Raptors coverboys Marco Belinelli and Andrea Bargnani. (via Interbasket.net)

Okay, I can forgive the local morning show guy for fumbling the name of Toronto Raptors guard Marco Belinelli. After all, he’s a relatively new non-hockey player. But, as a service to the public (and to Belinelli), I present a list of things that, while similar in some ways, are NOT Belinelli. Read more »

"Marco Belinelli fly to crush." (Repubblica.it)

That’s what it says in this Italian article here, according to Google Language Tools. Y’see, that’s why I use a human translator.

Anyway, Marco’s line: 10/1/1, 1 3PT, on 50% shooting and just over 19 minutes of play. And he definitely would’ve crushed a fly with the above dunk.

UPDATE: Raptors have exercised the 2010-2011 contract option on Belinelli. Coincidence? I think not.

With five key players on this Toronto Raptors team that hail from overseas, there are bound to be non-English articles out there that are of interest to us North American fans. Case in point: this Italian interview with new Raptors strength and conditioning coach Francesco Cuzzolin. Don’t you wish that someone could translate it for you? Well, your wish just came true.

Thanks to mookie from A Stern Warning for the translation work.

Francesco Cuzzolin, who has come from Benetton Treviso, is now with the Raptors to act as trainer.

How is your experience going so far?

Super. Truly beyond all expectations since arriving. With different working methods and different ideas in terms of administration and off-the-court, it was not easy to put everything into practice immediately.

As a third of the team is European, it’s really easy to work with them. And of course, there was immediately great harmony with the two Italians. Read more »

This post is the first in a series of Q&A’s and chats with GMs in my fantasy league. In this one, I ask Eric Koreen, Toronto Raptors reporter for the National Post, about his brief experience with Sam Mitchell, his “sleeper” pick among the new Raptors, his favourite fantasy draftee, TV shows and more.

Pete Marasmitch: I enjoyed your hair-raising piece, a.k.a. Bryan Colangelo’s Personal Vendetta. How goes the faux-hawk? Are you sporting the fedora, 24-7?

Eric Koreen: The faux-hawk lives. (Although I’m writing this a few days before the season starts. I could have evened it out by the time this is published.) I have worn a hat just once, and am now pretty comfortable with it. I don’t like it, but I’ve made my peace. Amir Johnson told me he did me a favour, while Sherman Hamilton told me about three weeks after the cut that the hair was at the ideal length. (Although, perhaps I should not be putting too much stock into Sherm’s thoughts on hair.) And if I do cut my hair soon, it will be legitimate: Johnson cut his hair a week before the season started, although he did apologize to me for leaving me hanging. Read more »