Once again the Raps blew another draft.
Those were the cries of Toronto Raptor fans all over Twitter and Sports Links last night. Although experts say it takes up to three years to evaluate a draft, I don't think Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors have any time to wait.
Brandon Roy, Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Rajon Rondo and Lamarcus Aldridge.
I know what you are thinking I played NBA 11 and got this team through Fantasy Draft. But on the contrary they all have something in common. They all COULD HAVE BEEN RAPTORS!
Between 2004 and 2006 the Raptors picked in the TOP-10. And of those 3 times they chose Rafael Araujo(04) Charlie Villuaneva and Joey Graham (05) and Andrea Bargnani 1st overall pick in (06) passing up on players including the ones above. A franchise that let prize possession Vince Carter get frustrated and leave on terrible terms. And then to not be able to build a good enough team around Chris Bosh, leading to his depart, you would think that they would have learned better.
Come full-circle to the 2011 NBA Draft that took place from the Prudential Centre yesterday. The Raptors sitting pretty at 5Th spot had just seen the top-4 go as predicted. Leaving Brandon Knight of Kentucky and Kemba Walker of Connecticut. A team that was last in about every category last year, has the ability to give a pulse back to a city that has gone through its share of turbulence. Instead they through the franchise into the water with 50lb rocks tied to it, watching him sink lower.... and lower.... and lower.... until you can't see it anymore.
Let me Preface by saying I recently did an assignment on a Raptors Post-Game after they had been blown out by the Atlanta Hawks on the road. Their sixth straight road loss and seventh in a row. I watched a team without a leader, crumble in front of my eyes as I began to edit. I realized this is a team without identity... I understood that, but in basketball above all sports Body Language is key. How a player does or doesn't act is extremely crucial to not only the game but his team and teammates. I watched Barganani speaking less then 4 words of English, sit and try to explain why he can't rebound. To any observer he looked as if a 6 year-old kid who didn't get what he wanted, pouting.
Back to the Draft. With Walker and Knight ripe for the taking, Colangelo pulled a quick one even on new coach Dwayne Casey who says he was 'Shocked' with the selection of Jonas Valanciunas 6'11 Centre from Lithuania.
Not only does he speak no English but he has problems with getting into North America and may not be able to play next years, assuming there is one. Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight may have not been the solution here( but i'm also not saying they couldn't have been) but to give hope into fans, gives hope into the team. When Colangelo sees the damage he did with the pick such as in lesser attendance ratings and in my opinion hearing 'Get Rid of Colagnelo' chants might be force him to leave. This player in Valanciunas could be good later down the road, but when a team and a city needed hope, it was reluctantly shut down and showed the front door.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Luongo... Meh!
I wanted to get my 1st post out to you guys and I couldn't wait until Monday perhaps even Wednesday if the series goes 7.
It's tough to argue with a President Trophy Winning team and a win away from the Franchise's 1st Stanley Cup. But looking back at the last four Stanley Cup winners,Roberto Luongo does not compare to them, despite a Gold Medal on his Shelf.
Goalie Roberto Luongo.
After game 4 of these Stanley Cup Finals the jokes were coming out of Boston's ass like Jack Black's character in Tropic Thunder.
"12 Past Luongo"
"Cant Bury Burrows" etc.
I played Goalie. Not at a very High Level, but its suffice to that if you have a backup goalie (which at times I didn't) and your getting beat down you get Pulled.
The fact that Alain Vignault asked Luongo if he like to be pulled right after letting in the 5th goal on th night is Ludicrous. The next question could be of Vignault's leadership qualities (but will save that for another time), A player will never tell you he wants off; you TAKE HIM OFF.. . He stayed in, and gave up 3 more goals losing 8-1 in Game 3. He responded back losing 4-0 in game 4.
I think in any sport it is the players that can forget about the past quickly that are most successful. You cant worry about a strikeout, bad tee-shot, getting dinged up or letting in an easy goal, it is how you comeback that will be remembered.
Luongo won game 5 at home 1-0 shutting out the Bruins for a 2nd time in the Finals, but went back to Boston and could not make it out of the 1st period.
Despite being a very enthused Habs fan even I can admit that without Jaroslav Halak between the Pipes in the 2010 playoffs they wold have never reached the Eastern Conference Finals(ECF).
Goaltending in the Playoffs is to Starting Pitching in the Playoffs. If the player shines his team can win 1-0, 2-1 type-games on the other hand if your starter gets yanked your most likely not going to win.
