Holly MacKenzie In The DNB's Starting 5

Holly MacKenzie has been mentioned in this blog on many occasions. I consider her not just a talented writer and very knowledgeable about basketball but also a friend. It has always been a goal to get Holly to come be in The Starting 5. It has almost happened a bunch of times. But something always would come along and it would never happen. So FINALLY it has happened and it was well worth the wait. We talk about a variety of topics from how she got to where she is now, to the Raptors future, and a number of NBA Topics including her thoughts on the upcoming off-season with a lockout looming. Holly truly loves basketball more than almost anyone I have ever met, and I am including myself in that. Her passion and love for sport shines through in her writing and it does in this interview as well. We also came to discover something that we both did not know until this interview. It was one of the more fun interviews I have done in the Starting 5 and I think you will enjoy it. Her picks for MVP, Coach of the Year and a whole lot more Stackmack has invaded the DNB.

Holly is just a super person and knowing her these past few years has been a real joy for me personally. If you ever met Holly and do not walk away from that encounter with a smile on your face, and love of basketball in your heart... something is wrong with you. She really is just as talented as she is as a good human being. I think the world of her and always am as thrilled for all the success she has had and will have. I am fortunate to know her and am very happy I was finally able to have her come be a part of our world here in the Dino Nation Blog. She knows her stuff and combines that with a love and passion for the sport of basketball that is near impossible to match. I respect her so much and am not ever surprised by anything she achieves. She works hard and has done more in a few years than some people have done in a career. I won't get into what I was doing at her age. But needless to say I was nowhere close to what she has accomplished. I am sure you like me already follow her on Twitter but for the record is it @stackmack and it is well worth the follow.

The Starting 5 With Tas Melas from The Basketball Jones

I got to know a lot of great people who share my love of basketball in doing the Dino Nation Blog. One of those people is Tas Melas. He worked doing Live Blogs for The Score as do I and that is how I discovered he also did this show called The Basketball Jones. I admit that I was late to the party with the show. But since discovering it I do my best to catch it whenever possible. The show has now officially become part of The Score so we are on the same team... I guess. But no matter where it was I would watch it. I had Tas as a guest once before in the Dino Nation Blog and I had just started watching the show then. I didn't know much about the background of it and when I learned all the work that went into it, that made me an even bigger fan. I was as thrilled as anyone to see Tas along with J.E Skeets, Jason Doyle and Matt Osten get this chance. It is nice to see people working hard at something they love have success. I respect and love what they do and even in starting my own small adventures into video have likely been influenced by them. Lots has happened with the show over this last little while from it's 500th episode, to heading down to Dallas to cover All Star Weekend and now this big move to The Score. We talk about all of that with Tas and eventually get around to talking some basketball as well. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed doing the interview.

Tas Melas From The Basketball Jones

DNB Productions

If you have never watched The Basketball Jones you are missing out on something, that is not just funny and entertaining, but something that has solid basketball info and opinion. It really is something that is worth checking out each day and that is why I do my best to do so. I wish all of the guys a long and successful ride on the Score. They have no doubt put in the work to deserve it and should feel proud of what they have built. The Basketball Jones is the type of show that if you love the sport or even if you don't it will help make you a fan of it. One of things I have said in this blog is that, I think it is every one's job here in Canada to help grow the game and it's fan base. The 4 guys that put this show together have done more than their share to help do that with their love and passion for the sport of basketball. Well done TBJ and as I joked in the interview DNB loves TBJ and even thought I may not end up on a street corner holding that sign (but you never know) I can say that I am a big fan of the show and respect it greatly. Thanks to Tas for taking the time to talk to me. He and for that matter anyone else from the show has an open invitation to be in My Starting 5.

Happy Scoreaversary

It was a year ago today that The Score.com announced the launch of it's sports federation. The Dino Nation Blog is proud to have been part of just 2 basketball blogs that were part of that launch. I want to thank Scott Carefoot and The Score for a great year together. It has been a great thrill to work with a network that I feel has always had a passion and love for basketball. I have really been proud to have a The Score logo on this blog for the last year. I hope this partnership will last for years to come. Next week it will be the Blog's anniversary so I will not go to much into what has gone on in the last year for now. But needless to say I have come a long way and taken the Dino Nation Blog to exciting new heights. I thank Scott for all his hard work on behalf of the Sports Federation and he has always been great to me personally and I have enjoyed being able to work with him over this past year. In that year I have also got to meet and know several other folks from The Score and they have all been great to me. Holly Mackenzie, Randy Urban, D.J Bennett and others. It has been great to know them as well. It also great the we have now added Nat from Heels On Hardwood and Romy for Hip Hoop Junkies to our basketball family of the sports fed. Also Scott of course has Raptor blog as well.

Now on to what we do talking Raptors basketball and the NBA. The Raps return to the ACC with a 5-7 record and 1-3 west coast road trip in the rear view mirror. A though test for the Raps in D-Wade and the Miami Heat. The Heat like the Raps come in on a losing streak and have lost 3 of their last 4 games. Despite doing little in the off-season the Heat have had a decent start to the season prior to this skid in the last 4. The Heat are basically a team that goes as it star does. D-Wade has struggled and so has the Heat. After a fast start to the year Jermaine O'Neal has been having injury issues of late. I know that will shock both Pacer and Raptors fans.

Miami is a team on a given night that can get hot from beyond the arc. Chalmers is a youngster that can make the shot and when he is hot make it consistently. They also have Richardson who in his time with the Suns was a deadly 3 point gunner. The Raptors defense has been leaking every where as of late though not just at the 3 point line. The Raps have been dealing with injuries to Hedo and Wright and have yet to see Reggie Evans suit up for a game that counts. Depending on who is healthy for the Raps it will make the match-ups a challenge.

Michael Beasley is growing into a solid NBA player in his second season. He is another guy that you must account for. The Raps need to get on the glass and avoid giving up second chances. That happened far to often against Utah. Amir Johnson has been doing a solid job working at on the glasses. Jay Triano has been giving Amir lots of minutes based on his hustle and effort. Unfortunately despite the work of Amir and Bosh on the boards it has not rubbed off on some of the other folks. Andrea Bargnani has a couple big rebound night's on his scorecard but has not been getting on the glass in the way you would hope given his size. He also has had his defensive effort called into question. He has been struggling and when people mention the struggles of Calderon on defense his name comes a close second.

What becomes frustrating for the fans and I am sure Jay Triano as well is the lack of consistent effort from his team from quarter to quarter forget game to game. The start tonight will be key. The Raps need to engage an A.C.C crowd that should they see the type of start we saw in Utah could turn early. The expectation level of fans was to expect a team that would be improved on defense and they have seen anything but that. Flashes of it but very few full 4 quarter efforts. If you wanted to be the complete optimist you could say the Raps for parts of the games on this trip did not look out of place playing Suns, Nuggets and Jazz. They have proven that they really can score with anyone in this league. All of that being done with point guard play from Calderon and Jack that is far from what booth can do on the offensive end.

