milky_way
12-20-2002, 08:54 PM
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/raptor.com_ball_021216.html
by Mike Ball
-- raptors.commentator
Coming to grips with the dire injury situation the Raptors presently find themselves hasn't been easy. And don't think that here at raptors.com we're just sitting back on our laurels.
Our crack investigation team has been hard at work, digging deep to seek out an explanation we can all live with.
First we heard Vince tell us that "maybe it's something in the water". So samples were taken around Air Canada Centre and scrutinized here at the raptors.com laboratories, but to no avail. Our test group seemed fine after drinking samples. No injuries were sustained.
Next we checked into the Raptors training staff and sure enough, they were all accredited and everything there was clearly on the up and up.
So with these and all other possibilities exhausted, we knew that we might have to look outside the realm of logic and accept the possibility that perhaps somewhere out there, some cold-hearted individual or individuals have unleashed a terrible curse on the Toronto Raptors, the likes of which no NBA team has suffered before.
As in any investigation we needed suspects, so once again, we rounded up our crack squad to look at some possible explainations of this fiendish plot. Below is the shortlist.
The New York Knicks - Two years ago the Knicks were a perennial Eastern contender and the Raptors had yet to win a playoff game, let alone a series. Then in the spring of 2001 the Raps not only defeated the Knicks in five games of the opening round, but they did it on the hallowed Madison Square Garden stage. The Knicks have never recovered and are facing their worst season in recent history. It doesn't seem too far-fetched that Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston could still be bitter. The duo has been seen in Voodoo seminars around the New York area.
The Toronto Maple Leafs - Now I know what you're thinking, why would the Raptors' brothers in blue ever wish harm upon their hardcourt brethren? Well my friends, think back a few months. The Leafs were mired in a slump and it wasn't just the road uniforms that were blue. Perhaps Gary Roberts mixed up a special protein shake, said a few ancient lines and "KaBoom!" (to borrow from the Swirsk) a devilish scheme was hatched to deflect attention from the Blueshirts. Possible? Maybe. Likely? Hmm…Naah.
The Raptor - Again, this is another shocking accusation. Yes, he is cute, lovable and a friend to fans everywhere, but what most don't know is that this is one jealous dinosaur. Put yourself in his shoes. He's the last of his species, he can't talk and he has to play second fiddle to a basketball team. There are thousands of teams out there, but only one dinosaur, so you can see why he may be a little green inside.
It's difficult to believe he could have pulled this off, but perhaps we know much less about this furry velociraptor than we think. His powers could be far greater than just being able to rouse the Air Canada Centre crowd and fire balled-up T-shirts across amazing distances. He may have sent a Jurassic curse at the players in the hopes Lenny Wilkens will finally notice him and realize he just may be the starting centre of the future!
Damon Stoudamire – No one’s ride through Toronto has had as many highs and lows as Damon’s. He was booed when they drafted him, anointed rookie of the year and became the face of the game in Canada. Then ownership issues clouded the team’s future and Stoudamire saw trouble ahead and demanded a trade. He was jettisoned to his hometown of Portland and has never returned to the form he showed with the Raptors, but has come full circle and is hearing the boos once again in T.O. It may have finally gotten to Damon. He could actually be Mighty Mouse, or at least know him. In which case, he’d be using that heat vision against his old team.
Isiah Thomas - We all know that Thomas just may be public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of Raptors fans, but he can't be all bad. He always has great things to say about the fans, the city and the team every time he returns. The perfect villain you say. Always smiling, showering his enemies with praise. Let's not forget no one is closer to the basketball Gods than Isiah. All that time spent in Indiana has to have him in their good graces. So could Isiah have kneeled down before the Gods of the game and condemned his former team? Perhaps, but would they oblige? Never, the roundball Gods love Canadians! One of ours did invent the game after all.
The truth of the matter is, of course that there is no explanation, logical or otherwise for the Raps injury woes. This is simply a team on a rotten streak of luck right now. As of December 15, they have lost 147 man-games to injury and Morris Peterson and Michael Bradley are the only two Raptors to dress for all 23 games.
However, this is a team that plays hard. They make mental errors, but man-for-man they are all going full speed and giving it their all. Make no mistake though, without Antonio Davis, Vince Carter and even Lamond Murray in the lineup a lot of things have to go right for them to pull out many victories.
