If I were to take a big haul on the pipe….

I see in my DTM that the Front Office at the Toronto Raptors is intent on signing Chris Bosh to a six year, US$130 million contract. It appears, at least in print, that they also believe that he will seriously consider staying here for the balance of his useful career.

If I were to throw on Pink Floyd’s “Pigs on the Wing”, take a big haul or three on the pipe, and stare at the ceiling long enough, I could probably see a scenario where that might actually happen (see prior post “Bye Bye Bosh” Dec 2-09).

But, after 15 years of loyal attendance, I’m not so sure anything but the pipe will work. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Toronto isn’t Dallas. It has all to do with the reality that money generally makes the difference between winning and losing in professional sports.

When the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series, team owners Labatts and CIBC spent what was required to win. David Cone, Jimmy Key, Henke, Ward, Carter, Alomar, Fernandez, Dave Stieb, Guzman, Stottlemyre, John Olerud, Devon White, Dave Parker…. Voila.

As Chris Bosh pointed out the other day, all but one of the top 8 teams in the NBA have a payroll that exceeds the salary cap. He needs a true all star on the floor with him, and he doesn’t see it right now. In the past six years, ticket prices have doubled, and the Canadian dollar has gone from $1.35 to par against the Greenback. And the Raps have stuck with the salary cap despite the bounty.

I know that the impact of currency appreciation is reduced by the US$ bonus they receive from the teams that are into the cap, and that their share of TV revenue is also in US$, so any drop in the US$ versus the Loonie is somewhat mitigated. But the simple fact that the cost of the team payroll has dropped 26% during a time while ticket prices have doubled can’t be ignored.

To say that we are now going to spend to work things out to CB4’s liking, who himself isn’t a max player when lined up against Lebron James and Dwane Wade, is troubling. The fans I know don’t think Bosh is the solution to going deep into the playoffs. So why pretend he’s the answer?

We need a plan, and some intensity with the chequebook. Use the exemption, and put a couple of all-stars on the court. Just as the Boston Celtics did in no time flat. But we need a plan.

Or a big bag of the medicinal herb, for the next three or four years may well be oh-so painful as we ride out these albatross contracts.

MRM