Edmonton Eskimos fire head coach Jason Maas after 8-10 season - CBC.ca

The Edmonton Eskimos have fired Jason Maas, ending the four-year run of a hot-tempered, heart-on-his-sleeve head coach who inspired his players but delivered results that, while good, were never good enough.

"The past few seasons we underachieved as a team, and that was the final decision and where that came from," Eskimos general manager Brock Sunderland said at a news conference Wednesday at Commonwealth Stadium.

Sunderland declined to discuss specific candidates or a timeline to find the team's next head coach. He said CFL experience would be an asset but is not mandatory.

"We're going to cast a wide net and ultimately come up with who we feel and I feel is the best head coach," he said.

Maas leaves with a 39-33 regular season record and 3-3 in the playoffs. A former quarterback for the Esks, Maas inherited a Grey Cup winner in 2015 but in the four seasons that followed with him at the helm, the team treaded water.

In that time, the Eskimos missed the playoffs once, never finished higher than third in the CFL west and needed the crossover spot twice to make it to the playoffs.

It was the first head coaching job for the Wisconsin-born Maas, 44, who came to Edmonton in the fifth year of his coaching career, after working as offensive co-ordinator for the Ottawa Redblacks.

Maas said last week that coaching the Eskimos was a "dream job." (Jason Franson/Canadian Press)

He delivered outstanding game plans, as in the quick-strike offensive aerial masterpiece over Montreal in this year's Eastern semifinal. But that was followed a week later by Maas sticking to an ineffective run game while chasing the points and the clock in the East final loss to Hamilton.

His biggest head-scratcher was in the 2017 West Final against Calgary. Trailing by a touchdown with just under two minutes to go inside Calgary's 13-yard line, Mass called for a field goal instead of going for the touchdown on third and four and Edmonton, due in part to a punt fumble, never got the ball back.

This year, Edmonton finished 8-10, playing a third of the time without star quarterback Trevor Harris, beating up on fellow small-fry squads but getting thumped regularly by the CFL's better teams.

Through the years, though, Maas was loved by his players, who said they appreciated his energy and emotion.

Harris praised Maas two weeks ago after the Eskimos' season ended.

"I think he's a tremendous head coach ... you succeed as a team because of Jason Maas. You succeed as individuals because of Jason Maas. That guy has your back and I love him," said Harris.

In 2017, then Eskimo receiver Brandon Zylstra said, "He's one of the best coaches I've ever had. He's a player's coach. He lets everybody be themselves. Nobody has to change or be fake or anything."

Fiery temper

Maas was known for his fiery temper as a player and continued that tradition in the coaching ranks, losing his cool in the heat of the game.

In 2018 in a game against Saskatchewan he spectacularly trashed a sideline Gatorade barrel.

In 2017 against Calgary he smashed his headset on the sidelines when a replay call went against him.

In 2016 against Montreal he clashed with CFL brass. He was fined by the league when he and quarterback Mike Reilly refused to participate in a league-mandated "live microphone" game, in which they would be mic'd up during the broadcast to give fans deeper insight into the live action.

He often held himself to account for his rage, saying he would work to rein it in, especially as it sent the wrong signal to a team that, on his watch, was consistently at or near the top of the league in penalties, too many of which were of the undisciplined, after-the-whistle variety.

The mayhem wasn't always directed to the other team. In this year's Labour Day clash in Calgary, fans and a national TV audience watched as frustrated Eskimo defenders Vontae Diggs and Josh Johnson pushed and shoved each other right on the field.

Sunderland said penalties and team discipline were part of the debate on Maas's future, but said, "That wasn't the straw that broke the camel's back."

He said any specific criticism of Maas that led to his dismissal "is going to come across, for lack of a better term, mudslinging, and I don't think this is the time or place for that."

Maas was not immediately available for comment. But in a radio interview last week said he hoped he'd be able to finish the job he started in Edmonton.

"We've laid a very, very solid foundation moving forward," said Mass on 630 CHED radio.

He said the Eskimo job was "a dream opportunity" but one that was challenging given his limited coaching experience.

"It (the Eskimo job offer) was sudden and it was unexpected," he said.

"I tried to do the best I could do, learning on the job, doing it. I've learned a tremendous amount."

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November 27, 2019 at 11:14PM

Flames try to keep focus on ice as Bill Peters leaves the picture - Sportsnet.ca

BUFFALO – Bill Peters has left the Calgary Flames.