Raptors badly could use a win heading into what will be another tough challenge vs Orlando. They will not have Jameer Nelson but will have both Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis which they did not the last time they visited the ACC earlier in the month. Raps at worst need to get 2 out of 3 on this home stand. The one major difference from the team that won a Division Title to now is the way they play at home. The win total at the A.C.C has been on a steady decline in recent years. The fans still fill the building and if you give them reason to cheer they will. But as great as fans can be they can not defend anyone and they can not make shots. It takes the team to light the fuse to allow the A.C.C to explode.

Chris Bosh is playing like an all-star and the Raps need to take advantage of this great stretch by Chris and start getting some wins out of it. While Chris might need to step up off the floor and challenge this team to be better. Maybe that has happened behind closed doors we never really know. However a more vocal Chris Bosh might mean a better Raptors team as a result. I remember a game on the west coast in which he got into Andrea Bargnani. I wouldn't mind seeing some more of that when needed. Not just directed at Andrea but at anyone that is not pulling their weight on the floor.

I will be live blogging this one for The Score. I picked up that job along the way in this year. That is a lot of fun as well and nothing for me beats getting to do a Raptors game. So please come join me and be part of the fun that is a Score Live Blog. I will post the links later in the day (When I get them) both here and on Twitter. Speaking of Twitter, I chatted with Reggie Evans on there yesterday. I had an idea for a new feature for the Dino Nation Blog based on Reggie. I wanted to get his blessing before I did it and he did give the thumbs up. So over the weekend we will have the first edition of "Bet That". Which if you have ever tweeted with Reggie is a popular response of his when someone tweets something he likes or agrees with. It is meant to be a fun thing and hopefully everyone will enjoying. Including Reggie cause if he doesn't I may not make it to another year of working with The Score. Only kidding Reggie is a great guy and I thank him for his blessing of my new segment for the blog. We all look forward to when he can get out there and contribute. Still not sure when that will be. Hopefully soon. Last and not least the DNB is heading back to the ACC. I am going down to cover the last game of this home stand where T.J Ford and the Pacers come to visit. It should be fun to finally met up with T.J face to face. I was thrilled to have him as a guest here over the summer. I will be working hard to get lots of cool stuff for the Dino Nation Blog while I am in the house at the ACC. It is not something I get to do on a regular basis so I try to make the most of these chances.

Break Out The Red And White

Not much going on in Raptorland. So for next couple days you might want to shift your basketball attention to Team Canada. They are trying to qualify for the World Championships next year. You can catch them in action on The Score tomorrow as they open up against Mexico. I give The Score credit for stepping up and broadcasting these games they did the same last year for the Olympic Qualifier. It is part of why I have some pride in that logo on the top of the blog. The Score truly does the most for basketball fans on all levels in terms of coverage of the sport. NBA, NCAA and CIS as well as Canada Basketball all get coverage on The Score. So here is the Schedule for Canada in the round robin portion of the tournament.

vs Mexico August 27- Live @ 4pm on The Score (Replay @ 10pm)

vs Virgin Islands August 28th- Live @ 4pm on The Score (Replay @ 10pm)

vs Uruguay August 29th- Live @4pm Replay on The Score (Replay @ 10pm)

vs Puerto Rico August 30th- Live @ 9pm On The Score ( Replay Mon @ 3pm)

This is an important tournament for Canada and for the future of coach Leo Rautins one has to believe. Should Canada not find a way to qualify it would likely mean the end of the line for Leo as coach of the team. Here is the roster he will be counting on to get it done.

4	Jermaine Anderson*	Guard	6’2	Toronto, ON	Tuebingen (Germany)
15	Joel Anthony*	Centre	6’9	Montreal, QC	Miami Heat (NBA)
6	Ryan Bell	Guard	6’5	Ottawa, ON	Schalke (Germany)
7	Jermaine Bucknor	Forward	6’7	Edmonton, AB	Maurienne (France)
11	Aaron Doornekamp*	Forward	6’7	Odessa, ON	Carleton University (CIS)
8	Carl English*	Guard	6’5	Patrick’s Cove, NF	Gran Canaria (Spain)
9	Olu Famutimi*	Forward	6'6	Toronto, ON	Khimik (Ukraine)
14	Levon Kendall*	Forward	6’10	Vancouver, BC	Panionios (Greece)
5	Tyler Kepkay*	Guard	5’10	Vancouver, BC	University of Utah (NCAA)
13	Kyle Landry	Forward	6'9	Calgary, AB	Mons-Hainaut (Belgium)
10	Andy Rautins*	Guard	6’5	Syracuse, NY	Syracuse University (NCAA)
12	Jesse Young*	Forward	6’10	Peterborough, ON	Murcia (Spain)

The * indicates those players were on the 2008 team that tried to qualify for the Olympics in China.

The Dino Blogger will be watching and in fact I am going to live blog the games as well. For now it will be here on the Dino Nation Blog if that changes in terms of venue I will let you know. But if you want to join some basketball fans or you can't get to a T.V and want to follow team Canada you can do so with me here at the Dino Nation Blog.



I will also talk some Canada Basketball this week on DNB Radio. There will be lots of chance to talk Raptors but at least for a few days the Dino Nation Blog is going a different red and white. Go Canada Go!!!

Dino Blogger On Score.Com Draft Night

Just a short announcement. I told you that I was going to be somewhere on draft night online. Well I can now confirm that I will be doing NBA Draft Live Blog on The Score.com . Come Join myself, Scott Carefoot of Raptorblog and The Score along with Tweets from at the draft in NYC from Holly Mackenzie From The Score Court Surfing Blog and Slam. I can't think of 2 better people to hang out with on Draft night. That is aside from all of you the loyal readers of the Dino Nation Blog. We hope to give you all the info and fun you need for to make your draft night a fun one. Based on what has gone on the last few days the NBA teams are doing their part to make it exciting.

So the fun gets started @7pm est.

Go to http://liveblogs.thescore.com

I will have a direct link to the blog tomorrow and post it here and on my Twitter account @dinonationblog

So I am going to be busy getting prepared to be a good host. I am going to be there till the last pick is made. So feel free to come join me and make the Dino Blogger part of your draft night. Bring your opinions and excitement and let's have on heck of an online draft party.

If you have any draft comments or questions leave a comment here and as I am working on my draft prep I will chime in with an opinion or answer.

Talking Raptors With Tas (Part 2)

As promised here is part two of my conversation with Tas Melas of Basketball Jones. We talk a little Raptors and the future of Chris Bosh is first thing on the table.





Thanks to Tas for taking the time to talk ball with me for the Dino Nation Blog. I hope to have him back in future as I enjoyed doing this interview. You can both Tas and myself live blogging later today. Tas is doing the Rockets and Lakers at 3:30 pm and I have the Magic and Celtics at 8pm. Live Blogs continue on The Score throughout the NBA Playoffs.

