Making a statue for Vince Carter

[dada]

I found this article and wanted to hear what anyone thought about it. It's a quick read and I just wanted to know if you think the board members have a good argument against building it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2252348

[cyanide]

It's so wrong. It's placing greater importance on sports than education, and that just sends the wrong kind of message to students. Vince's mom, and those involved needs a good sack beating.

[Bang]

I'm guessing VC probably gives a shitload of donations. That's how schools operate. Donations, Donations, Donations. So it's understandable. Around a whooping 60%~80% of my High School's money came from donations, and we're the most expensive school in Latin America! That goes to show you how important donations are. To have a good school, you need money and having a statue in that school will probably mean VC will keep donating or even donate more. Not to mention this statue will attract more people to the school, and probably make a lot of the students proud. The money could have been used elsewhere, but they'll get more money from the donations from it anyhow.

[Riot]

Schools are so fucking stupid, they spend their money on the stupidest things and then bitch and moan about not having enough money for education.

[Its_asdf]

I bet everyone in the school will drop out from that school the first opportunity they get. Just like Vince bailing on the Raptors.

But honestly. Why Vince? He isn't even hall of fame material...

[Riot]

I heard the statue is going to look like this:

[cyanide]

Oh my god, I haven't laughed so hard in a while, and I'm depressed today.

[Riot]

It's not a very good picture, I couldn't find one of him in his famous fetal position.

[j.23]

lovin the penetration position

[Andrew]

It may be wrong, but it's hardly unprecedented. At least it's going outside the gym so it's celebrating athletic achievement in the appropriate place.

[hipn]

I heard the statue is going to look like this:

Hahaha this is soo funny

[D_up]

Does it really matter?

It's a statue for crying out loud... But personally I think they should model the statue after this image --->



LOL Little Joe-Joe got so owned in that image...

But seriously joking aside a statue of the picture above would go a long way in inspiring people to realize that even if you're put into a horrible situation with the worst of people nice guys will always find a way to make out just fine in the end

[Riot]

But seriously joking aside a statue of the picture above would go a long way in inspiring people to realize that even if you're put into a horrible situation with the worst of people nice guys will always find a way to make out just fine in the end

Or maybe it says "if you have a lot of money we will put a statue of you in front of our school".

[Bang]

And the plaque reads:

"My math teacher said I will fail at everything and live like a bum on the streets because I failed math. Well fuck you."

[bigh0rt]

Schools are so fucking stupid, they spend their money on the stupidest things and then bitch and moan about not having enough money for education.

I'd love to hear an expanded explanation for this mini-rant, given the fact that I am a teacher, have taught in several school districts, have seen budgets be put together for academic years, and haven't seen any fatal flaws in my experiences, which, while limited, I'd wager are more extensive than yours.

So, please elaborate.

[Jona]

"There have been many students graduated from that school who have made wonderful contributions to their fellow man -- in science, health, theater. Where are their statues?"

I agree with this lady's opinion completely.

[Fenix]

I think VC's statue in front of my school would give me more inspiration than some random guy's who invented a toilet seat (although VC is not exactly the perfect example of sportsmanship in competivness).

[Matthew]

Why does everything have to be a negative? So what if the school decided to put a statue up of Vince. He is a sign that if you do work hard enough in a certain feild (whether its sports, maths, english) you can suceed.

It seems its mostly canadians that are complaining about this though. Do you guys ever get over the fact that someone doesnt want to play in toronto?

[J@3]

He is a sign that if you do work hard enough in a certain feild (whether its sports, maths, english) you can suceed.

"There have been many students graduated from that school who have made wonderful contributions to their fellow man -- in science, health, theater. Where are their statues?"

[Riot]

Schools are so fucking stupid, they spend their money on the stupidest things and then bitch and moan about not having enough money for education.

