It’s Back To The Drawing Board
By tophatal ……………. 05/21/2012
Not totally unexpected but the NBA …. postseason has seen the firing of its first coaching casualty , with the Orlando Magic having fired Stan Van Gundy this afternoon . GM Otis Smith was also asked to relinquish his duties with the beleaguered general manager and Magic hierarchy agreeing to mutually part ways . COO Alex Martins now has to conduct an exhaustive personnel search for an insighftul general manger and and an astute head coach . Both Van Gundy and Smith over the course of their tenure at best , have simply been completely oblivious as to what is needed to construct a championship caliber team . And it certainly hasn’t helped that Dwight Howard has become a petulant and tiresome ass , who’s biggest attribute is no longer his game but the mere fact that he plays the clown so adroitly ! Nothing says I’m an asshole than an athlete simply being self-absorbed and believing himself to be bigger than the team . The coaches who have held the position with the Magic don’t seem overly impressive when you peruse the list of abject failures in spite of the success of Chuck Daly , Doc Rivers and Brian Hill . I simply get the feeling that the off-season will be a long an arduous one for Alex Martins and his staff , as they seek replacements for Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith .
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Slide show for your perusal .
With the Orlando Magic being unceremoniously dumped in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers was enough to suggest that that this Magic organization was completely out its depth . This Orlando Magic team was simply made up of ill-fitting pieces and a coach whose best attribute was to be animated and continue to whine like a stuck pig before it’s placed on a spit grill to be roasted . OK , so Ryan Anderson was said to be the most improved player in the NBA this past season . But really is that asking too much of Anderson , given the fact that before this past year season no one would have known whom he was said to be . And please forgive me when I state that J J Redick , Hedo Turkoglu , Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson are about as scary an opponent in the NBA as Clay Aiken would prove to be in a room filled with naked , openly gay males . Over course of their season schedule the Orlando Magic were simply hideous . Let’s be succinct here , who the fu_k believed that this team was simply good enough to beat any of the Eastern Conference participants in this season’s playoffs ? Come on , ask yourself the question , were the Magic good enough to ” beat” the Pacers ? We all saw that the players simply gave up , rather than seeking to be competitive .
The relationship between Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy had already been seething , with there being growing animus between player and coach . Van Gundy approached the senior executives to question whether or not Howard had approached them to have him fired . Oh Stan, get over yourself , as you’re not that great a coach to begin with ! There’s a reason why your tenures with both the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic were not only clouded in controversy but the abrupt way that you’ve now left both organizations has to speak volumes as to your lack of ability as a head coach . There’s a great deal that has be done within this organization , the hiring of a successor to Van Gundy and the upcoming NBA Draft Also there has to be roster personnel decisions with regard to the potential free agents beyond the team’s All Star center Dwight Howard . The player , had the chance to leave the organization earlier this season at the trade deadline and it would appear that either Smith didn’t believe that the teams said to be interested in acquiring the player , simply were not prepared to meet the asking price of the Magic. The Los Angeles Lakers eschewed the idea of acquiring the player in exchange for either Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol , and the perceived interest from the New Jersey Nets simply went up in smoke the moment that Brook Lopez went down injured .
The potential list of candidates that Alex Martins might seek to interview for the position probably will be not be that great. There simply doesn’t appear to be a viable candidate I believe, that might deemed a suitable successor to Stan Van Gundy ! A retread of someone like Larry Brown , Mike Fratello or P J Carlesimo and the organization might as well call on Brian Hill or Matt Guokas . And if the aforementioned executive should seek to go the collegiate route for that successor , then Alec Martins might seek to hire Billy Donovan , Tom Izzo , or Tom Crean . But I seriously doubt that that Martins has the mendacity or the ambition to gauge the interests of the aforementioned collegiate coaches ! Over the years , I simply wonder what ambition if any there has been within the Orlando Magic organization ! Unfortunately , the misguided fans within the Central Florida area bought into the bullshit that Rich De Vos ever possessed the acumen to make the Magic a real success . He may well have co-founded turned the direct sales product company Amway made it a multi-billion dollar , multi-marketing level behemoth but beyond that he has simply sleep walked as the basketball franchise has simply slipped into deep obscurity . Two appearances in the NBA finals and each time the team fell at the final obstacle in the NBA’s postseason showcase finale . It’s hard to fathom where the Magic now go from here , as I believe that if they choose to rebuild around Dwight Howard there is the likelihood that they will struggle find the prerequisite pieces to complement the Howard’s skill-set. Try as they have , it has already been a complete failure from the moment Dwight Howard was drafted #1 overall in the 2004 NBA Draft . From thereon-in it has been one prat-fall after another with this organization with no semblance of common sense from anyone within the front office to the coaching staff on down . Pretty much damned , and be damned , as it relates to the Orlando Magic .
