Samson Folk answers listener questions about a wide variety of things. Timestamps for you lot. 0:00 - Intros 0:30 - How does Scottie become All-NBA? 3:00 - Prioritizing prospects over Agbaji? 5:00 - Are catch-all stats good? What do possession numbers mean? 9:10 - Putting Wembanyama on the Raptors 10:00 - Quickley's pull-up + Drives 12:27 - Who starts at Shooting Guard? 14:05 - Infinite loops/regress and turtles 15:12 - Scottie as a stocks monster 16:40 - How does Scottie became a Superstar? 18:40 - IQ statline prediction + will his playmaking improve? 20:45 - How do the Raptors make the playoffs? 21:58 - Enjoying the WNBA + unique aspects of the league 25:30 - What type of defense do I want to see from the Raptors? 29:16 - Great Writers & DeMar's LeBron comments 32:50 - Will Gradey average over 15.5 ppg? 34:39 - More work with Caitlin Cooper? 35:30 - Ja'Kobe Walter is the most important rookie 38:00 - Is Kelly Olynyk cooked? 40:30 - Pascal & Fred's championship run 43:55 - Climbing progress 44:43 - Most excited to talk about this season? 45:50 - Great Shooter outside of the clutch, or in it? 46:55 - SGA is better than Luka 49:19 - Saving King Joffrey or Abby TLOU 52:00 - What players fit well on the Raptors? 55:20 - Top 10 Raptors of all time? 56:40 - Scottie + Luka / Scottie + Maxey 57:50 - Offszn Q's Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode we have comedian Arthur Simeon on and we talk who is the best current NBA Jam duo plus we just say the names of some old Raptors and have a bit of a laugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Host Cathryn Naiker is joined by Vivek Jacob to discuss Olympic Basketball. Team Canada men's quarterfinal and semi-final odds. Then they discuss the 3x3 basketball tournament, how boring it is, and what can the Olympics do to fix it. The USA basketball team and their DNPs. Is this just an embarrassment of riches or is Steve Kerr up to something? Then in our Raptors Homer moment, we look at the new 30 anniversary logo, and what other plans the team might have to celebrate the occasion. Then in our hottie highlight of the week, it's an Olympic greatness affair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Cathryn Naiker is joined by NBA Writer Oren Weisfeld to congratulate him on announcing his first book about the growth of men's basketball in Canada! Then they discuss the big story this week about the Warriors trying to get LeBron James. We analyze what we see as a publicity move from both sides. Then All-Star Weekend is upon us! We talk about the main events and pick our winners for the slam dunk contest, and 3-point shoot-out. Steph vs Sabrina and All-Star MVP. Then we look at the remainder of the season and make bold predictions Is Trae Young going to ask out of Atlanta? Will Miami make the Eastern Conference finals again? and more! Then in our Raptors homer moment, we talk about Scottie Barnes leaving the bench before the game was over and the contradicting statements the following day. What does it all mean? Is Scottie ready to be a leader? and what does he need at this point in his career? Then we talk about Pascal Siakam's return to Toronto. What it was like in the stadium and the Jersey's planted in section 119 to honour him. In our Hottie Highlight of the week, it goes to the 905 for their very cool Black History Month jersey.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Video for this podcast is available on RR's channel: https://youtube.com/raptorsrepublic (subscribe to it and make sure to rate this podcast in your podcast app - it means a lot to us).--Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Blake Murphy to discuss the scenarios and possible complications behind an OG Anunoby extension. Two pieces in The Athletic (still just $1.25/mo) were published on this topic:OG Anunoby presents a fascinating rookie extension dilemma for the Raptorshttps://theathletic.com/2113946/2020/10/05/og-anunoby-presents-a-fascinating-rookie-extension-dilemma-for-the-raptors/Murphy and Koreen: Role-playing through a mock OG Anunoby contract negotiationhttps://theathletic.com/2116490/2020/10/06/murphy-and-koreen-role-playing-through-a-mock-og-anunoby-contract-negotiation/We dive into the options, the risks on both sides and finally come up with a most-likely outcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Ryan Imgrund (https://twitter.com/imgrund), who is a biostatistician for South Lake Regional Health Center. He is the Department Head of Science at York Catholic District School Board. Ryan provides analysis of the Covid-19 outbreak, and is the author of some valuable risk assessment tools and frameworks used by several Ontario institutions. His work has been featured on CBC, the Toronto Star, CTV and other media