Raptors 120, NJ Nets 109
But it isn't just getting a win from one of the teams the Raptors have chasing them for the lead in the Atlantic division (four words nobody ever thought they would be saying about the Raptors this year; 'lead', 'Atlantic Division', and 'playoffs' - yet thats exactly what we can say about them), it's much more than that when the Raptors play NJ - much, much more.
The fans of course, know this well. It's about things like vengeance, things like hatred, things like betrayal.
For the Raptors fans playing NJ is still about Vince Carter.
For sure beating the Nets is good, great, even awesome.
But pistol whipping the 'I'm not gonna dunk anymore' prima-donna who mailed in his performances as part of his effort to be traded to a 'winning team'?
That, will always be sweet.
Anticipating the Raptor fans reaction, Lawrence Frank the coach of the Nets had the following to say before the game;
"You get tired of the criticism of Vince here. You have to move forward,'' said Frank. ''Vince is a Net, the Raptors are a very good team. This no longer should be about Vince Carter any more.
''Vince is part of our family now so every time he gets criticized or booed we take that personally.''
Which is hilarious really. Frank takes the booing of Vince Carter by Raptor fans 'personally'. That's good Larry. Will you still feel that way in two months when he's playing for Orlando?
If there are two things that Toronto fans agree on, it's that the Leafs will win the Cup and Vince Carter is a gutless puke who deserves to be booed every time he breathes. Criticizing Raptor fans for hating Vince means you completely fail to understand how much Vince meant to Toronto when he was there. He was loved, adored, cheered for and placed on a pedestal. We breathlessly spoke of his magnificent dunks, his outrageous leaping ability and how he could seemingly score at will. Back then, Vince was basketball Jesus. He simply owned the town, and his decision to go public with his trade demands, and then to publicly and purposefully SUCK whenever he played was a body shot to the entire city and to Raptor fans everywhere.
And so we HATE him. And because we hate him, we boo him.
Hating athletes is as much a part of the game as loving them, and when it comes to Vince Carter, it is not only natural to hate him, it would be unnatural not to.
Perhaps best of all? It was only two and a half years ago that Carter left town to go play for a 'winning team'. It was only three years or so ago that Carter criticized Raptor mgt for drafting of Bosh (we don't need another rookie, we need veterans!). Now, the Bosh lead Raptors are leading the Atlantic division (can't get tired of saying that), the Nets are imploding under the weight of expectations and inflated egos, and Carter has become one of the top 10 players expected to be moved by the deadline.
120-107; irony, she can be one cold motherf*cker eh Vince? Just like revenge.
If there are two things that Toronto fans agree on, it's that the Leafs will win the Cup and Vince Carter is a gutless puke who deserves to be booed every time he breathes. Criticizing Raptor fans for hating Vince means you completely fail to understand how much Vince meant to Toronto when he was there. He was loved, adored, cheered for and placed on a pedestal. We breathlessly spoke of his magnificent dunks, his outrageous leaping ability and how he could seemingly score at will. Back then, Vince was basketball Jesus. He simply owned the town, and his decision to go public with his trade demands, and then to publicly and purposefully SUCK whenever he played was a body shot to the entire city and to Raptor fans everywhere.
And so we HATE him. And because we hate him, we boo him.
Hating athletes is as much a part of the game as loving them, and when it comes to Vince Carter, it is not only natural to hate him, it would be unnatural not to.
Perhaps best of all? It was only two and a half years ago that Carter left town to go play for a 'winning team'. It was only three years or so ago that Carter criticized Raptor mgt for drafting of Bosh (we don't need another rookie, we need veterans!). Now, the Bosh lead Raptors are leading the Atlantic division (can't get tired of saying that), the Nets are imploding under the weight of expectations and inflated egos, and Carter has become one of the top 10 players expected to be moved by the deadline.
120-107; irony, she can be one cold motherf*cker eh Vince? Just like revenge.
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