Great moment in Raptors History: The Layup

[KeonClark]

He couldn't even handle the Jose pass from 9.5 inches away today.

Whenever Landry Fields frustrates you, just remember that he makes $550,000 every 2 weeks all season.

[Nilanka]

I don't mean to pick on the guy but that was brutal. I've been watching it all day laughing uncontrollably in my office. Pretty sure the new assistant thinks I'm insane.

Even still, in Fields' defence, this isn't the worst shot in Raptors history. I'd go with:

1. Chris Childs forgets the score in Game 5.
2. Araujo's screaming breakaway dunk.
3. Fields' layup.

Any other contenders?

It's more of a play than a shot, but Will Soloman's drive into the lane, see Dwight Howard, shit himself, jump in the air, realize a teammate is nowhere to be seen, and pass the ball out of bounds, is pure comedic gold!

[koncept]

It's still early. Fields probably still has some nerves (new team, expectations, that huge salary). I would hope by mid season he has most of this worked out, we'll just have to wait - we have no choice HAHAH

[joey_hesketh]

The fast-break Dunk/Layup that he bobbled last night was almost worse than the one this thread is about!

[Nilanka]

It's still early. Fields probably still has some nerves (new team, expectations, that huge salary). I would hope by mid season he has most of this worked out, we'll just have to wait - we have no choice HAHAH

If he takes until mid-season to figure out how to put the ball in the hoop, we're in deep trouble. I give him until next week.

[ceez]

bumbling play sure, but you could make a longer youtube of Bargs hitting front iron or airballing.

[dcon]

How about Hoffa losing the jump ball to Nate Robinson.

[ReubenJRD]

So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'

*sigh* It is what it is.

[theycallmeZZ]

Part 2:

[Nilanka]

So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'

*sigh* It is what it is.

On the contrary. I think the fans have been extremely patient. It's been 17 years and we have nothing to show for it. Just think about that time span for a second. A kid could be born, and finish high school before he gets to see a deep Raptors playoff run.

I can't blame the fanbase for running out of patience. MLSE should be thanking their lucky stars they still have a fanbase to sell tickets to.

Even if we look at the "neo" raptors in the Colangelo era, all we've got is 3 playoffs wins to brag about. It's been an incomprehensible run of awful basketball.

[Craiger]

So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'

*sigh* It is what it is.

This concept that fans always need to be optimistic, think positive or act as if there is nothing wrong with a player/team/organization or they are not real fans is just bunk.

There is no reason why a fan can't or shouldn't have an independant opinion, think differently, not be supportive of poor decision making or stick their head in the sand.

The only ones 'calling out' fans, are the ones who think wearing rose coloured glasses over their blindfold is a good thing.

I personally think the fans who are unwilling to criticize, are blindly supportive, and who spend money regardless of the product or direction are the single most dangerous issue to an organization. I always hear leaf fans (and raptors fans) talk about the MLSE not caring about winning and are solely focused on $.... yet where do they think those dollars come from? So why would they change if fans are going to keep throwing dollars, attention and support their way regardless of results? Consumers vote with their wallets, if one is consistently spending money on a poor product your telling the company you like it.

In fact I'd argue fairweather fans, in their own way, do alot more good for an organization than anyone else; because they force a team to put a good, exciting, interesting product on the floor before they are willing give the team a positive vote.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

This concept that fans always need to be optimistic, think positive or act as if there is nothing wrong with a player/team/organization or they are not real fans is just bunk.

There is no reason why a fan can't or shouldn't have an independant opinion, think differently, not be supportive of poor decision making or stick their head in the sand.

The only ones 'calling out' fans, are the ones who think wearing rose coloured glasses over their blindfold is a good thing.

I personally think the fans who are unwilling to criticize, are blindly supportive, and who spend money regardless of the product or direction are the single most dangerous issue to an organization. I always hear leaf fans (and raptors fans) talk about the MLSE not caring about winning and are solely focused on $.... yet where do they think those dollars come from? So why would they change if fans are going to keep throwing dollars, attention and support their way regardless of results? Consumers vote with their wallets, if one is consistently spending money on a poor product your telling the company you like it.

In fact I'd argue fairweather fans, in their own way, do alot more good for an organization than anyone else; because they force a team to put a good, exciting, interesting product on the floor before they are willing give the team a positive vote.

Valid point. It was widely known that the Leafs' ownership refused to spend money during the dreadful years in the 80's and 90's because even being a bottom-feeder, every game was sold out with loud, passionate fans. There was a 20 year waiting list for season tickets, which were so valuable that people would will them to their children. Owership sat back and made crazy profits, purposefully putting an inferior product on the ice because the fans still provided constant sellouts.

I certainly don't think MLSE is going that far with the Raptors, as I believe the post-Bosh rebuild has been pretty well followed. The Fields signing was bad and the DeRozan re-signing was 50/50 at best (time will tell). Aside from those moves, neither of which are really that bad, I think this is just a decent young team that is suffering through the typical growing pains associated with a young team that is rebuilding, especially with so many new faces this season. I also don't think there should have been any expectations for anything more than what they've shown... I think a successful pre-season unfairly raised the expectations of too many fans.

[slaw]

So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'

*sigh* It is what it is.

Just roll around these boards and you have many, many people supporting a GM who has one winning season in 6 years (likely 7) and who want to give him more time. How much more? Would another 10 years be long enough? I would argue there is way too much patience in Raptorland and we accept failure and excuses way too much. All it's been for 17 years is one excuse after another for this organization.

Plus, understand that, at least in my case, my frustration isn't so much with the players as ownership and management. I don't blame Bargnani, for example, cause he is what he is. He's been that way for 6 years. I blame management for not understanding that. I don't blame Landry Fields, I blame Colangelo. Same with Turk, O'Neal, Ford, Marion, Bayless, Jack, Kapono and all the other failed roster moves. I like many of our players and cheer for them to play well and win but, at the same time, I understand that, as long as this management team is in place, the roster is never going to be good enough to really succeed. It's just reality.