I have a lot to say about the Raptors having 40% of the NBA "Rookie
All Star" FIRST TEAM. But I'm so excited about this web link, that
I'll throw it out first. It was JUST updated this week.

It is a look forward to next season, when "Canada's Team" will be the
ONLY team in the "Titanic" ATLANTIC DIVISION under the salary cay (by
an estimated $4 Million going into this off season...

http://www.nbadraft.net/2007stateofthecaptoronto001.asp

If you don't LOVE this web site, you are not a "Die-hard fan of the
Toronto Raptors"! If you've ever believed anything that I've told
you, believe that!!!

As we know, and this web page announces to the world, "Toronto really
couldn't be in a better position right now. They have a lot of
excellent, young talent signed to worthy contracts!"

Now back to this week's big Raptor news...

NBA Rookie of the Year "ROY the R.O.Y.", Brandon Roy barely beat our
Toronto Raptors'#1 over-all draft pick "Itallian Stallion" Andrea
Bargnani (57 points) in voting for the rookie all stars.

Minnesota's Randy Foye (with 48 points), who set a world record being
traded twice on draft day (and getting 3 hats from his "new team"),
edged out Toronto's little known Jorge Garbajosa (37 points) in
claiming spots on the 1st "All star rookie" team.

BOTH
(1) Andrea Bargnani, the highly touted #1 over-all pick from Italy in
this year's NBA draft, AND also Bryan's undrafted rookie...
(2) C/F Jorge Garbajosa, a 29-year-old free agent from Spain, were
named as 2/5ths of the NBA's "all-rookie 1st team stars of 2006-7".

Toronto's "garbage man" blue collar C/F Garbo is not your typical NBA
rookie! This Euroleague veteran star will be thirty next season, so
don't expect the typical sophmore leaps of improvement. What you see
is what you'll get...but that's all good!!!

BARGNANI: He was named the Euroleague "Rising Star" as the "Top
European Young Player of the Year" in 2005-06 (just last season),
before moving to the NBA's Toronto Raptors for 2006-7 and almost
winning "Rookie of the Year" despite Sam starting him only twice, and
despite missing lots of games down the stretch with surgery & side-
effects.

Andrea Bargnani is nicknamed "Il Mago" in Itallian (translated "The
Magician"), and "The Itallian Stallion" in Toronto. He won "rookie of
the month" TWICE (the only major league "rook" to do that!)

Despite leading Toronto to a 20 win improvement (from 27 to 47)
Andrea finishing a close 2nd to Brandon Roy (of the charity-case
Trail Blazers who padded his stats with continual "gargage time"
while our, more deserving R.O.Y., "Il Mago" WON the Atlantic
championship with a team that doubled their wins this season, when he
joined. Sorry, but I tend to "run-on" when I get mad!

GARBOJOSA: This rook is "cool"! In addition to winning the 2006
world championship for Spain (with Raptor team-mate Calderon),
Garbajosa also made the all-tournament team, with Spanish super-star
teammate Pau Gasol.

Garbojosa was named "Basketball's Mister Europa 2006" by Euro hoops
magazine, "SuperBasket". NBA players given this prized award, in the
last couple seasons, include Dirk Nowitzki (2005) and Pau Gasol
(2004).

Like fellow ex Euro star, Raptor team-mate Anthony Parker, Jorge is a
TEAM-orienter "glue guy", not interested in his own personal NBA
stats (sorry fantasy NBA G.M.'s) as long as we WIN. God bless
you "glue" guys!!! This is the face of the NEW passing NBA. I LOVE
his game!