While still officially employed by the club as coach, he won’t be joining them for their charter flight back to Calgary after Wednesday’s game.

Peters had joined the team for their charter flight from Pittsburgh to Buffalo Monday, mere hours after Akim Aliu’s tweets surfaced, accusing the Flames coach of uttering racist epithets a decade earlier.

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Although staying at the same hotel, Peters has been kept away from the team since his arrival in Buffalo, while GM Brad Treliving and the Flames spearhead an investigation that is now also involving the NHL.

He’s still officially the team’s coach.

But for how long?

“I haven’t talked to Bill,” said associate coach Geoff Ward after the Flames’ morning skate at KeyBank Center.

“Bill and Tree (Treliving) are in communication and nobody else has had that opportunity. We have to respect the process and give them space.”

The process involves the Flames and the league looking into Aliu’s claims, as well as claims by former Hurricane Michal Jordan that he was physically abused by Peters on the bench.

Earlier in the morning Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour dropped the latest bombshell in the ongoing investigation, confirming the two incidents Jordan referred to in his tweets “for sure happened.”

Peters has not responded to an invitation from Sportsnet.ca to comment for the first time since the allegations surfaced.

Former Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner, who now plays for Buffalo, was hesitant to delve into his time with Peters for obvious reasons.

“He was fine with me,” said Skinner.

“Obviously there’s a lot of stuff going on and I’m sure Calgary will get to the bottom of it, but I don’t really have a comment on it. I don’t want to get into it. They’re gathering their facts and I’m sure you guys will find out more from them.”

Flames players also did their best to tiptoe around the delicate situation, with Matthew Tkachuk starting his availability by saying he would only discuss questions about Wednesday’s game.
When asked if the team had been keeping players apprised of the situation, Tkachuk shrugged.

“They don’t have to – our job is to go out there and play,” he said.

While he’s right, the circumstances surrounding this team and this game are radically different than the norm.

There’s a pall cast over a team that was already dealing with plenty of speed bumps that have contributed to their horrific start. Just two weeks ago the players watched in horror as TJ Brodie collapsed and convulsed uncontrollably during practice.

Injuries have mounted in the midst of a recent six-game slide and most of their star players have gone AWOL to start the season.

Ward will be the man behind the bench for the game, but that’s as much as he knows in terms of his coaching future. Assistant coach Martin Gelinas along with assistant GM Craig Conroy will be behind the bench with Ward on Wednesday night.

“I haven’t been told anything yet,” he said of his status moving forward.

“I came to the rink (Tuesday) and was told I was going to run practice. Later on in the day I was told I was going to coach the game (Wednesday night). For us as a staff we’re trying to keep things as normal and consistent as possible for the players. We’ll worry about the next step once we get through the game tonight.”

The hockey world is waiting for the next step to be the Flames’ official parting of ways with Peters – an inevitability given the corroboration of several damning allegations.

The question is when.

After returning from their four-game road trip the Flames have the day off Thursday, which would be an ideal time for management to rip the band-aid off a regrettable situation.

However, the legal delays thus far could prolong the situation further as all parties involved search to find a way to ensure there are no legal missteps moving forward.

Following an optional skate, Mikael Backund admitted he was surprised to hear of the allegations against Peters.

“For sure,” said Backlund, insisting his only focus is the game.

“Bill has been great to me. Nothing bad to say about Bill. We had a great regular season last year and he was a big part of it.”

Sean Monahan echoed that sentiment.

“It’s tough news to hear, but right now we’re just thinking of our game against Buffalo,” he said.

“My relationship (with Peters) has been good. No problems. Right now I want to talk about hockey. When situations happen throughout a season that’s when you’ve got to get closer together and there for one another.”

It will be fascinating to see how a team that has lost seven of its last eight games will respond to the cloud of controversy that has surrounded the team the last 48 hours.

All day long players are privy to the same social media streams that make it clear hockey’s #MeToo movement is afoot.

Hard to ignore, as the discussion league-wide revolves around what big story is poised to drop next.

And how it may affect the Flames further.

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November 28, 2019 at 04:45AM

Barrett joins list of Canadians to commit to Olympic qualifier - TSN

TORONTO — The momentum keeps building for Canada's men's basketball team.

RJ Barrett became the latest NBA star to commit to playing this summer in Canada's quest for its first Olympic berth since the 2000 Sydney Games.

"One-hundred per cent, definitely plan on playing for my country this summer," the New York Knicks rookie said. "I'm very proud to say that."

