Here comes the SPIN

[The Solution 0]

If your Brian Hill or Otis what do you say to keep the dogs away when the "Orlando Magic are cooked"and not going to the playoffs?

 

Here are some early samples of SPIN through the writing hand of Brian Schmitz:

 

GM Otis Smith predicts the Magic will make the postseason, but adds, "That's not what I'm worried about."

 

Smith is a big-picture guy. He's looking more how his team is playing, if they are jelling, whether his young core --- Dwight Howard, Darko Milicic, Trevor Ariza and Jameer Nelson --- are developing or regressing.

 

Smith doesn't think fighting for playoff crumbs as a first-round participant is a big deal when stacked up against getting to where he wants to go: The Finals.

 

 

 

Brian Hill's spin will be something like this:

 

Our target is the finals. I know that many of our fans are disappointed that we didn't participate in the playoffs this year but our goal is the title. We knew going into the season that we needed to develop our front court and we have made great strides with 3 very young players. Any other questions?

[The Solution 0]

If your Brian Hill or Otis what do you say to keep the dogs away when the "Orlando Magic are cooked"and not going to the playoffs?

 

Here are some early samples of SPIN through the writing hand of Brian Schmitz:

 

GM Otis Smith predicts the Magic will make the postseason, but adds, "That's not what I'm worried about."

 

Smith is a big-picture guy. He's looking more how his team is playing, if they are jelling, whether his young core --- Dwight Howard, Darko Milicic, Trevor Ariza and Jameer Nelson --- are developing or regressing.

 

Smith doesn't think fighting for playoff crumbs as a first-round participant is a big deal when stacked up against getting to where he wants to go: The Finals.

 

 

 

Brian Hill's spin will be something like this:

 

Our target is the finals. I know that many of our fans are disappointed that we didn't participate in the playoffs this year but our goal is the title. We knew going into the season that we needed to develop our front court and we have made great strides with 3 very young players. Any other questions?

[ball junkie 277]

The Solution was talking about this. It's Brian Schmitz latest blog talking about the Magic not being playoff worthy.

 

 

quote:

Let's call a fade a fade.

 

The Magic have been playing largely like a lottery team since a 13-4 start and don't deserve to be in the playoff field.

 

GM Otis Smith predicts the Magic will make the postseason, but adds, "That's not what I'm worried about."

 

Hmmmm.

 

I'm not sure whether Smith is overly optimistic or clairvoyant, considering the Magic have fallen out of the playoff race and need to do something they haven't done in months: Put together a run.

 

Smith is a big-picture guy. He's looking more how his team is playing, if they are jelling, whether his young core --- Dwight Howard, Darko Milicic, Trevor Ariza and Jameer Nelson --- are developing or regressing.

 

Smith doesn't think fighting for playoff crumbs as a first-round participant is a big deal when stacked up against getting to where he wants to go: The Finals.

 

OK.

 

But for Magic fans who have been starving for a playoff berth since 1903 -- oops, I mean 2003; it just seems longer --- they'd be satisfied with just an APPEARANCE.

 

Even if it is against the Detroit Pistons.

 

And even if the Pistons would knock them out in, oh, five games.

 

But the way the Magic are playing, they don't look like a playoff team by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Playoff teams don't make countless turnovers, have frequent offensive brown-outs and miss free throws by the bundle.

 

The Magic still need some reconstructive surgery this offseason.

 

Maybe Smith knows, in his heart of hearts, that the Magic aren't a playoff team either. No wonder reaching the postseason isn't exactly a be-all, end-all.

 

 

I'm not gonna make any comments cause things are already getting "depressing" around here and I don't want to add to it.

 

 

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_magic/2007/03/the_unconvenien.html

[The Solution 0]

I saw in print recently that Brian Hill's wife was seated in the stands near some Detroit fans that were rude and boisterous (Brian would prefer that she sit closer to the safety of the bench). I think Knappy said he sat next to the Detroit fans and maybe even Brian's wife without knowing it.

 

SPIN will work with some fans but the majority are going to be like the Detroit guys and see it like it "IS" (Clinton could help us with the definition).

 

When the beach ball comes bouncing to your section with Fire Brian Hill written on it, hit it hard and make sure it keeps moving. Don't let the SPIN doctors and talking heads get you to think that every thing is fine and working out as planned.

[richnba 3]

I wonder if Otis knows that in all his big picture babble, you have to make the playoffs first, you need that experience, it doesnt matter if u are out in the first round just getting there is an accomplisment....

[Natesroom 197]

i thought somebody from management said if they didnt make the payoffs this season it would be a failure?? I wonder if we can find out who said that and when?

[The Solution 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:

i thought somebody from management said if they didnt make the payoffs this season it would be a failure?? I wonder if we can find out who said that and when?

 

 

Here are three quotes I found:

 

Dwight Howard, "We'll be in the playoffs, but I don't think we'll be in the eighth spot. We're better than that."

 

Bianchi-Orlando Sentinel:

"The Magic still are in the playoff hunt. If the team doesn't make the postseason in the woefully weak Eastern Conference, then Hill's future legitimately can be called into question."

 

Bob Vander Weide Jan 13, 05:

You have the commitment of the DeVos family ownership that we will not accept anything other than improvement that results in our return to the NBA Playoffs.

[Skywise316 211]

This is simple. You have no first round draft pick. There is NOTHING to gain from just missing the playoffs and ending up in the lottery 6 through 13, because Detroit gets the pick!

