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This is the video that Comcast showed at the end of the telecast last night, the 26 years of Sacramento Kings Basketball in five glorious minutes.

Enjoy

To be honest, I wasn’t going to watch the Sacramento Kings potential last game last night.

The NHL Playoffs were on, and being a Vancouver Canucks fan their game conflicted with me watching the game. But the Canucks game ended early and despite Sacramento being down by double digits in the fourth, I decided to tune in and see a sold-out Arco Arena one more time.

I love the Kings, when I first started following and watching basketball, they were the team I played with on NBA Live, when I started becoming more of a basketball nerd the Kings/Lakers rivalry was something I watched on bootlegged Youtube videos over and over. I am a huge Fab Five fan so Chris Webber is one of my favorite players, Jason Williams on the Kings is something I can talk about for hours. So this was something that I had to watch.  

I was glad I did.

As most of you know by now, the Kings gave Sacramento one last memory and that “Arco Thunder” we haven’t heard in a long time came back for one final quarter. And even though Kobe ruined the moment, we were all still treated to a special moment.

But after all the tweets, talking about the great memories the Kings have given us through the years and how we are going to miss them, I had a very uneasy feeling about this whole situation.

I started to think about the whole situation, about how a fan base that has supported a team that for the last 25 years hasn’t exactly been the greatest basketball product. But when the Kings got a winner, they got behind it and were one of the toughest arenas to play in for most of the late ’90s and early 2000′s.

It is understandable that the kings attendance numbers are down, when you haven’t made the playoffs in awhile and are rebuilding, that’s what happens. It is common sense to assume that with losing come less attendance, especially in a small market where going to a Kings game isn’t a event like going to watch the Lakers, Knicks, or Celtics is.

But that does not mean the Kings fans have stopped supporting the team and that basketball is dead there, which would justify a move to another city.

Consider these attendance stats:

• The Sacramento Kings have the most sell-outs out of any team in the NBA since their inaugural year (1990-91)
• Arco Arena’s sell-out capacity is only 300 seats more than the NBA’s average home attendance
• If the Sacramento Kings SOLD OUT every home game they would be ranked No. 15 in attendance
• Except the strike shortened 1998-99 season The Kings have had one season in the entire 26 years of their Sacramento existence in which the team was over .500 and ARCO wasn’t sold out every game

Let me repeat that. Every time the Kings were competitive, Arco Arena was filled for EVERY game. That is something you rarely see in today’s NBA, where you get situations like in Atlanta and Miami where there are empty seats for potential playoff match ups.

Combine the factors of having a losing team and a small arena and it makes sense why the Kings attendance numbers look bad. When you have to fill an arena every night with a losing team that struggles to compete just to finish in the middle of attendance, you are destined to fail. The only thing the Kings attendance records indicate is that Arco Arena needs remodelling or a new arena needs to be built and nothing else.

“Relocation is a move to temporarily increase ticket sales for a poor product” Think about it. The only example of a recent relocation situation that is a clear success is Oklahoma City, and that is due to the fact that they are winning early in their existence.

Teams like Memphis and New Orleans have experienced problems selling tickets when their teams aren’t contending and you could argue the point that without the spike in attendance you get from being a new team that New Orleans and Memphis would have relatively the same ticket sales as the cities before them had.

So will moving a team to Orange County, a city that already has the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, the MLB’s Angels and two NBA franchises within driving distance be a viable long-term market for the NBA? No, but they have a new arena and the Maloof brothers clearly won’t go back to Arco Arena under any circumstances.

This is the new era of the NBA, and professional sports for that matter. The small markets that grow a bond with their team don’t get to keep them, but if you build a new arena they will find a way to get a team in that building no matter the cost.

No one wants to see this, no city deserves this, but as we hear over and over again sports is a business, even though it isn’t.

Basketball is probably leaving Sacramento, and I am still holding out hope that a great fan base gets their new arena and keeps their team. I just hope that this is the last time that we as NBA fans let a city lose their team under these circumstances.

Thanks Sacramento for all the memories.

