Raptor Talk 2012-13 The New Broom

Great article... best one I've read in quite some time... unlike the crap Smitty writes for the star!

And I totally agree!!!

I've been a Colangelo suppporter for quite some time but this years crap is far too unacceptable.

Why is everyone panicking? We are so early into the season and yes the record isn't great but don't forget we aren't the Heat, Celtics, or any other powerhouse team that's expected to finish top 5. We aren't even picked to get into playoffs by several experts.

#1 -They are 3-11 right now but look at the teams they have played and how close those games were. A young team like the raps needs to hit ground zero before they can compete. To me this isn't so bad because this helps them become better in the final minutes of games in the near future.

#2- Injuries have once again plagued the Raps as they have lost several players to injury early on in the season. Lowry's ankle was a huge hit on the Raps especially in terms of their chemistry.

#3- Trade Bargz? Well before you trade him you better make sure your getting a scorer back because their isn't a better scorer on this team than Andrea. Yeah he has his share of troubles on the defensive end and in rebounding but he was never expected to be that kind of a player. The bottom line is the dude can score. He had an off game this past weekend which is probably why the media went bananas on Colangelo . There is no other versatile player right now in the league that is 7 feet. Sure Nowitzki is terrific but with age and injuries his game isn't what it was.

#4 - TIME!!!.. this team just needs time and patience. We have gone through 2 seasons since the post Bosh era. One season being almost half a season and this season which hasn't allowed them to play together as often as they would have liked too.

We are one of the youngest teams in the league and we can only get better.

There is a little more history to consider than the first 14 games of this season. This team has generally been unsuccessful for the last five seasons, with Bargs and Calderon as their two mainstays, formerly with Bosh (an all star). There have been three different coaches during that time frame, all with different approaches.

Yes, with all the new players and so many games on the road, you could cut them some slack for this season. But there is a longer history to consider.

Your building blocks on this team need to be DeRozan, JV and Lowry. Everyone else on a team that has been this bad for this long should be available in the right trade.

Defense and rebounding should be expected of any seven footer making $10 million per season.

Actually, I think we've been too patient.

The moves the Jays have been making get high marks for creativity. With the Jays and Argos on the way up, the Raptors ongoing mediocrity stands out even more.

"Patience"... I'm thinking more compassion.

Compassion for those fans who have been patient since 1995 and are now fed up!

Your post is full of excuses.

Their record is 3-12... and thats exactly what they are.

I heard Demar say to the media scrum... "we are better than our record."

Sorry to say Demar... you are what your record is... and it stinks!

And I have no patience to make excuses for this team nor to listen to them.

If you think about all the eastern teams that were on the Raptors level, not too long ago, and which have moved well ahead of the Raptors, it is pretty sobering: the Knicks, Nets, Pacers and Sixers all come to mind.

After watching the game last night... feels like any junior boys team can beat the raptors

With the raptors "strong" play right now, im sure any player we get back for bargnani will be a better scorer than him.

raptor0024 wrote:Why is everyone panicking? We are so early into the season and yes the record isn't great but don't forget we aren't the Heat, Celtics, or any other powerhouse team that's expected to finish top 5. We aren't even picked to get into playoffs by several experts.

#1 -They are 3-11 right now but look at the teams they have played and how close those games were. A young team like the raps needs to hit ground zero before they can compete. To me this isn't so bad because this helps them become better in the final minutes of games in the near future.

#2- Injuries have once again plagued the Raps as they have lost several players to injury early on in the season. Lowry's ankle was a huge hit on the Raps especially in terms of their chemistry.

#3- Trade Bargz? Well before you trade him you better make sure your getting a scorer back because their isn't a better scorer on this team than Andrea. Yeah he has his share of troubles on the defensive end and in rebounding but he was never expected to be that kind of a player. The bottom line is the dude can score. He had an off game this past weekend which is probably why the media went bananas on Colangelo . There is no other versatile player right now in the league that is 7 feet. Sure Nowitzki is terrific but with age and injuries his game isn't what it was.

#4 - TIME!!!.. this team just needs time and patience. We have gone through 2 seasons since the post Bosh era. One season being almost half a season and this season which hasn't allowed them to play together as often as they would have liked too.

We are one of the youngest teams in the league and we can only get better.

Something has to give - this is insane pathetically bad. It's down right embarassing and professionally unacceptable.

Raptor 0024... you still holding out hope and preaching patience?

This team is in disarray. No idea what they are doing on offense or with player personnel -- how many swingmen does this team need? The offensive schemes appear simplistic, and it's hardly surprising that teams catch on to what they are running, and usually stop it, as the game moves on.

Ed Stafanski really should be given a shot at taking over as GM. He has a resume from his work with the 76ers.

