| Ten Years Later Authored by Howard Mass - July 18, 2006 - 8:59 am
It was around 11 am on July 18, 1996. My mom had opened by sliding door and I had just woken up, she said in a sad way, "Howard, he's gone". My mouth opened wide and I was slowly shaking my head in disbelief. Mom, what do you mean? “Shaq!” she said. Still in disbelief, I waited for the noon news and at the top it confirmed my fears. I then waited for 5-8 minutes flipping channels as the TWA flight crash was the big lead story. It was hard to hear the news.
The player I had loved so much had decided to ditch my favorite team for the city he had wanted to go to all along Los Angeles. The burning sot of a life-size Shaq cutout was being burned by a group of kids by age in one of the shots which summed up my feelings at the moment. I decided to go grab a paper a few blocks up at the Handy Way just to see the coverage. At the line, the cashier and a lady were talking about Shaq, it was clearly the buzz of the town and one of the most devastating days in this town's history.
Throughout that past year and in tidbits throughout Shaquille O'Neal's time with the Orlando Magic, it was always mentioned, feared by fans and repeated by people who hated the team that Shaq could/would go to L.A. one day. I never wanted to believe them.
That day I dreaded waiting for the Lakers 3 p.m. press conference to introduce Shaquille O'Neal as their newest player. When it finally happened, it was the talk of ESPN and a moment that myself and Magic fans will never forget.
Why I Think Shaq Left
I believe Shaq was going to L.A. all along when saying the infamous "Orlando is my first option" and that the Orlando Sentinel poll and the lowball offer were just excuses for Shaq and his then-agent Leonard Armato to get to L.A. where Shaq can have a singing and movie career. For the record, neither went that well.
When one examines Shaq's his autobiography which contained his fascination for the Lakers and then the revelations in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday that Armato wanted the Magic to deal Shaq's draft rights to L.A. in 1992 is even more evidence.
Everyone always mentions that idiotic poll the Sentinel ran which then-Lakers GM Jerry West was said to have used as ammo to get him to sign that 7 year $121 million contract in that Atlanta hotel room in the wee hours in the morning or the Magic's opening "Lowball" offer but do the math, he wanted to go to the big city and not be the "Big fish in a small pond".
Ownership And Retiring Jersey
Throughout the years and recently, there has been speculation that Shaquille O'Neal might one day want to buy a piece of the Magic and/or perhaps have his jersey hung high in the rafters. My question is why would any true Magic fan want either to happen?
He chose to leave this team high and dry. The Magic did not get a single thing for him. What happened with the collective bargaining agreement the year before that eliminated restricted free agency hurt but it would have been nice if he had said something so this team could at least get some players for him but he did not do this.
Ten years later, this team has not made it past the first-round while Shaq won three straight titles in L.A. and just a few months ago won another down south in Miami.
That simply makes me sick to watch as a Magic fan.
If someone isn't following, here's a modern day example.
You are a guy in love with a beautiful girl and your girl in love with a dream guy. The relationship is like a dream for you and then one day your heart snaps, either that girl has dumped you for that jock who gets all of the girls or in the case or that guy has popped you and then dumps you for that perfect popular girl (I would say cheerleader but none of them looked good at my high school). In either case, it's a heartbreaking scenario.
This is exactly what happened here.
I'll admit that time heals a lot of things but why should someone who bolted this team the way he did deserve to own a piece of this franchise we love or have his number hanging from the rafters in the TD Waterhouse Centre/New Arena? Are we that lame to want to honor the man who left this town high and dry? Do we as fans not have standards? I know I do. Let him have his jersey retired in Los Angeles and Miami and get ownership in one of those places. It will not be our choice in the end but I do not understand why some would be so thrilled about it.
We as fans do not need him here as we all moved on a long time ago and are looking ahead at a team with a very bright future.
The Future Is Bright In Orlando
Life goes on and it has for me and fellow Magic fans for the past 10 years. After years of bad breaks, it seems things are at last on track to have that championship one day. When the Magic put those pinstripes on last year, it reminded me of the good old days and when I was watching the games, I mistook Dwight Howard for Shaquille O'Neal. Then, I realized, Dwight is the Shaq of today just a little quieter. This man will lead us to the promised land along with Jameer Nelson, Darko Milicic, J.J. Redick, Hedo Turkoglu, Tony Battie and hopefully Vince Carter (please come next summer)) along with the rest of the supporting cast.
Look around the league and then look at the team the Magic have here. Does anyone not believe there will be a championship here in Orlando 10 years from now?
Lately, I have had trouble finding someone to disagree.
Contact
If you want to contact me regarding this column, feel free to send me an E-Mail howard@realgm.com or a private via our message boards. |
