0 games in addition to imposing a hefty fine. The point in both of these hostile and very aggressive confrontations with players i | Forum

TORONTO – There is still a long ways to go for a Raptors team that drew rave reviews following their first full day of training camp. Adrian Clayborn Falcons Jersey . There is nearly a month left in camp, eight exhibition contests around the corner and 82 regular season games ahead of them. This was one day. Still, after a 2012-13 season laden with disappointment, the team will happily take the small victories wherever and whenever they come. The end goal is far greater, but this is a start. "Very high level," coach Dwane Casey said of his teams effort following the first of two practices Tuesday afternoon. "We had a lot of little mistakes but guys are playing hard, diving on the floor, knocking the crap out of each other and thats what we need. "Well clean up the little things." Although the majority of Caseys team has been in Toronto for a few weeks now participating in individual and player-organized workouts, Tuesday marked the first day that coaches could facilitate an actual practice. Not wasting any time, they held two. Despite the long day, the team got through it unscathed and Casey was impressed with the conditioning of his players, although he did note some expected fatigue throughout the afternoon. As expected, there was an immediate emphasis placed on defence after the team regressed on that end of the floor a year ago. "[Defence] was a big focus," said Rudy Gay, who is in camp with the Raptors for the first time after opening the previous seven seasons with Memphis. "Its just picking up your level. Defence is all about competitiveness and as long as we stay competitive and also stay true to our principles well be a good defence team." Casey estimated that 90 percent of the days contact drills were defensive in nature and anticipates that will mostly be the case for the remainder of this week and perhaps into next. Not surprisingly, the tone was set by one of the newest Raptors: spark plug Tyler Hansbrough who comes to Toronto with a reputation for getting after it in games and in practice while also getting under the opponents skin. "Tyler Hansbrough, I call him Freddy Krueger," Casey said, comparing the forward to the fictional horror movie character. "Thats what made him such a great monster, every once and a while you think you have him dead and here he comes back again, thats Tyler Hansbrough." "Hes added that to our team, so either you stay with it, with that effort, or you get your butt kicked and thats one thing thats really amped up the effort and the intensity in practice and we need that." Passion, as Casey put it, is contagious and has spread around this organization quickly, seemingly from the top. The Raptors held a team meeting last night, prior to the start of training camp and the person leading the charge was the very man who put this group - or at least some of it - together. "Masai gave a passionate speech last night about what he expects [and] the passion guys have to play with," Casey said. "Leaving all the complaining and all the problems, all the issues, check them at the door and then set the tone. Hes empowered everybody to do their job." "Our new GM is very passionate and were taking his lead," point guard Kyle Lowry added. "It starts at the top and we all take his passion, his ferocity and take it on the court with us and to practice with us. The intensity that Masais bringing to us is definitely a ramp up from anything Ive ever seen." The hope for Casey and this organization is that the passion that filled the Raptors practice gym on day one will stick around for the remainder of camp and throughout the season. For now, the vibes are all positive but maintaining that togetherness through the inevitable adversity of a long NBA season will be the clubs real challenge. "The copouts are gone so now its about playing [and] having fun," said Casey. "How you have fun is kicking peoples butt and competing and I think thats what were seeing. "I hope thats what were seeing." Chris Chester Falcons Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Ra Shede Hageman Falcons Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. http:///...-Jersey.html?cat=876 . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Dear Kerry, Love the articles, big fan since the beginning. Miss you on the ice. I am emailing in regards to the video of referee Paul Devorskis last game with Vancouver. What is your take on the video of Paul clearly making derogatory comments about Tortorella during the Anaheim game last night (as Don Cherry would say "Dont read lips") and what would be the consequences of something like this happening during a game for a ref? ThanksJeff Yates --- Hi Kerry, Recently, Paul Devorski has drawn the ire of Canuck fans of calling games slanted in the oppositions favour (including the most recent example of giving the Ducks a seven-minute 5-on-3 advantage). I wouldnt say the game against L.A. was refereed poorly, but I would suggest that it wasnt Devorskis best game and Im guessing Tortorella had some comments about the refereeing after the game ended yet Devorski ended up refereeing the next game against the Ducks. I know there have been examples of referees coming in on short notice (most notably the referees drafted in during the Stanley Cup Playoffs after Jim Schoenfeld overturned his suspension and the referees held a wildcat strike). After Stephane Augers battle with Vancouvers Alex Burrows, I dont think Auger reffed games with Vancouver for a long time. How often are referee assignments changed if something controversial happens in the previous game? Thanks,GarethRichmond, BC  Jeff and Gareth: I thought Wyatt Arndts blog article published in The Province was well written and provided a very fair and balanced account from all sides (If you havent done so please open it up in Jeffs question and read it now).Let me be perfectly clear, there is no justification for an Official (ref or linesman) to lose his composure and curse back at a player, coach or even a fan.  