Dwayne Casey also has to be under the microscope. His substitution patterns are confusing to fans, so the players are likely be confused as well.

Bargnani has little basketball sense. When he's not hitting it in games he doesn't become a distributor to guys who are hot, or play in the post. He stands on the three point line and lets everyone else do the heavy lifting in the paint.

The title of this thread should be changed to "Things Can't Get Worse".

The title of this thread should be changed to "Things Can't Get Worse".

Are you sure observer... I think it could get worse... what happens if they get blown out tonight.

So, the question is... was last night rock bottom - or - can things get worse?

Funny enough... this is what keeps me watching! A good ole fashion train wreck.

Wow was I ever wrong. Raptors really stink. I think this has to be one of the most disappointing Raptors team ever if not the worst! Either split ways with Colangelo or Andrea. In my opinion they should trade Bargz and insert Ed Davis into the starting 5. If Calderon and Andrea could be put into a deal that would be even better.

Colangelo is apparently interviewing players, now, which surely must be reassuring to Coach Casey.

The ship is sinking, listing to the side, taking on water, and the captain is down in the steerage section chatting with the crew.

What a sh1t show

I agree with what Colangelo said about sharks waiting to prey on a foundering team. We need to be careful we don't get scalped in a deal.

Trades for the sake of trades do not help the cause.

I agree coach... but wow... something has to be done before this season completely and utterly falls apart.

I can see Casey getting the axe if things go awful for them tonight.

Seems something big always seems to happen when the Raps go on this west coast trip... i.e. Mitchell getting the axe, Bargs getting hurt, Kobe going for 81.

I would be shocked senseless if Casey was axed. Still its been hard to understand some of his moves this year.

Maybe you're right. Something is going to happen and soon.

Seriously... they gotta blow this thing up from top to bottom.

Get a top pick this year... and more importantly... get the top pick in 2014... i.e. Wiggins.

Getting Wiggins may be a dream that is beyond fulfilling.

I got more hope for that than much else for this current roster/team.

But hey, I keep watching the train wreck... kinda like those Leaf fans watch that club each year.

Would like to see some deals, but don't have confidence in Colangelo to be the one making them.

Nice effort last night.

Wonder what it says when you have Bargs and Lowry on the bench... not playing... and the effort and communication and body language of the team is immediately improved.

Yes observer... no confidence in BC to trade Bargs. NONE. He needs to go immediately! And have the new GM make that trade.

I personally had faith in BC for the longest time... I liked his willingness to take risks. But hey... his record is what it is and it's been a complete failure.

My patience with him has completely run it's course and it started this summer with his failing to get Nash... and now look at the mess.

I heard him interviewed a few times in the last week and his choice of words and his statements are making my skin crawl. He is totally putting the blame on Casey which is a complete load of crap.

Bye BC... thanks for coming out and putting this franchise way further behind then it was 7 years ago.

Theres a reason the Raps got Lowry so easily on the free agent market... He had no other offers.
He didn't speak to coach Kevin McHale in Houston for long stretches (months?) last season. It ended up with him being benched and not offered a contract. So there were warning signs and I'm sure most GMs in the League knew to stay away. He's a chemistry killer.

I admit I was tired of Jose's lack of defence and I was happy when we got Lowry. It looked like a good idea at the time. But the team played with way better chemistry and grit with Calderon as the leader, than this joke of a season with Lowry.
Lowry and Bargnani in the same locker room is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just another terrible sign and trade by Colangelo that most likely leaves us with no 1st round draft pick.

By dithering on trading Bargnani and Calderon, Colangelo has now painted the team into a corner on the trade front. With Bargnani injured, long term, and Lowry also out, there probably aren't enough assets left on this team to make a significant trade. He's also traded away his first rounder, unless they are a bottom three team (which appears possible, now).

He looks out of options, and chattering aimlessly about the talent being good but the focus and attention to detail being the issue, really misses the point.

He had enough cap space to add a significant player in the offseason. His free agent, Fields, was coming off a bad year where he shot the ball poorly and appeared to have regressed. Maybe Fields will contribute something, once healthy, but like the Hedo deal, it appears another misjudgment on the free agent front, from a team in need of talent, that can't afford those types of errors by its GM.

It's also hard for him to hold the players accountable for their play, when he doesn't appear to show much accountability for his mistakes, in his own public statements.

Two really good articles in the star... note how "brown noser" Doug Smith didn't write them.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/nba/article/1301901--rating-raptors-gm-bryan-colangelo-s-moves

http://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/nba/article/1302217--fire-raptors-gm-bryan-colangelo-no-point-doing-that-now-cox

cubs win! cubs win!

Bernie