Side Note: Follow @HereWeStay on twitter for more updates on the situation in Sacramento

With Miami sitting out Bosh, Wade, James, and for some odd reason Mike Miller, there is no real point to giving you guys a boring preview about how the Raptors will deal with Joel Anthony, I would like to thank everyone instead.

Thanks to the players, the fans, the coaches, the people who read this blog and support it. You are a huge part of this and I couldn’t thank everyone enough. 

Keep posted during the off season and during the playoffs for general NBA coverage and Raptors news.

It has been a long season and here is to hoping there is no lockout so we can get back to this as quick as possible.

Enjoy the game, and enjoy the off season. Thank you

With one game left in the Raptors season, there seems to be more talk about the draft then the next game and that “r” word is coming up more and more around Dino Nation. You see it in blogs, on twitter, you hear the hopes and dreams of a Kyrie or maybe a Harrison Barnes falling our way in the draft. But no matter what that “r” word is the word of the moment.

Rebuild.

It is a beautiful word isn’t it? It takes the sting out of losing, it gives a fan base hope, it gives us something to look forward to.

Rebuilding is what makes everyone a contender on Opening Night, what gets us reading mock drafts, it keeps fans invested long after the games are over.

Rebuilding gives us something to talk about. The Blogs. The Beat Writers. The Radio Show Hosts. The Big Sportswriters. Rebuilding is the best thing in the world. 

But it is a tricky thing, that rebuilding word becomes a cop out. An excuse. A way to sugarcoat failure, and the bad moves management made to get them in rebuild mode in the first place.

Rebuilding buys bad GM’s time, buys bad players extra contracts, justifies cutting salary and trading for draft picks.

Rebuilding is a dirty word when you come to think of it. It is the excuse that a team that is down on it’s luck uses to compensate. It is the snake oil of sports.  

But that’s the reality of life as a Raptors fan after this week, talking not about the playoffs, but about the lottery, then about the draft, then about free agency, then Summer League.

And if we lose 50+ games again next year?

Hey we are just rebuilding, didn’t you listen?

In a nightmare season, things never seem to get easier for the Raptors.

After losing to Chicago 113-106, the Raptors face another Eastern Conference contender on a tail end of a very difficult back to back stretch. The Magic are banged up, but they still have Dwight Howard who will be able to take advantage of Toronto’s weak inside presence as usual.

J.J. Redick and Chris Duhon will likely be out of tonight’s game giving Toronto a bit of an edge at the guard position, but Jose Calderon is still day-to-day after missing last night’s game against the Bulls.

Jerryd Bayless had a great start last night, putting up a 26 point 4 rebound and 8 assist night against the Bulls, one would expect him to get a well deserved second start to see what he does with the role.

Also expect a lot of playing time for Reggie Evans who hopefully will get the Dwight Howard assignment, Evans is clearly Toronto’s best defensive post player and his brand of hustle defense makes players uncomfortable which is something the Raptors can clearly use tonight.

Also expect a icy reception for Hedo Turkoglu as he returns to the ACC tonight, as everyone knows Hedo earned the hate of Dino Nation last year when he clearly mailed it in for the Raptors during their second half collapse then was traded out of town to the Suns for Leandro Barbosa.

The ACC fan has an obvious reputation for booing former players (See: McGrady, Tracy and Carter, Vince) so expect to hear the rain of boos whenever Turkoglu touches the ball. The Raptors also have a reputation for having their former players have great games in their returns so be prepared for an inspired performance from Hedo.

Tip-off is at 6:00 PM EST and is on TSN2

Derrick Rose is having a MVP like season, at least according to the fans.

Rose is hearing “M-V-P” chants in nearly every building he has played in since March, and the chants should get louder has he returns home tonight to face the Raptors, who are without starting point guard Jose Calderon.

Jerry Bayless gets the assignment tonight, getting his eighth start as a Raptor, Bayless seems to play better has a starter averaging 14 PPG while in the starting lineup as opposed to 6 PPG coming off the bench.

