Gambling with Gourmet Spud: The 62-win bet is dead, long live the 62-win bet

Every ten games or so, we’ll be checking in with Raptors fan, and noted Twitter celebrity, Gourmet Spud to gauge how he’s feeling about his Toronto bet. The line: Spud took the over on the Raptors at 62 wins. As of this writing, the Raptors are 51-21.

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All great journeys must come to an end.

Scratch that — all journeys, great or otherwise, must come to an end. Obviously, for the partaker of such a journey, be it a spiritual quest, an arduous trek, or some other such sojourn, it is hoped the end will contain within it some sort of meaning, and impart some new wisdom in the mind and heart of the traveller. Again, that’s the hope.

The reality, sadly, is quite often different. In that spirit, we turn our attentions now to the ongoing trials and tribulations of one Gourmet Spud, he who bet on the Toronto Raptors to win 62 games in the 2018-19 season. It is a wager both absurd and completely within reason, exposing as it does the great duality of being a Raptors fan: we both believe... and do not.

In any case, despite having recently crossed the 50-win barrier for the fourth straight time — no small feat given how impossible that felt for much of the Raptors’ existence — the hope for 62 wins is officially dead. Toronto has lost 21 games, and there is now zero mathematical chance for Spud to claim his winnings (and presumptive psychological, physical, and spiritual awakening). Tough break, that.

So, for one final time, we ask Gourmet Spud our questions three.

Spud’s Highlight from the Past 12 Games:

None.

Spud’s Lowlight from the Past 13 Games:

Cleveland? Really? They had to go 14-0 for me to win this bet, and they got immediately blown up by the Zion Welcoming Committee. I was so mad watching this game. They were down like 20 with three minutes left and I still thought they would come back. Unbelievable.

Spud, How’s Your Mood?

This was, in retrospect, a very stupid bet. But I thought 60 wins for this team was a given. I never banked on this level of load management, or losing a combined five games to Terrence Ross and Dwane Casey. Now I have to be genuinely worried about Andre Drummond as a playoff opponent? We should be scraping the Pistons off our shoes!

The worst part is I now have to come up with the 15 bucks I owe at least two weeks earlier than I thought. My wife is going to kill me.

Folks, you hate to see it come to this. Flying high on the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, astounded by the leaps of Pascal Siakam, inspired by a strong start, and then emboldened by the trade for Marc Gasol, this was to be Spud’s time to shine, his rise to glory. The Raptors should have cleared 62 wins easily (or at least been able to keep the dream alive a little longer).

Now, I don’t know Spud personally, but I share in his pain. In this, we are all Gourmet Spud. Then again, we had to know: this is just how these things tend to go for Toronto.

Ah well, there’s always next year, right?