These are our heroes

Ave fi fly out
me ave fi fly out

Daddy Lizard - Ave fi fly out

Vince Carter finally got his wish and was traded from Toronto on Friday. I wrote my thoughts on his trade wishes back in September.

After giving half hearted efforts for the NBA season so far to emphasize his point that he wanted out we finally gave him the boot. It was pretty much over at the start of the season and so far it just has played out like a long drawn out divorce.

I already stated my thoughts on Vince and players who demand trades so I don't want to repeat myself too much but I'll reiterate that Vince's charges that he wants to go somewhere where he can win are a smack in the face to Raptors fans and the organization who bent over backwards in the first six years to accommodate him.

Thanks Vince. Yes you did give us some acclaim with your high flying 'half man, half amazing' act in the early years but lately you've clearly grown tired of us and have been simply going through the motions.

What kind of example was your pouting and half hearted effort for the kids who sadly look up to you? You are their hero.

Its actually the organization's fault. Rightly or wrongly they probably gave you a lot of leeway because you were the first real star that the only NBA franchise north of the border had and they were afraid that if you left they would fold. Could still happen mind you but at least back in the day people paid to see you play and you were the cash cow for the organization. Now the few fans who go to the arena just go to boo you. Deservingly so I think as well because this summer you hurt their feelings with your trade requests. Now you've become a liability to the franchise.

After years of defending you and your oft injured act it hurt fans to hear you say you wanted to leave in a quest for a championship. Wait a minute didn't the franchise bring you the coach and the players like AD, Alvin,Jerome and an over the hill Hakeem Olajuwon that you wanted to play with? Didn't they get rid of dudes like Keon Clarke on your say so? Were you not being consulted on every move? Oh I get it you were angry that they realized that consulting you and catering to your whims wasn't helping to build the team into a championship caliber club. You were upset that they overlooked your pick for GM in Dr J. My bad son!

And who did we trade you for? Alonzo Mourning, two Williams and draft picks. I guess once again the Raptors will become the league leader in players named Williams. We have three beat that! What an achievement. I hope the draft picks work out for them because this trade just forced Alonzo Mourning into early retirement.

Oh well, I guess if someone is playing with Vince's effort you take what you can get to get rid of him and his annoying mom. I thought we could have gained a better return though but I guess for a franchise that will claim its losing money what we got probably looks best to the big boys.

What'll really be aggravating though will be when he goes to the New Jersey Nets and starts scoring 30 points a night. Then we'll look back and say wow look at that Vince is driving to the rim again. I haven't seen him do that in Toronto since those playoffs against the Sixers 3 or 4 years ago. Now that's when we'll be really upset as we think of how he played us over the last couple of years by phoning in his effort.

Anyway not to be totally negative about the brother I have to 'give jack he jacket'(credit where its due). He did do a bit for the community while he was here and I salute him for that ...Although in my opinion basketball courts aren't exactly what we should be giving underprivileged kids but that's another story for another time. Thanks for helping out Vince.

Also in my years in Toronto I've discovered that the sports writers here seem to have great powers to sway public opinion. They turn against any sports player and sooner or later he's gone. Sadly the sports writers in Toronto turned on Vince long before he demanded a trade . One newspaper dude at points appeared to me to even have a personal vendetta against Vince even going as far as pulling a paparrazi like stunt and writing an article about Vince's relationship with his paternal grandmother. Come on now, that's just not relevant unless you're the Enquirer. What happened to objective journalism?

Anyway Vince, thanks for the memories. We lost two of Toronto's sports heroes this winter you and Carlos Delgado (who actually wanted to stay here). Time to rebuild. I wish you luck in New Jersey. Go with God and good luck to you and your spouse and the soon to be new addition to your family.

Oh well, at least we got rid of you now instead of 5 years down the line where you could possibly have pulled an Antonio Davis and said something asinine like he did about not liking the strange stuff like the metric system that they are filling his kids heads with in Canadian schools.

These are our heroes.