Effort is often of little consolation in times like these, but for now it just may have to do. Meanwhile, keep an eye on that Raptor.
by Mike Ball
-- raptors.commentator
Coming to grips with the dire injury situation the Raptors presently find themselves hasn't been easy. And don't think that here at raptors.com we're just sitting back on our laurels.
Our crack investigation team has been hard at work, digging deep to seek out an explanation we can all live with.
First we heard Vince tell us that "maybe it's something in the water". So samples were taken around Air Canada Centre and scrutinized here at the raptors.com laboratories, but to no avail. Our test group seemed fine after drinking samples. No injuries were sustained.
Next we checked into the Raptors training staff and sure enough, they were all accredited and everything there was clearly on the up and up.
So with these and all other possibilities exhausted, we knew that we might have to look outside the realm of logic and accept the possibility that perhaps somewhere out there, some cold-hearted individual or individuals have unleashed a terrible curse on the Toronto Raptors, the likes of which no NBA team has suffered before.
As in any investigation we needed suspects, so once again, we rounded up our crack squad to look at some possible explainations of this fiendish plot. Below is the shortlist.
The New York Knicks - Two years ago the Knicks were a perennial Eastern contender and the Raptors had yet to win a playoff game, let alone a series. Then in the spring of 2001 the Raps not only defeated the Knicks in five games of the opening round, but they did it on the hallowed Madison Square Garden stage. The Knicks have never recovered and are facing their worst season in recent history. It doesn't seem too far-fetched that Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston could still be bitter. The duo has been seen in Voodoo seminars around the New York area.
The Toronto Maple Leafs - Now I know what you're thinking, why would the Raptors' brothers in blue ever wish harm upon their hardcourt brethren? Well my friends, think back a few months. The Leafs were mired in a slump and it wasn't just the road uniforms that were blue. Perhaps Gary Roberts mixed up a special protein shake, said a few ancient lines and "KaBoom!" (to borrow from the Swirsk) a devilish scheme was hatched to deflect attention from the Blueshirts. Possible? Maybe. Likely? Hmm…Naah.
The Raptor - Again, this is another shocking accusation. Yes, he is cute, lovable and a friend to fans everywhere, but what most don't know is that this is one jealous dinosaur. Put yourself in his shoes. He's the last of his species, he can't talk and he has to play second fiddle to a basketball team. There are thousands of teams out there, but only one dinosaur, so you can see why he may be a little green inside.
It's difficult to believe he could have pulled this off, but perhaps we know much less about this furry velociraptor than we think. His powers could be far greater than just being able to rouse the Air Canada Centre crowd and fire balled-up T-shirts across amazing distances. He may have sent a Jurassic curse at the players in the hopes Lenny Wilkens will finally notice him and realize he just may be the starting centre of the future!
Damon Stoudamire – No one’s ride through Toronto has had as many highs and lows as Damon’s. He was booed when they drafted him, anointed rookie of the year and became the face of the game in Canada. Then ownership issues clouded the team’s future and Stoudamire saw trouble ahead and demanded a trade. He was jettisoned to his hometown of Portland and has never returned to the form he showed with the Raptors, but has come full circle and is hearing the boos once again in T.O. It may have finally gotten to Damon. He could actually be Mighty Mouse, or at least know him. In which case, he’d be using that heat vision against his old team.
Isiah Thomas - We all know that Thomas just may be public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of Raptors fans, but he can't be all bad. He always has great things to say about the fans, the city and the team every time he returns. The perfect villain you say. Always smiling, showering his enemies with praise. Let's not forget no one is closer to the basketball Gods than Isiah. All that time spent in Indiana has to have him in their good graces. So could Isiah have kneeled down before the Gods of the game and condemned his former team? Perhaps, but would they oblige? Never, the roundball Gods love Canadians! One of ours did invent the game after all.
The truth of the matter is, of course that there is no explanation, logical or otherwise for the Raps injury woes. This is simply a team on a rotten streak of luck right now. As of December 15, they have lost 147 man-games to injury and Morris Peterson and Michael Bradley are the only two Raptors to dress for all 23 games.
However, this is a team that plays hard. They make mental errors, but man-for-man they are all going full speed and giving it their all. Make no mistake though, without Antonio Davis, Vince Carter and even Lamond Murray in the lineup a lot of things have to go right for them to pull out many victories.
Effort is often of little consolation in times like these, but for now it just may have to do. Meanwhile, keep an eye on that Raptor.