Extinct no more, the Raptors will Live Forever
This is history, baby. I can’t believe I can actually say this but the Toronto Raptors are the NBA champions. After all the heart breaking losses, all the heart breaking departures of great players, we are the champions. The road to get here was dark and full of terrors lol but the view from the mountaintop makes it all worth it. Sports is a big ball of energy connections with the biggest being between fans and players, that’s why winning means more to some fans than others depending on how much energy they have invested and that’s why fans celebrate like they are a part of the actual team. For so long the Raptors fan support has been arguably the best in the league even if the Raptors on the court could never match it to say they were the best team. But I feel as the years went on without a championship people used that to makes jokes about the team/fans instead of to compliment us. With this championship, all the gigantic mountains of fan support for the Raptors not only across the country of Canada but across the entire planet over the years were justified. It might sound silly to say but I truly feel that this championship belongs to every player that gave the Raptors an ounce of blood, sweat and tears the last 24 years. It took them to get the Raptors here to exist in 2019 and build the energy of the fan base into the frenzy we saw in the arenas and across all the Jurassic Parks that pushed things over the top.
Being a Raptor fan has not been easy for me but it has also been one of the best sports journeys I have been a part of. I started from day one cheering for both but decided on the Raptors over the Grizzlies between the two as I had already cheered for the Blue Jays in baseball and I thought the Raptor theme was awesome. I think like most fans I really started to invest in the team when they drafted Vince Carter bc with McGrady it looked like we might have something to build around. Man what could have been if McGrady had re-signed with the Raptors and tried to build a dynasty with Carter. Wish we would have learned not to boo him as McGrady thrived off the heat and played better against us the stronger it was. It sucked when McGrady left but I was happy we still had what I thought was the better player in Carter and a more than solid team. 2000 Slam Dunk contest and Vince Carter’s live forever moment changed the game for the Raptors. It made players like Kevin Durant grow up actually thinking of themselves playing for the Raptors, it catapulted the Raptors into the mainstream conscience forever, it basically legitimized the franchise and that moment was up there in impact with a championship. It is this reason that I couldn’t ever say I wanted to erase Vince Carter from the Raptors history or anything like that bc without him and the 2000 Slam Dunk contest the team might not have seen 2019. Still have the memories of watching it live with my buddies and all of us going crazy lol
I remember being so frustrated hearing Vince was attending his “graduation” over properly preparing for the crucial 2001 NBA playoff game and I’ll prob always be able to see that shot vs Philly clang of the rim. In hindsight, this was def the beginning of the end for Vince in TO and even tho I was in denial at the time I knew this wasn’t a good sign for the long-term future of Vince and the team. The injuries started the next season, tough to see him out but I remember being really excited during the run for the playoff spot at the end. Then the infamous Chris Childs “I thought we were up by 4” moment lol but having gone through losses like that made the championship win that much sweeter. The good thing about all the injuries we went through was it got us Chris Bosh, thought that might be enough to get Carter to stay but he was already checked out. I knew that every move the Raptors made was crucial to Vince staying or going so drafting Rafael Araujo was so frustrating. I tried to support Hoffa 100% but he would have been much better off drafted later so he could develop without as much spotlight and pressure. Our front office was a mess and guys that we signed to deals for Carter started not to contribute at high levels so the situation was def getting ugly.
But that is no excuse to quit on the team and especially the fans. With Vince Carter being his half-man/half-amazing self those teams could have made runs esp when Bosh was drafted but they had no chance with Vince half-assing it. Alonzo Mourning/Eric Williams/Aaron Williams and two mid-to-late future first round picks for Vince fucking Carter holy shit that is brutal. But in Babcock’s defence he wasn’t trading a Vince Carter he could get true value for bc Vince wasn’t giving 100% but I still think he could have got a much better deal than that. What an awful day that was but that wouldn’t compare to what followed. I invested so much of my youthful energy I can never get back into Vince Carter and Raptors. I didn’t have a lot of money as a kid but what I did have I spent on buying 2 Vince Carter jerseys, Raptor hats and Raptor basketballs. I specifically remember times my friends wanted me to come out but I needed to stay in and watch the Raptors game to support the team and VC. That was growing up man some of the best years of my life; time I could have spent with my buddies instead was invested into Carter and the Raptors. All of that is why I feel so strongly about Vince Carter quitting on us.
I strongly defended Vince Carter right up until I saw his first game in New Jersey. There were friends and other fans that said he quit on us and wasn’t giving his best effort but I had his back. I told them the injuries had added up to slow him down and he legitimately couldn’t dunk like he used to without risking serious injury. And then I watched that first game in New Jersey and felt like my best friend just spit in my face in front of the world. Seeing the energy and excitement in his game, those highlight reel dunks coming one after the other…so humiliating. Same thing the next game, and the next one and then I had seen enough and could no longer deny it. I was wrong and everyone else was right, he was a quitter. Made me wonder what made Nets fans worth playing for and not us. Smh. To know I had invested all this money, energy and time on something that valued those things from other people but not me was a shitty reality. I’m not suggesting Vince Carter had to stay with the Raptors forever but if he did leave, it should have been the right way and I don’t even think it needs to be said that he shouldn’t have fucking quit on us. Yeah watching that first week of Nets games was prob my worst sports moment. And to top it off over the years with the Nets he just fucking killed us with ridiculous game winning shots and game winning reverse dunks like give me a fckin break. That dunk was just stupid we didn’t deserve that.