The Canucks are 3-4 when they've tried to put teams away. 3 of those losses came against the Blackhawks,after being down 3-0. One of which was started by Cory Schnider because the play in the crease was very unsettling
In the Losses Luongo was .888 SV percentage and above 3.22 G.A.A.
Against Nashville he blew it in game 5 and barely won it in game 6. Pekka Rinne outduled him by a mile, but Nashville needless to say are not a very good team even with Shea Weber on Defense.
Against the Sharks it was the Sedins and the Sedin Line that dominated the series. Sharks got to Luongo despite a game 5 for the ages. In the deciding game Luongo played his best game of his career with 50+saves in a 3-2 O.T. Win. In fairness I think that was probably the best series I have seen from him.
As a Canadian I also refer back to the Gold Medal Game in 2010. Had Sidney Crosby not scored that goal, and someone in the Blue & White had, I personally don't think that the Canucks would be in the Cup. Goaltending is all about confidence and Luongo had none.
Fortunately for him the Gold Medal Winning Canadian Team was a Historic Team with 11 Captain and had a player by the name of Sidney Crosby on it.
I was even considering putting in Marc Andre Fleury in, but they stuck with Luongo in front of the home crowd. And when Zack Parise scored with 24 seconds remaining I lost all the confidence in the world, knowing Lue was the last thing between us and Gold. But as History goes Canada won it and Luongo got some of the monkey off his back.
Had Crosby not scored and Canada were to have lost A) I don't think the Canucks even make it to the finals but B) They bow out in 7 against the Blackhawks in Round 1. I'll give Luongo some credit as it's extremely hard to make it to the Cup Finals but when he had the choice of being a hero or a goat.. He chose the heard (if you catch my drift)
In the words of the NBC Hockey Play-By-Play Announcer said "Without goaltending in the playoffs you don't STAND A CHANCE" and I don't think the Canucks have goaltending.
And the better goalie won the Finals. Tim Thomas and the Bruins etched the name into the history books while the Canucks watched in tears.
The Question now is how much longer before Luongo gets ran out of Vancouver.. My estimation one more playoff run.
It's tough to argue with a President Trophy Winning team and a win away from the Franchise's 1st Stanley Cup. But looking back at the last four Stanley Cup winners,Roberto Luongo does not compare to them, despite a Gold Medal on his Shelf.
Goalie Roberto Luongo.
After game 4 of these Stanley Cup Finals the jokes were coming out of Boston's ass like Jack Black's character in Tropic Thunder.
"12 Past Luongo"
"Cant Bury Burrows" etc.
I played Goalie. Not at a very High Level, but its suffice to that if you have a backup goalie (which at times I didn't) and your getting beat down you get Pulled.
The fact that Alain Vignault asked Luongo if he like to be pulled right after letting in the 5th goal on th night is Ludicrous. The next question could be of Vignault's leadership qualities (but will save that for another time), A player will never tell you he wants off; you TAKE HIM OFF.. . He stayed in, and gave up 3 more goals losing 8-1 in Game 3. He responded back losing 4-0 in game 4.
I think in any sport it is the players that can forget about the past quickly that are most successful. You cant worry about a strikeout, bad tee-shot, getting dinged up or letting in an easy goal, it is how you comeback that will be remembered.
Luongo won game 5 at home 1-0 shutting out the Bruins for a 2nd time in the Finals, but went back to Boston and could not make it out of the 1st period.
Despite being a very enthused Habs fan even I can admit that without Jaroslav Halak between the Pipes in the 2010 playoffs they wold have never reached the Eastern Conference Finals(ECF).
Goaltending in the Playoffs is to Starting Pitching in the Playoffs. If the player shines his team can win 1-0, 2-1 type-games on the other hand if your starter gets yanked your most likely not going to win.
The Canucks are 3-4 when they've tried to put teams away. 3 of those losses came against the Blackhawks,after being down 3-0. One of which was started by Cory Schnider because the play in the crease was very unsettling
In the Losses Luongo was .888 SV percentage and above 3.22 G.A.A.
Against Nashville he blew it in game 5 and barely won it in game 6. Pekka Rinne outduled him by a mile, but Nashville needless to say are not a very good team even with Shea Weber on Defense.
