Otis Rips Team

[giggi 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Guardian:

Magic general manager Otis Smith ripped into his team on Tuesday

Funny how Otis The Stump never mentioned the real cancer within Magic, his buddy Brian Hill. With this BS he proved to me once again that he doesn't have a clue how to run bball club. Sad, very sad.

[nbr 15]

quote:

does this team like each other too much?

 

 

interesting

[Skywise316 211]

I think some of you guys are negative for the sake of being negative, this is the most positive thing to come out of the "Magic Camp" in months! Once again, I still have faith in Otis Smith, if nothing else.

 

Unless you guys would like to go back to the days of John Gabriel..

 

I especially love the "smiling when we're down 20" comment. That was FULLY aimed at Jameer Nelson. 100%.

[bravlady 0]

quote:

Originally posted by nbr3345:

quote:

does this team like each other too much?

 

 

interesting

 

Do you think this was his way of saying they're a bunch of little kittys?

[nbr 15]

quote:

Originally posted by bravlady:

quote:

Originally posted by nbr3345:

quote:

does this team like each other too much?

 

 

interesting

 

Do you think this was his way of saying they're a bunch of little kittys?

 

I would assume so and maybe they are a little to comfortable together. Losing that business like demeanor of a team.

 

skywise - I agree, I like Otis. Much of the blame is distributed as well. This is a good gm.

[The Ghost of John Gabriel 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Erik:

barnettej,,dont you think if we have all these dislike b.hill posts on the forum,shouldnt we have a dislike otis thread. Isnt otis the gm who brought b hill back,isnt otis the gm who didnt pull the trigger on any trades before the deadline,and isnt otis the gm who doesnt fire b.hill?

 

NO, Yes, Yes (So Far)

[jack daniel 999 27]

Next day article;

 

Magic search for answers

 

Orlando GM blames lack of leadership for losses

 

BY JOHN DENTON

 

ORLANDO - Frustrated at how a post-practice drill was going Tuesday, Dwight Howard kicked a basketball some 30 feet in the air where it hit window blinds and sent a large chunk crashing to the court below.

 

It was a fitting metaphor for an Orlando Magic season that might soon be, um, curtains. In the wake of another dispirited loss to a sub-.500 team, it's as though the walls are collapsing around the free-falling Magic.

 

The Magic had a tense pre-practice meeting Tuesday to hash out the troubles that come with a team losing three consecutive games, 10 of 12 since the All-Star break and 22 of 29 since mid-January. Veterans Grant Hill and Tony Battie spoke up during the meeting, as did coach Brian Hill, who had the game film from Monday's 119-108 loss to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats.

 

But it was general manager Otis Smith who had the loudest say Tuesday, admitting that he was "more than just a little bit embarrassed" at how the Magic have crumbled at a time when they put together a spirited run last season. A clearly frustrated Smith pulled no punches, citing disappointment with everything from the Magic's lack of leadership to their callous attitude toward losing.

 

"I'm not sure right now that we have a whole lot of leadership on this team," Smith said. "Is it coming from the point guard (Jameer Nelson), Grant (Hill) or Tony (Battie)? That was one of the problem areas heading into this season and another was does this team like each other too much? When that's the case, you're not honest and you don't always hold each other accountable."

 

And Smith didn't stop there. Unlike most NBA general managers, Smith travels with the Magic on all road games and witnessing the fragile psyche of his 29-36 team firsthand unnerves him.

 

"I'm disappointed in the effort, I'm disappointed in the way we lose and the way we put our heads down when things are going bad," he said. "I'm disappointed in the way we react to losing. I don't take too kindly to guys smiling when we're down 20. At that point, there's not too much to smile about."

 

There certainly isn't too much to smile about these days around the Magic headquarters considering how the team has collapsed after starting the season 13-4 and leading the Southeast Division for 42 consecutive days. But Orlando finds itself out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference again, meaning if the playoffs started today the Magic would miss the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.

 

Heading into tonight's home game against Utah, the Magic sit at 10th in the East, a full game behind New Jersey, Indiana and New York.