I wasn’t going all in on investing in Bosh bc I knew the summer of 2010 was the big one and if he re-signed after that I def would have. Bryan Colangelo as GM was exciting at the time and I thought might be our best chance at building a team that could convince Bosh to stay. Thought we had some teams that could make some noise but none were able to go on a playoff run and Bosh ended up leaving but this time was different than Carter. Bosh gave us his best effort on the court for the length of his contract and had every right to sign anywhere he wanted. I was still gonna give him shit while he played for the Heat but gotta admit I always felt like bulling up when I’d hear people making fun of him like he was just the third wheel on the Heat not making a crucial contribution to winning their titles. I’m really happy he was able to win multiple championships and it’s awful he had to retire early but thank God he has his health to live his life. Without Bosh the Raptors might not have survived the post-Vince era and there were a lot of great memories making runs to the playoffs and in the few playoff wins they did get so I’ll always be grateful for his time with the Raps.
Post-Bosh era was all about the rise of Demar DeRozan but man who could have guessed how huge the move in the 2012 off-season would be in acquiring Kyle Lowry from Houston for a 1st Rd pick. People have said that Kawhi Leonard is the greatest Raptor and if he re-signs he will prob retire that way but considering how long he has been here and what he has done, right now it’s Kyle Lowry. It was the next off-season that the Raptors-Drake relationship started and I’ll admit at first I hated it but I was wrong and it’s been a great thing for the Raptors. When stars were leaving the Raps, Drake kept the Raptors in the mainstream conversation and brought a new generation of young fans to help support the team. Thought acquiring Rudy Gay would have been led to more success but just didn’t really mesh with the team. What did mesh was Demar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and with them I finally thought that we had ourselves in position to win a championship. Demar and Kyle racked up great statistics, all star appearances, regular season wins and were positioned as marketable stars for the NBA. All of this is supposed to mean they get the calls that those accolades earn just like the great players on other teams do but we never did.
Raptor teams have always been brutally jobbed out by the way fouls are called but it was never more obvious than the DeRozan/Lowry era bc they earned the calls yet rookies on opposing teams were given more respect from officials. Players that have done none of what Demar/Kyle did got more respect than our guys. These fouls killed momentum, killed runs, cooled guys down, fouled guys out and basically made it impossible to establish any kind of playoff run. They even robbed Demar of the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest and his own Vince Carter moment. The refs were not the only reason we lost those games and series, we def missed big shots and made mistakes at the worst times but the way fouls were called created an even bigger uphill battle than we already had to climb. The last straw for me was at the end of Game 3 in the 2018 playoffs when Ibaka made an unbelievable clean block on Lebron and it was called a foul on Ibaka. Then the Cavs win the game and everyone is making fun of the Raps with that Lebronto bullshit either purposely or ignorantly not recognizing it was a clean block by Ibaka. I felt like the NBA was taking the Raptor fans time, energy and money for granted and not delivering on a fair return by giving us a fair shake with the foul calls. It’s like people worked themselves up it would be a bad thing for a Canadian team to win the NBA Championship and hurt the NBA or something but little did they know lol
After the 2018 season I was so torn bc I love the Raptors, they’re my team but I felt I needed to take a stand and no longer give the NBA my time, money and energy so I decided to follow the Raps from afar. Then Demar DeRozan was traded with a disrespectful shove out the door and I was so disgusted, Demar deserved so much better. Really bothers me that the last memory Demar has as a Raptor is being lied to, he meant a lot to the success of this team and really bought into being a Raptor always giving everything he had and promoted us and tried to recruit. After what we went through with Vince Carter that effort really meant something and was a huge reason the fans connected with Demar so strongly. And it pissed me off it had to bring negative energy towards Masai Ujiri when I had so much love for the guy. The trade itself isn’t what bothers me but how it played out def does. Should have been done face to face, man to man bc at the very least Demar earned that. Confidence is Demar’s biggest problem he just doesn’t know how good he is and it comes out in his game. If he ever locks into his confidence he will bring that team a championship and I pray that he does bc it can’t be easy watching the Raptors win without him.
That led us to the Kawhi Leonard era and if there ever was a championship or bust season, this was it. Only guaranteed 1 year of Kawhi but also bringing Danny Green to a stacked team meant they had a real chance to win the East and take their chances with whoever won the West. As a traumatized Raptor fan lol I feared the worst that Kawhi would put it in half gear and cruise through the season to get to free agency healthy but he did the complete opposite. Kawhi gave us everything he had and did everything he could to put the team on his back and get it to a championship. But the reason the championship became a reality is bc Kawhi didn’t have to carry the team alone, he had Lowry and VanVleet and Spicy P and Gasol and Danny and Ibaka and Norm and I’m gonna go over everyone next so I’ll stop there haha but you get the point this was a true team effort. Not only on the court with the players but off the court with the team of medical staff that made the term ‘load management’ the new NBA buzzword with their masterful plan for managing Kawhi’s injury. Without that care we probably don’t have Kawhi for either the NBA or Eastern Finals and most certainly not a championship.
In 1 season Kawhi Leonard hit the greatest shot in Raptors history vs Philly and the greatest in-game dunk vs Milwaukee over Antetekoumpo so I won’t really argue with people that say he is already the greatest Raptor lol I have been waiting my entire time as a fan to watch the Raptors hit a game winning shot like that, I’ve seen so many missed by the Raps and saw so many made for other teams but never us. All the hell I’ve been through watching the Raptors and of course I missed it. Broke my heart but at the same time made me so excited bc I thought ‘this is it we are doing this now.’ Thankfully I got to see that Kawhi dunk vs Milwaukee and damn that was fcking awesome I went crazy haha but Golden State presented the biggest mountain the Raptors had ever tried to climb. To me it came down to, could the Raps other than Kawhi/Danny raise their game to match the Warriors bc if not it would be over quick n ugly. Thankfully we got a really fun series to watch with unexpected outcomes I mean who could have called Raps winning all 3 in Golden State. Kind of wish Raps had won in game 5 bc so much epic shit happened at the end but I am not complaining as Game 6 was unbelievably intense. Really became a big fan of Freddy VanVleet and wanted to see him establish himself as a force to be reckoned with and man he finally did this year for good with so many clutch shots. Gotta say this too, as critical as I’ve been of NBA officiating I honestly can’t remember when the last time was I saw NBA basketball called as good as the Finals were. Some bad calls and misses but that is always gonna happen and overall I thought they made good calls and let both teams be physical. I fn loved it. I know people will say it’s bc Raptors won but I would have said it either way. One of the reasons I was so worried going to Golden State after Game 2 was bc the games were called so good and we still lost 1.
