Strictly Business...

It was 11 o’clock this morning… I was at the Platinum Lounge at the Air Canada Center, awaiting the Fred Jones introduction press conference.

I could smell something was up.

I wrapped up a quick chat with some of the newspaper guys and walked over to one of the media relations guys…

“Hey, so uhh… are they waiving Alvin today or what?”
“There are a couple of things that they’re doing this morning...”
“Ahh, so you know something…”
“Maybe.”
“Can I expect some paperwork that says Alvin will be released?”
“Perhaps…”

I like these very direct interchanges.

So I hook up my equipment to the main sound board, and find a seat in the back row.
I shake a couple hands, and get re-acquainted with someone I went to college with. He’s now doing his thing at the Score. Big things.

I see Bryan Colangelo’s making his way towards to make-shift podium, so I start up my minidisc to record.

BC says there will be two parts to this morning’s presser… the first of which is the waiving of Alvin Williams.

I glanced over to the media relations guy with whom I had exchanged top secret information. I got a nod in return. Fair trade.

So Colangelo’s going on about how this move needed to be done… saying he wouldn’t rule out Alvin making a return to the organization in some capacity.

Four minutes later, Colangelo steps down from the table, and says he’ll be back with his “free-agent signing”

Fast forward a couple minutes, and as promised, BC returns with Freddy Jones and says the 6’2” former slam dunk champ has a “tremendous skill set,” and resembles “one of the final pieces.”

Jones takes his turn on the mic and says the “style of play” is what attracted him to Toronto, noting that the Pacers’ strategy was not conducive to his game.

He also said Kevin O’Neill told him to check for Toronto.
Everyone shared a laugh.

A few minutes later came the photo opportunity. Colangelo shares the jersey-hoisting duties with Jones, who will apparently wear #20.



Alvin’s #20.

A mere 10 minutes (at most) has passed since the waiving was announced, and already Alvin’s number has been jacked. What if someone wore #15? What would you think?

Personally, I felt like Alvin was the heartbeat of the Raptors for years… he played more games in Toronto than anyone else not named Morris Peterson, and this is how it goes??

Shown the door, with his remains swept under the rug?

Strictly business.

Afterwards, I got a fair amount of questions in for both Colangelo and Jones… but I want the rest of this to focus on Alvin.

Once I got back to the station, did my Freddy Jones voicers, I got notified that Alvin’s conference call would start at 2 o’clock.

Just 40 minutes after I finished my reports.

This would be my very first conference call… good times.

I got the first question in…

“Alvin, this is Zack Cooper from the Fan 590… I’m just curious, I mean, this has been talked about for a while, but how are you doing? I mean, where’s your head at?”
“Well, I was just disappointed. I still wanted to play with the Toronto Raptors, you know, if I had one more chance… but hopefully I can get with another team to continue playing. If not, just look forward to doing other things in my life.”

Skip forward a bit…

“Alvin, earlier today, Bryan mentioned that you might make a return to the Raptors organization, in a role other than a player… how much was that talked about?”
“It was mentioned, or whatever, but there wasn’t much talk. I haven’t talked to anyone from the team – other than a couple people calling me to wish me luck or whatever – but not with anyone with the team who could make that sort of decision.”

Then I had to ask the standard ‘Is there one memory that outshines the others, that you’ll keep with you forever?’ question…

“A lot of them. All of them. The good and the bad moments, because this was the chunk of my career – and basketball, as a lot of people know, is my passion. So, everything that happens through basketball came through the Toronto Raptors, as far as my professional career and what not. The playoffs… Whether it was the signing of Lenny Wilkins, or the firing of Lenny Wilkins… You know, just playing with guys like Vince Carter, Mo Pete, Muggsey Bogues, Oakley… like, all the guys who have been through the team… just the biggest thing for me. All the memories. And all my friends here, my family, I have thousands of stories to tell them about different guys. So, a lot of the memories throughout basketball, I’m going to cherish with the Toronto Raptors, as well as the fans… walking around the city, going to restaurants, going to convenience stores, and all the love I was being shown… It was always a pleasure, and I’ll miss that dearly.”