The Retrun of "The Baller" Adnan Virk

It is great to welcome back Adnan Virk To the Dino Nation Blog. I am not sure if this was explained in the first episode with Adnan but we worked together at another T.V Network and since getting with the Score we have re-connected. I mention this because he refers to me as "Jimmy" which was his nickname for me back then. I do not remember the reason why? I would not want people to think he doesn't know who I am. Adnan is the only person that I will allow to refer to me as that name.

In this visit we have some fun and tackle some issues from as simple as athletes twittering to the more complex issues that face the Raptors and CB4. Hopefully you will find it entertaining and enjoyable.

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I have had a chance to be invited down to The Score a few times. Adnan has been a friendly face and has made me feel welcome. I am happy to have been able to have brought him to the Dino Nation Blog and had a chance to work with him. I am also proud to have the Adnan Virk endorsement as his favourite blogger. Adnan is a great guy and every bit the funny entertaining person you see on your T.V screen in real life.This maybe be news for Adnan seeing as he is not on Facebook but he does have a Facebook Group and I am a part of it. Thanks to Adnan for taking the time to be in the Dino Nation Blog as a guest.

Back From The Madness To The Reality Of The Raptors

I had a weekend of Madness and was live blogging 3 games over the weekend. I also was hanging out in the Score Live Blog with D.J Bennett making some new basketball friends. I was unable to watch the complete version of the Raptors and Clippers. However the result is not a shock. The Clippers truly suck. I mean as bad as it has been in Toronto, it is nothing in comparison to the Clippers. Raptor fans had high expectations and that may be why it hurts a little more. Clipper fans, if there truly is such a thing, have been use to failure. They might have had hope with Baron Davis and Marcus Camby. However hope in Clip Nation is like a moth to a flame it doesn't last long. The same can be said for the Raptors win on Sunday. The one thing folks may remember is a steal and a dunk but Jose Calderon. In his entire time as a Raptor I can not recall Jose throwing down a dunk. I am thinking it will be a rare event that you can tell you grand kids you saw it. Raptors will have till Wednesday to enjoy a win. Bucks will come in still very much alive in a playoff race and Charlie V will be twittering away from the ACC. The sad reality of things is the Raptors have been reduced to the roll of a spoiler. They will be playing a lot of teams fighting for the right to get demolished by the Boston Celtics.

James Harden Off My Draft Board

I kept hearing Raptor fans talking up James Harden and that he was the guy for the Raptors. After watching to less than impressive performances in the NCAA tournament from him for ASU. I am not convinced. What people do in the NCAA Tournament means a lot to me and scouts tend to look at it close as well. What do you do when the lights are the brightest? How do you perform under the glare of them? The answer for James Harden is not so hot. If the Raptors are some how lucky enough to hit the lotto and get in the top 3. The guy that I would like to see is Haseem Thabeet. The big guy from UConn is a defensive beast and has drawn comparisons to Mutumbo. Not the old Mutumbo you see now, the you finger wagging shoot blocking force. If not so lucky and Raptors slot in around where they are suppose to select which would be 7th currently I believe. The guy that I think might make sense as much as I hate the school is Gerald Henderson. The Duke product is a slashing scoring guy that sticks out in a Duke system that is not exactly designed for a player with his skill set. Yet he still funds ways to be very effective in it. Those are some early draft thoughts from me. There is lots of time before the draft to break down the entire draft class. But those are some thoughts on 3 guys that should be hearing their name called in June.

Nathan Jawai Back From His D-League Mission

I was surprised to see Nathan Jawai in a suit at the ACC on Sunday. He had a nice run in the D-League and put up a some decent numbers. What I also learn about Nate is as nice as he is the big guy has a temper on the floor. It was not an uncommon thing to see technical foul and Nathan Jawai in an NBDL boxscore. I welcome that kind of aggression and anger to this squad. Raptors need much more of it. Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Nathan Jawai are two of the bigs the Raptors should have moving forward. Both bring some defense and rebounding which have been sorely lacking on this basketball team. Jawai still has a long way to go. However he does have an impressive skill set and showed it much more in the D-League than he had with the Raptors. That was the point of his trip to Idaho in the first place. But he is heading back to Idaho and was in town for some tests and should be back with Stampede by mid-week according to Doug Smith in the Star.

He has averaged in 10 games:

12.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in an average of 25 minutes on the floor.

It will be a key summer for Nathan to take all that he has learned this season and apply it this off-season. I have not given up on the big man and think he can come back next season and hopefully have an impact. Upon further review it seems Nathan may be sticking around as Andrea Bargnani missed yesterday with a heel injury. Jawai may stick around for the end of the season and get some time as Raps reality sets in as a playoffs math is almost done.

Sorry for the lack of production on behalf of the Dino Blogger over the weekend. I am always working hard though know that. Sometimes it takes awhile to see that as I do a lot of work behind the scenes in getting guests for the Dino Nation Blog and setting up things that hopeful will add to you enjoyment of this blog and keep you coming back for more. In what has been a very tough season I am grateful for all of you that keep coming back. It is always good motivation to keep working hard and grinding it out. Raptor fans are first rate and have a ton of passion, love and support for this team and hopefully this blog as well.

Madness 12 Hours Away

Just a final reminder for your chance to win a Sony MP3 player you need to sign up and fill out a bracket by 12 noon tomorrow. So go to sign up for Score Bracket Buster contest. After that make sure you join the Dino Nation Blog's group.

DNBMadness
Password is: raptor

simple as that. If you are a loyal reader of the Dino Nation Blog give yourself a chance to win something and fill out a bracket. Everyone is doing it. Some proof below:

Obama Has March Madness






That is what the basketball President thinks but what do you think? Take your shot at it and you can win.

Dino Blogger Goes Court Surfing

Well last week there was no blog. The reason for that was I was invited down to Toronto to be in the crowd on Court Surfing and also to do something else. It was to tape a segment for The Score with a couple of guests I have had on from The Score, D.J Bennett and Randy Urban. The 3 of us along with a member of Real GM talk Raptors and MVP. So forgive the shameless self promotion but here is a link to the segment of the sixth man with your Dino Blogger and the aforementioned

6th Man- Score.Com

Or Watch It Here:



This was fun to do and hopefully there will be more of these things for me down the line in the future. The Dino Nation Blog has had a lot of cool things it has lead to me doing. I am grateful for all of them. I thank all of you that check out this blog for that as well. I work really hard and that combined with the support of readers has allowed me to do things that have been life long dreams. No matter how far things go for me in the future I will never forget that it started with the support of lots of great people that read the Dino Nation Blog. It has been a great journey and I am loving ever minute of it. In a Raptor season that has been truly awful, for me personally It has lead to a lot of great things. So I can't help but smile despite all the doom and gloom that surrounds me. It is always a thrill for me to meet any of the folks that read the blog and enjoy it. This may appear has shameless self promotion but to me it is promotion of not just myself or even the Dino Nation Blog but of the dedication of all Raptor fans and the readers of this blog most of all.