“You know you’re going to play and you’re going to play a lot freer,” Bayless said after practice Friday. “It’s just different. I’ve been happy here whether it’s starting or coming off the bench but I think anybody’s going to play a little bit better when they’re starting.”

That attitude towards starting hopefully will get Bayless going in an important match up against the league’s best point guard this year.

The Raptors won their last game against Chicago 118-113 despite 38 points from Rose, who upped the scoring load in Carlos Boozer’s absence.

Andrea Bargnani appears to be healthy after missing last Saturday’s game against the Clippers, Bargnani scored 22 points in his return against the Bucks and will as always be a huge part of the Raptors game plan against the Bulls.

Tip-off is at 8:00 PM EST and the game will be on Sportsnet One in Canada and WGN in the United States.

March Madness has came and went, and we are at that time where everyone’s brackets are nothing more than paper recycling and we have four teams left.

With no #1 seed in the mix and two very balanced first round match ups, there is no clear favorite in this year’s Final Four, but there is a wealth of great story lines.

Can VCU carry their momentum after a weeks layoff? Can Butler make it two years in a row in the National Championship Game? Will UConn and Kentucky be able to deal with the rumours of NCAA infractions surrounding their programs? This week has produced great scenarios around Saturday and today should produce two very good games.

And like last week, I am here to embarrass myself with my breakdown of the games, as well as my horrible predictions you definitely shouldn’t take into consideration when you make your wagers today (I believe I was 0-4 last weekend)

#11 VCU vs #8 Butler

In what is probably the least likely Final Four match up of all-time, the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and the Butler Bulldogs match up in the ultimate battle of the underdogs for a spot in the National Championship.

In a game where someone has to be the favorite, Butler will have to assume the role as they are 40 minutes away from returning to the title game, where they barely lost to Duke a year ago.

Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack have stepped up and replaced former teammate and Utah Jazz lottery pick Gordon Hayward and their hard nosed defense and hustle play has gotten the Bulldogs back to where no one thought they could go.

VCU’s path to the Final Four has been crazy, from a unlikely First Four bid, to a win over USC, then upsetting four more power conference teams, the Rams have done it all on their way to Houston. They have gotten here the same way Butler has, through hard nosed defense and veteran leadership.

What separates VCU from Butler is the Rams love for the three ball. VCU launched 895 three pointers this year and has been riding a 44% 3Pt percentage all the way to Houston. If VCU wants to finish of this season with a storybook ending then the hot shooting needs to continue.

Keys to the Game

VCU

Shooting and Transition

It is no secret that VCU is a team that feeds off of momentum, we have seen this all tournament and especially in their first half dismantling of the Jayhawks last Sunday. So outside shooting and getting out in transition will be huge for the Rams, especially off of turnovers, if VCU can force Butler into turnovers out of their stingy pressure defensive schemes and create fast buckets, it will be a huge part of their road to victory.

Butler

Perimeter D and Protecting the Ball

Butler forces teams into playing out of their game and suffocates almost all offensive life out of them. That is why they were here last year, and that’s why they are here again.

Last year they held Michigan State to ZERO fast break points in this very game, and if they do that again VCU is going to find themselves in a world of trouble as they don’t score well in a half-court set. If Butler is going to keep VCU in the half-court, they obviously will need to protect the ball. This hasn’t been a problem for the Bulldogs so far, but it absolutely killed the Jayhawks last weekend.

Once Butler has the Rams in the halfcourt, they will need to keep them from going off from behind the 3pt line, there hasn’t been a defensive scheme that has prevented VCU from doing what they do so far, so my only assumption is Butler is going to have to dig deep and maybe let the Rams get some post up chances and bank on Matt Howard’s defense on the low block to avoid getting burned by VCU’s shooting

Prediction: I have gotten burned by VCU before in this tournament, but I honestly think Butler will find a way to slow down the Rams in a way Kansas couldn’t. Butler has seemed to have the magic all tournament. The Bulldogs will win this in a closs one.

#4 Kentucky Vs. #3 UConn

While the other game features two relatively new players on the tournament scene, there is nothing new about seeing these two teams in the Final Four.

UConn is back here on a crazy nine game winning streak stretching from the Big East Tournament. A huge part of that run is star guard Kemba Walker’s clutch play down the stretch, Walker has been picking apart defenders in every way possible and has risen his draft stock while doing so.

Kentucky has a star of its own in Brandon Knight, who along with Terrance Jones give that familiar freshman feel to this Coach Cal led team. The question is; can these freshmen finally get it done?

We all still remember Derrick Rose’s Memphis Tigers team having that epic collapse against the Jayhawks in the National Championship Game, and the question of freshmen being able to handle the pressure is a very real and very scary aspect of this matchup.

Keys to the Game

Kentucky

Freshmen Play

As stated before, the key to Kentucky’s success is the play of Jones and Knight and how they react to the high pressure situation of playing in the Final Four. We have seen underclassment fold under the spotlight year after year in this tournamnet and John Calipari knows all about how badly things can go if his freshmen get the jitters.

Kentucky needs to make sure they don’t have a early letdown and that Jones and Knight get rolling right from the start. If this happens the jitters should be a non-issue.

UConn

Balanced Attack

Kemba Walker obviously has been getting all the headlines throughout this crazy Huskies run, but things started turning around for them once Walker started getting support from the rest of his teammates on offense. UConn will need another stong team effort if they are going to deal with a very good and very talented Kentucky team.

Prediction: This game is a toss up, but seeing as I have to pick a winner I am going to go with UConn with off of the performance of Walker and Jeremy Lamb.

APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may be one of those fans that follows every detail of your team from stats to scores. You always throw the best game day parties and need of StorageMart during the off season to store all your Toronto Raptors merchandise. While your interest in sports in a great bonding experience for you and friends, it can also be a way to connect with your kids.

Here’s a list of some of the events slated for this summer.

The upcoming Raptors Basketball Academy, presented by Adidas, will be held the week of July 26th through July 31st. This is the official summer camp of the Toronto Raptors, which is returning for it’s fifth season. The academy is designed to offer young athletes, ages 8 to 17, the chance to develop many essential key skills for playing the game, such as ball handling, shooting, passing, and leadership skills. The kids will be taught by Toronto Raptor’s players, coaches, and other development staff. Some of the confirmed participants include DeMar Derozan and Sonny Weems. Other special guests and appearances will be announced along with other updates. To view additional information fans can check out the Raptors’ website or the team’s official Facebook page.

Another camp opportunity is the Raptors Clinic Series, presented by Purolator. This series offers young fans and athletes the similar opportunity to be taught techniques by Raptor’s players, coaches, and other development officials during a one-day training session held at the Air Canada Centre. This is designed for both boys and girls.

If you want the kids to have a healthy,outdoor activity, but not necessarily basketball, the Raptors will be participating in the NBA’s FIT Program. This is the league’s comprehensive health and wellness program that is designed to promote healthy and active lifestyles for both children and adults. Encouraging physical activity and healthy living practices, through events, products, and other programs. This is an all-yearlong program.Check out the NBA’s FIT website for details.

If you want to get into the Raptor spirit look at some of the additional events happening around the country and in your area. There’s always excellent events like these that keeps the ball rolling all year round for anyone looking to share their team spirit and get involved in your community at the same time.

I came home from school today planning on finally writing a Raptors article, which I will get to you later today, but as I usually do I go on twitter and check out various websites for some news and etc. And while I rarely ever go on ESPN’s website anymore I checked out Tim Keown’s article on why VCU and Butler are capturing the nation’s attention and why they are mid-major schools are suddenly experiencing success in the tournament.

While i disagree with many of his points, his article did give me the motivation to write a response to his article, so he obviously did his job.

