Barry Gossage/Getty Images

Today’s the day. After 6 months of anticipation, after a scare when it looked like it might not happen, the greatest day of the fall is finally here. Fantasy draft day. Yes, I am one of those people who cares way too much about my fantasy team. I’m the guy who’ll shit-talk even when losing. I’m even the guy who’ll argue about fantasy draft stuff in public occasionally. I’m the guy who checks the pool for comments 5 times a day. Let’s NBA! Continue Reading

Steve C. Wilson/Associated Press

Now that the much maligned Referee Lockout of 09 has ended, we can start looking forward to an NBA season unmarred by the sub-par replacement refs. However, before we say good day to them, I have a few thoughts on what may wind up being short-term pain for long-term gain for the game of basketball. After all, these replacement refs all came from somewhere. That somewhere was mostly the D-League. The place where NBA teams send players who need some more grooming before they are ready for the big show. As we’ve seen over the past 3 weeks (since I’m assuming most of you, like me, are not big followers of all things D-League), the referees in the D-League are not good. But for the past 3 weeks, those crappy refs have gone to school. They’ve been dropped into the middle of the Atlantic and told to sink or swim. I know they’ve been bad but if they haven’t learned a little every game they’ve worked, then I don’t know how they got jobs in the first place. These refs can now go back to the D-League better at their jobs. How does that help us? Well, they are in a league responsible for player development. Improved refereeing helps them in a few ways.

Continue Reading

Around T.O. of late, much has been made about the lack of success we’ve had as a sports city. Outside of the Toronto Argonauts winning the Grey Cup in 1996, 1997 and 2004, and of course the Toronto Rock (lacrosse) title run that exhilarated dozens and dozens of Torontonians, the only Championship teams we’ve been able to celebrate were the 1992 and 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. Continue Reading

Terry Gilliam/AP Photo

I’ve heard a lot about how tough it is to make predictions this season. Well, here’s an important term for 2009-2010: mediocrity. Outside of the top and bottom 3 or 4 teams in each conference, pretty well everyone is stuck in it. So yes, it’s going to be a tough year to predict in some ways. But you can count me among those to say that this year the difference between good teams, great teams and shit teams will be more noticeable than ever. I was originally just going to just rank the teams without win totals. Why? Limit the damage, baby. Limit the damage. Unfortunately, I’ve been told I need to do wins/losses too. So, totals in brackets after the pick. Continue Reading

The Denver Nuggets were my guilty pleasure last year. My fling. Even in the game which cost Sam Mitchell his job as coach of the Raptors, I couldn’t be mad at them. Why? Well, there are a few reasons.

1: They call him Melo

Back in the old days, you know, 2003, there was a draft in the NBA that was kind of a big deal. I dunno if any of you remember it but it was quite good. Anyway, I was the idiot who said that if the Raptors got the first pick, we should take Carmelo. Okay, so I overrated him juuust a bit. Continue Reading

Ahh, G-State. The G-Men. Okay, maybe not the G-Men, though I think they’d trade their issues for one Plaxico bullet wound. Where do I even start with these guys? They have so much talent it’s ridiculous. They play entertaining ball. They have a great crowd. There’s so much to love, yet they continue to self destruct. Continue Reading

Ah yes a new season is upon us. It’s a time of wonderment, of unbridled optimism, of limitless possibilities. There are still a few weeks before the season starts and cold reality slaps the majority of the Association in the face, but I figured I’d get a head start. Optimism is running wild in Toronto, but there are a few pitfalls that Raptors Nation is overlooking. Continue Reading

Ah yes, a new season is upon us. It’s a time of wonderment, of unbridled optimism, of limitless possibilities. There are still a few weeks before the season starts and cold reality slaps the majority of the Association in the face, so I’m going to embrace the optimism. To those who know me, this is no surprise; optimism is practically my middle name. But this year just FEELS different for some reason. The Raptors have almost completely remade their team. With a new coach, new philosophy, new feel overall. Continue Reading