#7: Sydney Swans
It sure is an exciting time to be a Swans fan: their recent berth to the Grand Final has capped off yet another successful season. Their last championship was in 2012, and they look to be favoured again in this game. And yes, it's nice to actually follow a team that's good for a change, but tragically, I'm still left feeling a little hollow. I won't lie to you: I own no Sydney gear. I've never been to a Swans game. I've never even watched a game in its entirety. My allegiance to them is based solely on countryman Mike Pyke, and golly, does he look good in that red and white. Perhaps I'll actually watch the match this weekend, but perhaps not.
#6: Vancouver Whitecaps
The Whitecaps are still a new franchise (at least in their current MLS state) who I've not yet had a chance to get to know very well. I never get to see a Caps match here in Australia, and as a result, the players are fairly anonymous to me. You'll have to pardon my treacherous ways, but I've actually focussed more on cross-country rivals Toronto FC this year due to their ballyhooed offseason and promises of 'turning the corner'. As of today, both teams are on the outside looking in of the playoff race.
#5: B.C. Lions
Had I been into sports as a kid (as opposed to being into Sonic and Ninja Turtles), I would probably be a bigger Lions fan. This is the closest I have ever had (and probably ever will have) to a true home team in pro sports. Because although they, like the Canucks, operate in Vancouver, they have had a closer relationship with Courtenay and Vancouver Island, which is a nice feeling. Lui Passaglia provided the Lions (and perhaps the CFL as a whole) its greatest moment in the '94 Grey Cup, and today's Lions are still a contender, though Lulay hitting the shelf has probably stymied their title hopes.
Disclaimer: I am still into Sonic and the Ninja Turtles.
#4: Vancouver Canucks
We now enter the darkened hallways of my relationship with the Vancouver Canucks. After the Titans showed me the grand world of American football, I began exploring other sports. I mean, had you asked me, I would have always said I was a Canucks fan. But I never paid much attention to them, y'know? So it was with great fortune that I started actively following the team when they reached the pinnacle of what had been a spotty history: they were the best damned hockey team in the NHL. Back-to-back President's Trophies, a bevy of superstars, and a convincing entry into the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. As I've unfortunately alluded to, Australian sports broadcasting is pathetic, so I didn't get to see many of their matches, but thanks to the brilliant Team 1040 radio stream, I was able to follow a great deal of them. I watched on with great excitement when they took on the Bruins in the championship series, and... wow. Their wins were narrow, their losses were blowouts. I knew they didn't have it in them to take it in game 7, and it's all been downhill from there. My favourite player, Ryan Kesler, has left the team, the goalie situation is a mess, and I don't know how long I have to wait until I get to see Jordan Subban as part of the regular rotation. We're effectively in the stage of the 2005 Tennessee Titans, where we've gone from the lofty top to the languishing lower third. This probably won't be fun.
#3: Tennessee Titans
Wow, what are they doing down here?! My first sport team have had ups and downs in the eleven years that I've been following them, and it's perhaps a result of my long history with them that sees them sitting in the bronze position. Because Steve McNair and Eddie George are still my all-time favourite athletes, and the 2003 Titans are still one of my favourite teams, topped only by the '92-'93 Blue Jays. Today we have a lot of guys with promise (Locker, Sankey, Wright, etc.) but no identity. Such is the way things are when you haven't been to the playoffs in five years, and considering how sloppy they've looked for most of their 1-2 start to 2014, more of the same is likely to be expected. You may be horrified to know I've even brandished a Seahawks cap from time to time, but I assure you it's not a means of bandwagon jumping. The Seahawks have long been my second team because they're the favourite team of Vancouver. Hell, had the team been located approximately 135 miles north, I would have been a Seahawks fan in the first place. But worry not. I'll always be a Titans guy. Even if somehow, in someway, Canada gets its own NFL team, they'll still have a place in my heart.
#2: Toronto Blue Jays
Hypocrisy, thy name is Tony. After waggling a stern finger towards the Titans' five-year playoff drought, I'm anointing the goddamn Blue Jays second place? The Jays, who have not been to the postseason since I was five years old? Yep, you betcha. Because funnily enough, other than actually winning baseball games, the Jays do a lot of things right. First off, the petty stuff: I love their uniform and logo change. I had nothing against the 'Black Jays', but the nostalgia kick is beautiful. Also, Brett Lawrie is from British Columbia, and though with each passing season it looks less likely he'll see success with the Jays, he's always a hoot. In fact, out of all of the teams' current rosters, the Blue Jays are in fact my favourite. Bautista, Encarnacion, Dickey, Reyes, Kawasaki, Buehrle... and oh my god, Marcus Stroman. He could be the next big thing in baseball, and I'm really excited. They should have made it to the playoffs, but injuries, and really poorly timed injuries to boot, killed them. A healthy 2014 Jays team wins the division, no doubt in my mind. Just look at their amazing May as evidence of that. What does next season hold? I honestly don't know. Every team in the division, even the underwhelming Yankees, have shown an ability to surge. Could the Blue Jays be cursed to always have just that little bit less than whichever team is the AL East flavour of the year?
#1: Toronto Raptors
Thank you, Raptors. Thank you for being that little team that often couldn't, but when it could, it did it with style. Though Lakers or Celtics fans may laugh at the moments that excite Raptors fans, we still love the minor successes that we've seen. Vince Carter was one of the most exciting players in the late 90s. We were thrilled when the Raptors toppled the Knicks in the '01 playoffs and when Terrence Ross dropped 51 points, we did a little dance. Maybe it's because of the lack of overall success that has led to us appreciating all of the things nobody else would. But this could be the best time ever to be a fan. They're bringing back all of a strong young core, they have one of the best GMs in basketball, and they're starting to look a little bit more like an attractive destination. Could they land one of the transcendent talents in the league? Could they land Durant and Wiggins someday? Probably not, let's be honest... But you're telling me there's a chance.
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