Top 10 Moments for the Toronto Major Sports in the last 30 years

[notDatsyuk]

I wouldn't exactly call the dunk contest silly as it was very influential to basketball in Canada. People in the States would only really watch the Raptors to watch VC or better known as Air Canada dunk the ball.

You wouldn't call it 'silly', but I do.

The same as the home run contest it baseball, and the skills competitions in hockey; they're cute, and some people enjoy them, which is fine, but they are just a sideshow.

I absolutely would not include anything from them in a "top moments in sports", although I have no objection to you doing so: I was just expressing my opinion.

 

[Deebo]

I always value team accomplishments over individual accolades which is why Raps and Jays are 1 and 2, while the HR and the shot are 3 and 4.

2 titles isn't really a "moment" though

 

[Clark4Ever]

1. Raptors Championship
2. Jays World Series 1993
3. Jays World Series 1992
4. TFC Championship
5. Bautista's home run/bat flip
6. Leafs clinching playoff spot in 2017
7. Borschevsky's game 7 OT goal in 1993
8. Vince Carter winning 2000 Slam Dunk contest
9. Guerrero winning 2019 Home Run Derby
10. Leafs winning 2016 Draft Lottery

 

[robertmac43]

The same as the home run contest it baseball, and the skills competitions in hockey; they're cute, and some people enjoy them, which is fine, but they are just a sideshow.

I would agree for almost every dunk contest HR derby, etc: however VC was different. That dunk contest gave people a reason to watch the Raptors and was the first "success of the franchise. VC inspired a generation of ballers after that as well, if it doesn't happen who knows where basketball in Canada is today. The Grizzlies were done as an NBA team after only 6 years, the Raptors could have had a similiar fate if it was not for VC.

 

[robertmac43]

I've been a die hard Toronto sports fan since birth (1994) and there is not a single more exhilarating moment than the bat flip since I've been alive. Yes more exhilarating than Kawhi's "shot".

All the emotion from the top of the 7th inning and it being an elimination game lead to absolute insanity for all of Canada. I still get goosebumps every single time I watch it.

I would tend to agree. The circumstances of the bat flip were insane; down, coming back from 2-0, playing under protest, the beers being thrown across the field, 2 dug out clearing moments, etc. When that ball went up all the frustration turned into one of the wildest celebrations ever.

 

[Brown Dog]

First No Hitter in Jays history

You must mean Dave Stieb. Stewart was with the A's when he threw a no-no against the Jays. Can't imagine you intentionally included that moment (if you were going to include a no-hitter against in this list, Nolan Ryan's iconic 7th would probably be the one).

 

[notDatsyuk]

I would agree for almost every dunk contest HR derby, etc: however VC was different. That dunk contest gave people a reason to watch the Raptors and was the first "success of the franchise. VC inspired a generation of ballers after that as well, if it doesn't happen who knows where basketball in Canada is today. The Grizzlies were done as an NBA team after only 6 years, the Raptors could have had a similiar fate if it was not for VC.

If VC had sunk that buzzer beater, nobody would be talking about a dunk contest. Leonard's four bounce buzzer beater got me finally watching more than about five minutes of a game, something a dunk contest could never do.

But again, just my personal opinion.

 

[Buds17]

Good list. I'd agree about combining 1 and 3. With that, I'd find a place in the top 10 for Sundin breaking the Leaf goals and points records. I'd also find a place in the HMs for the McGriff and Fernandez for Carter and Alomar trade. It was a blockbuster and IMO the most notable trade in Jays' history.

 

[hoglund]

It kills me as a Ticats fan to say this but the Argos winning the 100th Grey Cup at Skydome belongs on that list. Also TFC winning MLS in 2017.

Toronto doesn't consider the CFL a major league sport.

 

[crump]

3. Joe Carter’s Walk Off Home Run (1993)

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I was thinking songs and poems were being written before he rounded first. Love Joe forever.

 

[Nineteen67]

Toronto FC winning the MLS Championship has to be in there as well...along with making it all the way to the finals in the CONCACAF Champions League finals.

Is that a major sport?

 

[robertmac43]

If VC had sunk that buzzer beater, nobody would be talking about a dunk contest. Leonard's four bounce buzzer beater got me finally watching more than about five minutes of a game, something a dunk contest could never do.

I thinking more along the lines of the international crowd, VC winning the dunk contest put us on the map for everyone, it just gave us some relevancy we had not had before.

