Chris Bosh

Remember when Chris Bosh first joined the Toronto Raptors in 2003 as a lanky teenager — Bosh stood a towering 6-11 but weighed just 215 pounds —and was forced to play out of position at centre and constantly battle NBA vets who often outweighed him by more than 50 pounds?
What about when former Raptor Vince Carter complained about having to carry the team and claimed he was no longer going to dunk the basketball in games?
A week ago Sunday, Bosh — who now tips the scales at 265 pounds —surpassed Carter as the Raptors all-time franchise leader in scoring when he racked up 22 points in a 91-86 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Being the franchise leader of a team that has only existed for 15 years is a nice accolade — but this isn’t the Lakers or the Celtics. Raptors records aren’t remarkably hard to come by — for instance, fifth-year guard Jose Calderon holds the record for assists.
What is more notable about Bosh’s achievement is who he knocked off — the oft-injured, rarely motivated Carter, who held the franchise mark previously with 9,420 points.
Carter is undoubtedly a great player and was the face of the Raptors franchise for years. However, his poor attitude, outlandish demands (like a personal parking space at the arena for his mother) and admission that he did not always give his all on the court quickly turned him into one of the most abhorred heels in Raptors history.
Bosh, on the other hand, has been a consummate professional during his tenure in Toronto — never once complaining about the fans, management or his teammates. Bosh will undoubtedly earn a maximum contract this off-season — whether it’s in Hogtown or elsewhere remains to be seen. Despite his tenuous future, the all-star has conducted himself honourably — unlike Carter who demanded a trade twice while with the Raptors.
Raptors fans finally have a franchise leader to be proud of.

Peter Laviolette

A tip of the hat to Peter Laviolette for showing NHL coaches can actually lead a team to victory. After a deep run in last year’s NHL playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers were expected to have a great season. The off-season addition of all-star defenceman Chris Pronger only added to the expectations.
Unfortunately for the Flyers, they stumbled out of the gate, amassing a record of 13-11-1 for a total of 27 points, well out of a playoff spot. While that would be a positive for the two Ontario teams, it was a disappointment for this supposed Stanley Cup contender.
For previous Flyer coach John Stevens, his team’s performance in his final seven games was the nail in the coffin. He led his team to a paltry 1-6 record in those games. On top of that, his star players were seriously underperforming, being shut out in two consecutive games.
Laviolette was hired on Dec. 4, 2009. At first, the team struggled as they adjusted to the new high-tempo system Laviolette tried to install. However, once the team bought into the system, and Laviolette made a goaltending switch to Michael Leighton, the team has gone 7-1-1 in their last nine games, putting them two points out of a playoff spot.
With Laviolette behind the bench, the Flyers are, once again, a legitimate Stanley Cup threat.

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning — after being awarded his second consecutive and fourth total MVP award last week — easily proved he was the best QB in the NFL this season. Manning provided another banner year under centre for the Colts, completing 68.8 per cent of his passes for 4,500 yards and 33 TDs, while throwing just 16 interceptions and being sacked only 10 times.
But for now, let’s forget the fact he’s the only player in history to ever win four NFL MVP awards. Forget the fact he’s started every game in his career. Forget the fact he’s just 33 and probably has at least five more good years of playing ahead of him.
Is Peyton Manning the best QB of the decade?
From 2000 through 2009, the future Hall of Famer has racked up the most completions (3,561), passing yards (42,158) and TDs (314) of any NFL QB to take the field. His 65.9 per cent completion rate in the Naughts is second only to Chad Pennington’s mark of 66.1.
Still not convinced?
Consider the fact that over the last 10 years Manning threw 5.81 per cent of his passes for touchdowns — tops amongst all QBs over the decade. His 265.1 yards per game over the decade are also — you guessed it — tops in the NFL.
Peyton Manning is the QB of the decade.