The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., declared his intentions Wednesday hours before Knicks faced the Toronto Raptors in Barrett's first NBA game at home.

Barrett's announcement continues a groundswell of commitment from some of the country's top players. Denver Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray announced Tuesday evening that he's on board to play this summer. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New Orleans Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker added their names to the list a few hours later.

Dillon Brooks, Dwight Powell and Khem Birch have also said they'll play, while Kelly Olynyk and Cory Joseph virtually never turn down a Canadian team invite.

"It's great to see everyone buying in and trying to do something great for our country. It's really exciting," Barrett said. "People want to play and it's finally starting to show now."

Earlier Wednesday, Canada learned it will host Greece, the Czech Republic, Turkey, China and Uruguay in its last-chance qualifying tournament June 23-28 in Victoria. Canada must win to clinch its first men's Olympic berth since the 2000 Sydney Games.

Barrett's dad Rowan, who's also the general manager of the men's team, played in those Games alongside Canadian legend Steve Nash. The younger Barrett is keen to follow in his father's footsteps.

"It's the way to serve and give back to your country," RJ Barrett said.

Canada's men's program has been criticized for its absence of NBA talent. Expectations for last summer's World Cup were sky-high. Canada could have assembled perhaps the best team in program history. But one-by-one the big names withdrew for various reasons. Birch and Joseph were the only NBA players to make the trip to China where Canada, led by Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse, finished 21st.

Barrett is no stranger to donning the red and white. He earned tournament MVP honours at the U19 World Cup, where Canada captured an historic gold medal, despite being the team's youngest player.

The six-foot-seven rookie, who was picked third overall in this year's NBA draft, is averaging 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists with the Knicks.

He said he's living the dream.

"Sometimes when I'm on the court I literally just stop and am like, 'Wow, I'm really here,'" Barrett said through a wide smile. "So to me it's just my everything, it means the world to me and it's just the beginning."

Barrett had been battling an illness and was listed as questionable for Wednesday's game. But the Canadian vowed a bug wouldn't keep him from his first NBA game at home.

"I think everybody when they go home has (that game) circled," Barrett said.

He estimated there would be 300 friends and family members at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.

"Everybody kind of feels something for where they grew up, where they came from," Barrett said. "For me, Canada, the whole country had my back. I love them for that."

Barrett's love of the game flourished in what was then the Air Canada Centre. He sat courtside for his first ever Raptors game as a 10-year-old. His dad was being honoured that night.

"When I think about coming back here and playing my first game, coming to the arena just now for shootaround I was thinking about all the times where my dad took me to a playoff game, or I was able to come and watch LeBron play, or I was able to sit courtside and watch the Hawks play one time," Barrett recalled. "So just to see all that and now for me to be playing this game means a lot to me and I'm just excited and I'm going to have fun."

Knicks coach David Fizdale didn't expect Barrett to be affected by the moment.

"I just know that any time you go home you want to perform, you want to play for your family and your friends. I'm just trying to keep that adrenaline down a little bit, I don't want him running around throwing the ball over the place," Fizdale said.

"(But) today you would have thought we were in any other gym. It was like any other shootaround today. I'm expecting him to play well."

Fizdale said the Canadian is easy to coach.

"His maturity, he's a steady kid. All the guys that I've worked with — when you can tell them something and they apply it right away? That's usually a guy that's pretty special and he's one of those guys," Fizdale said. "If you show him something, he's got it. You have to have certain kind of focus and maturity to do that and he has that."

As of Wednesday, here are the list of players who have publicly committed to playing for Canada next summer:

Jamal Murray - SG, Denver Nuggets

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG, Los Angeles Clippers

RJ Barrett - SG, New York Knicks

Nickeil Alexander-Walker - SG, New Orleans Pelicans

Dillon Brooks - F, Memphis Grizzlies

Dwight Powell - F, Dallas Mavericks

Khem Birch - F/C, Orlando Magic

Chris Boucher - F/C, Toronto Raptors

Oshae Brissett - F, Toronto Raptors

TSN Josh Lewenberg also notes that it is likely Cleveland Cavaliers centre Tristan Thompson, Miami Heat forward Kelly Olynyk and Sacramento Kings point guard Cory Joseph will all likely play for Canada.

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November 28, 2019 at 12:00AM

A celebration fit for champs - Winnipeg Free Press

It was like a scene out of a feel-good Hollywood movie — one nearly 30 years in the making.

