Check out the highlights from episode #2
Just in case you missed it, here are a few highlights from the show!
HIghlights from Episode #2 from The NBA Breakdown on Vimeo.
Gameday: Rockets @ Raptors, December 22
20 minutes ago
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Epsiode Highlights from Episode #2
The Spin Doctor, Rony Seikaly
Rony Seikaly, who was the first ever draft pick of the Miami Heat, weighs in on newbie Heat superstar LeBron James’ performance to date. Rony also chats with The NBA Breakdown crew about his 11 year playing career.
Plus he'll also update everyone on his DJing career!
For more information on Rony, check out his website.
The NBA Breakdown -- For Hoops Talk, The Way It Should Be!!!!
The Spin Doctor, Rony Seikaly from The NBA Breakdown on Vimeo.
The Top 8 Story Lines of the 2010 NBA Season
Dave & Audley are joined by NBA corespondent Aly Somani who helps the guys break down the upcoming NBA season and identify the top 8 story lines to look out for.
The NBA Breakdown - For hoops talk, the way it should be!
The Top 8 Story Lines of the 2010 NBA Season from The NBA Breakdown on Vimeo.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
#2 Weekly NBA Preview with Tracy Murray
He'll give you the top three games of the week to look out for and fill you in why you need to pay attention, only like a former NBAer can.
This week's games to watch are:
Tracy...#2 Weekly NBA Preview with Tracy Murray from The NBA Breakdown on Vimeo.
The NBA Breakdown - For hoops talk, the way it should be!
Friday, October 29, 2010
A Word From Soma #5
By: Aly Somani
Aly Somani is a student of the game of basketball and the business of sports. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Aly decided to “take his talents” to New York City, where he pursued and completed his Masters degree at Columbia University in Manhattan. Aly has experience working with the National Basketball Players Association in a Career Development capacity with players and is now working on an entrepreneurial endeavor. He has a ‘Kobe’ like determination, and an immense passion for the game, we are delighted to have Aly join the NBA Breakdown. Check him out at http://www.alysomani.com/.
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Is Erik Spoelstra Ready To Lead The Heat?
In his third year as an NBA head coach, 39-year-old, Erik Spoelstra has been blessed with every head coach’s dream, three superstars on one team. The offseason signings of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat, gave Spoelstra an instant championship contender.
In the last year of his contract, Spoelstra has received the backing of NBA legend and Heat President, Pat Riley, along with the “big three” of James, Wade and Bosh. Spending the last 15 seasons with the Heat moving through the ranks, beginning his career as a video coordinator to assistant coach to his current role, it was only fitting that the Heat organization, which preaches loyalty and family, gave Spoelstra their support.
Despite the endorsement, many question Spoelstra’s ability and experience as the coach to lead this team of superstars to the promise land. Juggling the ego’s of three supremely talented prima donna’s, will be no easy task.
Consider for a second, the soft-spoken Spoelstra telling LeBron James what to do, doesn’t sound plausible does it?There is a short list of coaches in the league who have that ability, Lakers coach Phil Jackson and the current President of the Heat, Pat Riley, are on the top of that list.
Aside from managing the off-court attention the team will garner, Spoelstra, who is in the final year of his contract, will have to prove naysayers wrong, many of whom have criticized his late game decision making abilities. Given his short, but relatively successful track record with a sub par team, highlighted by Wade, Spoelstra won 47 games and a trip to the Eastern Conference playoffs.
However, the Heat have new talent, known as the “Kings of South Beach”, and they are all highly motivated to make their own mark in the history books. Thus, one can safely say that anything less than a nail biting loss in the Eastern Conference Finals or a trip to the NBA Finals, if not a championship, will be considered a failure.
Pressure aside, Coach “Spo”, as his players refer to him, is known league wide as a “player’s” coach, with a defensive mindset and a knack for focusing on the details that make teams successful, all of which are vital traits for a coach looking to lead a team to an NBA championship.
