NBA writer slammed after suggesting Toronto Raptors should be barred from playoffs
Toronto Raptors fans are well versed in feelings of being snubbed by the NBA, the only Canadian market in the league (you had your chance, Vancouver) often sidelined in the league discourse and subject to questionable calls.
But a new claim from a well-known NBA writer really takes the cake, suggesting to his over 71K Twitter followers that the Toronto Raptors should be made ineligible for the upcoming playoffs, where the team has all but secured a seed in the running.
It all started with an article on ESPN.com discussing the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers player vaccination status, as those are the teams most likely to face off against the Raptors in a first round playoff matchup.
New ESPN story: Asked in the past 24 hours if their teams are fully vaccinated, the Heat and Bucks said they were. The Celtics and 76ers declined to do so – meaning they could be missing players for road games in a possible first round series with Toronto. https://t.co/TQD07Qo7rI
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 30, 2022
The story states that players from the Celtics and 76ers declined to share their vaccination status, hinting that the teams could be short-handed for road games played in Toronto due to Canada's federal border vaccination mandate.
Senior NBA writer at Hoopswire.com, Sam Amico, fired back with a proposed solution to this perceived problem, one that has angered not just an entire nation of basketball fans, but pretty much all of basketball Twitter.
"Easy fix: Toronto ineligible for playoffs or has to play home playoff games in US. Don't punish US teams because of another country's rules," the tweet reads.
The responses were swift and harsh.
We've found the bad tweet of the day
— AFunkyDiabetic (@FunkyDiabetic1) March 30, 2022
Fans are claiming a much easier fix would be to actually get straggling players vaccinated, while others are pointing out the twisted logic of punishing an entire team due to a few misinformed players on U.S. teams.
Sam is missing the step that all personal choices have consequences, some of which aren’t always enjoyable.
— Kendal Steele 🏟💰 (@K_Steele1) March 30, 2022
At the same time, he wants to make a team ineligible for the playoffs because of other peoples’ personal choices whom are not on that team?
Bit confused by the logic here
Meanwhile, Raptors players have to provide proof of vaccination to enter the States, making the argument even more ridiculous.
You have to be vaccinated to enter the usa too but you don’t hear the raptors complaining pic.twitter.com/UWBDf2o6BN
— OG-Wan Kenobi (@Gyro_22) March 30, 2022
Twitter never forgets, and it didn't take long for people to dredge up some of Amico's past crappy takes.
This you?https://t.co/3xxq6XCsQW
— Grak City, Population: 😬 (@R____City) March 30, 2022
Apparently, the writer has even been meme-ified for questionable commentary.
no wonder this is one the most popular memes in basketball twitterhttps://t.co/Sr9MIwY3X6
— Perkus Tooth in the booth (@_zestymordant) March 30, 2022
In perhaps the harshest dagger thrown Amico's way, one even asked, "where were you on january 6th?," a shot at his seemingly anti-vax mandate stance.
