Rudy Gay blockbuster latest win-now push by Toronto pro teams

hockeywiz542

Registered User
May 26, 2008
15,909
4,983
http://www.thestar.com/sports/baske...est_winnow_push_by_toronto_pro_teams_cox.html

It does feel a little like the tectonic plates upon which Toronto’s professional sports teams rest are shifting.

First, the Blue Jays make a series of stunning moves, altering their course dramatically from a gradual building process to going for the World Series immediately.

Then, the Maple Leafs stun the entire hockey world by abruptly deciding that the face of their franchise and resident hockey genius, Brian Burke, is a genius no more, and send him packing in a confounding, shocking move.

Now, the Raptors have compounded their aggressive move from last off-season in which they traded a first-round pick to get point guard Kyle Lowry by sending another big chunk of the future to Memphis to get a player, Rudy Gay, some rate as just a notch below the Kobe Bryants and Carmelo Anthonys of the world.

All of this in just six months, with an Argonaut triumph in the Grey Cup game thrown in there as well, a victory made possible to a great extent by a huge trade the football folks made to bring in star quarterback Ricky Ray.

Maybe all these events are completely unrelated, even though there are clearly threads linking the various transactions.

Something’s sure going on in our fair city, something that seems to have to do with a lot of people growing tired of losing.

Maybe it’s trying to become an Al Davis kind of burg.

Just win, baby.

The problem is, of course, that while the Argos won a championship and the Jays have built a powerful starting staff worthy of a contender, the Leafs’ decision to dump Burke hasn’t, in the very short time elapsed, translated into bringing any star players to the ACC. Moroever, new GM Dave Nonis doesn’t seem like he’s laying the groundwork to trade futures for immediate help, although the rumbles of Phil Kessel leaving town aren’t just noise.

Clearly, the Raps now want to win, just as the Jays now want to win, as the Argos felt they had to try to win. The sensible path for the Leafs is to show some patience, but there’s been no indication from MLSE ownership that Nonis has permission to do it nice and slow.

Indeed, there may be pressure from above to trade for Roberto Luongo, with the clear objective to get back to post-season play.

In a broad sense, the Toronto sporting picture has surely grown more interesting, with Ray and Dickey, Reyes and Buehrle and Johnson and Cabrera, and now Gay.

A town that had Mats Sundin, Chris Bosh and Roy Halladay, then watched them all leave town, is getting some names back.

Just (trying) to win, baby.
 

Morbo

The Annihilator
Jan 14, 2003
27,100
5,734
Toronto
I've wondered about ownership pressuring Nonis to bring in Luongo, but if that were the case I think the trade would have been done already.
 

SprDaVE

Moderator
Sep 20, 2008
51,546
32,305
Why are all Toronto sport franchises linked at all?

The only 2 somewhat related are the Raps and Leafs because of the owner, but that's it. Both GM's have their autonomy and make deals on what makes sense, no matter if it's to win now or for the future.

Why are we the only city that insists on comparing any sport franchises to each other. It really doesn't matter. There's no link at all.

Nonis is not being pressured to make any sort of deal that he doesn't think makes sense for now and the future. If he was, Luongo would have been a Leaf the second he got the gig, same for Burke.

These conspiracy theories about the owners meddling are really really idiotic.
 
Last edited:

Parkdale

Registered User
Jan 14, 2013
1,265
0
Toronto
I've wondered about ownership pressuring Nonis to bring in Luongo, but if that were the case I think the trade would have been done already.

No Luongo....please no under any circumstance. Also Nonis can point out that not making any of the "rumoured" trades may be working out. Kadri, Frattin, even Grabowski plus picks and other futures are still Maple Leaf assets and we don't have Luongo's future sapping contract to fuss about for the next 10 years. Luongo is a fine 34 year old goalie, but not the goalie of the future if the Leafs want a bright future. These scribes were the ones clamoring for a trade in the first place and want to see the Leafs bury themselves so they have more fuel to write about....its like an itch they can't help but scratch. Please no more Luongo submarines.
 

