# Chad Ford Rips into Weisbrod



## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

From Insider, I can't post the whole thing:



> Early Thursday morning, any luster that was left on the season faded when GM John Weisbrod fired head coach Johnny Davis and assistant Ron Ekker (who was in charge of the team's defense), claiming that the team needed a "new voice and direction."
> 
> "We work in a bottom-line business," said Weisbrod. "It is our responsibility to do everything possible to create the best opportunity for success."
> 
> ...


So Davis says he was surprised by the firing and then says he thinks it was "obvious he was on a short leash"? Am I the only one who finds that completely contradictory? 



> John Weisbrod Many of Weisbrod's moves have backfired. Will he be the next Magic man to disappear? They sure have. Last season, the Magic finished with the worst record in the NBA.
> 
> Weisbrod, who took over the team during the 2003-04 season, went for an extreme team makeover in the summer, trading the Magic's best player, Tracy McGrady, selecting a raw high school player with the first pick in the draft and then bringing in what Weisbrod described as "sore losers" – tough, team-first players who would play a more rugged style of basketball.
> 
> ...


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## Nique21 (Jan 12, 2005)

Sheesh, you Magic fans just LOVE John Weisbrod. The guy is a fraud and a joke. He isnt even an "NBA Guy" yet he acts like he knows everything about the buisness and the coaches. He thinks he can just criticize anyone he wants at their expense

Quit clinging to the guy just because he is the GM. You all should be rallying for this goon to be fired before he starts recieving death threats from people in Orlando for trading Francis and then he trashes Francis just to save his own butt


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Van Gundy does the same


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Weisbrod is deserving of some criticism. Though I think the Tmac trade was inevitable and not sure Orlando could have gotten more for Tmac at the time. And the Mobley for Christie trade looks terrible right now, but lets wait and see if Orlando can make something out of Christie's expiring contract this summer or next season. They weren't going to re-sign Mobley anyway and this team wasn't going to win a ring this year anyway, so in the end, it makes little difference.

The two biggest mistakes I think Weisbrod has made are letting Zaza Pachulia go for nothing in the expansion draft and trading Anderson Varejao when he probably could have made the trade without Varejao included. And even though statistically Gooden is killing Battie, I think Battie still suits this team better than Gooden would have.

And as far as firing Davis ... Davis deserved it, point blank. The team can't fire Francis, so something had to be done. Davis probably would have been let go after the season anyway. The timing sucks, but something had to be done after losing 6 straight trying to fight for a playoff spot.


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## Gambino (Feb 11, 2004)

Mr. Roger's Cardigan said:


> Van Gundy does the same


Tmac is now doing the same lol


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

PG: Jameer Nelson | Tyronn Lue | Reece Gaines
SG: TMac | Deshawn Stevenson
SF: Grant Hill | Hedo Turkoglu | Stacey Augmon
PF: Drew Gooden | Anderson Varejo | Pat Garrity
CN: Emeka Okafor | Andrew DeClerq

and its concievable to think that Juwan Howard could have been traded for either Eric Snow or Kelvin Cato. I think the Orlando FO is full of ****. Theyve made disappointing moves for so long and place too little blame on their GMs. I lost all faith in Orlando. Fired Doc but stuck with Johnny "Moral Victory" Davis? Gabriel "demotes" himself? They bring in Weisbrod and expect him to make a legitimate GM? How many times has DeVos promised to let Orlando go over the lux cap to make a run at the ECF but pulled his approval when it mattered? Theyre a bunch of idiots IMO.


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## Idunkonyou (Feb 23, 2003)

TManiAC said:


> PG: Jameer Nelson | Tyronn Lue | Reece Gaines
> SG: TMac | Deshawn Stevenson
> SF: Grant Hill | Hedo Turkoglu | Stacey Augmon
> PF: Drew Gooden | Anderson Varejo | Pat Garrity
> ...


You can't blame Devos. Orlando has the 7th highest payroll in the NBA - http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/orlando.htm

I think what Orlando is missing mostly is a real head coach. 

By the way, no one in there right mind would pick Okafor over Howard now.


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

Idunkonyou said:


> You can't blame Devos. Orlando has the 7th highest payroll in the NBA - http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/orlando.htm
> 
> I think what Orlando is missing mostly is a real head coach.
> 
> By the way, no one in there right mind would pick Okafor over Howard now.



Sure I can blame DeVos. Rockets were 20th in team salary in 2003-2004 @ $50 Mill. I didnt think Rod Strickland, Monty Williams, Robert Archibald and Britton Johnsen were what DeVos meant by going over the luxury cap. Fact is, Orlando FO didnt do enough to get the winning pieces around TMac, including the right GM, the right Coach, and of course the right players (they werent that far either... Magic played great against Detroit). Just imagine with that team and say Fratello as coach, the Magic would be serious contenders.

