Today in the Sentinel: Interactive graphic entitled "Please don't go, Dwight"

Fan launches website called staydwight.com

Bianchi runs off at the typewriter begging Dwight to stay in Orlando.

I dunno.  It just strikes me as so...so... 

Cleveland.

Can we stop with the begging?  If Dwight wants to leave, he will leave.  Begging won't change that.  We've been down this road before.  What will keep Dwight here is a combination of things such as continued potential for winning, Dwight's ties to the area and financial factors. 

In L.A., nobody begs stars to either come or stay.  It is expected.  Same with Boston.  And as long as Pat Riley is in Miami, same there. 

Our community (read: fans) needs to adopt the mentality of Orlando's ownership and front office, which is that this organization doesn't plead for banners.  Rather, it plans and spends in a continuous effort to take them by force.  Surprisingly few franchises think this way.  Ours does.  Think what you want about the results, but it wasn't for lack of effort or motivation that Orlando failed to move forward this year.  The team that was put together didn't work.  So, BVW and the team go back to the drawing board and try again. 

This is what Dwight needs  to know: that this city expects to win, will pay whatever price to win, will build the world's finest arena to facilitate winning, and will not be satisfied with just one championship.  That's what a champion needs to hear.  Not "pretty please".  But "We're all in, and we want you because you're the best".

Atlanta is rolling, but during the season their fans cheered opposing teams.  We're not like that.  Orlando, for now, is a one-horse town when it comes to sports.  We can be naive, at times, because we lack that pedigree; that legacy of champion towns. But we are faithful to a fault (I hear you screaming: yes there are exceptions in our fan base, but they are the exceptions).

Some have said we were spoiled by our luck with the ping pong balls too early in our history, here.  I say Orlando got those balls because it was meant for NBA greatness.  Those early picks stirred a fan base into action almost out of the gates.  That's the Midas touch.  I think this is a destination for great players because Orlando has all the ingredients to become a perennial contender in the NBA.  That is why Howard should stay. 

Howard should stay because he built the Amway Center, because he is not Shaquille O'Neil, because he can be the foundation of a franchise built on winning every year. 

I don't want Howard to play in Orlando because leaving would make us all grieve.  I want Howard to play in Orlando because this is where winners come to win. 

That's my attitude and I'm sticking with it.

I spent about 30 minutes browsing the web for specifics on the CBA and came up pretty empty.  All the articles are the same.  Here's what I read.  (I changed the title of my post because in hindsight, the original was poorly contrived).

1. Neither side is motivated to make concessions yet.

2. Both sides are preparing for a lockout.

3. The NBA lost a few hundred million dollars last year.  The numbers move around depending on how your parse them, but the jist is that owners want a structure that will allow them to make profits instead of losses.

4. Some on the owners' side want a hard cap.  The players refuse.  Some say it will be bad for the league.  This should invite some discussion from OPP bloggers.

5. Stern says the franchise tag is not yet on the table, but people are talking about it. 

6. There are vague reports regarding salary reductions for players.

The reason for my post is this: I want to know what the players' union demands are.  But maybe that isn't the right way to phrase the question.  For all I know, the CBA is all about the owners making demands and the players deciding where to acquiesque and where to hold the line.  Are all the "demands" on the ownership side?  Who drives the process?  What is David Sterns' involvement and who does he more forcefully represent, if at all?  Sometimes the articles I read make it look like the owners always play offense and the players always play defense, by design.  I'm not sure if that is accurate, it's just a perception I get from the method of most of the reporting.

What I DON'T get from my research (and this is why I'm turning to you in OPP nation) are the specifics.  All of them.  Basketball is many things, but among them, it is a sport driven by statistics.  Fans want to know percentages and particulars about every minute detail, whether it regards players, teams, records or whatever.  To that end, the CBA is a big deal.  So, why is it that with this one huge elephant in the room, the only thing we're fed are over-arching summaries of the process? 

