by just his presence in the building the Raptors can find that defensive effort that has gone MIA.

This is long over do to honour Oakley here in Toronto. The guy was a big influence on some of those teams that had V.C and the rest. Jeff Van Gundy as it says in that article in The Star speaks highly of Oakley. Calling him the smartest player that Van Gundy has personally ever coached. Reggie Evans is the first guy since Oakley to be anywhere close to him. Good news on that Reggie front as he is said to have started walking around without that protective boot. It won't be long before Reggie is back and he is needed. When I spoke with Reggie at camp he had nothing but respect in terms of talking about Oakley. If you ask any Knick or Raptor fan you would be hard pressed to find one that does not respect Charles Oakley. If you are at the ACC tonight and don't get out of your seat, something is wrong with you.

I am sure Charles Oakley would have a good quote about this next item. The Raps also plan on honouring Vince Carter when the Magic return on the 22nd. When I heard it, I was like are they serious? Vince Carter being honoured in Toronto is just to strange for words. The fact Raptor fans boo the guy has been made part of the video game NBA Live 10. No idea what this acknowledgment or ceremony will be but it should be truly odd. Vince is a huge part of the history of this franchise. It is not a question on if in terms of what he has done should be honoured. However the Raptors know and pretty much everyone in the NBA knows Toronto fans HATE this guy. The Raptors plan on doing the same for other former Raps that come town like Moe P and Matt Bonner. However both left on good terms and are still loved by the fans. I have said in the past that love him or hate him that Vince Carter likely should have his #15 (Currently worn by Amir Johnson) retired. Is this some kind of test balloon to see if that would ever play well? If it is, much like the Balloon Boy, it may leave most filling empty in the end at the results. Some day Raps fans may turn the page and maybe even make it possible to have Vince's number 15 retired as it should be. However that day is not November 22nd 2009, and fans will not cheer V.C in any large numbers. If the Raptors have an arch enemy it is Vince Carter.

On to the current day Raptors that have opportunity knocking as Detroit comes in missing 2 key players in Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince. In the case of Prince it will break a lengthy ironman streak for him. Still the Raps had 3 key guys out for the Magic and could not get the job done. Amir Johnson plays against his former club in Detroit. Perhaps he can add a spark to this game. In addition the Pistons are playing the second half of a back to back coming in off a win over Orlando 85-80. Orlando with V.C back in the line up by the way. The Pistons enter tonight 2-2 and will be one of those teams battling to make the playoffs in the East.

The Raptors need a win bad in this one as they hit the road to play a desperate and frustrated Hornets team, Dallas fresh off a win over the Lakers and the Spurs. None of those games look very promising in finding a win on the road. The pressure on this team is only going to increase as we move forward so they need to get wins when possible and tonight is a night where it should be.

If the Raptors hope to get a win they need to push the pace and try to use the one thing that is going fairly well it's offense. Chris Bosh has been on a tear, and with no more Rasheed Wallace in the Piston line-up, I would expect that will continue. If the Raps are going to have a decent chance at winning, they want to get the score into that magic pizza level and not in the 80's. Take advantage of the Pistons being on that back to back and come out focused and attack early, much like they did against the Cavs in the same position. When the schedule offers you a gift you need to answer the bell and take it.

Jay Triano was on Toronto's Fan 590 talking about his players still trying to get use to Hedo Turkoglu and what he can do in terms of passing and making plays. There is no question that Hedo taking that extended rest in the pre-season is at least costing the Raptors in the short term. Raptors if you think about have yet to see this roster altogether at full strength from the very first day of camp till today. Evans and Wright have also been in and out along with Bosh at the start of camp.

The point guard that finds his game first in Toronto may actually rule the day. Both Jarrett Jack and Jose Calderon have struggled. If it lasts much longer I am going to call it the curse of T.J Ford or the curse of the Horns. The day is fast coming that Jose Calderon will have to prove he can be a decent defender or run the risk of not being a starter or at the very least not playing in the 4th quarter.

Jack Armstrong and Eric Smith were talking about the Raptors defense yesterday on the Game Plan. Jack seems to think the Raps should mix in some zone looks and try to hide the face that this starting 5 is lacking in terms of defense. However you care to look at it the Raps have said they need to get better on defense and that will be the test of Triano as the coach. If he fails to get this team to improve on the defensive end he will unfortunately fail as head coach of this team. That truly is the bottom line of it all. Perhaps Oakley could return on a staff with Jeff Van Gundy some day. He has always been a name you hear thrown out by Raps fans as a possible coach for this team. He fully admits that he would like to go back and coach someday. I would hate to lose him on T.V because he truly has become one of the best at that in such a short time. Jay Triano's job is safe as we speak but if that ever were to change the name Van Gundy will be mentioned as long as he is still sitting at a broadcast table.

