Why are the Toronto Raptors so European? Do Americans want to play there?

Why does there seem to be so many Europeans on the Raptors roster? What are the Raptors trying to do? Why did Hedo Turkoglu sign there? Is it because Toronto is a world class city? Toronto is a world class city but there is another reason to these moves. The answer is that Bryan Colangelo is a genius. His main plan is to fill the entire Raptors roster with Europeans to help Chris Bosh. What a genius!!! European basketball players for the most part are better basketball players than Americans. And it helps sell tickets in Canada. Canadians are closer to Europeans. A country colonized a long time ago by the French and the British. They have a large french speaking population. The fans like the European players because it resembles them, so that sells tickets. Canada also has more of a European style compared to America. That is why European players want to sign in Toronto. That is why Hedo Turkoglu decided, at the last minute, to sign there. Because his wife liked the city, probably reminds her of Turkey. And that explains why Colangelo is signing so many Europeans. I personally think the Raptors should move to Europe, to take on the competition in the Euro league. What Colangelo needs to do next is sign a Chinese player to take advantage of that large Asian population in Canada.

Raptors current roster: Filled with Europeans, more than the average NBA roster.
Andrea Bargnani (Italy)  (over LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy in 2006 NBA Draft)
Jose Calderon (Spain)
Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey)
Roko Ukic (Croatia)
Rasho Nesterovic (Slovenia)
Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Britain)
Marco Belinelli (Italy)

Former players:
Jorge Garbajosa (Spain)
Uros Slokar (Slovenia)
Primoz Brezec (Slovenia)

Another question is do Americans want to sign in Canada? No they do not. It hurts the Raptors that they are in another country. A good example of this is Steve Francis in the 1999 NBA draft, in tears after hearing he was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies. He demanded a trade and never played for the Grizzlies. And the Vancouver Grizzlies folded and moved to Memphis. What I mean is most Americans think Canada is a joke, even though its actually a great country. But no way Lebron James(the best player in the world) signs with the Toronto Raptors!!! Its CANADA!!! Nike would never allow it. I mean imagine Michael Jordan signing with the Toronto Raptors, back in the day. That would be crazy!!! Or course it matters a lot if the team actually wins or not.

Drew Gooden picks the Dallas Mavericks

Drew Gooden late saturday night picked the Dallas Mavericks on his twitter page, picking the Mavericks over the Pistons, Bucks, Cavs and Bobcats. Drew Gooden writes “Dallas here I come”!!! This is a great signing for the Mavericks, after the Orlando Magic matched Marcin Gortat and losing Brandon Bass to the same Magic, the Mavericks needed a center. Though undersized for a center at 6′10.
After the signing, the Mavs starting line-up should look something like this:
C-Drew Gooden
PF-Dirk Nowitzki
SF- Shawn Marion
SG- Josh Howard
PG- Jason Kidd
Bench: 6th man Jason Terry
-Pretty nice line-up, on a paper anyways. Four former all-stars. The Mavericks need to run and gun like the Phoenix Suns in order to win.

RIP Michael Jackson

“I’m just like anyone. I cut and I bleed. And I embarass easily.”
-MJ The King of Pop

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight
Here One Day
Gone One Night

You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back
Where there is love, Ill be there

Ill reach out my hand to you, Ill have faith in all you do
Just call my name and Ill be there

Ill be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, Im so glad that I found you
Ill be there with a love thats strong
Ill be your strength, Ill keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness, well thats all Im after
Whenever you need me, Ill be there
Ill be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you
Just call my name and Ill be there

If you should ever find someone new, I know hed better be good to you
cause if he doesnt, Ill be there
Dont you know, baby, yeah yeah
Ill be there, Ill be there, just call my name, Ill be there

(just look over your shoulders, honey – oo)

Ill be there, Ill be there, whenever you need me, Ill be there
Dont you know, baby, yeah yeah

Ill be there, Ill be there, just call my name, Ill be there…

Jamal Crawford traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

Jamal Crawford has been traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton. This is a steal of a trade for the Hawks. They traded away basically nothing, for a big time scorer in Crawford. The Warriors are the big losers in this deal. Acie Law is a bust that will probably never get any better. While Speedy Claxton hasn’t played in about two years because of injury.

