MAPLE LEAF SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

There is a revolution going on in Toronto and most of the inhabitants are unaware of it. It's the changing of the guard from the old (Toronto Maple Leaf hockey club) to the new (Toronto Raptor basketball team).

Don't get me wrong. Toronto is still a "Leaf" town and will be for some time, but I see a day, perhaps 20 years down the line when allegiances will be shifted, and much of that has to do with the way the teams are being marketed today. Forget that basketball is a far more popular sport worldwide and that most countries around the world have basketball teams.

To get a ticket for a Maple Leaf game in Toronto costs hundreds of dollars, and since most of the tickets are owned by "corporate accounts", you have to be either rich or in contact with those who have tickets. There are thousand of young people in Toronto under the agre of 18 who have never been to, nor will ever get to go to an NHL hockey game because it is just too expensive.

On the other hand, basketball is being played at every elementary, and high school, as well as most playgrounds, and playoff tickets for this year's series against the Nets could be had for less than $75.00 per ticket. There are few teenagers in the city who wish to go to a game who are precluded as a result of the price of the tickets and the overall availability of them. The significance of such details is that in 20 years time, you will have a new generation of sports fans who will have attended basketball games in Toronto, and, as a result of not being able to attend a Leaf game (let's ignore the fact that the team in not competitive) will be diehard Raptors fans, with a memory of the history of this franchise. Assuming this team can continue to have the kind of success it has had this year, I predict that the Leafs may be the ugly duckling in the city by the year 2030. That's a long time away and guys who are running MLSE will be long gone by then and likely don't give a damn right now, but their successors will be hard pressed to duplicate the financial success as a result of the poor marketing of this team.

Go Raptors Go!!!

Goodbye College Basketball

Another season of college basketball is behind us and it was, as usual, exciting. Florida won for the 2nd year in a row (no surprise) and Greg Oden proved he will be a great player for a long time and likely will make some NBA team a contender in a very short time. Don't believe the hype. He won't stay in school and I'd be shocked if Durant doesn't join him in the 2007 NBA draft. Neither of these guys has anything to prove at the college level, and rather than risk injury, they will ply their trade for pay in 2007/2008. There will be a slew of underclassmen who will join this group and this years's draft will be one of the deepest of all time. Some mock drafts have Glen Davis going late in the 2nd round, which gives you and idea as to how strong the talent is.

The Raptors, coming off their best season in years need help in the rebounding department, and Davis would be a perfect fit. He could be the modern day Charles Barkley, both on and off the court. For all the hype, I'm not convinced Joakim Noah will be anything but an average pro and I don't think Josh McRoberts will reach that level. Noah is a good leader, but I am hard pressed to see what skill level he brings at an NBA level, although he appears to be a good passer and runs the floor well for a big man. He is not strong enough to play the 4 or 5 and doesn't have the offensive repertoire to play the 3. Perhaps there is more development to his game to come, but I would stay away from him if I had a lottery pick.

I love Oden, Conley, Durant, Horford and Brewer and think all 5 will be solid, if not great, NBA players. Conversely, I'm not excited about Aflalo, McRoberts, Noah, Jeff Green or Aaron Gray. I can't comment on the Euros because I haven't seen them play except on tape.

So good bye to the college game and looking forward to next year already.