The Raptors should honour VC and retire his 15. Maybe not right away, but in the near future. He revolutionzed basketball in Canada and inspired many young Canadians to start playing basketball. He lead the Raps to their only playoffs series victory and got them a jump shot away from the ECF. Not to mention he made countless donations to the community. -Retire #15
^^ Right on. Just like Jordan made 23 his number, Vince owns number 15. Best Raptor there ever was and will be.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">The Raptors should honour VC and retire his 15. Maybe not right away, but in the near future. He revolutionzed basketball in Canada and inspired many young Canadians to start playing basketball. He lead the Raps to their only playoffs series victory and got them a jump shot away from the ECF. Not to mention he made countless donations to the community. -Retire #15 </div> I agree. Here is my post from the other thread: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> It's actually saddening for me to see Carter go. Believe it or not, he was one of the reasons I fell in love with basketball as much as I did. I remember seeing him play in 99 and knew we finally had something special in our hands. But, as time drifted, critiscm and doubt filled all our minds. But nonethless, I got all the memories on tape. The times when Carter literally had the NBA and North America in his palms. The days when bashing Carter would get you a bashing yourself. The days when Carter was considered better or just as good as Tracy, Kobe. The days when he was considered by many as the best shooting guard in the league. So, I bid Vince farewell, I'll always remember him for the memories he gave me in his first 3 years in Toronto. The last 3 and a half years haven't been as pleasant but they are still worth mentioning. What Carter did for Canada and basketball popularity here won't be replaced for some time to come. I personally will miss him for what he did but in a way, I'm glad to see him go. This drama is behind us and we can start playing basketball with a stronger inside presence now and it's time for the Chris Bosh show to evolve... Meanwhile, Vince has a GREAT chance to rejuvinate his career, next to Jason Kidd. I smell a comeback. Good luck Vince. </div> Case ni point: Yes, retire Carter's number, but not now. Maybe 10 or so years, lord willing Toronto's franchise is still around by then (just kidding).
100% of people should agree that Vince's number should be hung upon the rafters in the ACC. Gosh, I just can't get over it; he's permanetly gone.
If they retire Alvin's number then I'm all for retiring VC's. But if they don't retire Alvin's and they retire VC for 3 or 4 good years of playing, that's ridiculous.
Alvin wasnt an allstar. Alvin wasnt an olympian, or the leader in allstar votes for 5 years running, or a dunk champion. Alvin didnt put Toronto on the basketball map. I love Alvin...i love his heart. But i'm not sure he's on the level to have his number retired. Vince is.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MaxaMillion711:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ Right on. Just like Jordan made 23 his number, Vince owns number 15. Best Raptor there ever was and will be.</div> --> oh boy,well said...i cudn't agree more...
we should have been retiring tmac and vince's numbers 10 years from now but life has a way of screwing away your hopes and aspirations.
*sigh* Sadly, your right. The Raptors could've had one of the best duo's ever, and who know's what could've happened when they made the playoffs? Thinking about it just kills you...
Definitly. I don't know what Jack Armstrong is thinking, but without Vince Carter, our team wouldn't be on the map in the NBA. He made the Raptors known world-wide, and was a superstar here for 3-4 years. Even when he was injured in his recent years, he still put up very good numbers. He couldn't do it by himself here in his last couple of years, but he's the best thing that ever happened to the Toronto Raptors Organization.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting urbannomad23:</div><div class="quote_post">thanks vince for the memories. retire his # like 8-10 years from now.</div> or when he's retired...
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ Right on. Just like Jordan made 23 his number, Vince owns number 15. Best Raptor there ever was and will be.</div> I don't want to rain on the Vince loving parade, but if Vince is and always will be the best Raptor ever, then I'm happy the Raptors are in the same division as the Celtics because they won't be winning much. I don't understand why the Raptors organization would want to retire the jersey of a player who complained and whined and demanded to be traded. What did Vince do to have his jersey retired? Two or three great seasons, a few good seasons, and a few injury riddled seasons don't deserve a retired jersey.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BC:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't want to rain on the Vince loving parade, but if Vince is and always will be the best Raptor ever, then I'm happy the Raptors are in the same division as the Celtics because they won't be winning much. I don't understand why the Raptors organization would want to retire the jersey of a player who complained and whined and demanded to be traded. What did Vince do to have his jersey retired? Two or three great seasons, a few good seasons, and a few injury riddled seasons don't deserve a retired jersey.</div> Well he's also a leader in many categories for the Raptors. He put the Raps on the map. He was the first to do many things, in the Canada, for Toronto, in the World, and in the NBA in general. Without Vince, who knows, maybe the Toronto Raptors would be the Kansas City Raptors. I guess you would have to live in the Raptors area, and be a fan of the Raps since they came into the league, to understand.
^ Trust me, I understand, I've been a Raptor fan since day one, Vince Carter is my favourite player of all time, and will always be. But the fact is, Vince has not done much ON COURT for the Raptors to retire his number. I love Vince, and I wish him the best wherever he goes, but to reitre someone's number you're setting an example to the rest of your players and showing them the standard of greatness. What does it say to our players, specially the young ones such as Chris Bosh?? Just win us one playoff serious and average 24 PPG and you're great and we should cherish you?? No. You don't get your number retired because of what you did to the community, how many high reel plays you made, or the fact that you've been the best player for an orgnization that only excisted for ten years. You have your number retired because of your basketball accomplishment, because of how you led your team to the high levels of competetion, because of how long you stuck around and made something out of nothing. Personally, one playoff series victory for a player who only stayed with the orgnization for 5 years does not make him great. Again, I like Vince and I enjoyed everygame he played for us, but the Raptors can not set the standards this early this low. To me, Vince has not done enough basketball wise to have his number retired, specially compared to other great players who got their number retired.
^Exactly. THat took the words right out of my mouth. And are players numbers ever retired mid season, pre-retirement?! IF anything, I would liek a commemoration for VC during a game. An honorary jersey or something being done. However, His jersey in the rafters? a retired jersey? I'm not sure.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting nkwu:</div><div class="quote_post">^Exactly. THat took the words right out of my mouth. And are players numbers ever retired mid season, pre-retirement?! IF anything, I would liek a commemoration for VC during a game. An honorary jersey or something being done. However, His jersey in the rafters? a retired jersey? I'm not sure.</div> I understand all the points stated by you guys who don't think so, but I still think the opinions on why his number should be in the rafters are a big enough reason for it to be retired. Jeff Hornacek got his number retired...I know it's a total situation, but if his number can be retired by his team, I think the Raps could retire Vinces number.
" I don't imagine he'll stop being part of the city, on one level or another, for the rest of his life. Carter was the first star to truly embrace the place.... He embraced us for embracing him. He gave back to the community, whether the cameras were there or not. And he gave Toronto some of the greatest basketball memories it will ever have. " They should retire his jersey sometime in future
