The Orlando Magic's Struggles (Weisbrod Pink Slip Watch)

[Houston Chronicle] The Magic's running short

The Magic's running short

Thought the Chronicle was above all of the pettiness? Nope... they couldn't hold back on such an easy target. Let's hope Orlando and Weisbrod don't get the last word.

I laughed.

 

So after JVG (and Rudy) couldn't get Francis to play in control, Weisbrod thinks Johnny Davis could?? Where's edc? Clearly this is proof that the consensus around the league is Johnny Davis is a more capable coach than Jeff Van Gundy.

Even if Weisbrod wants to stick to his guns on the TMac trade...how can he say with a straight face the Mobley trade isn't a disappointment?

Here's what I find funny: the day after their head coach steps down and a rookie coach takes control of the team, Dallas papers are writing about Orlando management.

 

That's so weak -- putting it all on the coach. He shows no class by saying that the only thing he is responsible for is keeping "Johnny as our coach." Maybe, Davis wasn't the best coach, whatever the case may be, he is so unrealistic with his expectations of what he thinks Davis should have accomplished.

He showed NO CLASS during and after the McGrady trade and he's showing NO CLASS during his team's recent slide. In each situation he seems to pass the buck on to others; come on, blaming Davis for Francis' lack of maturity and ball-handling-skills?

 

Compared to the LA Times, the Chron has generally been pretty classy about criticizing other teams.

 

Weisbrod Pink Slip Watch

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/sports/basketball/20hoops.html

Magic Losing Games, Poise and Wisdom

"I don't have any illusions about it being some kind of magical formula," Weisbrod said in a conference call Thursday night. "It's still on them to make it happen, it's still a players' league. But whatever comes of this, a jolt of accountability or excuse elimination, I think I have a responsibility to do everything possible to make the most of the playoff potential for the season."

But what of Weisbrod's responsibility in putting the Magic in this position? Weisbrod, who is also Orlando's chief operating officer, has made decisions that have raised red flags - and eyebrows.

Over the summer, before knowing if Grant Hill would return, Weisbrod decided to overhaul the team. He traded Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. In the fall, he got into a vocal sparring match with McGrady, calling him a selfish player. McGrady is leading the surging Rockets in the West.

Weisbrod traded the offensive-minded Mobley to Sacramento on Jan. 10, coming up with Doug Christie and a contract that expires after next season; Christie's usefulness has all but expired this season with a foot injury. Weisbrod traded Mobley in part because his close relationship with Francis had turned the court into a two-man game and had divided the locker room.

Weisbrod wanted Francis moved from point guard to off guard. Francis averaged 4.5 turnovers and 6.8 assists in the Magic's six-game slide. He is the floor leader, but the team is aimless.

Weisbrod said Davis should share in the blame for Francis's lack of maturity and ball-handling skills.

"I was hopeful and expectant that Steve would be further along than he is now," Weisbrod said.

Weisbrod took full responsibility for only the coaching situation. "The decision to keep Johnny as our coach in the off-season was my decision and nobody else's," he said. "There aren't any player moves frankly that I'm at all disappointed with."

Two of Weisbrod's free-agent signings last season, Stacey Augmon and DeShawn Stevenson, were disciplined by the league office last week. Augmon was suspended one game without pay for cursing and squirting lotion at a reporter in the locker room after last Sunday's game against the Nets. Stevenson was fined $7,500 for giving the basketball a boot after the same game.

In that game, Francis was ejected for fighting, and Hedo Turkoglu of Turkey tussled on the court with the Nets' Zoran Planinic, a Croat. . . .

"In this league, what's surprising is that more of us in our positions don't get examined for who we hire and who we bring in," [Jerry] West, general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, said of team executives. "It's not only the coach but the wrong mix of players, and the right mix makes a big difference. We should take responsibility for that."

Tick tock tick tock tick tock . . .

 

How long before Orlando fans go from being happy that McGrady is gone to blaming McGrady because he isn't there anymore? And props to Weisbrod for blaming everyone but himself. He blames Steve, Davis, Cat, the players, everyone but himself. What a leader! I love the shot that Jerry West took at Weisbrod as well! Weisbrod's @ss is grass.

 

There's nothing petty about it, that's the absolute fact. People can't handle the brutal, honest truth, but there it is laid out in front of you.

 

I just can't believe that a doofus like Weisbrod has all the decision making power for that team. He gets to choose the coach by himself? The Magic ownership is such a joke.

 

Not to change the subject here, but Robbins is outright blaming the Hedo/Kristic semi-tussle on the fact that Hedo is Muslim and Kristic is Catholic?

Way to throw things out there, Liz.

 

Clutch, "Puck" is in denial but is not delusional. He knows the heat is on and admitting it would make it even hotter for him than it is now. He loses either way.

If he publicly acknowledged that he made two bad trades, it would be like admitting he should resign or be fired. The bottom line is he's trying to hang on to his job for at least another year. Puck is way overmatched as an NBA GM, but he isn't a dummy. The saying about being promoted to your level of incompetence applies here.

 

Tick, tock...but -- how often are GMs moved out? Sure, he's accountable (and we are laughing here!) but let's also look north of the border. Look to the pre-Logo Grizz. (Let's not look at the Clips.)

Then, look at Suns, Spurs, even Rox. The Front Office does mean something.

 

aaahhhh . . .a fresh cup of hater-ade

Rocket River
Hatred never dies

 

LOL, hater-ade. Right. The team is coming apart, guys are getting in trouble and suspended left and right and the team goes from having the 3rd best record in the East to missing the playoffs and a coach gets fired after basically getting a vote of confidence and it's "hater-ade". Ok. What do you think, Francis and the Magic should get heaped with praise right now!? The ironic thing is, the same people that use the "hater-ade" comments are quick to criticize McGrady and the Rockets when something bad happens.

 

What I love is the spin from the GM that his accountability consists of holding the people below him accountable. Which sounds to me like MBA-speak for passing the buck.

 

Sorry, I didn't see the NYT clip already in this thread. I just merged mine into this one.

 

funny, our president employs a very similar strategy.

i must admit that after all the talk and cheap-shots comming from them earlier in the season i am loving every minute of this.

in some ways however, i would like to see t-mac not have done that interview. up till that point him and the rockets in general have been so far above the magic in terms of class and professionalism. weisbrod took shots, steve took shots and even cat said some stuff about jvg.

that being said, i agree with everything t-mac said. barkley-esque level of telling it like it is!