Oh btw, Maybe for a rebuilding team, Dwight Howard could be the better choice. But IMO, if they would have kept McGrady, Okafor would have been ideal. I do respect and appreciate what Dwight Howard does, hes is extremely gifted.. no knock on his game. But Yeah, take everything I say with a grain of salt, Im a very disgruntled former-magic fan.


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## Babir (Jan 10, 2005)

I just don't understand this "former-magic fan" thing...TRUE fans are always staying with their teams...


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

You might be a "true fan" because you have a thing for Orlando. I watch basketball for entertainment... and great players are very entertaining. When a team seems to lose all their great players, I lost interest in the team. Why do you like the Magic organization so much? They take your money regardless of whether they win or lose... Its the players like Francis and McGrady that are suiting up and playing 48 minutes per outing for you to get your kicks and giggles.

I dont like Orlandos management anymore, I dont like their coach, and I dont like many players on their team. What's there to be loyal for?


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## Babir (Jan 10, 2005)

"True fans" are not watching basketball only for entertainment and they also understand that not only great players are "entertaining" 

So, since, as you saying "I lost interest in the team" which team you support now? The thing is that almost every team is trading or losing their players...Lakers traded Shaq, Kings traded C-Webb, Raptors traded Vince...Nets lost Martin, Jazz lost Boozer, Raptors lost T-Mac and etc...So very soon you ll lose interest to the whole NBA


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

Babir said:


> "True fans" are not watching basketball only for entertainment and they also understand that not only great players are "entertaining"
> 
> So, since, as you saying "I lost interest in the team" which team you support now? The thing is that almost every team is trading or losing their players...Lakers traded Shaq, Kings traded C-Webb, Raptors traded Vince...Nets lost Martin, Jazz lost Boozer, Raptors lost T-Mac and etc...So very soon you ll lose interest to the whole NBA



Im glad you feel youre the over-riding authority on the topic of fanaticism. I dont think there should be rules on how to be a fan. And if it makes you feel any better about yourself, fine, call yourself a "True Orlando Fan" whatever that may mean. 

Im a fan of certain players... I dont have a team banner on my wall, I have Slam Ups and covers of TMac, Allen Iverson, KG, Kobe, Steve Francis, MJ, etc. I wake up every morning to a fresh cup of coffee and the latest news from every NBA rumorwire on the web. I dont appreciate the drunk ******** rooting for Steve Blake at the MCI center only because he played college ball at Maryland, when they dont know anything about Larry Hughes, Arenas, or Antawn Jamison. They hiss at me for wearing my TMac jersey to the MCI center and are too ignorant to realize how talented of a player he is because they're "true fans." Would you call me any less of a fan than they are?

Im a fan of many teams, Phoenix as a team.. Miami as a team... San Antonio as a team... the Rockets as a team. So in that respect, I think I am a fan of the NBA moreso than you are, because in your own words, you are a "True Orlando Fan." I appreciate more what a player has done than what an organization has done to put a sloppy team together. We just choose loyalties for different reasons. Why do you love Orlando so much anyway? You never answered that. Are you from Orlando.. or is it Azerbaijan? How many home games have you gone to, to support your team? You like Orlando because your family likes Orlando? Or do you originally start following Orlando because of a favorite player, perhaps Penny or Shaq? So tell me again, what exactly does TRUE FAN mean?

Maybe you didnt understand what "former Orlando fan" meant because you were too busy being arrogant and ignorant. People like you dont make me feel like any less of a fan and certainly dont make me feel guilty about disliking Weisbrod and Co.


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## Idunkonyou (Feb 23, 2003)

I think JW has made some great moves, questionable moves and bad moves. At least he is better than Gabe who did nothing but make bad moves.

I think JW will make some more good moves this offseason. He has the MLE, 4 picks and some trade options. 

Either way you look at it, this year has been an improvement over last year.


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## Babir (Jan 10, 2005)

TManiAC, great post :clap: ...But I am not trying to tell you that Weisbrod is a great guy...What is "true fan" for me, was described, so there is no need to explain you one more time, but....



> Are you from Orlando.. or is it Azerbaijan? How many home games have you gone to, to support your team? You like Orlando because your family likes Orlando? Or do you originally start following Orlando because of a favorite player, perhaps Penny or Shaq? So tell me again, what exactly does TRUE FAN mean?


 Yes, I am from Azerbaijan, probably you don't even know where is that but there is 9-10 hours difference with States, and I am waiking up every morning to watch the games or follow them by livestats...I am Magic fan since Shaq was drafted and yes I was very upset when we lost him, when Penny was injured and we lost him too, when we couldn't get TD and lost Big Ben and Billiups, when I ve realized that Grant would never be the same and etc. etc. etc. But I am still Magic fan...I have seen only one Magic game when I was in Charlotte and Magic won (back in 2000) and I remember how I almost lost my breath when I entered and seen Darrel Armstrong practicing his jumper.....
My english is not good so I can't really express all my thoughts but i understand that we ll just stay with our own opinions...Sorry if I was too as you say "arrogant and ignorant" and good luck to all your players and team...


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