Weisbrod has gone out of his to get his name in the sports headlines recently. The trade with the Rocs, First pic in draft and now bad mouthing McGrady. After all this I decided to dig a little deeper to find more about his tenure with the Magic. The results were interesting. Here are some interesting articles about Weisbrod. (links are below text to follow) Hightlights. -Weisbrod has presided over the imploding of the Magic franchise. --He was hired as COO in 2000. --The same year Doc won coach of the year in 1999-2000. http://www.nba.com/magic/news/Headlines-102980-66.html -The decision to draft Howard by the Magic was made by a small staff and GM that taken together have a very weak track record in player personnel. Weisbrod made it sound like he consulted a group of wise men before making the decision - this article debunks that theory. https://njc2k6.news-jrnl.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/NBA/03SportsMAG02062004.htm I conclude that Doc and McGrady are lucky to be gone. Weisbrod is in way over his head. The nasty things that came out about Doc after he left and that are coming out now about McGrady typify how Weisbrod works. It speaks volumes that Doc and McGrady have been relatively tight lipped about Magic since their departures - yet the same can't be said about Weisbrod.
ORLANDO SENTINEL, MARCH 13, 2004 SPORTS COMMENTARY: MIKE BIANCHI Forget critics, Weisbrod may not be skating on thin ice Mike Bianchi Herb Brooks saw something in the pugnacious high school hockey player. Maybe it was heart. Maybe it was smarts. Maybe it was the way this kid had a belief that reminded Brooks of another bunch of kids he coached on the 1980 Olympic hockey team. After winning the gold medal, Brooks went on to become the coach of the NHL's Minnesota North Stars. And that high school kid he picked in the fourth round of the draft was John Weisbrod. Herb Brooks once made us believe in miracles. Can Weisbrod once again make us believe in Magic? "Herb Brooks always said that greatness isn't common," Weisbrod said Friday upon taking over as the Magic's general manager. "If you're going to be great, you better be uncommon." Common, or at least common sense tells us you don't put a hockey guy in charge of an NBA roster, which is exactly what the Magic did Friday when they finally put John Gabriel out of his misery. Gabe, of course, had to go. His time was up. He has been a loyal soldier, but his tenure as GM was snakebit from the beginning. Although he's not necessarily to blame, Gabe presided over the worst free-agent departure in NBA history (Shaq) and the worst free-agent bust in NBA history (Grant Hill). He might have survived the latter except his drafts in recent years have been abysmal. A team that needed to fortify its roster with good, young players because of Hill's wasted salary has drafted players more suited for the CBA. "On top of Grant Hill's injury, we've gone through four drafts and taken players who couldn't get into our lineup," Weisbrod admitted. "It's no wonder we're in the shape we're in." Sure, it's easy to rip the Magic because Weisbrod isn't a "basketball" guy, but so what? The Magic don't need another "basketball" guy to come in and coddle the players and tell them how great they are. They need a hockey guy to tell them to shape up or get the puck out; to tell them what Herb Brooks would tell them: "When you pull on that jersey, the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back." The Magic have already gone for the big splash (Grant Hill) and the hot names (Doc Rivers), and look where it got them. It's time for substance over sizzle. Chutzpah over hoopla. Besides, what GM could they have possibly hired that would create excitement? Jerry West is taken. The Magic need a puck head if for no other reason than to put a hockey mask on Steven Hunter, position him under the other team's basket and give him implicit instructions, "guard this net with your life." That' how Ben Wallace plays, and if there's one thing Weisbrod will make sure of, it's that the Magic will never again let a player of Wallace's guts and grit get away. More than anything, this was Gabriel's downfall: He was the nice-guy GM who deferred too many times to Rivers on personnel matters. And Doc always leaned toward high-flying players with "upside" instead of down-and-dirty guys who could get a job done. Again, we quote Herb Brooks: "I'm not looking for the best players; I'm looking for the right ones." Weisbrod may not know the inner workings of the pick and roll, but he knows about toughness. Just look at his X-rays. A former hockey player at Harvard, Weisbrod has three steel plates and six screws in his shoulder. He's had four shoulder surgeries, two surgeries on each knee and three back surgeries. He's broken both feet, both ankles, both hands, both wrists, both arms and all his fingers and toes. His jaw's been fractured four times, his nose seven. Can you say Arthritis Strength Bufferin? You listen to Weisbrod talk, and you half expect his first personnel move to be the acquisition of Todd Bertuzzi, who was just suspended from the NHL for literally breaking the neck of another player. "You want people on your team who are sore losers," Weisbrod said when asked about Bertuzzi. " There are a lot of players who I wouldn't want to go out to dinner with, but I want them on my team." For any of you basketball snobs who say a hockey guy can't run an NBA franchise, all you have to do is look to the New Jersey Nets. The team began its turnaround when Lou Lamoriello, a former hockey player, took charge of the front office three years ago after a highly successful stint with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. Lamoriello took some heat initially because he cracked down, closed practices, didn't let wives travel on team flights. The basketball snobs said Lamoriello didn't understand the NBA "culture." When Lamoriello was with the Devils, he hired an up-and-coming young executive to run the team's minor-league hockey operations. The young man's name was John Weisbrod. There were those who said Lamoriello couldn't turn the NBA's most historically woeful franchise -- the Nets -- into winners. They've been to back-to-back finals. There were those who said Herb Brooks couldn't take a bunch of kids and beat a bunch of men. They won the gold medal. There are those who say John Weisbrod can't do it, either. Sometimes, it doesn't really take a miracle. It just takes a mind-set. Mike Bianchi can be reached at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com . Magic's shuffle sends a warning to players New general manager says he wants more toughness By Brian Schmitz, Sentinel Staff Writer The Orlando Magic haven't had much to celebrate in their 15th anniversary season as an NBA franchise. They fired a charismatic coach and endured a club-record losing streak. More repercussions came Friday when the Magic announced that Chief Operating Officer John Weisbrod would replace John Gabriel as general manager. Gabriel, 48, has been with the club since its inaugural 1989-90 season and served as general manager since 1996. He will remain with the Magic as an adviser and regional scout. The Magic had fired Doc Rivers -- whom Gabriel hired as coach in 1999 -- on Nov. 17 with the team in the midst of a club-record 19-game losing streak. Gabriel was named the league's Executive of the Year and Rivers the Coach of the Year for the 1999-2000 season. Weisbrod has been chief operating officer of the Magic since 2000. At 35, he becomes one of the NBA's youngest general managers, but his background is in hockey. He will oversee all aspects of the basketball operations, from player acquisitions to the draft to salary-cap management. "We are focused at getting back to our winning ways, and we thought it was time for a leadership change," Magic President Bob Vander Weide said. "This is the low, and I am passionate we're going to be working out of something and into something special." A former National Hockey League player, Weisbrod is bent on shaking things up, thinking the Magic have lacked toughness, discipline and commitment. "We've been an easy team to play against," he said." We've been a team that you could line up at the tip and look at your guy and not feel like it's going to be a miserable night if you are on the opposing team." Losing season Guaranteed their first losing season in 12 years, the Magic have a 19-48 record. They have been mired in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division for most of the season, struggling with a team that was dramatically reshaped last summer under Gabriel. The Magic appeared to be on the upswing even though they were knocked out of the Eastern Conference playoffs in the first round last April for the third consecutive time. Seeded last, they took a 3-to-1 game lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons before losing in seven games. Much of the criticism for the collapse this season had been aimed at Gabriel. "This is a very performance-driven business, and our performance has not been good this year, and I take responsibility for that," Gabriel said. During his career as general manager, Gabriel was heralded for his efforts to clear enough salary-cap room -- making more than 50 player transactions in 1999 -- to sign Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in the summer of 2000. But Hill has undergone four surgeries on his left ankle and has played in just 47 games. Last week, he stopped another comeback attempt after consultation with his doctors and will try returning for next season. "That was a big moment for this franchise. Unfortunately it didn't work out," Gabriel said. "One player that we thought was a no-miss guy [Hill] never got to play much for us, but we are going to see him. And the other guy [McGrady] ended up being a superstar. "Unfortunately, sometimes when you're evaluating, one and one doesn't equal two." Hill's seven-year, $92.8 million contract has hamstrung the franchise, making it difficult to acquire more talented players in his absence. But even Vander Weide said Gabriel's "hands were not tied" and he could have discovered players in the draft or through trades. New players foundered Gabriel brought in eight new players to begin this season, including free-agent veteran Juwan Howard. But the new cast installed around McGrady foundered, causing McGrady to say he would leave if the franchise didn't get turned around soon. McGrady can become a free agent after next season, placing even more pressure on the franchise to regroup and improve the team. Although the