outlets.We discuss:- The quality of the guidance provided by the provincial government- The R0 metric and its importance - Target for the R0 metric- Why it's so difficult to calculate the R0 metric in Ontario (hint: contract tracing)- The failure to anticipate more symptomatic people in second wave than first- The challenges with random sampling to determine true infection rate; nasal and saliva tests- South Korea and Ontario - same problem, two different solutions- Data privacy and contract tracing; attitudes across cultures- Ontario not encouraging use of the contact tracing app enough- The lack of data to make informed decisions about what business to close- Having an event outdoor isn't enough - example from states- Doug Ford's looking for evidence that is impossible to collect- Just how did we end up opening strip clubs, and what's even worse than strip clubs- How much are schools contributing to the spike in cases- Do children transmit the virus less than adults?- New learning about Covid - "the viral load", getting and recovering from it isn't as black and white as we thought- Will the R0 number change if we keep things open?- How many daily cases to expect over the next few months if no changes to policy made?- Should we be concerned about hospital capacity?- Infections spreading to older population again with Thanksgiving coming up- What would Ryan advise from a policy standpoint to curb the spread?- Lack and inconsistency in tracking metrics on which to based decision-making- What defines a "second wave"?- A case count in March isn't the same as the same case count now, "700 now is like 3000 back in March"- The manual work involved to contact trace a single case- What needs to be true to play a Raptors home game at 25% capacity- What are the chances of 1500 people showing up at the Scotiabank center and none of them having Covid?- The most popular statistical chart for parents out there - chance of your particular child's class having a positive case (by region and class size)- How many people do you have to encounter in your region to meet someone with Covid?- Your chance to define an "encounter" and be safe- Are we repeating the mistakes from March/April?- Not all public health units being transparent about data- Use of data to inform school class sizes by neighborhood- The importance of the timing of class rotations- How deaths are predicted and whether new treatments influence the prediction models- Some Raptors talk Thank you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on coach, Evin Gualberto to discuss what's happening in the Conference Finals. - Spoelstra's Genius + Bam's Application of his Skills- Herro's Rise- Miami's Zone- Nikola Jokic & Jamal Murray's shot-making Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) talks about how the Raptors can re-sign Fred VanVleet to an extension while also being in play for Giannis Antetokounmpo. We talk:- Walk away price for Raptors- Key trade-offs Raptors must make- Whether VanVleet can take a shorter deal- Market competition for VanVleet- What the hometown discount might beTo read more check out Blake's detailed work at The Athletic on the subject:Raptors free agency primer: Cap sheet, assets, exceptions and the big picturehttps://theathletic.com/2063807/2020/09/15/raptors-free-agency-primer-cap-sheet-assets-exceptions-and-more-2/How much can the Raptors pay Fred VanVleet (and still have max money in 2021)?https://theathletic.com/2066700/2020/09/16/how-much-can-the-raptors-pay-fred-vanvleet-and-still-have-max-money-in-2021/Subscribe to Raptors Republic’s YouTube: http://bit.ly/37swsSNFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/39zQT2fFollow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2F7OkX4Follow us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3akYvGnFollow us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/2FcHlvSHosted by Zarar Siddiqi. Presented by Raptors Republic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marc Gasol is a free-agent and the Raptors have a decision to make. Zarar Siddiqi talks with Vivek Jacob about:- What kind of deal Gasol can get from the Raptors?- Gasol's confidence hit in the post-season- Raptors options if Gasol leaves- Gasol's options and preferences- Could Gasol play for any other NBA team? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on his buddy, his pal, and fantastic writer, Louis Zatzman. - The season of summer camp- OG the defensive star- Pascal Siakam's Super Power- Will the offense change with front-court departures?- Kyle Lowry's adaptability and genius- Fred, the lead guard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on Robel (Sub Me in Coach on YouTube) to talk hoops.Limitations of the post-upThe future of Pascal Siakam's shot profileOG Anunoby + Siakam's CeilingShot creation in the NBA and where to get itEnjoy the episode, it was a fun one to record.