The ongoing fiasco that happens to be Bud Selig being viewed as the consummate senior executive within baseball’s hierarchy simply knows no boundaries . From his his mishandling of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ financial woes , to that of the New York Mets , the commissioner’s handling of each has left a lot to be desired. And who can forget his and the fu#king asinine rant of one of the commissioner’s subordinates , Rob Manfred questioning arbitration verdict of Shyam Das in overturning Ryan Braun’s 50 game suspension after an alleged banned substance was said to be found within this system ? As we all now know , the testing laboratory facility failed to follow the proper protocols as it related to the gathering and storing of the test specimens of a subject (player) . But somehow rather than rebuking the hired facility these two dumb fu_ks sought to question the arbitrator’s decision after he followed the “rule of law” . And so the saga continues and the lame ass supporters of Bud Selig are still jumping out of the woodwork like termites after an exterminator is within their midst.
Is there a day that day goes by when there’s not some controversy said to be fomenting within baseball ? Within the Tampa Bay area there’s a growing discontent between the Tampa Bay Rays’ … ownership group led by managing partner Stuart Sternberg and city of St Petersburg , home to the Rays and their home venue at Tropicana Field , St Petersburg, Florida . Throw in the county government of Pinellas County and their bordered county government neighbor of Hillsborough County , as each seeks to lure or retain the baseball franchise . Sternberg seeks the financial assistance of the city of St Petersburg in the building of a new downtown venue. The city of Tampa and its mayor Bob Buckhorn seeks to lure the baseball club to his city with the financial inducement of a lesser tax burden . But as with any other governmental agency , it will be the residents who in the end will suffer , as the use much of needed resources will be directed elsewhere in order to assist a multi-millionaire sports’ franchise owner . This is the very same bullsh#t that is now transpiring within the city of Sacramento but with their apathetic fan-base trying to suggest that the use of city’s resources in building a new $391 million venue for a basketball franchise , the Sacramento Kings , whose fan-base has been steadily on the decline for the last eight years will be of benefit to the residents as a whole . If that wasn't bad enough the city's Mayor Kevin Johnson seems to be a bumbling ass . His city has an enormous budget deficit but he feels the best way forward to spend funds that they simply haven’t got while furloughing city employees , cutting none-discretionary spending and simply cutting their budget overall . The Sacramento Kings’ ownership group led by Joe and Gavin Maloof have been less than forthright in their dealings with Johnson and his city’s council members . You have the NBA Commissioner David Stern , remaining remarkably moot on the issue but you simply know that this conniving bastard will undoubtedly side with the ownership group of the franchise , if the Maloofs are unable to have their demands met ! I’ll say no more , as I simply don’t want to decry those fans in Sacramento anymore , their idiocy seems to know boundaries !
The Tampa Bay Rays in spite of their recent success have simply languished under the misapprehension that Bud Selig will come riding to the rescue to assist them in their pursuit of a new ballpark . That’s not going to happen anytime soon , as the commissioner has not only rebuffed and rebuked the Rays’ ownership but he has has had the temerity to suggest that the franchise will never play host to an MLB All Star Game until they have a state of the art new venue . Pray Bud , and where will the Tampa Bay Rays get the much needed financing , an approximate $ 575 million to build the proposed new venue come from ? Rays’ GM Andrew Friedman has tried to be very diplomatic concerning this most acute of issues , while not looking to run the wrath of the commissioner’s authority or that of the governmental agencies in question . Over the ensuing months it will be interesting to see how this all pans out .
Now while the two franchises , the > Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers have divergent seasons . It has to be said it is troubling to see the Angels simply flounder from one inept performance to another . If they maintain this type of mediocrity they’ll be hard pressed to finish their season with an above .500 record . The offense has had its problems and their high priced acquisition , Albert Pujols , I’ve no doubt wishes that he were still playing on the senior circuit of the NL ! I’m not saying he’s having issues acclimatizing with his new team but it’s like placing a lamb being led to the slaughter as he tries to acclimatize himself within the AL this season. And other than Jered Weaver’s ….. no hitter for the team this season there has been little to write home about for the Angels this season . Arte Moreno and GM Jerry Dipoto have to be wondering what to make of this team and the coaching staff led by Mike Sciocsia .
