By
Kamy Shaygan
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Vinsanity? I don't think so.
It should be read, Vin's insanity.
Once again, a superstar athlete has let down millions of fans.
When I wrote a column on Vince Carter last year following the slam dunk competition, I said "half man, half amazing" did more for basketball that weekend than what vanilla did for ice cream.
A year later, I would like to send my sincere apologies to vanilla.
Basketball fans around the world were in awe of Carter's jaw-dropping jams and were excited at the fact that the slam dunk contest was back. The contest was taken away in prior years because of a lack of originality, but Carter had seemed to be the savior. Not since Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan has a player taken over an event with a single dunk like Carter did last year, hanging on the rim with his elbow.
A year later, what does this superstar millionaire athlete do?
"Half man - and only half man" has decided to pull out of the contest for the mere reason that he does not want to do it.
Carter told reporters earlier this week that he does not owe anybody anything and people should respect his decision.
Vince, who do you think pays for your salary? Who do you think buys your Nike Shox for a cool $140 a pair?
The fans Vince, the fans. I hate to break it to you, but you do owe the fans. Every athletes owes the fans.
They pay serious money to see you play, Vince. They buy your jersey.
By choosing not to enter the dunk competition, you've shown the sports world a bad side of your personality.
I don't even know why Toronto Raptors fans cheer for this guy. Don't they realize that he's out when his contract expires at the end of the 2002 season?
The way the game has become, marquee players want to play in big markets - no disrespect to Bret Hart and Canada.
The only way Carter will stay in Toronto is if they can somehow land Chris Webber so the two can "blaze it up."
If Vince Carter doesn't enter the dunk contest, and a baller like Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets chooses not to participate, then who is left?
Well, then you get Tracy McGrady - who is also a baller and most likely won't participate.
In the last six or seven years, when a player is labeled a superstar, they choose not to participate in the All-Star festivities.
Larry Bird participated. Wilkins did it. Jordan did it - but I guess he sucks.
Give me a break! The greatest player of all time participated repeatedly, why can't players like Carter do it?
Carter is just like every other athlete nowadays. He doesn't play for the sheer competition but rather for the benefits that come with - such as money and lots of it.
Carter needs to tone down his ego, which is looking like Sean Kemp - huge.
Kamy Shaygan is a sophomore majoring in journalism and can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.
