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Cracks appear in Raptors' team solidarity

JAMES CHRISTIE

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 12:06 AM EDT 02/05/08

Bosh criticizes Bargnani, Ford displeased with point-guard situation ...Read the full article

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  1. Jeff Hanlon from Kingston, Canada writes: Great article. It very clearly exposes the attitude problems that dragged this team down all year.

    T.J. Ford is a narcissist, grudgingly admitting that Calderon is "probably a starter in this league" while trumpeting his return from injury as a "showcase" of success. The only reason he was given the starter's job again was to keep him from sighing audibly from the bench. Calderon is smarter, more team-oriented player.

    Here's hoping Colangelo trades Ford and Bargnani for a player(s) who can do something other than run helter skelter and hit the odd perimiter shot.
  2. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: A more effective experienced mature coach could have handled most of the problems raised by Bosh and other problems. Why did we just let Larry Brown get away? You cannot let an incompetent, coach a sensitive organization of genuine prima donnas. Do you hear me Larry? It all goes back to how these able young men are handled and it as been frustrating to watch, let alone pay good money (lots) to see in action. It must have been frustrating to each and every one of them who knew more about team dynamics than 5 whiny Sears clothes horses
  3. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: PS I am afraid Sam believed last years press clippings
  4. E W from Canada writes: I will be very sorry to see Parker and Calderon go if they are traded, but like them I want to see a team that wins.
  5. Jake ---- from Canada writes: The only thing that stopped the raptors from winning this series is the lack of a true big man. Bargs just can't cut it as a starter and I will be happy when him and Ford are packaged up and traded for a big man.

    I also believe that Mitchell was out coached in this series, Van Gundy knows how to get it done and it sure helps to have the most dominate big man in the league.

    I look forward to the moves that Big C will make in the off season. One more thing that Raptor fans have to remember is that building a team does not happen in two season.
  6. Bruce Spence from Toronto, Canada writes: Once again Raptor fans are "in denial".
    They simply got beaten by a much better team.
    Orlando knew that they matched up very well against the Raptors, contrary to the hype we got in Toronto.
    It's BC's fault, not SM.
    SM had the Raptors playing way over their heads, ...... overacheiving.
    They're lucky to have finished with .500 record.
    If Bosh is smart, he'll demand to be traded out of town & escape a very poor organization.
    It's all downhill from here.
  7. Jake ---- from Canada writes: Bruce Spence from Toronto, You obviously know nothing about ball or what it takes to build a team. It has been 2 years since BC has taken over. Look at other teams that are in the NBA like Dallas and Phenix. These teams have been building for a championship for 7 years now, are you willing to go out and and say they are a poor organization. If so you have have a zero basketball IQ, both are great teams but have been unable to get it done in the playoffs.

    This project that BC is working on should take 2 more years, lets not forget that the Raps have alot of players that teams would be interested in. The only players will not have a for sale sign will be Moon, Bosh and Calderon.
  8. MJ M from Canada writes: The interviews today from Ford and Calderon are very revealing.Ford is still pumping himself up and bragging- only slightly acknowleging that Jose could be a starter. He even referred to his rookie year(Calderon's) saying he has improved.Jose in a classy manner just handled the media well repeating the same things he has said all year. I did notice though a little hestitancy for the first time regarding whether he would re-sign. He kept repeating-"wait and see" He might be deep down glad to be out of here and too polite to show his real feelings. I don't think he will be back-his agent will clue him in.
  9. B G from Canada writes: Wow. I wonder if the reporter could hear Bosh making all of those spelling mistakes when he spoke.
  10. Richard James from Canada writes: I'm not going to be an apologist for the team. They didn't get the job done. Finishing at .500 in the regular season and then getting beaten 4 games to 1 in the playoffs is no one's idea of a good year. But, having said that, they did miss Garbo, his skill and his toughness-a lot. Bosh missed lots of games as did Ford. Still nearly every team has injuries although in basketball with such a small rotation, injuries to key players really hurts-just ask the Heat! The Raps certainly recognize their problems and lousy rebounding and porous defense are likely at the top of the list. As for Bargnani, he's very young and has lots of talent but for gosh sake-HE ISN"T A CENTRE AND LIKELY WON'T EVER BE! Asking him to be a centre is like asking Bosh to be a point guard and then asking "What's wrong?" when he "regresses". They put Bargnani in a position that he couldn't possibly succeed in (out of hope and some desperation) and then when he regressed they scratch their head. He's a 6th man and there's nothing wrong with that. Hell, they have an award for "6th man" and if Andrea is better suited to that than starting at a position that he seems lost in, then go for it. Mr. Ginobili does a nice job with it in San Antonio. As for trading him, not yet. This city has a penchant for wanting to trade everyone immediately upon missing a shot. Put him in a position he's good at and can succeed at for the good of the team again. If that doesn't work, then give him a bus ticket somewhere
  11. C Ta from Richmond Hill, Canada writes: I spotted several typos without even looking for them. It was a good read, but really, such glaring spelling mistakes and extra quotation marks should have been corrected.

