Showing posts with label Toronto Raptors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toronto Raptors. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

December 2, 2009

- This Tiger Woods story is getting crazier by the minute. As many of you know, I am not a fan of Tiger Woods at all. I find him to be arrogant and rude and pretty much bereft of character. The allegations in this story are getting a lot worse as the week progresses, but what I’m about to say may shock some of you. Leave the guy alone. It’s none of our business what happens between him and his wife, or if he’s cheating on her. What does it matter? I’m not playing it off as acceptable, I’m just saying that it’s between them, and if no crime took place, then let them work it out on their own. The one thing I do have an issue with is his withdrawal from the tournament he was hosting this weekend on behalf of The Tiger Woods Foundation. When you have a team of volunteers that work for months on end, and players who come from around the world to try to help the cause, then you need to be there. Even if you can’t play due to your “injuries”, you show up and welcome people and make a speech about the foundation. But his willingness to cancel and just stay locked up at home to avoid the media shows what I was saying all along…Tiger Woods is just a jerk. But my assessment is based on his selfish actions, not his alleged extramarital affairs and dirty text messages. (Pat O’Brien must be LOVING this story.)
- The Canadian airings of Top Chef Las Vegas are coming to a close, and I think the American broadcasts have actually finished. I’ve stayed remarkably spoiler-free on the results all season long, so please don’t ruin it for me if you know who wins. I like all 4 of the remaining chefs, and it will be disappointing to see any of them go. Any of the 4 would be very deserving winners…they did a great job this season of having the best chefs reach the end. This week, they aired a Top Chef Reunion Dinner that featured some of the most charismatic and controversial chefs from the first five seasons, all getting together and cooking a meal for each other while they discussed the show. It was pretty entertaining, mainly due to the fact that it was hosted (in broken English) by the fantastic Fabio Viviani from last season. In his honour, let’s take a moment to look back at perhaps the greatest line in the history of Top Chef, after he broke his finger in the kitchen, and it was suggested he go to the hospital: "Hospital? I'll chop it off and sear it on the flat-top so it doesn't bleed anymore, and tomorrow, I will deal with nine finger."

- No big happenings lately at my local Tim Hortons, except that for the last two days, I’ve seen an employee from McDonald’s (in the same plaza), sitting in there drinking a coffee. McDonald’s is in the middle of this giant ad campaign trying to hype up how great their coffee is, so much so that they are giving it away free in the mornings. They tried this earlier in the year, but even getting it for free couldn’t hide the fact that it tasted like swamp water. I think there’s no better message than seeing someone from the place that is giving away the FREE coffee to everyone, and seeing them walk across the parking lot to go have a coffee somewhere else.

- I saw what may be the most ridiculous (and stupidest) thing I’ve ever seen on a hockey rink. Wait, let me amend that…it actually may be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen on any sporting field/surface. If you haven’t seen the footage of the Florida Panthers’ Keith Ballard nearly decapitating his own goalie, check out this clip. What an absurd moment, and a reminder that idiotic and infantile behaviour on the playing field should not and can not be tolerated. I hope all young hockey players (including my son) see this clip, as cringe-inducing as it is, for the sole reason that it would serve as an excellent deterrent to anything like this happening again. Thank God hockey players wear as much gear as they do, or Voukoun could have been hurt a lot more severely than he was.

- Last week, I told Lucas that we had to go out on Tuesday night to get a flu shot. He already had his the week before, but I told him that my girlfriend and I still had to get ours, and that he had to come with us. So we drove over to the Kitchener Auditorium, where I said the flu clinic was, and when we got there and saw all the cars, I said “Wow, it looks like it’s going to be a pretty long line tonight. We might be here a while.” We got inside and there were lots of people everywhere, some handing out towels and thundersticks, many of them wearing Kitchener Rangers jerseys. (I know you see it coming now)

I went to the box office and told him that was where I had to give my health card. Then I turned to him after I was done and showed him the tickets, saying “By the way, there’s no flu clinic tonight, we’re going to the Rangers-Knights hockey game.” His jaw pretty much dropped, and he was so excited. We had a great night, even though the Rangers lost…badly. We’re taking him to a Raptors game in 2 weeks, and he has no idea. We’re going to surprise him again.

Monday, November 23, 2009

November 23, 2009

Vince Carter returned to Toronto yesterday and lit up the Raptors in the second half, as he has been doing with some regularity in the past few seasons. As usual, every time he touched the ball, a chorus of boos rained down on him from Raptors fans. I had to laugh at this quote that I read in the paper this morning.

After the game, Carter said he doesn’t know why he’s still portrayed as the bad guy in Toronto. “I don’t know why they are booing me to be honest,” Carter said.

