Ok, Commissioner Stern, I'll "Make Your Day"

"And if someone wants to try me in the rest of this playoffs, you know, make my day. Because the game is too important and I don't think that the people who trash it are respecting it, and we'll do what we have to do-the players and coaches alike-because they give the impression to our fans that the referees somehow have an agenda." -NBA Commissioner David Stern

Apparently, Dwight Howard "tried" Mr. Stern with his recent blog post concerning the foul calls made against him the Charlotte series because he was hit with a $35,000 fine. It was the same amount that his coach Stan Van Gundy and fellow teammate Matt Barnes received. And you know what? I think it's weak.

I get that the commissioner has to stand behind each and every call the officials make, especially with the whole Tim Donaghy debacle still on the minds of some people(no matter how misdirected that might be). I also understand that coaches probably shouldn't be able to ramble on and on about calls without the fear of some type of punishment. However, I do have a problem with players not being able to voice their concern or frustration even just a little bit. Anyone that watched the Charlotte series probably felt at least one time that Dwight Howard was the victim of some very questionable calls.

Seriously, by the third and fourth games it became comical, and I was shocked if more than a few minutes went by without Dwight somehow drawing a whistle.

So you know what commissioner? I'm going to make your day, and question every call that I think is b.s. right here on The Sports Oasis. You might not have issued a directive to the refs but it feels like the NBA is gunning for an LA/Cleveland match-up in the Finals, and I'm going to document any of the bad calls that might contribute to making that a reality.

Vinsanity Comes to Orlando

The trade that had been rumored during offseasons for the past couple years has finally come to fruition. Vince Carter will be playing for the Orlando Magic next season. For the most part, I like this trade, and it's not just because I'll get to watch hometown hero Vince Carter play night in and night out(Full disclosure: I grew up in the Daytona Beach area, and have always kept an eye on Vince's career).

The one part of the trade that I'm not too fond is the loss of Courtney Lee. He played extremely well as a rookie for the Magic this past season, and he's actually one of their better defenders. It would have been nice to have him locked up in a Magic jersey for years to come. However, this deal wasn't going to get done without him leaving town.

The rest of the trade is actually pretty good for Orlando. Alston was obviously unhappy with how his season ended. The damage done to the relationship between he and Coach Van Gundy could have been repaired, but I'm not sure there ever would have been good chemistry with Nelson starting and Alston coming off of the bench. Battie's contract made it necessary to shop him, and the strong possibility that Turkoglu isn't coming back made it imperative that Orlando make a move. Adding Carter lessens any blow that comes from Turkoglu leaving, and for those that say that Carter is too old, he's only 2 years older than Hedo.

Comparing the numbers, you'll see that Vince is a much better scorer and rebounder(Carter's career averages: 23.5pts/5.5 rebounds, Turkoglu's: 12.3pts/4.2 rebounds). Turkoglu probably shoots the 3 a little better. Even in his best season, 07-08, Turkoglu still averaged under 20pts/gm, whereas Carter has averaged 20+ pts 10 times in his career. Carter is stronger and more explosive, and can make it to the basket easier than Turkoglu. He can also shoot the mid/long range jumper fairly well, which makes him a good fit for the inside-out offense the Magic like to run.

The other thing to consider is that this trade relieves some of the pressure to resign Turkoglu to the big money deal he wants. While there's no doubt that he is talented player, Turkoglu doesn't warrant Orlando throwing a ton of money at him and putting a strain on any future signings.

Also, don't forget that Orlando is also getting Ryan Anderson. He's a quality forward that can shoot well, though, hopefully his defensive skills will improve just a bit.

All in all, I like the trade to bring Carter to the Magic. It not only helps the them on the court, but it also gives this small market team some big time press as they prepare to move into a new arena following the 2009 season.

Detroit Watches As Orlando Eliminates Themselves

For the most part, the Orlando Magic did not look like they really wanted to win Game 5 against the Detroit Pistons last night. Sure, they held a 9 point lead heading into the fourth quarter and had battled back after falling behind several times, but they always countered those positives with bonehead plays. Take these two statistics for example:

21 turnovers. 16-28(57.1%) free throw shooting.

Alone, those are pretty horrendous numbers. When you compare them against Detroit's they look even worse.

3 turnovers. 28-32(87.5%) free throw shooting.

The worst part is that Detroit didn't shoot the ball extremely well, 36.1% field goal percentage(Orlando shot 48.4%), and they were significantly less accurate behind the three point line than Orlando, 21.4% versus 36.4%. Many times the Pistons didn't even have to play tough defense against Orlando because the Magic were content to move the ball across halfcourt then fire it out of bounds. And it seemed only fitting that Hedo Turkoglu, one of the most careless ballhandlers of the night, would get blocked in posterizing fashion as he drove the lane for a dunk in the waning seconds. Yeah, that's a great way to end the season. You're only going to see that replayed about a billion times.

In the end, Coach Van Gundy was right when he told the team at halftime that they were beating themselves. They couldn't make the easiest shot on the court(they're free!), and refused to protect the ball. Honestly, Detroit probably could have missed the entire game, and Orlando still would have found a way to hand them the game and ultimately the series.

The Orlando Magic Just Can't Catch A Break

As if the weird clock management by the officials in Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons wasn't bad enough, the Orlando Magic's plane had to make an emergency landing due to mechanical problems.

The Orlando Magic lost Monday night to the Detroit Pistons 100-93 in the NBA playoffs but they had a bigger scare after that.

As they flew back to Orlando late Monday, the Magic's corporate jet -- a Boeing 737-300 that holds 42 passengers -- had mechanical problems and an engine oil indicator light came on.

"We encountered a mechanical problem after departing from Detroit, and as a precautionary measure we landed in Cincinnati where we spent the night," said Joel Glass, vice president of communications for the Magic. "Everyone is safe and we look forward to returning home this morning."

While everything is seemingly fine with their plane, everything is not fine with respect to their play against the Pistons.

Game 1, in which the Magic were blown out by 18 points, featured Orlando shooting a woeful 13% from 3-point range. They also committed 13 turnovers, and shot just 50% from the free throw line.

In their second game of the series, the Magic improved their 3-point and free throw shooting, making 42% and 78% respectively. However, they still committed 19 turnovers.

So far, Orlando has turned the ball over 32 times, while Detroit has committed just 14 turnovers.

If they're unable to hold on to the ball against a talented team like the Pistons, then they won't have to worry about jet problems since it will be grounded for a few months anyway.

J.J. Redick...Cheered?

It's been a long time since I attended an Orlando Magic game. Needless to say, last night was the first time that I got to see J.J. Redick take the court for the Magic since he entered the NBA. I know some people weren't thrilled when Orlando selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. A few of them might have even been in New York, and booed the selection firsthand.

JJ Redick Drafted by Magic!


Now, those boos weren't surprising to me. I had heard Redick get some pretty tough treatment by opposing fans on numerous occasions. By the time he became the ACC's career leading scorer he had fostered a pretty good love-hate relationship with many of the people that watched him outside the confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium. For the most part, I always shared the feeling that The Mighty MJD did, that when you're the best player at a school as hated as Duke you're going to catch a lot of heat. Pretty much all of it is going to be misguided, but it's still going to happen and how you handle it on and off the court will be the true test. I always thought Redick handled it fairly well, though that didn't keep me from getting caught offguard a bit by the cheers he received during last night's game.

That's right, J.J. Redick, at one point the posterboy of douchiness for college basketball fans everywhere, was receiving praise somewhere other than on the campus of Duke University. Like I said, this is the first time that I've been to a Magic game with Redick on the roster so it may have been this way since day one. However, I had grown accustomed to hearing a chorus of boos whenever he had a night like last night, 18 points on 7-14 shooting and 4-8 from three point range. It was a little strange at first, but eventually I was even rooting for him to knock down his shots. And at one point, I probably contributed to the hating on him. Sometimes it's weird how things end up playing out.

Look Out NBA Fans, J.J. Could Be Heading To Your Favorite Team!

Somewhere along the way, J.J. Reddick became a target of jokes and ridicule. However, for the past year and a half he's been stowed away on the Orlando Magic's bench, unable to flourish on the court and draw jeers from NBA fans across the country. But have no fear, that could soon change!

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said that J.J. Redick's agent, Arn Tellem, has suggested the club trade their top 2006 pick, who is frustrated over his lack of playing time for a second straight season.

"I told him what I tell everybody else," Smith said. "Why would I do that before I've really seen him? So he can do something somewhere else? I think J.J. can play.

"He has to have patience. It's the worst thing for young guys, having patience. I know. I was that guy (when Smith played in the NBA)."

Redick, who seldom played last season under Brian Hill, is facing the same scenario under Coach Stan Van Gundy. He has played in just 20 games, averaging only 8.3 minutes and 3.7 points.

Van Gundy said he's already had a sit-down with Redick. He told him there wasn't much hope for him getting off the bench the rest of this season.

He's not playing because the Magic need defense and rebounding at his shooting-guard spot. Van Gundy says that Maurice Evans and Keith Bogans are simply better at those tasks than one of the most prolific shooters in college basketball lore.

It doesn't sound like Reddick is going anywhere anytime soon, but basketball is a business so I doubt that the Magic would turn down a good offer if it came along. But who cares about that? Where should we want J.J. to go?

Of course it's gotta be the Knicks. Starbury's ankle "problems" are keeping him off of the court, and out of the spotlight that's focused firmly on New York's mediocrity. Even if he doesn't improve the team that much, Reddick could take some of the heat off of Isiah if just for a short time. And that sounds like a match made in heaven. Reddick leading on the court, and Thomas leading from the bench. If nothing else, it would provide bloggers with something to write about almost every day.

The Orlando Magic Need A Pyramid Scheme To Play Better At Home

In sports, you usually think that the home team has somewhat of an advantage over their opponent. However, this season the Orlando Magic's opponents probably can't wait to face them in the Amway Arena. The reason? The Magic are 15-5 on the road, and just 7-7 at home.

And how has this happened? Well, when they hit the road the Magic average 104 points per game, and shoot an average of 73% from the charity stripe. At home, they average 102 points, and make an average of 68% of their free throws. For the most part, their other statistics are pretty close no matter where they're playing.

In examining the four home losses that were in the double digits we can see that the Magic didn't shoot particularly well from either the floor or the free throw line. Their field goal averages in those four losses were 40%, 47%, 39% and 45%. The corresponding free throw averages were 66%, 42%, 60% and 62%. You can see that even in the one loss where they shot ok from the floor their poor free throw shooting doomed them.

I know that a number of people have raised questions about the Magic's struggles at home, but after looking at the statistics it appears that they should be able to achieve more success at the Amway Arena in the future. The first step is to raise their free throw percentage to what it is when they play on the road. Doing that will instantly better their odds of winning more home games. The Magic have the pieces in place to win a considerable amount of games, as their away record shows. They just have to put it together more consistently when they play at home so they can match the intensity and success that they've had on the road.

The Orlando Magic Pull A Vanishing Act

Usually, a sports franchise is always trying to find new ways to build its fanbase. Whether it's hiring popular coaches(whoops!), signing valuable(riiight...) free agents or playing exhibition games overseas, maximizing your team's visibility and popularity is vital for its longterm success. Which is what makes this Orlando Magic TV so odd.

This summer, the Magic sold the rights to 35 of their games, including 14 of the first 18, to Fox Sports Network/Florida, even though the channel is not offered by Central Florida's largest cable provider, Bright House Networks. Tonight's game is one of the 42 that will be available to Bright House customers on Sun Sports.

Awesome! So, you want to maximize your fanbase, but end up selling the TV rights to almost half of them to a network that many fans, and potential fans, don't receive. And exactly how did this happen?

FSN/Florida has been trying to crack Bright House's local lineup for years and figured snagging the Magic games would mean a spot on Bright House. The Magic assumed that the two sides would be able to reach a deal. But so far, Bright House and FSN/Florida have not come to terms. The biggest hurdle has been the placement of FSN/Florida in Bright House's offerings. FSN/Florida wants its channel included in Bright House's expanded basic cable package while Bright House thinks it belongs in its digital package, which is about $8 more per month.

So, basically the Magic sold their rights without too much consideration as to who would actually be able to view the games if the present structure stayed intact(which it has). And approximately how many viewers are being left in the dark?

Chris Fenger, the president of Bright House Network's Central Florida division, said the Magic created the situation by choosing to air the games on a station they knew wasn't available to 850,000 customers.