Washington Wizards #5 pick traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Washington Wizards traded their #5 pick along with Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas and Darius Songaila to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Randy Foye and Mike Miller. This gives the Timberwolves two picks in the 2009 NBA draft the #5 pick and their own the #6 pick. This is actually a better trade for the Washington Wizards. This is a very weak draft and no player is good enough to make a significant impact for the Wizards at #5. So trading the pick is actually good for the Wizards, because they save money, getting rid of the bad contracts of Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov and Darius Songaila. Plus, they add a couple of more weapons in Mike Miller and Randy Foye. Mike Miller is a great three point shooter who had a off year in Minnesota but could be a threat in Washington. And Randy Foye could start for the Wizards, and is better than any player the Wizards could have gotten with the #5 pick. The Wizards with this trade, better their bench. The Timberwolves get basically two high draft picks the #5 pick and the #6 pick. And it being one of the weakest drafts in years, the Timberwolves don’t really get much better. Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet will most likely not drop that low. And Tyreke Evans or Stephen Curry who are predicted to be there aren’t much different than OJ Mayo. There both really shooting guards, trying to play point guard.

Richard Jefferson traded to the Spurs.

Richard Jefferson has been traded to the Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas. The Bucks did this to save money. They now have some money to spend on one of their free agents, Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions. The Spurs did this to contend again. They needed a player to score like Richard Jefferson. Now they have it. The Spurs are contenders again, with this trade, and have really two year curtain to contend for a championship. Before, this core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili gets too old. Also, the Spurs traded a significant member to their former 3  Championship team, Bruce Bowen. Bruce was getting old, and wasn’t able to do much the past few seasons. But he will, truely be missed by the San Antonio community. As he was a great human being, who always helped others.

John Riek signs with Mississippi State.

John Riek, once projected as a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA draft, before he got injured has just signed with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.  Just a couple of days after superstar Renardo Sidney, signed with the team.  John Riek, 7-2,  and Renardo Sidney, 6-11, together can become the twin towers that can propel the Bulldogs into the NCAA tournament and beyond. Though, don’t expect much from Riek, this year as he is still recovering from a serious leg injury. Riek,  also has some serious baggage last year he choose the Cincinnati Bearcats, but didn’t play one game for them because he was academically ineligible and was not cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse. Also, the true age of Riek is not known and several sources believe he might be lying about his real age.

Renardo Sidney signs with Mississippi State.

Renardo Sidney pegged as the #1 pick in 2010 NBA draft has signed with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Sidney, previously announced he would sign with USC, but the Trojans recently backed off as well as UCLA a couple of weeks earlier. USC, backed off because Sidney’s father supposely wanted money from them. USC, has already had a long list of recruiting violations by the NCAA after incidents with OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush and didn”t want more violations involving Sidney. But USC’s loss is Mississippi’s gain. Sidney is seen as the best player in the country, many compare him to Kevin Garnett. He is also a hometown hero growing up in Mississippi before coming to southern California to play for Artestia High school. Sidney should propel the Bulldogs in the national spot night. Sidney, along with returning star player Jarvis Varnado and former projected lottery pick John Riek should make the Bulldogs have a tournament run. Good job Rick Stansbury.

The Clippers are back!!!!

The Clippers,  just won the 2009 NBA draft lottery!!!! Blake, will surely make the Clippers forgot about all about Elton Brand. F-Elton!!!  The Clippers need to draft the best player in the draft : MR. Blake Griffin!!!  The Clippers should take Blake regardless of having Zach Randolph, you should always take the best player available. And like the Bulls last year, Kirk Hinrich, who should be a starter on any other team, came off the bench to allow the better Derrick Rose to start, you can always make Zach Randolph come off the bench too. With a lineup of Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Blake Griffin, Chris Kaman with Zach Randolph and Marcus Camby coming off the bench, the Clippers should be a very young and exciting team next year. Possibily a playoff team. Maybe the Clippers franchise fortunes have finally changed today.

