Worst ever? Neither the season nor the trip

It seems to be the question of the week and I imagine it’ll pop up a lot between now and whenever this season draws to its gloomy close.

And the answer is, no.

This is not the worst season ever, not sure it’s even close.

I’ve been around this organization for as long as it’s existed – it’s always been a better story than a team – so I do think I have some gravitas and context when you start talking worst, or even best.

So …

16-66

This was the worst, bar none, never to be matched, as bleak a moment as I can recall.

It was the third year, 1997-98, and it was horrid from start to finish and, I swear, there were legitimate concerns about the viability of the franchise.

There was a 17-game losing streak that put a bullet in the temple of the season by the first week of December.

The team’s best player – Damon Stoudamire – worked his way out of town in a February blockbuster.

Coach Darrell Walker strolled through the lobby of the Sheraton Meadowlands singing “free at last, free at last; that God Almighty, I’m free at last” on the day he was fired.

It included the infamous Drinking To Forget Tour for a couple of grunts late in the year and if I’ve told you the story before, sorry, have to repeat it quickly.

They’re 15-56 going into a four-game road trip that starts in Atlanta. During a game there, Oliver Miller is goofing around with the Hawks mascot. Cris Carter, brother of then-coach Butch, kind of wants to beat up Oliver after the game.

We move on to Washington, where a few of us are going to have a relaxing night at Camden Yards only to be told they’ve suspended Oliver for a game and the trip is delayed a bit for work. We go, we’re cranky, have some Boog Powell barbecue and leave in about the fourth.

On to Philly and for some reason we’re flying there instead of taking the train. And we’re flying with one stop!

We get up in the air, land somewhere and it’s teeming rain. We’re in a plane with seat on one side and one on the other and it’s leaking. Seriously. Leaking. I look two or three rows ahead and see a flight attendant toweling off fellow grunt Bill Harris of the Sun and she’s saying, ‘oh, sir. Sorry. This shouldn’t be happening.”

Duh.

We get to Philly after a loss in Washington and half an hour before the game, they’re taking Oliver Miller out of the locker room on a stretcher because he’s having some heart issues, he says.

The All Time Great Phil Jasner says to a group of us that we needn’t worry, Philly has some great heart institutes, to which one guy says: “If they find a heart in him, take it out.”

Then we went somewhere else (Milwaukee maybe?) and, of course, they lose.

No, folks, this is not the worst and that trip last week was a picnic comparatively.

-

And I’ll give you another that I think was more bleak than this.

Lenny’s last year

They’re coming off a playoff appearance the year before and 2002-03 is pretty promising.

It goes off the rails almost immediately, Lenny’s semi-retired, everyone gets injured and they don’t dress 12 men for the same game even once all year and they finish 24-58.

They lose the last game in Cleveland, the First Lady Of The Beat and I have to get up before the crack of dawn to drive back because we know Lenny’s getting fired and to add to the mess, they go on to lose the lottery to the Cavs, who draft this LeBron James fellow.

Yeah, it’s been a long strange trip, indeed. And I’m sure in the dark recesses of my mind there are even more.

This team?

This team is not going very well at all right now, there is no doubt about that, and the season, at the moment, is swirling in the toilet bowl.

But this team, I contend, has some pieces. I honestly think Jonas Valanciunas is going to be very good, I think Terrence Ross is a player and there is still promise in DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis.

This is not nearly the worst it’s ever been, for the organization or the fans or, of course, me.

-

Maybe I’m not that old.

Sure, I gave to Band Aid as a look back at star-driven benefit shows following that somewhat epic 12-12-12 doozy the other night. But after a couple of gentle reminders, I now recall the Concert for Bangladesh.

You should too; can’t imagine why I didn’t remember it this week with the passing of Ravi Shankar.

-

Hey, Vince is coming?

Everyone excited?

-

Mail. Got room for some but, folks, you’re getting a bit to game-specific and it’s not really timely. Just a reminder.

Click. Write. Send.

-

Want some perspective?

