Published at The RaptorNest and RaptorBlog
The Blue Baller here and I have just what this Vince Carter situation needs—another column on the subject. If a Superfan with home and away turbans can be the authoritative source behind a national VC scoop, you can call me Deep Throat. Actually don’t ever call me that. But this column isn’t about could or should Vince be traded, it is about the inevitability of his departure. For as sure as I can buy a charcoal portrait of Tupac outside of the ACC after any home game, Vince Carter will be traded in August. There are three reasons why I think this is going to happen, and none of them have to do with basketball.
Peddie’s ‘Optics’
Unlike a blood-soaked camp counselor it is difficult to quickly identify an incompetent executive. It was less than 6 months ago that Peddie was still basking in the glow of hiring his new rosy-cheeked Leafs GM when the Raptors began to slide. Badly. Sensing the impending heat like only a soulless Bay Street weasel can, Slick Rick pushed himself in front of the camera and proactively began to deflect criticism towards Grunwald and O’Neill. His performance was impressive, that is until someone asked him about basketball. He immediately started to look as comfortable as Kobe in a Colorado courtroom, flubbing answers to simple questions. It became painfully clear that this rat was about as qualified to talk hoops as A.C. Green is to instruct a course on ‘The Mystery and Mastery of the Female Orgasm’. Well I think Peddie is feeling the heat from mishandling VC during the GM search, and would gladly give up some Raptors #15 merchandising revenue for the chance to slink back into his cool suite and watch hockey. I can only hope my modest donation can make a difference.
Who’s House? Cock’s House!
"I served with KG. I knew KG. KG was a friend of mine. VC, you’re no KG”. Think Rob Babcock is fond of the excessive coddling that Vince Carter receives from the Raptors given his experience with MVP Kevin Garnett? He probably looks at a post-2001 VC like a post-1984 David Lee Roth. I think Babcock wants a clean slate where he does not feel hamstrung by the precedents set by Grunwald & Co. acquiescing to the whims of the team’s best players. Plus Babcock wants everyone to know that he is in charge, and what better way to reinforce this message than by making the current face of the Raptors franchise history. It’s only natural—when you first move into a new place you do two things: change the locks and take a dump. I’m pretty sure he’s taken care of No. 2, now Babcock is in the process of locking out Camp Carter.
Perfect Timing
Timing is everything—just ask Keon Clark’s agent who received the news that his player was charged with marijuana possession when he was negotiating a contract with the Kings. Despite the enormous amount of attention and emotion that the prospect of trading Vince Carter has stirred in Toronto, I think fans are at a point now where they are more accepting of a Carter trade than ever before. Vince’s silence combined with a number of thinly veiled criticisms from Raptor management has produced a steady campaign of negative press to the point where I am expecting an article insinuating that VC is a Quebec Separatist. This coverage has managed to turn public sentiment against VC and cushion fans for a trade.
Plus, this off-season couldn’t have been timed better for Babcock. With the shuffling of T-Mac, Stevie Franchise, and Shaq, who’s going to pay attention to a VC trade? Moving Vince now would be as noticeable as Benson and Hedges putting on a Symphony of Fire demonstration in Fallujah. But there’s no doubt that Babcock needs to wait until after VC’s Charity Game on the 30th. No fan would ever forgive the Raptors if they showed up at the ACC to hear Herbie announce “Welcome everyone to Shandon Anderson’s 1st Annual Hoops for the Homeless! Put your hands together for Shan-Da-Man as he runs the weave with Kurt Thomas and his old buddy Howard Eisley!”
With VC on his way out I can’t help but think that this whole situation could have been avoided if Lenny Wilkens acted more like Uncle Ben Parker than Bernie Lomax when he arrived four years ago. 
If he had taken a precocious young Vince Carter aside and given him the old “with great power comes great responsibility” speech things might be different. Instead, Vince has continued to shy away from his responsibility, and that is the one basketball reason why VC will be traded—while he has shown flashes of his superpowers over the last 6 years, it has never been in him to truly be Toronto’s hero.
But don’t worry, The Blue Baller is applying for that job too.
Ahhhhh, it's a bittersweet symphony. No matter how inevitable, or even beneficial Vince's leaving might be I just can't help but hope that he stays; he's a basketball superstar that made a commitment to Toronto, and that superceeds all, even winning. But maybe not. I dunno, thats why it's bittersweet, I guess.
Good post, though :).
