I wasn't actually that surprised to find that Squizz had already beat me to the punch when I logged in to write about Milos Raonic and what his story might mean for Canadian soccer. The kid is exciting a lot of Canadians right now, so it only makes sense that Canadian Soccer News writers would be as smitten as the rest.
Squizz rightly points out that the biggest reason why Raonic has become a household name is that he has started to win. However, I have a slightly different take on his situation. Winning matters, but if it were just about doing well there would be a hell of a lot of speed skaters and freestyle skiers a lot more famous in this country.
So, it's not just the wins. Rather, it's what he's winning at. Watching Raonic's semi-final win Saturday I was struck by something that John McEnroe said.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
McEnroe's guy was right though. The comparisons are with Weir. The kid may have only won a low level ATP event, but Canadians are as ga-ga over it as they were when one of our own won the most famous golf event in the world.The guy I was talking to said that (Canadians) haven't been this excited by an individual athlete since Mike Weir won the Masters. Mike Weir won the Masters! I said 'he only won San Jose'
The reason we Canucks are losing our mind over Raonic has a lot to do with the fact that he plays a sport that the whole world plays. It's not as if we are massive tennis fans, but we instinctively get it. Tennis matters a lot of places and to get good in tennis is hard to do. Although we do love our hockey heroes we're not dumb. We understand that's sort of our gig. Winning in a sport played everywhere though?
That's something to get really excited about. If he does what it looks like he's going to do (compete for Majors) Raonic is going to become a very big star in this country. He's going to be as big as any hockey player, save your Sidney Crosby-type superstars.
This is where I bring it back to soccer. One of the reasons some of our athletes bail for other countries is they suggest that Canadians don't support them to the same level that they would be in other places.
They aren't really paying attention. Canadians are desperate for heroes in world sports. They will raise them up to superstar levels faster than one of those aces Milos keeps whizzing past the heads of (rightly) terrified ball kids.
If Canada made the World Cup, and did something there (that's key -- the only thing that would harm the perception of Canadian soccer more than not making the World Cup would be making it and crapping the bed), there is ample evidence that there would be at least one new Canadian superstar after the tournament.
If winning an ATP 250 event can make Raonic a star there is no telling what a World Cup winning goal would do for a Canadian player.
Let's hope we find out.