J IS FOR JERSEY

Every Toronto Raptors SUPER FAN has to proudly wear a custom made JERSEY!
TAKEN: AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA, MIAMI BEACH ~ APRIL 2018

I IS FOR INVIGORATING

So, as most reader already know this is my birthday week.  This year's been exceptionally special for me because I finally did what I have wanted to do for years. To celebrate my day, I went on a Toronto Raptor Road Trip!

If you love watching the NBA and especially the Toronto Raptors, I know that we could very well end up best of friends. If you don’t, I still think we could be great friends as long as you allow me to indulge in my love of the sport and simply talk about it with me. If the above two are not options, am a still confident we could be good friends, as long as you aren’t embarrassed to be seen with me wearing the custom made jersey that my son had custom made for me a few years back!

When it comes to my Raps, there is nothing more invigorating than hearing the announcers get you ready for a televised game, or the crowds' energy getting you pumped for a live one. How big a fan am I? I am investigating seasons tickets and selling of the ones I can’t use!

Playoff bound this coming Saturday, join me and holla really loud and clear...

LET's GO RAPTORS.... LET GO! 

(Left) Sunday night in Toronto playing Orlando
(Right) Wednesday night in Miami against the Heat.
#torontoraptors #wethenorth #northoveryerthing #playoffbound
TAKEN: APRIL 2018

HITTING THE ROAD WITH THE RAPS!

I had a former co-worker message me on Facebook over the holidays to confirm that I was in fact as big a Toronto Raptors fan as I've alluded to on my Twitter feed. My answer was a simple… “HELL, YA!”

As the kick-ass a fan I am, I was fortunate enough to get gifted tickets to a game over the holidays. At the last minute, I offered my box ticket to my oldest boy, because he'd never experienced a Raps game live. Not one to ever miss out, I immediately went online and bought myself a 9th row end zone onesie ticket on game day. 

That evening, as my husband and son landed in the executive suite, they both sent a text to try and locate me in the sold out crowd. In an effort to get on the jumbo-tron, I had about a half dozen people around me, stand and wave their arms along side me so they could see us. It was with really tired arms I had to finally phone my man with a very important tidbit of information. “You’re looking in the wrong end zone...” was what we yelled.

Short story long, watching all the action, the HBSC Bank offered my husband a 3rd ticket so that I could join my boys. We had a blast!

Had a blast with Jukebox... and the RAPS won!
TAKEN: DECEMBER 30th, 2015

Shortly after that, I began to seriously plan my April jaunt. I knew I didn’t want another resort vacation, so after my buddy Heather had such an amazing solo road trip at Christmas, I decided to look at a map. My map had one focus: the Raps schedule on the road.

I quickly discovered that my team had games less than a week apart, playing in three of the cities I wanted to visit. My girlfriend and her husband confessed they may be travelling, so that took San Antonio (Spurs) out of the mix. Yet, I hit the mother load with New Orleans (Pelicans) and Memphis (Grizzlies)... with me heading into Nashville for a couple of days and flying home from there.

My only true hurdle at this juncture's wrapping my head around our poor Canadian dollar. I can pay for my flights and car in Canadian dollars but after that, I am going to be at the mercy of dear ole George Washington. As of today, it will painfully cost me more that a buck forty-two to purchase one American dollar. Not gonna lie, when I finished my cost analysis, that was the hardest thing to personally justify.

I love the Raps, I really do. I miss my friends and I truly want to see them both. At the end of the day, it's turning out to be about a couple of men outside Darin & Twos. Truth is, it's looking like William McKinley & James Madison will be my deciding factors. No matter how much I feel I am worth it, this is turning out to be a very large investment for a mere 10 days on the road with the Raps.

I guess it could be worse. I could be thinking of buying a 4th dog... On second thought, maybe a $5,000 basketball themed road trip may not be such a bad idea after all.

What? ...You didn't think I'd be sitting in the nose bleed seats did ya?!