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors Game 7 loss vs. the Celtics. Thank you so much for listening all year. Reggie Evans Award: Kyle LowryQR Comment: moderate_observer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk is joined by Zarar Siddiqi to talk Game 6. We talk:- Kyle Lowry's greatness- Dealing with isolation plays- Pascal Siakam's struggles- Pascal Siakam's defense- OG's balls- Fred VanVleet improving passing- More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk discusses the Raptors-Celtics series thus far with the lovable Matt Shantz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powered by FanDuel which helps RR create the content you love - go here and sign up: https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/fanduel Don't forget to like, comment and share the video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/38IlV8U Read our articles: https://bit.ly/38FCq5B Instagram: https://bit.ly/3jKJnsg Twitter: https://bit.ly/2WOyTiy Tik Tok: https://bit.ly/38FDlTB Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kQXVG6 LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2X15aDk Buy $RAPS: https://bit.ly/3naFrDr #raptors #wethenorth #BlueWireVideo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Lukas Weese chats with Senior Basketball Writer for NBA.com and the host of "The Hang Time" Podcast Sekou Smith.Topics include:- Life in the NBA Bubble.- Reporting on the unprecedented NBA Playoffs.- How the Boston Celtics outplayed the Toronto Raptors in Game 5.- Raptors Pascal Siakam as the number one scoring option.- The emergence of Jamal Murray and the plethora of Canadian Basketball talent.- Interviewing broadcasters Kevin Harlan, Taylor Rooks, and Jared Greenberg.- Transitioning to digital from working in newspapers.- Advice for young journalists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors latest loss to the Boston Celtics. Reggie Evans Award: OG AnunobyQR Comment: Rubb1n$ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Lukas Weese chats with Senior Basketball Writer for Bleacher Report and the host of the "Full 48" podcast Howard Beck.Topics include:- Reporting virtually on the NBA Playoffs.- The importance of cultivating relationships in sports media.- Writing on the impact of no home-court advantage in these playoffs.- Interviewing former Raptor Danny Green and current Raptor guard Fred VanVleet.- How the voices of VanVleet and Norman Powell accelerated the NBA/NBPA action plan to combat anti-black racism and police brutality.- The major storylines of the NBA Playoffs, including the Raptors/Celtics series.- The future of long-form, feature sports writing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors Game 4 win over the Boston Celtics. Reggie Evans Award: Pascal SiakamQR Comment: Mark Boothe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk breaks down the Raptors miraculous win over the CelticsReggie Evans Award: OG AnunobyQR Comment: Niagara_Dude Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on youtube superstar and coach, Evin Gualberto. Raptors - CelticsBucks - HeatNuggets - JazzLakers vs. Rockets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors tough loss to the Boston Celtics. Reggie Evans Award: OG AnunobyQR Comment: Rambo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1. Reggie Evans Award: OG AnunobyQR Comment: Arshdeep Singh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Prof. Marie-Jolie Rwigema to provide historical context to the current social climate and discuss the NBA's path forward.Marie-Jolie Rwigema, Ph.D, MSW, is currently a post-doctoral researcher. She has taught social work at York University and the University of Toronto. She has twenty years of community/social work practice experience that includes mental health counselling/therapy, arts-based education, community-based research, group facilitation and documentary filmmaking working primarily with Black, racialized, immigrant and LGBTQ communities.Her research interests include: 1. Anti-Black racism, colonialism and mental health for Black communities; 2. Black LGBTQ communities; 3. Histories of anti-racist activism in Canada.- What was the impact of the three-day strike?- John Tory's stance and words, and why they can be harmful.- Defining systemic racism and looking at its roots.- Parallels to NFL and college sports.- Personal histories of players and why they need to be heard.- What are the keys to maintaining momentum, both for players and the general public?- Response to the argument, "This is not a race issue, this is a class issue?"- Are NBA players and their labour being exploited ?- The economics of an industry driving social justice decisions.- Is capitalism at odds with social justice?- The American Dream was a lie.- The denial of history being a fundamental issue with progress being made.- The tendency to contain and control these uprisings rather than face them head-on.- Subjugating a people and then portraying them as a as threat.- How would you advise Adam Silver?- Long-form discussion on the race topic by NBA players- Players being able to speak without penalty- Reading recommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by University of Toronto professor, George Dei. Prof. Dei is an author of several books focusing on education and has written extensively about the intersection of race, class and gender in the anti-racism discourse. He has a PhD. in anthropology from the University of Toronto, and a Masters in the same from McMaster University. He has taught at OISE and has won countless honours and awards.With the backdrop of the players strike we discuss the course of action in the fight for social justice.- Players responsibilities towards their communities given their stature- Why is it the NBA players that are leading this charge and not social and government institutions?- Pressuring politicians by attacking income generation- Missed opportunity in Montgomery- Protests that work, i.e., suffrage movement- Continuing conversations at home and treating it as our problem, not black people’s- How to help the powerless and marginalized?- What are the responsibilities of the powerless and marginalized?- Is voting the answer or is more dramatic action needed?- Hard to see what a revolution looks like, but we know it has to be a collective.- The importance of not being apathetic when change doesn’t come- Something different is possible.- Equitably sharing the resources across our communities while avoiding disproportionate negative outcomes.- We can’t expect the players to do it – the owners have to step in.- The oppressed acknowledging their own “existence” and avoiding fatigue.- Rich neighborhoods and the lack of policing indicating a need to redirect resources.- When we don’t acknowledge that we don’t have a policing problem, we become even more resistant to change.- Inability to listen leading and the necessity of listening to people’s pain.- Responsibilities for those who have power and those who don’t.- “I am what I am because we are”.- Addressing privilege without looking at it as a zero-sum game and “giving up privilege”.- Courage – action in the face of fear.- Rewarding the resistance for change instead of punishing it.- Importance of younger generation speaking about environment, racial injustice, sexism , homophobia, classism and how that is productive for society; dangers of suppressing that voice.- Spiritually and emotionally wounding implications of lack of change.- The model of collective black leadership instead of a single person; importance of youth leadership.- Social media raising awareness; social media wasting time.- Looking beyond the US and at the intersection of Black Lives Matter in the African subcontinent.https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/sje/People/1608/George_JS_Dei.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samson Folk & Caitlin Cooper detail the Raptors loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on Coach Nick from BBallBreakdown to tee up Raptors vs. Celtics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Lives MatterBlack Lives MatterBlack Lives MatterBlack Lives MatterBlack Lives MatterBlack Lives Matter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors sweep clinching win over the Nets. Reggie Evans Award: Serge IbakaQR Comment: Rambo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors win over the Nets. Reggie Evans Award: Pascal SiakamRodions Kurucs Award: Rodions KurucsQR Comment: Wasabi Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Jamie Mottram. He is currently the president of the innovative apparel firm, Breaking T. Previously he was Director of Blogs at Yahoo, where he helped create the iconic blog, Ball Don't Lie, and is known to be credited for the blog style of sports journalism. Jamie was Sr. Director of Social Strategy for the USA Today Network where he helped start For The Win, and he's also been a producer at AOL. We discuss the internet business models in the age of social media, the survival of the free press, innovations in content delivery, the journey of Breaking T and a lot more. Here's some more detail:- Jose Bautista's bat flip propelling a company- Kawhi Leonard's shot impact- The origins of Ball Don't Lie and the Mottram Model- Why Ball Don't Lie became a money maker and not a loss-leader- Need for high traffic to rely on display advertising- Social media platforms repeating the benefits of publishers while hurting them- USA Today's FTW and social media's impact on it- When subscription models work and when they don't- The unfulfilled promise of social media- Degradation of user experience- Revenue diversification in the media business- Publishers as a charity to support for the public good- Should social media companies compensate publishers?- The Players Tribune model and a look inside their Manhattan offices- Up and coming innovating business models - The newsletter/substack model and keys to sustainability- Why ESPN's business model is incomparable to anything out there- And more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on the wonderful and charismatic, Sean Woodley. The fellas discuss coaching in the NBA, the Nets-Raptors series, exercise, and Masai Ujiri's horrible experience at the end of Game 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Lukas Weese chats with Toronto Raptors writer with Complex Canada and Raptors Republic Vivek Jacob about Game 2 of the Raptors/Nets series.Topics include:Covering the Raptors remotely.Norman Powell's rim-finishing.Pascal Siakam's defense.Raptors half-court offense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors Game 2 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.Reggie Evans Award: Pascal SiakamMitchell Robinson Award: Rodions KurucsQR Comment: TotesPotato Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With game 1 in the books and surprisingly ending in a win, the guys get back to the pod. On this episode of Talking Raptors Nick and Barry chat about what's gone on since the last time.The discuss:Family IntroductionsNational AnthemsBrooklyn NetsAdrian GriffinAround The LeagueTwitter QuestionsAll this and a bit more. As always we hope you enjoy and we thank you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors game 1 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.Reggie Evans Award: Fred VanVleetQR Comment: Kingsmoothiezion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's true what Bill Withers said, "just the two of us can make it if we try" - especially if he was talking about a compelling and fun basketball podcast episode because today it's just Andy and Brendo talkin Raptors. We get into the trades, whether or not Wemby's 10 blocks is truly impressive and why did Kobe disrespect Raptors fans directly in our E-Y-E by picking THAT moment for his statue? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on the brilliant Katie Heindl to discuss the upcoming Raptors - Nets playoff series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk previews the 4 playoff matchups in the Eastern Conference's first round with the the insightful and talented Jackson Frank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors win over the Nuggets. Reggie Evans Award: Stanley JohnsonQR comment: Wayne W. Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Brian Fleurantin (@busyxb) from Nets Daily to talk about what the Nets have in store for the Raptors in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.We talk the Nets style of play, go through each player and get a scouting report, see where there are matchup advantages/disadvantages and of course, predictions.Enjoy the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors exciting win over the 76ers. Reggie Evans Award: Stanley JohnsonQR Comment: Wild-Ling #1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk brings on the remarkably sharp, and tennis loving, Joe Wolfond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Zarar Siddiqi is joined by Es Baraheni to talk Raptors/Bucks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors win over the Grizzlies. Reggie Evans Award: Marc Gasol Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Celtics win over the Raptors. Reggie Evans Award: Rondae Hollis-JeffersonQR Comment: Niagara_Dude Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors win over the hapless Orlando Magic. Reggie Evans Award: Fred VanVleetQR Comment: abuelmagd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Es Baraheni subs in for Samson Folk to talk about the San Antonio Spurs vs Toronto Raptors game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk discusses a plethora of situations across the NBA landscape with the brilliant, Yasmin Duale. 2:25 - The NBA is a TV Show10:32 - Adjustments and the Heat21:12 - Freddy V and Kyle Lowry32:30 - Transformative Championships44:00 - NBA Wide Stuff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Samson Folk details the Raptors win vs. the Heat. Reggie Evans Award: OG AnunobyMitchell Robinson Award: Goran Dragic + Kelly OlynykQR Comment: Ken Scott Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices