Current Reason to Hate Tampa

I tend to have a few running reasons as to why I hate Tampa. This list is everchanging as different reasons jockey for the number one spot. At the moment, however, I am hating Tampa because we at USF do not get SunSports with our cable package.

Alright, so that's an overstatement. But really. On the nights that matter, I am left with constant refreshing of the scores because Directv BLACKS OUT Magic games.

As a lifelong Magic fan, this is unacceptable. (Seriously, lifelong. I was born just before the team started coming together.) I am missing the best season in recent memory! Since when did the Magic start scoring over 100 in just about every game?? I'm starting to think this is some form of twisted karmic retribution for every game I watched gloatingly. My household is one of the few to never miss a Magic game due to cable provider squabbling. That's right, we have Comcast. No, I will not tell you where we live.

I'm straying. My true purpose in this mini-rant: WHY IS JAMEER NELSON INJURED? How did I miss this? Honestly, as a lifelong fan, I should have known better. Those scores were looking too good. Those wins were racking up too quickly too soon. We are the Orlando Magic, after all. We are doomed to crushing heartbreak at some point in the season. More often than not, it's right around the All-Star break.

And here I was, thinking maybe this will be the year. We're twenty now, it's about time! Instead, I now ask: How far will we get? The Magic optimist in me says Finals. The Magic realist says not so fast, bucko, you'll be lucky to gimp through the second round.