Rogers Arena played host to the team that could when the Toronto Raptors rolled into town for a preseason stop in the fourth annual NBA Canada Series Oct. 4.
Many fans were thrilled to have the opportunity to watch the Raptors post the 93-73 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in person, but the game was also a reminder of the team that inevitably couldn鈥檛 鈥� the 麻豆传媒映画Grizzlies.
There was nary a quiet moment at the merch table outside the arena where many showed no hesitation in forking out 140 bucks for Kyle Lowry鈥檚 No. 7 Raptors jersey or 85 beans for the black hoodie with the popular 鈥淲e the North鈥� slogan in white block letters. Hanging beside them were Grizzlies jerseys in teal, a colour reminiscent of the walls of a 1990s suburban aerobics studio, which is a good indication in itself of how many years have passed since this city had a NBA team.
The Grizzlies lasted six years in Vancouver. The franchise started in 1995 along with the Raptors, as part of the NBA鈥檚 expansion north of the border. Both teams gasped for air during their early years, partially due to the league鈥檚 restrictive rules (i.e. not being allowed to draft first overall even if they鈥檇 won the lottery), but it was Toronto that started to show potential by the fourth season. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, never moved out of the league basement thanks to a horrendous record of 101 games won and 359 lost.聽
Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment sold the team and it moved out of GM Place (later renamed Rogers Arena) to Memphis, Tenn. for the 2001-02 season, leaving the Raptors the bragging rights of being the only Canadian NBA team.
But, despite the record, questionable draft picks and stories of head-shaking management decisions, fans in 麻豆传媒映画still love their Grizzlies.
Bill Sarai drove to 麻豆传媒映画from Kamloops with his family for Sunday鈥檚 game, which marked the Clippers鈥� first visit to 麻豆传媒映画since April 4, 2001, partially for the experience and partially to do his part in showing the powers-that-be that 麻豆传媒映画deserves a second shot at having its own NBA team, no matter how miniscule the odds of that actually happening.
鈥淚 remember being here for the [L.A.] Lakers and Grizzlies game and it was awesome, it was a packed house,鈥� said Sarai. 鈥淏ut they were 10 years too early, I think. I was big-time disappointed when we lost them. Because once you lose a team, it will never come back.鈥�
Sarai, who bought his son Nick a Grizzlies jersey with Mike Bibby鈥檚 No. 10 an hour before waiting in line to get into the arena, said the city is in a better position to support a team now than it was 20 years ago.
鈥淏asketball is really youth-driven and youth are more into basketball now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 everywhere. There鈥檚 some real interest here.鈥�
That sentiment was echoed by Vishal Lekhi and his raucous group of 20 friends who marched onto the arena鈥檚 concourse all in white T-shirts printed with their catchphrase #VancouverWantsNBA.
鈥淲e want to show 麻豆传媒映画can support another team,鈥� said Lekhi. 鈥淲e are ready. 麻豆传媒映画is ready.鈥�
It was no surprise when Teri Parker and her brother Mike said the exact same thing. Teri wore a vintage Champion-brand Grizzlies jersey bought for her when she was 12 years old while Mike wore a recent birthday gift, a newer teal jersey with Bryant 鈥淏ig Country鈥� Reeves No. 50 on the back. (Mike was eight when he went to Grizzlies games and remembered being enthralled by Reeves鈥� nickname. 鈥淲hat kid didn鈥檛 like the name 鈥楤ig Country鈥�?鈥� His older sister, though, remembers being more impressed with scoring leader Shareef Abdur-Rahim.)
鈥淚f basketball came back here, I would buy a season pack,鈥� said Teri. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care how much it would cost.鈥�
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