Against the Sharks it was the Sedins and the Sedin Line that dominated the series. Sharks got to Luongo despite a game 5 for the ages. In the deciding game Luongo played his best game of his career with 50+saves in a 3-2 O.T. Win. In fairness I think that was probably the best series I have seen from him.
As a Canadian I also refer back to the Gold Medal Game in 2010. Had Sidney Crosby not scored that goal, and someone in the Blue & White had, I personally don't think that the Canucks would be in the Cup. Goaltending is all about confidence and Luongo had none.
Fortunately for him the Gold Medal Winning Canadian Team was a Historic Team with 11 Captain and had a player by the name of Sidney Crosby on it.
I was even considering putting in Marc Andre Fleury in, but they stuck with Luongo in front of the home crowd. And when Zack Parise scored with 24 seconds remaining I lost all the confidence in the world, knowing Lue was the last thing between us and Gold. But as History goes Canada won it and Luongo got some of the monkey off his back.
Had Crosby not scored and Canada were to have lost A) I don't think the Canucks even make it to the finals but B) They bow out in 7 against the Blackhawks in Round 1. I'll give Luongo some credit as it's extremely hard to make it to the Cup Finals but when he had the choice of being a hero or a goat.. He chose the heard (if you catch my drift)
In the words of the NBC Hockey Play-By-Play Announcer said "Without goaltending in the playoffs you don't STAND A CHANCE" and I don't think the Canucks have goaltending.
And the better goalie won the Finals. Tim Thomas and the Bruins etched the name into the history books while the Canucks watched in tears.
The Question now is how much longer before Luongo gets ran out of Vancouver.. My estimation one more playoff run.
Come Join
Hello World,
Mendelsohn Island is now upon us. It is a in-depth, concrete look on the most trending stories going on in the sports world. The reason you should come and check what I have to say is because at the College of Sports Media where I attend I spent the last years with colleagues of mine doing in depth round tables on the radio and all during the common halls talk amongst us is about what is on in sports. I have had a huge passion for sports since I can remember. I believe that my well-rounded knowledge on the big 4: Hockey, Baseball,Basketball and Football and to an average degree in Golf and Tennis could give you some insightful things to think of it. I plan on giving you readers both sides to the stories and still come out with a decisive conclusion.
Coming up:
1. Canucks one game away from cup. Why I think Roberto Luongo is mediocre!
2. What's with these Lebron Haters? They aren't the real villeins?
3. Do we expect the Jays to be better then they already are?
@Bailey Blitz is also a student at CSM with a great blog of its own check out his comments on what's trending in sports. We will be doing Podcasts from CSM during the summer so stay tuned
Mendelsohn Island is now upon us. It is a in-depth, concrete look on the most trending stories going on in the sports world. The reason you should come and check what I have to say is because at the College of Sports Media where I attend I spent the last years with colleagues of mine doing in depth round tables on the radio and all during the common halls talk amongst us is about what is on in sports. I have had a huge passion for sports since I can remember. I believe that my well-rounded knowledge on the big 4: Hockey, Baseball,Basketball and Football and to an average degree in Golf and Tennis could give you some insightful things to think of it. I plan on giving you readers both sides to the stories and still come out with a decisive conclusion.
Coming up:
1. Canucks one game away from cup. Why I think Roberto Luongo is mediocre!
2. What's with these Lebron Haters? They aren't the real villeins?
3. Do we expect the Jays to be better then they already are?
@Bailey Blitz is also a student at CSM with a great blog of its own check out his comments on what's trending in sports. We will be doing Podcasts from CSM during the summer so stay tuned
A Dream Fit for a Doctor
Satdown with Doctor Aubery Green 04/05/11.
Many kids that grew up in the GTA in Toronto wanted to wear the Blue and White and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Naivety part is that there is also a tremendous amount of talent you must possess to play at such a high level, that not many people have. I sat down with Dr. Aubrey Green to discuss being in the front lines of the other side of sports ‘the medical side.’
“I think I’d be lying if I didn’t sit in class at Chiropractic school thinking I didn’t want to work with professional athletes”
Aubrey Green began pursuing a career that would allow him to be with World-Class athletes on a constant basis. He went to the University of Western where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts but that was only step one to the plan. From there he went onto receive the Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Aiming to extend his qualifications, he completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture course for heath practitioners and the Sports Medicine Acupuncture course at McMaster University.