Magic have virtually no salary-cap room, they are in position to win the draft lottery and possibly land the best player. Vander Weide said the upcoming summer will be "arguably, the most important in the history of the franchise." The demotion of Gabriel wasn't a total surprise, although the timing was curious. The Magic have 15 games left in the season, including tonight's matchup with the Seattle SuperSonics at TD Waterhouse Centre. Vander Weide said that with the NBA draft lottery scheduled for late May, the team "wanted to get ahead of the curve." Vander Weide, the son-in-law of Magic owner Rich DeVos, said he thought about making a change after the Feb. 19 trade deadline passed. He spoke to Weisbrod about taking the job as general manager and then spent a half-day consulting with DeVos, who also gave him the go-ahead to spend more money on players next season. Two weeks ago, Weisbrod had breakfast with Gabriel after he returned from scouting players overseas. As the meeting went on, Gabriel said, "We talked about the potentiality of a mutual agreement where I would step aside." Hockey background Weisbrod was not a conventional choice, given the fact most GMs are basketball lifers. He grew up playing hockey and starred at Harvard University, leading the Crimson to a national title. He played briefly for the NHL's San Jose Sharks, but was forced to retire because of a shoulder injury that has left two fingers numb. He led Albany of the American Hockey League to a championship in 1995 as the club's director of hockey. He served as general manager of the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League, a club owned by DeVos. The Solar Bears won the Turner Cup in 2000-01, but the franchise folded. Weisbrod then handled the Magic from the business end the first two years. The last two years he turned his attention to the court, learning the game. The Magic did not go outside to interview any other potential general-manager candidates. "We're willing to take a shot on Weis," Vander Weide said. Asked if Weisbrod could be effective given his experience is in hockey, Vander Weide said, "A hockey guy? Show me a track a GM takes. Gabe was an art major, and he did a pretty good job as a general manager. "Yes, he's [Weisbrod] a hockey guy, but he's a bright hockey guy. . . . He knows how to win." Said Weisbrod, "I think people who have been in winning environments, whether it's a Super Bowl champion or baseball champion or a Stanley Cup champion, are remarkably similar. So that's the part where I feel like I can have the most comfort and expertise. And, obviously, I will utilize the basketball pieces of our organization a little differently than others might." New assistant The Magic will hire an assistant general manager. The reshuffling bounced Scott Herring from assistant general manager to director of basketball administration. Weisbrod also reiterated that Johnny Davis -- who replaced Rivers as coach after 11 games and has an 18-38 record -- would return next season as head coach. Davis is under contract through next season. Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com . Time is foe of new GM John Weisbrod has a lot to accomplish with the Magic before a crucial deadline comes to pass. By Jerry Brewer, Sentinel Staff Writer It's certain that John Weisbrod, new to this basketball thing, must have one skill as he attempts to rebuild the Orlando Magic rapidly and convincingly. Beginner's luck. "We have a lot of work to do, and arguably the summer forthcoming is the most important summer of our franchise," Weisbrod said. Weisbrod has spent one day as the Magic general manager, and already the sand trickles in his hourglass. His legacy may very well be decided within the next 16 months. Rarely does an executive get such little time to remodel a last-place team. In 16 months, by July 2005, Tracy McGrady will have made a decision. It's either continue playing for the Magic through the prime of his career, or leave the franchise with another Shaq-sized loss. So this huge and odd change comes with immediate ramifications. From now until next season, Weisbrod will need to be near perfect in changing a team that could finish this season as the NBA's worst. Otherwise, he will lose one of the game's top 10 players. "I pay attention more often now than I ever have," McGrady said. "This off-season and next season are going to determine what I'm going to do." As the change settles, a frightening parallel can be made with former general manager John Gabriel and Weisbrod. Gabriel got the GM gig just in time to see a superstar depart. Weisbrod gets the GM gig just as another superstar contemplates departure. Magic history suggests that Weisbrod's legacy will hinge on retention. Eight years ago, Gabriel hadn't gotten comfortable in his office chair when Shaquille O'Neal left for Los Angeles. The loss of O'Neal was above his head then, but it ruined his tenure before it began. Then his best plan -- signing Grant Hill and McGrady in 2000 -- turned out to be as catastrophic as it was ingenious. McGrady has excelled, but Hill has played 47 games in four years because of an ankle injury. Considering that he has a hockey background, the big question about Weisbrod is his basketball knowledge. Even the most astute basketball minds admit it