I read an article in the Toronto Sun today about the possibility of the Toronto Raptors honouring Vince Carter on November 22nd when the Orlando Magic come to town, as a part of the team's 15 year anniversary. Here's what Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo had to say about it: "Everybody wants to know how we can do it, but Vince is part of the history here," he told the Orlando Sentinel. "Most of the people that he had problems with here are gone". It is an interesting idea, but there is one enormous problem: the fans.
Growing up in Toronto, I can relate to the hatred fans have for Carter. He essentially gave up on the team during his final season in Toronto. Torn by the direction of the club, he went from fun-loving superstar to depressed under-performer in the span of one season. He became unfriendly with the media, conveniently injury prone, made public trade demands and posted a career-low 15.9 ppg before his eventual trade. On top of that, his mediocre play forced the Raps to trade Carter to the Nets for virtually nothing. He immediately became the most hated sports figure in the city.
It's been five years since his departure and anytime he comes back to Toronto the boo-birds are out in full-force. It has become quite the spectacle. Although I was one of those fans, I think back and really can't deny Carter his proper recognition. He put the Raptors on the map. His personal accolades helped the team get noticed, but more importantly, it wasn't all about himself. He lead the team to it's first playoff birth, first playoff series win and first winning season. He played a large role in the growth of basketball in Canada. He was known around the league as "Air Canada" for crying out loud. There is no other current or former Raptor player, after 15 years, that deserves to be honoured for on-court achievements more than this guy. It is only a matter of time and understanding from the fan-base.
It's taken me some time, but the article I read today really made me dig deep. Being a fan, I understand the animosity against Carter. As a writer and advocate of basketball in Canada, I have to also understand that this one player was a huge catalyst in the development of the sport in not only Toronto but the entire country. The organization has come leaps and bounds in five years and it's almost unfair to dwell on what happened that long ago. I will never forget what happened five years ago because history is important, but I am comfortable with starting to forgive the player for the disastrous final year of what was a stellar career in Toronto.
My hope is that fans can grasp these concepts and for the organization to promote Carter in a way that fans will be receptive if he is, in fact, honoured in November. The city has been booing him for five years and it may be about time to give it up. It's not like the team is suffering still due to the loss of a key player. It's a new era and this ceremony may be exactly what the city needs to put the nail in the coffin. He deserves to be credited and the appropriate time is now, whether the fans like it or not. It's about taking steps in the right direction.
by: Jesse Neary
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