As with any professional sports team that underachieves, the first person to go is usually the head coach, which makes you wonder, if the Heat falter will Spoelstra be around next year or even in a few months? The true test of his abilities will come in close game situations against the leagues elite teams. Regardless on how well the Heat perform; I have a suspicion that we have not seen the last of Mr. Slick-back Pat Riley behind the Heat bench.
Bball Breakdown #2
By: Coach Nick
Nick has been a coach for over 15 years at every level between 5th and 12th grades. He served as a basketball manager at the University of Wisconsin – Madison under head coach Stu Jackson and Assistant Coaches Stan Van Gundy (Orlando Magic Head Coach) and Sean Miller (Arizona Head Coach). He is a basketball historian and has conducted extensive interviews about the history of the game with such luminaries as Pete Newell, Tex Winter, Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge, and Herb Brown. He is a triangle offense guru, having cemented a relationship with Coach Winter while coaching in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles.
Nick is dedicated to the notion that you can’t be the best basketball player you can be until you’re the best person you can be.
Click here to subscribe to his Bball Breakdown on YouTube or follow him on Twitter.
Coach Nick Breaks Down The Miami Heat
Coach Nick looks at the Miami Heat and why they may not be as good as you'd think.
Rony Seikaly Visits The NBA Breakdown!
What's up y'all?!!
When the Miami Heat selected, Rony Seikaly with their first ever pick (9th overall) back in 1988, I'm sure the ex-Syracuse big man would have loved to suit up with guys like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Instead, in Miami's first season, he played alongside dudes like Rory Sparrow, Jon Sundvold and Scott Hastings. Not exactly an all-star team.
Regardless, Seikaly would have a solid career and nowadays he's enjoying the good life. This Sunday at 9pm Eastern, you'll hear him speak about his time in Miami, his thoughts on the all-star trio in South Beach and what he's up to these days.
Name That Halloween NBA Player!!
How's it going everybody?!!Yep, it's about that time of year when weird-looking people knock on your door and ask for treats. Well, NBA players like to play dress up as well. So, in the spirit of Halloween, we're giving you a unique challenge.
Here's the deal.
Name the former/current NBA players in these next 3 pictures and what their costumes are by typing the answers in a comment on this post. The first five people (don't forget to include your name) to post all of the answers correctly will get a big, world wide shout out from Audley and I on this Sunday's show.
Here you go...
Alright, we'll be checking out the comments and the winners will be announced on The NBA Breakdown this Sunday at 9pm Eastern!Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Bball Breakdown #1
By: Coach Nick
Nick has been a coach for over 15 years at every level between 5th and 12th grades. He served as a basketball manager at the University of Wisconsin – Madison under head coach Stu Jackson and Assistant Coaches Stan Van Gundy (Orlando Magic Head Coach) and Sean Miller (Arizona Head Coach). He is a basketball historian and has conducted extensive interviews about the history of the game with such luminaries as Pete Newell, Tex Winter, Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge, and Herb Brown. He is a triangle offense guru, having cemented a relationship with Coach Winter while coaching in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles.
Nick is dedicated to the notion that you can’t be the best basketball player you can be until you’re the best person you can be.
Click here to subscribe to his Bball Breakdown on YouTube or follow him on Twitter.
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Coach Nick Breaks Down the Kings & Hornets
Coach Nick breaks down these two intriguing teams and predicts where the Kings and Hornets will finish, by showing you where these teams go right and wrong.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
#1 Weekly NBA Preview with Tracy Murray
He'll give you the top three games of the week to look out for and fill you in why you need to pay attention, only like a former NBAer can.
This week's games to watch are:
Take it away Tracy...#1 Weekly NBA Preview with Tracy Murray from The NBA Breakdown on Vimeo.
The NBA Breakdown - For hoops talk, the way it should be!
