Simmons: Raptors are everything the Leafs are not

Scott Hall · Post #1 » by **Scott Hall** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:50 am

Post #2 » by **Alfred** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:56 am

Steve Simmons stirring up drama between the Leafs and the Raptors? Who would have guessed? I will never read another article by this guy after the Kessel hot dog story.

SharoneWright · Post #3 » by **SharoneWright** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:00 am

I'm of a certain age.... used to watch the Leafs as a kid staring up at the TV with my elbows on the carpet. Still a fan, but haven't watched a full 60minute game in maybe 4 years. I watch all 82 Raps games... (And Simmons is still an idiot.)

talosinc · Post #4 » by **talosinc** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:00 am

I like this statement:

"But you look at the Raptors today and love who they are and what they are. You can’t help it.
Then you look at the Leafs and wonder what the hell has gone wrong with this team."

Like how people love Daniel Bryan, even though Vince shoves Roman Reigns down our throats.

Post #5 » by **Reeko** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:03 am

Outside of the Jays when they're good, I really don't care about any other sports teams other than the Raptors. I couldn't care less about the Leafs. Basketball is fast becoming king in Toronto.

Westside Gunn · Post #6 » by **Westside Gunn** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:08 am

The leafs also did what everything you could ask for. Bring in new, brightminded, up and coming leaders like Shanahan, hire a reputable coach with a competent scouting staff who draft the best players. They definitely drafted the best players you can ask for, they attracted a major free agent, and they locked in everyone for the forseeable future. They did everything right...

Despite all of that, they **** suck. The core of Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Marner is skilled but extremely soft. The only toughness in this team is provided by Gauthier. They really should've kept Kadri. The return was good at the time, but I feel that Kerfoot and Barrie have been meh at best.

The GM doesn't seem too bright. Analytics this, analytics that. give whatever that's asked for in contract negotiations.

Lou Lamirello was running this team properly. You can say the Leafs are the New York Knicks of the league.

I like what Simmons is doing. Stir that pot, make these fans wake up, spending almost vacation money at the ACC for a weekday **** game. people need to stop watching until they start winning, leaf fans have proven to be pretty loyal.

Scott Hall · Post #7 » by **Scott Hall** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:19 am

Westside Gunn wrote:The leafs also did what everything you could ask for. Bring in new, brightminded, up and coming leaders like Shanahan, hire a reputable coach with a competent scouting staff who draft the best players. They definitely drafted the best players you can ask for, they attracted a major free agent, and they locked in everyone for the forseeable future. They did everything right...

Despite all of that, they **** suck. The core of Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Marner is skilled but extremely soft. The only toughness in this team is provided by Gauthier. They really should've kept Kadri. The return was good at the time, but I feel that Kerfoot and Barrie have been meh at best.

The GM doesn't seem too bright. Analytics this, analytics that. give whatever that's asked for in contract negotiations.

Lou Lamirello was running this team properly. You can say the Leafs are the New York Knicks of the league.

I like what Simmons is doing. Stir that pot, make these fans wake up, spending almost vacation money at the ACC for a weekday **** game. people need to stop watching until they start winning, leaf fans have proven to be pretty loyal.

Dubas also has made the same mistake Colangelo did when he first took over the Raptors and that's build a team
all about offense and have no regard for defense. But I agree with you that Dubas has built the softest hockey team
I've ever seen in my entire life at any level both physically and mentally this is the biggest collection of wimps ever
assembled.

It's amazing the decades go by and the players and coaches and management change but the Leafs always remain
the same embarrassment.

If I was MLSE I'd probably pay Ujiri and Nurse to give Shanahan, Dubas and Babcock seminars on how to win in
sports. I'd also get the Raptors scouts to teach the Blue Jay scouts how to scout properly.

PT416 · Post #8 » by **PT416** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:21 am

Anyone with love for the city will scoff at a headline like this.

-AirCanada- · Post #9 » by **-AirCanada-** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:30 am

PT416 wrote:Anyone with love for the city will scoff at a headline like this.

Unfortunaly we have a lot of people who think it's a competition between sports in the city.

I want every Toronto team to succeed.

