I’m going to have to take a whole whack of drugs to get to sleep tonight. Why? Because tomorrow’s the first pre-season game of the 2007-08 season! And not only are we getting our first glimpse of our improved Raps, but we’re treated to the first glimpse at the Boston Celtics – Celebrity Edition. It’s the cherry on top of my Saturday sunday. Depending on how much I drink tonight, I’ll either keep a running diary during the game or a quarter-by-quarter commentary.
But for today, I thought I’d introduce a new feature: “Potent Quotables”, compiling some of the more entertaining sound bytes from our favorite squad.
I was going to go with “Raps Rap”, but couldn’t resist a Jeopardy reference. (“What is: pathetic?”)
Coming to you from Italy:
“I really believe the better teams are better defensively because they’re consistent. They know in certain situations what they’re going to do.” – Sam Mitchell
Hmmm….so knowing what you’re going to do is better than NOT knowing what you’re going to do? Thanks for the pearl of wisdom, Smitch. How come he didn’t share this secret with the Raptors during last year’s playoffs, when we looked more confused and disorganized than my co-ed intramural team (0-3!)?
“Now you see what I left. (In Toronto) when I look out my office on a sunny day, I see railway tracks and grey buildings. Here, when I look out my office on a sunny day, I see beautiful girls playing beach volleyball. You see what I gave up.” – Maurizio Gherardini
And Maurizio, we appreciate the sacrifice. In fact, I think we should do something to thank the Assistant GM for all the smooth six-foot Italian ladies he gave up to stare at an unsightly steel stack of 400sq. ft condos. My proposal? Every Wednesday, MLSE hires promotional models to throw on bathing suits and litter the downtown core. We’ll give ‘em a volleyball, a soccer ball, hell, they can flip pizza dough – whatever Maurizio wants. It’s the least we can do (and the most, all at the same time).
“I’m happy. It’s something unique to be in my [home] country with my NBA team, so I do everything I can.” – Andrea Bargnani
Don’t you wish the 81% of NBA players who DO play in their home country would do everything they could, both on and off the court?
“I get here to Toronto, the first thing I saw with my wife is ‘wow, people are walking around, even with highways and everything!’” – Carlos Delfino
Because Detroit’s that bad. You can’t walk without a Kevlar umbrella. It literally RAINS bullets.
This move to Toronto will be good for Carlos on a number of levels. Not only will he get some significant playing time, he can finally leave his home after dark.
“Oh yeah, that’s my thing, pro-am, you’ll see me every year. Aaah, my team…it was me, Damon Stoudamire, Daniel Ewing that was with the Clippers, John Lucas Jr., Terrence Morris, Josh Smith, Sean Williams that just got drafted by New Jersey. On other teams you know you’ve got Rashard Lewis, Sam Cassell, Steve Francis, Mike James, Moochie Norris, a lot of people. We made it to the championship but we lost.”
Is John Lucas Jr. the same player as John Lucas III? Regardless, I just think it’s adorable they’ve arranged play-dates during their summer break. And can you imagine Stevie Frachise, Mike James, Sam Cassell, Rashard Lewis, and Moochie Norris all occupying the same locker room? Talk about the over/underachieving All-Stars.