A Word From Soma #4
By: Aly Somani
Aly Somani is a student of the game of basketball and the business of sports. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Aly decided to “take his talents” to New York City, where he pursued and completed his Masters degree at Columbia University in Manhattan. Aly has experience working with the National Basketball Players Association in a Career Development capacity with players and is now working on an entrepreneurial endeavor. He has a ‘Kobe’ like determination, and an immense passion for the game, we are delighted to have Aly join the NBA Breakdown. Check him out at http://www.alysomani.com/
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Eight Story Lines To Watch For This NBA Season
8. Phil Jackson, Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
The Zen Master, Phil Jackson, is embarking on what he has called his ‘last stand’ as an NBA coach.
Often times, as fans of this game I think we overlook the value of great coaching, and are quick to give credit to the players we see on the court. But every great player will be the first to attribute his success to the coaches that inspired and motivated him throughout his career. By his colleagues and fans of the game alike, Jackson is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time, and the numbers don’t lie.
Jackson has won 11 NBA titles as a coach, surpassing a record set by the late Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach. He has also won two titles as a player of the New York Knicks in 1970 and 73. Giving him a total of 13 Championships as a player and coach. Jackson’s regular season record stands at a masterly 1098-460 record in the regular season, which included the famed ‘95-‘96 Chicago Bulls who went 72- 10. Jackson’s teams are 48 – 0 in playoff series where they win game 1, proving that mental toughness is as big a factor of success in this game as physical capability, if not more.
His unique coaching style, influenced by Eastern Philosophy, earned him the nickname “the Zen Master”. He often requests his players to meditate throughout the season, and recommends spiritual and philosophical books to his players. Some claim, it was the players he was blessed with that are the result of his success (Jordan, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe). But I urge you to think of all the great players who have played this game and the various journeys their careers have taken and you will notice that success on the court is never achieved alone.
There are multiple pieces in every puzzle, which make it fit together. But without a solid foundation to begin assembling the puzzle, you are but left with a collection of loose pieces.
7. The Shaquille O'Neal Factor
How effective will Shaq be for the Boston Celtics? There are arguments on both sides. The 7 foot 1 inch, 325-pound diesel, was born on March 6, 1972, making him the oldest player in the league at 38 years old. How many 38 year old's, can play ball, let alone throw it down like Shaq. Mr. O’Neal is at the twilight of his career, and is looking to give his career a storybook finish.
The legend has already cemented his place in history with 4 rings, but is as thirsty for his 5th as he was for his 1st, facing Kobe and Lakers in the finals, could be exactly what he needs for us to see glimpses of the Shaq of old. That’s why I have the ‘Big Shamrock” as the number 7 story to watch this season.
6. Super Teams and Super Friends
The emergence of players taking more ownership in the decision of which team they play on has become a new trend as of late, thanks to Lebron and co. Which team will Carmelo Anthony land on and for that matter which team will Chris Paul land on? Will Paul decide to stick it out in New Orleans with Ariza and West, who are far from being a championship contender?
Or will Paul follow through on the comments he made at Melo’s wedding, suggesting that Melo and himself would join forces with Amar'e in New York and create another 'super friends' team? Is this what the NBA is becoming, are players making plans to play on teams with other superstars to increase their chances at a championship. If that does happen, what happens with the small market teams, that don’t have a franchise player, and are they even able to contend in this league, both financially and competitively? I will be eagerly awaiting the NBA trade deadline to see how things unfold?
5. The Collective Bargaining Agreement
A lookout looms. The current collective bargaining agreement expires in July of 2011, and it is coming awfully close, considering that the two sides seem far from reaching a deal. On the one hand, the Players Union is suggesting revenue sharing by all teams, and on the other the League is suggesting some serious cuts in player salaries, somewhere in the middle there has to be a solution.
Over the course of the next few months, various negotiation tactics will be used and exercised by each side and we will be able to get a good understanding of the potential for a NBA lockout next season. What impact would that have on the game, its players, and its fans? Will the new CBA change the way teams are structured both from a personnel and financial standpoint? Hopefully Mr. Billy Hunter, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, and Mr. David Stern, Commissioner of the NBA, can reach an agreement, before the July 1st deadline.
4. The Rise of Thunder
I am so impressed with Mr. Kevin Durant. He is talented, humble, well spoken and a beast on the court. You can be rest assured the NBA will be in great hands over the course of the next decade. The Oklahoma City Thunder challenged the Lakers last season in the playoffs by pushing the series to 6 games.