Thousands of Winnipeggers — a significant number of them wearing blue and gold — flocked downtown Tuesday to celebrate the 2019 Grey Cup champion Blue Bombers.

It was a parade by definition, but it felt and sounded like much more. A football-mad city desperate for a winner finally got its chance to party after 29 years of misery and disappointment.

But it wasn't just the estimated 10,000 fans who lined the parade route that began on Hargrave Street, rounded the corner at Portage and Main and then wrapped up at The Forks, celebrating what's been a difficult winding road to glory that was littered with obstacles along the way.

It was also the players and coaches, whose season had wild up-and-down spikes on and off the field, who put on — and in a few cases, took off — their party duds.

There was Chris Streveler, the Blue Bombers backup-turned-starter-turned-backup quarterback and post-championship game lovable lunatic, clad in shorts and a long brown fur coat, chugging beers and slamming the empty cans to the pavement. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

After all, it was a season where everything went so right, then went horribly wrong before going gloriously right again over the past three weeks and ending with Sunday's Grey Cup title, the team's first since 1990.

There was Chris Streveler, the Blue Bombers backup-turned-starter-turned-backup quarterback and post-championship game lovable lunatic, clad in shorts and a long brown fur coat, chugging beers and slamming the empty cans to the pavement.

Just weeks ago, Streveler suffered a serious high ankle sprain and a broken bone in his foot that likely should have kept him out of action. But the 24 year old missed only one game; he returned to a starring role as one-half of the Bombers' two-headed QB monster with late-season acquisition Zach Collaros.

Streveler, who was leaned on heavily to run the ball in the team's three post-season games, earned the respect of everyone on the Winnipeg sidelines for his incredible toughness. When a Hamilton player twisted Streveler's injured ankle during a scrum early in the fourth quarter and he limped back to the sidelines in agony, he told the training staff "you'll have to cut my f—-ing leg off to come out of this game."

Andrew Harris stood in the back of a pickup truck with his wife Carina waving a flag while fans chanted "MVP" over and over. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Then there was Stanley Bryant, the Bombers' dominating left tackle, riding shirtless on the parade's main float, soaked with champagne from a bottle he was spraying all over himself and his teammates.

Bryant, along with veteran offensive linemen Patrick Neufeld and Jermarcus Hardrick, had spent the year poring over game film with younger and less-experienced players such as Michael Couture, Drew Desjarlais, Cody Speller and Geoff Gray. Together, they would become the league's dominant front five, creating space and holes for running back Andrew Harris to claim his third-consecutive CFL rushing title.

Speaking of Harris, the Winnipeg native stood in the back of a pickup truck with his wife Carina and his young daughter Hazel waving a flag while fans chanted "MVP" over and over. He would later wipe away tears, thanking fans for sticking with him through his two-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and for their patience after he signed with his hometown club in 2016.

Nic Demski, another proud born-and-raised Winnipegger, looked almost speechless as he stared into the sky. When it came his time to speak he had one simple message: "The drought is over!"

Team president and CEO Wade Miller and general manager Kyle Walters were the parade leaders.

Miller brought stability back to the Winnipeg Football Club after years of mismanagement, and Walters restocked the cupboards with high-end Canadian talent through the draft and via trades. And when Walters decided he had to sign a quarterback for the playoffs, he made a deal for Collaros at the trade deadline, ultimately saving the season.

Walters had to find someone to replace Matt Nichols, who suffered a serious injury to this throwing shoulder, ending his season. After undergoing surgery to repair the damage, Nichols showed up at the stadium every morning at 5 a.m. to ensure Collaros and Streveler could be at their best.

Standing in front of thousands of fans, he recalled the time when he first arrived, midway through the 2015 season, when football in Winnipeg "wasn't fun." Four years later, Nichols was thanking the quarterback room for what had been an unbelievable ride, and especially Collaros for his tireless work ethic required to learn and lead a brand-new offence in a short period of time.

Collaros arrived just seven weeks ago from the Toronto Argonauts, after starting the year in Saskatchewan. He was a calm and quiet presence on the field and was much the same on Tuesday. He sat on the edge of a packed float, his feet dangling near the ground, smiling and waving to the adoring crowd. At one point, fans chanted "one more year," hoping the pending free agent might return for 2020.

The same was being asked of defensive end Willie Jefferson, who signed a one-year deal in February after spending three seasons with arch-rival Saskatchewan. Jefferson would go on to lead a dominant defensive line that also received notable contributions from Jackson Jeffcoat, Drake Nevis, Steve Richardson, Craig Roh, Jonathan Kongbo, Thiadric Hansen and longest-serving Bomber Jake Thomas.

