by Rasmuth » Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:47 am
Even though I enjoy traveling with the team on the road, it's always nice to come home and when I'm in my office, I never feel more comfortable.
I just got off the phone with Coach Willis, evaluating and discussing the teams performance in January. Overall the team went 9-7 for the month. Both of us are disappointed with that result because we easily could have been 11-5. Then again, we could have easily been 7-9 if it hadn't been for some nice road wins...so I'll take a winning month.
Coach Willis informed me he might remove Cortez Ash out of the starting lineup for a bit. What I love about Willis is that he likes to bounce ideas off me, but he doesn't ask for permission. Despite me being his boss, he makes the day to day decisions regarding the team and for the most part, I leave him alone. But Willis and I have a mutual respect and he knows my knowledge of the game is strong. He listens to my opinions and ideas and sometimes he even implements them. He's a good man. I only worry about his age. At 68, I wonder how long he'll want to keep up this pressure. I worry about his health too. I'm not aware of any pressing issues with his health, but he's no spring chicken.
Ash has been struggling of late, save a nice 19 point performance late in the month. Coach is thinking of giving Greg Oden a start or two or perhaps even Amare Stoudamire. He doesn't expect it to be a permanent situation but he's hoping it might give the team a necessary "kick in the pants" and even send a bit of a message to Ash and the others.
Despite our uneven performances, the Magic find themselves only a 1/2 game out of first place in the Southeast behind the Bobcats. The fans are responding and there is a palpable excitement in Orlando around this team. Attendance is up this season and Magic tickets are a very hot commodity right now. Owner Dick Amstar is thrilled. He's more or less a "hands-off" owner, which I certainly appreciate, so when I do hear from him, and he's ecstatic...it's a good thing.
He even approved the 30% pay raises I suggested for the cheerleaders without question. I let Marlene tell her girls and take the credit. She was delighted with the unexpected news and she made sure I understood the depth of her gratitude.
Currently the team stands at 26-19 on the season. These next 37 games will make or break us. I'm thrilled that we are a healthy team and our depth remains in tact. I just hope we develop a bit more consistency as the season winds down.
I met Keira Knightley at the game in Los Angeles when we beat the Clippers by one point in their house. We were introduced by a mutual friend. Now, I've had a secret crush on her forever and I'll admit, I was a bit starstruck at first, but she's a terrific woman and I think we hit it off a bit. Following the game we had dinner at a posh L.A. restaurant and our "date" became national news after we were spotted by the paparazzi. We exchanged private phone numbers and she even asked me if I had a place she could stay if she decided to visit. We stayed out until the wee hours and I must say, now that I know her, I'm even more attracted to her. Even at 35 years of age, she is remarkably youthful and beautiful.
So, on to February and I hope to be in even a better mood then, and I'm feeling rather good right now, though I suppose the whiskey has some influence there.
Maybe I'll call Marlene, I'd love to see her. It's funny how things are sometimes, at the exact moment I have that thought, I hear a soft knock on my door. I know the knock. It's her knock and a huge smile crosses my face. Lord, she is so beautiful, I think to myself.
"Come," I say without much emotion.
Slowly, hesitantly, she comes in, her slow steps a cross between a walk and a strut. "Welcome back to town," she says brightly.
I hold her out a drink and she smiles so perfectly.
"Are you happy to see me?" she asks with mock uneasiness.
"Yes....yes I am," I reply, my face crossed with a chesire cat grin.