Jane Moves On/The Mothman Prophecies/NBA Schedule Is Out/Chin Up, People

Wow, a lot to talk about today, kiddies.

First off, congrats to fan favorite Jane on making it to the Final Four in the Orlando Magic Cheerleading Tournament. She beat out Kasey by almost triple the amount of votes, and appears to be a fan favorite moving forward.

Secondly, my hearts go out to the people in the bridge collapse in Minnesota. -Not only those who died, but also those who were injured both mentally and physically. I know that if that happened to me I would be unable to go over a bridge for at least a few years and would be forced to take the ferry everywhere. This would be humiliating as there really is no cool way to say, "I'm just going to hop on the ferry. Catch you later." It even sounds like 'fairy' when people with certain accents say it.

Many readers who emailed me yesterday had the comment that the whole bridge situation felt "like something seen in a movie." This comment seems to appear every time there is a disaster nowadays, and seems reserved for these occasions. You never hear someone say "The way that guy stapled that paper...it was like something out of a movie."

I too felt like it seemed like something in a movie...actually, I had SEEN the movie...it's a 2002 movie called "The Mothman Prophecies" and stars Richard Gere and Laura Linney. At the end there is a bridge collapse that is done pretty well, although the rest of the movie sucks for the most part. --There is a reason no one is comparing this recent event to The Mothman Prophecies, and methinks the movie's popularity might have something to do with it (well, that and the Richard Gere hamster jokes)

On an altogether unrelated note...smooth transition there...the NBA has updated its site with the upcoming NBA schedule. I would post a link, but the NBA had it up for a second and took it down the very next. In that short time span I already circled a date on my calendar: November 16th: Orlando @ New Jersey. Since I live in New York City, I hop on a bus and go to New Jersey where I can see a better team play than the Knicks, AND get cheap $15 seats. For this game I might even spring for the expensive $25 seats (somewhere a Knicks fan just wept over his insanely expensive season tickets).

Should I be as excited as I am about seeing the new-look Magic this upcoming season? Damn right I should. This brings me to another topic I really have been feeling passionate about this summer which is the fan and media misinterpretation of the Magic's offseason (please excuse the retread of this topic for readers of MagicMadness.us):

I think a lot of people everywhere are overreacting and hopping on the hype machines the media is creating in regards to the Magic. Every year the experts seem to only value teams based on the big names on them and last year's records, while they undervalue talented teams with who have young players and are progressing.

We sign Rashard Lewis, a fantastic player who numbers-wise is one of the best in the league, but the contract happens to be too high because frankly we have more money than anyone else and don't mind blowing it to ensure we get him. His contract doesn't somehow erase the good player that he is (as Stein points out). The media was against the money we paid him because they think he doesn't deserve it right now, and this is true. What they are ignoring is that he is a player just entering his prime and coming off of the best year of his career. We still haven't seen his ceiling. People thought we completely overpaid TMac when we got him too because he was an unknown.

Also, we get a far better coach, and let a backup PF and a SG that only occasionally played leave...and and all of a sudden we're in danger of making the playoffs in people's minds? That seems silly. Darko's upside eclipsed the rather pedestrian play he exhibited much of last year, and Grant Hill's value is being even MORE overblown. He barely played for us, taking off back-to-back game nights, and when he did play...(bracing himself for the backlash)...he wasn't a 'leader' for our team as people are claiming. He was completely absent when our team was splintering apart internally both under the Brian Hill and Steve Francis eras (I consider Steve Francis our team's coach during the Johnny Davis era).

Enough about the Magic. How about the other teams?

-Miami got no one of substance this offseason (Smush? Please.) and are looking worse the older they get.

-Washington got no one new this offseason and their big men are looking really bad after starting strong last year.

-Cleveland is in serious, serious trouble of losing either Varejao or Gooden and will likely add no one.

-New Jersey's hopes rest on Richard Jefferson's balky ankles and Kristic returning from injury. They also lost their insurance policies in Mikki Moore and an underrated Eddie House.

The Magic aren't perfect, but that can be said about every NBA team out there. With the additions of Rashard and SVG, our team is simply better than it was before and there is still time to address further needs. We didn't get KG and Ray Allen this offseason, but we DID improve a team that was in contention right up until the end to steal the Southeast Division title.

That has to count for something, so chin up guys.