What's More Annoying? Raptors Defense or Raptors Fans

[Dr. James Naismith]

Raptors defense or these so-called Raptors fans that stalk Bosh and wait for him to have an off night so they can complain about how apparently overrated he is?

Everywhere I've read this morning, its pathetic how these fairweathered these Raptors fans can be. This pertaining to last night's and this morning's unwarranted criticism of Bosh's performance. Sure it was an off night for him. All the best players have those kind of nights, but it so ridiculous that the only consistent player since the first game of this season in Bosh is taking the brunt of the criticism after the Nuggets game.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who feels this way? If so, then I must be losing my mind.

[Liston]

Bosh, who will have off night like everyone else, is a top tier player in this league. He is the at the very bottom on any lists of Raptors' issues this year.

[James]

Totally, totally with you. Bosh has been amazing. Doesn't mean he's immune to any all forms of criticism, but to hate on him is downright stupid. I had a good rant about this article the other day - can't imagine what would motivate someone to write something like that at this time. Now, "fans" who are doing this? They're not really fans at all. And I have a hard time believing they watched the same game I did last night.

[sillydebate]

The fans are clearly the most annoying thing around the team. Everyone knew in June that it would take the team time to gel and still the panic set in after they lost their 2nd and 3rd of the season. They have come from behind wins against the Hornets, Clippers and Bulls and the fans choose to convulse over the half-team lead or a sustained run that their opponents had. Losing to the Nuggets, Western conference finalists for those with intermittent memories, was embarrassing but let's move on. The bad fans are the ones who look at the next game or the whole season at this point and write it off.

The defense, unlike the fans, will progress and tighten up as everyone pulls together. I'm not relying on Reggie to do it all but he will bring a toughness and emotion to the hardwood that will motivate everyone to up their game a bit. Give these guys time and don't forget that the Raps were without Turkoglu and Wright. They had to put their starting four and probably their 7th guy.

We knew the first month or so of the schedule was tough.
We knew the guys needed to get familiar with one another.
We know that Demar is going to grow into his position and adapt to the game.
We know there are going to be injuries.

I'd like to see a better record but I think this team has more going for it right now than it did a year ago.

Chill

[Dr. James Naismith]

The fans are clearly the most annoying thing around the team. Everyone knew in June that it would take the team time to gel and still the panic set in after they lost their 2nd and 3rd of the season. They have come from behind wins against the Hornets, Clippers and Bulls and the fans choose to convulse over the half-team lead or a sustained run that their opponents had. Losing to the Nuggets, Western conference finalists for those with intermittent memories, was embarrassing but let's move on. The bad fans are the ones who look at the next game or the whole season at this point and write it off.

The defense, unlike the fans, will progress and tighten up as everyone pulls together. I'm not relying on Reggie to do it all but he will bring a toughness and emotion to the hardwood that will motivate everyone to up their game a bit. Give these guys time and don't forget that the Raps were without Turkoglu and Wright. They had to put their starting four and probably their 7th guy.

We knew the first month or so of the schedule was tough.
We knew the guys needed to get familiar with one another.
We know that Demar is going to grow into his position and adapt to the game.
We know there are going to be injuries.

I'd like to see a better record but I think this team has more going for it right now than it did a year ago.

Chill

Fantastic first post sillydebate and welcome to the new RR Forums. Bare with us while we slowly build this message board.

What I've come to realize with Raptors fans over the years is that many live for the moment. One bad game or a couple bad ones and the sky is falling. Its just frustrating to read when in many cases its so far from the truth. (Re: Bosh's performance so far this season)

[AltRaps]

I've said it before, I'll say it again. In my mind there is a difference between a fan of the team and a supporter of the team. A fan is fairweather. They are there for the playoffs and watch hilights so they can keep up a conversation the next day. They listen to the Fan590 and read the tabloids and like what they are told to like and hate what they are told to hate. Then there are the supporters, people that crave every little piece of info, watch summer league games on a dial up, feel crushed when their team loses and wants to say "in your face" when they win. Sure, they'll state what disappoints them, but they won't scream it from every rooftop like the city is on fire.

Toronto is a city full of fans and a lot of that is from the Leaf generational pull. Until we get a greater number of supporters in this town (see the TFC for the first 2 years) it will remain a sports city full of panic.

[East Coast]

I agree. For some reason there has to be a villain every game. I've said it before elsewhere, you're not always going to have it every night. If anything, Bosh does not deserve to be crapped on, but for those looking at how the new built Bosh is going to be able to handle the more physical teams or playoffs when refs aren't so gracious with calls, you can't simply ignore this either. I mean, we are what we are, and we, as a team, struggle when Bosh is playing the more aggressive post defenders, and we as a team, struggle when he's not getting calls (albeit most team would).


There's a fine line between recognition of what is right there in front of you, and latching on to hyperbole, "like Bosh sucks and should be traded". He's no worse than he was before this game. He's having a great year.

One thing people need to realize in team sports is that it's the synergy of the players, not one specific player though. The whole team lost last night, not just bosh, or Jack or Jose or Andrea. And at the same time, Bosh's numbers so far have been great, but Bosh having a great game, or a so so game numbers wise, doesn't for whatever reason, seem to matter much one way or the other in the W/L column. Until we as a team get the balls to get into people defensively, like they get into Bosh, it's going to be that way.

As a player, this does not all fall on Bosh, as he does plenty to help the team, but also as the leader he needs to at least help to establish an identity. When he's frustrated like last night, take it out on the Nuggets. They aren't going to brawl. Kenyon leveled Jose, yet we get angry at the refs. Why not get angry at the Nuggets.

[brothersteve]

No reason to dump on any Raptors player.

The team is ahead of where they should be with 9 new faces!

[verbatim]

I stopped watching the Maple Leafs sometime in the late 90's after it became clear that the glory of the 93 season would never again be relived for many many years. The hard part of being a Maple Leafs fan is also the knowledge that you have the most profitable team in one of the most profitable markets, and that Toronto actually is a 'destination city' for many players and still there have been no real successes.

After years of mediocrity in hockey (and baseball) Toronto fans have developed a series of defence mechanisms that they can rely on when inevitably the team lets down its fans. The first of which, unfortunately for CB4, is that we anticipate being let down, and subsequently start either creating facts with no grounding in reality (like Bosh does not care about winning, just about padding his stats), and we constantly put on a pedestal the guy who is not so good now, but could be in the future (Bargnani), and so we need to get rid of what we have now. (Aside: can't Bargs and Bosh co-exist, by the way, even if it means that the mostly spend their floor time when the other is on the bench? It seems to be working pretty well for the Lakers to have Bynum on the bench even though he is starter caliber.)

So, yes, the fans are frustrating. VERY. But it is years of disappointment that have made us this way.