<font size=""4"">The Quoteless Forest</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It is post-game in the Raptors locker room and Chris Bosh is being interviewed in one corner and Andrea Bargnani is being interviewed another and Morris Peterson is talking to the cameras. And none of them are saying a thing. Oh, where have you gone Jalen Rose? Or Mike James or Rafer Alston? How is it all the insta-quotes have disappeared? The Raptors used to be a better story than a team. There was always a John Salley, a Charles Oakley (if you follow along) or Antonio Davis to fill in the blanks.</div> <font size=""4"">Reward is sweet for East all-star starter Bosh</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What Bosh sees in this honour is an acknowledgement of the efforts. "The reward is sweet," he said. "I've been working so hard the past three, four, five years, even before that. To know all that work is paying off is a great feeling."</div> <font size=""4"">Raps reaching for .500</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bosh is the first to get on himself when he feels he isn't being aggressive enough going to the hoop. The Raptors' 105-84 win over Charlotte on Monda y was one of those nights. For the first time this year, Bosh did not get to the charity stripe in a game. Mitchell said he didn't have to mention it to Bosh. In Wednesday's 90-88 win over New Orleans, Bosh pumped in a season-high 35 points. He had 18 free throw attempts, which is a Raptors' season high ... If it seems like there has been a lot of talk about Jose Calderon of late, it's for good reason. In his past four games (two as a starter) he is averaging 15 points a game and 8.3 assists.</div> <font size=""4"">Coach sets Raps straight</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"Yeah, we got a little lecture," six-year veteran Morris Peterson said yesterday. "One of (Sam Mitchell's) many famous lectures. He doesn't want us to get complacent. Obviously we stole (Wednesday's) game." Peterson knew it was coming and he wasn't arguing it wasn't deserved either. "He came in (for morning practice) and told us 'You know what, that was a good win, you showed some heart coming back but we can't keep doing this every night. We're playing with fire.'"</div> <font size=""4"">The making of an all-star</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Every now and then, he'll call up a coach in the evening and ask for some workout help in the team's practice facility. It will be all about his commitment to improving his skills, his commitment to helping his team get better and his commitment to getting every ounce out of his potential. The shooting sessions aren't mandatory by any means ? only a handful of players bother to put in extra time long after a day's practice is done ? but they speak to his willingness to do whatever it takes to make his team better.</div> <font size=""4"">Celtics at Raptors</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bosh is playing out of this world, 35 points on Wednesday against New Orleans, and his defence has been stellar, too. Without Paul Pierce or Wally Szczerbiak, the Celtics are relying on Jefferson to supply some scoring. He likes to operate in the post so Bosh will have to use his strength to move him off the block.</div> <font size=""4"">Bosh gets ultimate vote of confidence</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Early in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, Chris Bosh had uncharacteristically clanged three successive free throws in what was beginning to look like an ugly National Basketball Association loss to the undermanned New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Bosh left the line and walked all the way to midcourt to compose himself. And as he prepared to shoot his next free throw, the crowd at the Air Canada Centre gave the Toronto Raptors' young cornerstone a heartfelt burst of applause ? the equivalent of a comforting pat on the back. Not too many professional athletes get that kind of treatment ? a helping hand rather than a sarcastic boo in their moment of doubt.</div> <font size=""4"">Raptors 17th most valuable NBA franchise</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Toronto Raptors rank 17th in the 30-team league with a value of $315 million, a 13-per-cent increase from the previous year. The team generated $105 million in revenues, resulting in operating profits of $8.4 million.</div> <font size=""4"">Relief picture: Jefferson ready to play</font> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Al Jefferson said yesterday he expects to play against the Raptors tonight in Toronto, prompting a collective sigh of relief at the Celtics' practice facility.</div>
Great job with the headlines. The quoteless forest says it all to me about how i hate toronto media. They'd rather produce some crappy article riddled with useless quotes than provide actual analysis. I don't give a crap if we have a Jalen Rose or Mike James on this team !!!
