Brady, Boucher and not a lot of crazy trade speculation: It’s a wonderful Ye Olde Mailbag this week

Lots of variety in here this week and very few “how about this trade?” questions and for that latter point, I am eternally grateful.

Enjoy it, enjoy the second of a rare two days without a Raptors game to worry about and think of me when I’m doing all the errands and jobs around Casa Doug that went neglected during a crazy busy portion of the schedule.

–

Q: One has to be very pleased for Fred VanVleet. It is startling to realize that the Raptors are likely to enjoy a successful decade and a half (at least) powered by two vertically challenged barrel-shaped men in Fred and his predecessor at point guard. Speaking as one myself, this is an inspiration to vertically challenged barrel-shaped men everywhere and Fred should know that.

Perhaps inspired by a certain soccer team, this week has been all about Canada for me, which brings me to another congratulatory note, this one to Andrew Wiggins. It’s hard to recall another Canadian athlete who has been subjected to more unfair criticism in the last decade, apparently due to a draft position and now an all-star selection over which he had no control. Watching him a few months back in Olympic qualifying one thing was obvious: this guy is a terrific basketball player.

Finally, huzzahs to Chris Boucher for turning his season around; he has become, in my opinion, too valuable to trade.  I think his only problem early in the season was trying to do too much to compensate for a reduced roster. I don’t know if the front office will make any moves this week and next (and I would not presume to question them) but here’s hoping Chris sticks around.

James A., Victoria

A: Wiggins is not blameless in the reputation he got in Minnesota but there were other circumstances at play, as well. But I thought the day he was traded to Golden State that it was the best thing for him: To be surrounded by successful professionals with a history of winning and an organization that demands excellent and would demand a level of accountability that wouldn’t allow him to coast at all.

So, good for him, indeed.

–

Q: Plenty of hoopla last weekend with the posting That Brady was retiring by two ESPN reporters. Which was meaningless to me as I heard a billion opinions whether #12 would or wouldn’t.

The posting irked me. I just felt the posting was self serving and inappropriate. Is there a protocol reporting that info? What sources would satisfy you that you could publish? Or would you publish?

It just seems a personal issue and the players moment to me. The fact that Brady did retire and the ESPN reporters feel exonerated just doesn’t sit right with me. 

Johnny C

A: It was a bit much and certainly made the reporters part of the story for a day or two and that should never happen.

My rule of thumb is at least two sources – one from each side of an issue, if you get my drift – and then I’d have to give both sides a chance to go on the record if I was going to write something.

That’s very much how we handled the Eddie Rogers story that the great Christine Dobby shepherded and I think it held up to all levels of journalistic integrity because of that.

–