No Storybook Ending

You know how I know this isn’t a Hollywood movie? Well, first off, I’d be better looking.

But basketball-wise, the Raptors would have not only won their last 2 games – and a whole lot more (including that last home game – was “Fan Appreciation Night” one big three-word typo?), but they’d also be in the playoffs and on the way to winning a tough-fought championship.

Well, this certainly isn’t “Hoosiers”… or even “Coach Carter” for that matter. No championship. No playoffs. And for me… no work today.

If this was a script, I’d be at the ACC right now, asking all the right questions in the Raptors’ exit interviews. Instead, I’m sitting here in my basketball shorts and a ragged old t-shirt, watching the other reporters ask the questions on Raptors TV.

Is there no justice?

I don’t know how to look at it, really, but that doesn’t mean I’ll just close my eyes.

This season was tough; both for the Raptors and me.

While they came out of the gates sluggish, I started out quiet. I was young, and timid. They were the same.
The Raptors picked it up after the first month – as did I. I was becoming more vocal, and more involved in the scrums.

Before the all-star break, the Raptors went on the road, and I stayed at home. I seemed to have lost my groove a bit, and again… this is no movie, and I’m no Stella.

However, eventually I did start to get comfortable again… the last few weeks went pretty well, actually. You were with me, you know how it went.

But here we are, and it’s almost like it all came full circle.

The Raptors started 1-15, and ended the season 1-12.

I started a little slow, and ended up sitting here in my chair - while all the action is just south of Front Street.

(To fill you in a little more: I was supposed to be working this morning, but since Raptors TV is carrying all the coverage live, the Fan needed only one representative. I understand how it goes, but that doesn’t mean I need to like it.)

My goal was to be there from start to finish. I had questions to ask. I had hands to shake.

I wanted to talk with Jose one last time in person before Spain – instead, now that’ll be done through e-mail.

I wanted one last word-exchange with my favorite interview – Mo Pete.
The last thing he told me was to get “Energizer” batteries, after he saw me changing my “Industrials.” When engineering ran out of the free “industrials,” I actually went out and bought the good ones, despite telling Mo: “I’ll buy energizers when I can afford them.”

There was so much more I wanted to do… so much I had in mind for this final day.

I wanted to thank the other reporters who helped ingrain that extra ounce of confidence in me. I wanted to thank the Media Relations team for helping me adjust to my dream world. I wanted to talk to Sam Mitchell one more time…

That will obviously have to wait.

If this were a movie script, I’d be a guest on basketball shows across the continent. I’d be catching up with the players in the off-season, and catching up with them without worrying about writing a groundbreaking story.

If this were a movie script, I’d be down there today, instead of being here.

You know what, though? Maybe it is a script. Maybe it’s just getting started. Maybe I’ve got this great story idea, and I’m just rounding up the pieces, and convincing the right people that I’m the right person to be writing it.

I understand that one can not necessarily control their own destiny, but I also know that if it’s something they truly want… they can help pave a nice, smooth path to getting where they want to be.

I’ve knocked down a few walls… but understand there are so many more to break.

This off-season is going to be HUGE. There will be lots of work to do. It’s just a matter of whether the pie is big enough for me to get a slice.

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I don’t know how often I’ll be updating this blog during the off-season, but I do want to take this time to thank you all for checking in, and spending time with me on my adventures. This has truly been a lot of fun, especially when I hear from the people who read this.

You can not possibly know how gratifying it is to know that something I wrote became part of people’s internet-routines.

I feel blessed to be in this situation… and more so that I have readers to share it with.

Hopefully you’ll stick around, as I slowly make my way towards my sophomore season, and the many more adventures that will come with it.

Thank you.

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Oh, and as you probably know by now… Chris Bosh just said he WILL sign that extension with the Raptors, barring any unfortunate incidents.