Doug Smith, Toronto Star columnist (and Mitchell bed-buddy) at it again. In his mailbag, he was asked this question:
Q: How crazy is it that both Philly and Atlanta, the 2 teams that a lot of people didn’t want in the playoffs with a rejigged playoff format, are tied with the 2 top teams in the NBA?
And will that impact BC’s decision with Sam, since Maurice Cheeks and Mike Woodson managed to coach their less talented teams to one more win than Toronto got, despite playing against tougher teams.
His Answer:I’ll answer your question with a question:Who would you rather have starting for your team: The all-star Joe Johnson and Josh Smith or Anthony Parker or Jamario Moon? Or, Andre Iguodala and Willie Green or Anthony Parker or Jamario Moon.
Seriously. Ask yourself the question. Give yourself an honest answer.
Um, honest answer: I’d rather have Jose Calderon/TJ Ford over Mike Bibby and “the all-star” Chris Bosh instead of Marvin Williams. I’d also rather a bench that doesn’t score 4 points collectively a game (THEIRS, last night). Yet, they beat the league’s best team. TWICE. in a row.
And rather Forderon over Andre Miller. Bosh over Iguoadala.
You can pick positions, but a good coach magnifies his team’s strengths and negates their shortcomings with a sound gameplan. Two Delfino jumpers with Howard in foul trouble are inexcusable — plays need to be called and respected.
Atlanta and Philly are both playing vastly better teams - Boston and Detroit are the only two Eastern Conference teams mentionable in the same breath as the West. Yet, Woodson and Cheeks have both inspired passionate and heady efforts, (Contrast: Sam often had to call timeouts 2 minutes into the game or the half to foot-stomp and ask his guys to stop giving up dunks).
The players aren’t absolved from that anemic lack of vigour, but it’s safe to say: With Sam Mitchell at the helm, the team isn’t inspired with a confidence to have a puncher’s chance to play above their level.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:28 am
So according to Smith:
Orlando (3) - Toronto (6) is > Boston (1) - Atlanta (8).
How convenient. That must be the same math he used to conclude that Toronto’s crowd was only a little bit louder than Orlando’s.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Don’t question him,
he’ll cite his ardent journalism (rotator-cuff endangering softball lobbing) since the franchise’s inception, and defend his basketball astigmatism by saying “you haven’t talked to anyone around the team” and so are therefore unqualified to have an opinion on anything to have to do with the game.
QED
April 29th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I just posted this comment in another thread, but it seems more relevant to this discussion:
These two links perfectly demonstrate my issues with the media:
1- First you have the homers. These people will avoid the elephant in the room at all costs to remain true to their misguided #1 cause: Politics. Isn’t the media supposed to offer an independent voice? If so, then why wouldn’t Chuck at the very least illustrate some of his frustrations with what went wrong with the team? I mean, he DID pick them in six.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/swirsky.html
2- Vescey. At least he had the decency as Chuck said to “man up”. But printing untrue gossip is also not true to what should be the #1 cause for the media. Guys like this hurt the credibility of the entire motion to fire Sam.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292008/sports/ill_take_rap_for_sam_slam_108642.htm
April 29th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
The problem is that doug smith probably gets his paychecks indirectly from the raptors. If they don’t want him to say the coach is god-awful, he’ll say whatever makes it look like the opposite
April 29th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Paraphrased, Bosh had this to say at a press conference today:
“I know traditionally we are always talking about whether we made our shots, but we should be talking about our defensive effort/game as even great offensive teams will go through a slump”"
Ouch
April 29th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Depending on the degree to which that was paraphrased, I think that it might be a key point in Bosh’s exit interview for the summer with BC.
April 29th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I didn’t believe that Vecsey article from the get go. I don’t think it’s a question of work ethic with Sam, but more whether he is open to considering what his work ethic should be applied to.
Here’s more Doug Smith math for you applied to the Denver Nuggets: Who would you rather have Carmelo or _______, Iverson or ________, Camby or _________. Apparently the ‘team’ means nothing in the playoffs according to Doug’s logic, let’s just name random big names and pass that off as analysis. lol @ naming Willie Green in SUPPORT of his argument.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:21 am
DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYTHING DOUG SMITH SAYS– HE IS NOT A RELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION.
THINK OF JAYSON BLAIR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES WHEN YOU THINK OF DOUG SMITH.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:52 am
agreed, it just irks that he’s given such an authoritative podium to be the end-all voice for all things Raptor, when he’s so decidedly biased.
Sheeple all over Canada routinely write in with plaudits.
Directly showcasing some of this brainwashing, is all we can do to keep things even.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:37 am
yeah, i’ve sorta given up reading DSmith. he just comes across as condascending, holier-than-thou BS artist. why, how DARE we question the coach? WE AREN’T IN THE LOCKER ROOM! WE DIDN’T TALK TO THE PLAYERS! obviously, only those with ‘intimate’ contact w/ the team are allowed to have an opinion. riiiight.