Season That Will Define The Franchise?  For many reasons this
was always going to be a big season for the Raptors. It marks 15
years in the NBA. Where has the time gone seriously? I was
hanging around Toronto on Friday and was around the Skydome. You
may prefer to call it Rogers Centre. But is was the Skydome when
the Raptors called it home. I never attended a game at the dome.
It was not the most ideal place to play a basketball game. Damon
Stoudamire was booed in that same Skydome and he would have the
last laugh being named rookie of the year. It was kind of proof
that Toronto had a long way to go as basketball fans. Damon was
a good player from Arizona but the people felt Ed O'Bannon was
the guy based on being part of a championship UCLA squad. Damon
was the little man that would lead what was the first era of
Raptors basketball. Mighty Mouse may never be as popular in
Toronto or anywhere else ever again. Be it the cartoon character
or the man who took on the nickname.  The smiles and happiness
would not