With A Side Of Red - Mar.12/10

Do Raptors fans remember this guy? If not, here's a better picture of him in all his glory...



Yup. Same dude. Same guy that beat Jose for a 50-50 loose ball. Well, it seems as though he has succumbed to the wrath of Raptors fans. Recently, Lapo Elkann released an apology to Raptors fans, and even more specifically, to Italian Raptors fans.

"“Having two Italians on the team and being Italian, I wished for them to win,” Elkann told ESPN, referring to Raptors’ duo Marco Belinelli and Andrea Bargnani."

Check out the rest of the article here:

Juventus Patron Lapo Elkann Apologetic Over LA Lakers Mishap

Next up to the plate, DeMar DeRozan. Why? Because we're touring Cali - duh. Raptors fans will be the first to admit - our rookie has struggled recently. But who can honestly blame him? He's only 20 years old and as raw as they get. Patience is the key here. But if we stick with this guy, it'll turn out to be well worth the wait.

Forgetting the fact that we're 0-2 after games against LA and Sacramento, DeRozan is starting to show glimpses of what he did so well earlier in the season. Hopefully, the prolonged stay in California will rejuvenate him for the rest of the year.

Here's one of the better mixes I've seen of DeMar DeRozan as a Toronto Raptor.



Lastly, I want give out a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me reach the finals of the Raptors Pros Vs. Joes Debate Tournament hosted by Whotheman.com

Without my family members, friends, and readers of the blog, I wouldn't have been able to get to this point in the contest. Now I get to take on the winning Pro in "Phdsteve" of RaptorsRepublic.

He's been an absolute juggernaut in this competition. Even James Borbath of DinoNation couldn't get by him (and he's the author of - hands down - the most popular Raptors blog). So though it's pretty much a guarantee that I'll end up losing this last debate, I still can't wait to get it going just for the lone fact that it'll be a great experience.

Feel free to check out some of the highlights from the tournament!

Raptors Debate Tournament Highlights

And there you guys have it. Before I leave, I also wanted to let everyone know that a future audio and video podcast is in the works. The show will basically go into mainly Raptors related topics, as well as a few NBA tidbits. With that said, I'm also looking for a co-host. Whether you have your own Raptors blog, or simply a hardcore fan of the team, hit me up via email if interested!

Whatever you happen to be doing Raptors fans, I hope you enjoyed it With A Side of Red!