One year older and one year wiser, this team should expect a different level of preparation from opposing teams and should anticipate that the days they used to surprise teams are a story of the past. They will be challenged and tested, throughout the season. Can Kevin Durant lift his team to new heights and be his team's and potentially the league's Most Valuable Player? Can the Thunder as a team, be even more effective and potent than they were last year?
3. Kobe Bryant
Does he still have it? How effective will he be throughout the course of the year? Will the continuous torment he imposes on his body, catch up to him? I highly doubt it. Kobe Bryant is a warrior and he is well aware of what he is capable of, as he sits at the top of the NBA hierarchy, watching his competitors duke it out, for a chance at the Black Mamba and his Lakers. I look forward to seeing Kobe doing what Kobe does best: fight for success.
With his 6 game winning buzzer beaters last season, his phenomenal playoff showing and his 5 NBA titles, it seems odd to say that Kobe can still be motivated, but unfortunately for the rest of the league, he is, more than ever. His greatness is a direct result of the disciplined work ethic and focused approach he has to the game. Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players to ever play this game, and for that he is storyline number 3 to watch this season.
2. The Boston Celtics
One of the most storied franchises in the NBA, having 17th NBA Championships, chasing their 18th, has one of the most determined and motivated group of players this season. From ‘the Big Three’ of Garnett, Allen and Peirce, to the new additions of Shaquille and Jermaine O’Neal to fill the void of their current fierce center, Kendrick Perkins, this team is hands down one the favorites to win the NBA title this year. This may be the last year they have to compete at such a high level, so they had better be as motivated as they need too. Being in the new and improved East, their abilities will be tested. But they have a brilliant coach who understands that regular season success does not translate to an NBA Championship, playoff success does. I look forward to seeing how the new additions to this team fit in, and how effective the team will be in transition, considering their lack of speed. Can they capture Championship banner number 18, or will they be victim to the Magic in Orlando, or the Heat in Miami, or will we be witnessing another classic against the Lakers come June?
1. The new ‘Big Three’
Will the critics who have favored this team to win a championship or the Eastern Conference at the very least, be eating their words? Is this just another team? Will Lebron lead the way or will Dwayne Wade? Can Lebron average a triple double? Who will be shooting the final shot in a close game? How will the supporting cast perform?
Do they have enough inside presence to fend off the big’s in the East? These are the questions that loom over the Heat this season. The motivation for Lebron to perform at a level never seen by his fans or his competitors, is more evident than ever and we are all aware, that he has been taking close note, of everything that has been said about him. He is and will be one of the greatest players to ever this game, the question is will this move to Miami translate to a championship, or rather championships? And will the Big Three in Miami be able to mesh quick enough to create a real push at a top seed in the Eastern Conference? The league has never seen this type of hysteria, since Jordan and the Bulls in their 72-10 record setting season.
To say the least, it will be one hell of a show, in every stadium they go (Dr. Seuss moment).
Monday, October 25, 2010
Straight From The Rook #1
Mat MacDonald AKA The Rook
The Rook is currently enrolled in Human Kinetics at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. A frequent contributor to all NBA and Raptors debates along with other sports. Witty, quick and never afraid of a challenge, Mat's here to talk hoops with you and dish out his two cents whenever!Click here to follow him on Twitter!
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LeBron James - What should you do?
On the eve of the NBA season and the eve of a new era in the NBA no one could have asked for a better present. Just when you thought all the hype was over about LeBron James and his image, boom...think again.
If you havenʼt checked the latest LeBron commercial, youʼre missing out. When I say missing out, youʼre oops I missed my high school graduation missing out. If you didnʼt miss your high school graduation, make your cousin, sister, brother, friend...hell, make anyone miss it. LeBron James and Nike just took another step out there and said, ʻHere I am!ʼ
A month ago people debated about LeBronʼs comments regarding race and how he believed some of the hate directed as his decision was based primarily on issues that have haunted some cultures for decades. James followed through with his comments by hitting up Twitter and re-tweeting all of your favorite racial slurs and comments shot his way. If you think he isnʼt making a list and checking it twice, then youʼve obviously missed out on LeBronʼs way of thinking this summer - this league is his.
