Robert Kubica F1 Sport Gallery

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica (Polish pronunciation: born December 7, 1984 in Kraków, Poland) is the first Polish racing driver to compete in Formula One. From 2006 he has driven for the BMW Sauber F1 team, promoted from test driver to race driver during 2006. In June 2008, Kubica took his maiden F1 victory in the chaotic Canadian Grand Prix, becoming the 99th driver to win a World Championship race. For the 2010 season, Kubica is racing for Renault.

Source : Wikipedia.com

David Coulthard F1 Sport

David Coulthard

David Marshall Coulthard, often called DC, (born 27 March 1971 in Dumfries and raised nearby in Twynholm) is a Scottish former Formula One racing driver.

Coulthard made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons. Twice a winner in Monaco, Coulthard was team-mate to Mika Häkkinen in the Finn's two Drivers' Championship winning seasons for McLaren Mercedes before helping establish the Red Bull team.

Coulthard amassed a notable points haul placing him seventh on the all-time scorers list, being the top British scorer. His best Drivers' Championship finish was second in 2001.

Coulthard is now a pundit for the BBC Formula One TV coverage, while also being a team consultant for Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Coulthard has confirmed that he will be returning as an active driver in the DTM series for 2010, having recently tested for Mercedes-Benz.

Source : WIkipedia.com

A Very Easter(n) Raptors Weekend [WSR]

Lots of Eastern Conference implications over the weekend...

In a matter of 2 seconds, the season was summed up quite nicely. The Raptors pulled off the unexpected, then Chris Bosh went up, before falling back down. I know a bunch of people are still not over the crazy finish at the ACC last night. I know I wasn't - which is why I couldn't take my eyes away from the video above. I had to watch it over...and over...again.

BTW - was am I the only who found the Nellie/Warriors moshpit a tad hilarious?

Second on the docket of this edition of "With A Side of Red", I've got another Easter Egg of news that Raps fans may like.

Here's a snippet from an article that can be found at Cleveland.com

"One option the team may consider is giving James and some other players some time off this week and then putting a full team out on the floor for the final two games against the Magic and Hawks next Sunday and Wednesday. There is a chance Shaquille O'Neal could return for one or both of those games."

Okay. I like it!

Lastly, here's a video regarding the recent Autism Awareness Night that was held at the ACC. For those that don't know, April is considered Autism Awareness Month. It was good on both the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs to go out and show their support for a great cause. Autism is a serious thing, but at the same time, those with it should be considered just like everyone else. They're fully capable of probably more than what you expect. On top of that - they can be huge basketball fans as well. Trust me - I know one that could talk ball for days!



And that's it from me today. Just wanted to let everyone know that I appreciate the surprising success everyone has brought to this blog and the Raptors Rundown podcast. After a mere 3 months, everything has come quite quick, and I'm enjoying every second of it.

With that said, I've gotten emails regarding the drop in activity over the last 3-4 days. Before I get bombarded with anymore, I would like to point out that it's been Easter weekend, I had my birthday to celebrate, and final exams were taking place. But now that it's all out of the way, expect me to have all hands on deck as we approach the finish line.

To prove that, I've already got an interview with Joel Riley of Boshtown lined up for tomorrow. He'll be appearing on episode 4 of the Raptors Rundown to talk Raptors basketball. So keep a look out for that.

Whatever you happen to be doing Raptors fans, I hope you enjoyed it With A Side of Red!

Sonny Weems Is No Joke

While you're dodging April Fools jokes left and right today, let's take a closer look at the one Raptor that has been a surprise of the pleasant variety. His name is Sonny Weems (real name is Clarence - but don't tell him that), the 23 year old starting shooting guard for the Toronto Raptors.

Born out of Arkansas, Weems was the typical super athlete growing up. Excelling at football and track and field - especially high jump where he manaed to clear 6'10 - there was little doubt that Sonny was born with God given athleticism and talents. Shooting up to a respectable height that complimented his play style, his athleticism ended up translating quite well onto the basketball court. As a senior, he ended up leading West Memphis High School to a state championship. The 20 points and 14 rebounds he averaged was good enough to have him recognized as one of the best high school players in the Nation.

The early success didn't end there however. After high school, Sonny attended the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith where he eventually was thought to be the #1 junior college player in the entire country. Soon after, Weems declared his commitment to the University of Arkansas through a transfer. In 06/07, he was actually listed as the #1 junior college transfer in the nation by CollegeHoops.net. In his junior year, he played a noteworthy role (11 pts a game) that led to the Razorbacks' 3rd straight winning season. Unfortunately, the party ended abruptly in a first round knockout in the NCCA tournament.

In Weems' final year at Arkansas, the high flying guard made it his mission to go out with a bang. Earning his spot on the first team All-SEC, Weems led Arkansas all the way to the NCAA tournament once again; where they would ultimately ruin a couple of brackets all over the world with an upset win over Indiana. The 31 points he scored (on 12-14 shooting) gave the Razorbacks their first NCAA tournament win in 9 years. He followed that up with a 22 point performance in the next round, but unfortunately could not overcome a beastly UNC squad. Wanting to end his collegiate career on his terms however, Sonny topped the experience off with an entertaining win in the NCAA Slam Dunk Contest.