It would have been awesome to watch the NBA Finals at home or at a bar or something but to be able to watch in Mosaic Stadium with thousands of people was the experience of a lifetime. I’ve never been to an NBA game so being in an environment where everyone cheers every point and reacts to every play was so awesome. I couldn’t believe how many people were at Jurassic Park Regina, had 1 of the best waves going I have ever seen for Game 5. As I said at the beginning, the history of the Raptors is dark and full of terrors but God couldn’t have delivered a more epic championship for me. Watching in Mosaic combining Riders n Raptors 2 of my favourite things and having my Dad there with me are memories I will cherish forever. We beat a great team and the games were fun to watch, Canada set records for viewership with over half the country tuned into Game 6 at some point but USA viewership was also very strong. This is a championship that wasn’t handed to us; it was earned and is one that should bring a lot of honour to the players, fans and everyone in the organization. Seeing Kyle Lowry lift the Larry O’B makes all the hell we went through worth it. It justifies every player that bought into being a Raptor. It forever establishes the Raptors as a legitimate team and not some novelty act. It justifies the support the fans have given the team and players over the years. It justifies the fans sticking with the team after all the losses both on and off the floor. We The North will always echo in the Hall of Champions.
So here we are in our first championship off-season in a unique situation of potentially having a star player leave without any negative energy directed towards him at all. Kawhi more than fulfilled his obligation to us and was a major contributor to delivering the first Championship that means so much to so many, whatever he wants to do is fine with me. Of course I want him to stay to lead the ‘We The North’ army and go after back to back(to back to back lol) titles to really start hitting that rarefied air. We could pay Kawhi and keep the team relatively in tact; I wish we could field the same team again but never works that way unfortunately. Canada is an amazing country, Toronto is a great city(Top 3 NA Media Market) and there are millions of loyal Raptor fans to support his endorsements and charities so there is a strong case to re-sign. But if Kawhi really has his heart set on LA then I will wish him good fortune in the games to come except vs the Raptors. I’ll always appreciate the effort he gave and the championship he delivered so I will never speak a negative word about him leaving, it’s his decision and he more than earned the right to make it without getting killed for it. Now, I hate to lose more than I like to win so if Kawhi signs with the Clippers and joins the list of players that crushes us after I may talk some shit in the moment lol but ill mean it with love! Hahah
We’ll just have to see what happens but I hope he re-signs
KAWHI LEONARD – What more can I say, Board Man Likes Chips haha I really appreciate Kawhi giving us 100% of himself not just on offence but on defence too. The text he sent Lowry the day after the trade was damn cool and I’m glad he shared it bc that to me really showed how locked in and committed Kawhi was/is. He solidified his status as current best player in the league and is rising up the list as one of the greatest players of all time with another great season leading a second team to a championship and winning his second Finals MVP. Status as a Raptors legend is set for life whether he re-signs or not but after seeing the mass of the We The North army Kawhi has to be impressed. Either way I’ll support him for life bc of this Championship. WE THE NORTH!
KYLE LOWRY – Time to put some respect on this man’s name bc Kyle Lowry led not just any team to a championship but he led the fuckin Raptors to a Championship baby haha beyond happy that Kyle was able to win a title here with us and prove once and for all he is one of the best PG’s in the game. Perfect mix of not too much passing vs not too much scoring and was the perfect compliment to Kawhi’s leadership. Showed he had the true spirit of a champion by not making things difficult in the beginning and buying in to building a relationship on the court with Kawhi. Maybe the best in the league at drawing a charge, that skill comes up so huge in close games. It was very frustrating to watch Kyle work and sacrifice only to not get the calls he deserved over the years so it made this Championship extra sweet. Hope he is a Raptor for the rest of his career bc he has created a legendary legacy here and I’d love to see him add another ring or two with or without Kawhi.
‘SPICY P’ PASCAL SIAKUM – Most Improved Player for sure man what a season Spicy P had, was so huge to have him emerge as a second scoring option to Kawhi. So crucial to the run to the championship with his defence and rebounding, as a lifetime fan I can tell you all about the Raptors brutal rebounding over the years so I am not taking these times for granted lol P came up huge in the playoffs delivering at least 1 huge game in each series but he was still a big contributor in the other games too. Seems like a genuinely good guy and has 1 of those smiles that can light up a room. Love that his story now has an NBA Championship in it and that it’s with the Raptors.
FRED VANVLEET – 1 of things I love about the Raptors is they always attract underdog type of players and it is awesome when they finally break out and do what they can do. I thought Fred VanVleet had potential to be another in a long line of underdog Raptor players that become the favourites and maybe the best of them. So to see him establish himself as one of the best so early being a huge part of a championship is exciting. Last year Fred played great and was just off on some big shots but came back this year and fucking knocked em all down. Esp in the Finals, Fred hit some seriously clutch shots that didn’t allow Golden State to close gaps or pull away. It’s sweeter to celebrate a Raptors championship knowing that guys like Fred VanVleet are getting rings.
