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OTTAWA - Bryan Colangelo bounced a basketball between his hands while he spoke with reporters Tuesday. Anything to keep his hand from instinctively reaching for his BlackBerry that was vibrating on his right hip.
The Raptors GM, who's been known to pause during news conferences to read a message on his BlackBerry, won't be able to type on or answer a call from his smartphone during practice this season in keeping with a rule set by coach Jay Triano.
"If you value coming to practice that much, that should be why you're there, not to do your homework or return calls," Triano said Tuesday on the first day of Raptors training camp. "I understand Bryan (Colangelo) and some of the management might have a call, and all I've asked is that if you get one, excuse yourself and take it somewhere else."
Triano, who's making his training camp debut as head coach, has banned the use of smartphones and laptops during practice this season. A user can discreetly read an incoming message, but must leave the gym to respond. That includes reporters, who only are allowed to see a portion of practice as it is.
"I want my two hours on the floor with these players to be valued, and if you have something else to do, then don't come to our practice," Triano said. "I don't want it to be a distraction. I don't want them looking over their shoulder wondering, who could that guy possibly be talking to? I want them focused on what we're here for, I want them to feel valued and I want the people coming in to feel of value in being able to come in here."
Triano's rule comes as the NBA learns to adjust to the growing presence of social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook. The Miami Heat, for example, have banned the use of social networking at the arena, either at home or on the road.
The league is expected to announce its social network guidelines shortly, but they're not expected to be as stringent as those of the NFL, which has banned players from using social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook from 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the post-game media interviews.
Chris Bosh is among a handful of Raptors who are regular "tweeters." Triano doesn't have a problem with Twitter, as long as players tweet on their own time.
"I'm not going to be able to control what they do outside, and I like it when they go on Twitter, because then I know what they're doing," Triano said.
"I know all the good movies, I know what clubs they go to, I know where they are. I don't know if half of them have figured out that the coach goes on twitter to follow only the guys on his team," Triano added laughing.
Former Raptors forward Charlie Villanueva created a stir last season when he sent a message on his Twitter feed during halftime of a game when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Heat forward Michael Beasley was a regular poster on Twitter, but closed his accounts twice during the off-season, the second time after posting two messages that left some concerned that he was depressed over a looming 30-day stay in a Houston rehabilitation facility.
As for the BlackBerry ban, the quick-drawing Colangelo said he'll adjust. He respects Triano's rule and the reasons behind it.
"I've got (my BlackBerry) here," he said, patting his pocket. "I guess the rule is I can check but if I need to respond, like anybody else I've got to get out.
"I'm OK with it. It's about respecting the game, it's respecting the players, respecting your teammates, respecting the coaching staff in this regard.
"It's a nice rule. If people are so busy that they need to be doing something else then do it somewhere where you can be more productive."
