Fans’ fantasy: Four Toronto teams, four games, four reasons to hope
As Saturday marked the rarity of four Toronto professional teams playing on the same day, including two in playoff games, who owned Toronto’s heart? We checked in with fans at Maple Leaf Square to see how they were feeling about the Leafs, Raptors, Blue Jays and TFC.
If only one of the Leafs or Raptors could advance to the second round, which would you rather?
“Oh, absolutely the Leafs, because I’ve been waiting since ’67,” said James Murphy, 56.
Murphy, wearing a blue and white Leafs jersey with a “waiting since 67” name/number plate, said he’s been alive for three Stanley Cup victories by the Leafs and desperately wants to see a fourth.
“Sure it would be nice for the Raptors to win but I’d take the Leafs over the Raptors any day,” he said.
Melanie Morris, who zipped over to the square after watching the Blue Jays’ walk-off win over Baltimore at the Rogers Centre, said her focus was on the Raptors.
“They get my hopes up and then sometimes they’re a little wishywashy. But I think they’re gonna pull through this time,” Morris said.
What are you more worried about: the Jays’ 2-9 start or the Leafs’ chances against the first-place Capitals?
“The Leafs winning against the Capitals for sure, because the Blue Jays have 150 games left,” said Jacob Gideon.
His friend Zak Chowdaury, who also took in the baseball game Saturday afternoon, put it this way: “The Leafs might not make it past Game 7, or make it to Game 7.”
Toronto FC made the MLS final last year and Chowdaury believes the soccer club remains the city’s best hope for a championship.
“I don’t think the Raptors have a good chance,” said Chowdaury, wearing the basketball team’s jersey. “They’d play Cleveland in the second round (if the advanced and the Cavaliers beat Indiana in their openinground series) . . . I don’t like the Leafs’ chances, and I’m not sure about the Jays either.”
“I think the Blue Jays will kick some butt, to be honest,” Morris said. “They’ve been so close.”
So who has the best shot at a title this year?
“None of them do,” Murphy sighed.