There will be other seasons and more things in the future God willing but I have made a point of always stopping at points in this journey to reflect and thank all that have helped get to the point where I am at. So thanks to all of you and thanks to all the folks at The Score for making the Dino Nation Blogger a tad more known than he was when all this got started. Thanks to Scott Carefoot opened a door for me by inviting me to be part of The Score Sports Federation and I have done my best to walk through it. Thanks to Brendon Lynch, Randy Urban and D.J Bennett as well as "way to be" who is known as Peter to his friends and family. Also to Anas Amhed who worked behind the scenes letting folks know about me.

I know some may wonder why I am always so grateful and thankful. The answer to that is the Dino Nation Blog was an idea that in some ways was a last shot at making a lot of dreams I had come true. So when stuff like this happens it is a great thing for me. I have been through a lot in life that some know more than others and maybe that is why. Regardless it is never a bad thing to appreciate people who have helped you and that is hopefully a lesson beyond basketball that folks can learn from me. Whatever dream you have never let it die. Keep it alive in your heart and hopefully you can have a ride like I have been on. That is a lesson the Raptors could learn from as well. Being in the NBA even on a team that is struggling is a great thing that only few people on the planet get to do. If I had the athletic ability to play basketball I would be out there busting my butt like Pops Mensah-Bonsu. That is just the type of person I am.

O.K, that is the end of my little speech. Life as the Dino Blogger has been a lot of fun. I hope it continues to be fun for many years to come.

What Do You Say After That- Holy Bobcats Batman!!!

I have sat here for about hour and half thinking about what to write today. There have been low moments in the season, a lot of them, but some how I have always figured out something to say. Today I have not that much to say. I mean honestly what can you say? The Raptors got smoked it really is as simple as that. The smile from Sunday quickly washed away.

All year I have tried to avoid, to a point, not to go to far about Jose Calderon. I mean it is no secret he was not my choice to be point guard of this team. But seriously gloves off for me. This goes far beyond who is better him or T.J. This is about the fact that he just isn't good enough and that is the bottom line. Kenny Smith earlier in the year suggested Calderon was not even a guy who should be a starter in this league. I am not going quite that far. He does have skill but is he the All Star Point Guard that he was projected to be? Not even close. He gets numbers when it comes to assists and if you want him for your fantasy basketball team you should pick him up. However in basketball, in reality he is a failure and the Raptors over paid to keep him. There has been talk he has been injured throughout this season. I have no reason to think that is not the case. However if you are going to put on a uniform and play than you can not use it as an excuse if you don't perform. Now Jose personally has not but it has been out there enough that he really has not had too. I just don't see with the changes that the Raptors have made from a standpoint of offensive system. Calderon is a point guard that operates in a half court system. He has his entire life played basketball a certain way. To expect him to change and suddenly become a run and gun point guard is far to much to expect in my view. If Chris Bosh leaves part of the blame in that will be the failure of Calderon to live up to expectations. Calderon is not the point guard for this basketball team. The point guard for this basketball team is wearing 13 for the Suns. Nash is older and may only have a few years left. But the impact he can have on a young Roko Ukic could help speed up the learning curve for him. I am convinced of this fact and no one will change my mind about it. This is the move that will fix a lot of the problems with the Raptors.

The Raptors have damaged their profile not just locally but nationally. They always talk about wanting to be Canada's team, well go get Canada's greatest player. Jose Calderon from a marketing stand point does nothing. You think people care about some guy from Spain in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal or any city you care to insert. I am not talking hardcore basketball fans. I am talking the average guy on the street. Would that same average person on the street be excited about Steve Nash coming to play for the Raptors. You bet they would. There is a legit basketball debate to have on if Nash could have an impact. However I think Nash would welcome that debate and the challenge of playing for Canada's team. Who in this country has the guts to bet against Steve Nash? I mean this guy avoids playing for Canada basketball and people hardly make a peep about it and are more than willing to give him a pass. So if he comes to play for the Raptors is anyone going to challenge that he can't play anymore? Not a chance and if they do people will jump on them and bash them with no mercy.

There is also chatter that Mark Ivaroni is going to be around Toronto for a few days. He was an assistant with the Suns and there seems to be suggestions that Ivaroni may in fact become the lead assistant and the coach in waiting should the struggles for Jay Triano expand into next season. If there is no Steve Nash I would think this is a stupid idea. However if the plan is to run and Ivaroni was the lead assistant to Mike D'Antoni. I think with Nash in the mix it would work well and give Triano a bit of job security based on their relationship. I just think when I look around I see the table set for a Steve Nash move to Toronto. Maybe I am crazy and the losing is getting to me. Maybe I am just looking for some ray of hope. But I think there is more than just a crazy idea in this. When you take time to think about it given all that has gone on this season it really makes a lot of sense. It really is the only short term answer that could perhaps save this team from having it totally blown up and starting over. I am just thinking that is not the case and not what MLSE wants or will do. An empty ACC at playoff time is not something the folks at MLSE want. The Leafs are already in a rebuild mode and I can not imagine they are willing to send the Raptors down the path again.

March Madness @ DNB

The folks at The Score are putting up a Sony Mp3 Player for the winner of the Dino Nation Blog's Madness group on the Score. So sign up for the bracket buster contest and than join the Dino Nation Blog group with the info below.

Group Name: DNBMadness
Password: Raptor

If you have trouble signing up please contact me and I will send you a personal invitation and get you set up. Use the e-mail over on the right to get in touch with me anytime. It is dinonationblog@sourcecable.net. If you had signed up for the facebook Madness pool please note that NO PRIZES will be awarded for that and you only way to be eligible to win the MP3 player is to be in The Score Bracket Buster in the DNB Madness group.

Back From Toronto With A Message From ATL

I am back from another visit down to Toronto. I was hanging out at The Score, was hanging in the crowd they have on Court Surfing and taped something that will be ending up on the web for sure and maybe cross your fingers on next week's Court Surfing show. Regardless it was fun and I taped the segment with D.J and Randy and member of the crew from Real G.M named Peter. I think things went well and it was fun to do. I even Twittered from The Score yesterday. It was all a lot of fun and The Court Surfing show was simulcast on NBA T.V in the U.S. that is where I am going to start today.

Sam Mitchell Has Some Advice For Raptor Fans

Sam Mitchell talked about Chris Bosh and his future in Toronto. Mitchell is still cashing pay checks from MLSE so he was not going to saying anything bad about Chris or the Raptors. However he did say one thing that I was referring to in the blog a couple of days ago. He said if you truly want Chris Bosh to remain don't boo him or the team. He said that he understands the frustration of fans with the way the season has gone but it was not that team is not trying hard to win.

