http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...?coll=orl-magic The Orlando Magic have appointed Tracy McGrady as team captain, even going as far as borrowing from hockey and stitching a "C" on his jersey. It's really a love letter from the Magic. More will arrive. The organization has begun, in earnest, the delicate process of trying to keep Captain T-Mac in a Magic jersey until he retires. They are doing it subtly and tangibly. McGrady can become a free agent after the 2004-05 season, although he can sign a contract extension anytime. Philadelphia star Allen Iverson, who could have become a free agent along with McGrady after the 2005 season, recently signed an extension. The Minnesota Timberwolves locked up star Kevin Garnett on Wednesday, preventing him from testing the waters after this season. So it's never too early for the Magic hierarchy to make McGrady aware that the "C" means they "Care." Magic Chief Operating Officer John Weisbrod calls it -- rather tongue in cheek -- "The Tracy McGrady Retention Plan." Weisbrod acknowledged Thursday that discussions about McGrady's future are taking place in the front office as well as outside it, with General Manager John Gabriel huddling with McGrady's agent, Arn Tellum. Whether the Magic can lock up McGrady before he can opt out and make himself available on the open market is, probably, the $100 million question. Weisbrod isn't about to produce anything close to a White House leak on the subject, saying only, "There have been a ton of internal conversations about all the different courses of action we can take with him. "I know I've had that conversation with Gabe and ownership quite a bit just because we've spent a lot of time strategizing over the Tracy McGrady retention plan," Weisbrod said. "Where Gabe is at with Tracy's people, I have to plead ignorance." Gabriel will not even forward a plea, declining to comment on McGrady's future. Ditto for McGrady. Tellum could not be reached. Obviously, McGrady can make more in free agency by signing a league-maximum seven-year contract. But Iverson signed a four-year extension, giving him a $104.9 million package over six years, reasoning that getting security now meant more than waiting another season. Iverson also wanted to be a Sixer for life. Does T-Mac want to be a Magic player 'til he hangs them up? "I don't know," Weisbrod said. But Weisbrod is going to find out, adding that he wants to sit down with McGrady soon and see where T-Mac's head and heart are. "I think Tracy's personality is different [than Iverson's]," Weisbrod said. "I think you can see where feeling things are left on his sleeve . . . "I don't think Tracy is at the same point of his career that Allen is. Allen has been in that place from the beginning [to commit to the 76ers]. Tracy is not in that emotional place yet that Iverson is." Even if McGrady does opt out, Weisbrod said the Magic will match any offer. "I don't think that's a question," he said. "When you are talking about a maximum guy, money is a non-factor." Failing to build a contender may be, however, if McGrady burns to be a champion. McGrady reports to camp today along with four other veterans, and he'll see yet another new cast surrounding him. It is certainly the youngest. "These guys are so young, it will definitely be a challenge to what we want to do," he said. With Juwan Howard in tow, McGrady believes the Magic are better than the team that blew a 3-1 playoff series to Detroit, T-Mac's third consecutive first-round defeat. "That talk should no longer be existing about me getting out of the first round, but it still is," he said. "We came up short. I'm hungry this year. I have a little more help around me to relieve some of that pressure." McGrady knows what people are whispering. He's a superstar, but . . . He's on the cover of magazines and he makes commercials, but . . . He's the league's leading scorer, but . . . But he's never made it past the first round. "Got to take that 'but' off of that," he said. "That's my goal." Aye, aye, captain.
yep. tmac is gonna be better than before!!!!!!!!!!! hopefully he can take up where darell left off in leading the magic. darell was a good captain, he fired everyone up before the games.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">yep. tmac is gonna be better than before!!!!!!!!!!! hopefully he can take up where darell left off in leading the magic. darell was a good captain, he fired everyone up before the games.</div> Yeah Darell was a better vocal leader but with T-mac you just have to follow his example. He will be better then before, just like every season! :mrgreen:
if it's true that he's even more ripped, 20 lbs of added muscle, the league better watch out, he is gonna dominate again.