BillyD

JUST WIN BABY
Jun 23, 2009
2,643
18
this article is void of content, cox just mailed it in because he had to
 

Giuseppe Sallo

ELE-VAT-ED
Apr 20, 2007
4,474
85
Back to L.A
twitter.com
The NEW MLSE are putting a stamp right now, and I believe they're influencing these decisions. No question!

They're sick of the losing mentality that goes on... You gotta spend money to WIN! Colangelo has been terrible but this trade needed to be made, a new change for Calderon, and soon it will be Bargs.
 

leafspring*

Guest
Reimer's numbers/play allows Nonis sleep better than a couple weeks ago i'll bet.

There is no star players available at present in the NHL. Who ever has them is keeping it quiet,and there are no players making any noise or showing any discontent anywhere.

I don't see where the Leafs need to feel pressured as a franchise to do anything but play better defensively.Reimer's numbers would be even better had they done it to this point.

Luongo can stay right where he is,and its not even remotely a concern we get goaltending.
 

Anthrax442

Registered User
Aug 4, 2008
15,309
7,524
Toronto
www.russianroulette.ca
Well the hypocrisy of all is that Cox stirred up a ****storm with his "trade Kessel" suggestion, and now a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" innuendo that the other franchises here are trying to actually win, something the Leafs aren't, apparently, looking into.
 

Joey Hoser

Registered User
Jan 8, 2008
14,232
4,143
Guelph
I've wondered about ownership pressuring Nonis to bring in Luongo, but if that were the case I think the trade would have been done already.

Considering that there are no UFA's to use his cap space on, and he has started the last 3 games for Van, at this point I wouldn't be suprised if they just hung onto Luongo for the time being.
 

shakes

Pep City
Aug 20, 2003
8,632
239
Visit site
Why are all Toronto sport franchises linked at all?

The only 2 somewhat related are the Raps and Leafs because of the owner, but that's it. Both GM's have their autonomy and make deals on what makes sense, no matter if it's to win now or for the future.

Why are we the only city that insists on comparing any sport franchises to each other. It really doesn't matter. There's no link at all.

Nonis is not being pressured to make any sort of deal that he doesn't think makes sense for now and the future. If he was, Luongo would have been a Leaf the second he got the gig, same for Burke.

These conspiracy theories about the owners meddling are really really idiotic.


The Jays are owned by Rogers as well
 

Joey Hoser

Registered User
Jan 8, 2008
14,232
4,143
Guelph
The problem is... ...the Leafs’ decision to dump Burke hasn’t, in the very short time elapsed, translated into bringing any star players to the ACC.

So not bringing in any stars to the Leafs is a problem, when yesterday you were campaigning for Kessel to be traded.

I actually don't usually mind Cox, but obvious, hypocritical, nonsensical sensationalism is obvious. This is blatant proof that sometimes the guy just writes whatever will get a rise out of people, without giving a **** about whether or not what he's writing is truthful or consistant.
 

Man Bear Pig

Registered User
Aug 10, 2008
31,003
13,747
Earth
So not bringing in any stars to the Leafs is a problem, when yesterday you were campaigning for Kessel to be traded.

I actually don't usually mind Cox, but obvious, hypocritical, nonsensical sensationalism is obvious. This is blatant proof that sometimes the guy just writes whatever will get a rise out of people, without giving a **** about whether or not what he's writing is truthful or consistant.

Also,the fact that he expects a star to be brought in two weeks after Burke's fired goes to show what kind of world Cox lives in.
 

TheGroceryStick

Registered User
Jan 19, 2009
13,681
3,309
Ontario Canada
What is this trade in terms of value - in the NHL.

I'm no basketball fan, but i have heard of his name.

