CHEAP SEAT: Bosh Breaks Toronto Silence

Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh was criticized steadily during the free agent process sweeping across the NBA these days, and not for his decision to bolt the Toronto Raptors after seven seasons. In media circles Bosh was being poked for doing a stateside tour of playoff games sites and their local media while never once addressing the fan base in T.O. that first brought him fame.

On Tuesday Bosh broke that silence with a guest appearance on FAN 590 radio a week after joining LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to form an electrifying trio for the Miami Heat. Before that however, his whirlwind tour of interested parties included a blackout of Canadian media and a barrage of twitter messages that drew the ire of fans and even some media.

“At no time did I want to offend anybody or make anybody upset,” said Bosh. “I just wanted to reach out to the fans everywhere. If people felt betrayed I’m sorry for that.”

Still, despite seven years of service ending with an abrupt and controversial slam Bosh has no regrets about the rollercoaster car he let fans in on. No doubt there will be a lot of eye-rolling that his Toronto media appearance comes at the end of the ride, when most of the important questions have already been answered.

“I’m happy with the way I handled things,” said Bosh. “I don’t think I got out of line at any time.

“I stick by my decisions. If I could do it over I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Bosh is unlike any other basketball star the city has seen. Its first franchise player Damon Stoudamire whined his way into a trade out of town to his hometown Portland Trailblazers after a soured relationship with team management. Ditto for Tracy McGrady who forced his way back to his home state of Florida. Vince Carter did likewise many years later and then – from his new home with the New Jersey Nets - admitted to dogging it on the court while playing with the Raptors. Bosh committed none of the above infractions and while he may not have been as dynamic a player as the above-mentioned trio, from beginning to end he was the team’s best ambassador and rarely, if ever, stopped pushing his game.

“I miss Toronto,” said Bosh. “I will always miss it. I have nothing but good to say about organization and the city.”

It is a city that is sure to react strongly when Bosh returns as part of the most hyped combination of players this generation has ever seen. As part of the Wade/James gang he will already being feeling a more intense spotlight but for him the wattage will increase each time he steps across the border and returns to the Air Canada Centre twice a year. Stoudamire, McGrady and Carter all received a violent delivery of boos and jeers for years after their defections. Bosh may have been more loved but that won’t change the salt-in-the-wounds feeling most northern hoops fans are still smarting from a week after the Bosh era ended for them.

“As far as the boos are concerned,” said Bosh. “I hope they don’t.”

Alas, Bosh has always been much smarter than that.