I'll gladly take some more clutch shooting from Hedo

One little road win and all hope is restored in Raptorland. Well, maybe. All I know is I feel a bit better after last night’s overtime win in Washington and am actually looking forward to a duel in Chicago against Chuck Swirsky and the Bulls. Check out Raptors Republic for a pretty, pretty good preview.

Another positive note is Chicago comes in on a back-to-back as well, having lost 101-87 in Cleveland last night. After seven of eight on the road, tonight’s game is the first in a string of eight of nine at the United Center for the Bulls, so their 7-10 mark thus far is actually alright considering they’ve gotten a big road chunk out of the way already. They’re currently banged up though — Tyrus Thomas and Kirk Hinrich are still sidelined with injuries — so the Raptors will look to take advantage of a shorthanded lineup.

Toronto won only matchup with the Bulls thus far this season, 99-89 at the ACC on Nov. 11. After a rough first half, they settled down and got a hand from some hellish Chicago shooting over the final 24 minutes to pick up the win.

You can count on some highlight reel plays anytime Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade hook up. Last night, it was Kobe delivering the knockout blow…

Late last season the LeBrons were busy spoofing Heineken ads, and early this season they’re out making Michael Jackson compilations. Why can’t our team show some character, and more importantly, win some games like the Cavs? Love the cameos from a pair of ex-Raptors, though…

Back in the win column

Alright, now that’s a start. Hedo Turkoglu made his first big shot as a Raptor tonight, nailing a tough baseline fadeaway at the shot clock horn late in overtime to give Toronto a 109-107 win in Washington, snapping a five-game skid in the process. That, after missing a three at the buzzer in regulation after one of the worst drawn-up plays out of a timeout you’ll ever see. Keep at those X’s & O’s, Jay Triano.

Anyway, Turk’s big shot saved the Raps from a near choke in OT — they led by five with the ball with just over a minute to go before a couple blown possessions and a Gilbert Arenas three evened it up. Arenas also had a shot to tie at the buzzer, but had a layup in traffic glance off the rim. In the end, Agent Zero finished with a game-high 34, though I’ll take Chris Bosh’s 31 and 16 boards and a win on this night. Credit to CB for keeping the boys together when this one looked like it was slipping away in the fourth, and I guess thanks to Antoine Wright for not playing overly horrible to cost us the game. A true leader, that Wright is.

The big shot included, Turkoglu had one of his best nights as a Raptor, finishing with 20 on 6-of-12 with nine rebounds and two steals. Jose Calderon was efficient on his favourite end of the court, scoring 15 and adding nine assists with just one turnover. Some love to DeMar DeRozan as well — the rookie chipped in 16 on 6-of-10 in 27 minutes, his fourth double-digit outing in his last six times out.

This one runs Toronto’s record to 8-13, which remarkably is still good for second in the division and two games above the next challenger, the Iversons. The Raptors are in Chicago tomorrow night, looking to make it two straight before coming home to face the T-Wolves on Tuesday.

Time to step up, RuPaul

Bad news: It’s gameday. Fresh off a pounding at the hands of the Hawks, the Raptors are in Washington to face a Wizards squad that beat them at the ACC Tuesday and followed it with a 104-102 home win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. For the best preview in the biz and to find out more about how the Raps have ruined our lives the past month, check in at Raptors Republic.

Washington certainly comes in to this one in better shape than they did in Toronto Tuesday, which doesn’t bode well for our boys. Then again, nothing bodes well for our boys these days. Gilbert Arenas picked up where he left off against Toronto on Wednesday with 24 and nine assists against the Bucks, carrying the load with Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison having off-nights. Don’t count on that happening again tonight against our ferocious D. If the Raps can hold these guys under 180, they might have a shot.

As for the Raptors, it’ll be interesting to see how they respond after coughing up 146 to Atlanta on Wednesday. Given the way they’ve responded to other embarrassing losses thus far, I’m not counting on much. Here it is though, CB — if there’s a time to prove you’re a leader in this league, it’s now. Even though you’re likely out the door first chance you get, it’ll go a ways in proving yourself to the next team that decides to waste its time on you.

This one gets underway at seven, and I’m sure hoping there’s another game on at the same time.

Come celebrate with Phil Kessel

Holy 1967, are these Leafs for real?! The boys in blue and white made it four straight on the road and points in seven of eight overall with a commanding 6-3 win in Columbus last night, picking up a pair of goals each from Phil Kessel and the 2006-07 version of Jason Blake.

Joey MacDonald, starting for a brokenhearted Jonas Gustavsson, stopped 33 of 36 shots to pick up his first win as a Leaf. He’ll be counted on for a week or so more, since it was announced yesterday that The Monster will be having another minor procedure done to try to get his heart rate nice and good after a scare Tuesday in Montreal.