NORM POWELL – My boy Norm gets a ring man that is just fcking awesome. Norm was one of the underdog Raptors that fans loved and provided a spark for the team coming off the bench on offence and defence. He was needed more than a few times to try and slow down Golden State in the Finals so I am pumped he is part of this championship. The man def wears his drunk on his face bc he was having some fuuuuuuun after the game and during the parade lol I was loving it, been a fan since he put himself on the map his rookie year.
‘THE GODBLOCKA’ SERGE IBAKA – One of my fav players in the league ever since his OKC days bc one of the sweetest plays in basketball is a good, physical, clean block and Ibaka is one of the best ever. I always want to see the teams/players I cheer for celebrated at the highest level and a championship on the resume is huge for legacy. Championships connect players to the team and fans forever and I think that is part of the reason Raptor fans wanted a championship so bad, we wanted our favourite players connected to the team forever. Ibaka owned Lebron on a crucial block late in Game 3 of the 2018 playoffs but it was called a foul and I couldn’t stand watching a great player make a great play and be penalized for it. I think the fact it was Ibaka one of my fav players fuelled my fire at the league even more. So many ridiculous blocks in the Finals this year but damn he was clutch with his FT’s and offence when the Raptors needed it. Can’t tell you how happy I am that the Raptors won a championship with Ibaka connecting him to the team forever.
DANNY GREEN – The Danny Green game baby wooooo a legend is born, six 3’s for 18 points in Game 3 and we needed every single one of them. The ‘other guy’ in the Kawhi trade but just as important in the run to the championship with his defence and shooting. Even during his shooting struggles(just keep shooting and don’t think about it lol) the threat of what he could do kept Golden State on their toes bc you can’t give Danny Green too many clean looks before he makes you pay big time. And his defence was always needed despite any offensive struggles. I love that the Kawhi/Danny team now has a ring with the Raptors to add to their Spurs rings, hope he is back next year.
MARC GASOL – I can’t tell you how many years I made noise about wanting the Raptors to acquire Marc Gasol and it finally fcking happened I was so pumped yet sad to say goodbye to the V-Rex. I always had dreams of Gasol/Valanciunas becoming our own Twin Towers. The impact Gasol would make was as big as I knew it would be but man having his 3 dropping early in the Finals was such a great weapon that caused big problems for Golden State’s strategy. With the Warriors shooting so much, rebounds are that much more important and Gasol was dominating there weren’t too many that got by him. Having hoped to see him play for the Raptors it is so great to win a championship with him and have him connected to the team for life but hope his time here isn’t 1 and done.
JEREMY LIN – Linsanity has been legitimized, it is no longer just 15 minutes of fame or a novelty run, it actually led to a championship for Jeremy Lin. I remember all of Linsanity and while it was fun, people def thought it was just a 15min hot streak and Jeremy Lin would be gone as fast as he arrived. But he wasn’t gone, he stayed in the league bc he actually did have NBA level talent. Obviously the numbers of the Linsanity run didn’t stay there but he was good enough for a place on an NBA team. I know Jeremy didn’t contribute to this run as much as he would have liked but he made every contribution he could and did the job he needed to do for this team to win. I’m just excited that Linsanity is now legit bc it was a lot of fun to watch and being a part of this championship makes for a damn good story.
PATRICK MCCAW, JODIE MEEKS, MALCOLM MILLER, ERIC MORELAND, CHRIS BOUCHER, OG ANUNOBY, JORDAN LOYD – Bench mob. Obviously every one of them wanted more minutes but you can’t win a championship without the supporting cast doing their jobs and our guys def did. If the starters know they have a reliable bench mob they can take more chances and put the team in better position to win. It requires more than just minutes and stats to win championships and you get those things from your bench mob/coaches. Wear your rings with honour, gentlemen.
HEAD COACH: NICK NURSE
ASSISTANT COACHES: Adrian Griffin, Sergio Scariolo, Nate Bjorkgren and Phil Handy
-I knew we had a great coach but I didn’t know we had a rock star lol I am loving what I’m seeing this off season so far but not as much as what I saw during the season and playoffs. Nick Nurse did not have an easy task taking over a team that suffered another heartbreaking playoff sweep and dealing with the off season storms created by the Demar/Kawhi trade. Fans pissed about the playoff loss and how DeRozan was traded, Lowry unhappy with how the DeRozan trade went down and the championship or bust pressure of only having Kawhi for one year was the perfect storm for a disaster of a season. But this staff led by Nurse embraced the challenge, cut out the bullshit pressure and just focused on the basketball, if the team did its job they would be sipping champagne in June. The staff was able to make the crucial adjustments on defence that stopped runs in their tracks, only real significant failure was the 18-0 run to start Game 2 in the Finals but they really shined in Games 3 and 4. Nurse and the staff never tried to overwork Kawhi; they understood his situation and created game plans to make it work. I don’t know why but I thought Nurse was Canadian but he is not haha however he is now the Head Coach of the Canada World Cup Men’s basketball team so that is pretty exciting coming off an NBA Championship. I’m confident Nurse and his staff will have us in contention for years to come but it’s nice to know we have a championship level coaching staff waiting for Kawhi if he re-signs. I have so much love and appreciation to them for delivering this championship I’m sure they put in some ungodly hours.
