Otto may still want to see the Raptors in Hell.
To add some clarity here, Leo is no longer a color commentator with the Raptors. He has been relieved of his duties in that regard (not sure if it was mutual) He stays on with TSN but only as an in studio analyst.
Some background here.
#1. The Raptors games are broadcast on 2 channels which have had the following longtime announcing teams:
Sportsnet - Mike Devlin/Leo Rautins were the announcing team
TSN - Mike Devlin / Jack Armstrong were the announcing team (Leo Rautins does pre-game and half time in studio analysis)
Jack Armstrong has been involved with Raptors since 1998, Leo since the beginning in 1996. I have no clue what is the reason that the two networks have the same PBP guy but different colour commentators.
They have both been great ambassadors for the franchise. Jack has a tremendous family story. Leo was very outspoken on racial matters and equality last year.
#2.
On Sportsnet the Raptors are replacing Leo Rautins as colour commentator on the announcing team with Alvin Williams. Not sure what the reason is. Maybe it was mutual.
On TSN they are keeping things the exact same. So Leo Rautins is returning but as noted above his role was never as an announcer.
#3. Raptors fans in general are more fond of the Devlin/Armstrong team, as am I. But I do not dislike Leo either. With Leo, many fans do not like him, although a fair amount are OK with him. I put myself in the OK category. His detractors cite that he is pretty stale, repetitive and simple in his analysis. He can get off on strange tangents with Devlin... although the same is the case with Jack.
I didn't mind Leo. I hear other broadcasts and I have heard Alvin Williams as a studio analyst. The grass is certainly not always greener on the other side! Plus he has been a good soldier.
I just don't understand why Jack Armstrong does not do 82 games now Perhaps he does not want to work that many games, and the Raptors decided this was the time to bring in someone younger who was liked as a a player.
Some of you may remember Jack Armstrong as a coach with Niagara in his mid to late 20's, Youngest NCAA coach ever at that time. He is now 58 and does not look a day younger than 70. This is probably a picture of him from a few years back. But as I said great guy has a nice family story (chose to adopt 3 black babies from troubled areas who are all now college grads)
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