ESPN's First Power Rankings of the Year: Raptors #28
Ouch ..... but, is anyone really surprised? Needless to say we're some huge underdogs this season. There's nowhere but up ..... right?
Source - Marc Stein's ESPN Power Rankings28 (20) Raptors 40-42 Something tells me the combo of Hedo's departure and the usual longings here about moving the committee's offices to Toronto won't bring nearly enough comfort to our Canadian friends. Not after L'Affaire Bosh.
About what you would expect from ESPN.
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F@#% Marc Stein. I cannot remember him saying anything positive about the Raprors in recent memory. The guy is just another one of those american reporters who like taking punches at the canadian franchise.
Dumbass
Like, OMG, I totally did not see this coming. I think their real ranking, based on my predicted final record, will land them in at around #20.
I have one thing to say to Marc Stein: I think you're lazy. You have the brain power to figure this out properly, you just chose not to use it...
If ESPN elevates the Raptors pre-season power ratings that says that Bosh was really not good despite his numbers.Apollo wrote:
This becomes an attack on Riley and the Heat.
Something that ESPN does not want to do at this point.
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
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Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
Acknowledging that the Raptors are not the 3rd worst team in the league does not in any way slight the Miami Heat, which in my opinion is a completely ridiculous way to operate in the first place even though I agree with your statement. I have a bad vibe about Bosh in Miami this season. I have no logic behind it, call in intuition if you like, but I feel like something is going to happen to crash his ego stroking party. Things have a funny way of evening out in the long run... For example, if that child support farce he went through in Toronto happened in Miami it would be front page on ESPN and Charles would be talking about it on TNT at CB4's expense. I think this year is going to be a case case of "be careful what you wish for because you just might get it". Let's see how Mr.Max money reacts to not getting the opportunities to live up to his contract while the media doesn't really give a crap if he isn't getting the opportunities and slams him anyway if they falter.
Last edited by Apollo; Sat Sep 25th, 2010 at 02:06 PM.
All valid points. Another thing to consider is his knee(s). I'll be glad not to be worrying about his knee after every game. For the Heat though, I don't think it would be a huge deal if he went down because Lebron can play 1-4. I think he might be the most versatile player in the game.
Then you have the new CBA in which the owners want a hard cap. The Heat are going to be hard pressed to fill out their roster with three max money guys. For those who don't know what a hard cap is, basically its a spending limit. After you reach that limit you're done. So for example if James, Wade and Bosh eat up 90% of the cap, the y have 10% left to spend on everyone else. They can't go over it, there is no such thing as "MLE" or "luxury tax" under a hard cap model. Right now you can call the current model a soft cap.
Things might be bad for the Heat, but just imagine the Lakers with a hard cap.
-_- i actually am surprised... damn 28 rly. Juss wow, i honeslty would have bet my own mother that they would've ranked the raps 30th in the league, they actually put two teams below us... juss brings a tear to my eye
The league and players are not going to intentionally kill the golden goose franchises that lay the golden eggs for all the NBA franchises, via revenue sharing and for all the NBA players.
Anyone who thinks this and I don't know that anyone here does, just doesn't understand the economics of the entertainment business that is the NBA.
Redistribution of wealth in talent from the golden goose cities and franchises to the other franchises and cities will not happen.
Just my opinion.
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
Larger Photo of the avatar
Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
The Lakers get one vote in the owners meeting. So too do all the other "big market" teams. Who has the greater numbers are the round table? The top dogs or the league norm? How many teams needed a loan to pay the bills last year? My count is half. Big changes are coming. Most of the league doesn't benefit from big market favoritism or the current collective bargaining agreement.
We shall see. Don't bet on your position that is all I can say.
Of course after the agreement is finalized you will say that everything is a big change just to support your position but the teams in the major TV market cities will continue to be among the best with a few exceptions each year,
P.S. You nor I have any clue as to what the real financial numbers are for the league or the franchises. All we have is what some people write in the SLSM, which I consider basically worthless.
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
Larger Photo of the avatar
Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
Well that was a waste of time because you immediately went on to say
Which I agree with, because they will still have their same rosters. However, if a hard cap is employed then their reign at the top will at least be challenging to maintain instead of expected.
No, I don't know the exact numbers but I know the league had to take out a loan last year of $200M to distribute to half the league owners so that they could pay the bills. I also know that there is a group of owners who are saying that they would lose less money by just closing the doors than to continue on as is. This situation is very similar to the NHL lockout. The owners there played hardball until the players had to cave. They did this because they had no choice and not just as a negotiation tactic. It worked and now the NHL has a manageable system for the current economic environment by way of a hard cap. Needless to say, what I just said is a little more valuable than "worthless" to say the least.P.S. You nor I have any clue as to what the real financial numbers are for the league or the franchises. All we have is what some people write in the SLSM, which I consider basically worthless.
