The Fan Voice: "Step Back From the Ledge, Magic Fan"

By Live or Die Magic | October 31st, 2008


Considering the thickness of the bright, neon colored paint that the Magic fans’ preseason expectations were painted with, I must say I am shocked to see just how quickly it was stripped away.

Good Lord, that was awful! Let me try again...

Our preseason expectations rose so quickly, you’d have thought they were enclosed in a blue and white hot air balloon. But it was all hot air.

Geez...that was even worse. The panicky Magic fan has me thrown off.

Look, the point is, after a productive offseason, a solid training camp, and a successful preseason, the typical Magic fan – as respresented by the members of this board – had good reason to look forward to this season. This season promised to be the most successful since 1996. Bad analogies aside, let me state plainly: it still will be.

A home opener loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night had the Magic fans storming the Magic Message Boards, creating outlandish threads with titles such as “we need a championship caliber team, not a Pietrus team” and “OFFICIAL JJ should be benched thread”. It had me expecting to see one titled “Since the Magic lost on opening night, the terrorists have won.” It appears that one tough loss to a good Hawks team that plays us well (we split the series with the Hawks last year) has caused many Magic fans to give up hope.

But the players themselves aren’t panicking. They are upset with themselves, and they have identified what went wrong. Sure it is unfortunate to lose opening night, but half of the NBA teams lost their first game! This includes other preseason darlings such as Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Dallas. The implications and repercussions from this loss only extend to the next game, which thankfully, comes tonight against Memphis. We cannot allow ourselves to swayed so quickly by one performance.

So, if you are a Magic fan that sees the worst in the fact that Hedo Turkoglu seemed out of sorts in his first game, then you also have to completely disregard the fact that Rashard Lewis, despite only scoring 11 points, played his most aggressive game – on both ends – in his Magic career. If you are going to gnash your teeth about Jameer Nelson’s poor shooting and low assist total, you have to also praise him for actively staying with Mike Bibby all night. If you are upset that Mickael Pietrus, and not Turk or Lewis, scored 20 points, you have to acknowledge that he did exactly what the coaching staff asked him to do. If you are going to comment on Dwight’s sub-500 free throw shooting, then please also mention his 15 rebounds and 5 blocks!

There was good and bad to be had in this game. But had the score been reversed, their would still be good and bad to be had. The difference is, we tend to more easily dismiss the bad when the good guys win. Sure, an ugly win is always better than a pretty loss, but if you cannot appreciate that there are many shared factors that make up a win and a loss, then you might be one of those people that doesn’t realize that the songs “Redneck Girl” by the Bellamy Brothers and “Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkmen are about the same thing.

So, step back from the ledge Magic fan. Prepare yourself for a long season in which we will lose games. But remember, we will be winning games at a significantly higher clip, so don’t stress so much about one loss. This is especially true considering that we have only played one game.

Trick or treat Magic fans! The only thing sweeter than the bite-sized Snickers your eating will be the satisfaction of tonight’s victory over the Grizzlies! Remember, the Warlock trains against bears!


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.

You mean all is not lost? The season is not over?

Thanks LOD. I'm looking forward to tonights game and getting that bad taste out of my mouth. I think it hit so hard because it was the home opener and you expect there to be a certain level of energy and that was not the case. I guess if we were out classed it would be cause for concern but we just got out worked. If our guys have any pride they will correct that immediatley.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:
Thanks LOD. I'm looking forward to tonights game and getting that bad taste out of my mouth. I think it hit so hard because it was the home opener and you expect there to be a certain level of energy and that was not the case. I guess if we were out classed it would be cause for concern but we just got out worked. If our guys have any pride they will correct that immediatley.

Same thinking here, I'm only disappointed for the energy level the team had showed in a opening night (and 20th anniversary of the team).
We'll be back soon.


BTW, great read as always.

Thankfully they play 81 more games to redeem themselves. Good read LOD.

Now I'm going to have that awful song Jumper by Third Eye Blind stuck in my head. Thanks for nothing, LOD, you crap for crap.

Didn't read it all...too long.....lol....just kidding...or am I?

but seriously, good stuff...I don't think its the end of the world. It was dissapointing, but its fine...

I will start to freak out if we get to 2-18 at some point....

I actually prefer those little Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Besides that I agree with everything. There are games every season that teams are out hustled and the other team has more energy. You do not expect it Game 1 with the great Marc Acres and Jeff Turner in attendance but it happens. Hope the pick up the pace tonight and cruise to a nice victory over the Grizz.

quote:

Originally posted by Drunk on Mystery:
Now I'm going to have that awful song Jumper by Third Eye Blind stuck in my head. Thanks for nothing, LOD, you crap for crap.