Really, Vince? You don’t know? You can’t fathom why these people still can’t stand the sight of you? After being a hero in Toronto, and becoming one of the biggest names in the NBA…a perennial All-Star and an NBA Slam Dunk champion…and arguably putting the Toronto Raptors on the map…you don’t think the breakup was a little bitter?
Between the constant ramblings of your crazy mother in the media, and your incessant whining about wanting to go to “a contender”, you don’t think things were bound to leave a sour taste in the mouths of Raptors fans? Add in the element that we got jack-squat in return for you in potentially the worst trade ever made by a candidate for the “Worst GM of all-time in ANY sport” (which admittedly wasn’t technically YOUR fault, but I still blame you for forcing Rob Babcock’s hand), but then you came out and said publicly that you stopped trying in Toronto.

That’s why you get booed every time you touch the ball. Not because of all that other crap…but because you quit on us. You flat out quit. And that’s pretty despicable.

Now, having said all of that, I’m not sure it’s the best course of action to keep booing him every time he comes back, because he clearly uses it as motivation to play well and bury us every time he plays the Raptors. But…as Raptors fans know, and now Nets fans know, and Orlando Magic fans are soon to learn…Vince Carter is an arrogant prima donna who is no longer relevant in the NBA. What bigger message can be sent than getting traded for Tony Battie, Courtney Lee, and Rafer Alston. Rafer Alston!

Have fun fading away in Florida.

And say hi to your mom for me.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

November 12, 2009

Gotta catch up on a few things, so let's go back to the classic Random Thoughts format:

- Other than a picture and a brief mention last week, I've done nothing to commemorate the New York Yankees winning the World Series last week. As a lifelong Yankees fan, it was nice to see another title for the first time in almost a decade. And before any of you accuse me of being a bandwagon-jumper, and cheering for the Yankees once they started becoming successful in the mid-90s, I'll point out that I was a Yankees fan in the lean years...the Andy Hawkins years...the Kevin Maas years...the last place in the AL East years. 1994 was my first sniff of the playoffs, and that was ruined by the strike. 1996 was the first time I had seen them win the World Series, so it was nice to see them get back to the peak again.

Everyone talks about the Yankees' payroll, and I'll admit that it is out of control, and has been for a number of years. But let's remember the players that are the core of the unit that has won championships in the past 15 years: players like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Bernie Williams. These are the guys that were drafted and groomed in the minors by the Yankees.
Congrats on the 27th World Championship. I'm thrilled that they won again, and I really enjoyed watching the games this year (more than other years). Since I don't like Alex Rodriguex, it's a tad bittersweet since he now has the World Series ring I hoped he would never get. Aside from the fact that he's everything that's wrong with baseball, and a cheater...he's orange. I mean, he's FREAKING ORANGE! He looks like an Oompa Loompa!
- I didn't do a recap of The Amazing Race on Sunday for a couple of reasons. First of all, because it was a pretty lame episode. Why on earth did they bring back such a great challenge like the hay bales if they weren't even going to eliminate anyone? Second of all, I wanted to just enjoy Josh Wolk's final recap at Entertainment Weekly. I've mentioned Josh and his writing numerous times on this blog, but he has left EW and is now the editor at Vulture.com, the Entertainment blog for New York Magazine. While I'll miss his humour (Canadian spelling!) at EW, it's just a short click away for another thing to read. I'll put a link up on the sidebar for those of you that have become fans. Good luck, Josh!

- Survivor has been pretty good the last couple of weeks. Eric's blindside was rather entertaining considering how arrogant he was being at Tribal Council, and when Russell found a second immunity idol this week (again with NO CLUES!) , it put his alliance it a great position. Two weeks ago, they went into the merge down 8-4, and now with Shambo flipping, the two sides are even 5-5. Should be a great finish.
I love how CBS and Jeff Probst built him up prior to the premiere as "the biggest vilain in Survivor history." It seems like they may have been trying to throw us off the trail of just how strong a player he would be. I may even argue that he's the best player in the history of the game.

- I read today that they're making a Saw VII. Really? The first one was great, and very original...but the sequels have been horrible. Is a seventh one really necessary?

- I went to the Toronto Raptors-Chicago Bulls game last night and had a great time. Enjoyed a great day with great company in Toronto, had an awesome dinner on Front Street, and a blast at the game, which saw the Raptors come from behind in the fourth quarter to win. Fantastic day!

The most confusing thing though, was that on not one...but two occasions, I saw somebody wearing a Jose Calderon jersey. Seriously? Who the $%@# wears a Calderon jersey?

And no, one of them wasn't actually Jose Calderon...