MASAI UJIRI – I’ll never be ok with how he handled the DeRozan trade but I can’t let 1 mistake or bad moment ruin an entire relationship esp since Masai and Demar are on good terms now. I’m happy we’re all back on the same page bc I think the Raptors are at their best when Masai is helping lead us in charge of Basketball Operations. Masai is smart and passionate, everything you want in a Team President and he embraces the Raptors 100%. I absolutely loved his ‘Fck Brooklyn’ moment bc it showed that he has the same fire the fans have. Masai has done a masterful job over the years in acquiring the right pieces to always field a competitive team and players that work best with the coaches and players we already have here. Then one of the ballsiest moves in NBA history as Masai trades franchise star player Demar Derozan despite the strong connection to the team for 1 guaranteed year of Kawhi Leonard. Could have cost him his job and legacy with the team if the 1 year with Kawhi was a failure but instead it brought the team to the mountaintop and guaranteed greatness for his legacy. Wow man what a story Masai Ujiri has. Hopefully he stays with us long-term, I’m sure teams will try and lure him away but they always forget 1 thing…We The North
MATT DEVLIN, JACK ARMSTRONG, LEO RAUTINS – I can’t express how blessed Raptor fans are to have this crew calling games for us man they bring championship level commentary every game from regular season to playoffs. Matt Devlin is one of the best play-by-play men in the business; he has a great voice that transfers the excitement through the TV. Jack Armstrong and Leo Rautins are the perfect compliment to Matt as colour guys and are consistent with their expert basketball analysis not afraid to call out the Raptors for fouls too. I love Jack and all his catchphrases, “Hello! Get that gahhbage outta here!” lol but its nice bc Jack’s analysis is more from a coach’s perspective whereas Leo’s is from a players so you get the perfect balance. They usually alternate depending on who is doing TV but I wonder how a 3 man team would go? Might not work but ya never know. I hope all 3 get a ring.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS – Want to talk about a few of my favourite names that helped build the team to this point:
Demar DeRozan – I know he loved being a Raptor as much as we loved cheering for him as a Raptor so it was heartbreaking to see him leave. But his efforts are part of the reason guys still here had playoff experience and got better allowing them to contribute on a higher level this year. Raptor fans will never forget that or his connection to the team. Demar’s problem is confidence, being afraid to fail I think. He passed the ball in a few big moments where he should have shot and I know he would have knocked them down but that’s in the past. I hope in the future Demar has faith in the skills God gave him and demands the ball in big moments; he always has a place with the Raptors and in Canada success or fail.
‘Mo Pete’ Morris Peterson – My boy Mo Pete man I so badly wanted the Raptors to win a championship with him he is def 1 of my all-time fav Raptors. You forget how good he was but he hit so many big shots for the Raptors if we ever went on a long playoff run he was ready but he was a player before his time. Mo Pete would have crushed it on this Raptors team but now its guys like Norm Powell and Fred VanVleet filling that role. I think his personality off the court was a big reason everyone loved him, always seemed to be smiling or laughing unless it was after a bad loss or something. I’m glad he put up with Cabbie bc they had some hilarious segments/interviews together. The Raptors wouldn’t have got through the bad years without players like Mo Pete to cheer for. His game tying prayer that went in vs Washington to send a sure loss into OT is legendary just wish we had won the damn game lol
‘JYD’ Jerome Williams – JYD baby man he was fun to cheer for just the best guy off the court and a beast on the boards. The crowd fcking loved him and the way JYD could get the crowd riled up is the beginnings of the atmosphere that the team would be known for and that exploded this year with all the Jurassic Parks. I was so bummed out when they traded JYD man it was awful, he loved being a Raptor and I knew other teams wouldn’t see him as the player we did. But in the time he was here he became a legend and will always be remembered and appreciated for being one of the guys that helped build the foundation of the Raptors.
Dwane Casey – Coach Casey was one of the reasons that the Raptors were able to be successful and had the team so close to the mountaintop it hurt. If anyone knows how bad the Raptors get screwed on fouls it is Coach Casey bc that was always the biggest enemy to his game plans. Bc of the level of effort and energy he gave the team I really wanted to win a championship with him as the Coach to solidify his connection to the team and his own legacy as a coach. But Coach Casey coached so many of the guys on the team and def had a hand in bringing this championship to Toronto and will be remembered as one of our greatest coaches. If the Lakers are smart they would make a play to bring in Dwane Casey.
Vince Carter – No matter what happened with his exit, the Raptors would not be here today without Vince Carter putting us on the map with the 2000 Dunk Contest and his amazing pre-02 play. But with this championship, I feel the negative energy I had towards Vince leaving me and it honestly feels good bc I’ve been carrying it for a long time. I’ll always have strong feelings about him quitting but they won’t be at the forefront anymore. Now we can say Vince Carter leaving didn’t keep us from winning a championship, it was just part of the journey to get to this sweet victory.
Chris Bosh – One of the biggest reasons that the Raptors survived the post-Carter era is bc we had a great young player like Bosh to get behind and cheer for. It was awesome to watch Chris Bosh develop from this young skinny kid with raw talent to a man that was a force on the court. Obviously he left as he was hitting his prime but still provided us a lot of big moments and entertainment. Bosh has rings and now the Raptors have a ring so everything ended up pretty good with Bosh and the Raps.
Jose Calderon – Loved that the Raptors were able to always find guys that just needed an opportunity and Jose Calderon is one of those. Could pass and shoot providing stability from the PG position. Unheard of before but once he got his opportunity with the Raptors he shined, was a big part of the playoff runs we did make in the Bosh-era. Really wanted to win a championship with him but his great play was part of how the Raps survived losing Vince Carter.
‘The V-Rex’ Jonas Valanciunas – Wasn’t initially a fan of his selection but became one pretty quick. As with Bosh I was enjoying watching Valaciunas’s development and he was getting better and moving forward just maybe not at the rate the Raptors needed him to. Thought his game was very similar to a Marc Gasol just needed some more work to get it up to that level but with the chance to actually get Gasol we had to say goodbye. If he gets with the right coaching staff that recognizes how to get his game to the next level he could def help a team win a title.