Many scouts expected Weems to play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in an attempt to raise his stock prior to the draft. However, he ultimately decided to skip out and instead opted to workout for several NBA franchises. Already 21 years old and running out of time on his NBA dreams, Weems pushed as hard as he could in order to impress somebody, anybody. Even in the days leading up to the draft, Weems was projected to go somewhere in the low to mid 50s; to possibly not even being drafted. All he wanted to do was for some team to give him a chance.

Fortunately, that chance came - but not in the way Sonny had been playing it out in his head ever since he was a kid.

Selected with the 39th pick of the 2008 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, Weems wasn't even given a chance to smile. Immediately, he was traded away to Denver for scrap (2nd rounder). Already considered a fringe player, consistent and nagging injuries glued Sonny to the Nuggets bench. Eventually, the franchise sent him down to the D-League.

Playing for the Colarado 14ers, Sonny Weems put up 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists a game; a stat line very similar to something he'd put up in college. Yet regardless of his steady production and seemingly translatable game, the Nuggets still refused to put Weems on the court. His time soon ran out in Denver, and the team traded him for next to nothing to the Bucks (Malik Allen who's averaging 2.3 points, and 1.6 rebounds this year).

Ten days later - that's right, ten days... - Sonny Weems was traded once again. But this time, it was to the Toronto Raptors. Used as nothing more than a filler, he and Amir Johnson were sent to Canada in exchange for Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic. Considered merely an afterthought in the grand scheme of things, many fans expected and even preferred Weems to be wearing a suit every game. With their young lottery pick rookie DeMar DeRozan, prized free agent Hedo Turkoglu, veteran wing defender Antoine Wright, and fellow Italian countryman to Bargs in Marco Belinelli; Sonny Weems found himself in a particularly crowded field.

But just like always, Weems fought through it all. Always being noted to be one of the hardest working players by the coaching staff, the 23 year old athletic wingman put in the time to make his case for head coach Jay Triano. The message was heard loud and clear: "I deserve to be here."

Fast forward to today, and with the playoffs just on the horizon, Sonny Weems now finds himself as the starting 2 guard for the Toronto Raptors - a team bound for the post-season. Peaking at the absolute right time, Sonny is putting up career numbers in the month of March and appears to have the starting gig locked for the rest of the year. He gives this Toronto team an aspect and element that this franchise has lacked for years now, and that's athleticism on the wings.

The best part is that:

1) He's basically a rookie. Recording practically no minutes in his rookie year, this is in a sense, his first season that he's been given a chance to play. At the age of 23, he's got plenty of time to grow.

and

2) Weems is earning the minimum in regards to salary. The Raptors can either choose to use their team option on him next year, or just outright extend Weems. Either way, Toronto will end up with very good production per salary. Amazing bang for your buck? I think so.

What does the future have in store for Sonny Weems? No one knows for sure, though Raptors fans can only hope it involves them. It was only two years ago that I remember first seeing him. He was assisting J.R. Smith in the Dunk Contest, and commentators Reggie Miller and Kenny Smith took no liberties in making jokes at Weems' expense. But in their defense, what they didn't realize at the time is that Sonny Weems is no joke. There's a hidden gold mine of potential somewhere there that the Denver Nuggets couldn't find; and all it took was a Raptors jersey for Weems to realize that.

Raptors Rundown Podcast - Episode 3

Check out episode 3 of the Raptors Rundown Podcast. All the great feedback on the show is helping me stay consistent with the show. Keep them coming! If you'd like to guest co-host for an episode, don't hesitate to contact me via email, and I'm sure we can get something worked out.



This week, I have Abish from tdot-sports.com to help me discuss the latest happenings in the world of the Toronto Raptors. Topics include recent lineup changes to the starting 5, the laziness and lack of effort shown by the team, controversy surrounding Colangelo and Turk, Chris Bosh's recent play, and the week to come for the Raps. On top of that, Abish gives you his pick for this week's Raptor Factor.



You can find Abish on twitter here: TDotSports

Raptors Rundown Episode 3

Kris Cuaresma's Podcast

The Amazing Race

Other than the weekly reality show that airs on your television screen every Sunday, there is one race that truly pushes your mental and physical strength to the limit. To succeed, it requires cutthroat strategy, an unprecedented determination, and even a little bit of luck. With every team's eyes set on the same prize, you have to make a decision: Step up or be stepped on.

