ALL WE ARE SAYING, IS GIVE THE RAPTORS A CHANCE

(Originally posted Sun., Jan. 7)

The game Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors had in yesterday's 116-111 win over the Washington Wizards was one you can rub in the faces of the hockey-stick-in-the-mud Canadians whose minds are closed to giving pro basketball a chance.

Bosh had a big-time 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Raptors past the top team in the NBA's Southeast Divison. CB4 didn't force anything or overcompensate for less talented teammates (well, maybe a little on defence) to put up big numbers.

Meantime, watching Gilbert Arenas (33 points, and all of two assists) hijack Washington's offence in a vain attempt to shoot the Wizards back into it reminded me of the last time there was hope for Raptors fans, back at the start of the decade. The big barrier to getting behind the Raptors when You Know Who had the run of the place was the gut feeling it couldn't last. There was no plan, no guiding principle, and certainly no fail-safe for the numerous times when You Know Who didn't feel like playing. Compare that to today, when Bosh is playing like he wants to be The Man and make everyone around him better. Don't judge him by the mini-dreads. He certainly isn't playing like someone who's become a spoiled child, like Vince Carter did.

Granted, the B.S. detector is chirping, "Get a grip, already," since the 15-19 Raptors only hold a playoff position due to being in the gadawful Titanic Division. You Know Who is dragging his current team into a Jersey swamp, yet the Nets are only a half-game behind the Raptors going into tomorrow night's matchup at the Meadowlands. Isiah Thomas' gong show in New York City is only one game out, for Chrissakes.

At the same time, what's going on for long-suffering Raptors fans is about more than being in the playoffs this season, although that's hardly a fait accompli. It is about getting the first glimpses about what it might be like after Bryan Colangelo and Maurizio Gherardini install their hand-picked head coach this off-season (sorry, Sam Mitchell) and add a couple carefully chosen role players -- assuming MLSE doesn't screw this all up.

Bosh is all grown up and the other Killer B, Andrea Bargnani, does something at least once a game that screams future superstar (he scored 11 points in 23 minutes yesterday on 4-of-8 shooting, delighting those who donned the Azzurri on Italy Day at the ACC). T.J. Ford is proving it was worth parting with Charlie Villanueva.

Beating Washington was a good way for the Raptors to start an ominous week that includes back-to-back games against You Know Who in New Jersey and Charlie V in Milwaukee on Tuesday and Wednesday. Winning those games won't change the haters' minds, of course.

Still, if the Raptors ever become winners, the Outright Hostility toward the NBA that some people in this country carry around -- any sport or league that's not hockey or is, at the other end of the spectrum, distinctly and almost totally American like the National Football League, gets that treatment in Canada -- will slowly turn to Polite Indifference.

Those who are already at the stage of Polite Indifference might progress to be Grudging Acceptance, and Grudging Acceptance might become Casual Interest.

Once the Raptors reach the level, well, there's a ton of upside. There might even be a day when I can put the GameCast up on my computer without being mocked. Wouldn't that be adequate. Dare to dream.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.