fields of maiZe and berryZ

On Sunday, March 30, 2008, I attended a Toronto Raptors basketball game and was nearly moved to tears. What could have happened at a basketball that moved me so? Read on to find out…

This 2007-2008 basketball season marks the first year since I’ve become a serious Toronto Raptors fan (that started sometime in 2000 or 2001) where my favourite player isn’t wearing the Raptors jersey.

Morris Peterson (aka “Mo Pete”) was drafted in the first round by the Raptors in 2000, and basically from the moment I started watching the Raptors, he was my favourite player. His defensive intensity, his shooting skill (particularly with the 3-ball) and his ridiculous ability to hit circus shots greatly endeared him to me.

He spent the first 7 years of his career with the Toronto Raptors, always playing hard. He is the longest serving Raptor in the history of the franchise. He also holds the record for consecutive games played in the NBA. He played 371 games straight as a Toronto Raptor, before eventually getting injured and sitting out a game for the first time in four years.

He never put up the biggest numbers, but he played with heart, gave it his all, and never slacked off (*cough*VinceCarter*cough*). And he was an amazing clutch player - his most remarkable moment (for me at least) was in a game against the Washington Wizards on March 30, 2007 (wow a year ago exactly XD) where he sat out practically the entire game. We were down by a few points with 50 or so seconds left, and Sam Mitchell (Toronto’s coach) subbed Mo Pete into the game. With 3.8 seconds left, we were down by 3 and after a very questionable (aka stupid) play by a Wizard’s player, Mo Pete launched a “Hail Mary” 3-pointer into the air from half court and sank it - sending the game into overtime! How could you not love a player like that? XD

In addition to his basketball abilities, he has also done a lot of community work within the city of Toronto. He was and still is a fan favourite in Toronto and unlike some other Raptors who have left the team on bad terms, I doubt that he will ever get booed within the confines of the Air Canada Centre (seeing as even at this game, the fans cheered whenever he scored XD).

Today marked his first game back playing in the ACC since he became a free agent at the end of last season. He played relentlessly and faithfully for the Raptors for an amazing 7 seasons and when I realized that he definitely would not be back on our team for this basketball season, I was upset and disappointed.

So of course, when tickets first went on sale for this season, I looked up the Raptors schedule and checked when Mo Pete would be playing here (he’s now on the New Orleans Hornets). The first set of tickets I bought were for this game.

Leading up to this game, the Raptors’ commentator, Chuck Swirsky, had been imploring fans to give Mo Pete a standing ovation for everything he had done for the team and for the city in the 7 years he played for the Raptors. I don’t think Chuck had anything to worry about because during the introduction of the starting lineups, Mo Pete got a partial standing ovation (and loudest cheers overall – even compared to the Raptors starters introductions). I was definitely one of the fans who stood up to thank him for all the years and memories he’s provided.

Now we get to the moving moment. After his name was called and he high-fived with all his teammates, as all the fans are cheering for him, he ran out to centre court, got down on the ground and kissed the floor of the Air Canada Centre - right on the Raptors’ logo. Something about that moment, seeing him back in Toronto, and him so obviously expressing his love for the city, the team and the people, just really hit me. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I had to fight them back, because it’s just kind of weird to start crying at a basketball game. Thankfully, the Raptors’ starting lineup was coming up next, and the arena gets dark for that, so I had some time to compose myself. ^_^ We lost the game, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget attending this particular event.

I love my Raptors, but whenever Mo Pete steps into the ACC, I will always cheer for him because no matter what team he plays for, he will always be a Raptor in my heart.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 31st, 2008 at 12:28 am and is filed under Non-Japanese, Raptors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.