"Come on down to Winnipeg!" Jefferson screamed to the crowd, echoing what had become his trademark slogan.

Richie Hall waves to fans from the float. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Head coach Mike O'Shea sucked on a stogie and repeatedly raised his fist into the air. Tucked into the bed of a yellow pickup with his wife Richere and daughters Ailish and Aisling, he soaked up every moment, inviting fans to run up and take selfies with him while the parade was in full motion.

Finally, middle linebacker Adam Bighill might have put it best. After seeing something special with this group last year — a season in which he was named the CFL's most outstanding defensive player — he committed three years to Winnipeg with the promise to deliver the city a Grey Cup.

Now, he was celebrating a job well done while refusing to stop at one.

"Winnipeg! You're all champions," he said. "And we're bringing it back here next year!"

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.

Read full biography

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November 27, 2019 at 07:45AM

No easy answers lie ahead as Canadiens drop their fifth straight - Habs Eyes on the Prize

If there was ever a tonic for whatever was ailing the Montreal Canadiens, a showdown against the rival Boston Bruins was it. Their thrilling win over the Bruins just a few weeks earlier seemed to set the Canadiens on the right path and shooting up the division rankings, while the Bruins sagged a bit following the loss. However, since the loss of Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin, the Canadiens had suffered four tough losses in a row to some of the NHL’s lowest teams.

The Canadiens were given a chance to wipe the slate clean, using the Bruins as a launching pad for a winning streak once again. Patrice Bergeron was ruled out for the Bruins’ road trip, which promised to make life a little bit more manageable for the Canadiens.

In the early minutes, the Canadiens looked to have put their disastrous Saturday behind them, swarming all over the Bruins in the offensive zone and snuffing out the Bruin attacks in the defensive zone.

Despite the heavy shot advantage, the Canadiens surrendered the first power play of the game as Brendan Gallagher took his first penalty of the year. Joel Armia had a great look while on a short-handed rush, but fired his shot wide of Jaroslav Halak. With the puck back in their control, the Bruins struck quickly, David Krejci put a perfect pass on Sean Kuraly’s stick, and Kuraly one-touched it off to Jake DeBrusk, who fired it past Carey Price for a Bruins lead.

Montreal responded as they have all year, with their top line leading the way and erasing the deficit. Gallagher started the breakout, leading a pass for Phillip Danault, who in turn dished off to Tomas Tatar. Tatar centred a pass for a charging Gallagher, who created a giant rebound off of Halak. Shea Weber jumped all over it to tie the game at one goal apiece.

The tie was short-lived as a more than questionable call on Nate Thompson sent the Canadiens back to another penalty kill. Quick movement got the puck to David Pastrnak who lasered a shot by Price, his 12th power-play goal of the season.

The makeup call came shortly after, and the Montreal power play failed to take advantage of it late in the period.

A careless turnover by Jeff Petry to end the period ended up on the stick of Brad Marchand, and going into the intermission the Canadiens were suddenly down two goals as Marchand danced around Price to score.

Eight seconds into the second period the Bruins drove their lead to three. Pastrnak drove through the Canadiens’ zone and rifled a shot through Price. Anders Bjork then took a feed behind the Canadiens’ defence, breaking in alone to make it 5-1 and ended Price’s night after 11 shots.

The Canadiens tried their best to battle back, but an attempted clear by Jeff Petry was kept in and Pastrnak completed his hat trick by tipping the shot by Keith Kinkaid, making it 6-1. There was no miracle comeback in the books, as the Bruins pushed their advantage to six, and then seven goals late in the third, burying what was left of Montreal’s pride on the way to an 8-1 victory.

Montreal plays the New Jersey Devils — the team that kicked off this five-game losing streak — on Thursday, and a full 60-minute effort for the first time in a long time has to be the order.

---

Normally I advise caution and not making rash moves in a slump, but the defensive lapses, continuing penalty-kill struggles and mistakes are pushing that to its limit. Something hasn’t been right since the start of the month, and as the real deals and the pretenders start to separate, the Canadiens find themselves in a familiar spot: not in a position to tank, but struggling to break into the upper echelon of the league.

