Linkage – July 5
As for hosting a Raptors regular-season game, I peg the chances at almost nil unless the state’s going to subsidize the event with its abundant gasoline tax revenues. The cheapest lower-bowl seat in the Air Canada Centre goes for $70 . . . and that’s the season-ticket price. Sideview seats fetch $144 a game in the season package. Bring in the Lakers and Kobe Bryant and Buffalo fans might take the financial hit. Otherwise, forget it. Remember, there’s a reason the Bills are shifting some games up north.
While no agreement has been signed and the National Basketball Association team hasn’t finalized dates for training camp, it appears the Toronto Raptors will spend the better part of a week this fall at Carleton University preparing for the regular season.
“There’s nothing confirmed and we’re still in the process of exploring that option,” Raptors director of media relations Jim LaBumbard said yesterday.
“But we’re looking at somewhere around Sept. 29 or the first or second of October. We should have everything worked out by early August.”
The team would likely spend five days at Carleton and have two closed practices a day, with other events involving the public, such as camps and scrimmages.
Two potential obstacles to holding camp at the Ottawa school are the availability of facilities and any possible disruptions for Carleton students.
The success of the Ravens’ basketball program was a big reason for the decision to come to Ottawa. The Ravens won five straight Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s titles before falling 82-80 in double overtime to the Acadie Axemen in the semifinals in March.
“That is definitely a big part of it,” said LaBumbard. “Their coach (Dave Smart) has been to a few of our practices in the past and we’re starting to build a relationship.”
maybe there will be some good in Bargnani’s summer after all. He will be on the cover of select editions of EA Sports’ NBA Live ‘09. He will be on the cover of versions sold in Italy, according to Player1 Magazine. Tony Parker will be on the cover on most worldwide copies of the game, while Pau Gasol (Spain) and Luol Deng (United Kingdom) will also grace covers in their home countries.
Bargnani, of course, did little to deserve the honour. The first pick of the 2006 Draft had an awful year in which his scoring and rebounding averages dropped. He also managed to shoot an abysmal 38.6% from the field. He recently lost his starting spot with the team, when the Raptors acquired Jermaine O’Neal from Indiana.
Perhaps Raptors fans will benefit from the cover, though. Maybe there is some sort of reverse Madden jinx involved with the Italian editions of NBA Live.
VIDEO: Chris Bosh interview
If we’re raising a stink about Chris Kaman weaseling his way onto the German national basketball team, why aren’t there any snide remarks about the fact that U.S. team member Chris Bosh draws a salary from Canada’s Toronto Raptors?
Professional sports teams and leagues are taking note of a proposal to allow Las Vegas-style gambling in provincial casinos.
“We’ve talked about this internally, but we don’t see this issue affecting our organization or teams at all,” said John Lashway, senior vice-president of communications for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment.
Last year, the province sent a letter to Niagara Falls MP and justice minister Rob Nicholson, urging the federal government to amend the Criminal Code of Canada and create “sportsbooks.”
These would permit people to wager the outcome of individual sports games as opposed to the multiple “parlay” betting that exists under Pro-Line, the government-run lottery.
It’s a plan the province believes will boost sagging casino revenues and give ailing border communities like Niagara Falls and Windsor a leg up on its counterparts in Western New York and Michigan, where sports betting is not allowed.
On July 31, Swirsky will sign off from the FAN590, where he hosts the station’s afternoon show. Until then, as he has in his time with the Raptors, Swirsky will continue to make himself available to basketball fans, interacting with them, answering their calls and e-mails. It was one such exchange that led to his now famous signature call of a Toronto victory, one of the many topics he discussed when he sat down with the Post.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Slow news day.
So… what player are we going to get for the minimum (15th roster spot)?
Spudzs last blog post..The Red and The Black | Stendhal
Jul 5th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
15th? Raps are not going to have 15 last I heard. 13-14 man roster is the plan. But things change but that was last I heard.
James Dino Nation Bloggers last blog post..The First Raptor From Canada Should Be….
Jul 5th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
What I meant was… who else are we going to get that is going to sit for roughly the whole season, ala Maceo Baston?
Spudzs last blog post..The Red and The Black | Stendhal
Jul 7th, 2008 at 9:50 am
If it is just to sit in a suit. I vote for Charles Oakley.
1. His suits were wild
2. If things get out of hand he can still throw some bombs
No this is not serious but the points made are. Oakley was a funky dresser and a bad man!!!
James Dino Nation Bloggers last blog post..Dino Nation Post Office Re-Opening