If Smith says so...it might be true. Maybe.

Does Stephen A Smith know what's he's talking about? Does Chris Bosh want out of Toronto?

Who the hell knows.

But, what's interesting about the fall-out of the Smith's assurance that CB4 is about the become the next Air Canada or T-Mac is how it shines a light on the modern world of sports journalism.

Smith is an acquired taste. He's loud, contrarian and, well, urban. A lot of people are rubbed the wrong way by him, sometimes for reasons that don't seem all that, um, pure of heart.

This afternoon Jack Armstrong and Doug MacLean ripped into Smith on the Fan590's The Game Plan. Missing the irony of that fact that they are on a radio station that employs about 3,842 NHL insiders, they called Smith's credibility into question.

MacLean sarcastically praised journalists that fight to get a scoop "30 seconds" before their competition (I guess he won't be in Sportsnet's studio on NHL trade deadline day then. You know, on moral grounds). Armstrong talked about people "sitting in their basement" (at least it wasn't "parent's basement" I guess) causing trouble for teams and players.

Here's the thing. "Insider" sports journalism exists because there is a market for it. Ultimately those insiders will be judged by their audience. If they are making crap up, as many are accusing Smith of doing in this case, the readers will eventually tune them out. We don't need watchdogs like Armstrong and McLean to protect us from the big, bad insiders that are out to take down our favourite player/team.

As for the rumour? The fact that Smith says that he is going doesn't mean that he is. But, the fact that Bosh and Brian Colangelo are denying it means even less.

Snark break ...

As you were in mourning for Wendell ...

Scout.com's bowl projections list three college football teams from Michigan, but not the actual University of Michigan.

The NHL schedulemaker blew it, putting a Canadiens-Bruins game in Boston on the same night as a New England Patriots home game. Granted, it's not as if the NFL puts their schedule out in March.

The Jays might as well get Khalil Greene. He would be the best shortstop they've had since, what, Tony Fernández's second stint with the team?

The above was worth nothing, but this is worth noting:

• Erik Gudbranson being named to Team Ontario for the World Under-17 Challenge has been noted by Fronts Talk and Save The Fronts, but not on the Kingston Frontenacs website. Granted, the first two might be getting more traffic these days.
• Go here for the Chris Bosh vs. Baron Davis comedy skit challenge.
• Save the date: July 31, 2009 for Judd Apatow's Funny People. There might be an Arrested Development movie.
• BlogTO has an interview posted with Roger Lajoie, of the FAN 590 and every other media outlet in the GTA.
• Top 10 reasons why Ball State should be in the BCS.

Oh my Bosh...

The whole world knows about Raptors star Chris Bosh's vlogs, but this one is special. Barack Obama took Michigan. Here's hoping the Raptors take out Michigan -- as in the Detroit Pistons -- tonight. It's on The Score, not TSN2, so you won't have to imagine what the games looks like, but after yesterday, everyone's imagination expanded.

The East gets a lot more A.I.ntersting

Allen Iverson never quite looked right in those God-awful Nuggets uniforms. A.I. isn't really a chillin' in the mountains type. But, gritty Detroit. A.I.'s got D-Town written all over him.

The question this morning is whether he has "Pistons" scribbled somewhere in the DNA too. That answer won't likely be answered until May.

For those under that rock, Iverson was traded yesterday from Denver to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb. McDyess will likely be bought out by the Nuggets and, after a mandatory one month holiday, will re-sign with the Pistons for less coin. Samb is a throw in, so this one is basically straight up bad boy A.I. for boring boy Billups.

Billups epitomized the team first, conservative O, smothering D that has been Detroit throughout the nils. It got them a title in 2004, but the results since then have fallen just short. Obviously, Detroit felt that a change was needed and you can't get more of one than by adding A.I.

Will it work? Well, the reaction is mixed. But, there is little doubt that it will be interesting to see. Luckily for Raps fans, they won't have to wait long as the Pistons arrive in the Big Smoke Wednesday.

As stated, A.I. is a give me the ball type. He can score. He can crazy score. But, whether he makes others around him better is the real question. Other than one short trip to the NBA Finals in 2001, he's never really been on a great team. Yet, he's often been the team. Of course he's likely never had the talent around him that he will in Detroit now (although that Carmelo Anthony is a baller, it's rumoured, and the Nuggets didn't get past the first round in two tries with A.I.).

