I have a knack for liking teams that don’t like to win championships. Some of my teams are nowhere near a championship. For example in the NFL, I cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders.
In the CFL I generally cheer for the Bombers but I’m always willing to cheer for a team playing against the Saskatchewan Rough Riders. NHL? The Philadelphia Flyers and the Winnipeg Jets. (I’ll note that the Flyers are the closest thing I’ve had to seeing a champion team that I cheer for.)
The NBA is a little different. I cheer for an unprecedented three teams! Yes, three!
The Minnesota Timberwolves which means I’ve have over 20-plus years of complete futility. There is a light at the end of the tunnel with Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio leading the team. I expect them to be back in the playoffs as early as this season, baring injury.
My second NBA team is the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have only been to one championship finals and they lost to the best player to ever play the game, Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls.
Finally, my third and final NBA fav is the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors are easily the most frustrating team to watch. The have a lot of talent and potential, and they say potential is nothing without action. I say potential is nothing without execution.
The Raptors fail on all levels. And this season, luckily a short one, they are hitting new lows. Not because they lost 13 of 19 games in January, or that they’ve only won eight of their last 26 games. No, it’s because of the scores that they’re losing by. They’re getting blown out.
It’s one thing to lose by five points. Even 10 points but they’ve disappointed on a whole new level. They lost to the Celtics by 36 points earlier this month! Sure there are injuries, every team has them. And yes this season is short. But it’s time DeMar DeRozan took the next step and led his team. Not in points, in leadership. Take those fouls, drive the hole, crash the boards, be big and play big.
You’re an all-star and now it’s time you act like one. For examples of stepping up, DeMar, see Lin-sanity. Or Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks.
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