The Bosh Identity

So I have adjust the look of the Samsquanch to give it more or a Raptor/Canadian look. I am not sure I am going to stick with it permanently since I found the blue a bit easier on the eyes for readers. If you guys have a preference either way, let me know. I will be covering the All Star festivities as well as the Olympics since they're being held in my home country which I love and hold so dear. GO CANADA. Screw the other countries and bring the Gold home!

On the Raptors side of things, there's been this talk down south about Bosh leaving and that Bryan should trade him. I didn't want to touch on this since everyone knows what the deal is with what Chris has been saying and what the Raptor's stance is on the topic. However, I will say that what Bryan is doing right now is the correct move. You don't find a Chris Bosh type players under rocks, nor are you likely to find them during the draft, or through trades. Chris Bosh is an elite type of player. If you're a hockey fan it's an easy analogy, he's like a Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or an Alex Ovechkin to the sport of Basketball. Like those hockey players, he scores a ton night in and night out. Also like those elite hockey players, Chris is at the top of his position. He's one of the best, if not THE best power forward in the league. I would like to give a message out to other teams and their fans, Go get your Lebron, go get your Wade and leave Bosh alone. You're NOT welcome.

The Teams options are:

• You trade him now and pray to god one of the players you get back is half the player Bosh is, or one of the picks you might get in the trade eventually, in a few years from now can remotely be as good as Chris. A horrible scenario that is full of risk. It's like gambling with the team's future with a few lousy chips. Plus you're season is gonna be in the poop-chute cause you just lost your best scorer, rebounder and leader.

•  You sit and wait till summer when he whispers in Bryan's ears what he wants for himself. 

         
A. Chris wants to leave. You do a sign and trade for him to maximize Chris's salary and bring back something in return in the form of players and/or draft picks. You still got Chris till the end of this season and see how far you can take the team in the playoffs. You can basically hold other teams ransom unless Chris narrows his list of teams down to like 3. Worst case scenario, you get some picks and players that you can use to build around Andrea.

B. Chris stays and you give him as much money as possible so he's financially satisfied and his conscience doesn't keep him up at night thinking... could I have gotten more? This scenario is the one the Raptors would obviously like. This is the scenario where the prize makes the risk acceptable. The Raptors get to keep an elite level player and he continues to play on the team and the system built around him.

Chris's Options:

• Leave town and join another NBA team. Now in this scenario Chris would most likely want to go to an established team that is on the brink of a championship. Chris mentioned in Dallas yesterday that being the main face of a franchise is important to him and that he deserves to be built around with other players brought in to suit his game and to build on to a winning platform. But when you're leaving a team that is already doing that, it would make no sense to go to one that is worse off, and isn't already full of star players. So more or less, he'd be stupid not to go to a team with Lebron, Wade, or Kobe or some other top tier team. The goal here is a championship but Chris will no longer be the star, can not demand the ball any time he wants, his numbers and minutes would most likely shrink, the offense would not be built around him. Simply, he will not be the bright little center that the world shine around. This can NOT be underestimated. Also, a championship can not be guaranteed.

• Remain a Raptor. He would still get his gazillion dollars. Get max cash here that the cap will allow him to sleep on a mattress of $100 bills, and sleep without his conscience questioning whether or not he got the most out of his deal. Money wasn't the issue since he's gonna get his money no matter what. He's already a perennial all-star. This team is his, this franchise is his and it has been built around him. This is with no doubt in anyone's mind, HIS team.  

He's got a frontcourt partner that provides space for him to operate, two point guards that he's very good friends with and that can get him the ball where he wants it. He's got two up and coming young guns in DeRozan and Weems. Amir, a competent backup for him that will allow him to rest when he needs to so he doesn't blow out his knees playing 40 minutes a night. A decent second unit that he can count and and not worry cause the team is too pathetic to hold a lead without him. More importantly, he's got a coach he respects and who allows him the freedom to openly provide feedback and allow him to operate any way he wants. Wanna ISO down on the right block, go ahead. Wanna run screen and roll with Jarrett Jack and slip in to the paint for a post up? Go for it! Wanna shoot a three pointer? You're Chris Bosh, who's going to say no to you on Toronto? Wanna spot up on the corners and just hit jumpers? Be my guest.

He has roots in the community, a large market which includes most of Canada. Toronto is not a small market despite what our neighbours in the South might tell you. All I keep hearing is that Bosh wants to go to a bigger market. Why? So he can turn into some nobody schmo? Endorsements hinge more upon playoff success and individual success, not as much on the city that the team is in. If the Raptors make a deep playoff run and Chris ends up getting some individual recognition for it then more endorsements will likely come.

A lot of Americans have this view of Canada and Toronto as a second tier place and that it is too cold. Most of those statements come from people who have never been to Canada or Toronto. They think we live in igloos and eat whale blubber. Although there's nothing wrong with that, the majority of our climate and lifestyle in general is as close to the USA as you can get. Now that's not necessarily what Canadians would tell you but it's not the culture shock they'd want you to believe. NY city is just as cold as Toronto, it snows there too, it snows in Colorado, New Jersey, etc. but yet nobody mentions that. It's cold and snowy in many NBA cities. Basing a choice like this on climate would be childish and moronic. NBA players play in whatever city they want to play in, then go lay on the beach of whatever beach they want to lay on in the off season anyways.The fact is, Toronto is a first class international hub that is full of opportunities for a man with an entire sports franchise, an entire city, and most of a whole nation at the palm of his hand. If he were to join the Knicks for example, he'd just be another bean in a pork and beans can of sport athletes from the Yankees, Jets, Giants, Rangers etc etc. Chris Bosh is the biggest name in Sports in the GTA, in this province. Name me a bigger star.

Let's look at other players that thought they'd have greener pastures down south:

 

• Damon Stoudamire. Became an afterthought the minute he put on a Blazers jersey. To be fair to him he left cause Isiah left and Isiah is an idiot and not exactly someone you want to take career advice from. However, a person is responsible for his own actions and in the end he became that bean in that can full of beans in Portland. He wasn't the star anymore and his potential and stardom came to an end. You know that movie Kingpin, where they explain what a person is who has the entire world in the palm of his hands and he just blows it. The term used was the name of Woody Harrelson's character, Roy Munson. And Damon definitely turned out to be a Munson. 

• Vincezo. Left and went to NJ. New Jersey ok? It's the laughing stock of it's own country. He had a few decent years but again with Kidd, and Jefferson there he was another bean in the Pork and Beans can. He was an absolute Superstar here in Toronto. He was like royalty with Shania, (if i correctly recollect) that sang his name into our national anthem. He was once mentioned in a trade that would have brought Kobe to Toronto, he was that well thought of. Instead, he turned into a selfish whiny little brat that even the Nets fans couldn't stand. He never got past the second round in New Jersey and is now the bane of the Magic Fan's existence. He has showed some life but if he woulda stayed here he woulda stayed "The Man". Now he's just a shadow of the man he once was.

• Tracy McGrady. Went to Orlando, had a few decent years scoring. Never did a damn thing in the playoffs. Known as a ball hog and selfish A-hole. I don't know if that's true since I obviously don't personally know him but when your current team doesn't want anything to do with you it kind of fuels that perception. The only time his name has been mentioned lately is when a trade scenario has him going to a team that wants salary cap space at the end of this season. In other words, Tracy you're this year's Keith Van Horn. A space filler, a door stop, the Styrofoam that gets tossed in the trash when you've collected what you wanted from the contents of a Xmas present. Imagine what you could have done in Toronto if you stayed with your moronic second cousin Vincenzo. I wouldn't be surprised if they're actually blood related with the stupidity they've displayed.

So yeah, Bryan... stay the course big guy. You're doing the right thing and I as a Raptor fan support your decision as I am sure many other Raptor fans do as well. You just don't find players like Bosh very often, and when you do, you do whatever it takes to keep them around. Even selling your first born child. So will the Bosh Identity turn into the Bosh Supremacy or Agent Cody Banks? Tune in this summer to find out.

Turk woke up today and kept his eyes opened during a game!!

The Raptors dropped their pants tonight. By that I mean they beat the Knickerbockers. Beat their Knickerbockers off. Ok I promise to stop those since only I find it funny. Nothing better than betting New York in Manhattan and shutting up those fans. I don't even know why they bother coming out. Their team stinks and they've stunk for as long as I've been a bball fan. They've had one good season I could think of and they didn't win a championship. I don't know why this team isn't mentioned in the same breathe of other worst teams in history. I know they have had success in the ancient past but I am talking about modern era. They're just as bad as the Clippers but this season the Clips are better than the Knicks!

Gotta love this win especially after that stupid jersey pull and look Harrington had on his face when he made it 100-97 for the Knicks. He looked like a jackass and I am glad he got his ass blocked by Bargs in the dying minutes and got the charge call from Jack. Things of note, or obvious crap that probably everyone noticed:

• Turk played his best game as a Raptor and after months of bashing, I think he deserves some props. He played with some fire and intensity that we haven't seen from him with a Raptors jersey on. Maybe the fatigue of last season plus the euro tourney finally wore off in Manhattan. His jumper was on after the first quarter and he showed some great play making and drives to the basket. Those dunks aren't gonna win any slam dunk contests but they were evidence that he could get off the ground a little. I hope he keeps this up but I hope this isn't a symptom of Bargs being on the bench most of the night. I am worried that having him and Bargs who have similar inside-outside games, are getting in each other's way somehow. Both like that midrange game as well as operating on the left side of the floor.
  

• Turk also had a weird post game interview with Jack that left Jack speechless. Jack asked him what he thought was the difference tonight that allowed him to elevate his game. Turk responded by saying, "BALL". He sounded like a sasquatch like he usually does so maybe that scared Jack. No, it wasn't just having that ball Turk, you idiot. It was the fact that you actually did something smart with it when you got it and didn't just jack up ill-advised shots early in a possession, or throw lazy passes that end up as a basket for the other team.
  

• Bargs played like crap. Bargs was receiving praise from everyone before the game. I mean just hours before this game, and then he proceeded to lay a stink bomb. On paper it would seem this way and he certainly didn't play a good game. However, reports indicate that he has been bothered by the same back injury that kept him out of the Bucks game last week, the ankle that is apparently tweaked, and the foot that is also injured somehow. All of these things would effect a person's jump shot and mobility. Bargs still managed to help the team win by blocking Harrington's wrinkled scalp back to the stone ages and playing some fantastic defense on Harrington on the last inbound play which I thought was an offensive foul on Harrington when he blatantly shoved Bargs right in front of the ref.

• This is also a significant win cause it was the back end of a back to back which the Raptors are notorious for being awful in. I thought, "here we go again" after the first quarter but the Raptors showed the heart and fight that has been in their nature the past month and roughed it out.

People have said that this team will not be a good playoff team and they are right. However, this team seems to be showing signs of the grit and determination needed in the post season. If they make wins of this nature habit, then they are hopefully developing the characteristics of being a post season contender. Here's hoping.

Studs: Turk, Cb4, Amir, Jose, Double J

Duds: Bargs, Smellineli, Rasho

Raptors beat the Knickerbockers

Okay so obviously I am please to be wrong about my previous prediction that the Raps would drop this one but they almost did. However, they hung in there and managed to pull off a decent beating on the Pairs of Pants from New York. Many things to take note of from this game where the Raptors played like it was their last game on earth in the first half. Burying everything they got their hands on, running the break very well, attacking the rim methodically and playing defense so tight, the Knicks barely had room to move. Then they played some gutless, uninspired baskeball in the third. Turned the ball over like it was out of fashion, and laid more cinder than a mason. Luckily they got a surprise scoring punch from Jose and Double D.

Bargnani was playing out of his mind. I don't know why but he and Jose both seemed to have their shots locked down and zeroed in. It's like when you go bowling and you hit several strikes in a row. For some reason something just clicks and your shot is on. Bargnani went 5 for 6 from downtown, including some shots that were so far from the 3 line that I thought he was insane when he first let the ball go. But every time it would swish in. His dunk through traffic was one of the most impressive plays of his career. The offensive end was great but his defense... i just can't explain what I saw. It was the best defense I've ever seen him play. It was like some other defensive legend had possessed his body and was playing great positional defense, help defense, getting his hand in everyone's face and grabbing every rebound near him and ripping them down with force. I wonder what kind of pasta he ate. Yes Galinari scored a few more points but the battle of the I-talians goes to AB7, no question. Watching him jump up and down and yelling like he was the top gorilla of the banana pile was kind of cool but also a bit scarey since we never usually see him like this. Hooting and hollar after plays, slapping his teammates and acting like he isn't Frankenstein.

One particular development was AB7 taking the ball in the post several times and either getting a nice hook, a jumper in or kicking it out after drawing a double team. They need to run this play more in the future. It just flat out works and creates space on the floor for an open shot when the defense tries to recover from collapsing on him. It would probably work for CB4 too if he knew how to pass out of the post. It only didn't work once when the refs called him for a travel but I thought Harrington fouled him as he turned baseline. He was running roughshod on them all night and David Lee seemed pissed at times which makes me happy. AB7 gets an A for his performance.

Jose was also playing well. Running circles around their defense and spotted up for a lot of shots which he iced every time. I didn't feel this level of confidence in his shot since two seasons ago when he stole the starting spot from TJ. He also made some nice passes, setting up his teammates with several easy scores. This included that sweet little lob to Double D for that slick looking left handed alley-oop. He drove the ball right into the defense and helped buoy the Raptors' lead in the 3rd and 4th. Jack played well in the first but seemed a bit out of sorts the rest of the game. I think it was mainly due to some of his passes leading to the bricks Hedo put up and leading to Bosh getting shut down in the post several times. Jose is making a case to be the starter but he's going to have to put up a few more stat lines like this to convince the coaching staff. Maybe the trade winds will die down a bit. Jose gets a B and Jack gets a C.

Bosh played well in some stretches and seemed to battle Lee but this was subdued by Lee and some double teams. Bosh's problem is that he is a ball hog. I love the guy but 99% of the time he gets the ball, he keeps it regardless of the situation. This results in one of two things. He either drives it in for a hook, or a nice move under the basket where he scores more often than not, or it results in him turning the ball over. He needs to learn how to kick the ball out to the open player on the perimeter. I am starting to suspect this is part of the reason why Kapono never had much success here since Bosh can't pass out of a double team. It's frustrating to watch him lose the ball off his foot, off his butter fingers or just having it stolen or stripped outright by the help defense. He was subdued by this but on this night it didn't matter much and he knew it. His teammates were bringing home the bacon this time and he didn't need to be the force he usually is. I'd rate his performance a B-. I mean the guy still scored 18 and 9. Can't argue with that.

Hedo is the guy I credit most with the Raptors losing their big lead. He provided nothing early on and threw up brick after brick. Bricking shots in key possessions that fueled the Knicks run. Not to mention his turnovers which weren't too many but seemed to be at the worst times which helped the Knicks build momentum. Particularly his idiotic turnover and clear path foul which nearly made me tear my hair out. He made some key shots down the stretch but it probably only partially made up for the points he gave up on their other end in the third. Jay even bench his ass in favor of Sonny. He has this mentality of shooting weird, out of rhythm shots, that are not in the process and not produced from a set play. The shots that he took that were advised were way off and often clanked off front rim. Then he tried to make fancy passes that result in turnovers. On defense he was like a ghost. He stood there, waved his hand sparingly, and looked like he rarely expended any energy at all trying to distract the opponent. Basically, he just stood there and his presence was only barely known by visual means. Turk gets an D-. Would be an F if he didn't hit a few shots late.

Derozan was the other player that, like Bargnani was possessed by some sort of Basketball demon. He was cutting and slashing his way through the Knicks D. Slithering through and getting fouled or getting a lay-in, dunk, or getting fouled. He did his damage at the free throw line. It's quite obvious to see in the boxscore. He kept the team in the game and had a huge part in this W.

So what do we gather from this game? I mean in order to improve the team. Bosh needs to learn how to kick the ball out, Derozan needs to drive the ball to the basket every chance he gets, and Turkoglu needs to be shipped out of here. I suggest trying to snatch one of the decent players from the Nets, or seeing what the Magic might give you since he had most of his success there and now the Magic look like they wish they had paid him max money instead of letting him go and signing a coked out Vince Carter.

In the end, this was an excellent game to watch as a Raptors fan. Especially the first half. It's always satisfying to see one of my teams beat a New York team. It really makes me happy to see the Knicks on a losing end of a Raptors beat down. Now on to Dallas where I hope they don't get squashed and can carry some of the momentum over. Here's hoping they don't melt down again in the third.