You know how we should all be a bit more careful with the words we throw around nilly-willy sometimes?

Like we should never equate “war” with sports, the men and women who play the games are not “warriors” and there are things that should probably not be said in the context of sports given their context in real life.

Well, Andrea Bargnani, totally unbeknownst to him and without any ill feelings or mocking tones, mentioned yesterday that he was “depressed” with the way things are going for him and his team.

Totally throw-away line with no harm intended, something we all say all the time, right?

Well, it rankled just a little bit and Dwane Casey put the whole thing in a much clearer picture.

“Depressed is a strong word to use in today’s society and the way it is … I have that in my family and it’s a tough word.

Down is okay; but depressed is pretty strong.”

He’s right, of course. And a nice little reminder; a “teaching point” if you will.

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Mike D.]

Gravitas? Isn't that the stuff you take to prevent motion sickness?

Dwane Casey is one solidly-grounded individual. The man seems to keep everything in context.

[Edward]

I don't think it really matters what you or Casey say, to try and lift up the spirits of Raptor fans. They are "depressed" that after nearly 20 years this franchise is still going down the toilet, even if the bowl is not as grimy as it was 17 years ago. They are also depressed that selling the future seems to be the only option the organization has at it's disposal, to do anything about the constant, depressing losing. A future, that for this particular franchise, never seems to arrive. To top it off the ownership group never seems to hold anyone accountable for failure. However, with the 8th largest attendance figures, in spite of the colossal failures, who can blame them for being satisfied simply selling the future and counting the money.

[GK]

Doug,

All this talk of HWSNBN has me thinking - does he deserve to go to the Hall of Fame? There's one of those 5 on 5 blurbs on ESPN regarding this and it seems topical given his arrival tonight. You've followed him more closely during his career years than perhaps any other writer. His career numbers are impressive and I do think he's had a big impact on the game in this country made evident by the crop of great Canadian talent that would have been in their formative years while he was on top in this country. So...can we go 6 on 5 and get a vote from Canada's favourite grunt?

Blogger's note: Haven't closely researched it but my initial reaction all the time is, no, he's not. And usually, gut reactions are proved correct

[Peter]

Good point by Dwayne, but to be fair to Andrea, english is his second language. Personally I'd cut him some slack on that one. People are piling on him for enough things right now. I hope that we don't jump on him for his command of the english language too.

[chris]

It's not nearly as bad a team as it has looked, and BC isn't that bad either. Feel bad for the guy.

[john]

Hey Doug, I think it’s time for Casey to lighten up a bit.

This is not to suggest that clinical depression is anything to take lightly, but my lord, the guy barely speaks English. Get off the soap box and 'teaching points' for 5 minutes and stop making things about you. Why make a public comment about the whole thing? Just to embarrass someone for their lack of English skills? Why not quietly mention something to AB later about the context of what he said? Very poor form in my opinion.
-
The fact is that whatever Casey did as a coach last year to motivate this team isn't working this year and his talent has been upgraded. Maybe this constant holy than thou show is wearing thin. I still think he’s a good coach and can do a lot for this team, but if he is going to constantly nit-pick players in a season that’s starting to swirl he better come up with a better approach.
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Or take it out on his hotel lamp.

Blogger's note: Constant "holy than thou"????? Surely you jest

[AT]

maybe this is part of the problem...as English as a second language for Bargnani, it is safe to say that he did not mean "depressed" in the clinical sense.

I think the disappointing part of this season is when you compare expectations to results. Last year was our year to be patient, this year had much higher and realistic expectations.

Starting to look forward to the hockey season....

[zow]

I like what the coach said, 'we are all blessed in this room' Relax folks,this is just a game!

[sam]

If you listed the most disinterested coaches in Raptors History - Daryl Walker and Lenny Wilkens would be at the top of the pile. Pretty Much tied. I've pretty much erased the 16-66 season from my memory bank.....

George Harrison was the best - When asked why he was putting on the Concert for Bangladesh he answered by saying, "because my friend asked me to." His friend was Ravi Shanker.
There's a documentary floating around that's quite good that showcases the performances and some of the difficulties in putting the the concert together.

