Is this Colangelo's Make or Break Season?

[ryanc123]

Hi everyone,

Just recently I decided to try my attempt at creating a Raptors/NBA blog. Needless to say, here is my first article.

http://theraptorsden.wordpress.com/2...-break-season/

Constructive criticism is welcomed as it will only help improve my writing.

Thanks guys!

[Mack North]

Hey man, good on ya for putting yourself out there like that!

After reading your column, a couple things jump out. First off would be where you say 06-07 was the first season where "Raptors fans truly began to rally around" our team. Now, I'm not sure how old you are or how long you've been a "true" fan since, but I can argue that most of us have been around since Day 1. To say that 11 seasons in was our first to do so is a little presumptuous, and nowhere near correct IMO. Remember the Skydome days when we were getting 23,000+ a game for our first year? And the Vince days when we were making playoff runs? OK, maybe not the point of your article but I just had to state a few facts.

Second, was saying that we overpaid for Landry. We haven't even had one tip-off yet, so who's to say?

To the main point, I agree. I've heard enough blather from BC about "re-tooling" and "re-building" throughout the last few seasons. My real concerns come from the fact that he is on his last year and looking for a new contract. While I think the team is headed in the right direction, I pray that he doesn't try to make too big a splash (like the Hedo/J.O. days), just to make the playoffs and hopefully solidify a new contract for himself, which in turn could mess up our bright(?) future. Put up or shut up BC.

[ryanc123]

You are correct in the fact that I am still young and don't quite remember the Skydome days. Regarding the Landry contract I should have added that although he has been labeled as being overpaid by the media, only his play as a Raptor will decide that. I will try to research more about the Raptors history since before I started watching them as well. Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate you taking the time to write back to me and actually give me pointers on where I can improve.

[Mack North]

No prob dude, I know you normally post on the Jays thread. I share your passions!

[Craiger]

fans have rightfully grown impatient for Colangelo to build a playoff team

Now I can only speak for myself, but I've thought one of Colangelo's biggest weaknesses has been his inability to be patient. This has pushed him numerous times into retooling (or what today is called 'accelarated rebuild') rather than rebuilding

If the Raptors fail to live up to their expectations (fighting for playoff contention)

This is something else I've been curious about. Is there a more defined line that fans think Colangelo needs cross to in order to get an extension? I've heard playoff calibre and playoff contention - but is the 11th seed and 3 games back in this realm, or would 9th seed but 5 games back be considered playoff contention or calibre? Should it come down to the last few games or week of a season or can he be 'in contention' at the all-star break (and then insert excuse) type season?

I'm hardly going to go down as a Colangelo fan, only amplified by watching the guy do the opposite what I would have liked. I think he drafted for need, he made a small splash in FA (Fields) but in an attempt to make a much biggers splash (Nash), and then traded away a first round pick (lottery guaranteed no less, and I think is the single best asset a team like Toronto has). Had Colangelo, for lack of a better term, 'done nothing' (or little) this offseason I'd be much more willing to see MLSE simply pick up his option and continue the rebuild (mind you I doubt that MLSE saw it that way, and even if they didn't I'm also pretty confident Colangelo did not). But here we are none the less.

My personal 'make or break' line is rather grey (its really how good the players do rather than the team as a whole), but if we are going to say 'Colangelo had his chance, so now he has to prove it' :

'accelarated rebuild' + contract year = playoffs or bust

doesn't it?

[Eric Akshinthala]

Irrespective of how the team performs I think MLSE should pick up his option year. I say this not because of his so so performance as GM but because if he's let go options are not too many. Even if MLSE manages to get a big name GM, he will start a new building process which could take a few years to complete, if it is(completed). BC's performance hasn't translated into wins but can't be dismissed as horrible. All this said, I won't be surprised if he's let go during or after the season. It might be necessary for MLSE to do so mainly to please fans.

[ReubenJRD]

Irrespective of how the team performs I think MLSE should pick up his option year. I say this not because of his so so performance as GM but because if he's let go options are not too many. Even if MLSE manages to get a big name GM, he will start a new building process which could take a few years to complete, if it is(completed). BC's performance hasn't translated into wins but can't be dismissed as horrible. All this said, I won't be surprised if he's let go during or after the season. It might be necessary for MLSE to do so mainly to please fans.

I am more into bringing a new GM, IF the team was rebuilding, or it didn't have some sort of significant plan. Unlike the Raptors, we are on the way up, we are trying to build a team for the future, and we have a plan, a significant one.
Bringing in the new guy has the ability to change whatever about the team, and BC has a great relationship with the head office and coaching staff, I would rather keep him. Besides, he seems to have finally gotten the idea of no more quick fixes.

[Michel G]

If they fire BC, I believe they'll simply put Stefanski in charge. I like things the way they are.

[Eric Akshinthala]

If they fire BC, I believe they'll simply put Stefanski in charge. I like things the way they are.

Good point. In which case things don't get badly disturbed.

[white men can't jump]

I doubt they'll fire him. Even though we've sucked a lot over the last few years, we have been improving. There is a culture that has been built with Casey here, and we've never had that as a team, even in the Carter years. I think things would have to go really badly for BC to get fired, and then who knows what else might also happen. I've never felt such a sense of stability with the Raptors, even if there is still a lot of uncertainty in terms of how much success to expect. I think, again unless there's some major(mostly injury-free) collapse, he's probably bought himself some more time.

[minks77]

Bwaaaa! If BC gets let go all his haters will line up to canonize him after a few years of stefanski!! He must have some front office skills but as a leading man he has no vision and a track record of m'eh teams. I mean look at how long he did next to NOTHING in Philly! Sheeeeit, his biggest move was signing a broken down Elton brand to an 80 million dollar deal and then maxing out iggy. Some of his new jersey work was good but he wasn't top dog there when he drafted Kmart or traded for rj though once promoted he did rob us of Vince but how much of that was babcocks fault?

You may not like BC but Ed is everything you hate about BC but worse.

[Craiger]

Bwaaaa! If BC gets let go all his haters will line up to canonize him after a few years of stefanski!! He must have some front office skills but as a leading man he has no vision and a track record of m'eh teams. I mean look at how long he did next to NOTHING in Philly! Sheeeeit, his biggest move was signing a broken down Elton brand to an 80 million dollar deal and then maxing out iggy. Some of his new jersey work was good but he wasn't top dog there when he drafted Kmart or traded for rj though once promoted he did rob us of Vince but how much of that was babcocks fault?

You may not like BC but Ed is everything you hate about BC but worse.

That may be true - but then again it was BC who hired Ed.

[Matt52]

I don't see Ed being President if BC is let go..... but to answer the thread:

This is not BC's make or break year. As long as improvement is shown and the Raps are competitive (which I think is a given with what DC showed last year and the additions to the roster this year) BC will have his team option picked up.

Next year is the make or break year. If the Raps are not a bonafide playoff team, good bye Bryan. For the record, I am most definitely done with BC if Raps are still outside looking in on the playoffs after next season.