Tracy McGrady – Memories of watching McGrady play are def starting to fade but I remember being really disappointed he left for Orlando. It wasn’t until he played a couple seasons in Orlando before we truly realized what we lost and could have had with T-Mac and VC. I was as salty as anyone towards him but it didn’t take me long to realize he thrived off the boo’s but I’m pretty sure we booed him until his final season lol and he killed us almost every time. McGrady’s legacy is ‘what could have been’ with the Raptors.
Damon Stoudamire – Getting even harder to remember Stoudamire with the Raps but I do remember being excited we had the Rookie of the Year…and then we traded him lol but it’s nice to have great players as part of our legacy even if some like Stoudamire were just short stops.
Alvin Williams – Such a shame that injuries had to cut his career short bc when he was healthy he was great. I remember me and my buddy just praying his knee could get right bc we knew we needed him to make a run. Just awful he had to injure his knee bc the Raptors would have had a lot more success with a healthy Alvin Williams. He fought and rehabbed to come back but unfortunately he was never the same. Glad he stayed part of the team as an analyst bc he had a good connection with the fans.
Jalen Rose – Man I thought business had really picked up when we got Jalen Rose as this was one of the ‘Fab Five’ actually on the Raptors. Unfortunately his time on the Raptors was on teams that weren’t very good but I always had hope we could win with Jalen Rose on the floor. Happy that he is part of Raptors history.
Sam Mitchell – Loved Coach Mitchell he was def a players coach but not the pushover kind but the kind players want to play for. I had a lot of respect for Sam Mitchell as a coach; I always thought the Raps had a chance to win with him as HC. Really wanted to win a championship with him as I thought he deserved it and wanted him coaching as long as possible. Was a great interview he gave us some fn gold, “Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero.” LOL Has a great speaking voice would be easy to listen to his meetings haha happy he is still kind of working with the team as an analyst, he def knows his basketball.
‘The Matrix’ Shawn Marion – He was one of my fav non-Raptors when the trade happened, I loved his unique shooting style and how he was money from 3 so I was def excited when we got him. Didn’t really ever have the teams around him to make a run but it was nice to be able to cheer for him in a Raps jersey.
‘General’ Greivis Vasquez – I love Star wars and the Raps so this is def 1 of my fav nicknames a Raptor player has had. The General loved being a Raptor so I was really hoping to win a title with him; he played great and hit some huge shots for us. Another guy in the Mo Pete category of underdog type players that became fan favourites.
Cory Joseph – Awesome to be able to cheer for a Canadian player on the only Canadian team so you know I was dying to win a championship with Cory on the roster. Didn’t happen unfortunately but he had a good run with us and it’s great to have him as part of the legacy of the team.
Ed Davis – My boy Ed was becoming a serious board man here, he was getting better and I was excited watching his improvement. Def bummed me out when he was traded bc I thought he could become one of those guys that you can rely on to grab the tough rebounds when you really need them.
Demarre Carroll – JYD 2.0. was fun watching him play and cheering for him while he was here. Def provided a tough, physical presence with us. I don ‘t know that he became quite as popular as OG JYD lol but fans loved him and he was a big part of the success we did have..
Rafer Alston – Playground legend lol had some attitude issues but the guy was a legit NBA player and he had some serious skills. Didn’t lead to much playoff success but he led the team to some good wins and provided a reason to watch the games. It was cool to have a story like his come through Toronto.
Patrick Patterson – Patty P man 1 of my fav Raptors he hit some big time shots with us and I really wanted to win a title with him. He has the same kind of game as Robert Horry, bigger player that could hit the 3.
Matt Bonner – The Red Rocket. When the stars would leave, guys like Matt Bonner were crucial to keeping fans invested in the team. Bonner was fun to watch with his non stop energy and great personality off the court. One of those good guys you want to succeed, fans loved him and what a celebration we would have seen if he won a title with us lol
Bizmack Biyombo – Bizzy! Holy shit the playoff run that got him PAID haha was so awesome he brings so much energy to the court. Dominant board man when he was with us, the kind of player you need for a playoff run. Was really hoping he could stay bc he was such a fan favourite and thrived on the Raptors but I was more happy than disappointed to see him get a good payday from Orlando. He earned it.
TJ Ford – Def a risk when we traded for him but it paid off and TJ was a huge part of the success we had in the Bosh-era. The Raptors post-Carter was a slippery slope but guys like Ford were able to carry the load with great play that made the Raptors exciting to watch.
Amir Johnson – One of the best, most consistent board men the Raptors have had, you could count on him to grab the tough rebounds and come through on offence too. A big-time fan favourite, it was tough to see him leave esp going to the Celtics. But Amir battled through injuries and always gave 100% when he was here so I have nothing but love for him.
Terrence Ross – T-Ross baby another of my favourite Raptors but damn he could be frustrating lol hit some huge shots and then cold but more often than not he was hitting them. Loved watching him develop and get better, wanted to see it culminate in a championship with us but he def made an impact in his time here.
Andrea Bargnani – People make jokes now but he was a good player for us, def inconsistent but the flashes of greatness were there. Bargnani’s problem seemed to be intensity, couldn’t find that extra gear to get his game to the next level.
Antonio Davis – You don’t see this breed of player anymore. I know things ended ugly with AD and the Raps but damn I loved cheering for him when he was on the team. Just mis-informed on the quality of Canadian education lol Brought a different level of physical play and toughness that we were desperately needing. Too bad AD couldn’t have been on the Derozan-era Raptors.
