Raptors' Moment of The Decade [Candidates Selections]

[Apollo]

Raptors Fans,

I had a great idea. We should work towards creating a list of the most memorable Raptors moments of the decade. They can be both positive and/or negative. What I would like us to do first is use this thread to hammer out ten to twenty candidates. Then, I will create a second thread where we vote for our favorite choice and then discuss the results. I will get this thing moving with some of my own nominations:


- 2006: John Salmons backs out of verbal agreement with the Raptors, cites God as the deciding factor that talked him out of Toronto and then signs a deal with the Kings worth $3M more than the Raptors were offering.
- 2006: Raptors win Atlantic Division
- 2006: Raptors win the NBA lotto, select Andrea Bargnani 1st overall.
- 2006: Raptors hire Brian Colangelo as GM
- 2005: Sam Mitchell causes Skip to leave building at half time in tears.
- 2004: Kevin O'Neil fired. Fans who enjoy eating free pizza at the ACC rejoice.
- 2004: Vince Carter traded. Laughter breaks out in 29 U.S. cities league-wide.
- 2003: Raptors draft Chris Bosh 4th overall despite Vince Carter publicly expressing his desire to trade the pick.
- 2001: Raptors lose game seven of round two to AI and the 76ers.
- 2001: Raptors score their first playoff series victory, defeating the Knicks.
- 2000: Raptors make the playoffs for the first time. Lose to the Knicks in a three game sweep.

I could keep going but I don't want to be an idea hog.

[verbatim]

The Good

The whole 2001 playoff series was memorable. Carter and A.I. traded 50 point games like they were nothing. It was exciting to watch, something I don't know we will ever see in this city again. That whole series was #1 for me.

The Bad

In terms of the bad - Sam Mitchell's interview after the loss to Denver, where he said that it makes them feel like they want to fight each other. The most honest, but possibly the worst post-game interview that could have been given right there in that moment.

The Ugly

Oh, and in the Salmons vein, I think 'Zo, that 'consummate professional' (ahem) refusing to suit up for us was something I will never forget.

[Dr. James Naismith]

- 2004: Vince Carter traded. Laughter breaks out in 29 U.S. cities league-wide.

Laughter at Vince or the Raptors for getting next to nothing for him?

[Dr. James Naismith]

One of my favourites:

08-JUN-06 UTAH JAZZ TRADED KRIS HUMPHRIES AND ROBERT WHALEY TO THE TORONTO RAPTORS FOR RAFAEL ARAUJO.

Not that Humps was a saviour, but to actually get a player who contributed to our team was amazing.

[brothersteve]

2006: Raptors win Atlantic Division

That was totally unexpected, Most fun I'd had for an entire season.
Fans didn't even seem to believe it - there were always seats available until playoffs.

ACC went absolutely insane when the NJN arrived for game 1 of the playoffs!

[Dr. James Naismith]

2006: Raptors win Atlantic Division

That was totally unexpected, Most fun I'd had for an entire season.
Fans didn't even seem to believe it - there were always seats available until playoffs.

ACC went absolutely insane when the NJN arrived for game 1 of the playoffs!

Just a shame we couldn't build on that momentum that year and make it deeper in the playoffs.

But yes, absolutely unexpected and a delight to experience. All thanks to Sam and his coaching of course.

[Apollo]

Laughter at Vince or the Raptors for getting next to nothing for him?

I was focusing on the latter. I think there were 28 teams who when crying because they couldn't close a weak deal like that for him... Babcock...Ugh...

[Apollo]

April 2002: Chris Childs forgets score during playoff game

In case you forgot, the Raptors miraculous late season rally of 2002 came to a screeching halt in a Game 5 playoff game against the heavily-favoured Pistons in Detroit. Down 85-82 with seconds left on the clock and possession of the ball, Childs mistakenly thought his team was down by 4 points, instead of 3. He immediately sprinted past half-court and attempted to draw a foul on an off-balance 3-point shot, rather than passing to a wide-open Delly Curry. The Raptors subsequently lost the series, and Grunwald subsequently forgot to sign resign Childs.

So in the spirit of education, The Flagrancy presents a short calculation designed to test your knowledge of both mathematics, and of Chris Childs.

30(a)-25(b)-3(c)-2(d)=0(e)

(a) Thousands of dollars worth of jewelry stolen from Childs outside of a P-Diddy-owned NYC club in 2002
(b) Number of pounds overweight Childs reported to camp in New Jersey, before being waived
(c) Years Childs spent drinking playing with the CBA’s Quad City Thunder
(d) Number of games Childs was suspended for sucker-punching Kobe Bryant
(e) Number of Raptor playoff games since Childs fucked up the score

The Flagrancy: Dubious Raptor Moment #7

No list can be complete without Scoreboardgate. On a side note, the guys at The Flagrancy are really funny. Its too bad they don't make updates anymore...

[huskies2raps]

I don't think any Raptors fan can ever forget the 2001 Raptors-Sixers series and just knowing that the Raps were one shot away from going to the Finals (I don't think the Bucks, even with Ray Allen playing at the top of his game, could have been a problem for the Raps in the Eastern Conference finals) That series, in my opinion, is one of the better playoff series of the decade; two superstars at the top of their game who gave it all goin back and forth, ending in the final shot of the 7th game of the series....what more could a fan ask for?

Which brings me to game 6 of that series; I'd have to say that that was one of the loudest games of the decade and a definite top moment of the decade for the raptors - the ACC was rocking and jam-packed - back when purple fever hit toronto

[Arsenalist]

LOL at John Salmons being one of the candidates.

This one's easy - Sixers series, it's practically the pinnacle of this franchise. And the Vince dunk thing, that was big for us.

[Apollo]

Its important because its proof that God is betting against the Raptors. Mr.Salmons said so... The extra $3M must have been a bonus for being so obedient.

[nubreed000]

Kobe scoring 81 points on us.

[DP-Baller]

I wouldn't really consider Kobe scoring on us a Raptor moment. When people think back to that I think the thought process is more about how amazing of a player Kobe is rather than the Raptor team at the time giving up 81.

[Apollo]

DP, Kobe dropping 81 in the ACC against the Raptors is very memorable. In fact people will be talking about that for decades to come. He humiliated the Raptors on a history making level. I think the thought process for most of the league is how much do the Raptors stink to allow Kobe to post such a huge number in the modern days of the league. If Kobe had done this to multiple teams or multiple times then maybe I could see your reasoning but he completely humiliated the Raptors and I will never forget it. When I think about the event I remember all those uncontested shots, over and over and over and over again and not so much Kobe's amazing abilities.