Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Coming to Walt Disney World
From the Disney Parks Blog
Today, we’re thrilled to share plans for a new role-playing adventure coming to Walt Disney World called Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. This is going to be fun – and it’s all happening inside the park. Merlin the magician will recruit guests to become apprentice sorcerers and then help them with maps and clues that show where and how to defeat an army of Disney villains.
Looks interesting, right? Work on this new adventure is already underway. You may notice a few giant crates and even some new spaces showing up throughout Adventureland. They’ll provide early clues to the challenge you’ll face while trying to save the Magic Kingdom.
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is scheduled to debut in early 2012. And we’ll be sharing more details in the future so keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for updates.
Brandon Bass (Orlando Magic) #3 in Rising Sports Stars
Green Bay Packers’ running back John Kuhn has earned the top spot on the list of Rising Sports Stars to watch in the month of January. Kuhn scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s Dec. 26 win against the New York Giants and has emerged as a fan favorite, gaining notice for key downs and special teams play. Kuhn’s popularity has increased 79% over the past 30 days, and cheers for “KUUUUUUUHN” ring out when he carries the ball.
Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints and Brandon Bass of the Orlando Magic round out the top three.
This month’s list also features Jacoby Ford at number 6, the first player to make a repeat appearance since Rising Sports Stars launched in August 2010. The Oakland Raiders’ rookie wide receiver has dazzled fans with dramatic kickoff returns, including going 99 yards in 11 seconds following the opening kickoff in the Dec. 26 game against Indianapolis. The full list and additional details are available at: www.brandaffinity.net/RisingStars/january2011
Rising Sports Stars is distributed by Brand Affinity Technologies (BAT), a company that calculates daily consumer affinity based on a proprietary combination of media exposure, performance, awards, popularity, engagement, and fan base, among other indicators, for more than 45,000 athletes and celebrities. The list identifies sports stars with greatest leap in popularity over the prior 30 days. A meteoric rise may indicate a standout on-the-field performance, off-the-field achievement, or emergence from utility player to celebrity
Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks
ORLANDO, Fla. — Dwight Howard had 24 points and 18 rebounds in a bruising battle with Amare Stoudemire, and the Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks 112-103 on Thursday night for their fifth straight win.
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Kennedy: Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards Close to Trading Rashard Lewis for Gilbert Arenas, and More Magic Moves Potentially on the Way
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The Orlando Magic may announce a trade of Rashard Lewis to the Washington Wizards for Gilbert Arenas as soon as Saturday, Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reports, culminating a wild Friday night as rumors about the Magic’s interest in the veteran shooting guard kicked into the highest of gears; please see the first two posts on the subject here and here.
Further, Kennedy says Magic franchise center Dwight Howard is pushing the team to make a deal, and Orlando continues to shop a package of swingman Vince Carter and backup center Marcin Gortat elsewhere around the league. From Kennedy’s report:
One league source believes the roster changes in Orlando are being made to appease Dwight Howard, who hasn’t been in a rush to sign a contract extension with the organization. Howard could opt out of his contract after next season and the Magic will do whatever it takes to keep their franchise player happy.
“I think they know they have to make a play since Dwight will be a free agent soon,” said one source.
Kennedy says Orlando has engaged teams including the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers to make a second deal, perhaps involving the aforementioned package of Carter and Gortat. Among the players discussed is Phoenix forward Hedo Turkoglu, who spent five seasons with Orlando, only to sign with the Toronto Raptors in the 2009 free-agency period. “Lon Babby, the president of basketball operations in… Continue reading
Source: Rashard Lewis Possibly Included in Orlando Magic Trade for Gilbert Arenas with Washington Wizards
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The Orlando Magic’s trade discussions with the Washington Wizards regarding point guard Gilbert Arenas may involve the Magic sending more back to Washington than first thought. A source advised Orlando Pinstriped Post that combo forward Rashard Lewis, who owns the league’s second-largest salary, is “being discussed” in this potential trade, with shooting guard Vince Carter also headed to the nation’s capital.
Lewis’ potential inclusion in the trade changes its dynamics entirely, as it’d signal a clear signal that Orlando intends to trim salary. Such a development corroborates an earlier report by CBSSports’ Ken Berger. He quotes “a source familiar with the Magic’s plans as saying, “they’re not in the same class as Boston or Miami. With a $ 94 million payroll, they didn’t do that to get out of the first round. The window has closed up a bit.”
Lewis and Carter combine to earn over $ 37 million this season, according to ShamSports, so if the Magic were to send them both to Washington, the Wizards would have to include more than Arenas’ $ 17.7 million salary to make the trade work under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. My source did not know which players Orlando would receive in this scenario, but did say it’s “unlikely” that veteran combo guard Kirk Hinrich would be in their number.
It’s important to note that trade discussions often include mentions of players who do not ultimately change sides when a… Continue reading
Berger: Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers Should Trade Marcin Gortat, Andre Miller
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The latest Orlando Magic trade rumor making the rounds comes from CBSSports.com’s Ken Berger, whose track record suggests he’s pretty well plugged-in in Orlando. The veteran scribe suggests the Magic and the Portland Trail Blazers should discussing a trade involving Magic backup center Marcin Gortat and Blazers point guard Andre Miller. Berger says Portland is motivated to make a deal:
Miller, with a fully non-guaranteed $ 7.8 million in 2011-12, has off-the-charts trade value — especially for a contender in need of a steadying force at point guard.
Sources continue to tell me that Orlando, which is concerned about not measuring up to Boston and Miami in the East, would be the perfect fit for Miller. The Magic are not going to accept carrying a $ 94 million payroll into the playoffs, only to lose in the conference semifinals — which seems to be their fate as currently constructed.