takes time to learn the nuances of team-building in the NBA. Weisbrod must learn those nuances -- which don't come natural to him -- while having success. It seldom works that way. But if it doesn't, Weisbrod loses McGrady and his foundation. As the Magic have learned by essentially losing O'Neal and Hill, franchises have difficulty recovering from such trauma. "I don't think anyone is saying he won't need some assistance," Gabriel said of Weisbrod, "but when you start with a solid base of understanding sport, people and winning, that is the nucleus it takes to get things going in the right direction. He clearly understands that." Weisbrod brings more edge than Gabriel. He has an aggressive, butt-kicking mentality, but he supplements it with a desire to succeed through chemistry and synergy. For the past five years, the Magic have lacked cohesion within the organization. The Magic fired Doc Rivers in November partly because he and Gabriel did not work well together. Because of their disjointed ways, the franchise suffered through bad drafts and questionable free-agent moves. They also saw several promising young talents leave and become good players elsewhere. It trickled through the whole franchise. Frustration of Hill's angst has caused miscommunication between Hill and the organization. With each loss, McGrady seems to further disconnect. There has been rumbling about the DeVos family's commitment to winning. Because they lost O'Neal, the Magic probably were due to fall this far. They were almost remarkable in holding things together for seven years, but those organizational woes have ruined them this season. The Magic have much mending to do. "We need to stop making excuses for me or anybody else and just start winning," Gabriel said. Gabriel's demotion represents a clean break from the Rivers-Gabriel era. Their replacements -- Weisbrod and Coach Johnny Davis -- do not have the coach- and executive-of-the-year awards, but the Magic have a belief now that a functioning unit can overcome individual talent. "We've been the name route," team President Bob Vander Weide said. And, after a decent run, it got them here -- in last place. Now the rebuilding starts, again. "We've got to do some things this summer that make an impact," Vander Weide said. If they don't, they know the history. Weisbrod hasn't even begun, but he is running out of time. Jerry Brewer can be reached at jbrewer2@orlandosentinel.com.
O-town facelift on the way By KEN HORNACK Staff Writer Last update: 20 June 2004 When the Orlando Magic reach an agreement -- probably sometime today -- about what to do with the No. 1 pick Thursday night in the NBA Draft, general manager John Weisbrod will rely heavily on the input of his director of player personnel, Dave Twardzik. Twardzik, who was hired last September after the Magic got rid of Gary Brokaw, is part of a relatively bare-bones staff compared to what the Magic had going into recent drafts. Those ranks could have been thinned even further if Twardzik had followed through on pursuing the general manager's vacancy with the Toronto Raptors. Weisbrod was fearful of losing Twardzik until he put his mind at ease. "He came into my office and said, 'Weis, I know everyone's going to think I'm crazy turning down the GM job and all the money. But I'm fired up with what's going on here, and I want to see it through,' " Weisbrod said. The Raptors eventually hired Rob Babcock, who had been the Minnesota Timberwolves' vice president of player personnel. Twardzik has worked in the front offices of the Charlotte Hornets and the Golden State Warriors. He has kept a low profile since coming to the Magic, preferring to stay in the background and let either Weisbrod or director of player development Otis Smith do the talking. The Magic still haven't hired an assistant for Weisbrod or decided how many scouts they should add. But in a thinly-veiled jab at his predecessor, John Gabriel, Weisbrod expressed an overall satisfaction with Twardzik, Smith and coach Johnny Davis. ANY TAKERS? In addition to deciding whether to take Emeka Okafor or Dwight Howard with the first pick, the Magic are scheduled to have the first and seventh selections in the second round (30th and 36th overall). Weisbrod said those two picks have fallen in value since the league's pre-draft camp because of the large number of European players who have withdrawn their names from consideration. But he still prefers having second-round picks, which come with no mandatory contractual obligations, over a pick late in the first round. The Magic got more last season out of Keith Bogans and Zaza Pachulia, both of whom went in the second round, than they did out of first-round choice Reece Gaines. Pachulia and Gaines were among the players the Magic have reportedly left unprotected for Tuesday's expansion draft involving the Charlotte Bobcats. FORGOTTEN FACE One of Gabriel's last acts before being demoted to an advisor's role in March was to head to Europe to scout Pavel Podkolzine, a 7-foot-5 Russian who was thought to be a high lottery pick. If the Magic take a center from overseas, it could be 7-3 South Korean Ha Seung-Jin with one of their two second-round picks. Former Chicago Bulls center Will Perdue has been tutoring the 18-year-old all spring on the finer points of the game.
