Dein erstes Forum » Diamondbacks were career-changing.Curren

TORONTO - For the second straight year, Drake attempted to downplay the magnitude of an annual themed night named in his honour. Tonight, my names attached to it, but its not really about me at all, said the Toronto-born rapper and Raptors global ambassador ahead of Wednesdays Drake Night. Its just about giving the city what these guys have been giving the city all year, just an incredible, exciting evening. Last year it was mostly tongue-in-cheek. It was Jan. 11, a game against the Brooklyn Nets, which, at that point was still just another team. The Raptors, 17-17 at the time, had recently started winning some games and the city was intrigued, but skeptical. They still needed a hook. The Raptors won that night, but Drake was the main attraction. He personalized the opening introductions, gave away free shoes at halftime and when it was all said and done he flexed his bicep in what would become a memorable image, truly encapsulating the teams feel-good season. Its been just over seven months since that magical run came to an abrupt end at the hands of those same Nets, and no one has forgotten about it - not Dwane Casey, not his players and certainly not Drake, who now takes a backseat to the team he represents. Was it a happy coincidence that Drake Night happened to fall on an evening the Nets were in town, again? No. I actually got to choose the game that I wanted to be Drake Night this year, he told reporters before the game. If theres anybody that I want to beat, its the Nets. You know, I think if we have a rivalry at all, I think this would probably would be it. Obviously, Ive got much love for New York and Brooklyn but in this particular arena, at this particular moment, the one thing I want to do is knock out Brooklyn. And they did. The team did. But it wasnt a win one for Drake type of moment. The global ambassador sat quietly in his court-side seat, adjacent to Casey and Torontos bench and took in a game, a rematch that had little to do with his brand. I can only speak for myself, that Game 7 was definitely on my mind from the time I woke up this morning to even now, said Patrick Patterson following the Raptors decisive 105-89 victory over their post-season nemesis. Im definitely happy that we went out there and won the game. It was a bit of revenge in my eyes. Patterson was one of just a few Raptors that didnt downplay the connection between these two teams, admitting theres still some lingering animosity towards the club that ended their season. Casey hasnt forgotten about it either. None of them have, whether they want to fess up or not. I would say they remember but whether it motivates them or not, youd have to ask them, the Raptors coach said. I would say, I hope so. It should motivate you. It took Casey a couple months to get over that series, Game 7 and the play that sealed it - Paul Pierces block on a driving Kyle Lowry. But instead of looking back, or fading away like the Nets have - a product of aging stars, a depleted bench and Pieces move to Washington - theyve been moving forward. Yea, I think [were a better team], said Patterson, one of six players to score in double figures Wednesday and a member of the Raptors celebrated second unit. We have guys who can contribute even more off the bench. Having Lou [Williams] and James [Johnson] makes us even better. Guys have stepped their game up, guys have improved in every area. Weve improved as a team. Both teams are definitely different than when we faced each other last time. The Nets have yet to find any consistency, falling to 10-14 on the season, 1-9 in games against winning opponents. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Raptors have reached 20 wins ahead of their Christmas break for the first time in the franchises 20-year history. Everything we’ve done as a growing team and you see we have a lot of areas where we can improve, said Casey. In the first quarter, his team resembled the young, awestruck bunch from most of last years seven-game series. The Nets shot 59 per cent in the frame, scoring 30 points and Toronto trailed by as many as 11 early on. But thats when their experience and added depth seemed to kick in. Williams came in and scored his nightly 10-plus points, a luxury they didnt have last spring. Johnson did what he was brought in to do, bodying up with Joe Johnson, Brooklyns playoff hero. And then theres Kyle Lowry, who scored a team-high 20 points on 13 shots, adding 12 assists. Shoulda, coulda, woulda, Casey said after the game, refusing to revisionist history. If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas, right? You can’t look backwards, you have to look forward. I don’t think I can influence how much energy they’re going to play with, Drake had acknowledged before his night. They’re going to come out and do what they do and play as hard as they possibly can every night. Now, the Raptors are in the spotlight - the team, its players, their accomplishments. Its their show. The global ambassador will happily settle for opening act responsibilities. Nike Dunks For Sale Online . - Roger Federer squandered a big lead and lost to No. Nike Dunk Shoes Clearance .S. international midfielder Michael Bradley is complete. http://www.nikedunkdiscount.com/. His Chicago Blackhawks teammates werent shocked when he found it. Kanes career has been defined by his brilliance in the Blackhawks biggest moments, and his tiebreaking goal with 3:45 to play in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals will rank among the best. Cheap Nike Dunk . -- Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didnt realize he had broken the rules. Nike Dunk Shoes Online .com) - After Tom Brady added to an already illustrious legacy, Malcolm Butler established his by leaving the Seattle Seahawks, well, deflated.PHOENIX - In an expansive 42-minute news conference marking his election to baseballs Hall of Fame, Randy Johnson mixed humour, memories and humility in recalling a career he called a great ride.I never joined a fraternity in college, he said. Now Im amongst one of the coolest.Johnson has spent the five years since he retired mostly away from the game — travelling the world, engaging his love of photography and making a series of USO tours.I knew that I needed that time to kind of unwind, Johnson said. I was wound pretty tight for 22 years, especially probably the last 15, when I really came into my own in this game.His most successful years came with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he won four consecutive Cy Young Awards — he had a total of five — and his only World Series championship. He struck out 20 in nine innings once, and at age 40 pitched a perfect game.The Diamondbacks announced Tuesday that Johnson had been named special assistant to President Derrick Hall.Hall said that the left-handers No. 51 would be retired soon.Johnsons first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame after a 22-year career was a foregone conclusion.Still, he said, when he got the call on Tuesday he got goose bumps and felt like Ive never felt before in my life.He called his 87-year-old mother to tell her, and she reminded him that at age 7, he had left Little League tryouts frustrated and came home, then she brought him back and made sure he got registered to play.Johnson recalled that as a youngster growing up in Livermore, California, he would throw tennis balls at a taped strike zone on his garage door.And I was Vida Blue with those tennis balls, he said.I didnt envision any of this and Im sorry I couldnt share more of what I was really about when I was playinng, Johnson said.dddddddddddd. But I guess it was more about how my dad raised me and taught me to not ever be content with what youre doing because theres always somebody better than you doing it.Johnson spoke of trying to harness some control in his pitching early in his career.I was a really bad pitcher growing up, he said. Being almost 7 feet tall, 6-10, youre not meant to be a pitcher. My limbs are too long and the biggest thing in being a pitcher is you need to have a consistent release point. Well its pretty hard when youre all arms and legs. So that took me a long time to overcome.Johnson said the issue of what cap he would wear on his Hall of Fame plaque was out of his control. He said he expected the subject to come up when he meets with Hall of Fame officials later this week.And while he said there was something special about all six of his major league teams, his years with the Diamondbacks were career-changing.Current Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said his best memory of Johnson was in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series against the New York Yankees, when after pitching the previous day, the Big Unit came out of the bullpen to thunderous cheers to get the final four outs as Arizona rallied for a 3-2 victory.It was astounding, Kendrick said.Johnson said hed trade four Cy Young awards for a couple more World Series chances.To be dogpiling on the pitchers mound, and be celebrating, and be riding down the street with your family on a fire truck, I mean, who doesnt dream about that? he said. Thats pretty cool stuff. Thats what you play for and I got to do that.When he runs into fans, they always talk about that World Series, Johnson said. That, he added, and the time he killed a pigeon with a pitch in spring training. ' ' '