    What I'm really curious about is the current relationship between Bosh and Ford. When TJ arrived in Toronto, he was portrayed as being best buddies with Chris. From on-court mannerisms this season, it has appeared their camaraderie has strained.
  12. Massimiliano Frontini from Italy writes: Richard James from Canada writes HE ISN"T A CENTRE AND LIKELY WON'T EVER BE!

    Congratulations. You pointed out the problem very clearly. I've been hearing this Bargnani stuff since his rookie season... BARGNANI IS NOT A CENTER (OR CENTRE), BARGNANI IS EVERYTHING BUT A CENTRE. You all want to write that he sucks, ok write it... but please stop talking about him as a centre. And most surprisingly, the problem is Sam. He saw him several times while in Italy and he did the mistake to try him as a center. This is clearly a mistake. He tried, he failed. My opinion after two seasons is he's not a starter as long as Bosh is the other forward. He should be the sixth man of the team.
  13. Moose Lion from Canada writes: The main problem with the Raptors season is that players and fans actually believed that last year was a real season. The team won 47 games plus two games in the playoffs in a terrible conference where half the teams were actually trying thier best to lose. Big deal.

    SM and BC got way too much credit at the end of last year. Consider that in 20 years, people will look back and see that the COY and Executive of the Year came from the same team and will think that it was a special team. Then they will scratch their heads trying to understand why such an irrelavent team got so much attention.
  14. Joseph Daniel from Canada writes: If you guys are saying that a 7ft player is not a center then I don't know what the heck a center is supposed to be. Instead of Bargs loafing around Italy all last summer and loading up on mama and nona's good food he needed to work on his game and his upper body strength. NOW the brain trust that is the Raptors has decided to get him into the big man camp. Sure he is going to fail at being a center when he hasn't worked on any of the mechanics, comes to training camp all filled with promise but has not put any work into it. REmember how Bosh would work every off season. He is right to call AB out and say talent will take you so far. The rest is up to your work ethic. As BC stated he begs to differ on bargs, he believes that he still has it in him to improve albeit a work in progress. To my fellow italians Rome was not built in a day.
  15. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: I read in the G&M that BC has reaffirmed his confidence in Sam and no coaching change is being contemplated. Watch it Bryian, Sam could be your downfall in Toronto, if Ownership wakes up
  16. R 27 from Toronto, Canada writes: Calderon will regret it for the rest of his life if he remains here in hockey town next year if Mitchell and Ford are still with the CRAPTORS.
    Ford must have the stupidest entourage in the world if he is being led to believe that he's far more valuable than he really is. Trade Barganani, he's just not as physical or will never be as other European players. People were right in comparing him to a Dirk when he first came in...because he's just as soft. Bosh is right but again, the finger pointing should also be on Bosh. He has to work on his game because the series just proved that he got manhandled by his good friend, Superman. Bosh...stop taking 6 seconds to decide what you're going to do with the ball when you're in the post or 10 feet from the rim. You're letting the defense react too often and causing us an advantage. You could've taken Howard with sheer finesse like Duncan did to Shaq...but that game of yours is not there yet I guess.
    Note to Toronto: Game 5 of the series...win or go home for the Raps...I went to Kelsey's in Mississauga to have dinner and hopefully to watch the game and not one tube was dedicated on the game. It was all hockey coverage but it wasn't even the Leafs that were playing. MLSE is making money on the most idiotic fans in the world. Toronto (The GTA) is composed by mostly ignorant hockey cheering public. Hockey is only popular in Canada regardless of what they say about it in the US or Europe.
  17. JA M from Our Town, Canada writes: "MLSE is making money on the most idiotic fans in the world."