Let me make it clear that I am not suggesting Jay Triano's job is in jeopardy after 2 bad losses. Just stating that his time however long or short it will be is going to be defined by how this team will play on the defensive end of the floor. Still regardless of all that is going on with the Raptors it is great to have Charles Oakley back even if it is just for one night. Still it would be nice to have him sitting somewhere on that Raptor sideline on a nightly basis. Coach in charge of accountability ...Charles Oakley!!!!

Hello Again To Jack Armstrong

On his radio show the Game Plan the topic of who is your favourite analyst in sports. Many Raptors fans would answer that question with the name Jack Armstrong. I would be one of them. Jack has been a guest many times on the Dino Nation Blog. Even with the addition of his radio show, his own blog and all the stuff he already did with Raptors and now TSN he has continued to come talk with us. It is a special treat to have him pay us a visit. I had planned to talk a bit about Jeff and Stan Van Gundy. A bit on the Orlando Magic as the spoiler to the final that everyone seems to have selected of Cavs vs Lakers. Along with some Raptor related topics. We did get through all of that. We never got around to the draft but Jack said he will return to talk about the draft at some point between the lottery and the draft. Jack still covers college basketball as he is a former college coach which most are well aware. So he is a good person to talk with about that. But this conversation is a good one as well as Jack talks about his take on the future of CB4, Why he never lost faith in Andrea and Jay Triano and his future with Raps.




So Jack will be back in early June to talk about the draft and more on the Raps off-season. Perhaps some thoughts on the playoffs as well. If you have not checked out his radio show in the afternoon with Doug Maclean. They talk sports every afternoon from 2-4pm on Game Plan on Fan 590. You even hear me call in once in awhile. I am happy for all the success their show has had and wish Jack and Doug both nothing but the best going forward with it. So just because the Raptors are done does not mean Jack is and that is a great thing for all sports fans. After all this is going to be a very interesting off-season for the Raptors. I would venture to say the most important in the history of this franchise. Jack will be on the air giving his take on the Raps and all the other things happening in sports and that is good news. I use to miss Jack in the off-season but no longer have too.

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.

Bosh Gets His All Star Verdict

Chris Bosh has been as close to a lock as you get for being an all star in the Eastern Conference for the past couple seasons. But this season given the Raptors lack of success some wondered if Bosh would be getting an invite to Phoenix, Arizona for All Star Weekend. Well wonder no longer.Chris Bosh is going to the All-Star game for the 4th time. Yahoo Sports is reporting they have the reserves list here it is:

All Star Reserves from Yahoo


One of the main stories on NBA.Com is featuring a story about Bryan Colangelo featured about the upcoming trade dead line that falls just after the All Star Game. The Raptors are figured to be big players at the deadline and in this interview Bryan Colangelo does nothing to think other wise. What are the Raptors though is a more difficult question. Is this team a buyer or a seller? They still are in the playoff mix but they had much better and bigger expectations than a 7th or 8th seed. See if you can get any clues from Bryan Colangelo in this interview:

Colangelo Still Talking Trade

Chris Bosh was not being supported by a former coach in his bid to be a 4-time All-Star. For those hoping Jeff Van Gundy would become the next head coach of the Raptors. He seemed in his interview to be fine with staying in T.V for now. He suggested it works better for his family life. However at the same time he said that he still has a desire to coach and hopes he has learned some things while being in broadcasting should he make his way back behind a bench. He spoke with Jack Armstrong and Doug McLean on the Game Plan today.

JVG was On Game Plan

They also talked to the current Raptor coach Jay Triano. They talked about the current state of the Raptors. Jay remains upbeat and focused on turning the Raptors around. Still many feel Triano is not going to be the guy heading into next season. But here is what Jay had to say for himself.

Triano On Game Plan

Raptors Face Early Challenge To Save The Season

Seems a bit extreme to say in late November. But back to back loses and a fan base that is clearly as frustrated as the Raptors if not more. The time has come to define just who and what this 08/09 Raptor season is going to be. Nothing in life is a sure thing but if I was to bet on it, I would say when we look back on this Raptor season we will point to this time period. Last season was defined by the injury to T.J Ford. It would shape everything that would follow that moment. That happened in early December so it may not be so crazy to suggest this. After back to back loses one that was heart breaking and the other humiliating the time has come for everyone to take a step back and evaluate what is going on. The trade for Jermaine O'Neal brought with it a ton of expectations from fans, media and the Raptors as well. But everyone understood that there was some risk to this move and that even though the Raptors could be better, it also left issues that could cause trouble. A lack of depth, no real back-up point guard and the health of Jermaine O'Neal. I also was concerned about Jose Calderon and his health given the lack of depth at point guard.

