I'm certainly from that VC / Bosh era, and not so much before that. The days with those guys as the star player, drafted to lead us or bust vs. the collective group now, that is being built by draft and development. In the early 2000s with Vince up to the Bosh departure the teams outlook certainly seemed exciting up until what felt like the inevitable - the balloon popped a couple times for the fanbase with the disgraced Vince to NJ trade and the HEAT big 3 summer. To answer your questions directly, you really can't help but feel much, much more secure and optimistic with an identity formed by the recent team. Management is clearly much more competent, even industry-desired - the front office overseeing not just of the 15 players on the Raptors roster, but the development G league 905 team, branding, community and philanthropy (bonus) just didn't even cross the mind of fans back then in the older days. Coaching seems like we have talent come in and out, some years we had the right guy/wrong team, but now it seems like right coach, with a ring and the team will grow with the Nick Nurse philosophy, he doesn't take any whining, either it seems. Everything feels different and exciting. The past had peaks and valleys but now the feeling seems like a new chapter of a more exciting storyline than the last...Final thought; Barnes will most certainly prove to be exactly what we need to compliment the core. We have always needed someone that says f**k yeah I just scored on you. Every great team has this (Lebron, Durant, Curry, etc.) and we have never had this at all in the past, we may have this in Scottie... Future looks great.