Double Agent

Since Gilbert Arenas has returned he has been quiet and not even talking to the media. But maybe even more amazing then that Gilbert's blog has went silent.  But all of that is well and good but the team that Gilbert seems to love to talk about so much actually got some help from him. The Toronto Raptors can say thank you Gilbert and thank you Washington. A strong 4th quarter in which the Wizards smashed the Sixers 31-9. It was the cap of a Washington blow out win. It also makes the chances of Raptors getting up to 5th place a lot harder. So again thanks Washington good luck with that Lebron James guy we will be pulling for you honestly. Another thing the Wizards did was show Toronto what can happen to you if the Detroit Pistons are motivated. They blew out the Wizards and made a statement to the team that ends up 7th that they are in for a lot of suffering in round 1. 

But today the Raptors should be motivated you would think. They have a national T.V audience and a chance to almost lock up the 6th spot with a win today when you consider that they next would play Miami at home with a chance to clinch no lower then 6th place. It would be a great scenario for the Raptors for sure but it will not be easily accomplished. Detroit even if they decide to take the day off today more or less still have young skilled players that can do damage. So it is important for the Raptors to not be concerned with who is in the Piston uniforms. Just play hard and play well and let the chips fall where they may. The Raptors showed some aggressive play against New Jersey. The team none for being this group of nice guys showed a bit of bark and bite in the win over New Jersey. T.J Ford was talking smack to Vince Carter and smacking him. Chris Bosh took Richard Jefferson to the floor with a hard but clean foul. Detroit are the masters of this style of basketball. The home of the Original BAD BOYS they know how to push the limits of the rule book and get an advantage from it. I do not think the Raptors can change from Barney the Dinosaur and Dora the explorer to Jason and Freddy Kruger. But they do need to show some of that rough and tough play if for no other reason then to stop other teams from pushing them around. 

Chris Bosh is a smart guy he knew his team needed a lift and he took the focus off his team and made it all about him. He challenged the fans and changed the topic in the media. He showed the media skill of someone far more older and wiser then his age would suggest he would be. But when you are the young leader of a franchise you learn to grow up fast. I do not know if Chris Bosh has a public relations person and I have no idea how much they are responsible for this new look CB4 that goes on to UTUBE and talks directly to his fan base. But be it Bosh himself or someone helping him behind the scenes Chris Bosh is becoming something that we have not seen. The modern athlete that take to the Internet and make his voice heard. Gilbert Arenas has his famous blog and Bosh has his own blog too. But Bosh has taken it to the next level by taking to his video camera and posting it on UTUBE. The media can not have as much impact on Bosh. If he didn't like the questions that come his way he can always just ask his own and put it on UTUBE. There is also the fact that he can use the fact he basically has created his own media outlet that he can control the story that is being told to some degree.

It could be that we are watching a pioneer not just in basketball but in all sports. Bosh has created a whole new unique way of how to market yourself and control your press coverage. I may be a little more impressed just because of my media background. I mean the average fan may not understand it or even care about it. But if you have watched a Chris Bosh UTUBE Video you are proving how much of an impact this has. He has done an amazing job at making his fans feel like they are part of his world. In a time where athletes seem more far away from fans then ever before. Chris Bosh has found a way to change that. He can reach far more folks with a UTUBE video then he could ever sign autographs at a mall. You get to feel a part of his world in a way. Chris Bosh not only gets it on the floor but he gets it off the floor as well.

No matter how could a self promoter you can be you still need that age old thing....WINS. No wins and anything you have got may go away very fast. Even if you are a huge star and get many endorsements if you continue to lose they will go away fast. Dwayne Wade better know that or he will get booted from Charles Barkley Fav 5 and dumped by the cell phone company too. Today's game for the Raptors is almost like on of those infomercials on the Toronto Raptors. Many in the U.S even some that are in the NBA media have seen little of the Raptors. What they do in this game will form opinions for a lot of people that really have no idea about the Raptors at all. Orlando will be a favorite over the Toronto Raptors in the U.S media. I will even say that a lot of people will say that the Magic will win in like 4 or 5 games. Which is dumb and proves you never saw these teams play the last few years. I can accept a prediction of a Magic win in 6 or 7 games. I don't agree but could make an argument that has some logic to it for that happening. Raptor fans need to understand the American Media is never going to love this team and will disrespect them more then respect them. It makes no sense not too. Raptors are the worst drawing club in other arenas in the NBA. They also draw lousy T.V numbers anytime they do end up on national T.V in the U.S. The Raptors just are not embraced by America because they are that team from north of the border what to Canadians know about basketball. I know we invented it after all what could we know about the game right? I have accepted that in the U.S media regardless of how and what they do the Raptors will always be the underdog. That is fine with me. It makes it easier to get behind them. What was special about the Blue Jays World Series wins was they did it for an entire country. The Raptors are taking strides to try to become that National Team. Talk of moving training camp through out the country and playing exhibition games in other cities. It is a start to building that National Team feel that the Blue Jays enjoyed. So if you read this blog from places outside the GTA. Tell a friend that the Raptors are COMING THE RAPTORS ARE COMING. But before that the PLAYOFFS ARE COMING and COMING FAST.