    This is the most accurate thing I've read in the Globe and Mail in a long time.
  18. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: A team can be made up completely of first round top picks, but will not succeed without wise , mature guidance and personal attention to the individual players. It is pitiful and negligent not to find out your players potential until you are being beaten up in the playoffs. The biggest shame in this past season is that those who had the decisions to make did not learn what they had until too late. It was not Superman s muscles which beat the Raptors. Hump and Rasho were just as beefy and could have been bought along with coaching to do passable Superman things. It was coaching inadequacies.
  19. albert strauss from Toronto,Ontario, Canada writes: PS The Magic hired Patrick Ewing and it showed. He was on the bench full time, I am sure, to help Superman
  20. P McLean from Canada writes: Jake ---- from Canada writes: Bruce Spence from Toronto, You obviously know nothing about ball or what it takes to build a team. It has been 2 years since BC has taken over. Look at other teams that are in the NBA like Dallas and Phenix. These teams have been building for a championship for 7 years now, are you willing to go out and and say they are a poor organization. If so you have have a zero basketball IQ, both are great teams but have been unable to get it done in the playoffs. Jake, how long have the Celtics been building to this point they are at? I'd put it at about 10 months. Detroit hired Rick Carlisle and won the division his first year, after 3 very crappy years, and won a title in the third year. San Antonio went from crap to title winners very quickly(drafted Duncan in 97, 1st title in 99). Dallas and Phoenix may very well have been building like you say, and they are good organizations, but 5 year or 7 year plans get you nice win totals and a consistent second round exit it would appear anymore. PLus, I might suggest you know what you are talking about the next time you say other people have "zero basketball IQ". You may possibly have good points to offer, but you make yourself look very foolish with things like that.
  21. K N from Canada writes: please stay Jose. By-by MeJ Ford.
  22. Sasha Furlani from Toronto, Canada writes: Honestly, I've never seen a city turn back and forth on a team faster then Toronto with the Raptors. It's both funny & pathetic. Way to get behind your team people! Do you all dump your spouses because the roast was a little dry on the weekend too? Here's some facts...they were beaten by a 50 win team with arguably the best center in the league. Between Bosh, Ford & Garbo injuries, the roster was not playing at full strength at all this season. That's the coaches fault? Come on. As for the coaching, most of the people here clearly don't have a trained eye for basketball coaching criticism. People whine about things they clearly don't understand, and don't notice the small in game adjustments Sam makes that work. It's always about substitutions and that BS. Guess what people, you don't know 1/100th about basketball compared to Mitchell, or any other coach. If it's so easy and obvious what everyone is doing wrong, how come you aren't coaching in the NBA? I'm not saying he doesn't need to keep improving, because he does (but so do most). But to assume D'Antoni is some kind of saviour who will come in and fix everything, even though the roster is fundamentally flawed, is ridiculous. It would be interesting to see if he'll get the heat Mitch takes in this city (I suspect he won't, and that's interesting on a whole other level as far as this city goes). Relax people, this team was a dung heap two short years ago. We're still climbing out of that pile, but the fact is we've made the playoffs two years in a row (if this were the leafs there'd be a parade this week), and with some more roster tweaks and a little luck, the team should continue to improve.
  23. M Spiker from Ottawa, Canada writes: The Barney's started re-building the day they drafted Chris Bosh (in 2003). He was the superstar player you need to build a team around. Unfortunately two sets of Barney management have failed to add the requisite pieces in the appropriate amounts (e.g., 2 top-tier PG's but no stud 2 or 3).

    Thank god DET's GM had a brain cramp that draft day and didn't take the 2nd best player on the board (CB) or the mensa candidates that ran TOR back then would probably have drafted Darko.
  24. Jason J from Markham, Canada writes: What is wrong with TJ? He's already hijacked the team, now he wants Jose go?

    What if TJ being knocked down by another tough guy next season?
  25. Anne Mathews from Canada writes: Keep Calderon, lose Ford. If he's disgruntled now, he'll always find something to gripe about.
  26. Allan Wexler from Canada writes: The Raptors want both Ford and Calderon PROVIDED that Ford can accept his roile on the team as a backup who plays substantial minutes. If he can't accept that role, he will be traded. They also have to determine what role they want Bargnani to play and it appears that they still see him as their center. If so, he will need to develop those skills and they will give him the time, since he is still on his rookie contract which is pretty cheap. Through a trade of Ford (and other expiring contracts) they may be able to get a scoring wing or bruising rebounder and they will get a #1 draft pick who may be a guard who can defend the bigger guards around the league. I Like Russell Westbrook from UCLA who has the athleticism that Sam likes. Sam will be the coach, everyone, so save your breath on that one.
  27. Philoso Raptor from Kingston, Canada writes: Like most fans I'm sure, I found this season quite frustrating. I'm also, may the Muses help me, a Leafs fan, so it's all relative.

    I'll freely admit that I'm not terribly knowledgeable about the intricacies of coaching the game so here are a few questions for the better informed on this board:

    Given that we have the best 3-point (by %) shooter in the league, would it make sense to run a few set plays (double-screens, etc.) to free him up for some open looks?

    Can the coach fine players who don't follow up on their shots hunting for rebounds?

    Was the Raps consistent inability to contain opposition forwards cutting to the basket a function of poorly designed or poorly executed defensive schemes?

    Hopes for next season:

    The point guard situation is resolved. Although TJ played reasonably well (statistically anyway) in the playoffs, if only one of them stays, my vote would be for Jose. Character counts!

    Bargnani works his tail off this summer with an eye towards regaining his jump shot (way too many line drives, indicative of a mechanical problem IMHO) and developing some post moves. Some strength work probably wouldn't hurt either although I don't think that he's as deficient in that respect as some might suggest. Dude has tree trunks for legs, is remarkably quick for his size and is capable of fighting for position, but needs to learn some technique. Rasho could help here; he doesn't have Barg's physical tool set but damn he sure does understand positioning. Mostly though, it seems that he needs to develop more of an edge, manifested in an "every loose ball is mine damn it" attitude. See Sam Dalembert for an example. It remains to be seen if Barg's got that in him.

    The team as whole learns to take pride in defending well and shutting down opponents.

    Fewer excuses from Smitch or whoever the bench boss is: "Shots weren't falling; Howard is a beast, Kobe is Kobe" just won't cut it.
  28. Philoso Raptor from Kingston, Canada writes: I like Chris Douglas-Roberts from Memphis in the draft if he's available.
    Orlando journos seem to think that he may be available come their turn and we draft ahead of them don't we? He's got jump out of the gym hops and is long AND solid.
  29. Michael Enright from Toronto, Canada writes: Wow, what a bunch of ADD fans in need an instant championship.

    I listened to the Colangelo interview (which is on The Fan590's website) and I think he nailed it on the head when he stated that nothing hurt them more this year than having Garbajosa go down. Losing a hard nosed grunt player of that caliber really changed the team's dynamic. I think clarifying his situation for next year and either getting him back into the rotation or finding his replacement should be number two on Colangelo's to-do list.

    The number one issue is solving the point-guard situation. As for the Bargnani development issue, solidify the role and then give him the time to develop. If the organization wants him the five spot, then give him the coaching and time he need. It took Patrick Ewing and four-years of development until Dwight Howard became the complete package at centre.
  30. Moose Lion from Canada writes: M Spiker from Ottawa:

    CB the 2nd best player in that draft? Really? Is that a joke?
  31. andy c from Canada writes: i have Bosh as tied for 3rd in that draft. behind LBJ and Wade and tied with Melo (talent wise melo is more talented but as an overall basketball player/teamate/attitude melo loses some points)
  32. M Spiker from Ottawa, Canada writes: How many GMs would take Anthony or Wade over Bosh today?

    CB's an all-rounder with a great attitude. He has been burdened with having to play as an undersized C-F instead of his natural PF.

    Anthony's attitude/approach was an issue back then and it is a real problem right now (ref. recent DUI and comments). He puts up big numbers but he is playing with AI. No defense.

    Wade played great when Shaq was playing great (like PH and KB did). He hasn't delivered like Bosh has in the last 2 years. He has to prove he can carry a team to the playoffs.

    For what their worth, the unofficial rankings (such as Hillinger's PER) put CB ahead of both of them.

    The real test will be when CB and DW are UFAs at the same time. Anthony is a year later but by that time I predict he will be radioactive.

    P.S., I stand by my comment that given a chance the Barney's mis-management would have picked Darko.
  33. J L from Canada writes: Now there fighting among themselves. GREAT! The blame game re-v-isted and some of them apparently play that game better than than they do basketball.Lets be frank,this is and was a MEDIOCRE TEAM.It requires a complete overall.A lube job if you will.I've said it before and I'll say it again in order to get something you're going to have to give something up.That something might just be Mr Bosh or Mr Calderon. Make no doubt about it the asking price(players and draft picks rec'd in return} will be steep.Mr Bosh is a Franchise player..As for Mr Bargnani well what can you say.His overall play says it all.NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE.Package him up in a trade for a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick and cut your losses.This team has a lot of weaknesses to correct if they ever hope to compete with the top teams in the NBA.Your just not going to do that by tinkering around the edges.Time for some spring house cleaning perhaps? Some Free Agent signings.and a blockbuster trade involving some major talent and who knows maybe, just maybe this team can compete with the Big boys on a regular basis. next season. Go Raps Go.
  34. D D from Canada writes: J L writes: "Package him up in a trade for a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick"....sigh, another hockey mind trying to give his 2 cents on basketball. Let me know how that 3rd round pick turns out....
  35. Moose Lion from Canada writes: M Spiker:

    You might pick Bosh over Wade right now because it remains to be seen whether or not Wade will ever regain his quickness after his injuries. That being said, if its 2003 and you could see the future, you still pick Wade over Bosh in that draft becasue Wade did something that Bosh is not close to being capable of doing so far...carrying at team to an NBA championship. I am a big Shaq fan, but that was Wade's title.

    Secondly, I would pick Carmelo ahead of Bosh. In my opinion, Carmelo is still getting better while Bosh is nearing his peak. Carmelo has a combination of power and quickness that Bosh just does not have.

    I know this wasn't the poing you were making in the first place, but I find it more interesting than discussing the raps season.
  36. Joseph Daniel from Canada writes: LOL so true D D, that 3rd pick will be a doozy hahahah. Unfortunately so many come to post here after the Laffs are long gone. but hey I guess we should be used to it.
  37. M Spiker from Ottawa, Canada writes: Fortunately in these kind of debates, hindsight counts. In the NBA, draft position isn't an indicator of who was/is better -- you have to consider their NBA career. There have been too many MJ's and Kwame Brown's to give GM's any credit for making a good pick.

    Wade has to prove that he is a Kobe and not a Penny (when he doesn't have an in shape and committed Shaq drawing double teams and generally disrupting defenses). Now he is getting the double teams (focus) the Heat aren't doing so well.

    Anthony plays with probably the best little man ever to play the game -- AI. That creates lots of space for him and pretty well nullifies any chance of him seeing a double team.

    CB has had very little support in his time. He got one good year of Carter in 03/04. Other than that he has been on his own out there. If he had a legitimate inside scoring threat to play with not only would he be seeing a lot more single coverage he'd be able to re-establish his outside game (remember his first few years). Look at all the open looks the 5 gets when he is out there. I'd love to see him with the freedom to be an inside/outside player but right now the Barneys need him inside.

    And CB is a way better defender than either Wade or Anthony.

    I just want CB to get some stud teammates before he does a Kevin Garnett.
  38. Philoso Raptor from Kingston, Canada writes: I think the key to an excellent season next year is, on occasion anyways, dressing the Raptor mascot in a white robe, a long flowing white beard and those nice sandals that lace up over the calf. He can dispense pearls of wisdom and rhetoric (no sophistry please, we get enough of that from MLSE) to the players and coaching staff on the sidelines between trampoline somersault dunks.
  39. Dwide Schrude from Canada writes: Part of me wonders how many people actually watched the playoffs. What I saw was a driven TJ Ford. Yes he was selfish, but he was the only one getting it done in the last game. Bosh was 2 of 8 at the half on his shots. I say get rid of Bosh, trade for Mutombo who isn't needed in Houston with a healthy Yao and go get a legit star. Hell, bring back Vince Carter, it'd be better than watching the clumsy Bosh clod around and pretend to be an elite player.

    Other than that, we shouldn't be too upset, the Mavs and Suns are both out, the Rockets will be shorty and they won about 30 games in a row.
  40. P McLean from Canada writes: M Spiker writes : Penny (when he doesn't have an in shape and committed Shaq drawing double teams and generally disrupting defenses

    Hardaway didn't diminish in quality as a player because of O'Neal he diminished because his knee turned to mush in his 5th season. He was still quite productive when he was healthy, but was only ever able to play one full season(80 games) after the injury. In the 59 games he was able to play after O'Neal left, he put up 20.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 5.6 apg.

    Please post factual information next time.
  41. Toby Maloney from Canada writes: The good news is that there are two obvious candidates for trading, assets that will buy something good, and restore team harmony at the same time.

    TJ played well for the play-offs but in his interview he's basically volunteering to be traded. Keeping in mind that the main job of a point guard is to PASS the ball, which guard would you keep, the person who talks about how he has to be the starter or the one who talks about how he just wants his team to do well? That's about as easy a choice as you will ever have as a general manager.

    As for Bargnani, he would have been on the bench months ago, except that the people who made the decision to pick him first overall couldn't just admit that was a mistake. Maybe he will try harder on another team, or maybe someone can find a role for him as an oversized, underaged spot up shooter who can't play defence, but again, what's there to think about, see what he'll go for.
  42. George Khan from Suburbia, Canada writes: From the things written here, it seems that the Raps are composed of a bunch of useless bums, including Chris Bosh. Well, Chris Bosh has been the pivotal element, around whom the rest of the team gravitates (similar to what Tim Duncan represents for the SA Spurs). He actually busted his a**, many times all alone, trying to get to the rim, attracting lots of physical contact in the process. You could tell he ended up wasted, but he would keep pushing forward. The fact that he didn't have much help was all SMitch's decision. Not even Orlando's "Superman" was left that alone; when Raps' tried to triple him (it was doubled already, but he could handle it), Turkoglu stepped in to divert some of the punishment. That's team playing. Sam could very well send in a big fella, like Hump or Rasho to help out CB4, but Sam just let him get hammered. Sam has to go first.
  43. Chris Dubb from Canada writes: Too bad they can't trade Toronto sports fans for a tough interior defender and rebounder. What a bunch of negative, over-reacting crybabies.

    No one's too happy about a .500 season and 5-game first round exit. But when you think about how this team was playing three seasons ago, I'll take this year over that year any day of the week.

    As nice as the twin-starting point guard idea is in theory, it's clearly not going to work with TJ. Too bad, but there's always demand for a fast point guard. Trade him to Charlotte for Okefor and bring Bargs off the bench maybe....
  44. Chris Dubb from Canada writes: Oh, and please tell me I didn't see someone seriously suggest trading Bosh for Mutombo. Where I can I get some of those drugs?

    I like the finger wag too, but let's not go nuts.
  45. Peter Armstrong from Vancouver, Canada writes: Dear James Christie,
    Please file your stories directly to Michael Grange for editing before the Globe's copy editors get it because obviously the office has stopped editing Raptors articles since the season ended.
    Regards,
    The Editing Police
  46. Richard Niman from East Lansing, MI, Canada writes: Far too many typos... and unnecessary to characterize what TJ said as him being "displeased" with the point guard situation. Talk about interpolating your own opinion.

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