Anyway, back to Kessel: How can you not love this man? Two goals, giving him 10 and 15 points in 15 games, and he finished it off with his first career brouhaha in the third period with some nobody named Kris Russell. Straight badass, that Kessel is.

Lee Stempniak and Nikolai Kulemin also scored for Toronto and Mikhail Grabovski and Niklas Hagman each picked up a pair of assists. Kristian Huselius, Jason Chimera and Jan Hejda scored for the Blue Jackets, as if it matters.

As good as they’ve been playing, the Leafs still sit 29th in the NHL, though now a commanding eight points ahead of the dreadful Hurricanes. Now six points out of the East’s last playoff slot, Toronto is in Boston Saturday looking to make it five straight away from the ACC.

Thomas Jones loves facing the Bills

Toronto is used to shitty sports teams, so why not let another borrow our great city for one night? The Buffalo Bills did just that last night, hosting the New York Jets and falling 19-13 at the World’s Greatest Entertainment Centre.

This one had everything you’d expect from a Bills game, even coming off a shocking win over the Dolphins Sunday in which they tripled their season scoring output in the final five minutes of the game. Buffalo couldn’t move the ball — Ryan Fitzpatrick, starting despite Trent Edwards’ likeness plastered on the outside of the building, completed nine passes for 98 yards and the Bills managed a combined total of 194 offensively. Marshawn Lynch was a bright spot, gaining 60 on six carries and scoring Buffalo’s only touchdown, a 15-yarder in the second quarter.

The Jets, who improved to 6-6 with the win, lost rookie quarterback Mark Sanchise (I don’t believe in that nickname — I’m only saying it because I think it’s so stupid) to a sprained PCL in the third, but it wasn’t a big loss because you don’t really need a quarterback to beat the Bills. The Jets rushed for over 200 yards against Buffalo for the second time this season, with Thomas Jones picking up a game-high 109.

So you’re the only person in the world that’s not sure what really went down at Tiger Woods’ crib on Thanksgiving night? Allow this video from China’s Apple Daily to set you straight. There you go, case closed.

Bosh, "attacking the basket"

It’s fitting that the Raptors’ intro song this season is “Hate Me Now”, because I really, really hate this team right about now. The embarrassment continued last night in Atlanta, where the Raptors fell to the Hawks in mind-boggling fashion, 146-115. Yep, you read that right.

Chris Bosh was held scoreless, Andrea Bargnani didn’t grab a board (sadly though, that doesn’t even come as a surprise) and the Raps allowed Atlanta to shoot 59.1% and out-rebound them 51-29. And yeah, those are the same Hawks that Detroit out-boarded 53-27 on Sunday. Some simple mathematics tell me if the Raptors were to face the Pistons, they’d be outdone on the glass about 122-6.

Afterward, Jarrett Jack and Antoine Wright (he of the DNP-CD) felt it necessary to call out Jay Triano, and hey, I can’t really argue with that notion. Don’t get me wrong, I think Triano’s a great coach — well, I mean I think he’d make a great coach…of Brock University. Come on now, this is the NBA. Here’s what Jack had to say, by the way:

Every time something happens it’s always, `It’s okay, it’s all right.’ It’s not all right. Problems go by without attacking them or challenging them or bringing them to the forefront and getting them solved. We can’t keep keep putting them to the back of the bus and just saying, `That’s okay.’ It’s not all right. Everybody can’t walk on eggshells around here and say, `We’re playing good basketball.’ We’re not.

So there you go Jay, it’s not okay. No need to worry though, a couple broken clipboards and we’ll be back on the path to respectability.

Anyway, this loss leaves me soul-searching and wondering if it’s time to look elsewhere for things to keep me intrigued this NBA season. Should I devote myself entirely to following Allen Iverson in his quest to not make an ass out of himself in Philly? Maybe go on a cross-country tour with the New Jersey Nets with hopes of seeing their first win? Heck, it’ll likely come before the Raps win another game.

I'm here for you, Elin

So it appears Tiger Woods isn’t perfect after all. The golfer and “serious” car crash victim (or serious club-to-the-face victim) released the following statement today in response to all the talk of his tendency to remove his pants around women other than his wife:

I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.

Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.

But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don’t share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one’s own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions.

Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it’s difficult.

I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.

Okay, so Eldrick isn’t perfect. Nobody is. Credit to him for admitting he screwed up. Now if I’m him, I go work things out with Elin. I’m not perfect either, but I’m not dumb enough to let a hot Swedish nanny like that get away.