Obviously, not all 850k of those customers are Magic fans, but there is probably a decent amount within that segment. I'm sure that whatever the number is they're all thrilled that their favorite NBA team recklessly sold the TV rights and screwed them in the process. With this TV deal in place it's almost as if the Magic have swapped out the N and A for an M and L.

Goodbye Fan Attic!

I'm not an Orlando Magic fan, though I don't hate them either, but I did like the Fan Attic building in downtown Orlando that sold their merchandise.

I remember seeing that building whenever my parents took my sister and I to the themeparks. Passing it meant that we were almost there. I also remember my friends who were Magic fans purchasing jerseys, hats and posters that they couldn't find anywhere else(yes kids, this was before the Internet became a global marketplace).

I'm sad to see it go, but downtown Orlando's traffic is a nightmare, and the Fan Attic's demolition is just another project that hopefully helps alleviate some congestion(good luck with that).

The Orlando Sentinel has pretty good coverage on the whole thing.

J.J. Redick Destroys NBA Superstar Jeff Burton In A Game Of "Horse"

Oh, you haven't heard of the NBA superstar Jeff Burton? Maybe that's because he drives a car in the NASCAR series. Though, that didn't stop Orlando guard J.J. Redick from throwing down on him in a game of "horse".

Actually, the game of "horse" was modified into a game of "DAYTONA" since it was part of a promotion(press release here) for the upcoming Pepsi 400 race at Daytona International Speedway. By all accounts Redick unsurprisingly beat Burton, though Burton did manage to give Redick a "D". However, it seems that Redick took this game pretty seriously as he was dunking as part of his shot selection.

"When Redick dunked or nailed a deep three-pointer, Burton wisely surrendered his option to Magic community-relations ambassador Nick Anderson."

Ok, I can understand shooting three-pointers, but dunking? Come on, Burton is a 5'7" NASCAR driver. You can see the difference in height between him and the 6'4" Redick in these photos of the event.

Though, with the limited minutes he played during his rookie season I guess Redick's got to showcase his skills at all times. As long as they were keeping him from drinking some white wine spritzers, and climbing behind the wheel of one of those NASCARs I would consider this promotion a success. And, as always, welcome to Orlando J.J.!

Orlando Magic Season Ticket Holders Offered Refund In The Wake Of Donovan Fiasco

Today the Orlando Magic took another step in trying to erase any memory that Billy Donovan was their coach for just a few hours. The Magic offered refunds to any individuals that purchased season tickets within 48 hours of the announcement that Donovan was the new head coach. Team officials stated that more than 200 ticket packages had been bought within that timeframe, though they didn't disclose how many people had asked for a refund.

Looking at the Magic's ticket site the cheapest package available is $450 for the entire season. So, the cheapest package with a minimum of 200 packages being bought would equal $90,000 in refunds. Obviously, not every buyer is going to ask for a refund, but every package purchased probably wasn't the cheapest either. It's probably safe to assume that Orlando is looking at at least $90k in lost revenue.

It would be interesting to find out exactly how many refunds are granted because of Donovan deciding to go back Florida. That would be a decent barometer of how much faith the fans have in new head coach(at least this week) Stan Van Jeremy(pornstache yeah!).

Billy Donovan Seems To Be Experiencing Signer's Remorse

Usually you think of someone experiencing a bad case of remorse when they purchase a car, and then regret the decision 24 hours later. Apparently, that's what Billy Donovan is going through right now, except that it involves an NBA team and a $27 million contract.

"Sources close to the situation"(you always have to love those!) say that Donovan is "attempting to return to Gainesville". The situation is serious enough that Florida AD Jeremy Foley had to return quickly to Gainesville on Saturday morning instead of meeting with VCU coach Anthony Grant, a former Donovan assistant, to discuss the opening. Sources close to that "situation" say that Florida was poised to offer Grant the job for $1.1 million per year.

I guess Donovan realized that the NBA is much more of a grind than college, and that being the King of Basketball in Gainesville isn't all that bad. Heck, a few more winning seasons, and they would probably would change the name on the O'Connell Center for him.

My hunch is that the DeVos family told him that he would have to sell 25,000 units of Amway products, and that BillyD realized that playing Kentucky twice a year wasn't so bad after all. Florida fans may be rowdy, but at least they're not cultlike.