A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE – Now I want to just go season by season and say a few things about each one:
95/96 – Stoudamire’s Rookie of the Year season would easily been the main story but honestly that was probably beating Michael Jordan’s Bulls in their 72-10 season. That victory over the Bulls was our Championship for a long time lol
96/97 – Back to back championships as we beat the Bulls again lol also beat Shaq and the Lakers so it wasn’t all bad but those wins and Stoudamire are pretty much the only highlights.
97/98 – Ugly season. Traded Stoudamire and I remember being really disappointed but we drafted McGrady and got Alvin Williams in the Stoudamire trade so we would come out of it ok.
98/99 – Shortened season thanks to the lockout but more significant was drafting a guy named Vince Carter. Acquired Charles Oakley who brought an intensity the team desperately needed. Another Rookie of the Year for The Raps and VC but that’s about it.
99/00 – The most important season for the Raptors until this year, it was the year Vince Carter won the Slam Dunk contest in legendary fashion and put the Raptors on the mainstream map. 1st year with Antonio Davis, man this was a good team that seriously underachieved. It was the first year that we made the playoffs but in the start of what would become a disturbing trend we got swept lol
00/01 – Not our most important season but def our best to this point. 2nd in the East, All Star seasons from Carter and AD, and one shot away from the ECF. First time we won a playoff series beating the Knicks. Nobody knows what would have happened if Vince would have focused on the game and not attended that ceremony but I truly believe the Raptors would have won and wouldn’t have needed a last second shot to do it.
01/02 – Me and my buddy were so pissed we traded Oakley, we knew how bad we needed him bc without him the intensity of the team would slip big-time and it did. Thought the season was done after Vince Carter went down for the season but AD led the Raps to win 12 of their last 14 and clinch on the last day of the season. I remember how excited I was for that run bc it was so unexpected and it brought us up from a low to a high. Really thought it meant we were gonna go on a run but this was the infamous “I thought we were down by 4” from Childs lol but winning that game was a long-shot anyways and we wouldn’t have got there without Childs so I never really blamed him just had some fun with it.
02/03 – Pretty shitty, throwaway season with Vince Carter hurt for significant time again. Cool moment when Vince gives up his All-Star spot for a retiring Michael Jordan.
03/04 – The year we traded AD and JYD man that sucked. Vince Carter played most of it but still ended up a non-playoff season. It would be the last full season for Vince Carter in Toronto. Only real bright spot was drafting Chris Bosh.
04/05 – it was maybe the worst season in Raptors history as we said goodbye to Vince Carter in one of the worst trades in NBA history. We had to watch Carter all of a sudden be his old exciting self again and accept that he quit on us. Alvin Williams sat out the entire year with his knee injury. Just an awful year all around.
05/06 – Not much to talk about just another frustrating year missing the playoffs. This is where Bosh and the fan favourite players come in huge for keeping the fans invested in the team.
06/07 – Best season in Raptors history to that point as we finally won our first Atlantic Division Title. Great season from Bosh, emergence of Calderon/Ford combo and great rookie season from Bargnani were biggest reasons but Brian Colangelo really had a great team put together with guys like Mo Pete and Garbajosa coming up big. Of course we come up against Vince Carter and the Nets and get eliminated bc Raptor fans hadn’t been punished enough. Disappointing but encouraging going forward that they could keep this team together and go on a run.
07/08 – Frustrating season as the team took a step back instead of a step forward. They still were able to make the playoffs despite losing Bosh to injury for a chunk of the season but once again got bounced in the first round.
08/09 – This season was another step back as we were far from the playoffs. I remember it feeling worse bc I knew we were wasting the last seasons with Bosh and he prob couldn’t wait to get to a team that could win. Only real highlight was acquiring one of my fav non-Raptors Shawn Marion.
09/10 – The last year of Chris Bosh but also the first year with Demar DeRozan after drafting him. You know the Raptors were very blessed drafting a franchise star player right as one was leaving both times with Carter/Bosh and now Bosh/DeRozan. Missed the playoffs and I knew that Bosh was gone.
10/11 – Another season where the only highlight is acquiring one of my fav non-Raptors in Peja Stojakovic, had some great moments but his best days were def behind him.
11/12 – Another shortened lockout season and there were no major highlights lol rough times man
12/13 – Man thank God Steve Nash chose the Lakers over us which led the Raps to acquire a certain player named Kyle FN Lowry greatest Raptor of all time lol def the biggest and prob only major highlight of this season.
13/14 – Bargnani/Rudy Gay out, General Greivis/Patty P in. Def worked out for us in the end even though we had to say goodbye to 2 talented players. Our first glimpse of the greatness we would get from the DeRozan/Lowry combo. Finally back in the playoffs with our 2nd Atlantic Division Title but another heartbreaking 1st round exit in Game 7 and fuck Paul Pierce lol
14/15 – Another great season from Demar/Kyle. This was the year Kyle Lowry became the 3rd Raptor to be voted to start in the All-Star game joining Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. Back to back Atlantic Division Titles but yet another first round exit as the Raptors are swept and fuck Paul Pierce lol
15/16 – 3-peat as Atlantic Division champion’s baby. This was the best season in Raptors history before this year and was the first time we won a playoff series since 2001 so I think you can start to understand why it means so much to the fans. Not only did we win a playoff series but Demar DeRozan did something Vince Carter couldn’t do and that is lead us to the ECF. Really thought this was the year we brought a championship home but it was not to be. But we did have the greatest shot in Raptors history before Kawhi’s game winner vs Philly this year in Kyle Lowry drilling a half court 3 to send the game to OT vs the Heat lol man me, my brother and my pops went crazy in the living room when that went in it’s a great memory. It was also the year Bizzy broke out plus it had a lot of my fav Raptors so I really wanted this team to win a championship.
