Ned Ryerson

quote: I would like to see John McCain run again but not this election because it would be very hard for a Republican to win this time around. It would be funny to have a president that I know for a fact is tougher than me. I liked John McCain. He seemed honest, smart, and holding an amazing resume. However, over the last few months, his "Strait Talk Express" has flown off the tracks. Instead of saying what was on his mind, something uncommon in Washington, he has regressed to saying whatever is necessary. He has cozied up to figures of the religious right such as Jerry Falwell and others, changing his stances on issues such as abortion. He has sold his soul to the devil.

quote: Keep Howard and Milicic. Add may be Mehmet Okur from Jazz, with 7 foot he can play PF/C and also he is a great 3 pointer. Better than JJ and Hedo. Are you kidding?

quote: Maybe something could be worked out where the Magic would still pay some of his final years salary. I think its been done before. Why is it worth it? Pat has become the 14th man on this team... it's not like he is playing ahead of too many other guys. I don't think it would be a good idea to be paying players who aren't even on the Magic anymore. He can opt out after this year, and from what I have heard, it looks like he will. For one, he knows the Magic need his salary and he needs a new start where he can get his shot back. He is a class act, and believe it or not, a valuable member of this team.

quote: Can we drink while we are blowing stuff up? It's the American way, celebrate the creation of your basketball facility by blowing up a small piece of it. What kind of question is that? Why else did Ben Franklin and Abe Lincoln come over on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria?

Very nice! I think I have a bunch of M-80's from last 4th of July around as well... who needs people who actually know what they're doing?

Who wants to join me to get this project stared ASAP!?! I figure we can head down to the planned site and just start wrecking down buildings. Afterall, I have this huge hammer sitting here and I need something to do with it. I'm sure nobody will mind!

Schmitz: Pat Garrity For Dale Davis? Could the same trading partners who got together last season at this time --- the Magic and the Pistons --- talk turkey again? How about Pat Garrity for Dale Davis? The Magic get a veteran big man in Davis that they have been seeking. The Pistons get a shooter to help them in an offense that often runs through passing wiz Chris Webber. Davis is older, sure, at 37, and is collecting cobwebs thanks to Webber's acquistion. Offsetting this the fact that Garrity, 30, is hardly playing in Orlando. He needs a new team to rekindle his once respected shooting prowess. The salaries of Davis and Garrity match at $3.5 million. The Pistons and Magic have a trade history. GMs Otis Smith and Joe Dumars swung a deal last season, the Magic swapping Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo for Kelvin Cato and a first-round pick. Might make sense. The catch: Garrity has an early termination option next season, meaning the Pistons might be on the hook for one more season. But when the Magic look out there for their big-man options, there isn't much. They tried to get in on the Melvin Ely deal with Charlotte, but San Antonio beat them out of that. The Magic prefer big men with expiring deals or come cheaply. There are the Scott Pollards and the Pat Burkes and the Rafael Araujos out there on the end of benches. Davis is playing behind Webber and Nazr Mohammed in Detroit, but might have a little left in the tank. Garrity needs a new place to play. Makes sense on paper, anyway. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_magic/2007/02/pat_garrity_for.html