While the Angels appear to be fizzling the Los Angels Dodgers are simply on a tear within the NL West . This division could very well be sewn up before we hit the month of August . And at this juncture it’s pretty safe to say that the feats of Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have pretty much made themselves the early season and prohibitive favorites for the NL MVP.
Confrontations good , bad or indifferent , are never a premise that the game of baseball should operate under. But there’s one now brewing between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s . Lew Wolff seeks to now relocate the franchise if there is no agreement to build a new ballpark for renowned franchise . With no agreement as to a new venue and the aging O Coliseum (Oakland Alameda County Coliseum) now teetering on the brink of being obsolete . The the A’s are seeking to move to Santa Clara County and to a proposed site on the outskirts of San Jose . But herein lies the issue, as the the Giants state that it encroaches upon their territorial boundary and would create a dilution in terms of the fans and their own … drawing power within that territory . Just when you thought there was common sense to be found , up comes the fecal matter to simply emit an odor that’s so rancid that it makes you gag.
Courtesy of the San Francisco Examiner in conjunction with Reuters
Territorial rights for SF Giants, Oakland A’s still up in the air
By Reuters
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday there has been no resolution regarding the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants’ territorial rights to San Jose after both parties made presentations to Major League Baseball’s executive council on Wednesday, MLB.com reported.
The A’s would like to build a new ballpark in San Jose and play there, but the Giants have not relinquished their rights to San Jose and Santa Clara County. Those rights have been part of the MLB constitution since 1990.
“This is part of the process we’re going through, but I certainly can’t give you a timetable,” Selig told the media Thursday. “As I’ve said before, it’s a complicated, complex issue. People think it’s taking a long time, but if you look at all the issues, you’d understand it better. … The idea is to get it right and if it takes a little longer, that’s fine.”
When asked whether the A’s would be allowed to consider relocating outside of the Bay Area, Selig said, “You’d have to ask [A’s managing partner] Lew Wolff. That’s really his decision to make.”
Approval from 75 percent of the other 29 owners is required for the A’s to move their franchise out of their territory, whether that be to San Jose or elsewhere.
“[The A’s] have to go through an approval process,” Selig said.
Meanwhile, baseball owners approved a new division series format that could actually favor the underdog. Top division winners will play two games on the road before coming home for all necessary remaining games in the five-game series format. When wild-card teams were first added to Major League Baseball playoffs, the format was 2-3. Next season, the plan is to restore the 2-2-1 series format in the first round.
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Now the question that may well be asked by the fans , is how can this matter be best resolved to acceptance of the parties involved . Bud Selig has known of the issues that the Oakland A’s have had, as they seek a new venue for the ball-club but rarely has the commissioner spoken publicly on the matter. But somehow he has been front-and-center in aiding the ownership groups of the Miami Marlins , New York Mets and New York Yankees obtaining new baseball stadiums . And those venues have been built at the collective cost of $ 2.855 billion ($2,855,000,000) , all at taxpayers’ expense . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his Miami counterpart Tomas Regalado have each lauded the commissioner for the assistance and input provided . But somehow the A’s and Rays , now seen as mere paupers within the baseball world are now being left to fend for themselves . I can’t help but wonder if the team owners within the game have such a close fraternal order , then how is it that the likes of Jeffrey Loria , Hank & Hal Steinbrenner and the duo of Saul Katz and Fred Wilpon can seemingly look down on their peers as nondescript miscreants not worth assisting in such an endeavor ! I’ve heard all this bull_hit about there being parity within the game of baseball because there has been not a back-to-back winner of the World Series in over a decade . That means absolutely nothing , where it really counts , and that’s from a economic and financial standpoint . The big market teams within the financial resources at their disposal can simply cakewalk their way to a title , merely by picking up a high priced … free agent that meets their prerequisite needs. Not so , for the small market teams around the league ( MLB) but you would be hard pressed to suggest that to many purists and those who claim to have some so-called knowledge of the game from a financial standpoint . I’ve yet to hear anyone explain it succinctly to me , why it is that the game of baseball has such a financial imbalance as it relates to the teams. The New York Yankees think nothing of dropping a $200 million plus payroll on their roster for each of the last five seasons , while the minnows of the game such as the Kansas City Royals , Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates are left to pick at the dog scraps left in a bowl .