Sports have many ways of being interpreted into life. In sports you sometimes need lucky bounces to upstart your career. Green got that during the NHL lockout season in 2004-2005, where he bumped into then Dallas Starts Forward Jason Arnott. Arnott was looking for a new sports therapist to help him keep in shape during the offseason. Green had never worked with a type- A athlete like Arnott but still managed to used his tools to help Arnott.
“ I give a lot of credit and take a lot of pride with my relationship with Arny. He came to me, he had faith in me. I didn’t have the resume, experience or credentials at the time. He put his health in your hands and there is nothing greater then that. Their body and health are their biggest asset, its what puts food on their table.”
Six years later, Green remains Arnott’s personal trainer and has established not only a business but a personal relationship as well.
Another example of Sports being compared to life is like in High- School where word travels fast. Green does not mind that at all, in fact he embraced it how else was he to get his name out. Arnott told other players in the league about Green and his abilities, opening many doors by landing him a more star-studded cliental. Some of his cliental includes: Cortland Finnergan, Matt Stafford and Kyle Vanden Bosche of the Tennessee Titans. Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings, Jarome Iginla and newly added Alex Ovechkin.
“ I Think at 1st it was the element of Kids in a Candy Store, I would like to have played Sports but the cards weren’t there for me, so the next best thing would be to work with them on that level and have an impact on their on-field performance. You feel like you’re in the fire.”
The part that college could not prepare him for was the emotion that goes into each player. When I sat down with Green, four of his major clients (Zetterberg, Draper, Arnott, Ovechkin) were at risk of being eliminated for the playoffs.
“I feel like im in the heat of the battle. Washington and Detroit are both down in their series and especially in the playoffs there are so many Highs and Lows. I also have the Highs and Lows, I’m not on the ice but I have the same emotion into it”
Considering the amount of time and work that goes into each of the four players on a daily basis it begins to become a lot of pressure. Hockey players don’t worry as much when they go on the ice, they have been doing it their entire life its natural for them. For Green though its not the same feeling, if a player looks out of sync on the ice or is running out of breath constantly, that is on him. It’s a huge load to take on, someone else’s health and life in your hands. If you do things wrong it could potentially end with the player getting severely injured. When George Clooney goes up to receive an Oscar he thanks the people that got him there and the people that helped him. When an Athlete receives his award he thanks his team and owner and walks off stage. They forgot about the people behind the scenes. The people that day-in and day-out keep everything held together and working. The truth is that players need more then just talent to become the best they also need resources. Those resources are the people that keep you at your strongest, competing with the best athletes in the world.
“They way you approach everything you do is important to longevity. To an athlete your body is your asset you better learn everything you can about to maximize it.”
Athletes are not like guys at work who go to the local bar for happy hour. They always have to be cautious of what is being sent into their bodies. The occasional piece of cake is allowed because of how hard they are working but only in moderation.
“ I Work with top tier athletes there is a reason there at that level there look for every edge. Everyone in the NHL is great to reach that level they are not hack. It’s what separates them that will make them great. It’s their approach, mentality, commitment…. But most importantly their HEALTH”
Green deals with Athletes’ on a 1-on-1 basis to look at process, and see’s what needs tweaking, but with the commitment so high the risks of further injuries not only to the body but the brain is high. Players don’t think in the future, how can you? You cannot predict the unexpected, but with every risk there is a repercussion. For football players who statistically have three to five years in the league, they happen sooner then later.
“ Risk. These guys understand the risk at this level, but there passion really shows through and it’s worth the risk.”
People look at a movie as a production, not many people think of what goes into the production. Same thing applies with athletes. People admire the Crosby’s and Ovechkin’s because of their pure talent but it’s the therapists and medical staff that keep them on their feet. Setting routines and plans that the player follows to manage their health properly. World Class Athletes use their bodies as means of pay. We have seen the likes of Joe Theisman and Dennis Byrd whose careers suddenly came to a Halt. All the time they worked to get to this spot, crushed in one instant. No other means for a job therefore no steady income. It is the reason that athletes must take every means to ensure they always stay healthy, and that is why the athletes go to Dr. Aubrey Green.
Many kids that grew up in the GTA in Toronto wanted to wear the Blue and White and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Naivety part is that there is also a tremendous amount of talent you must possess to play at such a high level, that not many people have. I sat down with Dr. Aubrey Green to discuss being in the front lines of the other side of sports ‘the medical side.’