I get what you are saying though, it may not have had as big of an effect in Toronto as more recent event, but it played a role in keeping the team around to have a Demar and Kawhi. It set basketball in Canada in motion.

 

[robertmac43]

Is that a major sport?

I mean it did have 30,000 + fans attend it, so definitely a pretty big deal.

 

[Nineteen67]

How is Joe Carter’s World Series walk off not the greatest?

 

[Nineteen67]

What is a dunk contest?

 

[Nineteen67]

I mean it did have 30,000 + fans attend it, so definitely a pretty big deal.

Wow, that’s not very many for a stadium sport.

 

[thewave]

NBA Championship
MLB Championship 1
MLB Championship 2
NBA Conference final victory
MLB Conference final victory 1
MLB Conference final victory 2
93 Leafs conference finalists
94 ""
99
02

Note: Leafs were under the ownership of Stavros as Majority owner. Larry T (the meddler) was put in his place during all of our runs. When he was with TPP, and now part of the new ownership, he is hands on again. There is no coincidence here.

 

[robertmac43]

Wow, that’s not very many for a stadium sport.

I would say it makes it a major sport, especially when the MLS is not even a top 10 league in the world.

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

It kills me as a Ticats fan to say this but the Argos winning the 100th Grey Cup at Skydome belongs on that list. Also TFC winning MLS in 2017.

I'm also a Tiger-Cat fan and hate the Argos with a passion. To see the oldest professional football team in North America win the 100th Grey Cup at home is something special.

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

Toronto doesn't consider the CFL a major league sport.

Correction, some Toronto fans with an inferiority complex do not consider CFL a major sport. The rest of Canada considers it a major sport, the Grey Cup is even on our passport. Most Toronto fans are bandwagon jumpers anyways, when the Jays and Raptors are doing well the fans show up, when they are losing they couldn't be bothered. The true fans are there through the bad years, the building years and the championship years.

 

[hoglund]

Correction, some Toronto fans with an inferiority complex do not consider CFL a major sport. The rest of Canada considers it a major sport, the Grey Cup is even on our passport. Most Toronto fans are bandwagon jumpers anyways, when the Jays and Raptors are doing well the fans show up, when they are losing they couldn't be bothered. The true fans are there through the bad years, the building years and the championship years.

I hate the Argos, I'm a Ticat's fan. I can't figure out why Toronto doesn't support their team. I first thought they wanted an NFL team, but they didn't support the Bill's games when they were there. I guess Toronto really isn't a football city. Anyways The Grey Cup wins should be part of Toronto's list of top 10 sports moments.

 

[Deebo]

Correction, some Toronto fans with an inferiority complex do not consider CFL a major sport. The rest of Canada considers it a major sport, the Grey Cup is even on our passport. Most Toronto fans are bandwagon jumpers anyways, when the Jays and Raptors are doing well the fans show up, when they are losing they couldn't be bothered. The true fans are there through the bad years, the building years and the championship years.

What does not watching the CFL have to do with an inferiority complex?

The Raptors attendance does fine in down years and it's not like other MLB stadiums across the US are packed when the team isn't very good.

Bandwagon jumping isn't something exclusive to Toronto. The rest of Canada seems to dislike Toronto but when the Raptors or Jays are on a a playoff run they jump on board too.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I thinking more along the lines of the international crowd, VC winning the dunk contest put us on the map for everyone, it just gave us some relevancy we had not had before.

I get what you are saying though, it may not have had as big of an effect in Toronto as more recent event, but it played a role in keeping the team around to have a Demar and Kawhi. It set basketball in Canada in motion.

I think you're giving it way too much credit, but you may be right. I understand that there are a fair number of people who actually watch those 'contests'. I have watched a few hockey and baseball all-star games myself.

 

[notDatsyuk]

1. Raptors Championship
2. Jays World Series 1993
3. Jays World Series 1992
4. TFC Championship
5. Bautista's home run/bat flip
6. Leafs clinching playoff spot in 2017
7. Borschevsky's game 7 OT goal in 1993
8. Vince Carter winning 2000 Slam Dunk contest
9. Guerrero winning 2019 Home Run Derby
10. Leafs winning 2016 Draft Lottery

I basically agree with the first seven, but, to me, #8 isn't a real sporting event, #10 certainly isn't, and #9 didn't even happen!

 

[notDatsyuk]

Toronto doesn't consider the CFL a major league sport.

I agree that some people don't, but many prefer it to the NFL.

"All generalizations are false."