All of these issues are front and center at the moment. You can also add in a few others that were not on the table. Sam Mitchell and his coaching abilities. For some Raptor fans this issue was on their radar but I think most thought in the organization and the majority of the media that Sam was going to be o.k. Thus far it has been anything but o.k. The more games that pass the more that Sam Mitchell gets put under the microscope. There is also the total lack of production from the Raptor wing players which has caused Andrea Bargnani to play at the 3 spot because no one has shown worthy of the Raptors options beyond him. Anthony Parker at times looks old and out matched on defense and his shooting has been hot and cold to extremes. Jason Kapono has not shown the offensive production that fans would expect and hope for. He also has not shown any ability to be any kind of a defender. Jamario Moon has had is fairy tale rookie season go smashing into a wall of reality. Many wondered why it had took Jamario so long to make it to the NBA. This season may be showing us why that was. Also we have Joey Graham who is rapidly showing that despite his impressive athletic ability he does not have the basket ball IQ and energy to match that prototype body.

You even have just plain bad luck when it comes to the drafting of Nathan Jawai. He got knocked out of the box before he every has got started. Nobody could have imagined him getting sidelined by a heart condition and not being able to play at all. The Raptors in looking for another Jamario Moon in the rough came away with Hassan Adams who has been a complete bust of a signing and shows no signs of changing. The Raptors answer to help spell Jose Calderon while young Roko Ukic learns the NBA was Will Solomon. Beyond a truly great game vs Miami in replacing an injured Jose, he has been a turnover machine. Just about every gamble the Raptors took coming into this season has come up snake eyes.

Along with that while the Raptors have struggled the rest of the division with the exception of the Sixers are doing better than expected. The Knicks and Nets are not the basement dwellers that many might have expected. In fact as of right now the Raptors sit in last in the division they won just a couple years ago. The Celtics as we saw are just as dominate as they were last season. Even the Sixers after a slow beginning have turned it around a bit. So time to work your way through these issues may not be there for the Raptors.

You throw in a really lousy salary cap situation and not many chips that you can move it all is a pretty tough deal for the Raptors. The biggest chip you have to move is one of the few bright spots of an under .500 Raptors squad. Andrea Bargnani has now got to a level that if you traded him you would watch in fear that he may turn out to be the big star that he was promised to be by being selected #1 overall. I do not envy Bryan Colangelo at all. He faces a number of challenges and some of the choices he made are responsible for that. Also I am sure hearing that every NBA G.M is forming a line to sign away your star player in 2010 does not make you feel that good. It also probably was not great to watch that same player be totally frustrated to the point he did not want to talk to his team mates or anyone as he watched his team get humbled at the hands of the Celtics. He was taking a beating and not getting the touches he wanted and he was, as we all were embarrassed by his teams lack of defense.

So how does this team dig itself out of this mess. If you ask the fans they will mostly point the finger at Sam Mitchell and say that he needs to be fired. There is a number of candidates out on the market that could fill his seat. The top 3 names on that list would be Flip Saunders, Avery Johnson and Jeff Van Gundy. All of which would be considered the best 3 coaches not currently with a job in the NBA. If you made that change, the Raptors would have to learn a totally new system. Doing it with out much time for practice, with a lot of banged up bodies and a short roster.You have to wonder how easy that would be to do? It is easy to say fire Sam but that is something that you need to consider. I fully admit Sam Mitchell has not been making much of a case for keeping his job recently. But just by making a change the Raptors will not magically get better. It will take time and it may be time they just don't have in an improved Eastern Conference. I am not saying that makes Sam Mitchell bullet proof by any means. After every loss the chances increase that despite what I have laid out the Raptors may have no choice but to give it a shot.

However that coach will still face all that Sam Mitchell has had to deal with. The lack of depth and a bench, injuries to two of his three star players. A lack of a real option at point guard to play behind Jose Calderon. A team that has not been able to defend consistently. All of these issues will still remain with or without Sam Mitchell. These are issues some of which are things that Bryan Colangelo must address. He after all is the one that put this roster together. He is the one that handed these risks to Sam Mitchell to have to deal with. You can judge how Sam has dealt with those challenges but you have to include Bryan Colangelo in the mix for the construction of this roster. If Bryan feels that this is as much his fault in some ways it may not be as bad for Sam as people think. But still some of things of late are not exactly giving Bryan Colangelo reason to give Sam Mitchell a pass for some of the problems that Bryan put on his plate.