The Lakers lose last night to the Knicks - Yikes....I'm wonder how high the Anxiety level is in LA? You think it's on par with Toronto?

Blogger's note: Doubt it; more passion here, fewer movie auditions

[David in Oakville]

Good Morning Doug,

Thanks for the memories. Even in those early years, frustrating though they were, there were some surprising moments and enjoyable moments (like the surprising win over the Bulls in the 1st season). But really, back then, expectations were so much lower. I think many of us feel that relative to our expectation of where this team might be, the gap between that expectation and reality is perhaps the largest it has ever been, making this team and this season seem far worse than anything we have seen these past 17 years.
+
I can't help but think this organization has become Clippers North (the old, sad sack Clippers that is). If only David Stern had intervened and forced that trade with Charlotte to proceed...
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Who's to say, perhaps Bargnani is depressed. I agree with Dwane that it is a strong word and a word that a non native English speaker might not fully understand it's gravitas.. but this teaching moment was probably better left to a private discussion.
+
I think it is interesting that when listing the quality players that the Raps have to build on you left out, Bargnani, Calderone and Lowry.

[sportschic]

Oh, how I remember that 16-66 season! I was living in LA, and back in those days I read a daily newspaper in print (also no home internet)! Every morning, I'd open it up to see how the Raptors did and it didn't make nice reading, especially during that really long losing streak.

As for Andrea, I'm with those who think he could be gently corrected, but it is his second language so I'd cut him a bit of slack.

[Boko]

I noticed that you did not include Kyle & Amir & Andrea as "some pieces". I can, however, understand not doing so with José and Mickael, due to their best before dates having passed. I can even understand not including Andrea, due to the high probability that he'll be traded away in the next 14 months. But Kyle & Amir?

Blogger's note: Amir, probably; Kyle? Am totally unimpressed

[LeeZ]

O.K., time to weigh in on the DepressGate scandal of yesterday. He probably meant to say that this whole thing is depressING, which is a totally valid, somewhat figurative usage of the word. But what if he is indeed depressed about the turn of events, even somewhat? He's had a rough year, he has not played nearly to the level of his abilities, he is being villified by the fans and in the media...people get clinically depressed for a lot less. Does he get paid a lot of money? Sure. What, rich people don't get depressed? I understand the point DC was making, but depression isn't rational. Just because you have enough money to feed your kids and buy them presents doesn't mean you can't be depressed. So, DC's comment, seen through that lens, is a bit of a non sequitur.
Question, Doug: I've notice a refreshing civility in the comments ever since you issued your Zero Tolerance on Cyber Insults edict. Is this because no one is sending in vile posts anymore, or are they still doing it but you've blocked them? It's kind of like the difference between the time when smoking was allowed in the workplace and the day they switched over to smoke free environment. Breath of fresh air!

Blogger's note: Haven't blocked a one, I don't think. Maybe it just took a wee word

[Jon]

BC isn't bad, other than getting nothing for Bosh. I will wait and see on Fields, seems like the injury has been around for a while. I would trade Lowry before Jose. But unfortunately injuries will hamper any trades. We need to chill and ride out the season. And if they fire Casey, that would be an extreme over reaction

[Ray Allen]

It's one of the worst seasons when you consider the 1st rounder we'll probably lose.

[K. Wright]

Just checking in...wondering if it's time for us to start panicking, lemme know.

Thanks

[LeeZ]

"Blogger's note: Haven't blocked a one, I don't think. Maybe it just took a wee word"
DOUG, DO YOU REALIZE THE POWER YOU HAVE? All you have to do is say something and presto-bango, the population at large complies! You are like a super-hero! You must use your superpowers for good and not evil. Please have a wee word with the Israelis and Palestinians, then go tell Rush Limbaugh to shut his big gazoo, and...and...oh how the mind boggles! Possibilities abound. You could even use it on your family! "Hey SuperWife, can you stop leaving your curlers in the bathroom sink, for crying out loud!" And she would magically acquiesce!

