Hello! I’m Julian, one of the Herald’s Creative Directors! For this column, I want to take off my masthead hat and put on my Raptors cap to give updates and share my feelings on the world of sports. News in the athletics space can change at the drop of a hat, especially concerning winning streaks or statistics, so that must be considered when reading the following. This article’s description of team standings are accurate as of November 21, 2024.

Without further ado, let’s talk about what happened, after the buzzer…

Basketball

Where would a sports column in Toronto be without discussing the Raptors, our most successful team of the 21st century? This year saw the return of our purple jerseys, a throwback to the early 2000s; something I’m quite a fan of. What I’m not so hot on is seeing our lineup gutted: Raps’ star forward Scottie Barnes is out of commission, as well as our starting point guard, Immanuel Quickley. However, this has provided an opportunity for sophomore Gradey Dick to truly set up and cement himself as a capable player when given more minutes. However, inconsistency has wracked the team, and losses are piling up quickly. While this may allow us a high chance of drafting great prospects like college standout Cooper Flagg (who nearly defeated a LeBron-James-led Olympic team over the summer), it does not make for pleasant basketball to watch. Hopefully a change can be made to our win/loss record, and if not, Toronto may still be able to Capture the Flagg. This year also saw Raptors legend, Vince Carter, have his jersey retired, the first in franchise history. I was in attendance at Scotiabank Arena while Carter wept tears of emotion during the ceremony, as his legacy was enshrined forever in Toronto. 

Baseball

As the MLB season came to a close with the World Series, I was excited for the potential of a Subway Series between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Alas, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani stole that pleasure from me. I still remember last year, when Toronto was in the sweepstakes to land Ohtani after his flight from the Los Angeles Angels. Instead, the Japanese phenomenon went across town to great success, helping to lead the Dodgers to a World Series Victory in 5 games, winning 4-1. At heart, I’m an East Coast guy, so my heart broke a little seeing the Yankees lose, even though I’m usually not much one for America’s pastime. 

Gridiron Football

Looking at the NFL, the incumbent Super Bowl Champion, Kansas City Chiefs, have continued their reign of terror, winning 9 games straight. More than halfway through the football season, the Chiefs remain at the forefront of Super Bowl contention, though not without challengers. The Detroit Lions squad seems to be continuing last year’s success, boasting a spectacular record, currently tied with the Chiefs. I don’t have an NFL team I root for personally—though I do love the occasional Tyreek Hill highlight—but my former neighbour was from Detroit, and I picked up enough admiration for the long frustrated Motor City fans to want their team to do well. As much as it would interest me to see Patrick Mahomes capture his third straight Super Bowl ring and begin to develop a real case against Tom Brady for the best quarterback of the 21st century, those Lions have been so bad, for so long. I like to think that they’re due a little good luck.

Association Football

The Madison Avenue Pub exploded when I was there last. Not because of the alcohol, but because of the cheers of the Red Devils watching Manchester United win the FA cup against Manchester City under former manager Erik ten Hag. In retrospect, last year’s triumph would be nothing more than a final victory lap for him. United, far removed from its former glory under Sir Alex Ferguson, has brought on a new manager in the form of the former coach of Sporting Lisbon, Ruben Amorim. Regarding Spanish football, the transfer of superstar Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid has not had the presumed effect. Mbappé has looked out of place away from Paris Saint-Germain, and the superstar is in an awkward position alongside his new teammate Vinicius Jr; despite the team being loaded with stars, including Jude Bellingham, they are still second in the league behind FC Barcelona. Vinicius himself was passed over for the Ballon d’Or, football’s MVP award, going to Manchester City’s Rodri instead. 

Ice Hockey

While I’ve never been much one for hockey (he said, unpatriotically), seeing the Carolina Panthers near the top of the standings is nothing I’m too happy about. Robbing Canada, the Edmonton Oilers, and Connor McJesus of the Stanley Cup, and keeping a similar pace this year is upsetting to me. On the other hand, seeing the Winnipeg Jets do as well as they have, as a hockey outsider, has puzzled me. And yet, leading the league with 19 wins and 32 points is really nothing to sneeze at. They have a slightly comfortable lead over any other team in the standings. Seeing the Maple Leafs first in the Atlantic Division is also a small mercy. While I know every year is “our year,” and I’m not holding my breath until I see us get out of the Second Round, it’s nice to see your team not totally suck in the regular season. 

It’s been an exciting few months, and the world of sports never stops churning. Until next time—keep your stick on the ice. Finally, special thanks to Alex Pilling for his invaluable knowledge of the world of football.