We had a dream. It didn't come true. One of the pre-eminent players in professional basketball is a Canadian and for a brief moment this week it looked like he might wind down his career playing for the only Canadian NBA team, the Toronto Raptors.

In the end Steve Nash chose the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a crazy dream anyway. At age 38 Nash has never won an NBA championship, despite a storied career of MVP titles, conference finals, All-Star games and general elite status. It may just come down to that, a superstar who has everything but the elusive championship ring. There is no doubt that with the Lakers, he has a shot.

NOT ABOUT PATRIOTISM

It's interesting that patriotism and the Canadian flag were waved during these last few days of alleged negotiations. Granted the Raptors have Canadian ownership and play in a Canadian city but trying to represent this massive geographical unit that is Canada is pretty shallow marketing.

I've got this crazy concept that if they went out and got really good players, won a bunch of games and went deep in the playoffs, that this might sell tickets and make us proud of a team based in Canada. Granted Nash is a very good player, but he's also pushing 40 with a sore back, and is that what the Raptors need right now?

Oft times the Blue Jays are the same thing. Canada's team!? Vancouver had an NBA franchise and Montreal had baseball. Neither worked out. Still there is no point in bringing patriotism into the remaining franchises or even into the game unless we're talking Olympics.

Today Steve Nash is in the position of being a Canadian player who turned down a Canadian team. It is unfair that the Raptors and/or the media put him there. I do not for a moment question Nash's devotion to country. He is GM of the Canadian men's team, a job he accepted with dignity, honor and a personal appearance. In any industry there isn't a Canadian who wouldn't do business elsewhere. And that's all that just happened. LEAVE COMMENTS.

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