Anyone who believes that Bud Selig cares about all of the baseball teams within the game is simply misguided and hasn’t got any god-damn common sense . The MLB commissioner puts profits above all else , much like his NFL counterpart Roger Goodell , who himself , is currently under siege for his apparent lack of inaction thereof , in dealing with the now ” lingering stench ” of the New Orleans Saints’ scandal with a modicum of real transparency . . There’s a reason why Goodell has no comprehension of jurisprudence (law) , and how to apply it with veracity and judiciously . And even with the in-house legal counsel being provided the NFL commissioner still comes up looking like a complete ass ! .
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Picture gallery for your perusal .
Are you at all surprised by the dismissal of Stan Van Gundy as the coach of the Orlando Magic ? And what of the now growing feeling that the Los Angeles Angels now have some major issues to deal with concerning their lackluster performances this season ? That asides what needs to be done concerning the concerns or the Giants and their issues with the possible move of the A’s ? Chime in on this and anything else you believe pertinent on the subject matter. Thanks as always for the continued support of this site as it is greatly appreciated ! .
Picture and slide show details below for your perusal .
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(1) DENVER, CO – APRIL 22 : Head coach Stan Van Gundy leads the Orlando Magic against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on April 22, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. It was reported on May 21, 2012 that the Orlando Magic fired Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith. Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images …
(2) ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 18 : Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith speaks to the media regarding the acquisition of Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards, Jason Richardson , Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark from the Phoenix Suns at Amway Arena on December 18, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. It was reported on May 21, 2012 that the Orlando Magic fired Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images ….
(3) Dumber and dumber . MAITLAND, FL – SEPTEMBER 29: Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith pose for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 29, 2008 at the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, Florida. Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images …
(4) Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins , left, smiles as Dwight Howard answers questions during a news conference,Thursday, March 15, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. Howard signed papers Thursday agreeing to waive the early termination option in his contract, guaranteeing he will be with the Magic at the beginning of the 2012-13 season. That situation now seems a little more uncertain with the recent upheavals within the organization and the player’s own immediate future . AP Photo/John Raoux ….
(5) Rob Manfred (left) and Bud Selig are seen here being interviewed by the press prior to the MLB All Star Game in 2011 . Both senior executives were unhappy with the ruling rendered by Shyam Das during the arbitrator’s presiding over the Ryan Braun mediation case . Das sided with the player after it was shown that the testing facility hired by the league failed to follow the proper protocols in its chain of custody in handling Braun’s test samples . AP / Ian Shaw …….
(6) Oakland Athletics’ owner Lewis Wolff , right, talks with vice president and general manager Billy Beane during the A’s spring training baseball workout in Phoenix, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007. Beane, the architect behind Oakland’s four division titles since 2000, was rewarded with a seven-year contract extension Wednesday, June 13, 2007. The duo are said to be unhappy with the prolonged efforts of the MLB hierarchy in seeking the owners’ approval and a vote in setting about the chain-of-events that would see the organization move from their present site to a proposed new venue in San Jose (Santa Clara County) California . At the heart of this all , is a brewing territorial dispute between the A’s and San Francisco Giants . AP Photo/Eric Risberg …..
(7) Bochy , Sabean , Cain , Baer of the San Francisco Giants . From left to right San Francisco Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy , GM Brian Sabean , pitcher , Matt Cain and the team’s managing general partner & CEO Laurence Bear . Baer has stated that the Giants have no wish to relinquish their territorial rights which came by way of an agreement that has been in existence since 1990. It is becoming abundantly clear that this matter may well end up being a protracted legal argument , unless the two sides and the MLB hierarchy can reach some sort of a compromise amenable to all of the parties concerned . AP Photo / Chris Chadwick ….. …..
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I’m not so sure that Alex Martins will find a willing candidate to undertake either of the vacant positions with the Orlando Magic . Player personnel wise this team is an actual mess and Dwight Howard has shot his load . He’s become an ingrate and no longer an asset to the organization , if anything he’s become more of a liability and petulant asshole along with it !
tophatal …….