Regardless of just how difficult it might be to "bite your tongue" in the heat of the moment, any profane outburst from a ref becomes indefensible.  A refs credibility and respect can be damaged (at least temporarily) when negative emotions are inappropriately vented in public as we witnessed in this situation.  Im positive that referee Paul Devorski regrets the poor conduct he demonstrated by sharing his feelings with colleague Dan ORourke in what he thought to be a private exchange. He should know that nothing is private anymore; if he didnt he does now. It matters little that referee Devorski was the recipient of Vancouver Coach John Tortorellas profanity-laced attack; lip reading aside! What matters most is that the referee is entrusted with the authority to act as an impartial arbitrator and conduct himself in a professional manner at all times. You can rest assured that Paul Devorski has already been spoken to about this incident by someone from within Hockey Operations and/or the Officiating Department. There are also times when an Officials assignments will be altered to keep from throwing gasoline on smoldering ashes that remain from a previous game or incident. Moving personnel is not always easy with back-to-back games and especially on the West Coast.  While the referees conduct was inappropriate it demonstrates something none of us should lose sight of.  These guys are only human! There isnt a referee that hasnt slipped up and cursed at one time or another. I know for sure I have. I learned early in my career however that if I was expected to control the game and the negative emotions that often surfaced in disputes, it was imperative that I maintain control my own emotions. Believe me when I tell you there were many times that this good intention was much easier said than done! I adopted the adage, "Treat disrespect, with respect" tto gain leverage and exert control in heated exchanges with players and coaches. Deion Jones Falcons Jersey. In an effort to quickly bring the temperature down, I incorporated non aggressive body language (open palms vs finger point) and a monotone voice inflection (vs elevated volume and shouting match). I attempted to quickly set the tone and establish an element of control during the dispute through my actions by demonstrating a calm but firm demeanor. I encouraged the other party to engage in a civil conversation as opposed to a giving or receiving a profanity laced lecture. Through the "conversation" that generally followed I listened as the player or coach expressed their opinion.  I then explained the reasoning behind my decision. In the end we might just agree to disagree. Regardless of the eventual outcome an effort was always made to solicit some form of civil decorum. To maintain self-control as a referee it is important to feel your internal emotional pitch rise and fall like the mercury of a thermometer (Think of any bouts of road rage you have been a party to?). You better think before you speak and when you do listen to yourself; the tone, the volume and how it is being perceived.  I was in a heated debate with a player one time when I stopped abruptly in midsentence. I apologized for what I had just heard myself say to the player that I deemed inappropriate; I knew he must have as well. I withdrew my inappropriate comment by stating, "Im sorry, that came out the wrong way; what I meant to say was this".  It is especially important for the referee to be part of the solution as opposed to part of the problem.  Sometimes it takes super-human strength to keep your emotions in check. In the 1974-75 season, I was assigned to an IHL game in Flint, MI. Late in the third period I assessed multiple penalties to Muskegon Mohawks defenceman Lynn Margarit following a fight. Margarit amassed 301 penalty minutes that season and 2,100 during his 10-year IHL career. The player and I engaged in a heated, nose to nose debate over the game misconduct he had received. In his rage, and as I opened my mouth to speak, Margarit spat directly into my mouth! It immediately sickened me. Every muscle in my body immediately shook with rage in readiness to drill this guy. Somehow I was able to dig deep and maintained the self-control required of a referee. In 1975, in an AHL game in Halifax, I was physically attacked by Richard Lemieux - who played 274 games in the NHL for Vancouver Canucks, Kansas City Scouts and Atlanta Flames. After receiving his third penalty of the game Lemieux threw down his gloves at centre ice and charged at me. I squared to meet him with open palms as a "sign of peace!" Lemieux refused my peace offering and threw a left punch that I slipped and grabbed the sleeve of his jersey as his fist went past my ear. His right hand punch, I caught in the air and was then able to pull the jersey over his head. Thank goodness there were no "tie-downs" in those days! Big Ken Houston jumped off his bench, placed me in a bear hug and lifted my skates off the ice thinking that I was going to punch his now vulnerable teammate just as the two linemen arrived on the scene. Following the game Lemieux, Houston and coach Al MacNeil came to the Officials dressing room and issued a sincere apology. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended Lemieux for 10 games in addition to imposing a hefty fine. The point in both of these hostile and very aggressive confrontations with players is that if I, as a referee, had not maintained control of my emotions and acted in a "professional" manner, my officiating career would have ended before I even made it to the NHL. On occasion, there are situations in a game that require superhuman strength for a referee to fight the natural tendency to be, "only human." Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '