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Bryan Colangelo has admitted to tanking. The former Toronto Raptors general manager spoke to the MIT Sports Analytics Conference in Toronto on Friday where he said that he intended for the Raptors to finish as close to the Eastern Conference basement as possible in the lockout shortened 2011-12 season in hope of winning the NBA Draft lottery. "Admittedly, I will say, I tried to tank a couple years ago," said Colangelo to the conference. "And I didnt come out and say, Coach (Dwane Casey), youve got to lose games. I never said that. I wanted to have him establish a winning tradition and a culture and all of that, but I wanted to do it in the framework of playing and developing young players, and with that comes losing. Theres just no way to avoid that, but I never once said, Youve got to lose this game." The Raptors finished the 2011-12 season 23-43, good for 11th in the Eastern Conference, 12 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the final playoff spot in the East, and the eighth-worst record in the NBA. The team neither rose, nor fell in the lottery, receiving the eighth-overall pick in the 2012 draft where they selected Terrence Ross out of the University of Washington. The 2007 NBA Executive of the Year (with the Phoenix Suns) was speaking on a proposal currently in front of the NBA Board of Governors which would see the draft lottery and any incentive to bottom out eliminated. Colangelo was relieved of his general manager position last May in favour of Masai Ujiri and eventually resigned his post as Raptors president the following month. Yeezy Boost Wholesale . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Adidas Yeezy Boost Ireland .ca. Hello Kerry, After watching Nino Niederreiter clobber Alex Burrows with an open-ice hit on Wednesday, do you think he should have gotten more than the two minutes for interference. http://www.yeezysupplyireland.com/adidas-zx-750-ireland-sale.html .com) - Tony Parker scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a comfortable 99-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Cheap Yeezys Ireland .35 million. The right-hander had agreed last February to a deal that pays him $3.775 million this year and allows him to earn an additional $225,000 in bonuses based on games finished. Adidas Zx 750 Ireland . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford.TORONTO – The Blue Jays recent stretch of winning baseball has fans thinking of the possibilities, dreaming big, about the summer – perhaps the autumn – thats to come. It was difficult, watching Royals ace and long-time Toronto tormentor James Shields work on Thursday night, not to consider how good he would look as a front-end of the rotation rental for the playoff push about which the organization, its players and its supporters has long dreamed. Using a July acquisition of Shields as a hypothetical example, nothing more, the Blue Jays would have to take on the pro-rated portion of his $13.5-million. If the club, say, was to acquire Shields on July 31, it would be on the hook for approximately $4.5-million. What isnt clear is whether the money would be available. "We have a number that we work with and I always have the ability to have that conversation," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "We came into the season at the number we expected to be at and as the year goes on, we have needs. Depending on how were playing and whats available, if we have a need come the trade deadline, I have every confidence well have the resources to do that. I have no doubts about that at all." Shields is exactly what Toronto needs. He has an expiring contract and would test the free agency waters for the first time in his career this winter. He has won at least 11 games in seven-straight seasons and pitched no fewer than 203 1/3 innings in each year of that span. Hes pitched in the playoffs three times, for the Rays each year from 2008 to 2010 and is notorious for his work ethic. Ownership stepping up in response to a group of players that have given the city its first tangible hope of watching a Major League Baseball playoff game live for the first time in more than two decades surely wouldnt go unnoticed in the clubhouse, either. This run of nine consecutive wins and 17 in 22 games has helped in more than just the standings. On some occasions, the home run has been the difference. On others, speed and defence. The starting pitching and vastly improved bullpen have been major contributors. Put together, it has created belief in a clubhouse a year removed from stunning disapppointment.dddddddddddd "Its just being a complete baseball team," pitcher Drew Hutchison told TSN.ca. "We can do the little things. You can do everything. You can beat them with speed. We saw that so much with Reyes scoring from second. Youve got a guy like Gose putting down bunts and making diving catches. Youve got the power of Eddie and Francisco and Bautista. There are so many ways, the way this team is, we can beat you." According to baseball-reference.com, the Blue Jays have $134.4-million committed to player payroll for 2014. Earlier this season, Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal reported that a group of high-salaried Blue Jays had agreed to defer salary in order to allow for the club to sign then-free agent pitcher Ervin Santana. When the deal fell through, Santana signed with the Braves, the National Posts John Lott reported that five players – Mark Buehrle, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey – had pooled together $14-million in the failed bid to bring Santana aboard. Last week, Peter Gammons reported on his website, gammonsdaily.com, quoted Anthopoulos suggesting the payroll was maxed out. One would infer there isnt much wiggle room for a payroll increase; that a dollar in, dollar out scenario would be most likely in any deal. "Were at a number to start the year. I think thats fair. I dont think it varies from anything weve ever said. Its always fluid," said Anthopoulos. "Even when we did the deals last year, we were supposed to be in an area and then something came up." With the annual June draft set to begin next Thursday night, trade talk is virtually non-existent. Consider, too, that with the two wild card system in each league there arent many teams that believe themselves to be completely out of contention at the moment. "We are having no dialogue whatsoever," said Anthopoulos. "If there is any (rumours) out there that were engaged with players, were not having any active talks at all. Were really immersed in the draft right now. I expect that when that draft is over, the Monday after, thats when everyone is going to start making their calls again." ' ' '