The Toronto Raptors are facing extinction

The velociraptor lived during the late crustaceous period, and became extinct about 80-85 million years ago.

The Toronto-based basketball team looks poised to follow its reptilian predecessor's fate as the Raptors organization is once again in disarray.

After firing yet another General Manager, this time Rob Babcock, the Raptors appear like an organization that is going nowhere and whose management has no idea how to run a National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball club.

I know the old dinosaur comparison is overused when speaking of the trials and tribulations of the Toronto Raptors, but I only do that because I am truly concerned for the life of this organization.

After surviving through the Isaiah Thomas era and the Glen Grunwald era, the Raptors were certain that they had the basketball minds that would guide them over the top, and lift them from the dwells of mediocrity.

Richard Peddie hired Rob Babcock, who had no prior experience as an NBA General Manager, and insisted that the team would change its image and grow into a successful NBA franchise.

So what was Babcock's first move?

He drafted Rafael Araujo, who ended up being a complete bust, and he traded away the franchises most prolific player, Vince Carter, for basically a bag of old basketballs and some sneaker laces.

Babcock never did make any moves that received popular praise, was always being criticized in the media for making foolish moves, and never gained the respect of the Toronto fan base.

So subsequently he was fired this season, and the MLSE brass admitted they made a mistake when they hired Babcock and insisted that they would get a more experienced NBA basketball mind to run the show this time around.

Do Raptors fans really believe this?

Although being a Pistons fan, the Raptors remain a close second in my heart, and quite frankly I think the real problem lies with the individuals doing the hiring with MLSE.

Peddie and the MLSE management have not shown any competency when it comes to running an NBA franchise, after continuously making unintelligent hiring decisions and taking a team with great potential and leaving it on the brink of disaster.

So please for the sake of Canadian basketball fans, and true Toronto Raptors fans, fire Richard Peddie, get an individual running this organization with a proven track record, a basketball mind, and the leadership ability to make positive decisions on behalf of Canada's only NBA basketball franchise.