Toronto Sports Story part 2: Hold up, We The North!

My next love in the Toronto sports scene are the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors organization are celebrating their 20th season right now, and the team is literal family to me. I'm an 88'er, the Raps came to existence right around when I was coming of age (the first time). Being a cynical sports guy already at 6 years old, I was not enthusiastic about the predictable early struggles of an expansion franchise, but, I knew this team would be special just from the name. The Toronto Raptors... #SALE!

A lot of BS has been written about the name Raptors by the grumpy old media types, and various player haters. There were even rumours of  how they were going to change the name in an attempt to "rebrand the organization".

To that, I say: are you f**king kidding me? 

We have one of the coolest names in all of sports. Toronto Raptors? Have you seen Jurassic Park? Come on! Screw what some older “sports types” think. This team was made for us! They chose a name that would resonate with the dinosaur obsessed kids of the 90's and gracefully chose something that would resonate and stand the test of time.  The top 10 names proposed for the Toronto franchise were:

Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs , Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, and Terriers. 

Clearly the names were aimed at attracting kids, and they certainly got this kid with their choice. Toronto T-Rex? No, thanks. Toronto Beavers....yes please? [ed note: smdh]

The Raptors have a perfect name, and I hope we never ever change the name. Sure, during the dark days we sometimes disparagingly call  our beloved team the "Craptors" or "Snaptors" but it's all out of love. The team name is non- negotiable, and what do you propose we change it to? The Toronto Basket Leafs? The Toronto OvO’s? The Toronto Sex and Crack Scandals? Get the f**k outta here.

The Raptors have had plenty of excellent (and not so excellent) players. It's actually a very lengthy list of former Raptors. There have been some legends but we all know s**t got really real when one man came on the scene, of course I'm talking about “Air Canada” Vincent Lamar Carter! Do you know Vince Carter?

Vince Carter saving the world from French Mimes

Toronto Sports Story Part 1: Lets Go Blue Jays!

In optimal traffic conditions, I can drive from my house in Brampton to the entrance of the of the Toronto Blue Jays home stadium, The Rogers Centre ("Skydome", for the hip amongst us,) in 25 minutes. 

Add an extra 5 minute walk; I'm at the Air Canada Centre, home of the Raptors and the venerable Toronto Maple Leafs. My geographical proximity to the aforementioned sports franchises is shared by millions in the GTA -- probably including you the reader, yeah you!--, and come to think of it, the Toronto sports stories of my era which I'll say is about 1995 - present, are all going to sound the same. We have seen the same things, and you can't change the past. However these collective memories, emotions, hopes and dreams, have come to help forge my identity, and allowed to me to form real bonds within the community.

I have been a HUGE sports guy for my whole life. It was my internet before the internet. Growing up, there was simply not much to do in Brampton, but come to think of it, I was also kid, so there probably wasn't much to do anywhere else. Sports was one of my first real ways to see and understand the world around me, and I fully immersed myself in that world. Pre internet era, it was way harder to be a sports fan, but it was much more special too. Newspapers + Sportcenter, that was my s**t (still is!)! Many of my bestest buds were met through a) talking about sports, b) playing sports, and/or c) playing video games of sports. The GTA is a region where "embracing diverse backgrounds" is one of the biggest factors of our collective regional identity. Having major league home teams in most of the big leagues of North America has no doubt had a positive impact on uniting people from different backgrounds all over the GTA. I could connect, and bond, with anyone and everyone if we shared a mutual passion for sports. Sports fanatics are able to transcend the barriers of age, class, and religion to engage peacefully, only to create vitriolic new barriers in likes to " HA-HA we beat you!" or "f**k your city! (aka we probably lost"). It's a hilarious cycle and unfortunately Toronto is usually on only one side of that dichotomy hahaha...it's true.

Despite our incompetence. The big 3 sports teams made me personally feel like our region was relevant in a bigger picture. When we talk about Basketball (NBA) and Baseball (MLB), ones gotta remember our Toronto franchises are the representatives for the entire country! It didn't start like that (RIP Grizzlies and Expos), but in the survival of the fittest that is the world of professional sports, Toronto is and has been the fittest city in Canada.

