Somehow we’ve made it through the summer here at Ye Olde Mailbag, and thanks as always for making it happen.
asserted
it → make → Mailbag
Enjoy this, and I know Quebec City’s got all kinds of great eating spots.
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City → enjoy → spots
We’ll probably have a couple of nights free so any recommendations are appreciated.
asserted
recommendations → have → nights
Media day is Monday at 9 a.m. as you’re well aware (an early start, I must say, means an early rise for you).
asserted
I → ’re → you
... Are the players brought out individually on a podium, or just the “main” ones?
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players → bring → podium
Will those be limited (as, to me, they should be)?
asserted
they → limit → me
Thanks for your time and enjoy the day as it should be an interesting one.
asserted
it → enjoy → day
It’s a very, very structured and scripted day now and, man, do I miss the olden days.
asserted
I → ’ → days
Eons ago, you’d all be in a gym or a ballroom and you could sidle up to anyone as they’re run through the media “stations” to have pictures taken, or talk with team broadcasters and catch up on the summer.
uncertain
pictures → sidle → summer
The odd scrum with key players and coaches would break out, but it was pretty informal.
asserted
it → break → players
The demands on the players are so great that everything is scripted and a private chat is impossible.
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chat → script → players
There are broadcast and arena scoreboard bits to do, and time demands from parts of the organization and various media partners that occur out of our sight.
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that → be → sight
For the vast majority of us, five or six key players and the head coach are paraded to a podium, they sit and answer questions for 15, 20, 30 minutes and then they’re gone.
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they → parade → minutes
I get why.
asserted
I → get → ?
It’s a busy day and there’s a lot to get done, but it’s impossible to have any meaningful private conversations.
asserted
it → ’ → conversations
Those one-on-ones come in the following days out of town, when camp goes on and there’s a fraction of the media around.
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camp → come → media
The Raptors PR staff always goes out of its way to help on those days.
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staff → go → days
Media day is just an overwhelming circus and, truth be told, one of my least favourite days of the season now.
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truth → tell → season
Whenever I open Raptors “news” (specifically Raptors Rapture) in my browser, all I see is talk of trading RJ Barrett.
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I → open → Barrett
I know that “news” specifically has to be taken with barely a grain of salt as it’s mostly clickbait, but why so much talk of trading RJ?
asserted
it → know → RJ
The minute he arrived here in a trade it seemed like he was being (dumped) on.
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he → arrive → trade
I just don’t see the reasoning.
asserted
I → see → reasoning
I don’t know what my question is other than: Do you have thoughts on that, and can you tell those idiots to knock it off?
asserted
you → know → it
I don’t really know who we would trade him for that would make our team significantly better, unless it’s an extremely unrealistic trade for a superstar.
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it → know → superstar
Toronto being his hometown, I hope he doesn’t read those stories and think WTF.
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he → hope → WTF
I think a lot of people who never have conversations with general managers, agents, players or league officials try to play GM because it’s easy and low-hanging fruit.
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it → think → GM
It bugs me, but it’s the atmosphere we live in.
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we → bug → me
With Barrett, his soon-to-expire contract is somehow seen as one that’s most likely to be dealt, for its monetary value rather than his playing value.
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that → expire → value
It’s simplistic, and I don’t think there’s much truth to it, nor has there been for a while.
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I → ’ → while
It’s not to say nothing will ever happen, but the incessant “They’ve got to trade RJ” chatter has just not been right.
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chatter → ’ → RJ
FIBA introduced a couple of new rules that will take effect in October.
asserted
that → introduce → October
Disruption and flagrant fouls will replace the current unsportsmanlike fouls.
asserted
Disruption → replace → fouls
Recall for the unsportsmanlike foul, two free throws are awarded (and possession of the ball) if the fouling player is deemed to have made no attempt to play the ball.
2.
asserted
player → recall → ball
They have added a prerequisite for some kind of shoulder movement toward the basket for an act of shooting to occur.
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act → add → shooting
What I am trying to understand here is: What problem(s) are they trying to solve or address?
asserted
they → try → problem(s
Does the shoulder movement rule clarify and make it easier for the ref to discern an act of shooting, or does it add more subjectivity and referee discretion to the game and its outcome?
asserted
it → clarify → game
I like the first one; it gets FIBA in line with the NBA take foul.
asserted
FIBA → like → foul
But I think it should be one free throw and the ball.
asserted
it → think → ?
Two seems a bit too harsh.
asserted
Two → seem → ?
I’d have to see the shoulder call live.
asserted
I → have → call
…and 48 more, not listed.
The Aporia
