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TORONTO - When the Raptors reconvened in Washington following Februarys All-Star break, Dwane Casey had a hand-drawn contract waiting for them. It wasnt legally binding. "It probably wouldnt hold up in court," Casey joked. It was more of a symbolic gesture. "[It was] a document committing to the team, committing to the process, leaving their egos at the door." With two-to-three sentences scribbled up top and a row of lines indicating where to sign, Casey had everybody pledge allegiance to the (Raptors) claw. Players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, the media relations staff, everyone came up to sign, one-by-one. The first signature belonged to Kyle Lowry. "If [they] didnt want to sign it, you would have been able to tell right off the bat, if guys wanted to read it," said the Raptors head coach, who kept the contract in his briefcase, traveling around with it for the duration of the season. "Everybody stepped up and didnt hesitate and the next night we went out and beat [the Wizards]. Guys probably forgot they signed it, but I didnt" "Im all in, was the head of the document. And they were." On Tuesday, Masai Ujiri and the Raptors went all in on Casey and, in two months, they will do so with the teams core group of players, namely Lowry, making every effort to keep the band together. A year ago, just around this time, Casey and former general manager Bryan Colangelo met with the media to deliver their annual end-of-season post-mortem. They conducted their press conferences separately, unsure of their own futures, let alone the direction of the organization. Now, Ujiri sat adjacent to Casey at the podium, announcing that he and his coach have agreed to a new three-year deal, using this strange, foreign word over and over again; "continuity". "We plan on growing as a team," Ujiri said. "Im not going to make any crazy, quick-fix decisions here. We want to keep building and one of the things weve talked about is continuity." If you take one thing away from Tuesdays proceedings its that message. Ujiri has every intention of doubling down on this past seasons surprising success. Naturally, Casey was the first domino, a quick decision, no-brainer and an easy deal to get done. In his third year with Toronto, Casey led his team to a division title and franchise-record 48-win season before bowing out in the seventh game of the conference quarterfinals. He has more than earned the opportunity to stay on and see this through. In fact, Ujiri was hoping to open talks of an extension with his coach in late March, but as the team stumbled - they had lost four of six games at the time - Caseys preference was to hold off until the end of the season. With that said, the 57-year-old never intended to test the market or throw his hat in the ring for another job. He felt it would be disingenuous and knew where he wanted to be. "My heart is here, my mind is here," Casey said. "Im committed to this organization and to these players going forward." Locking up Casey was the first step, and a logical one. For him, it made little sense to jump ship now and start fresh elsewhere, likely with a losing program, after working hard to change the culture and build an identity in Toronto. The real sales pitch will come in two months, when Lowry - an impending free agent - must decide whether to finish what he started with the Raptors or make like so many stars of the franchises oh-so-painful past and split. Thats why this day was important, thats why it was necessary. Ujiri and Casey were at the podium for over 46 minutes. They were speaking, at least indirectly, to Lowry. "Its very important for us, in terms of continuity," Ujiri said, using that word again - "continuity" - when asked about re-signing Lowry. "For me, negotiating is easy if we want Kyle to be here and Kyle wants to be here." "I think well be fair with Kyle and well figure it out and I think its important. So well go through that process but were optimistic stuff will happen." With Casey in place at the helm of the ship, Lowry knows exactly what he would be signing up for and familiarity - or "continuity" - could go a long way in wooing the star point guard. Despite various reports of a rocky start to their relationship, Casey and Lowry have become close. Theyve lost together, theyve grown together and most importantly theyve won together. "Kyle came into a tough situation," Casey admitted before using a fantastically strange, albeit accurate, metaphor. "Its almost like coming into a relationship where you already have a girlfriend and a new girl comes in, because Jose [Calderon] was already here. We already understood Jose knew the system, he knew the calls. Kyle came in trying to learn them, and Kyle is a very prideful man and should be. Kyle came into that situation as kind of second fiddle and if you know Kyle, hes not a second fiddle kind of guy." "But again, he grew from that. Once Jose was traded, it got closer, it got closer. He understood what we were doing, I understood what he was going to do in certain situations [and] trusted him." Ironically enough, the two bonded at the wedding of former Raptor Rudy Gay, Lowrys best friend, last summer when they were able to get to know each other away from basketball. This summer should start off quietly for the Raptors, at least over the next couple of months. With Casey now part of the recruiting party, the focus immediately shifts to locking up Lowry, a process that they can begin on July 1. Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez - who spoke passionately about his desire to return on Monday - are both restricted free agents and also appear to be part of Ujiris offseason plan. "As far as Im concerned, keeping our core group going forward, with Kyle Lowry, Greivis Vasquez and Patterson and Nando (De Colo), those guys are priorities for us," Ujiri acknowledged. "And if you want to build, I think, a team where we have young players, we have to build continuity. When free agency comes, we have to attack our guys first." Theres still "building" to be done, but its looking likely that those tweaks will be made around the teams current foundation. Internal growth will be crucial, as Casey alluded to. He wants Terrence Ross to get stronger, Jonas Valanciunas to expand his post game - hell work with hall of fame centre Hakeem Olajuwon this summer - and DeMar DeRozan to improve defensively. Its hard to believe that this franchise is just 12 months removed from a summer plagued by uncertainty and indecision, though theyve had their fair share of them over the years. It seems like decades ago now. For most of that year Ujiri kept us guessing. What was his plan? On Tuesday he laid out his blueprint. "For me, theres not going to be any crazy decisions made, theres no quick fix," the Raptors GM said. "Were a growing team, and were going to grow gradually. I really dont care what the expectations are. The way to build in this situation were in is to continue to give our young players the opportunity, to try and draft well and make sure we figure out the right players to sign." The Raptors know what they want and are making no effort to hide it - continuity. Brett Favre Jersey . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Falcons Jerseys China . 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After falling 5-0 on home ice in a game that could have tied them for second in the wild card standings, Washington head coach Adam Oates had some strong words for Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin.MALMO, SWEDEN – Griffin Reinhart doesnt have fond memories of how his 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship ended. "It was one of the worst feelings Ive had in hockey for sure," the Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman said. Being forced to sit and watch the first three Canadian games of this years tournament has been almost as painful. "Its definitely hard on the heart," Reinhart said on Monday night moments after Canada beat Slovakia 5-3 to set up a first-place showdown with the United States on Tuesday. The Slovaks had led 3-2 in the third period. Reinhart is one of only three Canadian players back at the World Juniors looking to avenge last years devastating fourth-place finish. But the fourth-overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft (New York Islanders) has yet to play, because of a four-game suspension picked up for a high-stick on American Vince Trocheck in last years semifinal loss. He missed the bronze medal loss to the Russians, which was the first game of the ban. Deciding to bring Reinhart to Malmo was one of the trickiest decisions Hockey Canadas brain trust faced leading into the event. But they decided, ultimately, that Reinhart brought too much to the table to leave at home. And they hope hell now help boost a team struggling to find its way. "Huge for us," head coach Brent Sutter said when asked about Reinharts return. "I mean, when you have a player like that, thats big, strong, smart, moves the puck, we obviously miss him on our back end. Its an area where we need to continue to improve in this tournament as we go along. "We also have to understand he hasnt played for a bit here, but, that bbeing said, he has to come in and be ready to go and take over some key minutes for us, which we need him to do.dddddddddddd" Reinhart, who hasnt played since the last pre-tournament game on Dec. 23, insists he should have little to no rust. "Its only been a week, eight days or so, since I played last and its like that in the WHL where you have a week off so its nothing new and Ill be ready for tomorrow," said Reinhart, who will join younger brother Sam in the line-up becoming the third sibling tandem to ever play for Canada in the same World Juniors. The other two were Dougie and Freddie Hamilton in 2012 and Randy and Mark Moller in 1982. "Im just going to try and play a calm game back there. The defence has done a good job so far and Im just going to try and fit in with them." After waiting and waiting to get back in, Reinhart objects to the notion that hes facing added pressure. "Ive played at this level before," he said. "I think Im going to be okay. Ill try and bring my experience that way. Im going to have to take the first couple shifts and get my way back into it, but I feel Im in good enough shape now, Ive been skating this past week and Ill be ready to jump back into it." And Reinhart believes theres a certain symmetry in returning against the team he last faced in the World Juniors. "Im really anxious. Its always hard to watch, especially losing in a shootout [to the Czechs], but Im really looking forward to this day tomorrow. Its been almost a year now since I played my last World Junior game so its fitting that its coming against the same team I played last." 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