Bottom line: I'd like to know what the owners want and what the players want.  Details, details, details.  Numbers, too.  Numbers are like crack to an NBA fan.  If we're going to lose all or part of our next NBA season, then I want to discuss the ins and outs of the process leading to it.  This includes how a new agreement impacts the Magic roster and future trades.

Thanks for your input.

JJ

This is a bubble-gum off-day post, not to be taken too seriously.  But just for fun, here's how the top 8 stack up in the Eastern Conference:

boston
miami
chicago
orlando
atlanta
new york
philadelphia
indiana

Given this, we would have to (presumably) go through Atlanta, then Boston, then Miami to get to the Finals.

Nevermind what happens in the West.  This is playtime.  How far could we go, knowing what we know at this point, about the new Magic squad?

Background: when it comes to the Magic, I'm like the guy in a bad relationship who always thinks things will work out, even though everyone around me keeps telling me to break up.  So in my heart, I think Orlando can find a way through Boston.  I even think they have a flittering chance against Miami (although it's hard to accept this without home court). 

It's analysis time.  What say you?  The 3 teams as they are structured now that we have to overcome are Atlanta, Boston and Miami.  I'm assuming some things here, obviously.  But aside from Magic wins, those assumptions are pretty obvious.

This is a request to OPP Nation.  Dwight Howard received his latest T for saying "damn" out of frustration.  SVG pointed out that another player called "BS" on a foul and wasn't T'd up. 

I want to know who's calling these technical fouls on who, and for what.  Additionally, I want to know what other players are doing that would equate to Howard's T's, but aren't getting called.  And mostly, I want to know what other players are doing that one would consider worse than what D12 does, but don't get called.

Here's why:  I watched the Magic-Celtics game when Howard got T'd and afterward, the ref was standing next to Dwight yelling for him to stop clapping to himself.  I got pretty mad about that because by that point, the ref was the guy who was being arrogant and disrepectful.  He looked like he was bullying Howard.  My opinion. 

Shaq got it right, after that game.  We don't pay to see refs.  We don't pay to see the best players sit the majority of the game. 

So, I have two requests.  First, how many of Dwight's technical fouls are legitimate, compared to the hard rules?  Second, how many of Dwight's technical fouls are questionable?  By questionable, I mean that he does something that any other player in the league can do and it goes unnoticed.  I'm a Magic fan, so I'm not able to leave my bias out of this, so I'm asking for help from our analytical pros.  I'm willing to be completely wrong on this.  But  I watch other players out there (KG, Big Baby) being so obvious with their taunts and such, and it seems like Dwight gets T'd for comments either under his breath or directed away from officials and opponents...he does appear to be targeted.

In short, I'm throwing the BS flag.  Dwight having 12 techs this early every year is just too obvious, and here's why: he gets slapped, elbowed, pinched and held more than anyone in the league.  He's too strong to play the victim and too easy a target for floppers.  He has all that to deal with, and so he gets frustrated by the one-sided officiating against him.  Now...if he breathes a word of discontent...technical foul. 

If every player had to deal with this, I'd leave it alone.  In the NFL, there are rules to protect the quarterback from unnecessary roughness, and those rules are harsh.  In the NBA, we let players brutalize the centers (and there are precious few of them) and punish the centers for bringing it up.  And God help the coach who defends his center.   He'd better have a deep wallet if he even says a word.

I'm getting a bit tired of it.

I've been reading The Onion for years because it's hilarious.  The Onion is a news parody organization for those of you not yet exposed.   They also produce videos of news and sports stories.  Today, they parodied Stan Van Gundy on Orlando's win against Memphis.  It was cute.  I would not have spent more than a sentence on this, but you are required to issue a minimum amount of lines in order to publish a link, so I'm sorry for any verbosity that might have been unnecessary.  Here's the link:  http://www.theonion.com/articles/coach-has-difficulty-describing-what-sort-of-win-t,18500/

(p.s., I didn't take the time to figure out the fanshot section...sorry again, but I did want to give Magic fans an opportunity to read this made-up article).