Sure I could sit here and talk all about everything I hated during the summer and LeBronʼs decision. I could be one of those people that overkills the topic, and sure at times - like right now - I am without a doubt. But did you see LeBron James that night he went on national TV and announced heʼd be kicking back with Dwayne and Chris in South Beach? Did you see the glare he had in his eyes? Maybe not. Did you catch it when the scariest threesome since a Jenna Jamison flick was introduced in front of a rave-ish crowd in Miami? Did you see it? Maybe not. Did you ever see him fight back at all of those who said he did wrong, all of those who said he was a traitor, a villain, a foolish individual, a follower? Never. Now with this commercial, you get to see his true face.
Put yourselves in his shoes. Youʼre working and you want a bonus but your boss just wonʼt give it to you. You get perks here and there like the Jamisons and Williamsʼ cups of coffee, but you never get the big pay raise, you never get those Dwight Howard size raises. Until one day youʼre given an option; Come back and be in the same situation youʼve always been in and hopefully youʼll enjoy your time and something good will happen one day...or move on. Move on to something that you like, something that makes you wake up in the morning with a smile on your face. Sure, you wonʼt make the same type of money you made at your old job, but would you sacrifice that for more perks, bigger bonusʼ, more time off, more cups of Wade and Bosh? I donʼt know about you, but Iʼm with LeBron. I want a cup of D-Wade every day at work with a side of CB4, Iʼm tired of the Mo-doughnut and the Delonte disease.
Put yourselves in his shoes.
Now the bigger issue - and yes, itʼs an issue. Iʼll touch it, Iʼll talk all about it.
Race.
For DECADES race has been a part of all sport. Who are we kidding? Race has been a part of life forever. It doesnʼt matter what race you are, thereʼs somewhere in the world youʼre being ridiculed against and there are people everywhere you go that hold prejudice. That will never go away. Is that right? No way, but it happens.
I was lucky to grow up in a family that had racial diversity. When I was younger I didnʼt see it as a big deal at all, and as Iʼve grown older Iʼve seen it as a great learning tool and an amazing experience. Iʼve been on teams that certain players have been pulled out because of their race. Iʼve witnessed some of my best friends face the toughest adversity in the world because of their race.
So does race play a big factor in this?
Letʼs see. Would you have been upset if Troy Murphy decided he wanted to have a one hour special to tell the world where he was planning on playing? Probably not. I mean hell, no one wants to see his face on TV for longer then a minute but still, I wouldnʼt hate him for doing it. Did the Green Bay faithful get mad when Favre decided to come back in the NFL and play for the Jets? Sure, they were in shock for a bit because he was Mr. Packer, but when the season started, the Green Bay fans were Green Bay fans and the Jets fans were Favre fans. When Favre returned he was welcomed with open arms. Now does retiring and coming back in the game three times piss a few people off? Sure. Look at Jordan, look at Favre. Arguably the two most iconic figures in their sport over the past 15 years both did their retire-return routine and both were welcomed back with open arms.
So tell me again, why are you using the race card?
Some of the biggest figures in sport have been a different race than caucasian. In baseball Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Jackie Robinson, the list goes on and on. In the NFL players like Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Tony Gonzalez shaped the offensive game. And the NBA? Of course you have your Larry Birdʼs, John Stocktonʼs and Pistol Peteʼs. But could you argue and say that in the last 20 years the face of the NBA hasnʼt been someone of another race except caucasian? MJ, Vince, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, Durant? The list goes on. So why are you really mad?
Are you mad that he left the city that he gave seven years of blood, sweat and tears to? Are you mad that he went on television to tell everyone at once? Are you mad that he didnʼt come to your city? Are you mad that heʼs added himself into one crazy picture in Miami? Are you made this decision could have ultimately saved the NBA? Or are you just using the race card because all of those reasons arenʼt really something you can be upset about?
