We don't get this

When it comes to pro sports, Toronto's fans are shaken down welcomed by the most anonymous of big-time sports owners.

AP PHOTO

Mark Cuban: A hands-up approach.

Ted Rogers made a rare appearance this week to welcome B.J. Ryan, pat himself on the back for keeping the big leagues in Toronto, and demonstrate a "commitment to winning" as J.P. Ricciardi called it -- which I thought was the commitment you're always supposed to have (although it must be said, it's a lot easier when you've just come off buying a taxpayer-funded stadium for five cents to the dollar).

The MLSE principals are rarely seen or heard from. When it comes to hockey or basketball, the designated managers John Ferguson Jr. and Rob Babcock speak a careful language of neutrality -- in one of his unguarded moments, Babcock suggested last summer the Raptors would quite possibly be worse than last year's team, which was pretty bad. He was cut down for it in the media and by his masters, and has been back to the usual boilerplate since, lessons learned.