Then go listen to "Punk Rock Girl." You can thank me later.

Let's look back a few years:

In 07 we won opening night, but then lost the second game of the season 116-92 to the Pistons

In 06 we beat Chicago on opening night then lost to Philly and Atlanta

In 05 we lost our first 3

In 04 we started out 5-1

In 03 we beat the Knicks to start the season... Then lost 18 in a row.

I'm actually happy we lost that game. Like SVG said its like the guys just thought by going out there things would happen. Atlanta was playing physical, diving for loose balls, hitting the glass, and just outworking us.

This is a kick in the nuts and nothing wakes you up like being kicked in the gonads. They should know now what type of effort other teams are going to bring now and we'll be ready to match it.

Great read LOD, the energy level concerns me but this team is built for the long haul and as fans we should be as well.

Tonite will get us back on track

I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend
I WOULD UNDERSTAAAAND!

quote:

Originally posted by TheRevTy:
I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend
I WOULD UNDERSTAAAAND!

Son of a.....you beat me to it!

I don't know what it is about our natures that takes a single loss so roughly. No one will even remember this game in April. It was a tough loss against a team that always gives us trouble on a night when we couldn't buy a bucket. It will be ok.

Great read LOD.

The Fan Voice: "Step Back From the Ledge, Magic Fan"

By Live or Die Magic | October 31st, 2008


Considering the thickness of the bright, neon colored paint that the Magic fans’ preseason expectations were painted with, I must say I am shocked to see just how quickly it was stripped away.

Good Lord, that was awful! Let me try again...

Our preseason expectations rose so quickly, you’d have thought they were enclosed in a blue and white hot air balloon. But it was all hot air.

Geez...that was even worse. The panicky Magic fan has me thrown off.

Look, the point is, after a productive offseason, a solid training camp, and a successful preseason, the typical Magic fan – as respresented by the members of this board – had good reason to look forward to this season. This season promised to be the most successful since 1996. Bad analogies aside, let me state plainly: it still will be.

A home opener loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night had the Magic fans storming the Magic Message Boards, creating outlandish threads with titles such as “we need a championship caliber team, not a Pietrus team” and “OFFICIAL JJ should be benched thread”. It had me expecting to see one titled “Since the Magic lost on opening night, the terrorists have won.” It appears that one tough loss to a good Hawks team that plays us well (we split the series with the Hawks last year) has caused many Magic fans to give up hope.

But the players themselves aren’t panicking. They are upset with themselves, and they have identified what went wrong. Sure it is unfortunate to lose opening night, but half of the NBA teams lost their first game! This includes other preseason darlings such as Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Dallas. The implications and repercussions from this loss only extend to the next game, which thankfully, comes tonight against Memphis. We cannot allow ourselves to swayed so quickly by one performance.

So, if you are a Magic fan that sees the worst in the fact that Hedo Turkoglu seemed out of sorts in his first game, then you also have to completely disregard the fact that Rashard Lewis, despite only scoring 11 points, played his most aggressive game – on both ends – in his Magic career. If you are going to gnash your teeth about Jameer Nelson’s poor shooting and low assist total, you have to also praise him for actively staying with Mike Bibby all night. If you are upset that Mickael Pietrus, and not Turk or Lewis, scored 20 points, you have to acknowledge that he did exactly what the coaching staff asked him to do. If you are going to comment on Dwight’s sub-500 free throw shooting, then please also mention his 15 rebounds and 5 blocks!

There was good and bad to be had in this game. But had the score been reversed, their would still be good and bad to be had. The difference is, we tend to more easily dismiss the bad when the good guys win. Sure, an ugly win is always better than a pretty loss, but if you cannot appreciate that there are many shared factors that make up a win and a loss, then you might be one of those people that doesn’t realize that the songs “Redneck Girl” by the Bellamy Brothers and “Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkmen are about the same thing.

So, step back from the ledge Magic fan. Prepare yourself for a long season in which we will lose games. But remember, we will be winning games at a significantly higher clip, so don’t stress so much about one loss. This is especially true considering that we have only played one game.

Trick or treat Magic fans! The only thing sweeter than the bite-sized Snickers your eating will be the satisfaction of tonight’s victory over the Grizzlies! Remember, the Warlock trains against bears!


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.

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