Canada Customs and the Raptors' Future

[Employee]

I think it's different if you're traveling with a team. If a customs guy sees a bunch of 6-7 dudes that say they're in the NBA and traveling on their own plane, they prob won't give them a hard time.

That ish with Ed was him traveling on his own. And it was TO he was going to right?

[blackjitsu]

Thing is even if they just stamp his passport and let him through the lines at customs are pathetic. He could have been stuck in a line for 3 hours for all we know. A Nexus card could help but if there's a big line, there's a big line that's the nature of airports. Is it a turnoff?
Personally I think US customs is far worse than Canadian customs. If we become a winning
team I think players will bare with it.

[MyMomLovesMe]

The worst customs experience I had was with a female mid 40's Canadian customs agent.

The Americans let me in no problem, showed them my drivers licence and something else. Once I tried to get back into my own country, the agent is like, "Where is your passport?", I answered, I don't need one to cross into Buffalo, the Americans were cool about it, so she started getting all authoritative on me. Giving me a lecture that she does not have to let me back in without a passport... I just bit my tongue. I wanted to go postal on her but I gave her the benefit of the doubt of having a bad day.

(Lady my drivers licence, my car, your computers all say I am who I am, and you want me to show you a passport even though your website says I do not need one if I am not flying...? Some very anti-social types are attracted to these jobs. She let me through, but my blood was boiling to well past Hamilton.)

[ezz_bee]

One day I'm going to get a custom's uniform and pay an actor for a day to wear the uniform. Then I'll charge people 5 bucks to yell at the actor for all the bull crap custom's has put them through, after which the actor will apologize. Therapeutic gold mine!

[slaw]

Ever heard of NEXUS card, Ed? I travel to the US on business all the time on business and it does make the process a lot smoother.

Can't see customs and boarder crossing a valid argument against living/playing in Canada.

I can't believe that the Raptors haven't arranged for all of their players to get one. It is super easy and cheap. I probably spent about 3 hours of my life getting it and have likely saved about 50 or 60 hours (I travel a lot on business as well). I highly recommend that everyone who travels at all go get one.

[RaptorTalk]

During the season, Raptors fly private charter and go use private customs facilities at Pearson airport in the small charter terminal. So customs is not an issue.

The only time it can be an issue is in the off-season when the players fly commercial. Earlier this week Ed Davis complained that the Monday morning customs line took 3 hours. But that was going into the USA.

Arriving into Canada is alot faster than leaving for the states.

[Arsenalist]

Ever heard of NEXUS card, Ed? I travel to the US on business all the time on business and it does make the process a lot smoother.

Can't see customs and boarder crossing a valid argument against living/playing in Canada.

I didn't even know the Nexus card worked at airports. I don't see a "Nexus Only" line at Canada Customs when I fly in.

[Arsenalist]

Arriving into Canada is a lot faster than leaving for the states.

True. I'd say the most I've waited in customs coming back in is half an hour. Tops. Most I've waited going out is 2hrs.

[Katman]

Anybody who uses customs as an excuse not play here is an idiot and is not worth having on this team anyways.

[heinz57]

True. I'd say the most I've waited in customs coming back in is half an hour. Tops. Most I've waited going out is 2hrs.

the NBA needs a team in Mexico.. it's literally two seconds.. "push the button.... okay the light was green.. you can go"