AbC? · Post #10 » by **AbC?** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:36 am

Leafs are kind of screwed
- Babcock is the NHL version of Casey. 1st round exit expert. He's actually probably worse, he's done less with more. Wanted him fired 2 years ago.
- Dubas has sucked as GM: overpaid Marner significantly, went all-in with Muzzin/Barrie both expiring next summer, couldn't lock up Matthews to 8 years. All the little overpays have added up and the team will just get worse around their star players. Freddie is a UFA after next season. Going to lose Mikhayev and Dermott needs to be paid.
- The "big 3" of Matthews/Nylander/Marner just aren't that good and got overrated because of the Toronto market. Kind of like Kuzma with the Lakers. Soft as hell.

I've always been a Raptor fan first but I was excited for Shanahan and Dubas, haven't watched a game this season, writing was on the wall.

fbalmeida · Post #11 » by **fbalmeida** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:56 am

The Leafs are fine. They've got a talented and outrageously young core locked up long-term. The fanbase needs to manage expectations. By the time Marner will be old enough to grow a beard, they'll be a better team. Some of these guys won't have reached their peak in 5 years from now.

C_Money · Post #12 » by **C_Money** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:54 am

Umm yeah, I kinda don’t read anything this guy writes.

And he asks the most cringe worthy questions at every press conference.

VanWest82 · Post #13 » by **VanWest82** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:05 am

Considering the source, I can’t help but think this is a ploy to stir up the leafs base against the Raptors in a make Toronto great again type of movement for old hockey fans to take back their city.

Yosemite Dan · Post #14 » by **Yosemite Dan** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:06 am

Signing Tavares was the biggest mistake the team made. While he’s a very good player, he’s not a superstar but they paid him like one. And that set the wheels in motion for Matthews and Marner to demand the same salary. While Matthews may be worth it, he still is too inconsistent where he’ll score goals in bunches but then disappears for a half dozen games and cares little about defense. And the Marner contract is a complete joke. He is not close to being a 11 million dollar player. And Nylander should have been traded for some defense before he ever started bitching about a contract and sat out.

And Babcock is one of the most overrated coaches of all time. He won one Cup but had the rep of being Scotty Bowman for some reason. The game has passed him by. Winning gold medals for Canada wasn’t exactly an achievement. You would have to be a real screw up not to win a gold with Team Canada and their stacked rosters.

GreatWhiteStiff · Post #15 » by **GreatWhiteStiff** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:19 am

I hate old hockey centric people who need to read articles like this to feel vaguely concerned with the raptors. And by god, I'm a middle aged man myself now. **** that. But anyways this articles that feel the need to compare and contrast the raptors to the leafs are so dated, but I can understand how they could appeal to hockey stans trying to stretch their minds, or who need hockey to appear in every news paper article they read.

Anticon · Post #16 » by **Anticon** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:27 am

Normally the contrast is silly and outdated. But it is noteworthy at this point I think.

Within the same ownership, the Raptors have seemingly developed sustainable success while the Leafs can't even get the success part right.

Personally I'm grateful I'm not, and have never been, a fan of that team. Seems depressing all around.

Darkseid · Post #17 » by **Darkseid** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:50 am

I thought this was going to be a Bill Simmons tweet.

I don't give a **** about some hack Canadian writer.

fbalmeida · Post #18 » by **fbalmeida** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:08 am

A team with level headed management and early playoff exits and that can't get over the hump? Gee, where have I heard of that before? The leafs will be fine.

Post #19 » by **The Duke** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:25 am

Blame Dubis.
I was good with Tavares signing.
But he needed to draw a line in the sand, and say no one gets more then Tavares period.
And hell no to Nylander

Post #20 » by **Crowned** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 12:53 pm

I didn’t read the article, but the premise is accurate. I’m a big Leafs fan, and always have been. The team is tough to watch. They have a bunch of skill and speed, but no compete level. They play with no toughness or heart, watching them float around the ice is frustrating. Reading excuses about injuries they’ve gone through this season is equally as frustrating.

The Raptors play to win, at all costs. It’s a culture that has been implemented throughout the roster, top to bottom. They know what it takes to win, and they figure it out despite their injuries.

So yes, he’s right. Right now, the Raptors are everything the Leafs are not. They’re a team that wants to compete.