The Underdog: How the Blues and the Raptors Defied the Odds to Inspire the World
In the span of 24 hours, two teams from two different leagues proved the Chinese calendar wrong: 2019 is in fact the year of the Underdog.
On June 12th, the first franchise Stanley Cup was won by the St. Louis Blues in game 7 against original-six team the Boston Bruins. About 24 hours later, the Toronto Raptors defeated two-time reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors to bring the Larry OB north of the border for the first time.
It was a whirlwind of emotions for players and fans of the two champion teams, as their ultimate dreams were finally realized.
Sure, sports are just games. Teams put on their jerseys, lace up their skates and sneakers, and play against each other. Whoever gets the most points by the final buzzer takes the W. In the grand scheme of things, some people might not consider sports to be all that important. But sometimes, there exist these rare moments when certain accomplishments transcend the world of sports. Every year there are champions crowned — but it’s not every year that those champions can truly inspire with their journey to the top.
A {very} brief history of the St. Louis Blues
It’s a moment of triumph 52 years in the making, and a moment of redemption 49 years in the making. Back in 1967, The St. Louis Blues entered the NHL as part of the first expansion, doubling the amount of teams in the league and effectively ending the era of the Original Six. The Blues saw immediate playoff success, making it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first three seasons as a team. But that success was annually short lived, as they got swept by Montreal in 1968 and 1969, and then swept by Boston in 1970.
Through years of financial uncertainty, the threat of relocation to Saskatchewan back in 1983, and a few rebuilds, the Blues managed to consistently make the playoffs. Their next Finals appearance wasn’t until this year — but as of January first, they weren’t even expected to come close to making the playoffs. They were dead last in the NHL standings.
The comeback that no one saw coming
Towards the end of January, a fire was lit under the Blues, who went on an 11-game winning streak in a franchise first. Rookie AHL goalie Jordan Binnington, who had secured a shut-out in his first NHL game on January 7th, won nine consecutive games of those 11.
Injuries plagued the team, though, with Brayden Schenn, David Perron, and Vladimir Tarasenko all sitting out multiple games apiece to recover — three heavyweight offensive players for St. Louis. Despite the team’s whirlwind comeback, that coveted spot in the playoffs was anything but guaranteed.
Until, of course, March 29th arrived. The day the Blues finally clinched their hard-earned spot.
They were willing to put in the work to get there, and were ready to put in the work to stay, defeating Winnipeg in six games during the first round. Next up was Dallas — and the Blues grinded and earned their win after defeating the Stars in double overtime of game 7. After successfully shutting down San Jose in the Western Conference Final, the Blues found themselves back in the Finals 49 years after their last appearance. In a full-circle moment, they were set against the Boston Bruins — the team who they last played in the Finals. The team that swept them with ease. The team they had to beat in 1970, was now the team they had to beat in 2019.
A full-circle moment with a side of redemption
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was scarily prophetic as the Blues succumbed to the Bruins yet again, now going 0–13 in the Cup Final. But by winning game 2 in OT, the Blues effectively prevented a repeat of the ’70 sweep, and made franchise history with their first recorded Finals victory. This time, the Blues showed, they would not go without a fight.
And fight they did, struggling for power with the Bruins as each game was a battle to keep the series level. After losing 5–1 in Game 6, many people would have assumed that Boston would go into game 7 with all the momentum and the capacity to win. But they would have assumed wrong.
Sixty minutes of regulation play later, and the St. Louis Blues were crowned the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions, defeating Boston 4–1 in their own arena. Binnington set a record for most playoff wins by a rookie goalie at 16, and Ontario-native Ryan O’Reilly hoisted the Conn Smythe Trophy as he was named MVP of the playoffs.
With 18 Canadians on the St. Louis roster, it was a win that reverberated across the rural rinks and living rooms of hockey’s birth country. And soon, another sport originating from the great north would bring home a championship for the first time.
From the ice to the court: Hello Canada
The year was 1995, and two new teams were about to step out on the basketball court. As part of an expansion into Canada, the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies were the latest additions to the NBA — but after the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis around 2001, they left the Raptors as Canada’s only team.
From their onset, they struggled to get a foothold as most fresh new teams do. They found their groove with Vince Carter, advancing to the playoffs in 2000, 2001, and 2002, but their success stagnated and Carter was traded in 2004. After the era of Chris Bosh came and went, the Raptors saw many periods of struggle and rebuilds.
This all culminated ahead of the 2018–2019 season, when President Masai Ujiri made some serious moves for the team. After the 2018 playoffs, Ujiri fired head coach Dwane Casey who had just been named the NBA’s coach of the year and replaced him with rookie coach Nick Nurse. He then traded team leader Demar DeRozan for injured star forward Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs, and acquired Marc Gasol at the trade deadline. Risky moves that paid off, as the Raptors gained momentum during the season and made it through to the playoffs.
The playoff run to rival all playoff runs
In a near first round sweep, the Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic in 5 games. During the next round against Philly, Kawhi Leonard hit that epic, iconic, corner buzzer beater to take game 7 by 92–90. It was as dramatic a moment in sports you could get — the first game 7 buzzer beater win in NBA history — and it was almost as if at that very moment, Toronto fans could sense the championship.
