Can Leo Rautins lead Canada?

[Hepcat]

Can Leo Rautins lead Canada to a medal in the Americas Championship? Is he the right coach for this very young team?

Or is the team just too young and not ready to challenge for a podium position in the absence of Steve Nash? But could they still qualify for a slot in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament? My understanding is that the top two teams in the Americas Championship qualify for the Olympics while the next three teams gain berths in a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in 2008.

[ajaxballer]

I have more faith in the team because Samuel Dalembert is
playing but I don't think Leo Rautins is the right man to coach,
I would like canada to get a european coach for a while at
least. I think its really stupid that Leo Rautins's son is on
the team, what has he done to deserve it?

[Hepcat]

Leo Rautins's son is on
the team, what has he done to deserve it?

http://www.suathletics.com/roster.asp?playerid=1968&sport=176&roster=181&path=mbasket

It seems that Andy Rautins was quite good on the Canadian Under-21 team. Do we have anyone better, that is actually willing to play?

[ajaxballer]

Rowan Barret, but i don't think Leo wants him cause hes
going with a youth movement these days.

By the way Canada's final roster was annonced

NAME/POSITION/HEIGHT/LAST SCHOOL/CLUB HOMETOWN
Jermaine Anderson Guard 6'2" Polpak (Poland) Toronto, ON
Denham Brown Guard 6'5" Tulsa (NBDL) Toronto, ON
Sam Dalembert Centre 6'11" Philadelphia (NBA) Montreal, QC
Vlad Kuljanin Centre 6'10" UNC Wilmington (NCAA) Toronto, ON
Carl English Guard 6'5" KK Zadar (Croatia) Patrick's Cove, NF
Olu Famutimi Forward 6'6" Arkansas (NBDL) Toronto, ON
Andy Rautins Guard 6'5" Syracuse University (NCAA) Syracuse, NY
David Thomas Forward 6'8" Melbourne (Australia) Brampton, ON
Jesse Young Forward 6'10" Joventut (Spain) Peterborough, ON
Juan Mendez Forward 6'7" Ironi Nahariya (Israel) Montreal, QC
Levon Kendall Forward 6'10" University of Pittsburgh (NCAA) Vancouver, BC
Ryan Bell Guard 6'5" Carleton University (CIS) Ottawa, ON


I'm suprized to see that Ryan Bell made the team.

[PRSURF]

I have more faith in the team because Samuel Dalembert is
playing but I don't think Leo Rautins is the right man to coach,
I would like canada to get a european coach for a while at
least. I think its really stupid that Leo Rautins's son is on
the team, what has he done to deserve it?

I see Andy Rautins in the Marchand Cup and is pretty good!!

[usausa]

off topic but Leo Rautins plyed terrible in 92 at Portland except for the last 2 games. anywho, sorry for replying on an old thread im just really bored

[Khalid80]

Well now since Canada didn't make it to the Olympics, u can say that Leo Rautins did lead Canada (to the pothole that is ).
I really thought that this current Canadian team had alot of potential but unfortunately Rautins screwed things up because of his excellent relationship with his NBA players.
Seriously now, I really wish all the best for the Canadian NT and I do hope that u guys prepare well for the next World Championships in Turkey in 2010 (Not that our team (Lebanon) is in any better condition. We just got clobbered in the pre-Olympics and we r facing a major crisis where almost all of our team will be modified within the next few weeks.)

[tru3north]

Let's be objective of the subject ... Instead of blaming the coach, let's us see that state of basketball in Canada. Unlike Hockey or Lacrosse, the sport of basketball hardly get any recognition in this country. Have you heard of any major sponsorship of any basketball org in Canada (of course aside from the Raptors) the way corporations sponsor Hockey? Have you seen the quality of Canada's NCAA basketball teams? Yeah I know ...

What basketball needs in Canada is the support of the government and the cooperation of sponsors that would better the training and exposure of athletes. The way hockey enjoys it.

[usausa]

I also read somewhere (off topic) that in 92 he considered a possibilty of playing with Lithuania because I guess he could have. Dont think he wouldve made the team though.

[rikhardur]

I also read somewhere (off topic) that in 92 he considered a possibilty of playing with Lithuania because I guess he could have. Dont think he wouldve made the team though.

That's also mentioned here although Rautins sound more Latvian than Lithuanian to me...

[rusher]

That's also mentioned here although Rautins sound more Latvian than Lithuanian to me...

Don't know about Lithuanians (although Rautinas or Rautinis would sound more Lithuanian I guess) but there are people with surname Rautins in Latvia for sure.

Might be his ancestors were Lithuanians but they had Latvian surname. Or I don't know, maybe Lithuanians have this surname too like in Mantas Kalnietis' case where it is a common surname for both nations.

[caaprius]

Don't know about Lithuanians (although Rautinas or Rautinis would sound more Lithuanian I guess) but there are people with surname Rautins in Latvia for sure.

Might be his ancestors were Lithuanians but they had Latvian surname. Or I don't know, maybe Lithuanians have this surname too like in Mantas Kalnietis' case where it is a common surname for both nations.

well, neither Rautinas nor Rautinis is common surname in Lithuania. It doesn't sound Lithuanian, I would agree it is more Latvian