On the raps side it seemed like:

Serviceable PG (but expandible because we have another ready to take over)
+
Young emerging prospect
+
2nd
 

Hero

Uncle Leo
Jul 2, 2009
20,826
0
heropuck.wordpress.com
What is this trade in terms of value - in the NHL.

I'm no basketball fan, but i have heard of his name.

On the raps side it seemed like:

Serviceable PG (but expandible because we have another ready to take over)
+
Young emerging prospect
+
2nd

Gay has a lot of raw skill, and ability. Sometimes doesn't use it all.

Has a pretty terrible contract, league max, for 2 more years.

But he fills a definite need on the team, we haven't had a good swingman since Carter.

Ed Davis was up coming, imagine somewhere around Frattin. Finnally putting it all together it seemed to be a solid player.

Calderon was like a Tomas Kaberle who never stopped playing well.

EDIT:

Off the top of my head

Matt Frattin (of Today, except with a higher potential)
Tomas Kaberle (if we still had him and his play never dropped)
2nd
for
Paul Stastny
 

Swarez

Registered User
Mar 10, 2011
1,010
6
What is this trade in terms of value - in the NHL.

I'm no basketball fan, but i have heard of his name.

On the raps side it seemed like:

Serviceable PG (but expandible because we have another ready to take over)
+
Young emerging prospect
+
2nd

It's hard to compare basketball to hockey in trades. Hockey you can get by with role players and a good system if you have a goalie, basketball you need at least an all star to do anything. Raptors continue to have no all stars and won't even have a pick this year.

It makes them a bit better, but they are completly capped out, lots of over payed guys, and at best will make play offs next year lose first round.
 

APV

Registered User
Sep 28, 2009
822
43
Gay has a lot of raw skill, and ability. Sometimes doesn't use it all.

Has a pretty terrible contract, league max, for 2 more years.

But he fills a definite need on the team, we haven't had a good swingman since Carter.

Ed Davis was up coming, imagine somewhere around Frattin. Finnally putting it all together it seemed to be a solid player.

Calderon was like a Tomas Kaberle who never stopped playing well.

EDIT:

Off the top of my head

Matt Frattin (of Today, except with a higher potential)
Tomas Kaberle (if we still had him and his play never dropped)
2nd
for
Paul Stastny

Great example,

seems like Memphis won that one though.
 

TheBigThree

Registered User
Nov 3, 2011
2,892
244
Toronto
This summer during NHL offseason is when I presume the leafs will go hard for UFA's, I think mlse will pressure nonis into getting getzlaf/perry even if he has to overpay.

The thing I saw about gay from watching Grizzlies (my second fav nba team) is that he was a 3rd option there. In TO he will be the main guy and I think he can play to his full potential. I might be totally wrong and he might be the next failure like Hedo.
 

calcal798

Registered User
Jun 2, 2010
5,889
0
London
Gay has a lot of raw skill, and ability. Sometimes doesn't use it all.

Has a pretty terrible contract, league max, for 2 more years.

But he fills a definite need on the team, we haven't had a good swingman since Carter.

Ed Davis was up coming, imagine somewhere around Frattin. Finnally putting it all together it seemed to be a solid player.

Calderon was like a Tomas Kaberle who never stopped playing well.

EDIT:

Off the top of my head

Matt Frattin (of Today, except with a higher potential)
Tomas Kaberle (if we still had him and his play never dropped)
2nd
for
Paul Stastny

Good example. I am more then happy with the trade the Raptors made. Going forward they are a better team. It'd be nice if the Leafs could find a deal along the lines of that. then maybe we could have three decently competitive teams in Toronto.
 

shakes

Pep City
Aug 20, 2003
8,632
239
Visit site
Matt Frattin (of Today, except with a higher potential)
Tomas Kaberle (if we still had him and his play never dropped)
2nd
for
Paul Stastny

What's funny is that you will still find a lot of people here who wouldn't do that trade.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->