Whatever you decided realize at the end of the day thereʼs millions and millions of people looking down on one man, staring at him, waiting for him to make his next move. Thereʼs never a moment off, a moment out of the spotlight that is LeBron James. It doesnʼt matter the color of his skin. None of that matters. Itʼs about what heʼs done on the court night in and night out. A two time MVP, soon to be a three time and soon to hopefully bring a ring to Miami.
So is there anything else? Just ask LeBron, he wants your input. Heʼll just ask you too, “What should I do?”
Shout out to Charles Barkley and everyone else for lighting the fire under LeBron that didnʼt need to be lit.
You said heʼs not a role model. You said heʼs a villain. You said he canʼt win it alone. You said he has no heart. You said heʼs lost his shot at being put above everyone else.
What will you say when he proves you wrong?
Buckle up, itʼs about to Heat up in the NBA
Episode Highlights from The 3rd Season Debut!
The NBA Breakdown makes its long awaited return and Dave & Audley are back for another season of quality laughs, interviews and hoops talk, the way it should be!
Just in case you missed it, here are a few highlights from the show!
Click here to listen to the entire episode!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Wright Way - No Chaser #3
By: Sharone Wright
Sharone Wright was an All-state performer at Macon's Southwest high school as a McDonald's All-American. He played basketball for 3 years in the prestigious ACC conference at Clemson University where he is one of it's top 10 all-time players. Sharone was drafted 6th overall by Philadelphia in 1994 and also played for the Toronto Raptors. After 5 years in the NBA, he went to Europe as a player for 7 years and now coaches.
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When We Were Young...
When We Were Young...
It's 3:30am on a chilly Amsterdam night and I’m awake. I’m awake not because of the usual sleep disorder that I sometimes face. Or the sound of the TV that I left on. No, it’s something different this time. It’s a song that I absolutely love. It’s Billy Joel’s - "This Is The Time".
It's one of my all time favorites for two reasons. One is the video by NBA TV that shows all of the greatest NBA players and different times of glory for our League. The other reason is the best reason. It brings me to think of a time when 14 guys came to a city to bring back a game that was born in Canada. A time when the game had to be reborn to a glorious city with the most passionate fans ever!!
A time when we all were outcasts from other teams and we had one chance to make something great. It was a time when most thought we would fail. But to us this was the best time because it was ....
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.
The time was 1995-1997 and Toronto was hot with ambition and promise. The 28th NBA franchise was about to begin its first season. A management group that was headed by basketball fan and businessman John Bitove, had spearheaded a group that finalized the deal and brought basketball back to Canada. It was the home of the games founder James Naismith. It was the start of a wonderful year filled with heartache, triumph, and celebrations. The city was ours if for only just that year. The Toronto Blue Jays were the toast of the town and the Toronto Maple Leafs had the tradition from years past. So it was a big deal to bring a basketball franchise to Ontario.
I was in my second year as the Starting forward for the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a season that was filled with turmoil from the start. We were losing and losing in every way we could. From the problems with players to the owners demands. Then I had a chance meeting with Isaiah Thomas and one of his friends Darrell Walker. We met in a lobby when both teams played. I cordially talked to them and told them how unhappy that I was. I was in my second season and playing very well. Averaging 12 points a game. I got a call from my high school pal Damon Stoudamire one night shortly after. We had been teammates in high school camps and also on the World University games team that also had Raptors Forward Carlos Rogers won the gold medal 2 years before. I had gone pro earlier than him and now we wanted to play together. It was a good plan but could we make it work? Two weeks later I was a Toronto Raptor.
It was what I call a Band of Brothers. And like that mini series, we were indeed brothers’ telling you what a Motley Crue we were. The likes of Stoudamire, Alvin "the Raptor” Robertson, Carlos Rogers, Tracy Murray, Willie Anderson, Zan Tabak, Ed Pinckney, Doug Christie, Jimmy King, Tony Massenburg, Acie Earl, Martin Lewis , Dwayne Whitfield,Vincenzo Esposito and Dan O Sullivan.