Moving on, I also know what is going on state side both politically and economically and it is troubling to say the least. They are at the dawn of a wide spread commercial real estate crisis and in position for another private real estate crisis. The real unemployment rate down there is closing in on 20%. Now then, what I do with this valuable information is I apply it to the current lockout situation and ponder what this means to both sides at the table. Who is more likely to get help to pay the bills while the lockout is on going, a big mega entity that provides jobs to thousands and generates millions for other big greedy corporations or some spoiled players who need help to pay their $10M mortgages? Track record says the government lets the people crash and burn while not allowing corporate America to weather hardly any losses. Just saying.
Last edited by Apollo; Sat Sep 25th, 2010 at 04:51 PM. Reason: Had more to say.
Hard Cap
Well I just read a very timely article that I feel helps advance the topic.Well that was a waste of time because you immediately went on to say
Which I agree with, because they will still have their same rosters. However, if a hard cap is employed then their reign at the top will at least be challenging to maintain instead of expected.
No, I don't know the exact numbers but I know the league had to take out a loan last year of $200M to distribute to half the league owners so that they could pay the bills. I also know that there is a group of owners who are saying that they would lose less money by just closing the doors than to continue on as is. This situation is very similar to the NHL lockout. The owners there played hardball until the players had to cave. They did this because they had no choice and not just as a negotiation tactic. It worked and now the NHL has a manageable system for the current economic environment by way of a hard cap. Needless to say, what I just said is a little more valuable than "worthless" to say the least.P.S. You nor I have any clue as to what the real financial numbers are for the league or the franchises. All we have is what some people write in the SLSM, which I consider basically worthless.
Moving on, I also know what is going on state side both politically and economically and it is troubling to say the least. They are at the dawn of a wide spread commercial real estate crisis and in position for another private real estate crisis. The real unemployment rate down there is closing in on 20%. Now then, what I do with this valuable information is I apply it to the current lockout situation and ponder what this means to both sides at the table. Who is more likely to get help to pay the bills while the lockout is on going, a big mega entity that provides jobs to thousands and generates millions for other big greedy corporations or some spoiled players who need help to pay their $10M mortgages? Track record says the government lets the people crash and burn while not allowing corporate America to weather hardly any losses. Just saying.
NBA owner praises NHL's hard salary cap
FAIRFAX, Va. — Washington Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsis told local business leaders Wednesday that he expects the NBA soon will have a hard salary cap similar to the NHL's model.
NBA commissioner David Stern said that's not necessarily true — and warned that Leonsis could be punished for discussing private league business.
"We're negotiating and that was one of our negotiating points," Stern told The Associated Press, "but collective bargaining is a negotiating process, and that was not something that Ted was authorized to say and he will be dealt with for that lapse in judgment.""In a salary cap era — and soon a hard salary cap in the NBA like it's in the NHL — if everyone can pay the same amount to the same amount of players, its the small nuanced differences that matter," he said.said he felt the NHL's system "is a good one."
"It's working," he said. "The teams are very, very competitive. There is no way that big markets teams can outspend small market teams. So when the season starts everyone thinks their team can compete for the Stanley Cup."
Source: The Associated Press"There's a hard cap in the NFL, there's a hard cap in the NHL, and that was something that was part of our initial proposal," Stern said. "But we're open to a deal and it depends what the deal is."
Also, here's a link the NBA board thread to further the discussion: http://raptorsrepublic.com/forums/sh...3366#post43366
Last edited by Apollo; Thu Sep 30th, 2010 at 09:01 AM.
Money is the ultimate driving force in sports. It is a business. Players do what is best for them and owners do what is best for them. Too many owners are losing money who have no shot at winning a title. Changes are coming, indeed.
I agree 100% Matt and if anyone doubts this then compare the NFL's success to the NBA. Readers Digest, the NFL is laying an ass kicking on them. This, with 16 game regular seasons, one game playoff series' and a game that's no more exciting to watch.
Last edited by Apollo; Sat Sep 25th, 2010 at 04:30 PM.
"Redistribution of wealth in talent from the golden goose cities and franchises to the other franchises and cities will not happen."
Those who oppose a fundamental change in how "stars" are positioned/retained on teams will be killing the league. Who are the have-alls going to play with?...the 4 or 5 other teams who make the real money?
Exactly. The NFL realizes it's only as strong as it's weakest link and as such insures that their entire chain is strong.
Sounds about right by just looking at NBA preseason rosters.
This, I would poster all of the media's preseason Raptor record predictions up in the locker-room, should motivate the team to work even that much harder in my mind.
TO, on paper and in the press, currently looks like a team in turmoil- time will tell.......
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