The real reason for this deal might have to do more with 2010 with more than a few free agents of note, including Chris Bosh and some guy from Cleveland, possibly coming onto the market. Iverson's contact, along with Rasheed Wallace's, will come off the Pistons books by then. Detroit will have a whole lot of coin to play with. In that light, anything A.I. does for the Pistons is a bonus.

But, it's a bonus that Raps fans are likely worrying about today. In Toronto, the hope is that Detroit just brought the circus to town. Starting Wednesday, we will find out.

Raptors: OK, who taught the Italian to play?

Andrea Bargnani continues to be the worst post game interview in the world ("I don't know, he says with a snarl. "I just try hard). But, if he continues to play like he did tonight in the Raptors home opening 112-108 OT win over Golden State, he's going to get a lot of practice at it.

Seriously, where the hell did that come from? The man was an animal tonight. The outside jumper looked positively 2006 (8 for freakin 10) and---you better sit down for this--he was a presence underneath. He had three blocks and it was his early inside work that opened up space for the jumper. It was the Bargnani Raps fans dreamed of back when Bryan Colangelo took a flyer on the Italian kid.

Let's not overlook his 30 minutes either. On a team that is still struggling to find the right mix on the second unit, it's vital that Bargnani step it up. This was a game that saw four Warriors with more than 45 minutes. One other topped 40. Those minutes had to factor in the overtime. Golden State looked more like South Alabama State in the first four minutes of the extra frame when T.O. pulled away.

The Italian's performance allowed Raps fans to overlook what was overall an ugly effort. The Warriors controlled things for long stretches of the third and fourth quarter. Bosh's jumper was flat (he finished 12 of 24) and Jermaine O'Neal was held to just five points (although he chipped in with three blocks).

Things changed in the last two minutes. Golden State stopped driving and Bosh came alive. Anthony Parker, who had his typical, professional, workmanlike effort, had a real good look at the buzzer to win, rimming out. The OT was all Toronto, with the final flattering Golden State, who nailed a couple garbage threes late.

So, 2-0. If the Raps can keep finding ways of winning games where they struggle at times and if Bargnani keeps giving them a true sixth man threat...those 47 win predictions may be selling the team short.

Update: One nagging negative. From Doug Smith's in-game blog (shhhh, don't tell the Oilers):

Maybe this is why Sam was yelling "Jamario, rebound!" Moon's played 27 minutes and has as many rebounds as I do. (That'd be zero for those of you keeping score at home). He had one in 24 minutes at Philly the other night. That's simply unacceptable.

What he said.

Example No. 4,965 of why the pre-season is meaningless

Clearly, it was a bad sports day for Philadelphia yesterday. It's unclear how the city will handle the decisive loss suffered by the re-vamped 76ers at the hands of your Toronto Raptors.

It wasn't really close, although the 76ers closed it to within six a couple times in the fourth quarter. Impressively, the Raps always had an answer and local bouncy-bouncy fans should wake up today feeling just a little bit better about the world.

Should we plan the parade route (because we all know that T.O. sports fans are incapable of keepin' it real. Just ask the toy department at the TorStar). Well, no, but it was a pretty nice little basketball game.

First the good. Chris Bosh. Double-double. What else is new? Well, CB4 looked just a little bit better than he has ever looked in a Raps uniform last night. His 27 points, 11 rebound night was statistically on par with what you would expect, but he just looked...meaner. It was great.

Maybe it was because of Jermaine O'Neal, who was two rebounds away from a double-double of his own. Although it would have been nice to see O'Neal more consistently asserting himself as a force there were flashes. One third quarter get-the-fudge-out-of-my-way slam jumps to mind.

But, in some ways, those positives were expected. The real bonus of last night was the unexpected good stuff. That would be the hot shooting of Jason Kapono (6 for 8; 3 for 4 from three, for 15 points) and, to a point, the play of back-up point guard Roko Ukic (zero turnovers, nothing else matters. Well, as said, to a point).

But the best part of last night? They won. Forget the it's-only-October attitude. Almost every expert is picking Philly one spot above Toronto in the east. If the Raps are to prove those experts wrong, they are going to have to beat those teams. Getting a win, on the road, against a divisional opponent is huge. No matter when the game takes place.

There wasn't a lot of bad to focus on, but Jamario Moon was mostly invisible and Ukic was frightening on defense (Roko, please don't foul a 76er shooting behind the arc. Philly can't shoot. OK? Good). There was also that pesky 56-33 rebound disadvantage, but that's just getting old.

Oh, and and no one had onions while shooting from downtown Trenton while getting some salami and cheese. But that's just me.