Obviously changes had to be made but then that’s what makes teams get better. Trading Massenburg and Pinckney to Philadelphia for me was a tough one for the team but they felt it would be a good move.
In that season we fought hard. I found out right when I joined the team that these guys had heart and they felt like they could win each game. We lost some heartbreaker games and it seemed that the fans loved even when we lost because they saw how hard these guys played. The NBA was in its glory time as well with the Chicago Bulls 72-10 team. Beating that team was like a dream because they were one of the greatest teams ever.
Our Motley Crue was a hecaka crew though. Acie Earl was the jokester of the bunch. He had a way of making everyone loose and he was the biggest WU-TANG fan of all time. Acie was also a good post player in his own right. Ill never forget his big game against the Celtics (the team that Drafted him). He had 40 points and 12 rebs! That’s the comedy of Earl. Exploding against the team that gave up on him. In some ways we all felt that way. We were the trade pieces and the pawns in the game of NBA team shaping.
Damon Stoudamire was indeed what his nickname said. He was Mighty Mouse on the Court. From the first time Herbie Kuhn roared his name on the Microphone, Damon took the NBA by storm. He was the main reason that people came to se us. But when they came to se us they fell in love with the hard fighting crew that we had. We wanted to put this city on our back and to get out into the community and make a difference. Damon Stoudamire played at such a high level that we all had to follow the rookie and run with him. Seeing him develop the way he did is also one of the best things about my career. I guess it’s because we had always been close.
Doug Christie was to me one of the best defensive players that I ever played with. He could defend anyone. We were traded on the same and arrived to live at the legendary Skydome hotel on the same day. Coming from the Lakers and the Knicks, he was just hungry and ready to go hard on anyone. He meditated before each game as if he was a shogun warrior. Doug to this day is one of my favorite guys. I visited him at his Seattle home when we played the Sonics and had a great dinner with his family.
Tracy Murray was perhaps the most beloved Raptor outside of Damon. HE had a personality that lights up arenas. T-Time as Herbie dubbed him was a lights out shooter. Of course you would have to have lived under a rock to not know Tracy from his sharp shooting days at UCLA. I knew him on other teams to be the greatest teammate ever.
Who could forget his Bell Canada commercial where he fits into the small phone booth? Classic. Or what about Herbie shouting Its Teeeeeeeeeee - time every time Tracy hit a deep three. We night not have led the league in any categories but I tell yaw we led the league in delighting fans who were thirsty for a good time. We were the hardest working team in the league that year.
My partner in crime on the team was the very talented Oliver Miller. HE was a player that could do almost anything that required skill on the court. Great big massive hands, super passing ability, great post moves and a very good rebounder. Oliver had other skills though. He had an uncanny way of making you feel good. When I was traded to Toronto, he was the first person to welcome me and give him and me the nickname Thump and Bump. Till this day he calls and says Hello Thump! Oliver in my opinion was booed and ridiculed heavy because he was just that, heavy. Oliver felt really bad about this. He often asked me, why it is that people don’t like me. HE was a big man with a big heart and he played the game like it was a walk in the park. The naked eye basic NBA fan will never know how very skilled he was. They also will never know how much they hurt him each and every game. HE really was affected by this. Mainly because he didn’t understand why.
Alvin Robertson was a guy I had watched as a kid growing up. When he came to Toronto he was in the last stages of his career. I was old enough to appreciate the player he was before. Alvin always seemed to find trouble and he loved to gamble. He also was a heckava leader and always took the time with the younger players to teach them off the court and on it. Darrell Walker once said that Alvin was a warrior everywhere. I can attest to that. I just hope he’s OK wherever he is because there not a better guy in the world.
