This is gonna be fun our first preview where we actually have seen a preseason game from the team involved and

Yes, that most of the hype last night in the Charlotte Toronto game was about the Mel O'Ball and don't worry

We still have the Charlotte preview coming for that reason, but let's talk raptors here with Blake Murphy of the athletic

How you doing? I'm doing well man. Thanks for having me back on this is one of my favorite annual traditions

All thanks that I appreciate it and is one of mine as well, so I guess to start we're talking about this a little bit before we came on the air

But just like what is the feeling about this being for the time being at least the Tampa Bay Raptors?

Yeah, it's weird hearing some of what's gone into this move and just how quickly it all had to happen because the Canadian government here

You know really pushed that decision to the last possible minute

It's pretty incredible that that it all worked in such a narrow timeline and obviously it wasn't perfect the raptors as an organization had three positive

COVID tests last week, so not completely in the clear in that regard, but it sounds like at least you know the construction of a makeshift practice facility

And getting their staff and families down to Florida has gone about as well as you could have hoped

Considering but yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a weird one at least Amily Arena in Tampa has you know

It's hosted I believe a a women's final four before it's hosted some college level action

And obviously it's the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning so I think that'll at least look like an NBA arena

Whether it feels like a real raptor season with zoom only and at least for now no crowds is another thing entirely

I do think if crowds are allowed at some point you know you might have that Tampa audience embrace the raptors

And make it a bit of a home court vibe but you know, I don't think this is gonna be

Quite the you know, it's certainly not gonna be Jurassic Park during the playoffs outside of Scotia Bank Arena or anything like that

Yeah, I mean really you would think for a true practical impact for a raptors fan

It doesn't matter you weren't going to the games anyway

But is there just a feeling locally you think that like this is weird not having them in town that that like people are gonna be

Less interested in them or is it just hey, we can't go to the game thing where was it matter?

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