The main thing I disagreed with is that the reason that the mid major schools are succeeding is because the one and done rule is killing the big schools and that schools like Butler and VCU are thriving is because they have the advantage of playing as a “team”

Keown says (of UNC star Harrison Barnes)

Nothing against Barnes. It’s just that he’s the one who thought to pass to himself in an Elite Eight game at a time when it’s becoming increasingly clear that balancing team basketball and future NBA plans is not the simple act we once supposed. For what it’s worth, I’d pay to see Barnes play before I’d pay to see any single player on VCU or Butler.

This is the first statement I don’t agree with. Harrison Barnes was UNC’s best player did what  thousands of college basketball players have done before him, made a high risk play in a high pressure situation. One play by a guy who hasn’t been a selfish player all season does not start a debate on how college basketball has stopped being a team game.

Keown then goes on to attack Kyrie Irving saying:

But there are times when the floor isn’t open and the flow isn’t there and the strain shows. Kyrie Irving is another fabulous freshman talent, but his play against Arizona is the main reason the Blue Devils’ season ended before most people thought it would. (Coach K’s willingness to hand the game over to Irving had something to do with it, too.) 

It was nearly impossible to believe that Duke’s game plan was to have Irving take over while the best player on the court — Nolan Smith — was reduced to an innocent bystander. That’s what happened, though; and even though Irving scored 28 points and often looked pretty doing it, the game drifted away from Duke and never came back. 

Here’s the deal: When I’m watching these guys play, I can’t help but think I’m watching an audition, players playing to improve their draft status. If they can do that and help their teams win, all the better; but all too often, it looks like it’s more important to get shots than play team basketball.

First off, Kyrie Irving was playing hurt and was still clearly the best player Duke had in that game, and while Nolan Smith may not have been the primary ball-handler he disappeared on his own, Irving was not pulling an Allen Iverson. In fact the majority of Irving’s points in the tournament came off of free throws, debunking that myth.

If Nolan Smith was the best player on the floor in that game, he would have looked like Kyrie Irving. It is as simple as that. And as far as college basketball looking like auditions for the NBA, wouldn’t that make HS ball a audition for college? And then once these players get to the NBA wouldn’t they be playing for more money/playing time?

The nature of sports at any level motivates players to want to be “The Man.” It is human nature to want to be the best, and to try to do things to get noticed/garner attention, I haven’t seen one instance of truly selfish play through the entire tournament that would make me believe that a certain player is trying to steal the spotlight to help their draft stock or etc.

In fact the most selfish player in this tournament is the player the media has been gushing over since the first Senior Night in November. Jimmer Fredette.

This talk screams of the reverse of the UNLV/Fab Five backlash in the 1990′s. The traditional powerhouses can’t be suffering because the mid majors simply have found ways to beat them, they must be succeeding due to some societal problem or some loophole in the system that allows these “non-traditional” schools to rise over the Duke’s and Kansas’ of the world.

Kansas was as complete of a team as you could get in the tournament, a group of solid, talented players with no player who was clearly superior to the rest of his teammates, and VCU handled them for most of the game. Obviously VCU played with more fire and hustled harder, but that’s just what winning basketball is.

Schools like Gonzaga, Butler, George Mason, Old Dominion, and VCU succeed because they have dedicated a lot of time and resources to finding and recruiting the players that fit their system, not the most talented and hyped player to make their alumni happy.

These schools have levelled the playing field due to hard work and finding very good basketball players who wanted to play for their programs. There is now magic potion or real answer to why the mid-majors are invading, and at this point they are no longer Cinderella’s, there is no clock striking midnight. No Gus Johnson yelling about slippers fitting. There is just two really good basketball programs playing their best when it counts,

The story of this week isn’t what is wrong with the college basketball system, it isn’t expanding to a 96 team tournament, and it isn’t waxing cliched poetic about how good of team players those small school kids are. It is that two supremely talented teams led by two of the smartest coaches in college basketball are in the Final Four and are playing each other.

It is NBA prospects Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard going against firey and charismatic point guard Joey Rodriguez. It is the sharp shooting and hard working frenetic pace of VCU vs the slower but equally as tough play of Butler.

And Tim, I would pay to see this more than any other matchup you could have gave me.