NBA Rookie Rankings: Garbo #1 & Il Mago # 4 <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OK, Toronto fans. You can stop writing now. The Report thanks you, but we've got enough e-mails (including several from Italy) telling us that Andrea Bargnani's nickname is "Il Mago" that we have no choice but to use it from now on. Funny how we never picked it up, even though we've seen plenty of Raptor games (or at least pieces of Raptor games) this season. Even yesterday, when we were listening for it, it seems that everytime Il Mago scored, the screaming from the PA announcer was louder than the call from Chuck Swirsky. <div align="center">Rookie Line of the Week: Andrea Bargnani (TOR) 12.17 vs. GSW 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 6 blocks, 6-10 FG</div> Either way, with Jorge Garbajosa still going strong as a starter, and Il Mago looking like a very talented 7-footer, Raptor fans have to be happy. And they've won three straight without Chris Bosh to boot, putting them a half game out of first place. Have a question or comment for the Rookie Report that doesn't have to do with Bargnani's nickname?</div> Rookie Rankings I wonder if Garbo will seriously be considered as ROY candidate cause he is 28 years old. I happy that Bargnani hit double figures in rebounding, i really hope it wasn't a statistacal anomaly and that he will continue to put up big rebounding games. I know he is a rookie but the guy is 7'1 and has some leaping ability so i hope his rebounding avg will increase from his current 3.2RPG. Although Bosh does eat up almost every defensive board, so maybe it his absence that is causing Bargs to pick up the slack.
<div class="quote_poster">Schaddy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> @ telling Toronto fans to quit with the emails.</div> We're (me--not as extreme) hardcore like that.
Let's be honest though, some guys out there are taking it pretty far. Not the first time I saw a sports writer note that he was getting bombarded with raptors emails after writing negative print (Spamblocker, keyword = "raptors"). It's funny because as soon as the raptors win a couple of games people spaz out at the writers for saying we're a borderline team, but when we lose 2 games they all email Doug Smith to complain about getting Mitchell fired. The best was when Stephen A. Smith bashed Babcock at the draft for picking Villaneuva and he eventually showed up on the score saying "Stop emailing me! I don't read them anymore!" (He sounded even more crazy than usual). Afterwards they had the Hockey guy on and the commentary went something like this: Hockey guy: That was Stephen A. Smith? Greg Sansone: Yep. Hockey guy: I could tell you what A stands for.
Imagine if a 28 year old player came over from Europe and won Rookie of the Year and MVP. (obviously not Garbo) What does Il Mago mean? or how did he get it?
^ The Magician? Probably, because he does magic shows as a side job. I agree with the comments about Raptors fans. It's usually the casual ones that are most homer-ish. That's why I call us the Lakers-East. We're not that bad, but we definitely have our moments.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">^ The Magician? Probably, because he does magic shows as a side job. I agree with the comments about Raptors fans. It's usually the casual ones that are most homer-ish. That's why I call us the Lakers-East. We're not that bad, but we definitely have our moments.</div> yup it means The Magician
What do you guys think of Bargnani's chances of getting ROY? If he keeps getting these minutes, and keeps contributing like this, I think he has a legit chance himself.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> I agree with the comments about Raptors fans. It's usually the casual ones that are most homer-ish. That's why I call us the Lakers-East. We're not that bad, but we definitely have our moments.</div> I think part of a raptors fans mentality is their is often a perceived ( real or imagined) inferiority complex when compared to american teams. Their is plenty of evidence of ignorant americans who are mis-informed about Canada, I imagine some of the americans ignorance of Canada is partly what inspires overzealous email brigades from canada. By the way I am by no means condoning the apparant mass homerish emails to the NBA Rookie Report. too often we hear quotes like: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">" (Canada) is like your retarded cousin you see at Thanksgiving. He's nice, but you don't take him seriously." - Tucker Carlso</div> or more to the issue a guy Steve Francis (who despite swish15's love for him is a selfish moron in my opinion) crying in public when he is drafted #2 overall by a canadian team and asking for a trade. Antonio Davis wanting a trade to the States because he doesn't want his kids to have to learn the metric system. Or rumours about Gerald Green asking the Raptors not to draft him if they have the option to at #16 because he does not want to play in Canada. Moreover, when we are signing FA's it is implicitly implied that we likely have to pay more than our American Counterpart in order to get the FA. Lastly i will say people underestimate our fan base. The Raptors like the Bluejays represent canada's only team and its fan base takes ona nationalist element to it extending beyond just the Metropolitan area of Toronto to regions like St. Johns Newfoundland, and Victoria, BC with stops everywhere and in between.
