The Fan Voice: "The Agony and the Ecstasy...but mainly, the Agony"

By Live or Die Magic | March 10th, 2009

March 8th
Sunday afternoon: I soak up the warm fuzzies from a way-too-close win over the Celtics. But its in Boston, against the champs, and we don’t lose our cool late when Ray Allen decides to make like Dwyane Wade (complete with multiple, uncalled push-offs of his defender). Most importantly, it is a confidence booster to win a close game in a hostile environment.

Sunday evening: I’m on the interwebs, reading how no one gives us any credit for beating the Celtics. It’s all about how Rondo was out and how Garnett was out. So what? Should Magic fans be any less excited about the win? Fine, give the game an asterisk if you gotta, but that doesn’t take away the pleasure of the victory in my mind. The remaining Celtics players sure didn’t roll over did they?

Sunday late-evening: I’m watching the victory over the Celtics again, this time focusing on the pairing of Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat. I’m pleased! I’m seeing Gortat moving away from the paint when the ball is thrown in to Howard in the post. The spacing that Dwight needs is still there. The spacing is the key and Gortat was effective. Although his numbers weren’t gaudy (6 pts., 5 rbs, 2 blks.), his point differential was +13 (and no, I don’t really know for certain if that statistic means squat!). I’m finding myself really really excited about the Pistons game the next night, especially if the Howard/Gortat experiment can be duplicated! I begin to realize that I'm asking for it.

Sunday later-late evening: My old neighbor Skip calls me and says he’s been on the interwebs and wants to offer condolences on the Magic’s loss to the Celtics.

March 9th
Monday early-afternoon: I’m sitting at work, reading the Magic Message Boards and I start thinking about the Pistons matchup. I’m no longer excited, in fact, I’m very very nervous. Then my inner fan says to me, it has to happen sometime, right? I mean, hey, they just beat the Celtics! Whaddaya mean they didn’t have Rondo and KG? Did you SEE how many push-offs Ray Allen got away with?

Monday early-evening: I sit down to a lovely meal of tacos prepared to perfection by Mrs. LOD. I can’t taste the meat or even the hot taco sauce. My mind is somewhere near Auburn Hills and I don’t even here Mrs. LOD talking to me. As I turn to her to apologize for not listening, she says, “You were thinking about the Pistons game, weren’t you?” Spontaneous Nate Robinson, I love this woman!

Monday evening, 7:30 PM: I sit down to a live Magic game (no buffer on the DVR!). My stomach is in knots. I ponder for one quick moment whether I am letting this game and this team affect me just a bit too much. It’s a very quick moment. Within the first few minutes, the Pistons grab at least four offensive rebounds. I turn to Mrs. LOD and ask her if the air is on, it seems awfully hot in here. She comments that I went through a whole bottle of taco sauce.

Monday evening, 2nd quarter: I watch in shock as the Magic maintain a lead by making 8 straight free throws (three different players), and 12 total free throws in the quarter. I sense the first stirrings of hope that we have a shot, then I realize its just my bladder giving me the signal.

Monday evening, Halftime: I call up Marc Acres 3:16 to get a reality check and he doesn’t disappoint. He says he’s just waiting for the Pistons to do what they always do. For the uninitiated: this includes grabbing every offensive rebound, getting away with pushes, shoves, and hacks on defense, and basically making every timely play possible. Acres excuses himself so he can decide which of his dogs he’s gonna kick.

Monday evening, 4th quarter: It’s tied with 2 minutes and change left. I’m a nervous wreck. I’m pacing the living room, the hallway, the bedroom. I can’t sit still. I’m freaking Mrs. LOD out. No ‘Sheed, no Turk, what the hell! I HATE these kind of games! Or is it despise? Loathe? I can never remember. I attempt to fast-forward to the end but remember that I’m watching it live with out my cherished DVR buffer (I can only take so many Subway commercials). I start humming “Don’t Stop Believin” thinking maybe that will help...

Monday evening, 10:30 PM: ...but it doesn’t. It happens again. I have to just laugh, but laughing doesn’t cut it. I ask myself if I’m a masochist or not. I must be, because I decide to get on the Magic Message Boards. Sure enough, there are those wonderful Pistons fans showing up on the boards. Some are nice, most are not. Plenty of frustration to go around. I listen to Stan’s press conference and actually hear him say that Tony Battie could have been the difference in this game. I’m thinking to myself that Tony Battie could not have stopped McDyess. He certainly couldn’t not have stopped Rip from making all those jump shots. Maybe he could have kept Kwame Brown from getting 10 points.

