<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Maurizio Gherardini is one busy man. The phone rings half a dozen times over the course of a half-hour interview. He fields calls from around the world and around the NBA and any time anyone of international basketball prominence comes to Toronto, it's up to the Raptors' assistant general manager to act as the host. Considered the best basketball mind in Europe before leaving Benetton Treviso to join Toronto last summer, Gherardini is the first European-trained executive to hold a prominent position in the front office of an NBA team. The tireless worker took time out to talk to Unplugged in his office at the Air Canada Centre. It's been a whirlwind. Do you get any spare time? I have to admit it's an exciting experience, it's beautiful, but days seem to be shorter. I'm trying to stay on top of the time difference so I start in the morning very early and then I get into the daily routine ... I get to dinner time without basically eating. ... My time is on Saturday. I call it my timeout, just to get to know more places, to go shopping, to go get a haircut, just my things. That timeout should give you time for a nice meal. How have you found Toronto, gastronomically speaking? The quality of the food is surprisingly very good. You can hit all the different parts of town, different styles, different cuisines, but generally speaking the quality is good. What I don't like is when you try to get too complicated with too many sauces, too much of that heavy stuff. ... Eating is a great hobby to have in Toronto. I am in trouble every night. But your passion, aside from basketball, is motorcycle racing. Have you been able to follow the sport? One of the things I missed most is following the season live. It was very good that all the Formula One races were on TV ... but being a motorcycle fan and not being able to watch ... I kind of missed that.</div> Source
I like Maurizio Gherardin. But that was a real puff piece by Doug Smith I understand the point of his article is just to give a little profile on our new assistant G.M but i would of liked him to ask a couple basketball questions...instead of garbage about toronto restaurants, formula 1 racing and watching the world cup. Doug Smith is a pretty poor journalist. Some of the questions i would be interested in asking Maurizio Gherardin: 1. how is roko ukic developing? I understood he has proplems with his previous coaching staff at tau ceramica, he is currently playing limited minutes for barcelona. Do you see him coming to the nba soon, or at all? 2. you just got back from a scouting trip In europe (itlay & the old) yugoslavian countries), what teams were you watching? and players (probably wouldn't show his cards on this question)?? 3. do you feel pigeon holed as simply the raptors top european scout or do have an interest in looking at american players (either playing in the NBA or college prospects) 4. contrary to previous roles (benneton) you are currently an assistant g.m and must defer to Bryan Colangelo decisions. Are you content with that role? is there enough work to go around?
That's what that piece is always like. "Unplugged" is a Sunday thing the Star always runs that just asks random and personal questions to sports-related people. Its not really investigative or anything.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">That's what that piece is always like. "Unplugged" is a Sunday thing the Star always runs that just asks random and personal questions to sports-related people. Its not really investigative or anything.</div> I love the new sig chutney. Forza raptors! ahaha
what annoys me about gherardini is chuck swirsky's sycophantic way of referring to him as the "godfather" every chance he gets. we all know there was only one godfather and his name is marlon brando.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting a13x:</div><div class="quote_post">I love the new sig chutney. Forza raptors! ahaha</div> lol, thanks. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting deception:</div><div class="quote_post">what annoys me about gherardini is chuck swirsky's sycophantic way of referring to him as the "godfather" every chance he gets. we all know there was only one godfather and his name is marlon brando.</div> Yea, I'm pretty fed up with the stereotypes. Every time Bargnani does something noticeable or Gerardhini is shown, Chuck/Leo/Jack/everyone makes a reference to pasta, the mafia, soccer etc. When its Calderon or Garbajosa we hear something about bullfighting.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> Yea, I'm pretty fed up with the stereotypes. Every time Bargnani does something noticeable or Gerardhini is shown, Chuck/Leo/Jack/everyone makes a reference to pasta, the mafia, soccer etc. When its Calderon or Garbajosa we hear something about bullfighting.</div> good observation- its mainly chuck though, jack doesn't get into personal stuff and leo's been around the world. i remember this one time after hoffa dunked, chuck said something about hoffa yelling in brazilian, which had me on the floor laughing cause frist off- there isn't a language called brazilian and they speak portuguese in brazil
You're right. Jack and Leo just get caught up in it, but Chuck's the one that starts it up everytime. Its just a part of his whole obsession with making a nickname for every single thing about the Raps. I personally think we should switch it around. Every time Chris Bosh or TJ Ford makes an amazing play, Chuck should yell out "I 'dun wet mah britches!"
