Memo to Shaq: Go find another 'dried-up pond' -- Politics, Orla...

Bianchi, you finally wrote something that makes sense. Shaq needs to move out of Orlando and stay out. HE IS NOT WANTED HERE.

"YOU SAID IT ALL"
good job

This is the only style of article Bianchi writes. One with no sources, one steeped in sarcasm and typically grossly lacking in humor. Why Hoppes keeps him around is beyond me. His running off at the typewriter is predictably dismal to say the least.

BRAVO!!!

Mike Bianchi wrote:

"First and foremost, these are the two guys most responsible for the last decade of Magic malaise.

Actually Mike, the current ownership and years of poor management are responsible. Oh and lets not forget the press.

Your article on how Grant Hill was our savior while he was on crutches really showed off your sports knowledge.

Someone take this guys crayons away.

Mikey..if you had chance to go to a real newspaper like the LA Times or Chicago Tribune as Sports Editor you would have been with Shag Daddy.

Nathan wrote:

I love when people write "GROW UP" in all caps. Cause there's nothing that seems more adult and mature than an insult phrased as a command, shouted with force.
And I think the point of the article is that we have, in fact, gotten over Shaq. And we've realized we're better off without him now, so why re-open a pointless relationship? Let him be Phoenix's GM. Or Miami's. Or LA's. See what those teams have to say about it.

You know what I hate? Someone quoting a phrase in caps while appending the quote with the pharse "in caps."

In lighter news, I was over Shaq leaving town in 1997. Player leave teams all the friggin' time. I'm more upset with GHill than Shaq to be honest; the Magic were in some turmoil at the time (remember the BHill/Hardaway thing which finally erupted in full force mid '97 and Shaq probably saw the disintegration coming.

GHill, on the other hand, has turned out to be pretty much nothing but a leech and a moocher. While he legally didn't owe the Magic a damn thing, he even intimated that he would return for the league minimum well before he bolted. "A gentleman player" my arse...a leech and a liar is more appropriate as tags for Grant Hill.

I'm sure Shaq is be facetious in any event; Shaq knows full well the animosity his name, along with that of Grant Hill, brings about to the average pond-dweller. ;-)

Mike Bianchi you are dead on this subject, no way shaq, why not go "help" Detroit that would help us. We found out after our loyalty to you that we did not need your big head to be successful. That thinking is pure crap and then throw in Grant...please !!
You made your decision years ago, so now it's payback time...Live with it...we do not want you messing with the magic.

The NBA, where "just shut up and play" happens.

Shaw should focus on his current job, ruining the Phoenix Suns

JSkee wrote:

Memo to Bianchi: Stay in Orlando because this is the only two- bit paper that would print such garbage about someone who can obviously attract super stardom and sell tickets. You Moron! Where did you go to school...SAU...Stupid Ass University? You obviously don't have an ounce of economic common sense about you.

You are right and Bianchi is an idiot! Dont you see downtown Orlando withering away. Bringing Shaq to Orlando is a wise economic decision. All of the unknowns playing for the magic do nothing for the City. There is an intangible benefit to smart athletes being here: they go to the bars and patrons follow, they buy real estate and buyers follow. Church Street was popping when Shaq was here. He is a walking Chamber of Commerce. The City's well being is far more important than your stupid bruised ego. You and all these other idiots want these atheletes to say nothing and be like horses in a stable. Get real! This is the best investment the team can make. I hope they get rid of Otis, but this will never happen because he is a "good" team player.

This is written perfectly and absolutely dead-on. I'm sending this to every Magic fan I know.

Bianchi, did you get out all your venom in this article? Let's be realistic here, Shaq is a big name in basketball and he adds a cache wherever he goes. He won several championships in LA and one in Miami. He's the kind of guy that will be able to cajole free agents into coming to Orlando, maybe even D-Wade.
Grant is a smart businessman and would do well in the front office.
I can only hope that they could find a way to buy the entire franchise from these nitwit owners who don't know the difference in a basketball team and a boy scout troop. As for our GMs...puhleease. Show me one current or former Magic GM that was a standout in the league and I'll eat my hat.
Yes to Shaq and Hill.
BTW, I understand Otis did not want Hill back, which is what most fans don't know.

Fabulous article! I think you have put the thoughts of many a longtime Magic fan into words.

And although I would, of course, like to tell Shaq to take his dreams and stick them where the sun don't shine, I think I'm actually more repulsed by the idea of Grant Hill coming back!

Wow. This may be the best article I have ever read by Sentinel sports writers. I have been very critical in the past of some of you guys. But Mr. Bianchi nailed this one. Couldn't have said it any better. Awesome job.

Bianchi, It was writers like you taking polls like this that made Shaq leave in the first place. I recall a pole questioning if Shaq was worth the money he wanted? You advised readers he was not. How did that work out for the Lakers? Can you blaim him for heading for a big sports town with writers who actually know what they are talking about. You are a Hack..... For an encore, you did the same to T-mac. Do all of us sports fans in orlando a favor; Keep your polls and your comments to yourself !

YOU SAID IT!!!!!!

Don't listen to these haters Shaquille. I still love you. Grant Hill however can kiss my a**.

Hero Worship.

Is there a single person in Orlando with at least one brain cell left in their head? Or has the sun baked them all dry?

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

Somebody, please explain how being a famous player automatically translates into being capable of making sound business decisions? Did either of them complete their college degree? Do either of them they have any related experience?

But hey, it's Shaq! Give him the damn job!

You people are stupid.

Yeah, I could see the Piston's fans wanting doing something like this.

Let's hope the Magic's front office is not as stupid as most of the fans.

Why does Shaq think we need him to save us? The Magic are the best they've been in a while and most of the credit should go to Otis Smith. So again, thanks but no thanks Shaq, we already have a GM, a real one. Shaq like many other superstars is a star on the court and a potential disaster off the court. Remember the his shoe line, they were horrendous. I do appreciate what his mother and family, and the Grants, have done for Orlando, but that doesn't change the fact that he left here because he felt he outgrew Otown. Now that he's in the twilight of his career does he feel he needs this lil ol town to reembrace him since he's the best thing to ever happen to us? Please, get on with that! We welcome back real, loyal, hometown heroes like Nick Anderson.
And by the way, if Jerry Demmings wins Orange County Sheriff I would count that as another Central Florida job you just shouldn't apply for.