SEA OF LOVE: Joy atop the buses, and down in the crowd. DiManno,
To paraphrase Fred VanVleet: Eff-ing eh hoopla, Toronto.
Even if it took nearly six hours to get to the heart of the thing — Nathan Phillips Square — as five open-top buses, transporting precious cargo, wound through the city’s downtown core.
Even if, goddammit, gunfire broke during the celebration, causing panic and pandemonium as frightened revellers stampeded from Ground Zero at the Queen St. edge of the throng, some trampled and hurt in the chaos. Four victims, their injuries not believed to be life-threatening, according to police. Two guns recovered, three suspects arrested.
The ground littered with shoes and backpacks and cellphones — the detritus of flight — and an overturned stroller, abandoned.
Three stabbings around the Eaton Centre, in other violent incidents.
This is the rattle and hum of a metropolis, on Monday no different. It’s our new normal.
But it would be a shame if that’s the dominant headline with the entire country watching, maybe the whole newssniffing Twitter-engorged planet.
The Raptors deserve better. The city deserves better.
Because this was a sea of throbbing love. This was mass affection and conviviality and gratitude and pride.
Some two million worshippers of the Toronto Raptors lined the streets and crammed Canada’s largest public plaza, spilling upwards into Dundas Square, jamming intersections as road after road was closed off, slowing down the procession of the 2019 NBA champions.
Shoulder to shoulder and chest to chest.
Players with their children in arms. With victory cigars in their mouths. Showering the crowd with spumes of champagne. Remarkably patient as the parade inched along, sluggish enough that many were able to approach and receive autographs, take selfies, get a good gander at the Larry O-B and the MVP trophy.
“Ole! Ole! Ole!” encouraged Spaniard Marc Gasol.
“Five more!” — upping the ante — declared Kyle Lowry, rocking a retro Damon Stoudamire jersey, as Kawhi Leonard snickered.
A claw of contrails as the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds streaked across the sky. Someone handed up to Leonard a potted plant — Baby Groot, a mini version of the “Kawhi-actus” that a brilliantly loopy fan had spontaneously proffered after the Game 6 victory, as a housewarming bit of greenery, instantly memeomic.
Nick Nurse, haloed in a painting held aloft, like a religious icon. “This city is really special because of you people. Never saw anything like that parade, I’m sure I never will again. I think it was Bono who said the world needs more Canada. The world just got it! Congratulations!”
Pascal Siakam orchestrated his own Spicy P chorus. Danny Green still apologizing for “not giving enough” on the court. Serge Ibaka, the chef: “How hungry are you? You guys must all be hungry. For so many, many years. Am I right or no?”
Kyle Lowry, the longesttenured Raptor, occasionally a malcontent, most especially when his best friend DeMar DeRozan was sent packing last summer, but the heart and soul of this reconfigured squad. “First and foremost, I want to thank all the fans that we have out here,” he said from the stage. “Give yourselves a round of applause because we wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you guys … This group of guys, coaches, general manager, president, board of governors, it’s a small knit group, we did it together. Practised hard, we worked hard, and we just kept our faith. And at the end of the day, y’all going to be my brothers, always. We are now world champions, together.’’
Mr. Fourth Quarter, VanVleet: “This is a very special moment, not just for us as an organization, but the city, the country of Canada, for me personally. You guys kill us when we lose. Killed us when we got swept two years in a row. So you better celebrate this s — — t for the rest of the summer. We delivered, now it’s your turn to deliver for us. Enjoy it, man.”
And Kawhi, of course Kawhi, self-professed “Fun Guy,” who remade the team in his image, stoicism dropped now, but not dropping a hint of what he’s going to do with free agency looming and a city yearning for more Leonard.
Two-time MVP, only the third to have ever been thus invested on two different teams.
He’d danced in the Oakland visitors’ dressing room last week, he danced atop the bus on Monday. But was that his last dance as a Raptor, pining for home, for California?
“Thank you for welcoming me after the trade with open arms, man. It made my experience that much better. This group of guys let me do what I do on the floor. Coach Nick let me do what I do and now we’ve got a championship.”
Then he tickled the crowd with a reprise of his signature chuckle: “Uhah-ha-ha-ha.”
Here, at the centre of the universe, the world has been spinning wildly over recent days, over the past two months, over 24 playoff games and four opponents set aside. We have never before seen the likes of it, a nation stitched together in viewing parties and victory promenades and collective joy. The Raptors were adopted by everybody in a way that the Maple Leafs can never be, so closely are they intertwined with Toronto, so intense the rivalries with other Canadian franchises.
They took their time getting here, the players and Drake, via Viva Las Vegas, half the roster returning Saturday, the other half airlifted Sunday on Drizzy’s private jet.
Ambassador Drake, who lapped it up and juiced it up like no other fan, courtside at Scotiabank Arena.
On Monday: “This is a talented, relentless group of guys that put it on the line and sacrificed everything for each and every one of you all, and I want you to know that these moments are few and far between. So today, I know you’ll get on your phone and you’ll look at your pictures, and you’ll look at the clips on line … but right now this is what I want you to do.” Hug-a-stranger, he asked. And they did. “That’s what I like to see. I like to see all that love.”
Shades of the Blue Jays ecstasy, from more than a quarter-century ago, back-to-back World Champions. But this was different in scope and feeling. The Jays held their triumphal conclave inside what was then known as SkyDome and some players scooted off to catch flights out of town even before the formalities were concluded.
It was before social media, before player Twitter and Instagram accounts, before all the world was a cellphone video. This Raptors rapture felt both broader and more intimate, overwhelming.
There was certainly a sense of that community in Toronto, in spades and generally good behaviour, even as the crowds swelled and there was scarcely room to breathe, even as some fainted or vomited in the crush and the heat, and the hours dragged on from the moment the parade left the OVO training facility, assembling at the Princes’ Gate at Exhibition Place, “superfan” Nav Bhatia — who hasn’t missed a single home game since the franchise launched 24 years ago — leading the procession as honorary parade marshal, falling in behind the Toronto Fire Pipes and the Toronto Police Chief’s ceremonial unit.
We The North Day, proclaimed by Mayor John Tory, before giving the Raptors a key to the city, sharesie. “Thank you for winning in such spectacular fashion. What you have accomplished together is deserving of the highest honour this city can offer.”
Bremner Road along Jurassic Park renamed Raptors Way. We The North Day. We due north. We overdue major championship festivities.
Weed North, as cannabis fumes wafted across the parade route. A contact high, for free. Cloud Six in The 6 and seventh heaven.
Too many politicians and hangers-on cluttering the stage, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was mercifully brief. Premier Doug Ford, wisely, spoke not a word.
Drake didn’t perform, as had been expected. The masses had to settle instead for Queen, to usher out the players. “We Are The Champions.” Goose-bumpy. Vowed Masai Ujiri, the architect of this wondrous team: “We won in Toronto and will continue to win in Toronto.’’
“I just want to say thank you for welcoming me here ... Enjoy this moment and have fun with it. A-ha, ha, ha, ha.” FINALS MVP KAWHI LEONARD “I think it was Bono who said, ‘The world needs more Canada.’ The world just got it!” RAPTORS COACH NICK NURSE