The part about booing Bosh I agree with. It has been a disturbing trend to me that this fan base in part has driven talented players away from this franchise only to later learn in some cases it may have not been the best idea. If you expect loyalty from a player to the city and the franchise should he not expect the same from you? It makes a lot of sense really doesn't it? Chris Bosh is here and he is the best player we have and an element of respect has been earned by him in my view. This season has not worked out and I am confident the person most upset about that fact is Bosh. I just worry that this franchise is heading in a direction where the fans are going to be a negative influence and not a positive one. Often in today's society of big money contracts and big prices to go to games their can be a dis-connect between the pro athlete and the fan. I am not saying that fans have a huge impact on ultimately where a player will go. However whatever that % is should we as fans not do what it takes to make that % a positive one and not a negative one. This is not about supporting MLSE or being caring about them at all. It is about caring for us as fans and playing the role we do no matter how small in making players want to be in Toronto.

I always liked Sam and am happy to seem him doing well and getting some work in broadcasting. I am confident he will be back in the league and at some point return to Toronto. I would hope that Raptor fans do the right thing when that day comes and cheer him. He clearly gave all he had in his time here and enjoyed Toronto and I think Toronto enjoyed him. Regardless of coaching just in the sense of press conferences and talking with the media Jay Triano is not nearly as entertaining and I miss the almost daily laughs I would get from a Sam Mitchell presser. It was an event in Toronto.

The Season Marches On In Philly

Andrea Bargnani a question mark for this game. He was a no show at shoot around with the flu. They said Flu like symptoms for the record. I can here someone saying that T-word. Tanking is not something the Raptors are going to engage in as if you look at the standings it is awful hard to think the Raptors will get worse than the bottom feeders in the West. This game is suppose to be simulcast on Raps-TV as well as this is a TSN 2 affair. But to the point of tanking the Raptors are not going to even try to do that. Will they look at what they have and give some people chances like a Pops Mensah Bonsu. Yes and they should do that. But remember that turn in the schedule that you have been told about all year well it is basically here. In more optimistic times I suggested that based on who was on the schedule the Raptors had a potential 12-3 to finish the season. However even when I threw out that number I said that I had no confidence they could deliver based on this team and it's lack of ability to string wins together. But to suggest that the Raptors can't win some of these last 15 and have something close to a .500 record would still be reasonable.

The Sixers after a slow start to the season have rebounded and at least found their way into the playoffs in the East. If it was the West they like the Raptors would be long dead. But they are not in the East and they are in the heart of battling for position in the pathetic bottom of the Eastern Conference Playoff race. So in theory the Sixers should be motivated enough to get a win over the Raptors. But they have lost 2 of their last 3. But clearly this is a game that if Raptors are at full strength is a winnable game for them.

Thoughts and Thanks

So that is about all for now. I just want to give special thanks to Anas Ahmed for the invite down to The Score. I have been down to The Score a couple times now and everyone has been very cool and nice to me. I appreciate that. Part of bringing the blog under The Score banner so to speak as part of The Sports Federation was because I truly am a fan of the work of a lot of folks on the network. They are the best of the networks when it comes to basketball on all levels in this country. They cover NBA, NCAA and CIS basketball. In fact I was chatting with Adnan Virk who is the one person I do know well at The Score. He is going to be hosting The Score's coverage of the CIS final 8 this weekend. I admit that the CIS is never high on my radar but maybe in time that will change. Basketball is basketball regardless of level. If you love the sport you can love it on all levels. I also am pleased to say the Adnan will be back in the block hopefully in the not to distant future. There was also the ground work laid to bring another guest into the fold for the Dino Nation Blog and I will be excited when this one comes together. Basically stay tuned. I hope by having the variety of people I attempt to bring into the Dino Nation Blog it helps give you a variety of opinions on basketball that is the mission of it. I like to hear what others have to say and talk with other people. I think on a daily basis in between all of the interviews people get a clear view of my thoughts and opinions. A lot of the guests we have offer different takes and come from a variety of places. I take pride in all the guests we have been able to have. I take has much pride in that as I do in all of you out there that read. I am still some what shocked when I mention the blog to people how many times people have said they have heard of it or read it. The Dino Nation Blog is hopefully always growing and will continue to do so. I am extremely grateful for what an idea that I had at 2am has brought into my life. Chances to talk with tons of good people from Interview guests to readers. It has been a lot of fun, in a season that has not offered much of that. I still have been able to keep hard at work and doing the best I can to make this something worth reading on a daily basis. I hope, I am successful in that mission more days than I am not.

Mirage Or Reality...Will Find Out Tonight

The Raptors truly have become like that box of chocolates that Tom Hanks spoke of. You truly to never know what your going to get. That is probably the biggest reason I have had no confidence that this team can put together a run to make it to the playoffs. All that being said, no matter what happens in these last 20 plus game sit will mean something. Tough choices lie ahead for all involved in this organization and it begins at the top with Bryan Colangelo. Next season will define this Raptor franchise for many years to come. That will all be tied to the future of Chris Bosh which is in serious doubt. Is he going to stay is he going to go? It has become the focus of this season already. No matter what lies ahead I am going to stick behind Chris Bosh. He has given all he has to this franchise and been loyal to it. I want him to remain and I hope that he will. The way some of tried to devalue his importance to this franchise is just silly. I mean is he Lebron James or Kobe Bryant? No he isn't but that does not mean he is not a very talented player. The thing I think that gets lost for Raptor fans is listen to what people say outside of Toronto. Chris Bosh is respected around the league and the fact that so many people are talking about him moving is a product of 2 things. First that Chris Bosh is a 4 time All Star that is clearly talented. The second is that the Raptors are struggling and that makes him the logical choice to be talked about.

This Off-Season will be the most important and interesting in the history of the Raptors Franchise. It is going to change the direction of this franchise one way or the other. Forgive me if I am not ready to embrace the idea of a team built around Andrea Bargnani. I have seen that movie in Dallas with a better actor in the lead roll and it has not worked out so well. I also don't get how people are so fast jump on board with some players. Andrea Bargnani for 3 years has been up and down and is finally getting to the point of being somewhat consistent. You have Joey Graham who you can just add a year to that and have the same answer. Yet the bandwagons for both are filling up fast as can be. I will stick with guy that has been a 4 time all-star and has shown improvement in almost every season he has been in the league. CB4Life hopefully here in Toronto but still I will always respect Chris even if it isn't. If there is anything you have learned in reading this blog, I hope it is that I am loyal to people and remain so. It may be an old outdated concept but it is not something I am willing to give up. However if Bosh does leave it will make it very hard for me personally to invest myself in the next face of the franchise. If that ends up being Andrea Bargnani it will be very easy not to get invested in him. I just have not really been a big fan of him. I don't know if it is because of his inconsistent play of the past. If it is the fact he is a European and I can't get into that. I mean there are some European players that I enjoy. Tony Parker is a guy that I like. Although if you didn't know any better you would swear he was North American. Whatever the case is I just don't seem to get into Andrea. But there will be lots of time to talk about the off-season when it gets here and it is going to be longer from what we have been use to.

Randy And D.J On The Raps

Randy and D.J who have been guests here get into a discussion about Andrea as well and talk about the past 2 games against the Knicks:



They also talk about the deadline and more NBA stuff is you want to check that out here is the link. So there is some love for them as they will be doing their thing on Court Surfing tonight.