I'm no Phil Keoghan, but let's take a look at the final leg of the race for the post-season. Here are what challenges lay ahead for the Raptors, Bobcats, and the Bulls:

Raptors Schedule (8th):
vs. Clippers
@ Philly
vs. Golden State
@ Cleveland
vs. Boston
@ Atlanta
vs. Chicago
@ Detroit
vs. New York

Bobcats Schedule (7th):
vs. Philly
vs. Milwaukee
@ Chicago
vs. Atlanta
@ New Orleans
@ Houston
vs. Detroit
@ New Jersey
vs. Chicago

Chicago Schedule (9th):
vs. Phoenix
@ Washington
vs. Charlotte
vs. Milwaukee
vs. Cleveland
@ New Jersey
@ Toronto
vs. Boston
@ Charlotte

On a quick first glance, it seems as though the Bulls have the most difficult schedule. The only games they really should be expected to win no matter what would be the games against Washington and New Jersey. Every other team on that schedule will be fighting desperately for playoff positioning.

The Bobcats' schedule isn't that bad, but I wouldn't say it's the easiest of the 3 provided. They have three games that can easily be had against Philly, New Jersey, and Detroit. But the rest include a formidable group of teams that have either something to prove or want to finish ahead of Charlotte.

As for the Raptors, I can honestly say they have the easiest schedule of these teams. This is of course assuming they play with the same type of effort they've shown the last three games. If they do, and that's a big IF, I see them having no problem taking care of the Clippers, Sixers, Warriors, Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks. Getting even 1 of the BIG 3 stretch (Cavs, Celtics, Hawks) would also prove to be huge.

Remember Raptors Nation, Toronto holds the tiebreaker over both Charlotte and Chicago. This little fact could prove to be very significant down the stretch. This makes it even more difficult for Chicago to pass us and for Charlotte to finish ahead of us.

Since my NCAA bracket went down the drain a long time ago, I'm going to attempt to make myself feel better here and give you guys my crazy prediction for all 3 teams:

Raptors: 7-2
Bobcats: 6-3
Chicago: 3-6

That would leave us with a final Eastern Conference standing of:

7. Charlotte: 44-38
8. Toronto: 43-39
9. Chicago: 38-44

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough to finish ahead of Charlotte, thus giving us a date with King James and his Cavs. Obviously, this is just some prediction from some random Raptors fan, and a lot can happen from here on out; but I totally expect it to play out something similar to this.

Regardless, this is a race and the Raptors are in it. And though it took forever for them to get a clue, the point is it looks like they've got it. But now it's the final leg of the race. And with the last pit stop in sight, it's time to shift into another gear, because the last team there will be eliminated.

With Spring Comes Meltdowns Or Sunshine

It's funny how things work sometimes.

At around this point last year, the Toronto Raptors were playing very inspired basketball. After a horrendous and disappointing season, the team managed to get everything to come together. As a result, the Raps ended up winning 9 of the last 13 games of the season. The kicker? They were already well out of the playoff race.

Fast forward to the present, and here comes the depressing part.

While in the center of the storm that is the playoff race, the Raptors have managed to lose 10 out of the last 14 games. To say the month of March has been a total disaster would definitely be an understatement. It almost seems like every game, Toronto finds a new way to lose. To make matters worse, everyday fans read another new yet disturbing revelation about the team in the papers. One day it's Colangelo saying he feels the team has individual agendas, and then the next day it's Turkoglu seemingly faking a stomach flu. On top of that, this team has had some of the most frustrating meltdowns I've seen a Raptors squad go through. Yet the most frustrating of all has been the season itself.

And even still, it's not too late to save it.

Currently sitting in the 8th seed, only a half game above Chicago and three games below Charlotte, the Raps' remaining 10 games of the season is quite manageable. Ignoring the Charlotte game tonight for just a minute, the 9 games after that looks like this:

Clippers
Sixers
Warriors
Cavs
Celtics
Hawks
Bulls
Pistons
Knicks

Regardless of the fact this team has lost its last two games despite the new starting lineup, fans who have stuck with the Raptors can still spot the difference in play. This isn't the same team that got blown out by 30 to the Thunder and the Jazz. The plays have clearly turned up the intensity and sense of urgency, but have unfortunately unable to finish strong.

Let's say they keep that exact level of play for the last 10 games. I think if they can manage to do that, wins will probably come against the Clippers, Sixers, Warriors, Bulls, Pistons, and the Knicks. And even if the Raps lose the games they're expected to lose, they'd still finish around .500 - which sadly will be good enough to finish in the 8th seed.

Of course, finishing in the 8th seed may be just as bad as missing the playoffs to some; but not to the players. It's these players - the same ones many in this city have given up on - that put in the work each and everyday to get a chance to play in the post season. They realize they've let Toronto down tremendously. I say give them a chance to redeem themselves and make it up to us. This roster just needs a brand new start, and that's exactly what the playoffs is. If this team plays hard, win or lose, I can guarantee a pretty exciting first round match-up.

Obviously, things wouldn't look very good for Toronto as they'd have to stay in front of the train that is LeBron James. But that's why there are such things as "upsets". And if the NBA Playoffs turns out to be anything like this year's NCAA tournament, you'll end up attached to your couch, eyes glued on the television, while cheering on the team you're so hopelessly in love with.