Why everyone else is just better off ignoring us right now…

So the Raptors just arrived at the latest ‘must win’ juncture of the young schedule and disposed of a really bad Knicks team in the Garden. This, after taking out a really bad Celtics team, back in our yard, the previous night. Lots of ugly basketball, but you know what? Who cares. We’re half a game out of first place in the division, which only deserves mention because it was Vince who came back from the dead to keep us in second. I mean, people are writing articles about how we are mired in the worst conference in the history of the NBA (more on that…). This team is really about establishing potential…making sure that the up-side heads in a vertical direction. And there have been some marginal improvements in certain areas as of late: new zone looks (all of sudden, we get X’s and O’s coaching…on the defensive end?!); finishing games less worse than your opponent (a formula that equals wins…as demonstrated by the recent West Coast crash and burn tour), and of course, more flashes of Bargnani (6 of the last 8 games in double figure points). But I’ll expound on this another day. As usual, I feel more compelled to address the notion of the Raptor’s Lig-wide image…

A couple people referred me to an article written by the Sports Guy on ESPN.com earlier this week…the whole ‘Worst Conference in History’ thing. Dun-dun is a Boston-bread homer, with the notion of homer being a celebrated cause in the American pantheon of opinion-based sports writing. Son gets paid (I mean…PAID) to write pop-culture littered essays (referencing The Wire and the Rat Pack in the same article is pure fuckery…taste is a funny thing because it encompasses natural tendencies with the bandwagoning preservation of cool trends you acquire…but it will never, ever justify the front) with those murky homer-colored glasses on, which, in itself is enviable. Let’s face it, anyone writing on a team will develop an attachment at best and damn-near romanticize at worst, the group they watch on the regular, especially if their history to said squad dates back to childhood. Unfortunately, this will tend to blind one to even the most basic logic that gives rise to the bigger picture: standings can be rationalized and recent performances can espouse projections that lead to evaluations based on how good a team should or could be relative to how good actually they are. Plus, you get to shit on teams that are deemed irrelevant in your tiny world.

This altered perception is often celebrated amongst our neighbours to the South: the idea of humanizing a viewpoint (i.e. one that is lacking objectivity), not to mention establishing the all-important ‘fan fo’ life’ cred that you need to be an ‘expert’ is appealing to those who ultimately give voice to these editorialists. It can also occasionally lead to controversy, a much desired commodity in media circles.

So it becomes fun to watch how lazy writers can generalize about teams they haven’t even watched…maybe checked up a few box scores on as ‘research’. That’s why sites like truehoop and hoopshype have been increasingly important, as a forum for local informed opinions that can be picked up by a larger audience (but that would be work to look up for those trying to catch up on the third season of the Wire…). This brings into question our own source of local opinions. Now I’ve always had some reservations about our beat writers AKA that group of local hockey writers with lesser seniority, so I can understand how people abroad might not expect much insight out of this group. Add to the fact that Americans, in general, will always look at us as sports fans, the way we look at them as hockey fans. As far as basketball goes, the bottom line is this: even with Colangleo and Bosh’s Lig-wide profile, the Raptors won’t even appear on anyone outside of Canada’s (at least the Dot extended) radar until we start winning. And the wins will mean that much more if they’re against better competition. It’s just sad we perpetually get lumped in with teams like the Knicks and Celts…and I’m not even talking about future prospects, I’m talking about right now.

Boston’s roster is in chaos…but did anyone really think Danny Ainge was that guy? Kevin McHale is starting to get exposed only recently…I mean, what type of currency are these-ex glory day white guy (moot, perhaps) Celtics working with anyways? Ryan Gomes is your day-in day-out #2 guy? Not Quite Albino West is the only thing approaching non-Pierce stability that can handle the ball, now that Rondo has officially flopped after the torrid pre-season (really, it took a preseason for the Lig to figure out you can’t shoot…guess those games really don’t count). For this team to avert future long-term disaster, they need both Telfair and Gerald Green to become legit starters-to-potential all-stars. I actually like Telfair (enough to misdirect a Fantasy pick on him) and they are both young with talent, but good luck with that. And I haven’t even brought up these alleged young bigs they’re waiting on…these dudes look like volleyball players at time: they don’t appear to have basketball sense or even ball coordination. Hell, I don’t even want to talk about that frontcourt anymore…they’re officially dead to me. The Pau-trade rumours a subliminal cry for help by the locals, perhaps? Boston management can officially start aligning their karma for the Oden sweepstakes.

And the Knicks…what can you possibly say about the Knicks? Just insert Clipse grunt here. The Raptors game was most likely Curry’s best this season. And he still enabled Racho to find a non-existent post game. This team is terrible…talent is talent…but these guys need Chris Paul or somebody to direct them. Bring Magic out of retirement. Anybody. The redundancy is killing me, but, yes, an Isiah coached/GM’ed team has serious leadership issues that clearly hamstring the team. The Knicks are a team that has collapses…by the possession. You know how you wait for some teams to have a lull during a half when you can jump on them. You can wait the Knicks out during a shot clock’s length…something will break down within 24 seconds. Did I say Isiah should be back next season? How strong is the upcoming draft? I mean, it’d be nice to have a lottery pi…Uuuuuugghhhhh…

Fear not Dot ball fans. Our organization is headed in the right direction, regardless what people and sports guys say. Sure, we’re the butts of everyone’s jokes right now…but even the AP referred to us as ‘surging’ after the win at the Garden Square…we’ll come around…and a good 2-3 months later…so will everyone else (takes time to catch up on the Wire…shit is complicated…).