Raptors Fans are Delusional!

[Multipaul]

I joined this site in the summer of 2009 because I was curious what other Raptors fans thought about the direction the team should go, given CB4's expiring contract at the end of the forthcoming season... I really enjoyed the analysis, debate over trade/signing rumors and general chatter about the Raptors upcoming season and long-term plans.

In the past year and a half it's been great to see the growth of readers/posters on this site. However I find myself growing less and less inclined to read the comments attached to each article because of the following reasons:

1) certain posters use every single thread of comments as an opportunity to spout of their own opinion about a particular player/coach/GM, either positive or negative, regardless of the relevancy that opinion has to the article

2) it seems almost every thread of comments starts out on topic, then degrades into the common debates: Bargnani - star in the making vs bust, Calderon vs Jack, "US" vs "Euro" approach, BC - praise him vs fire him, Triano - coach gaining valuable experience vs placeholder, etc... we all know the arguments and opinions on both sides of the coin, why bring it up over and over and over

3) respect... or lack thereof! who cares if people have different opinions than you? too often the arguments turn into petty name calling and stereotypical generalizations about the various alleged type of posters and/or fans... state your point and respect other peoples' points, there is no reason for the personal attacks on each other

4) we are all supposedly fans of the TORONTO RAPTORS, right? some games will be won, while others will be lost... players will have good games and bad games... some moves will pan out, others won't... in my humble opinion, a true fan of a team won't swing like a pendulum from one game to the next, but instead will look at the big picture and look at the direction the team is taking and be encouraged by the growth and development of the coach and players on the roster. Nobody on this site had grand expectations for this team prior to the start of the season, so why not take the season for what it's worth - an opportunity for BC to add assets to the team for the long-term, a chance for Triano to continue to mature and evolve as a head coach and another year of development and gelling for our young core group of players. Take the good with the bad and keep focussing on the near and sustainable future of this team we are all supposedly supporters of!

Go Raps!

Well said, lets just all be Raps Fans and support the team. No need to put anybody in different categorical "buckets" or "types", lets just get those wins!

[Nick]

The track record for the Raptors is horrible. The odds are no doubt against the Raptors and having a GM who chooses to not work with the "winning formulas" doesn't help. Sometimes trail blazers turn out to be great but then again most successful people, including trail blazers, tend to move away from ideas and concepts that lead to continuous failure.

If you've watched this team operate from day one I'm not sure how you can be an extreme optimist. Me personally, I've been disappointed too many times in the past to simply suck it up and say "they team will be great in no time". I need to see evidence of it. Right now, they have some good young pieces but none of them, at this time, strike me as having elite potential. If this team wants to win it needs to find an elite two way player with strong leadership skills... Ideally multiple players like that.

Don't you think you kind of have to be a pioneer in this league? There have only been like 6 teams to win the championship in the last 20 years. You can't just go replicate the "formula" these teams use, because its obviously not that simple.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Don't you think you kind of have to be a pioneer in this league? There have only been like 6 teams to win the championship in the last 20 years. You can't just go replicate the "formula" these teams use, because its obviously not that simple.

Oh come on... Michael Jordan, Shaq/Kobe, Shaq/Wade, Olajuwon/Drexler, Robinson/Duncan/Parker/Ginobli, Garnet/Pearce/Allen/Rondo, Billups/Hamilton/Prince/Wallaces.... these players grow on trees! BC should be able to trade for that caliber of player easily, I'm sure we could trade Evans and his 12+ RPG or Stojakovic and his $14M expiring contract for at least a few of them! lol

*** SARCASM ALERT ***

Building a winning franchise doesn't happen overnight, even if you luck into drafting an LBJ or whoever... I much prefer BC's current methodical approach to continually improving the core group of players and acquiring assets that can be used later, than his approach (forced?) when Bosh was here, which was to shoot for the moon in an attempt to win immediately.

[heinz57]

I joined this site in the summer of 2009 because I was curious what other Raptors fans thought about the direction the team should go, given CB4's expiring contract at the end of the forthcoming season... I really enjoyed the analysis, debate over trade/signing rumors and general chatter about the Raptors upcoming season and long-term plans.

In the past year and a half it's been great to see the growth of readers/posters on this site. However I find myself growing less and less inclined to read the comments attached to each article because of the following reasons:

1) certain posters use every single thread of comments as an opportunity to spout of their own opinion about a particular player/coach/GM, either positive or negative, regardless of the relevancy that opinion has to the article

2) it seems almost every thread of comments starts out on topic, then degrades into the common debates: Bargnani - star in the making vs bust, Calderon vs Jack, "US" vs "Euro" approach, BC - praise him vs fire him, Triano - coach gaining valuable experience vs placeholder, etc... we all know the arguments and opinions on both sides of the coin, why bring it up over and over and over

3) respect... or lack thereof! who cares if people have different opinions than you? too often the arguments turn into petty name calling and stereotypical generalizations about the various alleged type of posters and/or fans... state your point and respect other peoples' points, there is no reason for the personal attacks on each other

4) we are all supposedly fans of the TORONTO RAPTORS, right? some games will be won, while others will be lost... players will have good games and bad games... some moves will pan out, others won't... in my humble opinion, a true fan of a team won't swing like a pendulum from one game to the next, but instead will look at the big picture and look at the direction the team is taking and be encouraged by the growth and development of the coach and players on the roster. Nobody on this site had grand expectations for this team prior to the start of the season, so why not take the season for what it's worth - an opportunity for BC to add assets to the team for the long-term, a chance for Triano to continue to mature and evolve as a head coach and another year of development and gelling for our young core group of players. Take the good with the bad and keep focussing on the near and sustainable future of this team we are all supposedly supporters of!