16/17 – This was supposed to be the year we finally took that last step, made the finals and won the ‘ship. But instead it was another step back and another playoff sweep courtesy of the Cavs in the semi finals but to be fair it doesn’t matter where you face Lebron if you can’t overcome the way games are called for him then you’ll never beat him. We came so close but just couldn’t overcome it with next year being the absolute worst.
17/18 – This team got so screwed it isn’t funny. People can say I’m just crying and its sour grapes but if you know basketball and you watch that series vs the Cavs you would be sick bc the way it’s called is pathetic. Ibaka owning Lebron on a clean block and getting called for a foul in Game 3 as everyone makes fun of the Raps for Lebron “owning” us pushed me over the edge lol technically this is statistically the Raptors best season as we won another Atlantic Division Title but for the first time finished first in the East guaranteeing home court. I knew if we had any chance to beat Lebron it was winning all the games in TO, this team was talented enough to do it but got jobbed out on how the games were called vs the Cavs. Call it sour grapes I don’t care but if you know basketball it was a ridiculously called series. Little did we know it was our last with Demar and Coach Casey although more people saw Coach Casey’s exit coming.
18/19 – WE ACTUALLY FUCKING WON THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!! After typing all this up, it really hammers home why this means so much to me. All the tough years, all the heartbreaking moments and seasons, all the goodbyes to players you wanted to stay, just all the high’s and low’s we went through made us appreciate this championship like no other. I did not want to say goodbye to Demar and Coach Casey but Kawhi and Coach Nurse embraced the Raptors 100% and have us everything they had. Thanks to all their contributions we have a championship to celebrate. The circumstances that led to everyone and everything being in place for this championship are pretty insane and I can’t believe they led to a championship. The supporting cast for a championship was already in place here we just needed a leader to take charge and Kawhi did that. He was only here for a year and he still gave us all of his energy and effort. I was scared he would play maybe half the games to save himself for free agency but it only took a few games to squash that fear. So happy a bunch of my fav Raptors like Norm, VanVleet and Lowry get rings to solidify their career legacies and connect themselves to the team/fans forever.
It’s kind of embarrassing that in 1 playoffs with us Kawhi set a bunch of team records and is pretty high up on the list of some other significant records, I mean I’ll take it bc that means he is crushing it but def wish the bar was higher on some haha Kawhi with the greatest shot in Raptors history with his game winner vs Philly. Then Kawhi with the greatest in-game dunk in Raptors history over Antetekoumpo vs Milwaukee. Wish we had won the Finals in Game 5 bc Kawhi went on a run in that game that should be remembered as legendary but I am not complaining at all lol all series the supporting cast kept the game close or held the lead until Kawhi was ready to take it over towards the end and lead the comeback or extend the lead for good. A perfect team Championship as they needed contributions from so many different guys to win you can’t just point to 1 or 2.
But it’s no secret the Raps wouldn’t have won without the Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and I am so thankful he went all in to bring us this championship. Winning the championship was great enough but to be able to it in Mosaic with thousands of screaming fans with my Pops made this already amazing experience something truly special. I couldn’t believe how many people were there for game 5, lined up around the block and when we got to the front it was still just as long and people kept coming. I couldn’t believe my eyes it was incredible to see the support. Epic wave at Game 5 1 of the best I’ve ever seen. Jumping around with everyone cheering after they won was something else. Memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
IN CONCLUSION
Well this has been an awesome walk down memory lane and a great way to really help this championship sink in and remember why it means so much to me. A little piece of it belongs to every player that gave us even 1 drop of blood, sweat and tears bc there were no guarantees with this team esp early so every contribution helped the teams survive and get to where we are today celebrating our NBA Championship. I will have a bottle of champagne to drink for Canada Day celebrations so I’m def joining in on the party lol as you have read, I earned it too dammit so I’m gonna celebrate like I won the damn thing myself hahah Now that we won it has all been worth it, the Raptors, Raptor fans and the support we give the team now and over the years has all been justified. It brought us to a championship and nobody can ever take that away from us. We The North has been forever legitimized with a championship. I mentioned all the players and coaches but there are so many other front office people, arena workers, team employees doing all kinds of different jobs that help the Toronto Raptors machine run that never get a mention but play a very important role.
I am so thankful to God and Jesus for blessing us with the influence to bring the championship to us this year. We have been on the other end of it in the worst way many times so it was nice to have this one go our way. I know I have said it a bunch but I am so thankful that Kawhi left it all out on the court for us. I really hope he stays, this team/city/fans has something special going here and Kawhi is the biggest ingredient. Kawhi would receive unbelievable support and loyalty from Raptors fans across the country and globe if he re-signed. But if he chooses to leave I will wish him good fortune in the seasons to come just not against the Raptors but definitely respect his decision bc he more than fulfilled his end of the deal and owes us absolutely nothing. If Kawhi leaves we would still have a great team set up for another franchise star player that wants to lead an army, can’t imagine at least a few big stars didn’t get excited at the scene and see the potential. But at this moment Kawhi is still the NBA’s King in the North so we’ll see what happens.
My plan is to own the jersey for every single player on the Championship roster, may take me a bit but I will get it done one day. The championship swag they have released is so sweet so I will def be spending too much on that in the near future. Just exciting to be able to say the Raptors are NBA Champions. It was a long, hard road but as sweet as this championship tastes, I wouldn’t change a fuckin thing. To finish this I want to send love out to my fellow Raptor fans for surviving this lonely road of faith we call cheering for the Raptors to celebrate this championship. Cheers, much love and God Bless!!
WE THE NORTH