It’s becoming apparent something has to be shaken up, but it is a perilous spot for Marc Beregevin to work in. He has built up the cap space to make something happen, but also wants to avoid delving too deeply into his prospect pool. It’s come to a point where something has to give. While the Canadiens have the prospect depth, they’re lacking NHL-ready prospects, so if they trade away roster players they’re rushing players who might be in over their heads.

There is not a simple solution to any of this, and it’s why none of us is the general manager, but the time is now for some sort of action. The franchise can’t be satisfied with this sort of slide.

Bergevin has to do something, however, and that means he cannot sit on both sides of the fence anymore. He either has to sacrifice that cap space and assets for immediate fixes, or turn over to the youth and build up through the draft for another year. It is not an easy choice, but it’s one he has to make, because just shuffling the lineup isn’t patching any of the holes in the team’s construction.

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November 27, 2019 at 06:00PM

Embiid becomes latest victim of Raptors’ star-stopping defence - TSN

TORONTO – Although they insisted they were over it, they swore it was no longer on their minds, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers had to be feeling a sense of déjà vu on their way out of the building Monday night.

They were back in Toronto for the first time since Kawhi Leonard’s iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater broke their hearts and ended their season last May.

However, even with Leonard on the opposite end of the continent, the result was the same. The Sixers left disappointed, having lost 101-96 to the shorthanded Raptors, and Embiid, who was devastated after coming up short in that series over six months ago, found himself searching for the words to explain another low point in his otherwise outstanding professional career.

“It starts with me, I can't have this type of production,” said the superstar centre after being held scoreless for the first time in 190 NBA games. “I would have never thought that I would be here, talking about zero points in an NBA game, but here's what it is.”

Perhaps he can take some solace in knowing that he’s not alone. The Raptors have neutralized many of the league’s best players this season.

So far, they’ve faced 11 players that made last year’s All-Star Game. If you include Dallas’ Luka Doncic, an early-season MVP candidate and sure-fire all-star this year, that makes 12. Of those 12 stars, only three have scored more than their season average against Toronto. Only two have shot better than their season field goal percentage.

Here’s how those star players have fared versus the Raptors this season:

Embiid is just the latest victim. The Raptors have held the 12 all-stars they’ve seen this season to a total of 174 points – nearly 100 fewer than their combined season averaged – on just 34 per cent shooting, down from their season mark of 47 per cent.

In the span of four days over their Western Conference road trip earlier this month, the Raptors limited LeBron James (13 points on 5-of-15 shooting), Leonard (12 points on 2-of-11) and Damian Lillard (9 points on 2-of-12) to 34 total points on 24 per cent shooting.

In two games against Orlando, they’ve held Magic centre Nikola Vucevic to eight points on 2-of-20 shooting, though he left the second meeting early with an ankle injury.

Even Doncic, who managed to score 26 points in the Mavs’ mid-November win over Toronto, did most of his damage from the line and shot 5-for-14, well below his season mark of 49 per cent.

The only established star to really go off against them to this point is the reigning NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting when the Bucks defeated Toronto in Milwaukee at the start of the month.

With the exception of Antetokounmpo, the Raptors have managed something that every team goes into every game trying to do, but few are able to execute successfully.

There’s a select group of players that – as the old adage goes – are too talented to stop, that you can only hope to contain. The goal is generally to make life as difficult as possible on those players, challenge them, and hope to limit the damage they cause. But, more often than not, Toronto has actually shut those players down.

That’s a credit to Nick Nurse and the coaching staff for the game plan and preparation, as well as the personnel for going out and executing it.

During last year’s playoff run, the Raptors developed a well-earned reputation for their work on the defensive end, particularly for the way in which they guarded the other team’s stars. In Round 1 they neutralized Vucevic. In the Sixers series they got under Embiid’s skin. After falling behind 0-2 to Milwaukee, they managed to take Antetokounmpo out of his comfort zone. In The Finals, they stifled Steph Curry with their “janky” box-and-1 defence.

They played extremely hard, designed creative schemes, and took advantage of the length, versatility and defensive savvy on their roster to win the championship.

However, when they lost Leonard and Danny Green – a couple of all-NBA calibre defenders – many expected them to take a big step back on that end of the floor. Instead, they’re arguably further along. Through 16 games last season, the Raptors ranked 13th in defensive efficiency. This year, they’re sixth.

“Our menu of the things we can do at this point, compared to this point a year ago, has quadrupled, if not more,” Nurse said after Monday’s win. “Last year, we were playing fundamental, foundation-building defence, and we had no schemes in. Now we've got too many. We have so many we don't know what to do with half of them.”