 

"Everybody in here is mad, frustrated, mad and embarrassed and now it's just a matter of figuring out how to get out of this situation," Grant Hill said. "(Tuesday) was about figuring out how we can still make this a productive season and a playoff season."

 

Orlando's defense was but a rumor Monday night as Charlotte shot 56 percent, hit 14 3-pointers, handed out a franchise record 39 assists and had three scorers top the 20-point mark.

 

Not only did the Magic lose to Charlotte without Emeka Okafor, they fell to the Bobcats for a third time this season. They also lost three games to the lowly Atlanta Hawks. And Orlando now has dropped games to Memphis without Pau Gasol, Toronto without Chris Bosh, Milwaukee without Michael Redd, New Orleans/Oklahoma City without Chris Paul and David West and Charlotte without Okafor.

 

As he has for weeks, Smith said he still has faith in the job that Brian Hill is doing as the Magic's head coach. Owner Bob Vander Weide said last week that he is confident Hill is the man for the job, and Smith echoed those sentiments Tuesday.

 

"I'm still behind him, but that doesn't mean we can't do better," Smith said. "At the end of the year, we'll all be evaluated and the decisions made will all be in the best interest of the Orlando Magic."

 

Howard, the Magic's franchise center, said it would take more than some player's meeting to turn around what has become another sour season. Instead, he said it will take the Magic playing better defense and limiting their turnovers to turn around their latest slide.

 

"We've had plenty of meetings. It's not about having meetings; it's about when we step on the court playing as a team rather than just talking about it," Howard huffed. "Losing streaks tend to mess up your chemistry, but we have to stay together.

 

"We have the right leaders, but we have to look at ourselves and not point the fingers. We have to look at ourselves and see what we've done to help us win. Look in the mirror and don't point fingers."

 

Contact Denton at jd41898@aol.com

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/...03140349/1002/SPORTS

[MilitaryMagic 0]

Why is everyone praising Otis for finally coming out against his team?

 

He's only making points that have been floating in this forum for months and that have been floating in the media for weeks now. Heck, John Hollinger of ESPN fame made this point about leadership like 2 weeks ago.

 

All Otis did was open his eyes one day a week ago and realize the whole world is coming down on him. He wouldn't be vocalizing himself if he wasn't being pressed to by the fans and the media.

 

Too much friggin' rope, Otis gives everything and everyone too much **** rope.

[Magicman28 295]

quote:

Originally posted by MilitaryMagic:

Why is everyone praising Otis for finally coming out against his team?

 

He's only making points that have been floating in this forum for months and that have been floating in the media for weeks now. Heck, John Hollinger of ESPN fame made this point about leadership like 2 weeks ago.

 

All Otis did was open his eyes one day a week ago and realize the whole world is coming down on him. He wouldn't be vocalizing himself if he wasn't being pressed to by the fans and the media.

 

Too much friggin' rope, Otis gives everything and everyone too much **** rope.

 

I agree somewhat. Watching Jameer laughing, that should've been taken care of the first time it happened, that night in the locker room. It really shocked me too because the old Brian Hill would've saw that and would've went nuts. I think Otis assumed Hill would've ripped his team about it (which is BHill's job) by now.

 

Imo BHill is to scared now to get angry and rip his team. Otis imo just said "iight, you all aren't gonna say anything? No one is gonna be mad about this mess? I AM and I'LL SAY SOMETHING."

[FanSince1990 0]

for all the "ripping" of the team.. there's still nothing being said about the poor coaching job.

 

What a joke this organization is.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

quote:

As he has for weeks, Smith said he still has faith in the job that Brian Hill is doing as the Magic's head coach. Owner Bob Vander Weide said last week that he is confident Hill is the man for the job, and Smith echoed those sentiments Tuesday.

 

"I'm still behind him, but that doesn't mean we can't do better," Smith said. "At the end of the year, we'll all be evaluated and the decisions made will all be in the best interest of the Orlando Magic."

 

quote:

"At the end of the year, we'll all be evaluated and the decisions made will all be in the best interest of the Orlando Magic."

 

You're right, it's unbelievable that he can bash his players so hard yet say nothing directly about the coach, but at least Otis said something.

 

Another nice veiled lie, it sounds like Otis is evaluating the coach.