The Eastern Conference Final proved to be a challenge for the Raptors though, as they lost their first two games to Milwaukee. Not wanting the gap to get any bigger, the Raptors answered back with four straight wins to finish the series — winning the Eastern Conference title and a ticket to the Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Now would be the biggest challenge yet. The Raptors were up against the Golden State Warriors, a powerhouse of a team that many considered a dynasty. They were looking for their 3rd straight NBA title, and with superstar shooters Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, aka The Splash Brothers, plus the potential return of the legendary Kevin Durant, Golden State was poised to earn it.
Will the Raptors rise to the occasion?
Critics of Toronto and fans of Golden State anticipated that the Warriors would have no problem sweeping the Raps. Analysts and sportscasters all had their opinions — many of which were not favourable for Toronto. But the Raptors had other plans, winning game 1 in a franchise first, and shutting down any more predictions involving a Golden State sweep.
Game 2 saw the series narrowly tied up, though, after the Warriors opened the third quarter with a devastating 18–0 run that ensured their victory. The Warriors gained so much confidence during that run, Raptors fans were fearful the Warrior floodgates had been opened.
The Raptors then answered back with two straight wins, taking a 3–1 series lead through blood, sweat and tears. Literally: Fred VanFleet took an elbow to the face while rebounding in the fourth quarter of game 4, knocking out part of his tooth and earning several stitches under his eye as a result.
So close, but no cigar… yet
Back in Toronto for game 5, the energy was electric in Scotiabank Arena and in the Jurassic Parks all across Canada. How poetic it would have been to win it at home after 24 years of waiting. That moment came so close — but with Toronto unable to hold onto their 6 point lead at the end of the fourth, they lost out on a home-court victory by one. Single. Point. No matter, as Raptors fans pointed out, the team had been performing incredibly well on the road against Golden State — even in the regular season. Game 6, they said, was ours.
In the last ever game to be played in the Warrior’s Oracle Arena before relocating to a new home court, the Toronto Raptors showed up, stepped up, and did what needed to be done. With a final score of 114–110, the Raps were officially crowned the 2019 NBA Champions. For the second time in his career, Kawhi Leonard was named the Finals MVP. Most notably, five Raptors scored in the double digits, ensuring the win was nothing short of a magnificent team effort.
“Toronto! Canada! We brought it home baby! We brought it home!” Kyle Lowry exclaimed, as he hoisted the Larry OB first, with the amount of pride one would expect from the team’s longest tenured player. Subsequently, the streets back in Toronto flooded with fans and shut down most of downtown traffic with Canada’s (arguably) biggest impromptu street party.
That night wasn’t just a win for the Raptors, nor was it a win for Canadians. The night Toronto won, was a win for every team and every athlete who was ever told they’d never make it.
Unlikelihood of the Underdog
No one was really predicting that the Blues and the Raptors would be the champions of their leagues in 2019. That’s why their victories are that much sweeter. In true underdog fashion, these two teams overcame every adversity thrown their way.
Their victories can teach us a lot about perseverance and hard work. The Blues taught us that you don’t have to accept being in last place for long. The Raptors taught us that when a team truly comes together, their chemistry and trust can move mountains and win championships.
If you need any more indication about the way these teams inspire, take a look at each of their “superfans”.
For the Blues, there’s Laila Anderson. An 11-year-old suffering from a rare immune disease, she is a fierce and loyal fan who forged a friendship with defencemen Colton Parayko after meeting him on Halloween at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The team was her inspiration, as she was theirs — and after getting her doctor’s approval, the Blues flew Laila to Boston so that she could see game 7 in person. After winning the Stanley Cup, the Blues brought their lucky charm down to the ice so she could celebrate with her team — and with the help of Parayko, she hoisted and kissed Stanley himself.
And then for the Raptors, there’s Nav Bhatia. A man who has never missed a home game (no seriously, through 24 years, 900 games and plenty of snowstorms, he’s been there), and who has given away so many tickets to kids over the years. He’s a World Vision ambassador, and recently started the Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation in order to help build basketball courts. He answers hate with love — offering to buy dinner for the Bucks fan who penned a racist tweet about him wearing a turban to games. A shining example of Canadian humility and diversity, Bhatia is as dedicated and passionate about helping others as he is about his Raptors.
Whether you’re a die-hard-since-day-1 fan or a bandwagoner, a non-fan, or even if you’ve never watched a hockey match or basketball game in your life, you can’t help but notice the rays of positivity emanating from those 24 hours in June.
Fan or not, these takeaways are important
Hard work pays off. Commitment and dedication go a long way. “First in franchise history” can happen more than once in a season. You might lose the first time around, but your second chance is out there. Might not be tomorrow, but it’s out there, and it’s yours for the taking. A rookie can make more of an impact than a seasoned vet, and just because the odds are stacked against you does not mean they’re impossible to overcome. Shutting out irrelevant noise and believing in what your team has to offer CAN and DOES win championships.
Most importantly, you have to know your worth. Fred VanVleet went from being undrafted to an NBA champion, earning the nickname “Steady Freddy” and sinking 3’s like nobody’s business in the playoffs. He even garnered an official vote for Finals MVP — a sentiment echoed around Toronto’s fanbase as they saw how instrumental he was to their team’s success.
And so, if there’s one big takeaway from all this sports-related hype, look no further than Freddy’s own personal mantra: Bet on yourself.
You’ll be glad that you did.