The championship run has a lot to do with that. The returning players have that experience and are better for it. They’re familiar with Nurse’s system and know the schemes. Even the new guys are benefiting from last season’s success.

Nurse and his staff have been using game tape from last spring to show the players – both new and old – what’s expected on the defensive end. There are film sessions where they’ll play it for the whole team. The assistants also use it in one-on-one sessions to get the newcomers or younger guys up to speed. For instance, they’ll show Rondae Hollis-Jefferson their coverage against a certain player or team from the playoffs and have him emulate the role of Leonard or Green in those clips.

“I think that is what we are trying to do here,” Nurse said. “Our job is to look at what is coming at us, talk about the many variations of what could possibly work defensively, simplify that a little bit, get some type of order in which you may kind of want to use this one and then this one and then this one, and then try to relay that to the team and then tell them why.”

It’s rare for teams to spend that much time on – or put that much detail into – designing a game plan for one particular opponent during the regular season, when you’re facing somebody new every couple of days. That level of game preparation is generally something you associate with the playoffs.

It’s no secret that Nurse and the Raptors have focused their defensive approach on taking out opposing stars and daring everybody else to beat them. There’s an inherent risk to playing that way, which Nurse is well aware of and accepts. By sending extra defenders at or locking in on one guy you become vulnerable to cutters and spot up three-point shooters. Those are things that have burnt them to varying degrees at points in most games, but they’ve stayed disciplined in their approach and it’s been paying off.

Mostly, it works because they’ve got the personnel to make it work. You can draw up and emphasize whatever you want but at the end of the day it’s on the players to execute it. Even without Leonard and Green, the Raptors have elite defensive talent at every position.

OG Anunoby and Hollis-Jefferson have more than filled the void on the wing.

Their guards, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, are generously listed at 6-feet but both play bigger than their height. VanVleet has been fantastic defensively, especially when you factor in his substantial offensive workload with Lowry out of the lineup. Post him up at your own peril. Of the 108 players that have defended at least 200 shots in the restricted area this season, he ranks 10th in opponent field goal percentage (54.8 per cent) and third among guards.

Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam are tied for fifth in that category, holding opponents to 53.6 per cent in the restricted area.

At 34, Gasol’s not what he was when he won a Defensive Player of the Year award with Memphis. However, he was never the quickest or most athletic player. The things that have always made him a great defender – his physicality, IQ and positioning – allow his game to age gracefully on that end of the floor.

Although Gasol has struggled with his shooting to begin the season, he’s been the Raptors’ most important defensive player and the primary reason why they’ve had so much success against opposing bigs like Vucevic or Embiid.

“They're a good team,” Embiid said of the Raptors following Philadelphia’s upset loss in Toronto on Monday. “They've got guys that can do a lot of things on the basketball court. They're well coached and they do their jobs and they made sure that they stuck with the plan they had, especially taking me out of the game.”

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November 27, 2019 at 06:34AM

Active Shooter Drills May Not Stop A School Shooting — But This Method Could - NPR

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Molly Snee for NPR

School shootings like the recent one in Santa Clarita, Calif., have focused the nation's attention on school safety. And schools across the U.S. are wrestling with how to prevent themselves from becoming the site of the next tragedy.

Many schools are turning to highly visible "hardened" security measures. For example, at least eight states now have laws mandating active shooter drills in schools. But there's little research yet that shows that those drills are effective. Meanwhile, a new comprehensive report from the U.S. Secret Service underlines the agency's previous findings that there is one safety approach that does work: threat assessment, as part of a comprehensive program of social and emotional support for students.

Active shooter drills can scare vulnerable children

A new law in Illinois requires students to participate in active shooter drills at school. The drills often involve students hiding in the classroom and sometimes evacuating the school. Some parents welcome the preparation.

"I don't see any way that the drill can do more harm than if your child was caught up in a real situation and did not know what to do," says Ronick Frazier, who has two daughters in Champaign, Ill., schools.

Another Champaign parent, Dianne, says she has seen the harm these drills can do. Her daughter Rory, 7, is on the autism spectrum and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (We aren't using Dianne's full name to protect her daughter's privacy.)

In the spring, Rory's school had a "hard lockdown drill" in which students were told to stay in their classroom, remain silent and keep calm. Dianne says Rory came home upset and worried about bad guys with guns.

