<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Greg Anthony ESPN.com Bryan Colangelo has shaken things up, but this team is going to take time to develop. A lot of excitement north of the border with all the international flavor. The talent is there, but it will take time for them to jell. DIVISION RANK: 5 | CONFERENCE RANK: 13 Chris Broussard ESPN.com Signs of progress will show, but not necessarily in the win column. Still a few years away from being a real playoff contender. DIVISION RANK: 4 | CONFERENCE RANK: 12 Ric Bucher ESPN Mag They've seriously upgraded their talent, but they still won only 27 games last year. A 10-game improvement would be a nice first step for the Bryan Colangelo regime. DIVISION RANK: 3 | CONFERENCE RANK: 11 Chad Ford ESPN.com So the Euroleague gets a team in North America before the NBA gets one in Europe. GM Bryan Colangelo's international moves this summer should help the team's depth and experience problems, but the Raptors just don't have the talent to get into the playoff race. DIVISION RANK: 3 | CONFERENCE RANK: 11 John Hollinger ESPN.com The front-office soap opera is over, but it will take Bryan Colangelo at least another year to get the product on the floor up to snuff. The Charlie Villanueva trade was a step in the wrong direction, but Chris Bosh will keep them competitive. DIVISION RANK: 4 | CONFERENCE RANK: 13 Scoop Jackson ESPN.com Didn't see the plan until they got T.J. Ford. Now the picture is clear as Pella. Rasho Nesterovic in the middle, Fred "I'll Dunk On You" Jones at the two (as sixth man), Andrea Bargnani wherever and CB4 (Bosh) better. Sam Mitchell may get coach of the year. DIVISION RANK: 2 | CONFERENCE RANK: 7</div> Full story
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sam Mitchell may get coach of the year.</div> I lol'd.
Scoop is strange with the Sam Mitchell comment, even though he was the one who picked us the highest (at number 7). Regardless, I don't take these "experts" seriously anyway, none of them know jack and most of it's based on general consensus. The only ones from ESPN I respect is Marc Stein and Bill Simmons.
Well, bought the new SI yesterday and it had the Raps 10th in the East and 2nd in the Atlantic. The SLAM Preview has the team 3rd in the Atlantic.
I think Scoop has a soft spot for the Raps. He always seems to be willing to chat it up w/ Jack and the crew on Hoops...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Junoon:</div><div class="quote_post">The only ones from ESPN I respect is Marc Stein and Bill Simmons.</div> For his humour of for his actual basketball opinion? His opinions aren't very well-thought out most of the time.
<div class="quote_poster">dunksworth Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I think Scoop has a soft spot for the Raps. He always seems to be willing to chat it up w/ Jack and the crew on Hoops...</div> scoop is a hard working brotha, he needed those hoops appearance income stream so hence the generous ranking.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">For his humour of for his actual basketball opinion? His opinions aren't very well-thought out most of the time.</div> At one point it was for his basketball opinions but eventually I realized that most of his opinions are based on personal feelings and nothing too substantial. However, he is not as "ESPN"-y (which is basically another word for 'dramatic' or 'thirsty for contreversial stories') as other writers on that page. Writers like Chris Sheridan and that Gene dude just like to shove stories of 'troubled' stars (i.e- Kobe) down the public's throats while doing nothing but praising the likes of Wade and Lebron, regardless of what they do or what mistakes they make on the court. However, I still consider Simmons the best writer on ESPN for his obvious love for the sport as well as in humour and pop culture references. He doesn't take every event so dramatically as the others tend to. As for actual basketball knowledge on the net, I think Charley Rosen is excellent (foxsports). Regarding Scoop; he used to be one of my favourite writers when he used to write for Slam (his Kobe Bryant "Season on the Brink" and "Enigma" articles are still two of my favourites) but nowadays all of his articles are either annoyingly repetitive or unusually inaccurate and ridiculous. I also am beginnning to hate the way he writes his columns.
<div class="quote_poster">Junoon Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> However, I still consider Simmons the best writer on ESPN for his obvious love for the sport as well as in humour and pop culture references. He doesn't take every event so dramatically as the others tend to. As for actual basketball knowledge on the net, I think Charley Rosen is excellent (foxsports).</div> Too bad the guy's a moron and has nothing positive to say. As for the rankings. All of them are justified. With a new group of players, anything can happen. I see the Raptors as an improved team, with the potential to finish from anywhere from 7th to 12th in the East, barring injury.
Charlie Rosen does actually have a lot of basketball knowledge. It's just that the only thing that makes it onto his articles is how big an assh**e he is. Scoop just doesn't fit in at ESPN. His writing is built all on feelings and emotions, which was perfect for a magazine like Slam. On ESPN, he just stands out too much and his lack of reasoning/stats really stands out.
I would be very surprized if Sam Mitchell gets coach of the year, if we get 55+ wins then I'd understand it.
<div class="quote_poster">deception Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">same reaction</div>I think he was doing a comedy piece.