Raps and T-Wolves Match-Up

I will be watching to see if the Raptors can make it two in a row. Here is the preview of this classic. The Raptors were 110-102 winners in Minnesota not that long ago. The T-Wolves are a team with out their best player in Al Jefferson. Kevin Love matched against CB4 is a huge advantage Raptors. This perhaps can be a jump off point for Bosh to get back in the flow after his knee injury. Here is your breakdown of the match up stats wise.

Dino Blogger Talking All Star Game For T.O In Industry

Lastly after the All Star Weekend was a complete dud it puts the article in a new light. Yesterday Eric Smith shared his thoughts on All Star Weekend and he was not impressed as well. That being said it has not crushed my hope that the Weekend should come here to Toronto. That was the topic of my article in The Industry Magazine which is a urban culture Magazine that I write on basketball for them. In this article you can find quotes on the topic from Chuck Swirsky, Jack Armstrong, Eric Smith and Scott Carefoot of RaptorBlog fame. But they also cover Music and the entire Toronto urban experience. So check out the Dino Blogger on pages 17-18, but check out the rest of the Magazine as well. Lisa and the entire crew at the Industry have a great magazine and are working hard at it.

Some Blog Notes:

Raptor Rewind will be a tad bit delayed, as I am going to be covering an NCAA Game for The Score doing the Live Blog of Florida and LSU. Even if it is just for fun, I think we will have a Dino Nation Blog NCAA Pool. I will put something together. Also be happy your a Raptor fan. Raptor tickets remain the same(according to Fan 590) but the Leafs tickets cost more. I can not imagine they had much choice at MLSE to not raise Raptor prices. However you want a reason I am not a Leafs fan that is a pretty good reason why. People are struggling out there and MLSE just keeps raising prices on the poor Leaf Fans. Just be thankful we were able to escape without having to pay more. Given the season for the team and TSN 2 debacle even folks at MLSE could see raising Raptor prices was not the right move. If they could only see that getting games on T.V is we would be getting somewhere. I mean they do I know but they have done little to act upon it. God forbid any Leaf Game was not broadcast there would be riots in the streets. In part because that is the only way the average fan can afford to see them. All this sports is a business stuff SUCKS. It may be true but I don't have to like it.

Randy Urban Returns To Dino Nation Blog

I mentioned my visit to Court Surfing on Tuesday night. Well yesterday based in part on that visit I had a chance to hook up with Randy Urban to talk about the Raptors. Randy is not only a guest for the second time he has been a talent booker for the Dino Nation Blog as well. Reconnecting me with an old friend in "The Baller" Adnan Virk. Who I knew before Chuck Swirsky ever gave him that nickname. While I work out the loans it will take to have Adnan come back. If you heard his first appearance on the blog you will understand the joke. He will be back hopefully soon. But for today we have Randy Urban who actually produced all the funny segments with Jerry Dee Sports reporter on his Raptor Ticket give aways. Randy also is a regular on Court surfing with D.J Bennett and they both do Raps and NBA stuff on The Score website as well.

To quote Joey G from the Round Ball Review " We love the Score Ya Da Ya Da "

But I actually do. It has allow me to expand the guest list here for the Dino Nation Blog. Randy being among those added guests. So with no further typing. Here is my interview with Randy prior to last night's Raps Debut of Shawn Marion. Who Randy is pulling for big time. Why? Listen and learn.

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So thanks to Randy for being a guest and helping bring in some other guests as well. He and D.J had invited me down for Court Surfing and it was a blast. So thanks to them for the invite.

The Dawn Of Shawn

So, everyone is saying all of the right things since the trade went down. I dispute that this can make this team a playoff team. I object even louder that Shawn Marion has a snowball's chance in July of being resigned by the Raptors. First thing about the playoffs, not going to happen and this team has already given you evidence as to why. When this team fired Sam Mitchell did it motivate them? Nope, it became a built in excuse to talk about learning a new system. Now they will have to work in new players and it will take time. I can see the future what can I say. But time has run out. The writing has been on the wall for a long time for this basketball team. It is only the fact that they play in the Eastern Conference that keeps this playoff talk alive. Even if the Raptors make another move I am not confident it changes things. The plan is about next season not this season. In that regard Shawn Marion might have been a nice pick up as he does know Bryan Colangelo and could be willing to agree to a sign and trade. So that could help out. But even if not it is about the cap room that his contract can create regardless. The Raptors had to take Marcus Banks contract and that basically is the amount of cap space the forfeited to get cap space earlier.

Shawn and Joey

It would be a bad thing if this team made the playoffs as well based on that conditional first round pick. Basically to take a step backwards does anyone think this Raptor team was one player away from being a contender? I sure did not. If that is the case losing a first round pick sure is not the answer. All this being said Shawn Marion is a guy playing for a contract be it here or more likely elsewhere. Marion has a lot to prove after all, since he was shipped from the Suns to the Heat he has not been the same player. People have tagged him with the phrase "system player", that is a tag he wants to lose. I think we will get the best of whatever Shawn Marion has to give. Players in contract years do not worry about if the team is in the playoffs or not. Want a good example just check out Joey Graham. You can say that Joey has just been given the chance to play more. That is true but the fact his contract is coming to an end is also true. Joey now will be playing behind Marion and we will see how that all works out. It will be interesting to see what happens with Graham. I wonder if he returns back to his college roots in the off-season. Joey Graham the former Oklahoma State Cowboy might be a nice fit as a sixth man on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Will see how it all plays out.

It will also be interesting to see if Bryan Colangelo is done trading. He still has just over 24 hours to make more moves. The Marion trade was the deal he had to make anything he does beyond it he will not be under as much pressure to make a move. That does not mean he will not. Colangelo may even start conversations heading towards the off-season and draft even if we do not see anymore from him prior to the deadline. Colangelo is always looking forward and seldom looks back. He deserves credit for trying to correct his mistake with the Jermaine O'Neal trade. I forget who said this but they made the comparison of the Suns and Steve Kerr. Instead of admitting his own error in the Shaq trade that involved Shawn Marion. I has lead to a series of mistakes to justify that move he made. It has lead to Terry Porter being unemployed, and the core of those great Suns teams that Colangelo built to be scattered across the NBA. Kerr refused to admit he was wrong and to Colangelo did the opposite and admitted his error and found a quick fall back position. Shaq was an all star this year and made us all laugh with his dancing exploits. But the larger issue is that Nash was not. That speaks to how much this Suns team has changed.

