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08/26/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In trying to trade Jose Calderon earlier this offseason, the message sent by Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo was clear; Calderon was no longer in the future plans of the organization. A deal that would have sent Calderon and Reggie Evans to the Charlotte Bobcats for Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler was as much about ridding the team of Calderon's tired legs as it was about beefing up a weak frontcourt.
Unluckily for the Raptors, majority owner of the Bobcats Michael Jordan vetoed the trade hours before the players were to be formally swapped. It was a smart move on Jordan's part, as he was well-aware Calderon is no longer the guard that could log 30 minutes a game and lead the Bobcats to success.
The deterioration of Calderon's health in recent seasons has noticeably slowed the 29-year-old and no longer reflects the value of the hefty five-year $45 million contract he signed in July 2008. Considering at the time he had just come off his best season as a pro, it seemed like a good deal, but since the 2007-08 season he's had trouble staying healthy, missing 28 games due to recurring hamstring and groin issues.
It's not as if Calderon has put these injuries behind him either. Just days ago, the six-foot-one Spaniard suffered a torn hamstring in preparation for the FIBA World Championship in Turkey, an injury that will sideline him for at least a month. Unfortunately for the Raptors, if they couldn't move him before this latest setback, they surely can't move him now.
So with that, it looks like the Raptors are stuck with Calderon, but is he finished? The answer to that question is "yes" if head coach Jay Triano forces him into a leading role for another season and "no" if Calderon can be utilized in moderation. Triano should look no further than Calderon's history for some insight into what may help him find success moving forward.
In his breakout 2007-08 season, Calderon shared the floor with T.J. Ford, averaging only 30.1 minutes a night. With an equally talented running mate like Ford to help cover for his defensive shortcomings, Calderon flourished. In a more limited role he was able to score with efficiency while distributing the ball with great accuracy, giving the Raptors' first unit a unique flavor. If the game shifted to a different pace, the Raptors had Ford to fill in as the quicker, better defender of the pair.
When Ford was traded to the Indiana Pacers before the 2008-09 season, Calderon had a chance to cement his status as the team's number one starter. Instead, he showed he couldn't handle the increased workload, breaking down with injuries and fading down the stretch. Calderon averaged 34.3 minutes that season and played only 68 games, never fully adjusting to the role he was expected to fulfill.
Knowing the point guard situation was a problem heading into the 2009-10 season, the Raptors brought in Jarrett Jack from the Pacers last year to help Calderon regain his old form - but instead, Jack usurped the starters role by season's end. Calderon regressed again, posting his lowest numbers in three years, while averaging only 26.7 minutes per game.
Calderon should see a reduction in minutes and responsibility heading into the 2010-11 season, while Jack reaps the rewards because of his strong play. Bringing the speed, length and durability that Calderon has never been able to show, Jack gives the Raptors their true number one guy heading into this season.
Calderon will be given a chance to lead the second unit right out of the gate and in his reduced role, could be of great value to the Raptors. His veteran presence could make him invaluable with the younger players on the team as he has always shown a knack for delivering the ball in the right places. If this season is about the quality of minutes and not the quantity of minutes he plays, the Raptors may find that being stuck with Calderon isn't such a bad thing.
<< AC Milan, Real in Group G of Champions League
Monaco, Monaco (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - AC Milan and Real Madrid, who have combined
for 16 European championships, were drawn into Group G of the Champions League
on Thursday.
Real Madrid was the biggest club not among the top eight-seeded teams,
<< Clemens to be arraigned Monday on six counts
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Clemens will be arraigned Monday in U.S.
District Court on six counts for his alleged false statements to Congress
about using performance-enhancing drugs.
An indictment handed down last Thursda
<< Charlotte football gets Morehead State as 1st foe
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Charlotte has scheduled its first football opponent.The school announced Thursday it's agreed to a home-and-home series with Morehead State. The 49ers will visit the Eagles in their first season on Nov. 23, 2013. Morehead State
<< Pippen honor is overkill
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A statue honoring Scottie Pippen?
My, how our hero worship has fallen.
Before you start firing off the hate mail, understand I, like most NBA
observers, loved Pippen's game.
He was the consummate "Rob
Nadal, Federer could meet in U.S. Open final >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and former top-ranked
superstar Roger Federer could meet in the final at the 2010 U.S. Open, which
revealed the men's draw on Thursday.
The top-seeded Nadal will open his stay in New Y
FIBA deals Krstic three-game ban >>
Geneva, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FIBA, the world governing body of
basketball, announced Thursday disciplinary action against four players for
their respective roles in a fight that broke out between Greece and Serbia at
a frien
Wozniacki, Clijsters could meet in Open final rematch >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded 2009 runner-up Caroline Wozniacki
and second-seeded reigning champion Kim Clijsters could meet in a rematch of
last year's final, as the women's draw was revealed Thursday for the U.S.
