(Just to avoid name confusion, MM= Mitchell Machtinger, AM= Alex Mitchell)
MM- How did you become a Raptors fan? I’ve found it very interesting the global fan base that the Raptors have. So far online I’ve come across fans from the UK and yourself from Australia. The Raptors have always been marketed as ‘Canada’s Team’ but it is evidently more than that. What attracted you to the Raptors over more popular teams like the Heat and Lakers?
AM- I'm so glad I support the Raptors rather than the Heat or the Lakers. I don't know if that seems like a ridiculous concept, but I really don't see the fun in supporting the winning teams and just expecting titles every season. I had been vaguely following the NBA for a while, but I chose the Raptors as my team after the 2008 Olympics, based solely on seeing Chris Bosh and liking how he played. What drew me in to the Raptors and made me love the team, and what I think would attract others, is the image of the Toronto Raptors as the 'outsider'; a team not even in the United States, regularly dismissed as an irrelevant, hopeless team. The Raptors intrigue me, in that nobody seems to even care about the team's existence; the thought of this team being a factor in the league and making a title run is such a ridiculous thought, and supporting the journey to this happening really interests me.
As a Toronto local, why have you kept an interest in the Raptors? We've been extremely mediocre for ages, and really seen as a 'joke' team? What about the Raptors makes you still support them?
MM- Basketball is my favourite sport and they are my hometown team, so it makes sense in that way. It’s a weird response because I’m a Boston Red Sox fan in baseball, but I just feel a lot stronger connection to the Raptors than any other Toronto sports team. Once I started following them online additionally through Twitter live-game chats and other networks, I realized that the fanbase is very active and loyal despite our lack of recent success and it gave me another way to interact with the team and express my opinions about their play. With guys on the squad like Amir Johnson and DeRozan, you can tell they love they have for the city and the hustle they put on is not going unnoticed by fans.
You mentioned the Raptors being an 'outsider' team to the United States, but as an 'outsider' fan to the league itself, what unique perspectives or experiences have you had as an international fan? Is it hard to follow the league?
AM-There is no NBA on free television in Australia. We have two or three games a week on subscription TV (ESPN Australia), but the NBA is just not a part of the Australian sporting landscape. NBA League Pass is a must for any Australian fan. It is weird that I've never watched an NBA game at night; 7pm Toronto time is 11am here in Melbourne; in this regard, following the league here in Australia can be difficult, as most of the action is occurring right through the middle of the day.
In terms of following the league in Canada, I find it interesting that NBA teams each play 82 games a season. To me, that is a huge amount of games. Why do you think we follow the league so closely, when each game means so little in the overall scheme of things?
MM- To me, Game 1 matters as much as Game 82. Playing a large amount of games is necessary because it helps establish the overall talent level of a team. Any team can win or lose five games in a row, but when you play 82 games it has a lesser effect on the overall result. I think it's easier for the league to stay interesting because we have access to watch all the games we want. This is especially true on days like Christmas (except maybe not this year), where marquee teams and matchups are all featured in one day.
AM- What is the perception of the Raptors in Toronto? Where do the Raptors fit in to the Toronto sporting landscape?
MM- Their season runs the same time as the Leafs so they are never the number one team in town. Most people say 'oh the Raptors suck' but don't actually follow the team or know what pieces we have. Hockey is and always will be number one in Toronto and Canada. The Raptors season runs at the same time as the Maple Leafs, so the team is never given front page attention unless it's game day. Even then, if the Leafs play the same day, the Raptors are normally bumped to page two. Most casual fans would think negatively of the team right now based on their performance over the past few seasons, which is fair, however they don't realize the pieces we have on the roster.
Let's talk Raptors. It's fair to say that the team's record is reflective of the talent on the roster. However the direction of where the team is going is hotly debated among media and fans. How should the Raptors approach this season? Are you a member of tank-nation or do you like the direction the current team is heading?
AM- I'm very anti-tanking, for a lot of reasons. I really don't understand how Raptor fans are actually cool with the idea of us spending another season losing; that's really all we've done since I started following the team. The argument that losing a Playoff series this season instead of tanking will harm the team long-term annoys me; how will we possibly build a winning culture for Toronto if we tank again? Another reason why I am against the tank is that I really don't think our team will be anywhere near bad enough to land a high pick. If we want to tank, Ujiri needs to move Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson instantly, otherwise we will not lose enough games. A team cannot successfully tank with a guy like Amir on the roster. Maybe I'm missing the point of long-term success, and maybe this roster isn't capable of making a deep Playoff run, but all I want to do is support my team and watch them win. I've never even seen a Raptors Playoff game!
I'm interested in your thoughts on this too, but I also want to know about Andrew Wiggins. Is he the main reason why Toronto fans want to tank? Just how big would it be to the people of Toronto have him playing for the Raptors?
MM- I agree 100%. I understand both sides of the argument, but I can’t personally root for the team to do poorly. Besides, drafting high does not always equal guaranteed success (see: Bargnani, Andrea). If you whiff on the pick, that could set your team back another few years. It’s easy to point to the Thunder and say that getting a few high picks works out great, but it’s important to note that teams like the Bobcats and Cavaliers have had a number of high picks over the past couple years and are yet to reap the rewards of constant success.
In terms of Wiggins, I think a lot of casual fans get caught up in the hype surrounding him and are obsessed with the idea of the ‘hometown hero coming home’ storyline. He has been hyped both here and in the States as almost the biggest thing since LeBron James and the fact that he’s stated how he’d love to play for the Raptors just adds fuel to the fire. All of his games at Kansas are televised nationally here, which is the first time this level of attention has been put on a local kid. Despite all of that, I think it would be huge for the fans and city of Toronto if Wiggins ended up on the Raptors. We are so used to having our top talent and stars leave the team to go play elsewhere, and it is refreshing to know that there are highly talented players who want to play for this team and bring wins and success to the organization.
One last question: who is your favourite Raptors player? What is your favourite memory of the team?
AM- I'm going with the big Lithuanian, Jonas Valanciunas. On the court, he has been having such limited opportunities, in that he never seems to get the ball, yet he keeps his head up and continues to play hard for the team. His potential to be a star big is huge, and is a great reason why we should all keep following this team's development.
It's hard to pick a favourite memory, as I've only been watching all the games for the last few seasons. One game that I remember loving was against Atlanta in 2010, where Chris Bosh hit a game-winner. This was before I really knew much about the team, and clearly before I had learned to dislike Bosh. I remember this as a moment where I felt proud to be a Raptor fan; all my friends thought it was a bit ridiculous that I was as excited as I was for a team they thought didn't really matter at all. It's easy to support teams like Miami where your team is just meant to win every game, but supporting a team like Toronto is just way more fun. Yours?
MM- Guys like MoPete and JYD are still loved by the fans in Toronto. On today's squad I'm also a big fan of JV and obviously Amir. You can tell how badly those guys want to win and their growth each year has been impressive. I've been telling people that JV will be an All-Star in five years, and I'm really hoping this is true. My favourite memory of the team is Vince Carter putting on the greatest performance in Slam Dunk Contest history. I think he was the one who turned the team from an expansion squad to a legitimate NBA team.
No comments:
Post a Comment