If Colangelo wants to correct his mistakes he has not exactly put himself in a good position to do that. Any move he could construct will almost have to involve going into the Luxury Tax which is a costly thing to do from a pure financial standpoint. Not to mention it seems that a number of teams are on the hunt looking to improve. Joe Dumars already pulled the trigger on the gun to start the race to get better by going after Allen Iverson. A number of teams in the east now search for their Answer. Cleveland, Orlando and Boston have all been teams looking to lure Antonio Mcdyess to not go back to the Pistons.

Raptor fans are always willing to help Bryan Colangelo do his job. They seem to be focused on Golden State and a couple of players on that roster. Marcus Williams and Marco Belinelli as targets for the Raptors. I am not sure about that to be honest. But I will say that at least Raptor fans pay attention. Williams was a guy Colangelo really liked in his draft year. In fact the Raptors were hard at work looking for a late first round pick to select him as he fell in the draft. But in the end they would not find a pick and the New Jersey Nets would select him and end up sending him to the Warriors once they brought in Devin Harris. After watching Harris on Friday it is easy to see why they did. Marco was also someone that the Raptors were rumoured to be high on in the draft. They also at least looked into the idea of moving up in the draft and getting a high pick to try to bring him to Toronto. The question is does that mean the Raptors still like these guys? If they do the question becomes what do they have that Golden State would want. Jason Kapono could be an option in that run and gun Warrior system. But why people think other teams are interested in Joey Graham is beyond me. The truth is if Joey had any value he would be gone already.

Whatever Bryan Colangelo does he must be mindful of Chris Bosh. It is not that Bryan Colangelo needs Bosh's stamp of approval to do anything he likes. But the fact that everyone is talking about 2010 and Chris Bosh is human and can not help but notice all the many articles, blogs and media that are suggesting and in some cases saying they know where he will be in 2010. But I do want to make a point for all of you folks that seem to think this matters. Actually I got 2 points for you. The first is that this is not the first time people have talked about Bosh prior to a contract expiring. Phil Jackson right in Toronto made a suggestion that was good enough to get him fined that he would have interest in Bosh coming to the Lakers. Still Chris Bosh would resign in Toronto and never end up with them. Also you have the example of Vince Carter to look at. V.C re-signed in Toronto and he did it to get the most money. He would after look to be traded out of town with that extra money in his back pocket. I think Chris Bosh is just as smart as Vince Carter and maybe even a lot smarter to be honest. Vince may have his UNC degree in Afro American studies but despite Bosh only having a year of college it is clear he is a highly intelligent young man. So it would make sense for him to resign with the Raptors and get a contract that offers him the most money and if things are not to his liking after that point ask in a much more quiet way to be dealt from Toronto if he was unhappy. One thing I do know is that for as long as Bosh wears that number 4 Raptor jersey he will bust his butt. Happy or not he has far to much character to go out the way V.C did. That would allow Bryan Colangelo to look for a way to convince Bosh he made the right move to re-sign in Toronto by signing another big name to play along side him. There are lots of other names in 2010 that can fill that bill.

But in the short term the Raptors need to look in the mirror and find something. They had high expectations and they are not reaching them. If they needed any kind of reminder a sold out ACC of booing fans sent a clear message to drive home the point. Jose Calderon needs to be honest and admit he needs to do much more on defense. I mean he is battling through an injury but he has always been a poor to awful on the ball defender. That is just one example. But every player has to look and see what they can do to make this group perform better. It may not even be stuff on the floor. There are guys on this team that can say they have given a solid effort this season. Bosh is at the head of that list. But the challenge for him is how does he help raise the bar for the rest of his team. He talked about being an M.V.P. He is playing like one and has the numbers to back it up. However the truly great ones that win M.V.P do it in part because they make all the players around them better. BIrd, Johnson, Nash, Bryant and Jordan all did that. That is the next challenge for Chris Bosh. Everyone can look in that mirror and come up with things they can do. The time for that has come because if it does not happen right now to do it later down the line maybe to late.

It will be a very interesting two days for the Toronto Raptors to re-group and re-focus on the task at hand. They have to find the answers and a trade and coaching change may be down the line but they are not going to magically make all the problems go away. When you dig a hole it takes the same amount of effort it took to dig it for you to dig out of it. There are no short cuts and easy fixes to get that done. This is the time that will define this Raptor team and tell them and us what they are made of.