Not sure what’s up with Calderon. The two games I’ve seen him play he’s looked all right but he keeps getting jerked around by the coach. Starts one game, doesn’t start the next. Starts one game, doesn’t start the second half. Plays 30 minutes one night, 14 the next.
Odd.
All I know is that he told me he’s healthy, keeps going on in his own inimitable style about helping the team however it’s needed and seems happy, at least publicly.
The thought around the gym is that maybe Spain is just playing possum, not showing anything they’ve got until it’s absolutely necessary, like in the gold medal game.
That makes a bit of sense. I think anyone knows the Americans are only going to lose one game – if they lose at all – and there’s no sense using all your bullets in the inconsequential first round.
Well, it’s time for the medal bracket in the Olympics. Lose one game and your Gold medal dreams will end. It’s a lot of pressure and every team is going to have to play great basketball and we wouldn’t want it any other way. As a team we know that we haven’t done anything but qualify for the medal bracket, that’s it. Now we have to finish the job that we started.
This thing is 3 years in the making and we’re close, but so far from our goal. Have you ever wanted something so bad and you knew it was a long tough road ahead of you? Seconds turn into mintues and minutes into hours. I’ve been waiting for this since the World Championships in 2006 and now its here. I’m so excited to get started it’s killing me because I want to win that Gold medal so bad and it’s still a few days away. This defenitely feels like the playoffs right now, maybe even a little more intense.
So far the Olympics have been amazing. I’m glad just to be here and take in all of the history and the spirit of representing your country. I’ve met so many people from different parts of the world and even some countries I’ve never heard of. I’ve seen a few events and different parts of Beijing. I’ll never forget this for as long as I live, especially if we win the Gold!
Until then, I’ll be preparing for our next opponent. Let’s get it!
-Chris
Being that the Raptors are the NBA’s lone international team it truly is fitting that they are very well represented in this year’s Olympics. In fact, there are five Toronto connections in this year’s Olympics: three current players in Chris Bosh (USA), Jose Calderon (Spain) and Roko-Leni Ukic (Croatia) and two other players on last season’s roster in Carlos Delfino (Argentina) and Jorge Garbajosa (Spain).
So now I thought I would give a breakdown of each current and former Toronto player’s Olympics so far through the just completed pool play.
As this summer unfolded and it became clear that Roko-Leni Ukic would be Jose Calderon’s backup next season, an uncomfortable level of doubt and concern began crept into Raptors Nation. After enjoying a highly successful point guard tandem the past two seasons, it’s understandable fans would be hesitent to embrace a situation where the team would rely heavily on a starter who yet to be a starter for an entire season while having a backup who has yet to play a single game in the NBA.
If Ukic’s play in Beijing is any indication, those concerns will be short lived.
This is for a great cause … so I wanted to mention it …
The Raptors Foundation for Kids is currently holding an auction … featuring a whack of autographed memorabilia … from Chris Bosh signed jerseys and shoes to items from Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker as well.
This auction will raise money for kids’ programs around the GTA and across Canada so dig deep and get yourself something special today!
While his agent and representatives of two NBA clubs were set to continue their negotiations on transferring Haddadi from Iran’s Saba Battery to either the Memphis Grizzlies or Houston Rockets, the NBA board of directors sent a warning to its 30 clubs to withdraw from discussing the Iranian player’s transfer.
Hamed has one offer from the Toronto Raptors in hand, while rejecting another from the Serbian club KK Partizan.
He has experience playing for UAE club Al-Wasl and also won the 2007 Asian Championship with the Iranian National team. Afterwards the team received the honorary title FIBA Basketball Oscar of 2008.
O’Neal didn’t come cheap: He has two years and $44.4 million remaining on his contract. But after missing an average of 29.5 games over the last four years, he has accumulated relatively low NBA mileage. “This is a chance for Jermaine to really make a statement,” says Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo, whose team’s doctors examined O’Neal on July 8 and declared him healthy. “He is extremely motivated right now to answer any questions about his health, his attitude and who he is as a basketball player. I can’t think of a better mental or emotional state to find a player in.”
“You hate to [trade] your best player,” says Bird. “But he was at the point where he thought a change of scenery would help him.”
O’Neal returned to his Indianapolis mansion and packed his things. “We boxed up all of my stuff, and the clothes I didn’t want we took to the Salvation Army,” he says, which must have been a record day for the store’s big-and-tall section. Then he headed to Vegas, his new off-season home, to dedicate himself to the hard work of reinvigorating his health as well as his career.
Since beginning his summer regimen on May 10 alongside scores of collegians who were preparing with Abunassar for the draft, O’Neal has strengthened his hamstrings and glutes to radically improve his jumping technique and take pressure off the left knee. (He plans to wear a brace next season to prevent hyperextensions, which can lead to painful bone bruises.) He has increased the strength of his torso and legs by doing crunches and balancing exercises while shedding 10 pounds to get down to his current weight of 260 — no small thanks to nutritionist Tony Falce. “Because he has type A blood, he stays away from red meat,” says Falce. “No potatoes, no tomatoes, but he can have rice, egg whites, soybeans and broccoli.”