Molly Snee for NPR

"It was heartbreaking. She was screaming and yelling. She loves school, and she kept yelling, 'I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back.' " After seeing Rory's reaction, Dianne says she doesn't think any kids should have to participate in drills like these.

"Fair enough," says Melissa Brymer of the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. "But an emergency can happen at any point in a school day."

Brymer believes these drills can save lives, but as one recent study from Ball State University found, there's little evidence to prove that.

The study says that's partly because these incidents are so rare that there aren't enough examples for social scientists to find reliable patterns in.

Child psychiatrist Steven Schlozman says researchers have collected anecdotal evidence showing that these drills can be challenging for kids with anxiety and developmental disorders, like Rory.

"Despite people being supercareful to make this a more palatable exercise for them, they still get pretty, you know, at best unnerved and at worst pretty traumatized," Schlozman says.

Schools with lockdowns still have shootings

Meanwhile, the recent Secret Service report has shed new light on security measures such as active shooter drills.

The investigators combed databases for as many incidents as they could find in which a current or recently former student brought a weapon to a K-12 school and harmed someone. They excluded drug- or gang-related incidents. They identified 41 targeted school attacks from 2008 to 2017.

According to the report, 83% of the attacks were over in five minutes or less. And 68% of the schools already had a lockdown procedure in place — making it the most common security measure among schools in the report. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean a lockdown didn't limit the scope of an attack.

It's also worth noting, since much of the concern over lockdown drills looks at their impact on the youngest children, that only one of the targeted attacks in the report took place at an elementary school.

The report's lead author, Lina Alathari, says rather than focusing solely on what happens after an attack begins, schools need a much more comprehensive approach, emphasizing "multidisciplinary" prevention in the years, months and days before a student actually shows up at school with a weapon. That means bringing together teachers, administrators and mental health professionals, along with law enforcement if needed.

That may be surprising coming from an agency known for its metal detector sweeps and guys with the earpieces. But Alathari says the bulk of what the Secret Service does involves prevention and threat assessment.

She defines threat assessment as a proactive approach in which schools "identify students who are doing concerning behavior or may be in distress and getting them the help they need before they even resort to violence as an option."

Molly Snee for NPR

One common source of distress, according to the report, is bullying and ostracism. Four out of five of these attackers were bullied at school, and in most cases the bullying was severe and took place over a long time period. Attackers were much more likely to be victims than perpetrators of bullying, although that was fairly common as well.

In the aftermath of the Columbine attack in 1999, in which two Colorado students killed 13 people at their high school and injured more than 20 others before taking their own lives, the Secret Service published its first review of similar incidents. Back then, 71% of attackers had been bullied. Since then, Alathari says, "it's interesting": Despite two decades of anti-bullying legislation, anti-bullying assemblies and anti-bullying curricula in schools, today the incidence is even higher.

"Assess the climate of your school," she says to school leaders. "What is the perception of bullying? What kind of intervention is taking place?"

Alathari says there is some evidence that a better school climate can directly save lives.

Alathari found that 9 out of 10 attackers give a warning sign in the form of concerning or threatening statements. The report includes anecdotes of such warnings, including this one:

[He] tweeted, "It won't last...It'll never last" and texted his ex-girlfriend asking her to meet after school so he could say goodbye. He also sent her a Facebook message that said, "read my messages tomorrow from 7:15 to 12:30." The attacker posted on Instagram, "Tell my mom I love her," and included an emoji image of a gun."

Those messages came from a 15-year-old student who fatally shot four of his classmates and injured one other in his high school cafeteria, before killing himself.

But why don't people report these warning signs? Over a decade ago, the Secret Service conducted a small study in which it talked to "bystanders" — students who had heard warnings from a fellow student before a planned attack. In six cases a shooting was prevented, and in a further nine cases a shooting happened.

In the bystander report, students who came forward told investigators they did so because they had a strong relationship with at least one adult at the school and they thought their concerns would be taken seriously. Students who did not come forward said that they thought the school would not take appropriate steps or they would get in trouble themselves.

Like the Ball State study, Alathari emphasizes that targeted attacks of this kind are extremely rare. The new report excluded attacks that seemed to be related to drugs, gang violence or disputes that merely spilled over onto school property. They were left with an average of four shootings or stabbings per year across hundreds of thousands of schools, and the report found no upward trend in the frequency or severity of attacks over time. That's yet another reason, she says, to focus on prevention efforts that can improve the school climate overall — whether or not the worst-case scenario happens one day.

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2019-11-27 12:39:00Z
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