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Tim Leiwekes message has been made loud and clear; the Toronto Raptors plan to move forward, without looking back. The latest recipient of that message; Alvin Williams. After spending the majority of his nine-year playing career with the Raptors and serving in a number of roles with the organization -- including assistant coach, director of player development and most recently as a scout -- since 2009, the beloved former point guard was let go early Monday morning. "It does [hurt]," Williams told TSN 1050 Radio. "It does to be honest. Its disappointing." According to Williams, who guested on TSN Drive with Dave Naylor Monday evening, he and incoming general manager Masai Ujiri played telephone tag Sunday before Leiweke -- the new president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment -- broke the news to him over the phone a day later. "He just basically said that he was going to give Masai the opportunity to start with a clean slate and move forward with the organization," Williams said of that conversation. "Unfortunately my contract wasnt renewed." Hoping to dig the franchise out of its deepest hole, Torontos expensive new brain trust was assembled to make some tough decisions. This decision will not be a popular one. For better or for worse Leiweke and Ujiri have promised change and no Raptor -- on the roster, among the coaching staff or in the front office -- epitomizes the past quite like Williams. As a player, Williams won over fans in a hockey city with his hard-nosed approach and willingness to play through aches and pains. A second-round pick out of Villanova, he turned out to be the primary return in a deal that sent Damon Stoudamire -- Torontos first ever franchise player -- to Portland over 15 years ago. In 2001 he was a crucial member of the Raptors team that won its first and only playoff series, ultimately being eliminated on the cusp of a Conference Finals birth. Understandably, Williams also has ties to the current, underachieving era of Raptors basketball, having been around the team in multiple roles after knee injuries forced him into early retirement. The 38-year-old has a strong connection with a number of players on the roster, a roster that many expect to be tinkered with and maybe even gutted as early as this offseason. Williams has overseen the development of DeMar DeRozan, he maintains a close relationship with Rudy Gay and his friendship with Kyle Lowry -- a fellow Philadelphia native -- dates back to Lowrys senior year in high school. Hes sparred with them in practice and mentored them off the court. "Emotionally Im tied to things," he admitted. "A lot of times thats what you need to do, you need to start from scratch to go forward. Thats totally understood." At times that has seemed like the destined course for Leiweke and Ujiri, both of whom have stressed change. With the franchise mired in a five-year playoff drought, what else are they going to preach? "I inherit, I didnt create," said Leiweke, as he faced the assembled media in Toronto for the first time earlier this month. "And so from my standpoint this is today and we move forward from here." Ed Stefanski was immediately let go following the hiring of Ujiri and Jim Kelly, a longtime scout and member of the organization since its inception, was also sent packing. But what of Bryan Colangelo, who remains with the team, albeit with slightly altered business cards? What of Dwane Casey, who is expected to stay on as the teams head coach? The question, as Raptors fans will see it; why was Williams the sacrificial lamb? As Williams himself notes, this is a business. Ujiri will be given free reign to build his own team, from the roster all the way up to his staff, just as Leiweke promised. To some this move will come as a surprise. It may signify the end of an era, a heartless gesture that costs the embattled organization one of its greatest ambassadors. To others this will indicate a changing of the guard, the first in a series of bold moves. Moves that may one day propel the franchise back to where Williams helped lead it over a decade ago. Ecco Shoes Canada .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Wholesale Ecco Shoes Canada Online . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. http://www.discounteccocanada.com/ . 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SAO PAULO, Brazil -- As Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg head to the final round of the season with the 2016 championship still to play for, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says a mechanical failure in Abu Dhabi would be his biggest nightmare.With just one race remaining Rosberg leads Hamilton by 12 points, meaning he can secure the title with a podium finish in Abu Dhabi, regardless of where his teammate finishes. Hamilton, who lost a chunk of points earlier in the season to reliability issues, needs to outscore Rosberg by 13 points, meaning his best chance of winning the title would be securing victory with Rosberg fourth or lower.With the title battle so finally poised ahead of the final round, Wolff says Mercedes will do everything to make sure the championship is decided by the drivers on the track and not by a mechanicaal fault on the car.ddddddddddddAs Bernie would have ordered it, there will be a showdown in Abu Dhabi, he said. Twelve points gap, so they are going to drive it out on track.We just have to give them two cars so that they can fight it out on the track. My biggest nightmare would be mechanical issues.Wolff said he was delighted to see his cars finish first and second in soaking wet conditions in Brazil.Yeah, you cant expect a one-two in these conditions and this is a rare achievement. You have such tricky conditions and to drive it home with a one-two and a faultless drive by Lewis with the best pace in the field, Im very happy about that result actually.Its maybe the best result of the season. ' ' '