“I think I’d be lying if I didn’t sit in class at Chiropractic school thinking I didn’t want to work with professional athletes”
Aubrey Green began pursuing a career that would allow him to be with World-Class athletes on a constant basis. He went to the University of Western where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts but that was only step one to the plan. From there he went onto receive the Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Aiming to extend his qualifications, he completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture course for heath practitioners and the Sports Medicine Acupuncture course at McMaster University.
Sports have many ways of being interpreted into life. In sports you sometimes need lucky bounces to upstart your career. Green got that during the NHL lockout season in 2004-2005, where he bumped into then Dallas Starts Forward Jason Arnott. Arnott was looking for a new sports therapist to help him keep in shape during the offseason. Green had never worked with a type- A athlete like Arnott but still managed to used his tools to help Arnott.
“ I give a lot of credit and take a lot of pride with my relationship with Arny. He came to me, he had faith in me. I didn’t have the resume, experience or credentials at the time. He put his health in your hands and there is nothing greater then that. Their body and health are their biggest asset, its what puts food on their table.”
Six years later, Green remains Arnott’s personal trainer and has established not only a business but a personal relationship as well.
Another example of Sports being compared to life is like in High- School where word travels fast. Green does not mind that at all, in fact he embraced it how else was he to get his name out. Arnott told other players in the league about Green and his abilities, opening many doors by landing him a more star-studded cliental. Some of his cliental includes: Cortland Finnergan, Matt Stafford and Kyle Vanden Bosche of the Tennessee Titans. Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings, Jarome Iginla and newly added Alex Ovechkin.
“ I Think at 1st it was the element of Kids in a Candy Store, I would like to have played Sports but the cards weren’t there for me, so the next best thing would be to work with them on that level and have an impact on their on-field performance. You feel like you’re in the fire.”
The part that college could not prepare him for was the emotion that goes into each player. When I sat down with Green, four of his major clients (Zetterberg, Draper, Arnott, Ovechkin) were at risk of being eliminated for the playoffs.
“I feel like im in the heat of the battle. Washington and Detroit are both down in their series and especially in the playoffs there are so many Highs and Lows. I also have the Highs and Lows, I’m not on the ice but I have the same emotion into it”
Considering the amount of time and work that goes into each of the four players on a daily basis it begins to become a lot of pressure. Hockey players don’t worry as much when they go on the ice, they have been doing it their entire life its natural for them. For Green though its not the same feeling, if a player looks out of sync on the ice or is running out of breath constantly, that is on him. It’s a huge load to take on, someone else’s health and life in your hands. If you do things wrong it could potentially end with the player getting severely injured. When George Clooney goes up to receive an Oscar he thanks the people that got him there and the people that helped him. When an Athlete receives his award he thanks his team and owner and walks off stage. They forgot about the people behind the scenes. The people that day-in and day-out keep everything held together and working. The truth is that players need more then just talent to become the best they also need resources. Those resources are the people that keep you at your strongest, competing with the best athletes in the world.
“They way you approach everything you do is important to longevity. To an athlete your body is your asset you better learn everything you can about to maximize it.”
Athletes are not like guys at work who go to the local bar for happy hour. They always have to be cautious of what is being sent into their bodies. The occasional piece of cake is allowed because of how hard they are working but only in moderation.
“ I Work with top tier athletes there is a reason there at that level there look for every edge. Everyone in the NHL is great to reach that level they are not hack. It’s what separates them that will make them great. It’s their approach, mentality, commitment…. But most importantly their HEALTH”
Green deals with Athletes’ on a 1-on-1 basis to look at process, and see’s what needs tweaking, but with the commitment so high the risks of further injuries not only to the body but the brain is high. Players don’t think in the future, how can you? You cannot predict the unexpected, but with every risk there is a repercussion. For football players who statistically have three to five years in the league, they happen sooner then later.
“ Risk. These guys understand the risk at this level, but there passion really shows through and it’s worth the risk.”
People look at a movie as a production, not many people think of what goes into the production. Same thing applies with athletes. People admire the Crosby’s and Ovechkin’s because of their pure talent but it’s the therapists and medical staff that keep them on their feet. Setting routines and plans that the player follows to manage their health properly. World Class Athletes use their bodies as means of pay. We have seen the likes of Joe Theisman and Dennis Byrd whose careers suddenly came to a Halt. All the time they worked to get to this spot, crushed in one instant. No other means for a job therefore no steady income. It is the reason that athletes must take every means to ensure they always stay healthy, and that is why the athletes go to Dr. Aubrey Green.
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