The Debut On TSN 2....Sucks I know

As for tonight's debut of the new look Raptors ironically it will end up on TSN 2. You create a buzz and make a trade and your fan base is forced to find a radio or Internet feed to see the game. That is the season it has been and the TSN 2 issue will continue to pop up it's ugly head again and again. You will (if you are lucky enough to have TSN 2) see Jose Calderon return to the line-up tonight. However Chris Bosh remains a question mark. That is even more key with J.O now playing for the Heat. The Raptors depth in the front court has taken a hit. Looks like he will be a game time call. If he does not play maybe he can update fans through Twitter who do not have TSN2. I thought is was cool that Bosh was Twittering during the All-Star game in a weekend that offered me very little that was pretty neat. Many NBA players are getting into Twitter. Shaq is on there and he has got Steve Nash on Twitter to. I am not sure what all of this stuff means for the future. That being said what every that future is Chris Bosh will be at the head of the line. I find what Bosh does off the court as interesting as what he does on it. That being said I want to see him on the floor playing for the Raptors for years to come. I hope he does play tonight or it will be 24 hours of crazy rumours of Bosh being moved and maybe I am naive to all of this, but I refuse to believe that Bosh is going anywhere. Maybe it is just because if Bosh is to go my attitude as a fan of this team will drastically change. How can you truly put faith in people that are just going to leave in the end. It is the sad reality of modern sports I guess. But I held out hope that Bosh would be different and I still do. But if it turns out I am wrong then I guess will have to grow up and accept the cold reality of modern sports.

Dino Blogger Went Surfing Last Night

I just wanted to thank D.J Bennett and Randy Urban for the invite to come down and visit Court Surfing last night at The Score. I met a ton of people and it was a fun time to watch everything and get to meet people. It made that score logo you see at the top of the blog sink in for me. Instead of trying to remember all the names of all the people I met, just a general thank you to all the folks I had a chance to meet last night. I am going to be talking with Randy later today for an interview for the blog. He and D.J both have been great in helping me bring some Score folks into my blog. It is not something I am required to do but it is something I have wanted to do. Getting the chance to be part of The Score Sports Federation has been a great opportunity for me and it is one I have tried to make the best of. It has been a great experience and I look forward to it being the start of building towards something that will be better and bigger, not just for myself, but for the readers and the blog in general. It was a fun time and if you ever get a chance to watch any T.V show and you have no media background you would be blown away by it. It had been awhile since I had been in that environment myself and it was cool to be around it again.

So thanks to all the folks at Court Surfing and The Score for making the Dino Blogger feel welcome.

Update 11:40am- Bosh is a no go tonight against the Cavs and Joey Graham will start at the 4 spot with Marion at the 3. This is being reported on Fan 590.

The Start of The End Of 08/09 For Raps?

After A lose to the Bucks and 4 of the NBA's toughest teams to face on the horizon is it all but over for the Raptors? Even Chris Bosh has said that this team is running out of time. If they were to lose the next 4 games it would maybe not official eliminate the Raptors but it would be hard to make the argument otherwise. If Bryan Colangelo approached the trade deadline thinking his team was a seller who could blame him? The Raptors also face the Spurs prior to the All Star break. That would make it very easy to see this team lose 5 of 7 heading into the break. First game after the break is against the Cavs so it could be 6 of 8. You smell what the Dino Blogger is cooking? It is not good and in fact it stinks. However for the long term future of this team it maybe the right thing. This team can accept it's fate that this has been a season that has gone wrong and look towards the 09/10 season to get it right. They better get it right as well if they want to ensure that Chris Bosh will remain in Toronto. I think Chris wants to be convinced to stay when all is said and done. He has said things in the past that make me think that. The fact that he once said he wants to be part of the solution in Toronto and I think he likes the idea of spending his career with just 1 team. He has also been a witness to what happens to those that leave. It is hard to imagine fans having warm and fuzzy feelings towards Bosh if he did decide to leave in 2010. As much as fans say they understand that sports is a business do they truly accept that fact in their hearts? I suggest you have a listen the next time Vince Carter pays a visit to the ACC for your answer. Sure part of why they boo is the way he left. However is there really a good way to leave a franchise when it is the players choice to do so? It is one thing to be traded by the team and it being their choice or to have them pass on re-signing you. Morris Peterson will always be loved because everyone believes that he never wanted to leave. So why not be in a good position to put your best foot forward to keep Chris Bosh. So when or if all of the losing streak is going on try to remember that and it might not hurt as much.

Least Bosh Isn't D Wade or Lebron

You are probably saying hey I would rather have D Wade or Lebron on this team. That is not the point I am going to make though. Now it is Wade making noise that he is not against the idea of playing with Lebron James in NYC. James of course had his red shoes and his Yankee hat. Wade even went to say that the 2 superstars had talked about playing together somewhere after their current contracts expired. Chris Bosh to his credit has said little on the subject and even poured cold water on the comments made by Jalen Rose in a recent interview with Eric Smith.

Bosh has basically taken the high road on the topic and like he said he is not sure what he is going to do tomorrow, next week why would we think he knows what he will do a year and a half from now? It is just part of the insecurity that we have as Canadians. After all Bosh is from Texas and not a Canadian. Why would someone like that like our country? It is easy for Canadians to go crazy for our own home grown talents. If you need prove of that if you have more then 4 friends and I hope you do. Ask them if they watched the GSP fight last night? I would be shocked if you got 4 no I did not. Georges St Pierre the UFC and MMA star is Canadian. He will always be Canadian. Chris Bosh is a Texan and an American and as such we all just think he is only going to be here for so long. I mean unless Chris went and became a Canadian I don't think some people would ever be convinced he is here to stay. Come to think of it even if he did that would no guarantee anything see Chuck Swirsky for proof of that. Is it so hard to think that an American can come to Canada and enjoy it and want to be a part of it? We need to get over that as a country. Be proud of what we have, don't be afraid to say we are great. After all if not for a Canadian Lebron, D Wade and Bosh all have a different job then they currently have.

Regardless Of Win Or Lose, Live Blog Will Happen...Be There

I am live blogging the Raps and Magic today. So come out share your thoughts on this blog on the game or the Raptors season as a whole. That reminds me we have a rule that comments mus be of a PG 13 level or better. So keep that in mind when you comment. Also while the play is going on that is the focus of the live blog so people not actually seeing the game can follow along. But beyond that there is not rules for it. Come out and have fun and take part it the talk. I am even going to hang around post game for an extended chat on Raptors if people are into it. They may not be and have Superbowl parties to get to. So use this link and come be part of the fun of today's live Blog on The Score:

Score Live Blog- Raps and Magic

As you might have guessed there will be no Raptor Rewind today as a result of hosting the Live Blog for The Score. I may write something tonight will see. Yesterday I was attempting to bang out an episode of the Round Ball Review. Some technical issues did not co-operate with me on that front. So that is about it see you bout 15 minutes before tip time.

CB4 Says Thanks

Adnan Virk From The Score Visits The Dino Nation Blog

I was very excited to get the chance to talk with Adnan Virk. Many know Adnan from his work on Raptor broadcasts and on the show Court Surfing that he was the host of. I have known Adnan prior to him being a part of The Score. We had worked together at another network and he remembered me. It was just a matter of getting in touch with him and he was happy to be a guest. So here is are conversation on the state of the Raptors as we talk about a number of issues for Toronto's basketball franchise.

