The Raptors held Fan Day today, which is always an interesting exercise in organized enthusiasm. Everyone gathers to celebrate the fact that the team exists, which is a nice sentiment when you think about it. My uncle once won a free hat at a similar event in 1994, though he says the elastic was too tight and gave him a localized headache for three days.
Immanuel Quickley took home the Best Teammate award for 2026, which feels right. He seems like the kind of person who would actually help you move a couch without complaining about the stairs. He has a way of looking like he is having fun, even when we are down by fourteen points in the second quarter of a Tuesday night game against Charlotte.
The Everyman and the Coach
Scottie Barnes played what people are calling an everyman game yesterday. It is a strange term, because most everymen cannot jump over a parked car or pass a basketball with that level of velocity. I suppose it means he did the little things, like the way my neighbor spends four hours perfectly edging his lawn.
Scottie also recently shared the background on that meme of Darko Rajakovic screaming in his face in the locker room. Apparently, there is a whole story there involving adrenaline and coaching techniques. It is funny how a photo of a man yelling can become a digital heirloom, while I cannot remember where I put my car keys most mornings.
Pizza and the New Guy
The organization released a Pizza Pizza code during the festivities, which is the cornerstone of the regional economy. Nothing unites the city of Toronto quite like the prospect of slightly lukewarm pepperoni slices being exchanged for a series of numbers and letters. It is a tradition as old as time, or at least as old as the 2019 championship run.
- Jonathan Mogbo (CMB) finally got a taste of rookie hazing.
- Everyone seemed to enjoy the spectacle.
- The hazing probably involved carrying bags or singing, which is better than what happened to rookies in the seventies.