golden wrote:
View Post
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Everything CHAMPIONS
Collapse
X
-
I moved to Toronto in the spring of 2000. As a lifelong Blazers fan, I saw the Raps and Grizzlies as total irrelevancies to my NBA fandom. I went to my first Raptors game that spring to see the Carter hype and watched him drop about 40 on the Rockets. I was impressed. But there was something about the crowd and the team and crazy Butch Carter and the Air Canada stuff and, I got hooked. The good times were rolling. Then, the Raptors happened.
Butch Carter had a public psychotic break, players tried to get him fired and the team was swept.
I travelled to Philly the next year only to watch the VC jumper find all rim. But that was okay. The team was fine. Then the Raptors happened.
I made it through signings like Rick Brunson, Yogi Stewart and Landry Fields and the corpse of Hakeem Olajuwon.
I made it through Rafael Araujo, Alexander Radojevic,
I made it through Sam Mitchell assaulting players and Charles Oakley assaulting opponents over dice games.
I made it through the Carter trade.
I made it through John Salmons backing out of a deal. Davis wanting out. Thomas bolting. McGrady wanting out. Bosh wanting out. Rafer Alston threatening to quit.
I made it through Kevin O'Neill, Sam Mitchell and Jay Triano.
I even made it through the New Era Marketing Campaign.
I made it through - Every. Single. Minute. Of. Kobe's. 81.
I made it through Lebronto.
It was all worth it.
We The Champs!
- 7 likes
Comment
-
slaw wrote: View PostI moved to Toronto in the spring of 2000. As a lifelong Blazers fan, I saw the Raps and Grizzlies as total irrelevancies to my NBA fandom. I went to my first Raptors game that spring to see the Carter hype and watched him drop about 40 on the Rockets. I was impressed. But there was something about the crowd and the team and crazy Butch Carter and the Air Canada stuff and, I got hooked. The good times were rolling. Then, the Raptors happened.
Butch Carter had a public psychotic break, players tried to get him fired and the team was swept.
I travelled to Philly the next year only to watch the VC jumper find all rim. But that was okay. The team was fine. Then the Raptors happened.
I made it through signings like Rick Brunson, Yogi Stewart and Landry Fields and the corpse of Hakeem Olajuwon.
I made it through Rafael Araujo, Alexander Radojevic,
I made it through Sam Mitchell assaulting players and Charles Oakley assaulting opponents over dice games.
I made it through the Carter trade.
I made it through John Salmons backing out of a deal. Davis wanting out. Thomas bolting. McGrady wanting out. Bosh wanting out. Rafer Alston threatening to quit.
I made it through Kevin O'Neill, Sam Mitchell and Jay Triano.
I even made it through the New Era Marketing Campaign.
I made it through - Every. Single. Minute. Of. Kobe's. 81.
I made it through Lebronto.
It was all worth it.
We The Champs!
The fact you could go to Shoppers Drug Mart in 1995 and buy tickets from a damn VENDING MACHINE...yes thats how I bought my tickets! It's amazing when i think back cause I felt like that happened yesterday (but was 24 years ago). Amazing times man, amazing to see how this team has come that far.
It's incredibly hard to win a title... as someone said it's been dominated historically by teams like Boston, LA Lakers, Chicago, etc. Recently it was GS.
Amazing times... I would say the Raps are a top 3 franchise right now in terms of hype, branding, etc. We The North is maybe the most recognizable brand in NBA now, even in the US. Drake is obviously now the most famous NBA fan from Toronto.
Great times... you never know how long it will last so time to enjoy!
- 1 like
Comment
-
Shout out to Tim Leiweke. Let's not forget about the man who started this. Leiweke also went hard at Masai to poach him from the Nuggets. He also was part of that infamous meeting with Lowry that turned his career around.
Immediately after getting hired, Leiweke said: "Championships are what we live for. Now let's go out and win them."
Unfortunately, he rattled some cages at MLSE and Tanenbaum didn't like him for it. Here's to you, Tim.
- 6 likes
Comment
Comment