Falce communicates with O’Neal’s chef to keep their client from dwelling on the don’ts. But O’Neal did notice he was eating too much fish. “Every single day,” he says. “Everything started to taste really fishy.” Falce has since shifted him to entrees of chicken and turkey.
In order to complement the 6′ 10″ Bosh in Toronto, O’Neal will shift to center, where his knack for rebounding, drawing charges and altering shots — he averaged at least two blocks in each of his eight seasons in Indiana — will strengthen the Raptors’ flimsy defense. At the other end O’Neal and Bosh are versatile enough to take turns playing high or low. Together they’ll elevate 7-foot Andrea Bargnani, the No. 1 pick of the 2006 draft, who has struggled in his first two seasons but should thrive as the defense focuses on O’Neal and Bosh.
As the summer winds down, it’s time to take a peek at next year’s free agent crop. The key to the 2009 offseason will be which stars decide to use their opt-out clauses.
The biggest name could be Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, expected to execute his early termination option. The odds favor him returning to the Lakers with a new long-term deal but the future is never certain.
Other opt-out candidates include Cleveland Cavaliers centers Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao, Detroit Pistons guard Rip Hamilton, Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, Golden State Warriors forward Al Harrington, Toronto Raptors forward/center Jermaine O’Neal.
Two teams have a trio of players who may test free agency. The Utah Jazz will probably see forward Carlos Boozer, center Mehmet Okur and guard/forward Kyle Korver utilize their opt-out clauses.
The Toronto Raptors could find themselves a player next summer if Jermaine O’Neal opts out, but given his $23 million salary that may be unlikely.
I’m curious as to how you enjoyed your time spent playing for the Toronto Raptors? Not just the organization, but how was playing in Canada and living in the city of Toronto in relation to all of the years you spent in the States?
I tell people all the time that Toronto was the one the best cities not only in the NBA but in the world! It was so diverse. The people was very nice. The city was unbelievably clean and there was hardly any crime. I lived downtown near the ACC, so I was walking distance from everything. I also went to Bloor to go shopping. It’s like NYC with all the theaters, restaurants and nightlife. When I got there, we were still playing in Skydome and then we moved to ACC. The fans were awesoma and I remember when Jordan came to Skydome, it was the craziest scene to see a baseball stadium full to watch a basketball game. Being a part of the first playoff team and still holding a few records there keep the Raptors close to my heart.
I’m from Toronto and I have to ask you about your thoughts on the new look Raps with JO in the middle. Are we a contender in the East? I like the low post/high post combo with lots of perimeter firepower (Kapono, Bargnani, AP even Calderon). What do you think? Can we get past Detroit, Boston and even Philly?
I like the addition of JO and he will be a great addition next to Bosh. Because JO has been hurt lately, people forget how talented he is and that he was once considered a top-tier player in the league. He’s still young in age but has been around for a while. Maybe the change of scenery will do him good like it happens with most great players. I think this team is a contender because you upgraded your talent… But so did a lot of team in the East. Plus you have the same cast of characters with Boston and Detroit. I really like what Colangelo is doing in Toronto. The key is if Calderon can be a full-time point guard and if the shooting guard position with Parker will be enough to compete.
Meet Ryan Bonne, born at the end of a gravel road in south Winnipeg, who during the 2008 Beijing Summer Games is none other than Huan Huan, one of five Olympic mascots, who represents the fire of the Olympic flame.
From his humble beginnings as Kaboom, he’s on a career trajectory in which he’s been named the best mascot in all of North American professional sports — as Raptor with Toronto’s NBA outfit — and no one might be more surprised than the former Winnipegger himself.
From the Wesmen and Winnipeg Blue Bombers sidelines to the NBA to the Roman Colosseum to London’s revered Wembley Stadium, Bonne has played them all.
How’s that for a celebration?
“No pun intended, but it’s been wild,” the old U of W gunslinger told the Free Press in Beijing. “Every parent thinks doctor, lawyer… but mine got a big puppet.”
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I thought the Raptors were out of money and wanting to keep a lean roster. How is it possible that Haddadi got an offer from the Raps? When was this offer made?
Hi Scott,
Was wondering if you can update my link on your list of Raptors link to point to: http://snaptopic.com/sports/nba/toronto-raptors instead
I have updated it to include more topics and cleaned up the Toronto Raptors page.
Thanks!
agreed, Jeff.
either an errant rumour or…..COLANGELO IS A LIAR
Scotts last blog post..Toronto Raptors Linkage – Aug 20
Carlos Delfino is going to be missed!
Steve
Update via BallHype/And One/Interbasket — The NBA is cleared to deal with Ehadadi.
http://www.interbasket.net/news/437/2008/08/20/nba-cleared-to-talk-deal-with-hamed-ehadadi/
What is the right way to spell his name, anyway?
B-A-L-L-E-R