The biggest question now is how will the fans react? Will they welcome him back with open arms? Will they be suspicious, always wondering when the next NBA team will try to lure him away? Personally, I think the two championship trophies in Gainesville speak for themselves, but BillyD might want to carry them around with him on campus for a while just to remind everyone.

Could Billy D Pull A Disappearing Act On The Gators?

The newest Billy Donovan-to-the-NBA rumor involves the newly head coach less Orlando Magic. It's a rumor that, at first glance, seems plausible due to Orlando's proximity to Gainesville and Donovan's success at the college level in Florida, but not extremely likely.

It's unlikely that Orlando would grant Donovan anything near "full control", and GM Otis Smith hasn't seemed that intent on getting Donovan since the rumors first started. However, there are a few intriguing thoughts that make the Donovan to Orlando move seem possible.

First, he still hasn't signed any type of new contract, extension, etc. It's been almost two months since Florida won their second straight national championship, and UF hasn't been able to get Donovan locked up in a long term deal. Each side is talking about it, but there's still no ink on a contract.

Second, like I mentioned in my post about Vince Carter possibly heading to Orlando, the Magic need to energize the fan base in order to rally support for a new arena. Right now, their part of the three piece project seems to be the most unpopular. Adding Billy Donovan and possibly Vince Carter would immediately draw in fans.

Third, the NBA predraft camp is happening right now in Orlando. If the Magic are going to make a push, then this is their best chance. Donovan's two time championship point guard is playing in the camp, and Noah, Horford and Brewer will be attending for the physical portion.

Fourth, while Noah, Horford and Brewer will most likely be off the board when the Magic pick at #44, Green probably will still be available. He isn't the top point guard prospect in the draft, but Donovan knows how to use him better than anyone. Although, Orlando does seem sort of set at the PG position. However, adding Green to a line-up of Dwight Howard and possibly Vince Carter would inject some optimism, and help with the solution to point #2.

Obviously, Donovan heading to Orlando is a long shot. There are more than a few examples of successful college coaches that couldn't duplicate anything near their college success at the pro level. And, Donovan is poised to become the king of men's basketball in Gainesville for years to come. Some might believe that trying to maintain a successful basketball program at an historically football rabid school would be difficult, but I think it's actually easier because the football program can help "absorb" any negativity in down years.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks as Florida AD Jeremy Foley focuses on getting Donovan signed. What seemed like a one-time thing with Kentucky calling has snowballed into other rumors that has some Gators thinking Donovan really might not be back next year. Though, those back-to-back national championship trophies would help ease the pain of losing "Billy The Kid" for this Gator.

Vince Carter Playing For The Magic Next Year?

A recent post on Deadspin regarding Vince Carter, and how he is expected to receive a big free agent contract this offseason motivated me to examine the situation a little closer and come up with one theory.

First, let me say that I'm not a fan of any NBA team in particular. Eventhough, the Orlando Magic play their games less than an hour from me, and I've attended a few of them, I am not an Orlando Magic fan. That's not to say that I hate them either, it's just that I don't follow them all that closely. With that said, here's my theory as to why there's a decent chance that Vince Carter could be playing for the Magic next season.

Orlando's current shooting guard, Grant Hill, becomes a free agent on July 1. There's a good possibility that he won't be back due to retirement, or perhaps due to signing with either Detroit or Phoenix. If any of those scenarios happen, then Keyon Dooling moves up to the starting SG slot. Though, Carter would be an improvement over both Hill and Dooling.

Also, Carter grew up and played high school basketball about an hour from the Magic's Amway Arena. It would provide him an opportunity to move closer to his mother who he has a close relationship with, and was away from in Canada for seven years. Bringing Carter back to Central Florida would probably increase attendance, which the Magic desperately need to do because they're trying to get support for a new arena.

Currently, the Magic's arena proposal is the most "unpopular" of the three venues included in the package. Adding Carter's starpower to Dwight Howard's(of whom former Magic GM John Gabriel said, "I'd build that place just for him".) rising popularity, though might change some people's minds. And right now the Magic need all the help they can get on and off of the court.

So, just remember that if Carter ends up signing with Orlando this offseason that you read it here way back in May.