Bryan Colangelo has admitted to tanking. [url=http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Sony-Michel-Patriots-J ersey/]Sony Michel Patriots Jersey[/url] . The former Toronto Raptors general manager spoke to the MIT Sports Analytics Conference in Toronto on Friday where he said that he intended for t

Bryan Colangelo has admitted to tanking. Sony Michel Patriots Jersey . 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. John Hannah Youth Jersey . - UFC 178, previously announced for Sept. Rob Gronkowski Womens Jersey . Its a blessing and a burden for nine sons of former NHL players who are all expected to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft this weekend. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Stephon-Gilmore-Patriots-Jersey/ . -- Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didnt realize he had broken the rules.VANCOUVER -- While Vancouver Canucks fans demand change, new coach Willie Desjardins is preaching a status-quo approach -- with himself. After spending more than two decades attempting to become an NHL head coach, and with training camp in Whistler, B.C., two weeks away, he is vowing not to change his style behind the bench. "One thing I learned is, youve gotta be who you are," said Desjardins, 57, the new Canucks coach, after taking part in a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon Tuesday. "You cant be somebody youre not. (Otherwise), it just falls apart on you." Desjardins reached the NHL this spring after helping the Texas Stars win the AHL title. He has also spent time in the Canadian university and junior ranks, winning championships at both levels, while also serving a two-season stint as a Dallas Stars assistant. Fans want a significant improvement in the standings after the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008 last season. Desjardins, who finds it "unbelievable" that his long-held dream of guiding an NHL clubs training camp is about to come true, suggested that chances of a Canucks turnaround are better than many people might think. "You just get to see the quality of people," Desjardins told reporters. "Sometimes, when you get into something, you go: Oh, what I have I gotten into? But thats not the case here." During the luncheon with 400 members of the local business community -- as well as Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and team GM Jim Benning -- Desjardins shed some light on what fans can expect from the veteran-laden Canucks. In one notable change, contrary to the views of former Vancouver coach John Tortorella, who was fired after one season, Daniel and Henrik Sedin are likely to spend less time killing penalties. "We have to share the workload," said Desjardins. "I dont think were going to make the playoffs with one line being shut down. Theyre good at all aspects of the game. Theyre good at killing penalties and theyre good five-on-five. They can play the power play. I think youre lucky to have players like that. For us, we want to make sure that theyre able to go (and) at the end of the game, theyre still fresh and theyre playing hard. Steve Grogan Youth Jersey. So that may mean managing their minutes a little bit. We want to play with four lines." Henrik and Daniel, both former NHL most valuable players, managed to produce only 50 and 47 points, respectively, last season. Daniel also endured a lengthy goal drought while both battled injuries after seeing their playing time increased. Desjardinss view on the Sedins reflects the desire of the new top brass to have the Canucks rely on their veterans. Key additions include centre Nick Bonino and defenceman Luca Sbisa, who were acquired via trade from Anaheim for Ryan Kesler. Vancouver also added veteran wingers Radim Vrbata and goaltender Ryan Miller, who were signed as free agents. Benning, who replaced former president and GM Mike Gillis, said he, Linden and Desjardins have focused this summer on finding support for the veteran core. "Therell be many challenges for throughout the season, but I think weve tried to do everything that we could at this point to make the team deeper and give them more enthusiasm so they play with more energy," said Benning. The Canucks lack of depth showed last season as the NHL veterans and minor-league callups could not make up sufficiently for declines in offence from the Sedins and others when injuries and poor play took their toll. "We talked about maybe there wasnt the depth that we needed to counter those injuries going into that last stretch of the year," said Benning. "So we tried to add to our depth this summer. Now, we dont have to rush young players, and we can let them develop properly and be ready to come up and play when we call them up to play." During the luncheon, questions focused more on hockey than the clubs business issues. But the Canucks, used to perennial sellouts, are also trying to bolster their bottom line with more on-ice success. Linden told reporters that season ticket sales are "down a few percentage points." But he expects them to pick up as training camp creates more excitement about the team. ' ' '