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Former Toronto Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo addressed his tanking comments made at the MIT Sports Analytics Conference in Toronto on Friday and admitted it was merely a poor choice of words. Nike Air Force 1 Sale Uk . Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through. It didnt make it easy to lose games but there was anticipation that games would be lost. With that comes curtain rewards and in the system that we currently play under, the team with the worst record gets the greatest odds and a non-playoff team is in a lottery that can ultimately lead to them getting top-notch talent coming to their team." Colangelo said the team was happy getting Terrence Ross in the first round (8th overall) of the 2012 draft and would never tell a coach to lose games since it can only have negative long-term effects. "Coach was doing such a fabulous job with the group that there certainly was no intentional losing going on because we won far too many games than anyone anticipated and it put us in a position to still get a nice draft pick in Terrance Ross," said Colangelo. "But it certainly decreased our odds of getting the top choice, which was a franchise centre in Anthony Davis." Colangelo talked about when the team faced heavy scrutiny when they picked Jonas Valanciunas, who was selected in the first round (5th overall) in 2011. "We got booed off the stage when the announcement was made but that was the right pick for this organization. It was not an easy one to make knowing that Jonas would not be made available for at least a year and maybe more if the buyout hadnt been successfully negotiated. We knew it was going to be a tough scenario going into a new year without the inclusion of a top draft pick but the following season we also knew that not only would Jonas be coming but another fairly high-value draft selection - unknown at the time - would be helping us as well. Not to mention we would have cap space and greater developed players at that point." The Raptors finished the 2011-12 season with a 23-43 record, 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 Ross out of the University of Washington. The 2007 NBA Executive of the Year (with the Phoenix Suns) was speaking at the MIT Sports Analytics Conference 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. "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." 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. Nike Air Force 1 Discount Uk . -- With his team down 16 points in the second quarter and headed for another blowout loss at home, Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson yelled out to his players to keep shooting and keep fighting on defence. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Sale . That was OK with him. He was just happy his team came away with two points. Letestu redirected Jack Johnsons shot from the point with 2:38 left, lifting the Blue Jackets past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Monday night. http://www.nikeairforce1discountuk.com/ . We wonder if the price of a Roberts rookie card has at least gone up a few cents? Tribute Tweets #Padres Tony Gwynn had 287 career plate appearances against #Braves trio of Maddux, Glavine, & Smoltz, he hit .MIAMI - This time when the game ended, the only gesture from Jonathan Papelbon was a fist pump.Papelbon, pitching for the first time since he grabbed his crotch and received a seven-game suspension, earned his 38th save with a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 2-1.Did it look like I had rust? he said. I didnt feel rust.The game was Papelbons first since he blew a save against the Marlins on Sept. 14 and lost his composure when he was booed coming off the field. He grabbed himself in response, and then bumped umpire Joe West.His resulting suspension ended Sunday.It has been boring, it has been aggravating, Papelbon said. I play the game because I want to get in there as many nights as I can. It has been rough. It has been bad. I just really had to try to put Joe West in the back of my mind and carry on, even though I feel like I got the raw end of the deal.Papelbon saved the game for Kyle Kendrick, who pitched perhaps his final game for Philadelphia. Kendrick (10-13) went seven innings, had three hits and drove in a run.Kendrick can become a free agent after the season but would prefer to remain with the Phillies.After I was done in the seventh, I soaked it up a little bit and looked around, he said. Ive been with these guys through a lot. It was a little emotional, Im not going to lie. I dont like change. If it happens, Ill deal with it.Using teammate Ryan Howards bat for the first time, Kendrick broke a scoreless tie with two outs in the seventh when he doubled home Darin Ruf. Kendrick also singled twice and hiked his average from .095 to .136.The right-hander allowed only one run despite giving up five extra-base hits. Papelbon pitched arouund a one-out double in the ninth, striking out Enrique Hernandez to end the game. Cheap Nike Air Force 1 Wholesale. On an 84-degree night, the retractable roof at Marlins Park was open for the first time since May 23. The sultry weather seemed to suit both starting pitchers.Miamis Brad Hand allowed one run in seven innings. Marlon Byrd put the Phillies ahead to stay when he hit a one-out RBI single in the eighth off Chris Hatcher (0-3).Since losing slugger NL home run leader Giancarlo Stanton to a season-ending facial injury, the Marlins have scored less than three runs in nine of 12 games. They have one home run in the past nine games.Were having a tough time scoring, manager Mike Redmond said. We had some guys in scoring position and couldnt get a couple of hits to score some runs. Thats the way its been going since we lost G.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: SS Jimmy Rollins has not run all-out to test the sore left hamstring that has sidelined him since Sept. 8, and its uncertain whether hell play again this season.UP NEXTMarlins RHP Tom Koehler (9-10, 3.76) makes his seventh and final attempt at his 10th victory in the series finale Thursday afternoon against Phils rookie RHP David Buchanan (6-8, 3.77 ERA). In six starts since Aug. 17, Koehler is 0-1 despite a 3.50 ERA.LHP Andrew Heaney (0-3, 5.33), the Marlins top prospect, will pitch the second game of a doubleheader Friday at Washington. It will be Heaneys first start since July 5.PAPELBONS RETURNPapelbon said hes looking forward to pitching in Philadelphia this weekend even though he expects fans will jeer him.I enjoy pitching there, he said. I dont let the boos get to me. They dont bother me. I dont hear them. I like pitching in that kind of environment. ' ' '