RANT OF THE DAY
GIBBY WILL GO FIRST BUT THIS IS JP’S MESS. HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY ELSE GETS TO CLEAN IT UP
We are solidly into this season’s version of the Blue Jay game of hope. Hopefully everyone can stay healthy, and hopefully everyone can produce at their normal levels, and hopefully a couple of the young guys will come up and contribute, and hopefully the Yankees and the Red Sox will have down years and come back to the pack.
So, hopefully Scott Rolen can come back and provide the expected boost to the line-up, play at an MVP calibre pace and is able to—through maturity, leadership and, more importantly, timely hitting—lead the club into contention for the first time since JP took control of the franchise. And hopefully Matt Stairs will assume the mantle of veteran hitter that Thomas could not hold, and hopefully Overbay and Lind can provide some left handed power, and hopefully everyone can stay healthy (redux).
YES JACKIE WAS CRUCIAL BUT TWO OTHERS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL
I don’t need to expound on the importance of Jackie Robinson to the game of baseball. Anybody who has any knowledge of the history of the game knows about Jackie and what he represented. As such this week baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson Day. There they were–ballplayers on every team showing respect for the legend by wearing his number. While I certainly believe it is necessary for his mission to be remembered I also believe there are others who had an effect on the game who are not being recognized.
SAME OLD SLOW STARTING RAPS—AND GOODBYE TO THE BIG WET NOODLE
You would think after a regular season that saw them consistently put out mediocre first quarter efforts that the Raptors would begin the playoffs with the proper amount of intensity and fortitude. But a leopard doesn’t change its spots just because the season changes. A first quarter of abysmal defense caused by lacklustre effort and, to put it simply, out and out stupidity cost the club game one.
I can see in game 35 of the season how the club could begin games with a modicum of effort. I certainly don’t agree that professional athletes should be so laissez-faire when it comes to their job–but with such a long season I can see how it occurs. But this is the playoffs where 48 minutes of intensity is called for–isn’t it? So, how do they think that to casually slide over to shooters rather than close hard on them is playoff defense I don’t understand. This club has supposedly been waiting for the playoffs since they were ousted last year by the Nets–but nothing has changed. The club can’t work their way into games–it’s too late by then.
Orlando plays a very simply game–they penetrate and kick out to their shooters. The Raptor wing players need to avoid the desire to help out on the penetration and feel confident that their bigs will protect the basket. Trust is something that this club has in short supply however, and those perimeter players just kept getting sucked inside leaving shooters wide open. The club was killed by the three pointer in the opening quarter. Cut those out of the Magic arsenal and the Raps will win the series. Otherwise it will be a short series.