Injury Devastates Calderon Trade Value

While details are still a little vague, the one thing we do know is that Raptors point guard Jose Calderon sustained an injury in the final minute of a pre-tournament game last night that will see him miss the 2010 FIBA World Championships. This news comes amid rapid speculation that GM Brian Colangelo has been frantically trying to move the Spanish guard before the opening of training camp.
With the emergence of Jarrett Jack as the leader on and off the court of the Young Gunz (the self given nickname for the youth on the basketball team), Calderon’s role with the team had come into question. His name has been linked to trade rumours since before the draft, rumours that were substantiated when Colangelo thought he had a deal worked out with the Charlotte Bobcats, only to have the plug pulled at the last second.
With news of this injury it looks to be a certainty that Calderon will at the very least start the season in Toronto. If Raptors management is still looking to move the veteran to help in the youth movement, it looks like their best bet will be for Calderon to show he’s healthy and hope a contender comes calling at the deadline in February.
Calderon has always been among the fan favourites in this city, His free throw prowess has put him in the team’s (and league’s) record books, however his defensive deficiencies have led him to become a liability at times.
With the departure of Chris Bosh and a movement geared towards the youth of the team, Calderon’s value to the team now lies mostly in what sort of return Colangelo can get for him in a trade and this injury definitely hurts that value. Don’t get me wrong, Jose has value on the court, and from all accounts is a very good teammate and mentor to the young players, however, I just don’t see how he fits in with the direction of the team. The Raps now have a foundation that is built around Bargniani, DeRozan, Johnson, Davis and what will likely be a high lottery pick in next year’s draft. Calderon just doesn’t fit into the long term direction of the team, Colangelo knows this, and has planned according. That plan however took a major blow yesterday.

Finally a Winner in This City

The Toronto Argonauts followed up one of the most dismal seasons in franchise history in 2008 with an even more disastrous 2009 campaign. A combined 7 wins over the past two years had the Argo’s coming into the season as the #8 ranked team in the CFL. With a win tonight at the Rogers Center against their arch rivals from Hamilton, the Argos will pull back even with Montreal for first place in the East. With Anthony Calvillo’s status uncertain after dislocating at least one rib last night, the chance for the Argos is now. In a city that is starving for a playoff game of any kind, a strong second half can help put the Argos back on the map for many Torontonians.
Toronto needs a winner and the Argos have a great opportunity on their hands to bring in fans not seen since the days of Doug Flutie. The Boatmen are doing their part, Jim Barker has put an exciting, winning product on the field, now it’s time to do ours. Get out and support the Double Blue because we all know it’s been along while since Toronto sports fans have had a winner to cheer for.

To Love the Game

Love him or hate him, there’s one thing no one can argue, Brian Burke loves the game of hockey. He eat, sleeps and breathes hockey. Burke is a guy who makes no bones about being a brash, confrontational, and even sometimes a little arrogant, however, if you want to see the passion behind the man, simply pick up today’s National Post. On the front page of the sports section, Burke has written an article about the growth of hockey internationally and his proposed resurrection of the World Cup. Burke has developed the reputation for being a ‘player’s GM’, and all you have to do is read the first few paragraphs of his article to understand why. He respects the game and the athletes within it, that fact is made perfectly evident by the opening paragraphs:
Hockey is special.
In no other sport do the players, the management, the owners and the fans treat The Game with such respect. That's what they call it, too -- The Game. And everyone's actions are still guided by what's good for the game.
For the players, I believe, it is because the game is the hardest sport in the world to play. You need great athletic ability, persistence and tenacity. You need to be fearless to play a full-contact sport at high speed.
We are blessed in our game. While our players are the greatest athletes in the world, they are also the greatest ambassadors in sports. They are gracious, courteous and accommodating with fans and the media, active in their communities and patriotic. They make the game special.

For all the negativity that Brian Burke draws from his detractors, he makes one thing perfectly evident. He loves the game of hockey, the people within it and the fans who adore it. That single trait alone, despite a terrible performance last season, shows exactly why Brian Burke is without a doubt the perfect man to be the face of the franchise here in the Center of the Hockey Universe.

Burke's full article can be read here