No doubt any true Raptor fan will miss Alvin, in return, as I will.
I remember when he played those 5 minutes last season, and the entire ACC erupted with applause… I nearly cried.

I remember how well he played against his hometown Sixers in that push towards the Eastern Finals…

I remember how last season, when I started covering the Raptors, Alvin would always be one of the last guys out of the RBK court, still dripping with sweat, all while knowing he wasn’t going to see any game-time.

Alvin told me in the conference call that he knew this day was coming… and that he even put up his house to be sold the day the season ended.

I can’t think of a classier guy on the Raptors; He’s a guy who never played into the controversies that were so common place around this team.

I know it’s not like he died or anything… but please, leave a comment… or e-mail me some memories you have of Alvin’s time as a Raptor…

If the Raptors won’t play keep-away with his number, the least we can do is share some fond memories. He was kind enough to do the same with me.

(edit: It turns out Jorge Garbajosa will be wearing #15)

Without a Mic Line...

Bright and early… that’s how Bryan Colangelo does it.

Not once in my year and change of Raptors reporting do I recall a press conference set for 10 in the morning.

And yet, this is how everything unfolded…

I woke up at 7:40am. Confirmed the presser was going down. Had a shower, made some breakfast, brushed my teeth, and then re-read everything I’d read about Anthony Parker.

Then I took a voyage to youtube.com, and watched a little more game film.

I can’t get over how the creators of these videos either lace quality highlights with a) bad dance music… or b) bad hip-hop.

Either way.

So by now, we’re approaching 9 o’clock. I planned to be out the door by 9:15.

I gathered all my things…
Minidisc… check.
Mic Flash… check.
Microphone… check.
Microphone cord… ummm… uh oh.

A day prior to these events, I burrowed some equipment from a fellow reporter. I had my own mic, I just needed a flash (the station ID thingy that goes on the mic), and a minidisc… Sadly, I forgot to ask for a mic cord.

So I hop on the Queen streetcar to head to the ACC… I call up the station and request some assistance.

Assistance Granted.

An intern would be meeting me at Front and Bay with a recovery pack filled with all the reporters’ essentials. (Thanks Levett)

I head back to the ACC, check my levels, plug in my goods, and we’re set…

The press conference is running a few minutes late, giving me time to do a live hit on the Fan.

My phone cut out at the end, but apparently it went ok.

On to the conference… (If you didn’t see it and would like to… NBA.com has complete broadband video coverage – pssst… you can see my head as I scamper to my seat at the beginning)

So instead of running through that whole mess… I’ll just go through what I had a part in.

Anthony Parker, the reigning back-to-back Euroleague MVP, was doing his thing… about 3 questions in… I piped up:

“Anthony… Do you expect there to be much adjustment coming back to the NBA, in terms of different styles of play?”

“I think so… You know, the first couple months that I was overseas, there was a huge adjustment for me. It’s almost a completely different game. I think it’ll be a lot easier of an adjustment to come back here, than it was when I went over there… but I certainly do anticipate an adjustment period.”

After the press conference wrapped up, we had question and answer periods with Parker (didn’t ask him any more questions, as I saw Colangelo was gathering quite the crowd)…

I arrived just a touch late to Colangelo’s scrum… but apparently my question was not asked:

“Bryan… Anthony’s got the tag ‘the best basketball player not in the NBA.’ Do you and your scouts honestly believe that?”

“You know what… if he’s not *the* best not playing in the NBA… then he’s certainly *one* of the best. Having seen a lot of basketball being played outside of the NBA, he clearly dominates games. He’s been considered the best European player for the last two years, winning the Euroleague MVP two years in a row… and that’s not an easy feat, given the talent that’s over there.”

That was the first time I actually spoke to Colangelo personally… and like Parker, I came away impressed.

It also sounds like I’ll get another chance to chat with Bryan tomorrow… as the Chris Bosh extension is expected to be announced then.

This time, though… I’ve got my mic cord.

Back in the Game...

I fell asleep early Thursday, in desperate need of some sleep catch-up. I had come home from the gym exhausted after a work day featuring a 6-hour turnaround (I left work at 3am, and returned for 9am).

I awoke to the familiar sound of my phone vibrating on my table-top.

Groggy, I flipped open the lid of my over-aged Motorolla V300...

"Hello?"
"Were you out drinking last night? Hitting the town?"
"Not Quite. What's up?"
"I need you down at the ACC. Eric was working the morning show, and TJ Ford is going to be introduced to the media."

I hung up the phone with my boss, and shot up like a dart.

Finally. With such a high-profile summer of top picks, trades, and rumours... this would be my first taste of officially getting back in the Raptors swing.

Surely it would be an intimate gathering.

Everyone was in Vegas.

I showered, got dressed... re-versed myself in some Ford stats... and headed to the station to pick up the mic-flash and mini-disc that I had come to know as my own (only to have returned it after the season was over).

We were reunited again.

It was beautiful.

I actually think I saw the mini-disc well up some mechanical tears.

Either way. I headed south of the Yonge line to Union, checked my watch, and saw that I was running a smidgen late.

It was 11:26. Media availability was 11:30.
I was still a good 6 minutes away.

My pace quickened, my thoughts raced. I knew what I wanted to ask TJ, and I knew I would get the chance to converse a little more loosely.

Shoot the shit, as they say.

I managed to sign in and get up to the RBK court for 11:29.

No one was there. Perfect.
I saw one of the media relations people, and tried to confirm my observation.

"I guess it's not open yet, huh?"
"Oh, it is... they're already inside. But TJ will be a few minutes."

She unlocked and opened the door... and to my stunned disbelief it was RAMMED.
Absolutely packed with media. Outlets that don't normally make their presence felt (notably CBC) were there.

I saw some familiar faces of people I hadn't seen since April, re-acquainted myself, and started pacing around.

I knew my hopes and wishes of a somewhat intimate conversation with TJ would be dashed. Now I was thinking about positioning.

About half a minute later, a small statured man with big shoulders walked in wearing a white T-shirt. It was him.

Everyone immediately surrounded him like a pack of wild wolves about to pounce on a lonely white sheep.

It was the same old questions...

"How does it feel being in Canada?"
"Why do you think people don't want to play here?"
"Are you looking forward to playing with Bosh?"

He'd answered these questions numerous times, before even stepping on Canadian soil. I'm not saying that I'm a master-questioneer (and if you're a regular follower of this blog, you'd know I'm not), but I've learned to at least TRY to keep it fresh.

I didn't want to ask about his back... I wanted to ask about his contract... I wanted to ask about his thoughts on the Raptors turning into the Toronto Euros...



I got my questions in... but the answers were of the standard, to-be-expected variety.

I followed up a question regarding his excitement about playing with Bosh, with:

"Like Bosh, TJ... you're also up for an extension this summer. Has that at all come into conversations, or are you just going to play, and see what happens?"

(Sadly, because the answer was blahzay, I didn't keep the clip... but his response, NOT-verbatim, went something like:)

"I let my agent deal with all that stuff... I don't really get involved in all the contract talk. I'm just here to play basketball and try to win some games."

A few other reporters asked their questions... then I shot in with another:

"With all these unknowns on the Raptors roster, and rumours of more names coming over from Europe... are you concerned at all about an adjustment period, with different styles of play?"

I think he took the question to mean something else, because his response was (again, something to effect of:)

"I just play my game. I'm going to run up and down the floor, and get guys the ball where they want it. Right now, a lot of things are a mystery... but once we get summer league and training camp in there, everything will be fine."

I got one more question in there, but can't recall what it was right now...
But overall, Ford seems like a personable guy. Friendly, open, and honest (even though I KNOW there has to have been talk about a contract extension).

I'm booked to cover "Free-Agency" on Friday (although chances are, Thursday will be when all the action hits - as Colangelo has said he wants to round out the roster as quickly as possible).
==
Monday, I get to cover a newser about how the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport and NSF International have joined forces to educate Canadian athletes about what nutritional supplements they can take without getting busted for doping.

I'm hoping for a free energy bar.

Catching my breath...

So this post certainly comes a few days late. I apologize, but work has kept me fighting for air (in a good way - just not so much for the blog).

I first heard the news about the Charlie trade when I got home from a long night at a club (needless to say, it got emotional).

How could they trade Charlie??

I had read/heard all the rumours. I knew it was a possibility, but still I didn't want to believe.

But after a little more thinking (and sobering up), I realized that this is the best thing that could have happened for the Raptors.

Charlie's stock will (likely) never be higher... and the Raps get that slashing/play-making point guard that they've coveted so much.

They say TJ Ford can't shoot, but his Field Goal percentage went up from .384 in his rookie year, to .416 after his back injury, to .490 in these past playoffs.

So what that says (to me, at least...) is that it's at least getting better, and he can hit shots when it matters.

With that being said, his ability to shoot (or not) is not that imperative to why he's heading to Toronto. Yes, being able to hit your jumper keeps the defense honest (take notes, Jose Calderon), but he's really here to get the ball to Chris Bosh (and Bargnani?). Ford can do that (insert bad pun about Ford driving through the lane, and watch the sponsors come running).

They also say that Ford can't defend. But according to those same critics, there are probably only two handfuls of players in this league that can.

Ford being a listed 6'0" probably doesn't help (meaning he's more like 5'10")... but what can you do?

The Raptors went against the common mantra, which states you never trade to downsize (meaning, don't trade a big for a small)... but in this instance, they Bryan Colangelo felt it appropriate.

I was in love with Charlie's (offensive) game. He had that touch where on most nights, any time he'd touch the ball you'd know it's going in. But on the other end, if the opposition gave the ball to their SF, you'd know that more often than not they'd be scoring.

Charlie is a marvel. A talent you don't find often. Which is why he should flourish in Milwaukee. But we say this again, with this move, it is now (again) Chris Bosh's team.

The lone (super?)star.

==
Rumours seem to be heating up that the Raptors are looking at Indy's unrestricted guard Freddy Jones. They guy who won the dunk contest in it's worst-ever edition. They guy who made sure he wouldn't fall under the label of a dunker, by working on a 3-point shot that can now be deemed somewhat "reliable" (edit: I just looked at his stats, and noticed he only connected on 34% of his 3's, down from 38% the year before).

He's a nice athletic combo-guard, who when he played starting point, had a deft passing hand (picking up 13 assists/3 turnovers in 2 games). Granted, the sample size is not great... but it is what it is.

Either way, if the Raptors could snag Jones, it would be a solid pick-up in my books (i think he's the best suited free-agent out there), and I know it would make my buddy Juan happy.
==

Big Ben is set to join the Bulls. How do you think Pistons' fans feel about this?
A couple months ago, Wallace was saying he wouldn't need an agent to work out his new deal in Detroit... then he goes out and hires super-agent, Arn Tellem, and the jury flees the court.

Wallace turns down a ridiculous (for a 31 year old undersized "center" with no offensive game) 4 year deal worth $48 million (which the Pistons already thought was too steep), so sign in the Windy City (on July 12) for 4 years and a reported $60 million.

Big Ben also turned down efforts for the Pistons to sign and trade him (likely to keep him out of the Central division), so he could leave for Chicago.

The Pistons got fleeced... the Bulls got MUCH better... and even moreso if they can get rid of Tyson Chandler (as rumoured to the Hornets - possibly as early as today).
==

Also... I just wanted to touch on THIS...


What would inspire EA Sports to put T-Mac on the cover of the upcoming NBA Live?? Are they trying to reverse the curse (which says, any athlete that dons the cover of their video games enjoys an injury-riddled season)? Maybe it will heal his back?? I'm baffled. Unless EA appreciated how McGrady dealt with sitting out most of the season, I don't see how this is a fit. Maybe it's because he sells so many damn jerseys.

Either way.

We'll speak soon.

Oh, and to Gutsy Normis (and everyone else curious about Roko Ukic)... everything I'm hearing is that he'll be stashed overseas for at least another year. He still hasn't played that much, dealt with some illness, and also boasts an ugly buy-out clause. So as they say... there's always next year.