Good News Magic Fans. This was front page on the Sentinel today... -------------------------------------------- DOWNTOWN MAKEOVER Magic offer may get ball rolling on arena deal Government leaders say the proposal shows promise and could spur negotiations. Orlando Magic officials unveiled a new financing proposal Wednesday that could break deadlocked negotiations with local officials over how to pay for a new $480 million arena. For weeks, the team and government officials have been at odds over $100 million that the team pledged to help the city of Orlando borrow. The snag sidetracked any agreement on a larger overall $1 billion package for an arena, a new performing-arts center and renovations to the Florida Citrus Bowl. Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins said the team may have broken the logjam with a new loan-guarantee package. The team plans to purchase up to a $6 million insurance policy that could guarantee all the arena loans come without prohibitively high interest rates. "There are a couple major issues the county has asked us to resolve," Martins said. "And this is certainly the biggest of them." Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, who recently asked Orlando elected leaders to postpone approval of a Magic deal, said the latest loan plan "holds a lot of promise." Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has negotiated the arena deal and spearheaded passage of the larger venue package, but he needs Crotty's support. That is because county leaders control the deep pot of hotel taxes required to finance construction. "I think it's a step in the right direction," Crotty said. The dispute centered on a Magic pledge to secure part of the loan to build an arena. For its part, the Magic have offered $50 million in upfront cash and an additional $12 million in advance lease payments that the city may decide to use for construction costs. The team also pledged an additional $1.75 million a year toward the ongoing cost of operating the arena, and a $10 million gift toward financing the new arts center. To build a $480 million arena, the city needs to borrow about $270 million, with the rest of the facility construction funding coming from the team, city coffers and other sources. That $270 million is expected to be paid back from tourist taxes. Only $170 million of that loan can safely be backed up with the county's tourist-tax revenues. When the arena deal was announced in September, city and county officials said the Magic's pledge to help the city borrow the additional $100 million was key. Orange County officials expected the Magic would essentially co-sign on the arena loan. However, county officials say the team seemed to back away from that plan in favor of one that could cost taxpayers up to an extra $37 million in interest as the debt is paid off during the next 30 years. At a Dec. 8 meeting of the team, city and county, the Magic's bond advisers suggested the $100 million could be secured at an interest rate of about 5.9 percent, compared with the competitive market bond rate of about 4.2 percent, county records show. County negotiators balked at that proposal. They said the Magic's pledge largely amounted to a promise to help the city secure a high-interest credit card to finance the arena -- one Orlando could get on its own. Magic officials insisted the team was honoring its original pledge and said the team's loan plan would not cost taxpayers more money. The dispute stymied arena talks for weeks. On Wednesday, Magic team officials said they would be willing to purchase a roughly $5 million to $6 million insurance policy that could lock in an interest rate on that $100 million loan that would all but ensure taxpayers don't get left on the hook for a costlier borrowing plan. County negotiators said that for this latest loan plan to work, the Magic's insurance policy needs to secure a truly competitive interest rate for the last $100 million, and if any debt repayments are not covered by tourist taxes, the team or the insurance company will cover those costs. With the loan issue closer to resolution, negotiators have just a few points left before city and county commissioners could be asked to vote on approving all three projects. One other concern raised by county negotiators revolves around how much latitude Magic executives would be given to trim amenities from the building to avoid going over budget. The team has promised to cover any cost overruns on the center. Details are yet to be worked out, and no formal plan has been put in writing. However, Martins said "we're well on our way toward presenting a formal agreement" Orange County officials can agree to. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-mv...l=orl-home-headlines

quote: http://www.projecthometown.com/pdf/SportsEventsCenterPresentation.pdf There is some very interesting information in this. I WANT A NEW ARENA TOO. But to say we should just shut up and write a black check is not smart. All it takes is five minutes inside Amway and it is obvious that we need a new building... it is horrible.

This is a very important issue that will affect all of us Magic fans. I want a new arena for our city, but understand the importance of at least discussing it.

quote: Who cares what the city makes on the deal.... I care. At a time of substantial growth, it is important to watch where tax dollars are spent. I have no issues with the city and county wanting to make it right.

First, the money needed to renovate Amway would be so substantial that it would make more sense to just build a new place. The most important part of a new arena are the mid-level boxes, which bring in more revenue then any other seat. We must have these, not only for Magic games, but for all other events. I'm sorry, but when compared to other venues, the arena is horrible. I agree with you about the need to spend tax dollars on projects that benifit a greater number of citizens. Perhaps we can get some of that money from the tourist tax that those on the south side of town will not share.

Good Ideal.

