Bleacher Report - Articles by Matt Clarfield

Toronto Raptors: Trade Deadline Analysis and Long Term Planning

Matt Clarfield — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:18:12 -0500

The Toronto Raptors have won four out of their last 17 games. This leads to a 21-34 record. For a team that had expectations to not only make the playoffs, but make it past the first round this is a huge disappointment. Especially for a team that on paper has only improved from last year.

At the beginning of the season Bryan Colangelo said "Making the playoffs and losing in the first round isn't good enough." At this point the Raptors have to significantly improve their play if they want even this to happen. And history shows they don't.

If you look at the championships this year in sports there is a team that didn't make the playoffs the previous year in every single one. The last place Devil Rays, the lowly Cardinals, and another last place team the Celtics.

Being in the bottom ten teams in the league for two or three years isn't such a bad thing. This allows a team to get a couple early first round draft picks and build up a team for the future.

Just ask the 32-19 Portland Trailblazers.

They got some solid first round picks in LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, and Greg Oden. I don't only speak for myself when I say I would rather watch my team come in last for three years then win the finals than losing in the first round four years in a row.

This is what the Raptors organization has to do.

First things first, fire Jay Triano.

He has a 13-25 NBA coaching record and this is not acceptable. Second of all, they should trade Chris Bosh. I realize he is the “Fathead player”*, but I don't see them making a deep playoff run in the next two years, and as the time on his contract runs lower, so does his value.

They could also look into trading away players like Jermaine O'Neal and Jason Kapono who are overrated. I think the Raptors should invest in younger players like Jose Calderon, who has potential to be an All-Star next year. Anthony Parker, who will do a lot more for the team then what they can trade him for. Andrea Bargnani, who is continuing to grow into a player.

The best thing for the Raptors is if they came fourth last or lower in the league. Then they could get a good prospect in Stephen Curry or another young player.

The worst thing that could happen is that the Raptors come in eighth or ninth and get an average draft pick. You see teams that seem to get stuck in that position for three or four years and it is very frustrating.

The Raptors organization should stop fooling themselves into think they can make a run deep into the playoffs with the talent they have compared to the Celtics or the Cavaliers. The best thing the Toronto Raptors could do is look long term.

*Fathead Player: A player that there is a "Fathead" of or the star player of the team.

Kurt Warner: Pro Bowler, Super Bowl MVP and Stock Boy?

Matt Clarfield — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:58:06 -0500

Not many people know this amazing story about Kurt Warner and it should really be well known.

When Kurt was 22 he worked in a grocery store as a stock boy after being cut by the Green Bay Packers. He made $5.75 an hour and he thought his football career was over.

And then he met Brenda. After persuading her for a week or two Brenda was still reluctant to go out with him. She had told him she had kids and couldn't leave them and Kurt hired a babysitter. She told him she had to work that night and he offered to pay her salary.

So when she finally agreed to the date him, Kurt showed up at her house ready to leave, but the baby sitter had cancelled. So Kurt offered to take the kids with them. Brenda informed him that one of her kids was a paraplegic with Down Syndrome. Kurt didn't care.

The reason why Brenda was so reluctant to tell him was that the father of the children and her first husband ran away. But not Kurt.

They went to the movies and whenever her son Zach needed to go to the washroom Kurt lifted him out of his wheelchair and helped him go. The kids loved Kurt.

Brenda knew that he was the man she was going to marry. In 1997 they did.

During their honeymoon, Kurt got bit with a venomous spider on his throwing arm. This stopped him from trying out for the Chicago Bears. He still didn't give up. He played Arena Football and in the European League for awhile before he got his first NFL pre-season start for the St. Louis Rams when Trent Green got injured. You all know what happened from there.

Since they met they have had 5 kids including a pair of twins.

With all the controversy surrounding the NFL today with Adam Jones and Terrell Owens, it's great to see someone so talented be such a great guy.

So when you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday keep in mind this story.

Can the Toronto Raptors Rebound?

Matt Clarfield — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:03:41 -0500

After a horrendous seven-game losing streak, the Raptors have bounced back and have won two convincing games against the Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings.

Jose Calderon has been a big factor in this short streak, posting up 16 points and eight assists against the Kings, and 23 points and 10 assists against the Bulls.

When healthy, the Raptors have a playoff-caliber team. With Andrea Bargnani scoring over 15 points in 16 consecutive games and averaging 22 points a game as a starter, he is starting to play like the player the Raptors drafted.

Chris Bosh is an All-Star and a team leader, in addition to being the anchor of his team. Bosh could start on any team in the NBA, without a doubt.

However, the weaker part of the lineup is the SG-SF spot. Anthony Parker is an average player and he is especially good in the clutch, though the Raptors cannot seem to fill the three position.

The Raptors are currently rotating Jamario Moon, who is more of a Harlem Globetrotter than an NBA player, Jason Kapono, who has a great shot but is weak on defense, and Joey Graham, who is still developing his skills, in the small forward spot.

The answer? Trade Jermaine O'Neal for Shawn Marion. This trade has been in the rumor mill for a while now, and it would provide the starter the team is looking for.

Marion would fit well into the three, and the only thing the Raptors would lose is some depth in the big men category. He is an above-average shooter with the potential to drive to the lane.

The Raptors might have to throw in a draft pick, but it would be worth it.

Look for the Raptors to slowly but surely climb back into the playoff hunt.

NHL All Star Game: Shinny In Front Of 20,000 People

Matt Clarfield — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:46:32 -0500

As I watched the NHL All Star game I was also making Super Bowl predictions (Steelers of course), organizing my itunes library and catching up on some work. The game had no defense, the goal-tending was ridiculous and the only bright spot was when CBC miked Roberto Luongo and was talking to him throughout the game.

As you can see from the picture the goalies did not really care that much, the players were told not to play defense and the sole penalty came in overtime. If the NHL wants to showcase there top talent they should make it so the winner of the All Star game gets home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Finals. Somehow I think Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom would have been able to tough it out if that were on the line.

In the first 55 minutes of regulation there were 22 goals. In the last 5 and through overtime there were none. The last 5 minutes and overtime were the most exiting parts of the game. Alex Ovechkin was backchecking, goalies were making stops and players were playing the game.

The NHL really has to capitalize on this weekend when people are looking for something to do without football. This was a poor effort and I hope they do better next year.