Let me start with the reasons Dwight Howard was not awarded league MVP last year or the year before: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. 

So now I'm wondering, how in the world can James earn the league MVP award next season as a member of the Superfriends?  I don't see any way for him to be credited with carrying a team that includes both Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.  Even if he rises to the top of that particular heap, he will remain one-third of the power behind the Miami punch. 

So let's eliminate James from this year's MVP running.  And for the same reason, Dwayne Wade.  That leaves Kobe. 

And since this is my theory, I throw this in against him.  He's peaked.  He'll turn 32 in August.  He must once again carry his team through the sludge of an entire season en route to the same goal he accomplished last year.  And the year before.  The Lakers are known for "flipping the switch" like Boston.  If that switch stays off too long while LA coasts toward the playoffs, I don't think Kobe will have the numbers by late spring to garner another MVP.

That leaves Dwight.  Dwight, who worked this off-season with Hakeem Olajuwon to get better, offensively.  Dwight, the best defensive presence in the league, who should also return in 2010 with more offensive weapons.

Howard already does enough to be considered "most valuable", but he gets overlooked amid the flash and talcum powder of other superstars.  The Magic roster is peppered with highly-trained basketball assassins, yet would have no realistic shot at a title without him. 

It's unfair, but this year he might get the nod for all the wrong reasons.  The flashy guys are either aging (west coast) or lost in a crowd (east coast).  This may finally allow the biggest man on the floor to be recognized as the most valuable in the league.

Is there anyway to trade Vince Carter?  I cheered him on until the final buzzer sounded, but now I would like him gone from my view. Nice guys finished last, and we're looking to finish first here.

I wonder if any team is looking to absorb a contract like his to eventually clear cap room like NY did this year.  I trust that Otis is way ahead of me on this. 

I thought throughout this series that Boston found a way to negate the Orlando inside-out game plan.  Just making Howard better for next year might work, but it's no guarantee. So I'm hoping for a different look next year.

I also thought, on the day we were told about the trade to get VC, that Otis had a two-step plan in mind.  A plan that might involve dumping him after one year to get one of this year's top names in the off-season.  After all, he refused a 5-year Hedo deal in favor of a 2-year VC deal.  This summer's free-agency would have been impossible to touch had he re-signed Turkoglu. 

The season's over for me.  I need to catch up on some sleep and start thinking about this summer's moves. 

Wade, James and Bosh all want rings (I assume).  They're talking to each other.  NYC and NJ are courting then in two-man packages.  I wonder if Dwight is making any phone calls? 

I was reading a Cavaliers blog today and something hit me.  Their fans seem much more focused on Orlando than Los Angeles.  To be fair, they were blogging on a story about the potential rematch in this year's ECF and Orlando was their focus.  But a couple of Laker's fans logged in and lectured everyone about how nobody's a winner until they get past the true NBA champs.  Wanna guess how Cleveland fans responded? 

They showed far less respect for LA than for Orlando.  They believed  they could beat LA last year, and they believe they can beat them this year in the NBA finals.  But only after they get past the Magic.

In a few weeks, NBA writers will be looking for angles.  It isn't hard to keep the playoffs interesting, but they will be driven to focus on what tunes people in.  Then they will realize something they don't want to admit. 

LA is now boring. 

Kobe had to win without Shaq.  Fine.  He did it.

Phil Jackson needed that "X".  Ten championships.  Done.  Eleven isn't interesting.

Does anyone want to waste a paragraph on what it means for Kobe to win without Shaq...twice?  No.  You won't see a word about it.