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I look forward to having him back as a guest in the future. He is a great guy and I am very happy for all the success he has had in his time working for The Score. He is the co-host on The Score's morning show talking all sports not just basketball. I thank him for taking the time and it was really great to catch-up with him after many years. That story off the top of the interview is 100% true as I really was excited to have a chance to have him as a guest. A special thanks to Randy Urban who got us together to make this happen. The Dino Nation Blog has always done it's best to bring you a variety of opinions from knowledgeable media people and Adnan would be on that list.

Court Surfing In Dino Nation Blog With Randy Urban

Last week we had D.J Bennett stop by to talk about the Raptors. His partner on The Score on the website and holding things down on the Court Surfing live blog is Randy Urban. Randy is also involved behind the scenes with the funny stuff you see from Gerry Dee sports reporter. We have a interesting chat about the Raptors talking about the things that have not gone so well for the Raptors. We talk about the Bosh and O'Neal relationship, Jamario Moon and his struggles, The lack of a true back up point guard and what can the Raptors do to find the answer at the wing spot. That and a lot more in this conversation

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I talked some NBA ball with both Randy and D.J and I will be putting that together on the weekend in written form. look for that over the weekend. Thanks to Randy for stopping by. He is also helping me get in touch with some other folks from the Score to come by and visit us here. It should be fun. The more folks we talk to the better. The Dino Nation Blog is proud of the long growing list of guests we have and it is great to make them all part of our family here. Thanks to Randy for his time and I look forward to talking with him in the future as well as D.J.

Here is the latest work of both Randy and D.J talking trade rumours:

Raptors Need To Pick Up The Pace

Tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers will mark the half way point of the season. Some help in the form of Jermaine O'Neal.He is expected as he is going to make his return in the Raptors first visit to Indiana since the big off-season trade. It is safe to say both teams had a bit higher goals for the trade they made in the off-season. Both T.J Ford and Jermaine O'Neal have had to deal with injuries throughout the year. This latest injury for O'Neal has lead to the emergence of Andrea Bargnani. O'Neal stated yesterday that he will come of the bench as he makes his return. Jose Calderon is also making the trip but not expected to play. So for now everything is calm in Raptorland. Well except for the fact they sit in 12th place with the Bobcats and Pacers close behind. You hear a lot about how the Raptors schedule will turn for the better later in the year. That is the truth it is not an urban legend or myth. In fact a March 15th another match-up with The Pacers marks the last chance stand for the Raptors. In the last month of the season the Raptors have a legit chance to go 12-3. They have 10 of the last 15 games at home. It could set up a run to the playoffs like the Raptors put together behind the amazing play of Antonio Davis lead crew down the stretch in 2002. If memory serves me right that team won 16 of their last 17 games and did not clinch a play-off spot until the last day of the season.

So why mention this point now? It is January after all and if you need proof just step aside your front door if you live anywhere in Canada. Well if the Raptors were to lose tonight that would put the Raptors 9 games below .500. So basically consider that 9 games under .500 mark as like the Mendoza line. It is a baseball reference to Manny Mendoza was a baseball player that was an above average fielder who was a terrible hitter. In order to stay in the majors he was told he would have to hit at least a batting average of .200. So for the rest of this season 9 games under .500 is the Raptors Mendoza line. If the Raptors are not above or at that mark at March 15th it is pretty much all over. This only gets the Raptors to the .500 mark which hopefully would be good enough to make it in the East. Some will say that you can get in the playoffs with a under .500 mark but I am not willing to bank on that.

Don't Tell CB4 The Season Is Lost

Chris Bosh was asked yesterday something along the lines of most people thinking this was a lost season. He replied that he was glad none of those people play on this team. So I guess my 10-day contract with Raptors is not going to happen. But to be serious Bosh is right for whatever we as fans or the media may think it really only matters what the people inside that locker room think. If they thought like that the season truly would be over. If the Raptors are to get out of this hole they have created they will have to come together and dig out. They may need some help to do that in the form of a trade. However the Raptors can't sit back and wait for Bryan Colangelo to make something happen. While some have taken the Raptors struggles to point out the flaws of Chris Bosh. I will contend this is showing you what is best about Chris Bosh. He refuses to give in no matter the situation that is in front of him. The amount of respect I have for him as a player and a person can not be summed up in just written words.

People continue to speculate about the future for Bosh and what might happen in 2010. I think that people looking to that is unfortunate but understandable given this team and it's history. Chris Bosh is not like the people that have come before him. I think Chris Bosh has worked harder and done more to earn the respect of Raptor fans and the media. I don't think to many people were expecting when he was drafted that he one day would turn into the best player ever to wear a Raptor Jersey. Vince Carter had this honour and it seemed that he would hold that title for a long time to come. Bosh is not as flash or athletic as Carter. However Carter is not the hard worker and mentally tough competitor that Chris Bosh it. I have no doubt that a number 4 will one day hang in the ACC rafters and be the first number to hang there. It will represent how far the kid from just outside as Dallas as come. Maybe I am idealistic in thinking the Chris Bosh will not stop writing his Raptor story in 2010. But I have faith in Chris Bosh and believe that he is different from the others. Faith in anyone is hard to have and it is the ultimate form of trust you can put in someone. People wonder why people still boo Vince Carter. I never do because it is pretty simple when it comes right down to it. He shattered the faith that people put in him. That is something that you do not get over quickly if at all.

Court Surfing In The Dino Nation Blog - D.J Bennett

Part of why the Dino Nation Blog signed up to be part of The Score.com Sports Federation was to hopefully have some more guests from The Score to call on to be guests here. I felt it could add to what is an already impressive line up of guests we have the fortune to talk with on a regular basis. We had Sherman Hamilton visit just before the time the Sports Fed got rolling. Now I am adding some more folks to the roster. D.J Bennett is part of Court Surfing on The Score. He along with Randy Urban host the live blog that goes along with the show. They also do some video hits on The Score.com on the Raptors and The NBA. I have referenced them a couple of times in the past. I often try to pop in and take part in the live blogs and get in on the conversation. So I decided to offer him and Randy an invite to visit my world. Today I talked with D.J about the Raptors and the first half of the season in the Starting 5. Given the topic it is far longer then 5 minutes but hopefully it is worth the extra time. Besides the Starting 5 has never hit 5 minutes yet with any guest. But it is a cool title and why change it. So have a listen as we look back and forward on a Raptor season that has not gone as it was advertised.

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There was more to our conversation that you will be able to read about on Sunday or Monday. The focus of that Conversation looks at the NBA as a whole. D.J gives some of his picks for NBA awards at the half way mark. So you can look for that then. Randy his partner in crime will be visiting sometime next week. The plan is to have them pop in and visit from time to time. It is always great to have more guests and a variety of opinions. I think it is part of what makes the Dino Nation Blog what it is. Everyone has different takes on this great game of basketball and it is cool to hear as many as we can.

So that is all for today. Later tonight you can see the Raptor Rewind back in it's normal format. Pacers and Raptors from Indiana. Should be fun.