Funny stuff check out the boxscore for Grant Hill.

			Field Goals				Rebounds
	pos	min	fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	+/-	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	ba	pts
A.Nocioni	F	25:26	4-8	0-1	4-7	-16	0	6	6	0	6	0	2	1	1	12
J.Thompson	F	35:18	6-12	0-0	2-3	+1	8	11	19	1	6	2	1	2	1	14
S.Hawes	C	21:29	4-10	3-3	0-0	+2	3	3	6	1	1	0	3	0	0	11
K.Martin	G	46:05	11-22	5-11	23-26	-4	1	2	3	3	3	2	5	0	0	50
B.Udrih	G	51:16	6-18	0-2	6-6	-2	0	6	6	9	4	1	2	0	0	18
F.Garcia		44:47	7-12	3-4	5-5	+8	1	3	4	5	4	3	2	2	0	22
R.McCants		38:11	5-14	1-4	3-5	+5	0	4	4	3	5	1	0	0	1	14
D.Greene		02:29	0-2	0-0	0-0	-4	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
C.Booth	DNP – Coach’s Decision
I.Diogu	DNP – Coach’s Decision
C.Simmons	DNP – Coach’s Decision
W.Solomon	DNP – Coach’s Decision
Total		265	43-98	12-25	43-52		13	36	49	22	29	9	15	5	5	141
			43.9%	48.0%	82.7%	Team Rebs: 11				Total TO: 17

Golden State Warriors (26-49)

			Field Goals				Rebounds
	pos	min	fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	+/-	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	ba	pts
K.Azubuike	F	46:36	12-22	1-3	2-4	-2	2	11	13	3	2	1	0	1	2	27
A.Randolph	F	19:26	7-9	0-0	3-3	-4	5	5	10	1	5	1	2	0	0	17
R.Turiaf	C	32:18	3-4	0-0	6-7	-1	1	12	13	2	3	0	2	2	0	12
J.Crawford	G	40:35	4-11	1-4	6-10	+9	1	2	3	7	5	3	2	0	0	15
M.Ellis	G	48:52	16-35	0-1	10-12	+4	1	8	9	9	3	2	4	1	2	42
C.Maggette		04:18	2-3	0-0	2-2	-5	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	6
A.Morrow		33:18	6-10	1-5	2-2	-1	0	2	2	1	5	0	3	1	1	15
R.Kurz		05:10	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	2
C.Watson		34:27	3-6	0-0	1-2	+10	1	0	1	1	5	1	0	0	0	7
M.Belinelli	DND – Right Ankle
G.Hill	DNP – Old Age/Lack of Talent
S.Jackson	NWT – Surgery, Left Foot
B.Wright	DND – Left Shoulder
Total		265	54-101	3-13	32-42		11	41	52	25	30	9	13	5	5	143
			53.5%	23.1%	76.2%	Team Rebs: 9				Total TO: 13

Inactive

Kings: Jackson , Thomas Warriors: Biedrins , Davidson

Scoring

Lead Changes : 18

Times Tied : 16

Technical Fouls

2nd Qtr 7:51 Anthony Randolph

3rd Qtr 9:53 Jamal Crawford

4th Qtr 7:40 Kenny Natt

2nd Qtr 4:38 Monta Ellis

2nd Qtr 6:23 Ronny Turiaf

ARENA STATS

Arena:

ORACLE Arena, Oakland, CA

Officials:

#26  Bob Delaney , #45  Joe Forte , #64  Eli Roe

Attendance:

18,743

Duration:

2:33

Grant Hill DNP-Old Age/Lack of Talent