March 10th
Tuesday morning, 9:30 AM: I get on the boards to see yet another posting from Mike Bianchi. Still feeling some residual masochism, I click the link and read it. I find myself sorta agreeing with the sentiment.

Tuesday morning, 9:32 AM: World ends; Pistons problem over.


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.

quote:

I listen to Stan’s press conference and actually hear him say that Tony Battie could have been the difference in this game.

I turned off the TV as soon as the game was over but did he seriously say that? Are there some sort of Tony Battie colored glasses that I don't know about? Is there some sort of hallucinogen that is made from Tony's sweat? McDyess got 57 million boards last night by being quicker to the ball than Gortat amoung others all of which are quicker than Tony. Could Tony have put a body on him? I don't think that would have helped with the ones he grabbed that were long.

Who besides Dwight is quick enough to chase down those loose balls and at the same time fight for position? If Gortat learns how to put a body on a guy like McDyess I could see it but he is still a work in progress and he needs those mins on the floor.

I hate being pessimistic about those games but you have to be able to help out when Rip comes off screens (Gortat did for a stretch there) and you have to limit them to 1 shot, we NEVER do that. They are a jump shooting team (a very good one) if you can keep them off the offensive glass and limit turnovers they are very beatable, it's not rocket science.

I didn't watch the game but when I checked the score I was not surprised. It's just how it is for now. Next year will be a different story. Next year. Unfortunately there is still this years playoffs...

I think Stan is meaning that he could have used a larger rotation, especially having Hedo out.

Way to go LODM.

Personally, I was a little disappointed that we did not try to feed Dwight more after Sheed went out.

The other Piston bigs have to foul to defend Dwight, Sheed was the only guy who gives him fits. Yet, we nevered settled down and try to funnel the ball into him consistently. When you have an advantage you have to go after it and we didn't.

I was under the impression that there would be illegal drugs in this thread.....

I may need drugs to watch another Pistons game. It gets harder and harder to stomach these losses. I would rather lose a back to back against the Clippers and Timberwolves over watching another loss to this team. This agony is taking years off of my life.

Marc stated it perfectly and I couldn't agree more. Its hard enough to beat the Pistons if field goal attempts are close to even. Its impossible to beat them if they are allowed 30+ more attempts in the course of one game.

quote:

Next year will be a different story.

that's what I said last year...

quote:

Originally posted by rtillaree:

quote:

Next year will be a different story.

that's what I said last year...

And the year before that...

Great article showing the ups and downs of being a fan. Sometimes a team just has your number and for this team its the Pistons.

I think its almost comical at this point about how many different ways they can lose to the Pistons. Hopefully they have run out.

quote:

Originally posted by Drain-O:
Great article showing the ups and downs of being a fan.

Thanks...this is how I am affected my most Magic games...certainly the ones against the bigger opponents that have our number. I'm surprised I still have a full head of hair.

quote:

Originally posted by Live or Die Magic:
Thanks...this is how I am affected my most Magic games...certainly the ones against the bigger opponents that have our number. I'm surprised I still have a full head of hair.

**Sob's in corner**

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:

quote:

Originally posted by Live or Die Magic:
Thanks...this is how I am affected my most Magic games...certainly the ones against the bigger opponents that have our number. I'm surprised I still have a full head of hair.

**Sob's in corner**

Somehow, I knew this was coming.

I was surprised to see Maxiell hitting Dwight in the kidneys with a few elbows on consecutive possessions when Dwight was simply rolling through the lane (not attempting to establish position). It happened 2-3 straight times without a foul call or retaliation from Dwight when Maxiell wasn't even the player matched up with Howard. But God forbid a handcheck or riding a player's hip occur. There would be Mother effing whistles galore.

Speaking of which...59 combined FT attempts is ridiculous.

Watching the way that Brandon Roy reacted to Trevor Ariza's foul on Rudy Fernandez made me wonder who on our team would react in such a way if a Magic player was fouled hard. The Blazer's best player and star (who is hardly a big guy) reacted quickly and ferociously. It was a pleasure to watch actually.

I just don't know if the Magic have a guy like that. Sad, really.

quote:

Originally posted by Live or Die Magic:
Watching the way that Brandon Roy reacted to Trevor Ariza's foul on Rudy Fernandez made me wonder who on our team would react in such a way if a Magic player was fouled hard. The Blazer's best player and star (who is hardly a big guy) reacted quickly and ferociously. It was a pleasure to watch actually.

I just don't know if the Magic have a guy like that. Sad, really.

Brian Cook, apparently.