However, Toronto has also had notoriously bad sports luck. There has not been a major Championship in this city since 1993. Only Cleveland Ohio possesses a championship drought more severe than us...and they got Lebron James back and Johnny Football! Toronto needs to step it up, or else we will soon be the straddled with the stigma of being perennial losers.

This series of articles will look at The Baseball, Basketball and Hockey franchises of Toronto, and the Impact they have had on my life. First we'll look at the last real champions Toronto has had, the Blue Jays.

A New Hope That Brampton Rises

For the first time in 14 years there has been a changing of the guard in Brampton.

Former Liberal MPP and cabinet minister Linda Jeffrey decisively defeated scandal plagued incumbent Susan Fennell in a much buzzed about election. Former city councillor John Sanderson showed valiant campaign effort and made strong enough of an impression to be the official runner up. However, Mr. Sanderson was not able to fully distance himself from the stigma of the Fennell administration. Ms. Fennell finished in a disappointing 3rd place.

The various scandals in which Ms. Fennell was embroiled, the lack of progress in Brampton, and a general 14 year itch for political change all contributed to Ms.Fennell's precipitous decline in this election. Even though Brampton may not agree now, Ms. Fennell had a decent, dare I say, impressive run.

She led the city through a phase of unprecedented growth, there was a highway 410 expansion, improvements in public transportation, and we got a new hospital all under Fennell's leadership. However, complacency kicked in, mistakes were made, and the administration simply exploited a broken and disengaged system to pull some "fast ones" on unsuspecting Bramptonians. The City Hall expansion and the Rose Theatre come to mind, we're going to be paying for those projects for a very, very long time.

Whatever, we must move on. We now have a new person in Brampton to lead the city in a new direction. How reassuring. So now what?

The Battle of Brampton: Who Will Rise this Municipal Election?

"They have influence, they just don't realize it yet."


After first meeting only 15 minutes prior, our wide reaching introductory discussion about politics, media, and life in Brampton, had naturally segued into the topic of demographics. To my delight, Nicholas Grewal, 25, was enlightening the conversation with one of many succinct points. "Their numbers exceed those of their parents generation, and many are eligible to vote for their first time." He was right on the money. The generation born between 1994-1996 is a rising force in the democratic social scene of Canada. The ability to connect and engage with that these young adults would surely pay great dividends to whoever could capture their attention. "Rule number one of media: you gotta know your audience." Even though we hadn't known each other prior to this event, it was clear that Mr. Grewal was a guy who "got it".

Mr. Grewal's insider analysis and understanding of demographics was obviously valuable knowledge for a media arts student like himself, or for a fledgling publishing empire like us at #BramptonRises. However it gets even more real when one realizes Mr. Grewal's father, Gurjit S. Grewal, is one of the candidates running for Mayor of Canada's 9th largest city. A city where shifting demographics vividly paint a picture of an evolving country, and a desire for a change of leadership is manifesting itself.

  left: Brampton Mayoral Candidate Gurjit S. Grewal.
Also pictured: a local, disadvantaged urban youth

Through my deep rooted, and various "Brampton connections", I was able to procure an invite to mayoral candidate Gurjit Grewal's campaign dinner. Traditionally, one would assume this was "not your scene". A mostly Punjabi language dinner for supporters and volunteers of a so called "long shot" candidate for the mayor of Brampton? Not to mention, a crowd that mostly consisted of parents, older brothers and relatives of my peers.

A) Wouldn't it be awkward?
B) Couldn't they get someone better?

Red Pill or Blue Pill? Democracy in the Matrix (The Democratrix!)

'Twas the grandest of seasons indeed. Democracy season!

One could feel the excitement of change in the brisk autumn air. The restless residents of the GTA, and cities all across Canada, were 11 days away from the most important municipal elections in 4 years! While the leaves fell, the lawn signs rose. 

"Please, vote for me!"
They all plead. "I should be your school trustee, regional councilor, city councillor, or Mayor, for reals!" They suggested with great conviction. The people, understanding the big responsibility they had, deliberated carefully and patiently. Their choice of civic leaders would correct the mistakes of the previous administration, and dictate the future of their respective regions for the next 4 years, perhaps more. Such a decision couldn't be made on crazy impulses. Democracy was the biggest asset the society possessed, engaged citizens, it's most privileged guardians. Democracy was an ideal that many had died to protect, many had died trying to obtain, and many more had died being "given". Democracy, like Christmas was an ideal that all people could really get behind, and not lose sight of what it was really about. Oh, 'twas a grand season indeed! All the land was united in its efforts to keep things glorious and free. In the unseen horizons you could hear the millions (and millions!) chanting: Ford More Years! Ford More Years! Ford More Years!

