Chris Bosh yesterday again deflected any contract talk, saying he wants to see how things go this season before he figures out if Toronto is the place for him in the long term.

"If we play well and win, things will be taken care of," he said.

And what if the team only wins 10 games all season?

"It can't happen," Bosh replied with a steely stare. "It's not going to happen. That's impossible in my mind."

Bosh is signed with the Raptors through the 2006-2007 season.

Toronto general manager Rob Babcock, harassed by the home fans recently, revealed he wears earplugs at games.

Despite a poor record, the club is playing better and the combination of Chris Bosh and Charlie Villanueva is proving to be a solid frontcourt foundation.

The anger started building in the first half last night when his team stunk the joint out and nearly boiled over 90 seconds into the third quarter when Sam Mitchell had had enough and pulled Mike James, Jalen Rose and Morris Peterson from the game for a spurt of indifferent play.

It became even more intense a minute or two later when the second of two straight thundering dunks by Jason Richardson ripped through the basket and Mitchell really got ticked off.

He and assistant coach Jim Todd had practically leapt from their seats, screamed first at Rafael Araujo and anyone else who was going to listen to them, fed up as they were with the team's worst performance of a terrible season.

Mitchell knows he has to get Chris Bosh more involved than he was.

"It's on everybody," said Mitchell. "It's on me, it's on Chris, it's on the players on the court to recognize out there where Chris is and try to get him the basketball."

It's not that the United States Olympic team has interest in Chris Bosh the basketball player that makes the young power forward most proud.

It's that they are just as impressed with Bosh the person.

The 21-year-old Raptor met briefly with Olympic managing director Jerry Colangelo when the Raptors were in Phoenix this week and was told he's very much on the radar for events such as this summer's world championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

And with the Americans looking at character as much as playing ability, Bosh took the conversation with pride.

"Very proud, very proud," said Bosh. "One of the key things (Colangelo) said was (he's) looking for players with class, class over talent, and for them to show interest not just because of basketball is a real honour."

Raptors general manager Rob Babcock yesterday said that he may dispatch a scout to have a look at former star NBA power forward/centre Shawn Kemp, who is training for a comeback and has reportedly dropped 55 pounds.

Babcock admitted that he also has talked with Kemp's agent about the troubled player's intentions in terms of his planned comeback. However, the GM believes that Kemp, who will turn 36 later this month, probably is not a good fit for the Raptors, even though he was the type of player who brings exactly what Toronto needs: Rebounding ability and size.

"He's not exactly the type of player we're looking for," Babcock said yesterday from Iowa, where he is attending a college game. "We're committed to the development of our young players."

Babcock recently did sign veteran point guard Darrick Martin to a short-term deal, but that was more of an insurance policy with the club having only two healthy point guards at the moment, Mike James and Jose Calderon.

Kemp, no doubt, would want much more money than the journeyman Martin and a multi-year deal.

Kemp apparently has attracted the interest of a number of NBA teams, even though his problems with drugs in the past are well-documented. He also is known to have fathered at least seven children by seven different women, all out of wedlock -- the type of character the Raptors in the past have shied away from.

Raptors rookie Charlie Villanueva believes there is something special developing between Chris Bosh and himself on the court.

"We're like Tim Duncan and David Robinson," Villanueva said, following the team's morning shootaround at the America West Arena. "But a younger version. I really feel that."

Former Purdue basketball coach Gene Keady is considering coming out of retirement after being offered a position with the Toronto Raptors.

Keady, who went 512-270 in 25 seasons with the Boilermakers, retired after last season and was fully satisfied with golfing and spending time with his wife. But Wayne Embry, the Raptors' assistant to the president, called Keady to offer him a job as a consultant or bench coach for the NBA franchise.

Embry was the league's first black general manager. He held that post for the Milwaukee Bucks from 1971-79 following an NBA playing career that included five All-Star appearances.

"When he calls, you listen," said Keady. "When he's affiliated with something, you know it's going to be done right."

Life is a lot more enjoyable for the Toronto Raptors now that they've finally won a game.

"Everyone likes each other again," said a chuckling Mike James after the Raptors beat the first-place Miami Heat 107-94 on Sunday to end Toronto's longest losing streak since 2003.

Chris Bosh had a season-high 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Raptors, who opened the season 0-9 -- the worst start in their 11-year history. James added 25 points for Toronto.

"The mood always lightens after a win. People are nicer, the food tastes better, practice is a lot more fun," Bosh said.

The Raptors went on an 18-2 run late in the fourth to seal the victory, ending their longest losing streak since a 12-game skid from Dec. 18, 2002-Jan. 10, 2003.

Toronto's win leaves the Atlanta Hawks as the NBA's only winless team.

Denver GM Kiki Vandeweghe not expected to return after this season, and could be heading for Atlanta or Toronto with Hawks and Raptors looking to clean house.

Sam Mitchell refuses to grow wistful at the thought of what might have been or how much easier his life would have been had Alonzo Mourning ever had any intention of pulling on a Raptor jersey.

And while the Toronto head coach isn't going to look back, he won't have to glance too far this afternoon to see just how healthy ? and dominant ? Mourning has become since the Raptors paid him nearly $10 million (U.S.) to not show up.

"The fire's back, the passion," Mitchell said of Mourning, who'll be at the Air Canada Centre as the Miami Heat try to extend Toronto's season-opening losing streak to an even 10 games.

"He really feels like that team's got a chance to win a championship and that's what he wants, dearly. An opportunity."

"No, no, no, no, there's no point in even going there," Mitchell responded when asked 'what if'.

"This is our team and instead of worrying about what we don't have, we're worrying about getting our guys better, and if we do that, we'll be okay."