"Deal of the Century..." (January 24, 1998)

With all this Damon Stoudamire trade speculation, it got me thinking, like the players who can demand trades on their terms, we, the fan who actually support this damn league, should be able to demand trades as well. For instance, I am living in Toronto. The Raptors suck. I'm a Clipper fan. I should be able to demand a trade to the Clippers. Now, I'm not moving to Los Angeles (although I'd like to) because it's too expensive for me and I don't have a job waiting. The Clippers and Raptors could switch, quickly and easily. The head offices could stay where ever they wanted (because in this, the information age, it does not matter where your headquarters are, you're only a phone call, e-mail or fax away). Teams go on road trips, right? Call it an extended road trip. Once again, using my example, the Clips move to Toronto and the Raps move to L.A. I, representing the vast majority of Toronto in this instance, demanded the trade, and the Raptor organization realizing that the fans support the league and keep it going, have to make a move. So they move. I know this won't happen and I'm venting a bit here. The fans should be able to call for trades. I don't mean stupid things like on Talk Sports Radio, where inane idiots call in and say "Why don't the Raptors trade for Michael Jordan?" or "We should trade Damon Stoudamire for Shaq. He's good, right?" I mean, like Damon, who has slowly and carefully, and strategically, taken shots at the Raptor organization (which his mentor, the unnamed former Piston point guard, built) and has aired his frustration at losing. (Although I do say that for a guy who wants Gary Payton bread, he doesn't seem to make his team any better, does he. Why would a last place team pay $70 million for a player? If they suck with him, they'll suck without him. I think he's a great player, just not player who is great and makes others around him better. This is going to be a long side-bar, but point guards are supposed to make their team better, lead by example and all the rhetoric, but he doesn't seem to do that. He scores, he dishes, he plays. But the Raptors still do suck. Explain. The best point guards in the NBA are one good teams, coincidence? I bet some of you would say, it's because they have better supporting casts, that's why they are better. You are probably right, but I don't know.) Damon has pushed for this impending trade. Talk about the "90's selfish athlete".

For you out there in global Internet land, here's a brief history. Damon is picked. The fans, me included, wanted Eddie O'Bannon. Eddie O washed out of the league, due to bad teams, injuries, playing the wrong position, inability to adjust to the NBA, etc. Damon turned into a legitimate NBA star. Zeke takes Damon under his wing. They develop a relationship. After Damon's second year, Zeke and Damon discuss contract. Rumors of $10 million a year for 7 years is offered and turned down. He wants Gary Payton bread. That's over $90 million. Zeke doesn't want to kill his cap now so he can sign a young player (ie. Smith, McDyess, Stackhouse, etc.) to a big contract and then sign Damon with the Bird exemption. Damon agrees, because he has a special relationship with Zeke. (Side note: Last year, people talked about Damon taking one for the team and not signing the big contract like Bryant Reeves or Kevin Garnett, and being a real team player. Did anyone realize that he put a gun to the Raptors head? No one knew Zeke would walk. No one knew Zeke would flip out when he attempted his coup for the Raptors. Damon wanted the big money available to him in the free agent market. He knew he'd be bid up, relationship or not. Look at it this way. If Zeke did sign a McDyess or Smith, Damon would probably stay and this way he'd have a good player to play with. If Zeke didn't, he'd probably walk and go to a good team that had cap space (ie. Phoenix, Chicago, Houston). I'm not calling him selfish, it's self preservation. Back to the story.) The media makes a big deal about the contract situation and taking one for the team. Zeke leaves. Damon wants out. Armageddon beings in Raptor-land!

If Damon was signed to the big contract, he'd be screwed regardless. I guess we have Zeke to blame for the Raptor situation. I think Glen Grunwell, the Raptors GM, should trade him to the Clipper or Golden State to screw Damon. It serves him right. He plays himself as such a team leader, but unlike Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, or the other great players who took less money to stay with their team (or in the case of Mike and Magic, took pay cuts to get better players), he wants the money and the better team instead of creating his own team. He always said he wanted to be part of the Raptors organization and then they'd grow together, I guess not.

You think the fans can trade Toronto for Golden State? Or the Mavericks? Teams move in every sport, every year. What's the difference. It would be a good change. I think we should just fast forward to the future. Have corporate owned teams. Paul Allen, the second largest share holder of Microsoft, could rename the Portland Trailblazers to the Microsoft Windows. The Knicks parent company is Paramount (I think), they could be renamed as well. How about divisions split up by sector. A division of just car manufacturers. Ford, GM, Toyota and Fiat (every division needs a crappy team with no money). Same goes for television companies, ABC, NBC, CBS, Turner, etc. There would be no home city. They'd all play in different cities, like neutral site games the NHL used to have. Or better yet, they could play in portable flying domes like the Legion of Doom, from the Super Friends cartoon show (I watch it on Cartoon Network, it's really bad, but it's fun.) Live from Boise, Idaho, it's the Microsoft Windows versus their bitter rivals the Oracle Servers. At half time, the game could move to Iowa, or if there weren't enough fans or high enough ratings. I know I'm being a little extreme, but I'm pissed off.

I get home to read Damon is gone. Then he's not gone. But I know he'll be gone. If he goes, no one will come to Toronto for years. He can do what he wants. I think the Raptors should do something smart. Unload his ungrateful ass. I like the Los Angeles Laker deal of Elden Campbell and Nick Van Exel. Both are young and can play. In fact, Nick is almost as good as Damon straight up. Elden gives them a real center, who can do 20 and 10 most nights. Besides, Elden is locked up for the next 6 years. Make the deal trade Walt Williams, Zan Tabak and Damon to L.A. Good for both teams. The only other deal I really like is moving him to New Jersey for Sam Cassell and a 1st rounder. I know other players would have to be involved, but I think it's a good deal. The Raptors would be no worse off, because Cassell is almost as good and they get a pick. I'd like the Raptors to get a big man, but with the exception of Ike Austin and Kevin Willis (Houston deal is dead), there are no big men on the block. What to do, what to do! I know a good deal, trade Damon to Denver for Battie and Bobby Jackson. That'll show him. Grunwell would be saying, you push me, I push you back. Denver is stupid enough to make that deal too. It's Allan Bristow's goal to make that team into a CBA team. There are more rookies there than the starting five of the Tar Heels of UNC.

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