It’s hard to believe with Pau and Kobe not getting any younger that these guys can continue to compete in the ever strong west for an NBA championship. Bynum is going to have to take a huge role more consistently, especially near the end of games but that’s definitely a big if for the franchise considering his comments yesterday. It’s going to be very interesting to see how this Laker team works itself out in the off-season and if they really change up their roster.
Chris Ross
In 2013 , which may well be Kobe’s … final year in the NBA , I seriously doubt that both Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol will be on this roster ! . Their contributions for the Lakers this postseason can be best described as being anemic . It’s certainly borne out in the playoff stats for the Centers and PF’s this postseason within the NBA . The Lakers have opted to take up the option on Andrew Bynum and he’s due $16.3 million for next season , and as to the rest of the team beyond Kobe Bryant . I’d say gut the son-of-a-bitch like a fish and start all over ! Steve Blake and Ramon Sessions aren’t good enough at the point guard position to ably service the Lakers . And their bench is amongst the worst in the NBA in terms of contributions offense wise and defensively they’re a complete joke !
MWP is past his “sell-by-date” in spite of his asinine post-game interview last night . He repeatedly became Westbrook’s , Durant’s and Hardin’s bitch throughout that elimination game , and he damn well knows it .
Mike Brown and Mitch Kupchak are complete idiots to completely do away with ” The Triangle Offense “ when that was the sole reason that the Lakers had the recent success attained . What has been inserted instead has this team looking like a bunch of aging geriatrics in need of a walker . There are far too many other teams in the Western and Eastern Conference that show a deal more athleticism than the Lakers now currently possess .
The Magic were that train wreck that everyone knew was inevitable . Stan Van Gundy’s ass belongs in a morgue . As for Otis Smith , I wouldn’t entrust him to look after a kids’ lemonade stand during a charity event ! He’s a bumbling ass who couldn’t spot talent , much less spell the damn word !
The Angels and the money spent this off-season is another clear reason why you simply don’t put all of your eggs in one basket ! Pujols and Wilson have yet to pay any dividends for the team . So far this season they’ve looked frigging awful and that is borne out by their standing in the AL West .
As for what’s now fomenting within baseball between the A’s and Giants . Here’s another reason for Selig to simply fu#k things up once again . It’s what he’s now becoming more known for !
tophatal ………..
Chris Ross
The only role I can see Bynum now playing is fifth dumb ass from the left , in a horror flick , where the very first victim just happens to be the token African American in the ensemble cast . God knows , he can’t be any worse than he has been throughout the vast majority of this postseason . He’s damn well delusional if he believes had a great … regular season and an above average postseason . But that’s to be expected from a self-absorbed asshole to begin with !
“I’m the ‘King ##gga’ up in these parts , Magic , Kareem , Worthy , Shaq and Kobe can suck my d_#k ” !
Andrew Bynum of the Lakers .
tophatal ………….
Ugh, Al. I’ll have my thoughts up on all this stuff shortly.
In the meantime, someone please tell Mr. DeVos I’m for hire.
Chris Humpherys (@SportsChump)
I told you long ago that neither Van Gundy or Otis Smith weren’t worth shit but yet for some reason you seemed to be under the impression that both had some form of redeeming qualities . Hopefully , it’s now become transparently clear that what I’d been saying all along had a great deal of veracity to it ?
And when if you start your piece , please don’t start off with the bullshit that the residents in Hillsborough or Pinellas County should be willing to pay for a new Ray’s stadium ? Let f_cking baseball take care of their own once and for all , instead of fu#king well bleeding the fans dry !
Rich DeVos is hiring ? I’ve no wish to work for either Amway or the Magic organization , not unless there’s an expense account thrown in and I’m allowed to have copious amounts sex with the entire Magic cheer-leading squad , as and when I please ! Those are my terms and I’m sticking by them . ‘nough said !
Show me a cheer leader who’s into kinky sex and I can tell you that’s a chic who’s a ‘ho’ in the bedroom , on a dining table , in the back of a Hyundai and anywhere else that you can think is actually suitable for sex !
tophatal ………
Dwight Howard finally got his Stan…
sportsattitudes
And who now has the dubious privilege of getting Dwight ? The Lakers , Nets or even the odious ……. Bobcats ?
