Raptors Have No Answer For Big Cactus

Wow was that something. I mean as a basketball fan I feel good for Shaq, as a Raptor fan I just am left feeling empty. It gets no easier as the Raptors get set to head to Texas for a double dip with the Mavericks and Rockets. I could not help but think if the Raptors could not have an answer for Shaq it would seem logically they will have no answer for Yao as well. Not to say beating the Mavericks will be an easy task. That will be tough as well. Bosh will at least have some support in the home town in Dallas and likely in Houston as well. He sure has not had a lot of it from Toronto of late. The whole issue with Bosh is making me sick. Fans are not helping matters in thinking he is as good as gone. Toronto and Raptor fans need to wake up to the fact that we need to start supporting our guys. If we continue to live in the past it will only help serve to watch it repeat itself. You might say well who cares what I do is not going to change anything. I can not argue or dispute that. However if you turn your back on someone before he has on you that is not helping things at the very least. Just because times are tough is not reason to turn your back on Chris Bosh. He has had a great career with the Raptors. It has not turned into playoff success but he has done more than his part for a long time. He is not Vince Carter or T-Mac or Damon. However the more fans turn their backs on him the more he is likely to head down that path.

Bryan Colangelo no doubt has to do his part and make this team better. However fans need to do your part as well. I think when Jameer Nelson earlier this year commented on the booing of Bosh that should have been a wake up call. If other NBA players notice this how likely are they going to be willing to come here. Toronto has a tough enough time as it is to attract players having a fan base that shows no loyalty to it's star player is not exactly a selling point for free agents to come here. There is already enough stuff you need to fight through to convince folks to come here. Let's not be part of the problem in people wanting to be here. It may be a small thing and I have no idea if it truly matters. I can just say as a person I would not want to come to a place where I didn't feel fans would show me loyalty and have my back. People will point out cities like New York and Philadelphia as examples of fan bases that are extremely tough on it's stars. That is fact no doubt. However it is also fact those cities do not face the challenges of being the only franchise in a different country. New York and Philadelphia are no doubt unique cities but they are part of America.

At some point this needs to end. I mean this is becoming a growing thing to me that I personally find annoying. How many players is it going to take to get driven out of town before people wake up and get it. I find it is unfair to compare Bosh to Vince Carter. Chris has given his all and is always a guy that when he is out does all her can to get back in the line-up. I am just tired of watch fans turn on guy after guy. If some walks away after that point I get it. However while they are still part of this team it makes no sense at all. It would make me laugh how some people were talking about picking O'Neal over Bosh. I mean what the hell is that. J.O was a Raptor for a few months and played no where close to an All Star at any point. Yet some people out there were embracing him and turning their back on Bosh. Insane is the only thing I can say about that.

Here is the bottom line of all of this. Maybe we forget that the fact we even have a team is something to be thankful for. Ask people in Vancouver and Seattle if the would take this team warts and all. I am thinking they would in a heartbeat. I know that in writing all of this I am not likely going to change most peoples minds. But seriously how good do you think this team can be without Chris Bosh? The same people that want to seem him gone will be the ones that will be moaning when the Raptors can not attract someone better and they truly suck. Give you head a shake and realize that CB4 has done nothing to disrespect you or me. He goes out and plays at a level that is of an All Star on more nights than he doesn't. I will go down with the ship if need be. I watched my favourite player get railroaded out of Toronto and yes he was part of it. However so were all of the people that blow with the wind and the trend. Here is my best advice for all of you out there. Just stay true to yourself and do not allow a bunch of angry people or bad history impact on your judgement. I respect Chris Bosh regardless of what lies ahead. I am also confident that his behaviour will be nothing like that of Vince Carter or Tracey McGrady. Listen to broadcasts of other teams and how they talk about Bosh. It seems he gets a lot more respect outside of Toronto than in it. That script is backwards.