-Nate
Posted by: Nate | July 23, 2004 at 04:45 PM
BB: I saw your "Published at The RaptorNest and RaptorBlog" line at the top so I took the liberty of posting this as a feature on my site, as we had discussed by e-mail. I can't access my RaptorBlog e-mail at work so I figured you might have e-mailed this to me.
Great stuff, as usual.
Posted by: Scott Carefoot | July 23, 2004 at 06:37 PM
Do you ever get the feeling that the whole reason behind Canada pushing legislation to decriminalize weed is that we could have one hell of a draw to play in this city? Think about it. Stoudamire, Wallace, KEE-AHWWNH, you can fill in the rest.
Until this legislation is passed, the Craptors should consider shutting their traps and pockets on the VC trade. I hate VC. Oh, he's had be jump out of my seat on numerous occasions, but even Mo Pete had those same moments...some might say more than VC in the past 2 years. Bloody sad, eh?
VC as a T.O. hero? Think Shadowman. The kid was in Jamison's shadow in North Carolina; we drafted Jamison before him - in that very strange draft (why didn't we just draft Carter if we wanted him? Because we didn't...but we had a deal, a grander power that overSHADOWED the outright draft of Carter...it must have been Chris Mullen's mob connections, or something); then, Jamison got married (Carter then married Jamison's wife's sister).
WHY THE HELL DO YOU THINK CARTER IS RUMOURED TO BE GOING TO DALLAS?!? To go be Robin to Antawn's Batman...and how fitting that Jamison is a 6th man Batman. Carter was never meant to be a leader. Hell, he only started to put on that Raptor yell after a few and far between dunk, AFTER he did that Gatorade commerical where he plays against the Raptor. Do you remember that? I remember and never respected that. One day, Carter's dunking and scoring 35; then he's dunking and pretend-yelling, throwing up hand-signs to ??? - he didn't know either, and scoring 25 because he's trying to find a reason to do that pretend-Raptor commercial yell. Then, he met his nemisis, all heroes have a nemisis, VC's was pain. VC finally felt physical pain (a shadow doesn't understand emotional pain) and got injured, driving to the hoop, driving to Gatorade glory. That pretend-yell turned into a grimace and a sulk and unveiled his work-ethic (notice that there has NEVER been one report about his incredible work ethic..the closest is articles about him "trying" to work on his defense and that he's "in" rehab; what about doing?!!
In a hockey town, there is no tolerance for Mr. Glass; so, Peddie (a self-annointed hockey King), like the rest of us, cannot take another year of VC's all to familiar face locked in a grimace, sulking and whining to referees about a foul (give me a 30% shooting Iverson over VC anyday). The VC train is on its final haul; and we will get a sack of dead kittens for him because 1) we are trying to unload 2) VC doesn't hace the numbers or the rep to warrant a star in return and 3) VC has shut up ever since hearing talks were in the works to send him back to the Batcave with Antawn (insert 'Men on Basketball' snaps here).
I think VC takes the tradesman's entrance; eats his hotdog plain; works in the bun factory; is a part-time sausage inspector; goes in through the out door; likes a healthy diet of meat and two veg; eats the chin nuts; a pole polisher; and a closet gerbil. Well, at least when it comes to Jamison...then again, doesn't VC play with that: 'I don't want to be a leader, I like to watch you guys play' attitude. Hell, he hugs the other team more than Hillbilly Jim does opponents; or maybe that's Shadowman's move? He just hasn't perfected it yet.
None the less, VC will be gone; although this trade talk stuff could be the shit to get him pissed (VC was too comfortable here...time to rattle those feathers). The staff will wait until after the charity game (I'd love to hear what VC's going to say at the game: "Goodbye Toronto!"). Hell, did y'all know VC just bought a new house, too? IN ORLANDO!! hmmm
here's the link:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Columnists/Chatter/03ColumnsCHAT063004.htm
Sorry about the long post; maybe I'll start longballer.com
Posted by: Chris | July 23, 2004 at 06:51 PM
The Blue Baller will gladly play Robin to The Long Baller's Batman.
Posted by: The Blue Baller | July 24, 2004 at 06:22 PM
i love the blue baller!
Posted by: nunna-yo-bidni | July 26, 2004 at 05:52 PM
Yeah, I kinda got outta control with my last post, eh?
Sorry blue; I'll be more like VC and lurk in the shadows.
P.S. I prefer flamer, not fairy.
Posted by: Chris | July 26, 2004 at 06:39 PM