In a Debate of the Future of Brampton, a Real MVP Emerges.

"May god save our beautiful city from these greedy, career politicians!"- 2014 Brampton Mayoral Candidate Devinder Sangha. Line of the night.

On Thursday Oct 2, 2014 at The Brampton Young Professionals Forum (#BramYPF), the future of Brampton became a little more clear. The front running candidates for Mayor of Brampton were engaged in a debate. Attempting to win the hearts and minds of potential voters, while painting their unique vision of the city's future. The audience was a respectful and diverse mix of emerging young professionals and more established concerned residents. Brampton has been very active in the GTA political news scene due to ongoing controversies at City Hall. This debate would be one of the first with all the front running candidates participating. The venue was Lab•B, an exciting new start up based out of downtown Brampton. The old school media was present, and the anticipation was killer. Ironically, one of the candidates was late to arrive for the most Brampton reason of all, they were stuck in traffic.

Candidates Left to Right: John Sanderson. Susan Fennell, Linda Jeffrey, Devinder Sangha.

The standing room only crowd were treated to a focused, and well moderated debate by Jahmeela Gamble, the host/producer of TV program "A Voice for All" on Rogers10. Candidates were instructed to avoid unfocused attacks concerning the controversies at city hall and stay on topic when answering the questions presented. Ms. Gamble did a great job of keeping things on track and giving everyone equal time to make their points. Even though this led to a sometimes sterile feeling debate ( I was honestly hoping for a s**t show), it was the right decision for the fairness and integrity of the debate. The mudslinging and controversies are very entertaining and they do get the people engaged. However, the drama and hurt feelings can also easily become a distraction from reasonable discourse and can actually hinder the process of allowing people to make informed and enlightened decisions. #TurnUp to vote! #TurnDown for the debates.

With or Without U(2): Apple's fateful dance with the uncool.

On September 9th 2014 in Cupertino, California, Apple was going to unleash something "bigger than bigger". The media had been breathlessly speculating on the potential announcements for weeks. Apple product speculation is an annual goldmine of excitement for media and consumers alike.

"It's probably a new iPhone."
"Or... a bigger iPhone?"
"Maybe a smart watch?"
"I heard it's going to have a new mobile payment system!"
"Oh yeah? Well... I heard it has a cure for Ebola!"
"...that escalated quickly."

Oh, so much fun speculation! Gotta love the turn't up free marketing  reporting of Apple product releases. The company has successfully made new product launches legitimate "cultural events". To not cover Apple during a release cycle would be leaving page views on the table in a highly competitive media landscape. Whether such devotion is a product of superior design and engineering or, a just a product of the shrill cult like marketing machine of Steve Jobs, such level of market transcendence is seriously impressive, and hard to ignore.

The overblown speculation was surprisingly on point this year. There was a new iPhone + a bigger iPhone too! Along with an updated operating system Apple also announced a new mobile payment system. Oh, there was a wearable device announced too. The Apple Watch. It was some really cool stuff, and I'm sure they will sell millions of units. No cure for Ebola just yet, but hey, 2 new, bigger iPhones!

Full disclosure, I am a long term Google guy. I like the Google ecosystem, I appreciate the openness and options of Google products. But, Apple have released and continue to release some admittedly cool stuff. I would probably not buy Apple products for myself, but I would graciously accept them as promotional considerations or gifts (aka free). Sure that may be a shameless plug for free stuff (hey Apple!), but also a segue to another surprise announcement at the Apple event. An actual free gift from Apple to all its loyal fans! A grand gesture from a grand company. A cool marketing opportunity with a world revered band. Apple was going to give a free copy of the first new U2 album in 5 years to every iTunes user. An simultaneous, previously unannounced, album release for 500 million+ people . In what they called the biggest album release of all time, the album was put into everyone iTunes account without having to do anything. Including consent to the delivery of the album. Beloved company, beloved band, free content, what could go wrong...