The Fan Voice: "Booing Turk? Take off, eh!"

By Live or Die Magic | December 17th, 2009

I was especially excited to attend last night’s Orlando Magic game vs. the Toronto Raptors because it was the first time that Hedo Turkoglu would be visiting the O-Rena since he departed the team last Summer. It warmed my heart to see him before the game, exchanging hugs with his former teammates and greeting various Magic staffers, arena workers, and media members that he had gotten to know over the past five seasons. You could tell he was genuinely happy to be back here to a place that was his home.

During the player introductions, Hedo received what sounded like a nice, warm reception from the Magic crowd. I was very pleased to hear it. But then, once the game started, I was astonished to hear rather loud booing every time Hedo touched the ball. I was incredulous! How can anyone boo Hedo Turkoglu! This isn’t Shaquille O’Neal we are talking about. This isn’t Grant Hill and seven years of salary cap purgatory. This isn’t even Tracy McGrady leaving and having a few choice words on the way out. Hedo Turkoglu was a model player while he was here and his personal development coincided with the Magic’s rise to prominence. This is a player who chose to sign with the Magic back in 2004 and was our most versatile offensive player during his five seasons with us. Even if you care to take issue with some of the deficiencies in his game, or if you feel that the Magic are better off with Vince Carter instead of Hedo, you cannot take issue with how well Hedo represented the Orlando Magic and how great a teammate he was while he was here.

Perhaps the Magic fans that were booing him weren’t aware that he did not exactly bull rush out of here and head up to the Great White North to hang with the McKenzie brothers. For several months before the 2008-2009 season ended, there was speculation that Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith was not going to break the bank to sign Hedo Turkoglu. You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility. My point is that if you have to pick a party that should feel slighted, it is hard to point to the Magic. Under this assumption, how can those that were booing last night possibly think that Hedo deserved it? Considering how poorly the Toronto Raptors are playing so far this season – last night they basically played the role of the Washington Generals to the Magic’s Globetrotters – Hedo should be getting our sympathy, not our disdain.

If you really want to get down to the essentials of this whole booing business, and why it was wrong, just read what Coach Stan Van Gundy had to say about it:

“I thought he got a good reception, I don’t know. Once the game starts I don’t know what happens. I thought before the game he got a nice reception. Anybody who’s booing him in my mind really can’t be a Magic fan. I don’t understand how you’re a Magic fan and you’re booing him. He did a great job for this organization for a number of years. We wouldn’t have gotten to where we got to last year without him. He deserves nothing but the respect and gratitude of the fans. Plus he’s a good guy. This is not a guy who ever caused any problems. I can’t imagine how you can be sitting in that arena and boo Hedo Turkoglu. I didn’t hear it and I don’t understand how anybody could do that.”

After Stan’s press conference ended, I went over to the visitors’ locker room and spoke with Hedo Turkoglu. I explained to him that Stan was asked about the booing and told Turk what Stan had to say about it. This was Turk’s response:

“It was nice of him...I still have a good relationship with him. He always showed respect and supported his players and today I appreciate his comments. You know, this is business...and fans, some of whom boo and some cheer...and you can’t get on to the whole of Magic fans for what some of them do.”

See there Magic fans...Hedo is not holding it against you. For the love of Mookie Blaylock, why are you holding it against him?


This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Awesome LOD. I still haven't heard a decent argument for booing the Turk.

Any "Decent Argument" for booing turk will just be graced over by every one and whoever presents it will be laughed at and ridiculed for bringing it up.

How dare magic fans expect or want an athlete to do whats good for the team instead of himself and for the chance to win a championship. Turk coulda been known as a Scottie Pippen Lite or a Paul Pierce Piece for our cog here in Magic Land... However know he will alwyas be regarded as just a semi-decent player who had some good years because of his teammates and not himself.

As for LOD you said "You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility." I say GM Otis would not have gone out and signed VC if he had not had assurances that Turk would opt out and would not sign for the amount he was offering.

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:
Any "Decent Argument" for booing turk will just be graced over by every one and whoever presents it will be laughed at and ridiculed for bringing it up.

How dare magic fans expect or want an athlete to do whats good for the team instead of himself and for the chance to win a championship. Turk coulda been known as a Scottie Pippen Lite or a Paul Pierce Piece for our cog here in Magic Land... However know he will alwyas be regarded as just a semi-decent player who had some good years because of his teammates and not himself.

As for LOD you said "You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility." I say GM Otis would not have gone out and signed VC if he had not had assurances that Turk would opt out and would not sign for the amount he was offering.

So, are you stating this as a reason to boo Turk? If so, I'm not seeing it.

quote:

As for LOD you said "You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility." I say GM Otis would not have gone out and signed VC if he had not had assurances that Turk would opt out and would not sign for the amount he was offering.

Let me get this right. Hedo should have given away 20 million dollars?

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:
Any "Decent Argument" for booing turk will just be graced over by every one and whoever presents it will be laughed at and ridiculed for bringing it up.

How dare magic fans expect or want an athlete to do whats good for the team instead of himself and for the chance to win a championship. Turk coulda been known as a Scottie Pippen Lite or a Paul Pierce Piece for our cog here in Magic Land... However know he will alwyas be regarded as just a semi-decent player who had some good years because of his teammates and not himself.