Is it still alluring to see a Kobe - Lebron matchup?  Maybe, but it got the TV execs burned last year.   They'll throw hints and you will will still see a puppet show, but they won't go all-in unless it seems inevitable.  In 2009, Kobe vs. Lebron was the mantra even in pre-season, but it isn't relevant today.

After you sweep those dead stories aside, what rises to the top? Does Cavs - Lakers sell in April?  I'm listening but I'm not hearing much at all. The Lakers vs. Magic rematch is getting about zero airtime.

As much as Orlando fans would like the REAL story to be "Orlando must vanquish Los Angeles to win", it's not going to happen.

The real story is this:  Lebron must defeat Orlando.  It's one man against a city.  Against a team.

If you write for the NBA, certain things naturally pop up on your radar.  Kobe.  Lebron.  Manu.  They win scoring titles. They carry the offense.  It matters.  Dwight?  Ugh.  Defense.

The clash of the titans won't come this June.  It will come in May, between Orlando and Cleveland. 

Sure, the NBA finals will be fun to watch.

 But the real fireworks are not going to wait for June.

Everyone in Ohio and Florida knows this.  The rest of the world will soon catch on.

A common thread among Magic fans over the past few years has been how the media always disrespects the team, and they believe this for good reason.  I can think of no better example than last year's Nike commercials featuring LeBron James and Kobe Bryant puppets.  It was a fantastic ad campaign and fun to watch.  Unfortunately, its true success hinged on the two superstars meeting each other in the NBA finals.  We all know what happened.  And Nike, who probably had their best stuff saved up for June, never got to show it.

The sports media moguls are fans, just as we all are.  They tend to focus on the historic teams with great pedigrees, like Boston and LA.  They love King James because he is a marketing gold mine.  In other words, he's interesting.  So when you mention LeBron, people listen.  They tune in.  When you mention Orlando, Florida, people tune out.  Or, so they think.  And this is a conundrum they, themselves, have created.

Here's a newsflash for the bigwigs who create sports news:  you had better start talking up the Orlando Magic.  You had better start selling them.  If you keep your blinders on and continue to ignore them, you will find yourself writing about a championship team that you never prepared your readers and listeners to appreciate.  When they win, you will be forced to talk about them.  Do you want to always come off sounding surprised?  That isn't expert commentary.  No, you will only help yourselves by building the same following for Orlando that you have tried to build for LA, Boston and Cleveland. They're here to stay.  Get used to it.  Howard is going nowhere for quite a long time, and Orlando has the luxury of continuing to improve the team around him.

Oklahoma City is fun to talk about, but they are a side-show.  Timberwolves?  Boring.  Nike will never make a commercial featuring the Memphis Grizzlies, because the Grizzlies don't sell on the big stage.

And this is my point.  The Grizzlies don't need to sell on the big stage, because they're not going to the big stage.  The Magic are on the big stage now and their ownership intends for them to stay there. 

Some reasons you should consider the Magic:

1. Cleveland has to rest James.  Orlando doesn't have to rest anyone.  In a 7 game series against the Magic, how will the Cavaliers' one-man show hold up?  For the answer, see last year's result.

2.  Orlando's offense ranks 8th in the NBA today.  They were 11th last year.  Their defense rates 2nd in points-per-possession, just behind Boston.  Does anyone think Boston is a threat to Orlando in a series?  Being old catches up to you quickly.

3. Orlando reached the finals last year and lost 4-1.  However, two of those games were decided at the buzzer.  But the Magic played without their all-star point-guard and Nelson is now playing at the same caliber that earned him all-star accolades last year. 

4. Howard is better today than he was a year ago.

So wake up, NBA people.  You don't want to spend all year marketing A and B, only to find yourselves trying to sell C when the customer finally shows up with his money.  If you want your audience to tune in to this year's finals, then use your time wisely today telling them why they should want to watch Orlando play.

Look, I'm not saying the Orlando Magic are going to win the NBA Championship this year.  I'm just saying you might want to give your audience a reason to tune in this summer, starting today.