 

Also, even if the Magic get into the playoffs and get wiped out by Cleveland or Washington in the first round, it's still much needed experience for a young team! Bad experience, good experience, whatever. The next step for the franchise is returning to the playoffs and anything less IS a failure.

 

Don't let anyone else tell you different.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:

i thought somebody from management said if they didnt make the payoffs this season it would be a failure?? I wonder if we can find out who said that and when?

 

I think they all said that. I remember there being a letter at the end of last season saying that also.

 

This article really irritates me. Hill doesn't play the young guys because they aren't ready and hurt us in the win column. We don't win anyhow because we ignore the offensive side of the floor and now that we are in very real danger of not making the playoffs (mostly because we lost to teams we should have beaten and are now trying to beat teams that are way over our heads) we are looking at the big picture and building for the future.

 

If we were building for the future and looking at the big picture than what was Grant doing on the floor at the 2? While we are on that subject, if we needed to limit Grant's mins why was he not coming off the bench? Why was he getting 30mins a game? Is it really a surprise that he is out because of an arthritic condition probably due to over-use?

 

I too enjoy looking at the big picture, in my big picture I see a team that has been building for the future for the past 8yrs, only the future is a moving target, it always keep moving further away. We never get to the present.

 

This team needs to go to the playoffs, they need the taste of winning and they need the experience of how hard you have to play to win a playoff game. Missing the playoffs means a slim chance at a top 5 pick and if we don't get that, then we give a conferance rival a piece for their future.

[fishybashi 0]

Let's not lose hope, Magic fans. I sincerely think that this Magic team is still a very talented team. And as much as I hate to it, I think we will be better now without Grant Hill.

 

The unfortunate thing is we had relied on him too much in the beginning, when he would have been better coming off the bench.

 

To return to my original point: I think talent wise this Orlando Magic team is about a 5th-6th seed Eastern Conference team, and I hope and pray than adjustments are FINALLY made to fix the problems we have been having ALL YEAR LONG.

 

We can get a string of wins with a change in lineup, using less turnover prone guys to run the offense. I'd even venture to say that we change the starting lineup and blow it way out of the water -- change the point guard position even. I know a lot of people like Jameer Nelson, but let's admit it. Jameer Nelson has been mediocre at best this season, I'd rather have no turnover type of guy giving the offense a shot. The one game Arroyo started he did remarkable, for instance. And what about giving Diener (finally) a legitimate shot?

 

Allowing Hill not to change lineups when the Magic are a momentum. I think the players need to say, look coach, I am not tired yet. I can play another quarter to keep riding this momentum. Obviously someone needs to stand up and be a leader on the floor, because I have literally given up on Brian Hill and his awful substitutions.

 

Give the 3-point shooters consistent minutes. Redick was hot, but Hill cooled him off by sitting him down several games. Guys that are sat feel like they have more to prove so they don't do as well, a la last game. But if given the trust and consistent minutes, I think Redick will be more a difference than Grant Hill. Hate to say it, but I'd rather Hill stay injured now to allow us to use the versatility of this team that has been so poorly utilized, i.e. more minutes for 3-point threats Bogans, Redick, Diener, hell, even Garrity!

 

Magic fans, we have the weapons to run ... we have the weapons to shoot the lights out ... we have the weapons to block and rebound ... we have it all!!!

 

I am confident if we get our **** together we can go 23-0 .... literally ... The talent is there.

 

I suggest:

 

1) Transfer ball handling responsibility from Nelson to Diener/Arroyo.

 

2) Surround Dwight consistently with legitimate 3-point threats, i.e. Redick before Garrity, for example.

 

3) Coaching staff not to change lineups when the team is on a momentum.

 

4) Running and gunning more.

 

5) Allowing Milicic to take more shots a little further from the basket, hence also allowing him to pass and not clog up the basket.

 

6) Use our younger players. Yes, let us give Augustine a shot over Outlaw. The guys that have something to prove will at times outshine, why not give it a try?

 

7) In the offseason -- Fire Brian Hill.

 

Sorry had to add that 7) guys!

[The Ghost of John Gabriel 0]

Everybody associated with the NBA understands the value of the playoffs.

 

This is where NBA franchises go from the red to the black...

 

This is where stars are born...

 

This is where young teams experience the intensity and focus required to get it done and begin to realize the importance of every regular season game in terms of seating.

 

If the Magic miss the playoffs, they delay the development of Dwight Howard and others by a year. If their true goal is the Finals, they delay that goal by a year.

 

This is definitely spin. If the true focus were the young players, then why did it take 50 games to get Darko 30 minutes a night? Why haven't Ariza and Redick gotten more PT all season long?

[The Solution 0]

quote:

Originally posted by The Ghost of John Gabriel:

Everybody associated with the NBA understands the value of the playoffs.

 

This is where NBA franchises go from the red to the black...

 

This is where stars are born...

 

This is where young teams experience the intensity and focus required to get it done and begin to realize the importance of every regular season game in terms of seating.

 

If the Magic miss the playoffs, they delay the development of Dwight Howard and others by a year. If their true goal is the Finals, they delay that goal by a year.

 

This is definitely spin. If the true focus were the young players, then why did it take 30 games to get Darko 30 minutes a night? Why haven't Ariza and Redick gotten more PT all season long?

 

I couldn't have written it any better.

 

Brian Schmitz gets much material from sports franchises like the Magic. This is a difficult time for the Magic, so read carefully. As O'Rielly says, the spin stops here.