As for LOD you said "You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility." I say GM Otis would not have gone out and signed VC if he had not had assurances that Turk would opt out and would not sign for the amount he was offering.

Put yourself in Turk's shoes and honestly answer this question. Would you leave $20 million on the table???

See again..

I was just stating one aspect... how dare we wish and desire for unselfish acts from our players. How dare we wish to see a return to a time of basketball when it wasnt about the money but the desire to see a team come together.

I'm sure alot of the ppl on this board while being great magic fans still say college sports is the most pure. COllege Football is better then pro, College basketball is better then pro.

Their reasoning? Unselfish and not spoiled by money.

So how dare our fans of the beloved and oft maligned Orlando Magic dream of a bright future with turk at the helm of our core, and wish for some act of unslefisness.

And then how dare we boo the same man who dashed our dreams and brought us back to the reality that 38 million isnt enough, and the spoils of an NBA that is all about me first whatever the price tag, and was never about the team.

How dare we boo that man named Hedo Turkoglu..

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:
So how dare our fans of the beloved and oft maligned Orlando Magic dream of a bright future with turk at the helm of our core, and wish for some act of unslefisness.

And then how dare we boo the same man who dashed our dreams and brought us back to the reality that 38 million isnt enough, and the spoils of an NBA that is all about me first whatever the price tag, and was never about the team.

How dare we boo that man named Hedo Turkoglu..

But see, this assumes that Turk left despite the Magic's best efforts and intentions to sign him. I believe that Turk left because the Magic were not as keen to sign him as he was to sign with us.

Oh my goodness..does that means the whole season(s) whenever we play the Raptors there will be the annoying boos for either .... Turk or Vince ? and even some "HOOOoooWWaaaaaRRRdddd"

Personal note: i find it very hard to enjoy the game when some punk are booing sitting next to you, so you start booing him instead , then everybody starts booing ..... maybe thats how it got started.

quote:

Originally posted by Nathan Rule:
See again..

I was just stating one aspect... how dare we wish and desire for unselfish acts from our players. How dare we wish to see a return to a time of basketball when it wasnt about the money but the desire to see a team come together.

I'm sure alot of the ppl on this board while being great magic fans still say college sports is the most pure. COllege Football is better then pro, College basketball is better then pro.

Their reasoning? Unselfish and not spoiled by money.

So how dare our fans of the beloved and oft maligned Orlando Magic dream of a bright future with turk at the helm of our core, and wish for some act of unslefisness.

And then how dare we boo the same man who dashed our dreams and brought us back to the reality that 38 million isnt enough, and the spoils of an NBA that is all about me first whatever the price tag, and was never about the team.

How dare we boo that man named Hedo Turkoglu..

Those who think college sports aren't based on selfishness are just as naive.

The main problem with your argument is for someone to ask Hedo to be unselfish and decline 20 million dollars, IS A SELFISH REASON!

You want him to take less money because the Magic is your team!!!

Your argument for a culture that isn't selfish.... IS EGOCENTRIC!!!!

You should be equally pissed at Brandon Bass.

I have a BIG problem with players who abadon the team for equal money or demand trades (T-Mac).

But I don't care who you are, it is a very rare breed that would take $15-$20 LESS to stay. Hedo wanted market value and Otis decided to go another direction by trading for Vince.

Both made solid business decisions and are equally to blame for Hedo not being retained. So if you are going boo Hedo then you need to boo Otis as well.

I hold no grudges against either.

It seems like there are two sides to this debate:

- The rational perspective that looks at the move a business decision, and understands that perceived loyalty in professional sports is, and for the most point always has been, a cloak for a money driven, profit hungry, professional sporting business.

- And the knee-jerk crazed fan perspective. These are the people that overreact to everything, have probably called for SVG and Otis to be fired multiple times, etc.

Don't understand the boo's at all; very disappointed by the fans who booed.

Ok, I guess I can see some people being annoyed by him taking more money to join another team even though that's a foolish reason but it's not like he hosed us Like T-mac or Shaq, we're arguably better without him. Like Stan said he was a good guy, a cool guy he helped this team make the finals last year I think he deserves our appreciation.

Im just pointing out an objective look at a reson why their might be booing. Instead i get I'm egocentric, selfish or a knee-jerk crazed fan perspective.

Bhnole good response but would you say that 118 million for rashard was market value or we overpaid?

Same for Hedo we were trying to pay him fair market value and he wanted to be overpaid. Fair market value is what ever the median between ppl willing to pay for you versus the performance or attributes of the item being bought.

Now the argument can be said that 48 mill was the market value sinc portland and Toronto both ponied up the dough. But now looking back it was a gross overpayment and everybody knows it.

I hold now grudges against him either and i dont wish ill of him. But it should be the reaction and standard of every fan in the building to boo any opposing player.

I'm not saying I boo'd, but what about the competitive sports' fan who boos because he/she doesn't like seeing Turk, a former Magic player, in a semi-rival's uniform?

How much worse would it have been to see Turk in a Boston uni, or in Cavs' colors?

I think deep down ALL, or most, of us are very happy for Turk. But during the game, when the gladiators are fighting it out, we ROOT FOR our team, and ROOT AGAINST the opposing team, ESPECIALLY when one of our former best players is on the latter.

Then, like what happened at the beginning of the game, at the end of the contest we should cheer Turk. NOT during the game, because he's on the OPPOSING team.

Just my two cents.

I didn't boo Turk.