Before I go on I just thought of a day that illustrates how committed we were to the Toronto community. We were in the small yet very cool suburb of Scarborough. It’s a small city within its self. It was a melting pot of Caribbean countries and Canadian pride. Well we had a great community relations department back then with the great Al Quance, Elaine Quan and their staff. Well we were out that day to promote the games ahead but also to give away prizes and tickets. The whole neighborhood came out with food and coffee and supported us. They saw we were out on a cold day and they just made a block party out of it. It was the coolest thing that some us ever saw. That’s the effect that we had on the community. They watched us each game and I could never go to the grocery store without signing 40 autographs. It was a time of good deeds and if you ask any of those guys they will tell you that no one ran away from clinics or appearances. We all wanted to grow the game and reach out to the fans.
It was about this time that I started looking out of my Skydome window and watching Roger Clemens work out. He was always throwing and warming up with the Blue Jays staff. I walked down a couple of times and talked to him. Didn’t want to catch that heater though. I was a frequent guest to Jays games of David "Boomer" Wells We also lived on the same floor as Roberto Alomar and a couple of the Jays that stay around when the season was over.
Just good times hanging out with Samuel L. Jackson, actress from the Young and the Restless Tonya Lee Williams, singers Deborah Cox and Tamia.
Carlos Rogers was another fan favorite that I actually knew before I got to Toronto. We were teammates On the World University games team as well. He was a fan favorite as well. He was blessed with super quickness and long arms. He could shoot the ball with good range and was an excellent shot blocker. Carlos had a tough life growing up in Detroit, Michigan so it never left him. It seemed he was always moody and ornery at one moment and silly the next. During the season he found out that his sister Rene had cancer and it struck him down mentally as well. He was determined to play even harder though.
The Rene campaign in Toronto raised money and added soo much joy to the Rogers family that year. That is how cool the community is there.
From the Croatian sensation Zan Tabak, to the Italian Stallion Vincenzo Esposito, we had guys from everywhere.
Yes we were young and we were outcast but we were also warriors. We played some very close games all year. A lot of our loses that year were by 2, 3, and 4 points. We played lots of overtime games that year and served notice that when you came to Toronto, you had to claw your way out with a win. Ask the Michael Jordan led Bulls .We were one of the only teams to beat that great team.
First Ever Tip Off
Living in Toronto was grand to me and after each home game I would go right next to the Skydome to Gretzky's restaurant for the best spaghetti ever!! It was next also to the best mural on a wall. The Damon Stoudamire mural was awesome and you could see it as you drove up to Dome. Word to Joe Carter!!
These were the days my friend. It was the time of our lives and we relished it. I can still taste the ribs at Hard rock Cafe in the Dome.
Today my memories of my guys are fresh because we all stay in touch. from the best trainer to ever work a sideline named Chuck Mooney or Glen Grunwald and his great staff. Isaiah Thomas to me did a great job in keeping us together if only for a short time.
But what we learned from him, Darrell Walker, Butch Carter, Walker Russell and Brendan Suhr was priceless in my book. Ask any of those guys and they will tell you the same. I could go all day about different states of those guys but it will never add up to the heart, sacrifice and love that they showed. We were the foundation for what now is a great organization. It was like you couldn’t start a team any better with any better people. When I return to my adopted home in Toronto, I always feel soo good and warm inside. The cold weather here in Amsterdam reminds me of a time when things were simple. When community relations mattered, when a team could be built not on just talent but heart and caring. When Tracy Mc Grady, Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups and Marcus Camby were on deck like baseball.
When no one shunned the Toronto city, they welcomed the newness of a great metropolitan city. When Tie Domi levelled every opponent with meaness. And every person dressed like those guys on Pulp fiction and everyone said "eh"after each sentence.
Some of us are coaching now (Stoudamire and myself), some are even still playing (God Bless you).But none of will ever forget the days when time was still in a great city, all was good in Queens Quay.
Yes these were the days of a rookie of the year, a rookie head coach in Brendan Malone and a band of sent away brothers who had our day in the sun.
These were days that make me thankful for my fortunate time there. I don’t believe in what could have been. I was struck down and almost killed in a very serious car crash that robbed me of my best years of my career. What could have been is what could have been. But Id never trade the best time of my life...............
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG...
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