Go Raps!

well said. couldn't agree more

[Copywryter]

I think there's a third (or fourth) type of Raptor 'fan' on RR. The basketball fan.

These folks probably played basketball at or up-to a varsity level. They appreciate rotation, spacing, a good seal, double screens, moving without the ball and the many little things that don't sell shoes. They still like the shoes, though, as well as the elite players who do otherworldly things in them. It's gottabetheshoes.

They've likely seen a decade (or three) of players come and go. Draft busts and gems, one-year-wonders, specialists and blue-collar bangers.

These folks watch non-Raptors games, both college and pro. When watching, they point little things out (to their uninterested spouses) and love to hear the TV guys echo their words seconds later.

In short, they love basketball. They love the Raptors too, of course, and watch every game regardless of the team's record, but they don't get too caught up in the hype or melodrama. They cheer if we win, grimace if we lose, and generally take the long-view of the team's future, because they understand that their team is neither as good as last night's win or as bad as last night's loss.

They like stats but know when to look beyond them. They understand that 90% of young players have shown their potential by year three and that all-stars, (never mind elite players) are few and far between. They know that the majority of NBA teams have not won a championship.

They evaluate the Raptors with a practical and perhaps even detached approach, one that doesn't always sit well with the boosters and bandwagoners de jour, and for that reason rarely bother to comment on sites like Raptors Republic at all.

Some would argue that they aren't really 'fans'. They certainly aren't the rabid, slobbering, 'bleed purple' kind, but when it's all said and done they are the fans that the Raptors need the most.

[MaGIX]

As I mentioned in Altraps roll call from yesterday's game, Raptors fans are only happy when they’re unhappy.

you mistake leafs fans for raps fans

[Trife76]

Euro ball is alot of passing and movement and jump shooting...not alot of physicality or toughness..finesse style of basketball..

Often referred to as "fundamental" but thats a catch word used by idiots to categorize players...As i see it the most fundamental players are the top players in the NBA...who happen to be american...the best shooters in the world are also generally americans so the idea is faulty...but the media likes using it to try to tear down athleticism....

[Multipaul]

Euro ball is alot of passing and movement and jump shooting...not alot of physicality or toughness..finesse style of basketball..

Often referred to as "fundamental" but thats a catch word used by idiots to categorize players...As i see it the most fundamental players are the top players in the NBA...who happen to be american...the best shooters in the world are also generally americans so the idea is faulty...but the media likes using it to try to tear down athleticism....

I disagree the best shooters are "generally americans"

RE, Dirk, Peja, Nash, Bargs, Old-Hedo, Ginobli, Gallinari, etc...etc...

[heinz57]

Euro ball is alot of passing and movement and jump shooting...not alot of physicality or toughness..finesse style of basketball..

Often referred to as "fundamental" but thats a catch word used by idiots to categorize players...

oh... i get what you mean... like how "euro ball" is a catch word used by idiots to categorize players that can pass, move without the ball, and shoot jumpers

[mcHAPPY]

this site isn't as crazy as the other raps sites...you guys on here seem normal the unlike the other sites

It has gone downhill of late. Debate I encourage and, in fact, love. But when it comes to name calling or ignoring facts it is unfortunate. Hopefully things get cleaned up.

[mcHAPPY]

I think there's a third (or fourth) type of Raptor 'fan' on RR. The basketball fan.

These folks probably played basketball at or up-to a varsity level. They appreciate rotation, spacing, a good seal, double screens, moving without the ball and the many little things that don't sell shoes. They still like the shoes, though, as well as the elite players who do otherworldly things in them. It's gottabetheshoes.

They've likely seen a decade (or three) of players come and go. Draft busts and gems, one-year-wonders, specialists and blue-collar bangers.

These folks watch non-Raptors games, both college and pro. When watching, they point little things out (to their uninterested spouses) and love to hear the TV guys echo their words seconds later.

In short, they love basketball. They love the Raptors too, of course, and watch every game regardless of the team's record, but they don't get too caught up in the hype or melodrama. They cheer if we win, grimace if we lose, and generally take the long-view of the team's future, because they understand that their team is neither as good as last night's win or as bad as last night's loss.

They like stats but know when to look beyond them. They understand that 90% of young players have shown their potential by year three and that all-stars, (never mind elite players) are few and far between. They know that the majority of NBA teams have not won a championship.

They evaluate the Raptors with a practical and perhaps even detached approach, one that doesn't always sit well with the boosters and bandwagoners de jour, and for that reason rarely bother to comment on sites like Raptors Republic at all.

Some would argue that they aren't really 'fans'. They certainly aren't the rabid, slobbering, 'bleed purple' kind, but when it's all said and done they are the fans that the Raptors need the most.

Good post.

[Arsenalist]

Example of delusion: When people compare Jose Calderon to Steve Nash. In any sense.

[Trife76]

I disagree the best shooters are "generally americans"

RE, Dirk, Peja, Nash, Bargs, Old-Hedo, Ginobli, Gallinari, etc...etc...

Ray Allen is better than all of them...your argument is moot as soon as you typed bargs,hedo,gallo...and peja,is puss see his playoff numbers for confirmation....nash and balki ginobli arent euros...

Best shooters are americans....

[Karl Marx]

Euro Ball is for WEENIES!!!

American Ball is what the real men play!

Back in the day when I played center if I didn't get 10+ boards/game and knock people on their ass, I was BENCHED!!!

[Multipaul]

Ray Allen is better than all of them...your argument is moot as soon as you typed bargs,hedo,gallo...and peja,is puss see his playoff numbers for confirmation....nash and balki ginobli arent euros...

Best shooters are americans....

Peja has the 3rd most made 3 pointers behind reggie and ray allen and still has few more years in him.

No doubt Ray is awesome, I am a big fan of his.