Rod Black Says- "Pathetic"

[Brandon]

This is going to be another Tim vs. Multi thread. I can feel it...

I tend to subscribe to the belief that our team is young and they will all become better defenders in time. DD, JJ, Bayless, Amir, Ed, and even Bargs are all young and I think if you keep this roster together with limited turnover, you;ll see the team defense improve exponentially in a season or two.

This is too much. I'm sick of this deluded, vapid view. Defense is an aptitude just like offense. Players have defensive skills to some degree or another. The Raptors players mostly have none. No amount of coaching schemes can make up for that. Players like Alvin Robertson and Ronnie Brewer didn't need to be coached to play great defense because they are great defensive players -- on any team.

And it's not about effort. All players expend effort. If Bargnani tried harder he'd likely just play even worse defense. He has no aptitude at all for defense. If a person who is not a brain surgeon tried really hard to perform brain surgery, he'd cause more problems than if he left well enough alone. If Bargnani expended more effort on defense, he'd overcommit to the wrong spot, leave his man too quickly or something like that. Great defenders effortlessly wreck offensive game plans. Just by standing in a certain place and holding their ground.

The only thing that will fix this team's defensive woes is new players.

[ceez]

He was a decent man defender earlier in his career, though. So there that is.

[Tim W.]

He was a decent man defender earlier in his career, though. So there that is.

No, he was still a poor man to man defender. It just looked like he had some defensive potential in that aspect. Unfortunately we didn't see the progress that we might have hoped. Also, he has regressed, so that hasn't helped.

[Raptors_]

No, he was still a poor man to man defender. It just looked like he had some defensive potential in that aspect. Unfortunately we didn't see the progress that we might have hoped. Also, he has regressed, so that hasn't helped.

At this point i just want BC to do all he can to help us become a better team. This is the first season where i started following the raptors this closely. I picked a bad season to start too. I want to see HUGE improvements.

[Brandon]

At this point i just want BC to do all he can to help us become a better team. This is the first season where i started following the raptors this closely. I picked a bad season to start too. I want to see HUGE improvements.

Well, he needs to get rid of Bargnani, and he can't do that. He cannot trade the guy he drafted 1st overall. That pick carries too much baggage (bargage?). The GM position has to be restaffed with, for once, a long-time practiced professional before the right steps can be taken.

[Tim W.]

Well, he needs to get rid of Bargnani, and he can't do that. He cannot trade the guy he drafted 1st overall. That pick carries too much baggage (bargage?). The GM position has to be restaffed with, for once, a long-time practiced professional before the right steps can be taken.

Quite frankly, none of us knows whether or not Colangelo will trade him, but he's certainly never been shy about correcting his mistakes. I can see him not wanting to give him away, but Colangelo is smart enough not to stake his job on one pick in a pretty weak draft. If he feels it's best for the team to trade Bargnani than I think he will. You and I obviously think it's best for the team, and that does seem to be the mounting opinion.