I'd love to hear an expanded explanation for this mini-rant, given the fact that I am a teacher, have taught in several school districts, have seen budgets be put together for academic years, and haven't seen any fatal flaws in my experiences, which, while limited, I'd wager are more extensive than yours.

So, please elaborate.

My high school has 15 principles. 15! We have a head principle, then a principle for each grade (9-12) and then each of them has 2 assistant principles. Why don't they spend that money on getting more teachers? What is the point in getting 15 principles?

Plus, I've read an interview from Jay Greene (the head of the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas) and we're spending $10,000 PER KID K-12. America gives just under $500 billion to education. That is more than our national defense budget and more than the entire GDP of Russia (converted into US dollars)! So to me, it's quite obvious that it's not that schools aren't getting the right money...it's that they aren't spending it correctly.

That's my two cents.

[cyanide]

It seems its mostly canadians that are complaining about this though. Do you guys ever get over the fact that someone doesnt want to play in toronto?

Nice assumption, but no.

It's placing greater importance on sports than education, and that just sends the wrong kind of message to students.

And as for the other "mostly Canadians" that are complaining about him, Its_asdf made a joke, then said, "Why Vince? He isn't even hall of fame material..." That was his 2 cents, and doesn't even relate to "Do you guys ever get over the fact that someone doesn't want to play in Toronto?"

Maybe it's just me, but it seems you have a personal disregard against Canadians.

[Matthew]

Look in this thread. You, It's adsf, J 23 and hipn are all from canada and they either critical of the statue or enjoying the fact that he was injured. That is negative and i bet you it comes from the fact that he wasnt happy in toronto.

And how can you assume that what adsf said was a joke? It wasnt remotely funny.

And Jae, thats my point altogether. He is a sign of sucees and can motivate people to do well in other feilds. Its also a sign of appreciation for his donation. I'm sure he didnt ask for it, but they gave it to him anyway... I wonder how many people would criticise this if this was Eric Snow or one of the more "loved" players in the NBA.

[Its_asdf]

I think that the statue makes the school seem like its placing it's focus more on athletic achievements rather than academic ones and even though they're making a statue because of his large donations, I highly doubt they would have made a statue of some everyday joe who works at the office and donated 2.5 million.

Oh yeah, and my statement was a joke. It wasn't meant to be funny, but it was just something that sort of popped into my mind that I don't take too seriously.

[cyanide]

That is negative and i bet you it comes from the fact that he wasnt happy in toronto.

My negativity toward Vince was the fact he didn't give his best during the Raptors, rendering his trade value to a sack of potatoes, which is what we got. I don't have a lot of respect for lazy NBA players, but not because he left Toronto, a Canadian city. My negativity applies the same way to Tracy McGrady when he left Orlando and admitted that he didn't play hard as he could've.

I wonder how many people would criticise this if this was Eric Snow or one of the more "loved" players in the NBA.

Regardless of who the player it was, I wouldn't support a statue that could suggest placing athletic achievements over academics.

[Bang]

"There have been many students graduated from that school who have made wonderful contributions to their fellow man -- in science, health, theater. Where are their statues?"

And I ask...like who? Are their achievements near the 15M a year Vince Carter makes? I doubt it. And who cares about those people. Seriously, that is the reality of this world. Name any famous scientist, doctor or theator actor/actress from your local school..chances are they are heard less than Vince Carter. What are statues for anyhow? For recognition. Sadly all those amazing people in other fields probably do not have as much recognition. Imagine if you put a statue of some famous scientist from that school, chances are they weren't the caliber of Einstein or Newton or those scientist deserving a statue. People will just go and say "Who is that dude?" and nobody will care. Whereas if you have a statue of Vince Carter, you go "man, that's Vince Carter! He went to our school!" Plus I doubt any of those people would've gave as much money as VC. Money makes the world go round and most schools need money. At first I thought "man this is a bad message to the kids", but then if I were in the board at this school, of course I would endorse the statue. If this statue means more money for the school, and more money means more people educated, or people educated better, make a statue, whatever.