"I was fortunate to have the talent ... you get spoiled when you're able to do a lot of things. You see that you don't have to work at it."

vince carter

here's a familiar sight to toronto basketball fans. vince carter, rolling around on the ground, acting like a soccer player aspiring for a daytime emmy.

"next on our tour of toronto is the cn tower, situated beside the slightly dated but instantly recognizable skydome. these twin landmarks have become staples of the toronto landscape over the years, appearing in various movies and television shows.

and if you'll look to your right, there's vince carter pretending to be injured again. lets all give him a big wave folks!

now if you'll follow me, we'll soon be entering union station, where...."

watching this team over the last 5 years, i'm so used to seeing carter go down it isn't even a worrying sight anymore. usually when you see an injury during a sporting event, your first thought is is usually -- boy, i hope he's ok.

but not with vince. ohhhh no. with vince, it so gradually and frustratingly became -- again? whatever man. what a wanker.

and so, he came to resent the city. the team. the "haters" who called him soft, lazy, uninspired, and scared to step up and lead his team. instead of taking that challenge right in the face and proving his doubters wrong, he decided he wanted to run away.

this confession -- that he wasn't trying his best in toronto. it's the kind of thing that makes a fan want to run onto the court and bitch-slap a man so badly you'd think he kicked your momma.

so often people can't take the pressure of being a role model. what do you tell the kids who looked up to him? to the fans who supported him for the first oh.....four years of injury plagued half-assed effort? how do you expect your peers to respect you not only as a player -- but as a man, when you admit you're not trying your best when you're paid millions of dollars to play a game millions play for sheer love of the sport?

and then i thought -- well. isn't there a little bit of vince carter in all of us?

how often have i -- as a student, as a christian, as a boyfriend, as a son, as a friend -- not given it my all? how many times can i recall that i've made excuses, been lazy, and not put my best efforts into whats in front of me?

too many to count.

but i can't be mad at him. i can't point fingers and lay blame. all i can do is pity him, because of the moral that he teaches myself, and hopefully, so many other people in the world.

i can just look at him and think: now that -- that's everything i never want to be like.

i hope i'm sucessful.