Time Of Reflection
Today being Good Friday , the people who comprise the Management Group of the Raptors need to reflect on what has happened to this once promising franchise.
1. Doubdting Thomases. The Raptors franchise was led by then GM Isiah Lord Thomas. That was before Losing Isiah. The Isiah who rose from the drug infested streets of west Chicago .The Isiah of the NCAA champ Indiana Hoosiers. The Isiah of the 2 time NBA champion D
etroit Pistons. He has the magic touch which he carried to the young Raptors franchise.
His first pick, Damon Studoumaire, was voted the Rookie Of The Year of 1997. There were many doubting Thomases to his choice including majority of the 20,000 who were at the Skydome on draft night, chanting Ed O'Bannon's name of the NCAA champ UCLA. Isiah was proven right.
Tracy Mc Grady was a high schooler with potentials but a questionable pick . He had later blossomed into a bonafide superstar. Isiah was right again. Then there was Marcus Camby from UMass. Lacking body mass but versatile enough to handle 3 positions. Isiah was always right.
The man they called Zeke made solid picks during his stay as a GM of the young franchise. Suddenly , Isiah was gone.
What if he had stayed ? Fellow Indiana Hoosiers, Glen Grunwald and Butch Carter might still be around. My God , even Gene Hackman might have joined the group from the celluloid screen.
2. Crucify Them. Toronto has the unfortunate reputation of not being able to hold
on to its star. Is it really the lack of American channels and ESPN ? or the Canadian system of education ? or heavy Canadian taxation ? or Canada not being minoriy friendly ? Didn't anyone tell these carpetbaggers that Canada was once the destination of slaves who were running away from their masters in the early years?
First , Damon left for his hometown Portland after Isiah skipped town . Then it was Tracy McGrady's turn to go . This time to sunny Orlando.
Vince left raising questions about the city's NBA future.
Fans were angry. Crucify them , the Raptors fans shouted everytime these players returned to Toronto with their new teams.
3. Judases In The Midst. There is no lack of backstabbing of Judas like proportions. There was the case of Butch Carter asking the Management then to
attach the GM position to his coaching duties at the expense of GM Glen Grunwald.
Kevin O Neil turning his back on Glen forcing the latter to remark something like this " I gave him the chance to be the head coach in this league and this is how he repaid me "
Sam Mitchell going to basketballl Consultant Wayne Embry bypassing GM Rob Babcock according to reports.
Peopl
e are blaming Richard Peddie for the team's current state of affairs. Like Pontius Pilate before him , Peddie washes his hands of the mess and vows to find the Holy Grail to franchise stability. Peddie even hired an Italian , Bryan Colangelo , to crack the da Vinci Code to everlasting happiness of the faithful Raptors fans. Make that of the faithful Raptors paying fans. Amen.
etroit Pistons. He has the magic touch which he carried to the young Raptors franchise.His first pick, Damon Studoumaire, was voted the Rookie Of The Year of 1997. There were many doubting Thomases to his choice including majority of the 20,000 who were at the Skydome on draft night, chanting Ed O'Bannon's name of the NCAA champ UCLA. Isiah was proven right.
Tracy Mc Grady was a high schooler with potentials but a questionable pick . He had later blossomed into a bonafide superstar. Isiah was right again. Then there was Marcus Camby from UMass. Lacking body mass but versatile enough to handle 3 positions. Isiah was always right.
The man they called Zeke made solid picks during his stay as a GM of the young franchise. Suddenly , Isiah was gone.
What if he had stayed ? Fellow Indiana Hoosiers, Glen Grunwald and Butch Carter might still be around. My God , even Gene Hackman might have joined the group from the celluloid screen.
2. Crucify Them. Toronto has the unfortunate reputation of not being able to hold
on to its star. Is it really the lack of American channels and ESPN ? or the Canadian system of education ? or heavy Canadian taxation ? or Canada not being minoriy friendly ? Didn't anyone tell these carpetbaggers that Canada was once the destination of slaves who were running away from their masters in the early years?First , Damon left for his hometown Portland after Isiah skipped town . Then it was Tracy McGrady's turn to go . This time to sunny Orlando.
Vince left raising questions about the city's NBA future.
Fans were angry. Crucify them , the Raptors fans shouted everytime these players returned to Toronto with their new teams.
3. Judases In The Midst. There is no lack of backstabbing of Judas like proportions. There was the case of Butch Carter asking the Management then to
attach the GM position to his coaching duties at the expense of GM Glen Grunwald.Kevin O Neil turning his back on Glen forcing the latter to remark something like this " I gave him the chance to be the head coach in this league and this is how he repaid me "
Sam Mitchell going to basketballl Consultant Wayne Embry bypassing GM Rob Babcock according to reports.
Peopl
e are blaming Richard Peddie for the team's current state of affairs. Like Pontius Pilate before him , Peddie washes his hands of the mess and vows to find the Holy Grail to franchise stability. Peddie even hired an Italian , Bryan Colangelo , to crack the da Vinci Code to everlasting happiness of the faithful Raptors fans. Make that of the faithful Raptors paying fans. Amen.
posted by coach at
Friday, April 14, 2006
6 Comments:
Amen indeed.
The Raptors are on its way back to respectabity. Colangelo will make sure of that.
FIRE PEDDIE ! FIRE PEDDIE !
Isiah made some fantastic draft picks.
No Radenovic , no Araujo , no lemon .
All picks were good.
Let's hope that Colangelo will be as good.
Brilliant writing !
If Colangelo proves to be no better than other former Raptors GM, what now ?
We will find others to blame.
Just stick to basics.
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