Official Toronto Raptors 2007 Thread

[4thstreetpete]

Hey I was listening to ESPN radio last night and they were saying that Toronto may be the best team on the East ahead of Detroit and Washington, no joke. LOL [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I guess a lot of other cities are now realizing that raptors are no longer the laughing stock of the NBA. Incredible what 1 year makes.

Check out these division leaders:

West:
Utah
Pheonix
Dallas

East:
Detroit
Washington
Toronto

LOL, I still get a chuckle out of that. One of these teams don't belong. Anyways it's been a ridiculous fun ride this first half, really looking forward to the second. I think the team is finally gelling since their horrible 2-8 start when everyone was adjusting to the new faces and life in the NBA from the euroleague. It's been so bad in Toronto for the raptors that this is so refreshing. It reminds me of the trade that Cliff Fletcher made to bring Gilmore to the Leafs for Gary Leeman in that blockbuster deal. It completely changed the teams fortune around and brought excitement back to the city. Because lets face it, the raptors franchise has been a total joke and an embarassment to the league on how a team should be managed during it's tenure. Bringing in Brian Colangelo has been the greatest thing for basketball in this city.

[Homer]

I hope they are right. I bet Toronto to win the east at 20-1 yesterday. Go Raptors!

[4thstreetpete]

[ QUOTE ]
I just started recently watching the Raptors (caught their last 5 or 6 games), and they're my new favorite adopted team.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but it always seems like you can hear the crowd cheering. Is this b/c Raptors' fans are more cheerful than other fans, b/c they do sound work to intentionally make it seem like a party atmosphere, or just due to my imagination? Asking if anyone else notices this?

Uno Dos Tres Catorce.

[/ QUOTE ]

Toronto is lot different than most sports city in that Toronto has always been a hockey town. They're Toronto Leafs fans first and everything else is a distant second. However they support their sports teams in droves, except the CFL Argos but that's a different story.

I was at a Toronto Maple Leafs game with platinum tickets and could hear a pin drop, this was against Pittsburgh where we won 5-4 in overtime. Leafs tickets are so in demand in Toronto that scalpers can charge ridiculous money. A lot of corporations buy seats for their employees. Where I sat it was filled with nothing but suits and it really killed the atmosphere.

When you're watching the Raptors, you're seeing more of Toronto's real sports fans in general, not just Leafs fans. It helps that we're finally getting a basketball team that's worth cheering for too. When I go to Raptors games, the atmosphere is electric and I have the time of my life.

[4thstreetpete]

We're going to lose Mopete at the end of the season. He's going to make much more money than he is currently and some team is going to need him as a starter. Toronto is not going to pay him to be a bench player. This makes me so sad
[img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Mopete knows how we feel because he's been there since the beginning and now that we're finally got it together and the future looks bright he won't be there to be part of it.

The raptors are not going to dump Pete's salary this season for future considerations as that's not needed. We need him for the playoffs if things keep on course. If we do trade him we won't get another utility player that can be as productive as Pete. I hope he sticks around and we make it into the playoffs.

As far as who I would trade Bosh for, besides the obvious(Lebron, Kobe, Dirk etc). As for young guys, if you'd told me during the beginning of the season Bosh for Amare Stoudemire, I would've jumped at it. God I love Amare's game so much. Dwight Howard would be another serious consideration. However watching Bosh played this season, it's been unbelievable. I really think his upside is much better than these two. Bosh offers so much and is a professional. He works so hard and gives you everything he's got day in and day out. At this point, I definately would not want to trade him.

[Pudge714]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I just started recently watching the Raptors (caught their last 5 or 6 games), and they're my new favorite adopted team.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but it always seems like you can hear the crowd cheering. Is this b/c Raptors' fans are more cheerful than other fans, b/c they do sound work to intentionally make it seem like a party atmosphere, or just due to my imagination? Asking if anyone else notices this?

Uno Dos Tres Catorce.

[/ QUOTE ]

Toronto is lot different than most sports city in that Toronto has always been a hockey town. They're Toronto Leafs fans first and everything else is a distant second. However they support their sports teams in droves, except the CFL Argos but that's a different story.

I was at a Toronto Maple Leafs game with platinum tickets and could hear a pin drop, this was against Pittsburgh where we won 5-4 in overtime. Leafs tickets are so in demand in Toronto that scalpers can charge ridiculous money. A lot of corporations buy seats for their employees. Where I sat it was filled with nothing but suits and it really killed the atmosphere.

When you're watching the Raptors, you're seeing more of Toronto's real sports fans in general, not just Leafs fans. It helps that we're finally getting a basketball team that's worth cheering for too. When I go to Raptors games, the atmosphere is electric and I have the time of my life.

[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't exclusive to Toronto almost all major cities have a clear #1 team and big corporations have most good tickets for most sporting events.

[vin17]

[ QUOTE ]
Toronto is more fickle than any other city, at least over the sports teams they possess, as seen by the deals with Raycroft on the Leafs.

[/ QUOTE ]
Or how about they're getting what they paid for.

[tercet]

Raptors on a sick run since the new year..

Let's keep it up and the sky is the limit..

Something to cheer about this winter in Toronto. As the Leafs wont be doing anything in the next 10 years and the Jays don't start up for 6 weeks or so!

[bigt2k4]

[ QUOTE ]
I hope they are right. I bet Toronto to win the east at 20-1 yesterday. Go Raptors!

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF??? yesterday??? where???? u mean 1-20? Tell me where I can find this action. I'd love to put 10k on this.

[4thstreetpete]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I hope they are right. I bet Toronto to win the east at 20-1 yesterday. Go Raptors!

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF??? yesterday??? where???? u mean 1-20? Tell me where I can find this action. I'd love to put 10k on this.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah, at 20-1 that's a ridiculously good deal [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Assani Fisher]

sportsbook.com has them at 8-1