Darko walked into an impossible situation. Masai said the Raptors needed a cultural reset. Players not getting along. Fred walking, OG and Pascal heading out, Scottie coming off a middling sophomore year. Throw in all the tanking and Jontay literally throwing games.
@E0_DS0_Omega@Raptors Masai built a title team. No one goes into a final season with it being the last year of the deal. There needs to be some security. If they start 9 and 14 they'd still can him.
They were a tanking team. He's proven he can elevate players. The record is in the results.
It takes a special type of player to step into Toronto and embrace the city the way Brandon Ingram did. Dropping 21.5 PPG and playing the most games he’s seen since his rookie season proved his durability and talent are elite. 💯
Business is business, and spinning the block for Kawhi is massive, but BI deserves his flowers from Raptors fans today. Thank you, B.I.
Brandon Ingram was genuinely a great Raptor, and CHOSE Toronto, which was hugely important.
Sucks it had to end like this, and so soon. Will always cheer for him.
Kawhi last time he was a Raptor:
— 26.6 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 1.8 SPG
— All-Star
— All-NBA
— All-Defense
— NBA Champ
— Final MVP
And the most points ever by a player not named MJ or LeBron in a playoff run.
@TSpencerNairn@CityNewsTO I'm on the fence, the odd game isn't too disruptive but the every second week missing Thursday and Friday can be difficult because it sets the student back and is disruptive to everyone when someone is anchoring lessons being behind.
Zlatan Ibrahimović on Canada qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time ever:
🗣️ “This is why people fall in love with football. Today wasn't just about Canada qualifying for the Round of 16 it was about an entire nation creating history that nobody can ever take away.”
“I looked at the faces of the Canadian players after the final whistle. Some were crying, some couldn't believe what had just happened. Those weren't tears of weakness; they were tears of people who had spent their whole lives dreaming of this exact moment.”
“To the supporters, never let anyone tell you football is just a game. I saw families celebrating, children hugging their parents and fans singing with tears in their eyes. These are the moments that unite a country forever.”
“People will remember the goals and the result, but they'll never understand the sacrifices behind it. Years of criticism, disappointments, injuries and pressure have all led to one unforgettable night. That's what makes history so beautiful.”
“For every Canadian player wearing that shirt tonight, remember this feeling. You are no longer just footballers you are the generation that changed your country's football story forever. Every child who picks up a ball tomorrow will believe because of what you achieved today.”
“The knockout stage doesn't care about history, reputation or big names. It rewards courage, belief and those who refuse to give up. Canada earned this moment because they never stopped believing when the rest of the world doubted them.”
“And to the fans, celebrate like there's no tomorrow because nights like these don't come often. Years from now, people won't ask where you watched the match they'll ask how it felt to witness the night Canada reached the Round of 16 for the very first time.”
“This is bigger than football. This is the night an entire nation stopped dreaming about history and started living it.”
Grand Moff Tarkin: "I think Palpatine's historical legacy is enjoying a bit of a renaissance, and deservedly so. I joked that if Alderaan happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12 hours news story."
Ernie Clement will be the American League’s starting 2B at the All-Star Game!
Clement earns an automatic bid after leading all AL players in Phase 1 voting.