Berger goes on to say that Miller could be the Magic’s “elixir,” the sort of difference-making point guard who could boost Orlando back to the NBA’s elite. He also reports of Portland GM Rich Cho’s interest in Gortat dating to “his days working as Sam Presti’s right-hand man in Oklahoma City.”
To be clear, Berger does not say explicitly that Orlando and Portland are discussing this trade, but merely that it’s one that’d benefit both parties.
Gortat is arguably the Magic’s best trade chip, as he’s young, on a… Continue reading
Orlando Magic to Appear on NBA TV Fan Night against Dallas Mavericks
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The Orlando Magic will make their second straight appearance on NBA TV Fan Night this Tuesday, December 21st, when they host the Dallas Mavericks at Amway Center. The NBA announced the results of the voting, which enables fans to select one Tuesday night game to air nationally on NBA TV, earlier this afternoon. As was the case last week, when fans supported the Magic’s game against the Denver Nuggets, the voting was not particularly close; 81 percent of the poll respondents selected the Magic/Mavericks game. The game airs at 7 PM Eastern, with the NBA TV studio crew of Ernie Johnson, Chris Webber, and Kevin McHale coming on to preview the game at 6:30.
As Orlando will not play the following Tuesday, it can’t extend its streak of Fan Night appearances to three straight. Perhaps, though, it can end its Fan Night losing streak, as Denver handed it a 17-point defeat a few nights ago.
Every Tuesday through Thursday this season, fans can visit nba.com/nbatv/fannight to cast their ballot for one game to air the following Tuesday on NBA TV.
http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2010/12/17/1882380/orlando-magic-to-appear-on-nba-tv-fan-night-against-dallas-mavericksSB Nation – Orlando Magic
Source: Trade Rumor Linking Monta Ellis to the Orlando Magic is False
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Over the weekend, the Golden State Warriors blog Chris Cohan Sucks reported, citing an unnamed source, that the Warriors and the Orlando Magic were close to completing a trade that would send scoring guard Monta Ellis and perhaps center Andris Biedrins to Orlando, with Orlando shipping Vince Carter’s semi-expiring contract, as well as Marcin Gortat, to the Bay Area. Readers of this site sent some Twitter messages my way asking if I had heard anything about the rumor. I hadn’t, but I checked with a trusted source about it.
My source literally laughed the suggestion off, unable to see the appeal for either side.
Golden State, the person said, could get far more in return for Ellis than Carter’s semi-expiring contract. The 25-year-old is averaging 24.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.3 steals, to go with 47.4 percent shooting from the field and a respectable 35.6 percent from three-point territory, so far this season. On the Magic’s side, the source said Ellis would not be “a fit.” The latter point, about Orlando’s lack of interest, seems to jibe with Chris Cohan Sucks’ original description of the trade as a “Warriors-end proposal,” which I take to mean Golden State initiated the discussions, if they ever indeed took place.
What the source did confirm, however, is Gortat’s strong value on the trade market, which should come as no surprise: a sought-after commodity in the 2009 free-agency period, Gorat ranks as among… Continue reading
Trade Machine: Lou Williams to the Magic
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We’ve been beating the dead horse that is the Andre Iguodala trade dilemma for the last year, so I’m going to give it a rest until after the upcoming road trip. Instead, I’ve turned my attention to another ill-fitting piece with trade value, Lou Williams.
Lou’s been a solid player during his tenure in Philadelphia, and exceeded all expectations the franchise had for him when they selected him 45th overall in the 2005 draft. Although undersized, he’s an extremely talented scorer and gets to the free throw line at an absurd rate. The problem is – much like Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday – Lou needs the ball in his hands to be effective, and he’s currently blocking Turner from playing and developing.
Another problem with Lou’s fit on the Sixers is, although he’s shooting a respectable 35% from beyond the arch, he doesn’t stretch the floor like a Jodie Meeks or Kyle Korver. He has a relatively slow release and often hesitates when a playmaker sets him up for an open three.
The Sixers have enough guys who need the ball to be effective. What they need are guys who play off the ball, stretch the floor, and are willing to take and make open threes. Lou’s not that guy.
Lou is a fringe starter in the NBA since he’s not a true point guard and too small and defense-less to play shooting guard. His value is maximized when he’s the… Continue reading
For the Orlando Magic, Frustration Mounts, But Opportunities for Improvement Abound
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After dropping five of their last six games, frustration has set in for the Orlando Magic. Coach Stan Van Gundy is displeased with his team’s lack of effort defensively, star center Dwight Howard wants his perimeter teammates to defend better, and I feel as though a lot of the team’s fans wouldn’t mind gutting the roster. If nothing else, take a look at the sharp drop in the Fan Confidence Poll, which is visible in the left sidebar.
Zach McCann points to Orlando’s recent slide and cites it as evidence that the team, as presently built, won’t contend for a championship this season. Further, “there is no quick fox for this team,” and they “need drastic changes” if they hope to join the league’s elite class, he says.
Eddy Rivera agrees, and cuts right to the chase with it. In his recap of Orlando’s loss to the Denver Nuggets Tuesday evening, he writes, “Orlando isn’t an elite team or a championship contender.” And a bit later? Another fair assessment of the situation:
Is this an overreaction? No, it’s not. It’s a harsh reality.
Is it time to panic? No, it’s not. It’s time to be honest.
But I believe Brian Schmitz, McCann’s Sentinel colleague, has some good points to make as well. While their first West Coast trip ended as a failure, the Magic play four of their next five games against very good teams; the hardest part of this stretch… Continue reading
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