Open, the final
Knicks sign second-round pick Fields >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks have signed guard/forward
Landry Fields, the 39th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
As per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
The 22-year-old Fields averaged 22 points, good for
March Madness odds and printable March Madness brackets
With the field of 64/65 set, MySportsbook.com has the Florida Gators as the 4-1 favorite to successfully defend their National Championship. Men’s Division-1 College Basketball has not seen a team repeat as National Champions since Duke won back to back championships in ’91 & ‘92. After losing three out of four late in the season, the Gators are full of momentum as they won their last four games by an average of 18 points. Not surprisingly, right behind the Gators are the other three top seeds: Kansas 5-1, UNC 6-1, and Ohio State 7-1. Many consider Kansas to be the hottest team in the country, having won 11 straight. With Kansas, it is hard to ignore all of the early exits from the “dance” in recent years. With an impressive ACC Tournament, UNC ensured themselves the other top seed. UNC has about as much talent as any other team in the tournament but with a team that’s best players are primarily freshman and sophomores, could youth be a concern. Behind freshman sensation, Greg Oden, OSU will look to do what their football team failed to do just a few months earlier. OSU seems to have peeked at the right time, as they currently have a 17 game winning streak. Since the tournament field was expanded in 1985, there has never been an instance where all four #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. It is obvious that each of the top seeds have the talent to make it through to Atlanta. But as everyone knows, when makes the NCAA Tournament so special are all of the spoilers and “Cinderella” stories that knock off the favorites on a daily basis.
Be sure to logon to MySportsbook.com to see check out all of the early lines and “March Madness” props. Also be sure to enter the “$10,000,000 Perfect Bracket Contest”. If someone has the skills to predict every winner, they will be set for life and walk away with $10,000,000. Even if no one can cash in on the Grand Prize, with a $35,000 guaranteed prize pool and a Mazda RX-8 to the first prize winner, Sportsbook.com’s bracket is a must for all “March Madness” fans.
MySportsbook.com’s odds to win the Championship and Regions:
| EAST | National Championship | Region |
| Arkansas | 300-1 | 50-1 |
| Belmont | 1000-1 | |
| Boston College | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Eastern KY | 1000-1 | |
| George Washington | 75-1 | |
| Georgetown | 10-1 | 3-2 |
| Marquette | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Michigan State | 100-1 | 25-1 |
| New Mexico St. | 500-1 | 200-1 |
| UNC | 6-1 | 6-5 |
| Oral Roberts | 500-1 | |
| Texas | 15-1 | 5-1 |
| Texas Tech | 200-1 | 5-1 |
| USC | 75-1 | 20-1 |
| Vanderbilt | 100-1 | 30-1 |
| Washington State | 40-1 | 15-1 |
| WEST | ||
| Duke | 50-1 | 10-1 |
| Florida A&M | 1000-1 | |
| Gonzaga | 200-1 | 40-1 |
| Holy Cross | 300-1 | |
| Illinois | 300-1 | 60-1 |
| Indiana | 75-1 | 40-1 |
| Kansas | 5-1 | 13-10 |
| Kentucky | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Niagara | 1000-1 | |
| Pittsburgh | 40-1 | 8-1 |
| Southern Ill. | 50-1 | 12-1 |
| UCLA | 10-1 | 3-2 |
| VCU | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Villanova | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| VA Tech | 50-1 | 15-1 |
| Weber St | 1000-1 | |
| Wright St | 1000-1 | 300-1 |
| MIDWEST | ||
| Arizona | 50-1 | 30-1 |
| Butler | 40-1 | 30-1 |
| Davidson | 300-1 | |
| Florida | 4-1 | 4-5 |
| Georgia Tech | 75-1 | 25-1 |
| Jackson State | 1000-1 | |
| Maryland | 30-1 | 6-1 |
| Miami-OH | 300-1 | |
| Notre Dame | 100-1 | 20-1 |
| ODU | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Oregon | 40-1 | 6-1 |
| Purdue | 300-1 | 60-1 |
| Texas A&M CC | 1000-1 | |
| UNLV | 100-1 | 30-1 |
| Winthrop | 500-1 | 100-1 |
| Wisconsin | 15-1 | 7-2 |
| SOUTH | ||
| Albany | 200-1 | |
| BYU | 200-1 | 40-1 |
| Central CT St. | 1000-1 | |
| Creighton | 100-1 | 35-1 |
| Long Beach St. | 500-1 | 200-1 |
| Louisville | 40-1 | 10-1 |
| Memphis | 30-1 | 4-1 |
| Nevada | 75-1 | 35-1 |
| North Texas | 500-1 | |
| Ohio State | 7-1 | 6-5 |
| Penn | 500-1 | |
| Stanford | 200-1 | 50-1 |
| Tennessee | 100-1 | 20-1 |
| Texas A&M | 12-1 | 11-5 |
| Virginia | 75-1 | 18-1 |
| Xavier | 100-1 | 40-1 |
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