Ritacco has to Share

Silver, this is for you...

I was driving around Toms River during my trip up there. It was actually the fateful day I did the swimsuit search. During my drive, I passed by High School North. Next to North is this new fangled theatre/center. There I saw it, in huge letters.

POLAND SPRINGS/RITACCO CENTER

I giggled slightly to myself and think "How is the egomaniac Ritacco handling sharing his name with Poland Springs?"

I'm sure he is quite miffed.

The story goes back years ago to when I first entered the Toms River School system. That same year Ritacco was elected school superintendent. He first came by my high school to lecture us on bringing weapons to school. he also warned us on our fashion habits.

"No one is allowed to wear anything with an eight ball on it. If you come to school wearing anything with an eight ball on it, you'll be suspended."

First of all, without going into depth on the demographics of the area at the time, I'm just going to say...no one in my school...well a very small percentage at the time...not even worth counting, no one, wore anything with an eight ball on it...nada...This warning came during a time when kids in more urban areas were getting shot for wearing certain clothes. In retrospect, I can't see anyone in Toms River getting shot over wearing an eight ball jacket (using a piggy lighter, definitely, eight ball jacket, no).

I think Ritacco was trying to make himself just look big and bad. Actually, as I recall, his lecture to us pretty much came down to: "If you do this, you'll get suspended". (Think someone was tossing his inferior parts around to make himself feel important--just a guess).

Anyway, moving on, flash to years later. Toms River is building this arts center in hopes of drawing big names into the town like...The Backstreet Boys...and...Clay Aiken (you know, people that really draw a crowd). So Toms River build this place and they decided to name it The Ritacco Center.

My god, is there NO ONE ELSE in Toms River to name this place after? No one who's done good in the community? No good samaritan? No one with a heart? You name a place after a school superintendent? (and this is a teacher talking here). Not a mayor? not a freeholder? Not the chief of police? Not a major business owner? (I mean come on, Clancy has his name all over Beachwood, why not Toms River too?)

I would have loved to have been at the meeting where they decided on the name.

"Let's see who's the biggest choda we can name this place after?"

"How about Ritacco?"

"Perfect!"

Money HAD to have been involved for Ritacco to get his name smeared on this place. I think for two years it was strictly known as The Ritacco Center. Then last year, Poland Springs gave a boatload of money to the place and up came the additional name.

Personally, I think they should take down Ritacco. It may enable them to get bigger headliners. you know, like Nsync.

-The BB.