I use to think that former … Jazz coach …. Jerry Sloan was of sound mind ! Now it’s being rumored that he’s interested in both the vacant positions within the Bobcats and Magic … organizations ? Take that man to the closest psychiatric facility and have him ” Baker enacted “ for his own safety .
tophatal …..
It would seem that the Rays future in the Tampa Bay area is in the hands of the city of St.Petersburg. The downtown area has proven to be unacceptable and the Northeast corridor is not much better. Here’s to the hope that cooler heads prevail and a compromise is reached that will enable the Rays to remain in the bay area. Cheers!
aero
I don’t mind the Rays getting a new stadium just as long as the taxpayers aren’t being asked to foot the bill . Bedroom taxes according to the Florida state legislature are meant to enrich the community at large and build up the infrastructure of the state. But instead our dumb ass politicians at the state level ( Reps and Senate) have eschewed the idea and in essence left it up the county and city governmental agencies to pay for these structures . In 2010 the Buccaneers still owed the Hillsborough Sports Authority (owners of Ray James Stadium )in excess of $2 million which wasn’t paid in until mid to late 2011 . Now had that been a private citizen or some small business the agency in question would have out lien or actually going after the debtor by way of the courts .
“I might be shaking your hand Buckhorn but you’re still a sniveling little s_it . The Rays won’t be going anywhere unless it’s over my dead cold body ” ! St Pete Mayor Bob Buckhorn (left) and his Tampa counterpart Bob Buckhorn
Bob Buckhorn and Bill Foster if possible , should work towards a joint effort by which both can profit from, rather than bickering like kids in a sandbox while allegedly at play .
tophatal …….
Best thing for Orlando to do would be to completely clean house and start fresh. Howard, Turk and Jason Richardson should all be sent packing (maybe Jameer as well). SVG is probably really annoying but the dude can coach. He’ll land somewhere within the next few months…
Drew
There’s no one within the Magic’s front office with an ounce of frigging common sense to begin with ! At the trade deadline they should have traded Howard as they would have got more in reciprocate value than could be deemed necessary . Now the player has become an ingrate and no longer willing to be a team player They’ve now got a malcontent and headcase on their hands .
” On prom night I can as nasty as you want me to be ’cause I no longer want to be a virgin ! ”
Oh Stan , you friggin’ misguided as_hole !
Stan Van Gundy can coach but come the postseason he’s like a deer caught in headlights or a virgin on prom-night who’s about to get her “cherry popped” .
tophatal
Still reading and absorbing the Magic/Howard article. I think Howard’s problem is much like Odom in Dallas. They just didn’t want to be there on those teams, so they “act out” in hopes of finding a “way out!” With Bynum, he’s still just immature. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be on a championship team like the Lakers…(I mean when they were normal)?
I say you get Kupchak and Shaw, (new Coach, if they can still get him), to sit down and have a heart-to-heart with Howard. Let him know he’s coming to the Lakers but no “bull” or he’s benched, and then gone. If he responds well, trade Bynum for him, if the Magic will take Andrew…
More later, Alan.
Steven
Steven Jeffries
My problem with this whole issue from the very beginning is the fact that the organization gave Howard so much latitude rather than telling the player ….. ” this is how it’s going to be ” . They’ve only themselves to blame while at the same time I truly believe that Stan Van Gundy is overrated as an NBA head coach ! He’s good in the regular season but during the postseason he simply leaves a great deal to be desired .
COO Alex Martins has to make some really deep rooted decisions expeditiously as the NBA Draft is just around the corner 22nd June and he has to have a head coach and general manager in place , sooner , rather than later . The front office executives within this organization have been clueless for years and I’ve repeatedly said that to friends and patrons within this forum who are either fans of the game or the Magic .
Whoever takes over as the next head coach and general manger will have some very unenviable personnel decisions to make as it relates to this roster and that will have a marked effect for the franchise’s long-term future . Players are overpaid and have really haven’t contributed to the competitiveness of the team overall over the course of this past season . And that borne out in their standings and their demise in the playoffs .
Thanks for chiming in with a comment ! Hope to hear a great deal more from you in the future concerning the content .
tophatal ……..
Steven Jeffries
I for one don’t believe that either Mitch Kupchak or Brian Shaw would find the environment in Orlando all that enticing ! Way too many problems to resolve from a personnel and business standpoint . It’s liable to take at least two or three years to get this franchise where they need to be as a truly legitimate and perennial contender for the NBA title .
tophatal ……