Raptors capture hearts of NBA newbies

There’s one rule that fair-weather fans dutifully abide by: If you’re winning, I’m watching. 

Sure, there are those die-hard fans who live through the ugliest team’s years. They keep the franchise going. Like in the ‘90s when there were telethons to keep the disabled Saskatchewan Roughriders afloat. I was one of those helpless, hopeful fans. And still am... 

Generally, though, I don’t watch for fun. I watch to win. 

And so when the Raptors made it to the NBA finals this year, I dutifully turned on the TV. (I had heard rumblings about some kind of playoff run.) 

Co-workers, family members and friends also jumped on the basketball bandwagon. Our newness to the sport was apparent.  

“I don’t understand why the last two minutes takes so long,” expressed a co-worker. “It’s sooo slow.” Basketball has indeed changed since I last watched it some 25 years ago. With video replay, those last few minutes can be excruciating. 

“I don’t understand all these fouls,” commented another. “Why is Kawhi [as I’ve learned, it’s pronounced kaw-why] Leonard taking a foul shot with one second left?” All of us NBA newbies cried, “Why haven’t they won already?!”   

And how quickly we all became semi-qualified basketball coaches. Our family yelled at the TV: “Why aren’t they running as fast as the other team? Why are they so slow?!” The Raptors looked lackadaisical compared to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5! Don’t they want to win?? 

Here we were, our first time watching, the NBA finals(!!), demanding nothing short of victory. Never mind the real fans who waited 24 years for this momentous playoff run. 

For most of us, their victory brought forth a short burst of happiness that may have lasted into the next morning. For die-hard Raptors fans, it must have been an out-of-body experience.

Of course I’m happy the Raptors won. Now I can say I was part of history... because I watched some of the games... parts of the games... okay, the last half of the final few games. But it was exciting. It was fun. I forgot about all my problems. 

All you die-hard basketball fans, forgive me for my half-hearted fervour, but this I can promise you: If they ever make it to the finals again, I'll be watching.