<div class="quote_poster">Iggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What do you guys think of Bargnani's chances of getting ROY? If he keeps getting these minutes, and keeps contributing like this, I think he has a legit chance himself.</div>He is going to have to beat out Garbo first lol, but I think he has a shot, but once Bosh is back in the starting line up I don't think Bargnani will get enough minutes to win it. Morrison is averaging 34 mpg, while Bargnani is averaging 19.5 mpg.
<div class="quote_poster">Drunkballer Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> Lastly i will say people underestimate our fan base. The Raptors like the Bluejays represent canada's only team and its fan base takes ona nationalist element to it extending beyond just the Metropolitan area of Toronto to regions like St. Johns Newfoundland, and Victoria, BC with stops everywhere and in between.</div> I dunno ... I wouldn't say it's gotten there yet. As someone who lives now in the GTA but is originally from outside of Ontario i'd say the idea of the raptors as a national team is somewhat over estimated. But it's still growing on a Canada wide level so there is still hope. I'd argue that a vast majority of the fan support comes from within southern Ontario and that's a huge population base right there. If someone asked why the raptors had a mass of fans i'd point to that first.
<div class="quote_poster">a13x Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I dunno ... I wouldn't say it's gotten there yet. As someone who lives now in the GTA but is originally from outside of Ontario i'd say the idea of the raptors as a national team is somewhat over estimated. But it's still growing on a Canada wide level so there is still hope. </div> My point is that the raptors are a national team by default. Most people in Canada who watch basketball cheer for the raptors. I don't have a scientific # to back that up but my guess would be that if you asked basketball fans in winnipeg/or montreal/or Calgary who they cheered for the answer for most would be the Toronto Raptors. For instance you would be hard pressed to find a milwaukee bucks fan 3000 miles away in seattle, but in Canada it would be easy to find a semblance of raptors fan base in say Vancouver.
I agree with you Drunkballer, about the sort of inferiority complex that Toronto has. It doesn't even restrict itself to sports though, as you often get it just culturally. I personally don't see the reason for it. Toronto would be up there with Chicago if it belonged in the States.
<div class="quote_poster">Iggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What do you guys think of Bargnani's chances of getting ROY? If he keeps getting these minutes, and keeps contributing like this, I think he has a legit chance himself.</div>Why not, until Bosh stays out he'll get many minutes on the court and a chance to prove himself. Imo he has talent and a great body. He could be the next Nowitzki imo, or something like Dirk. ;D
I also believe that there exists an inferiority complex, however, I wouldn't blame it completely on "ignorant americans". A lot of blame should be put on us insecure Canadians (and in this case, Raptor fans). I honestly don't know why so many Rap fans get all POed when an American writer disses the team. First of all, most of the criticism is justified because, well, look at what our record has been for the past 6 years. Perennial lottery teams will always be made fun of no matter where they're located on a map. Secondly, why the hell are we so craving of American acceptance? We shouldn't be measuring our self worth by what our southern neighbours think of us. You don't see Americans giving two sh!ts about what we think of them. Our insecurity is also on display when our media interviews visiting nba players and personnell. Don't you notice how we always ask ridiculous questions like "So what do you think of the city?" or "Give your thoughts on Chris Bosh". I doubt Nash and Magloire get questions like, "So how do you like Los Angeles, beautiful city ain't it?".... or I doubt New Orleans reporters harass visiting players with questions like, "So Chris Paul... he's good isn't he?" So yes, there is an inferiority complex that's due in part by American ignorance but mostly, imo, by Canadian insecurity. Sorry, didn't mean to rant on like that in a Rookie Rankings thread.... maybe we should have made a separate thread on this b/c I think it's an interesting topic.
The inferiority complex is most prevalent in Toronto. We're pretty alientated from the rest of Canada, since we're the biggest city. But, we definitely don't fit in with the American ones. I personally don't see why people don't focus on how unique the city is.