If you would have actually read what average joe had do say, you would have noticed that he did not say no to a new arena. He said that using a huge amount of taxpayers dollars to build a new building, while the Magic sit back and rake in all the money, is not the best idea. In fact, the Magic should work closely with the City, and find a middle ground that is fair for both sides.

I'm a tree hugger... and proud of it. I feel sorry for those who can't look past their liking of the Magic, and think about things that actually matter for a minute or two.

Although I agree that the Magic, and professional teams in general, are somewhat sketchy with their facts, to say that spending 480 million to accommodate 2,757 people is wrong. The new arena would be a major part of Orlando's attempted urban development. This will bring more jobs to the CBD, as well as create construction jobs. Although upward mobility surrounding the arena is not quite what pro teams say, the Paramore district will benefit. A new arena, while primarily used by the Magic, will bring in more events, such as concerts, that currently skip our city because of the current venue. Finally, in what is unmeasurable, a new arena, which keeps the team in town, increases Orlando's national importance and will help us shake the stigma that we are only a tourist town.

fan for too long.... YOU ARE MY HERO! As for myself... I have fallen into the trap like many other idealists. I voted third party in the last election, and am proud of it. However, it looks like I will sell my soul for a chance to make it in the game. I have a few more months to make up my mind on which candidate I will support, and join the campaign. Then, hopefully they will win, allowing me to ride his/her coattails to the top. I love Ralph Nader. He is a great man with great ideals, and a hell of a patriot. However, supporting him doesn't bold well for my political future. Please, convince me otherwise!

quote: but my guess is they come out anyway, just to stop Hillary. Perhaps... I don't see it as enough though. All Hillary has to do is keep Pennsylvania, and win either Florida or Ohio... and she is the next prez.

What about the students who are conservative? What do they say? Anti-war rallies, even though I agree with plenty of what they are saying, are unorganized and embarrassing...

quote: Right now my school diversity consists of "Clinton: Great president? or Greatest president?" "Pro-abortion? or Pro-late term abortion?" Really? How obvious is this? Specific examples?

quote: 2. Giuliani is socially liberal. Many swing voters vote solely on social issues. Giuliani is more liberal than the current administration while showing he has a moral compass (Brooklyn Art Gallery fiasco). Giuliani's stance on social issues, while it might bring a few swing voters over, will chase away the far right. These voters, the far right, stayed away from the midterm elections, and cost Republicans seats in typically safe districts. This group, which was single handedly responsible for re-electing Bush in '04, is vital. Karl Rove understood this, and made the best of it before. As for political discussion at Universities, I guess it depends... I did my undergraduate work at Flagler College, just south of you Osprey's, and found it full of diverse students and faculty... but perhaps I thought that because I am also liberal.

quote: Sadly, you can't even find that on college campuses today. I am willing to discuss politics with anyone as long as the straw man and personal attack arguments are left out. I'm not sure about that one... I'm in the middle of one right now. It's stimulating enough to allow me to be engaged in the discussion and pretend to take notes on my laptop(I'm actually writing on this board)... but my professor doesn't have to know. Go Education!

quote: I can guarantee u that no republic will get in, Bush has ruined it for them all... Nor will anyone that says they will not be looking for an end to a war that has gone to long....... I tend to agree with you. For Republicans, a picture session with the President is suicide, as proven in the last election.

Rich, my friend, it's Republican. As for the election, it's still too early to tell. The Democratic controlled Congress must prove themselves worthy before I can predict a Democratic White House. I myself, am on the fence. I like Obama's idealism, but potentially fear his lack of experience. But, another part of me understands how overrated experience in Washington is. John Edwards campaign for the poor is awesome, and his location (N.C.) might make it possible to gain some electoral votes in the South. However, when he was on the ticket in '04, he did not bring any of the South with him. Thus, in a roundabout way, Hillary looks very electable... today. It would be nice to get a political discussion going Osprey, but previous attempts have failed.

Why? Can't Duke just reload every year?