[Ren]

For some reason, the Raptors organization continues to bash their best point guard (of all time, really) - Jose Calderon. Yes, he can't play one-on-one D, but last year - Casey fixed that. Yes, he doesn't have the step to the rim he had before - but the guy regularly puts up double digit assists when he starts!

Can he push the ball? - yep, he's doing it
Can he pass the ball? - yep, one of the best
Can he shoot the ball? - yep, one of the best at his position.

So what WAS the problem?

They needed a fix, a name, a flag.
And that came in Nash.
And it didn't, so it came in Lowry - a "great" point guard who is a great scorer and a great leader and a pitbull and a defender and a virtual all star in the making who was... traded? Didn't get along with his coach?

So what IS the problem?

They made a mistake.
They got a starting point guard when they needed a backup.

Was Lowry a mistake, Doug?
Why supplant a great point guard like Calderone who was working well in a system that was improving constantly?

[Lorie]

Good Morning, Doug
Have you kept all these wonderful stories in a secure place, ready and waiting for the day you begin writing the definitive history of the Raptors? You've been there tthrough it all and can spin a tale - and there've been some doozies, haven't there?! And these days, you can self-publish! It's the latest thing! Everybody with a keyboard, a dream and time on their hands is doing it! And to help raise funds? We'll launch a Kickstarter campaign! Gosh! We'll do like Mickey and Judy in those Andy Hardy movies and put on a show. And it'll be a big success. And you'll wind up on Broadway! Ahh, the heck with a book - just do show to begin with. You could call it "Phantom of the Backcourt". Or "Les Miserables Ballers". Or "Missed! Sigh! Gone!". Cheers! And Bravo on the stories today.

[Curtis]

Hey Doug;

Great song by George Harrison; one of the best.

[HopeCaper]

Doug couldn't agree more on your aessessment of Lowry. How anyone can watch the Raps offence run by JC and KL and not see that the better PG was already here can't be understanding the game.While I'm at it I thought BC handled Jay T poorly. BC obviously thought that Casey comes in and makes everyone forget the unsuccessful Canadian coach who by the way did not have near the team Casey has had at his disposal. Casey, according to him and BC, came in here to change the culture an utterly damning comment on Triano. Well Dwayne how's she lookin' so far?

[Jeff D]

I am no English major; I don't even know whether that phrase is gramatically correct or whether the use of a semi-colon was appropriate. That said I understand that many words in the English language have many different meanings, some of them very subtle. I can't blame Bargnani for his use of the word "depressed" but I also think Casey made the right response. There are words that carry a stigma and are often used without much thought but can be deeply offended by those who understand the word in a much deeper context. I would argue that besides depressed, retarded is one such word. Thankfully, the majority of people who would be justified in taking offence at such terms are gracious and understanding. Some of you won't care, I get that, but maybe one or two will give it a little more thought to the descriptive words chosen.

Afterall, wasn't Movember all about raising awareness for men's health and mental illness (i.e. depression)? However, it may have just been an excuse to sport those "cool" staches. Thanks,

[Boko]

BC has given us the pieces to keep (Dwane, DeMar, Terrance, Jonas, Ed & Amir). Dwane needs to start optimizing The Youngsters development, damn the consequences. I'd be sorry to see José go now. He's outperformed my expectation of him this season. Kyle looks to me like he belongs on the second unit, leading most of The Youngsters. If we can trade Andrea, Mickael, José and Kyle for a really good PG & SF/G, and a substitute PG, I'd be OK with that. Unlikely, but what fun is life if you can't have your dreams ...

[pran]

Oh man, hearing about darryl walker singing "free at last" had me in tears, thanks for the laughs doug.

[David C]

Bargnani meant that he was dejected, disheartened. Dictionary definition of dejected: depressed in spirit. "Depressed" has a range of meanings, and using the term for something less than clinical depression is perfectly good English. A teaching point for Casey, perhaps?