Stan Van Gundy feels disrespect, wants a better TV slot
Play #48: DUNK
Either Stan Van Gundy has a heightened sense of entitlement now that he’s led a team to the NBA Finals, or he’s looking for new ways to motivate a squad that’s in danger of a Finals hangover.
While the Magic were introducing White Chocolate in a press conference yesterday, SVG talked about his team being disrespected by the national media, particularly with the TV schedule. From the Orlando Sentinel:
“For a team that went to the Finals, we really haven’t gotten the respect teams normally do,” Van Gundy said. “Based upon what we did last year, I think our players do feel a little underappreciated and under respected.”
Van Gundy pointed to a perceived slight by ABC, which usually puts the two Finals teams from the year before in the prime 3 p.m. slot on Christmas day. This year, it’ll be the Los Angeles and Cleveland in the prime slot while the Magic play the Celtics in the prelim game.
“It’s a lot of little things, and in the long run they’re not very important, but you feel it,” Van Gundy said. “Like the television schedule. Normally on Christmas Day, you get a rematch of the teams that played in the Finals. But instead, we get a Christmas Day matchup of the teams that they (ABC) wanted to see in the Finals.”
Um, yeah. I kind of see where Van Gundy is coming from, and I’ll just have to trust his claim that ABC always shows a Finals rematch, but he has to understand the business of sports entertainment: Kobe vs. LeBron and Shaq will beat out Kobe vs. Anyone Else (including the Magic) 10 times out of 10. And it’s not like the Magic don’t have a game at all on Christmas.
Do you think Orlando has a legit beef here?
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August 21st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
kfb says:
ABC doesn’t always show the teams from finals in that slot. They didn’t show the Cavs V. Spurs or Heat v. Mavs…how many times did we see the Lakers V. Heat in that slot when those teams never matched up in the finals.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Kobeef says:
Naw, Ron Jeremy is just tryna pump up his team, make them feel like they got a chip on their shoulder. Too bad LAKESHOW REPEATIN!!!!
oh, first?
August 21st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
2Cleva says:
LA has played in primetime on Christmas since the year before the lockout so plenty of championship teams have had to deal with it.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
sans says:
Why not get pissed about having to play on Christmas? I’d hate working on Xmas
August 21st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
doc says:
He’ll be okay.i think he’s just talking shit.And the Christmas game is always the teams people wanna see.And if Shaq and Kobe are relevant they gonna go against eachother everytime.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Dagomar says:
I’m really getting tired of this guy’s act.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Chicagorilla says:
Just glad to see 3 eastern conference teams up there for Christmas day. It took some years, but at least we got back to respectability. Watching New Jersey, Indiana, and Detroit hold down the east was horrible.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pm
the cynic says:
Clevland is boring to watch. I would have prefered Magic vs Lakers, but its basketball and I’ll watch it anyways
August 21st, 2009 at 4:27 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
@ sans I’d love to work on x-mas if my job was playing pro ball.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:35 pm
ticktock6 says:
You know who has a legit beef? Houston. I know they’re not expected to be good because of the injury to Yao, but for a team that’s been consistently good (at least in the regular season) to have zero national games made me raise an eyebrow. There were a couple teams that didn’t get national TV slots that surprised me. The Magic got 25 games, not counting NBA TV. Cry me a freakin river.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Austin Burton says:
With Yao out and T-Mac always a question mark, I can see ESPN/TNT/ABC’s fear of putting the Rockets on: “Tomorrow night, it’s DWYANE WADE and the Miami Heat against AARON BROOKS and the Houston Rockets!” (Aaron’s my boy, but he’s no superstar yet.)
August 21st, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Prof. TX says:
I think I can speak for all the Rockets fans when I say that this guy needs to know when he’s ahead and keep quiet once in a while. I’d love to see my squad playing this much, especially on Christmas. If you complain all the time, nobody can tell the legitimate concerns from the petty stuff like this.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:06 pm
ticktock6 says:
I will always have sympathy for teams with no national games, since 2 years ago the Hornets were #1 in the West all spring with zero televised… and every weekend you’d turn on ESPN and go, “Joy. Another night of watching the Miami Heat D-League squad get stomped.”
I wish the schedules had more flexibility to allow for situations like all a team’s stars being out/dark horse teams getting suddenly good.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
BRUCE says:
Kobe vs Lebron/Shaq > Lakers vs Magic. So simple.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:11 pm
ticktock6 says:
Kobe vs. LeBron/Shaq will be so overhyped and boring to me even by Christmas, yes two months into the seasons, that I will probably not care about it.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
JFURRRRRRN says:
the orlandoo magic dont want no part of the lakers on christmas. they needa be counting their blessings instead of complaining because who wants to lose on a holiday? maaaan shaq and lebron are gonna be feeling might crunchy come christmas dinner!
August 21st, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Sanssasin says:
wah, wah.
christmas day has always been and will always be kobe vs. shaq. stern thinks we are never going to get tired of it. but hell i guess if the ratings are good it’s hard to argue against it.
after shaq retires it will be kobe vs. lebron. might as well just shut up ron jeremy and get used to it.
at least you are playing on christmas day, 26 other teams could b*** and complain about not playing on abc too.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Ya know as a Laker fan who wants Shaq&Lebron to make it to June just so we can stomp them i wouldve rather watched us play the Magic.. In all honestly i doubt we’ll even get up for that game.. We won our chips and we proven.. Cleveland is hyped and favored..
We probably wouldve been hyped for a Lakers/Celtics or Lakers/Spurs game because those are our rivals but the Cavs?? Ehhhhhh we all know our superstar is the cream of the crop..
And this is CLEARLY motivation for Van Gundy’s squad.. he just tryin to light a fire before the season even starts.. Which he might need cuz all i keep hearing bout Howard is doo is looking for a reality show slot.. a young team that makes it to the Finals is DESTINED for a hangover on success.. he just trying to make sure it dont happen..
August 21st, 2009 at 6:05 pm
utahJZZ says:
Good for Van Gundy to speak his mind. These guys made the finals, have a superstar in Dwight Howard, have arguably the most electrifying athlete alive in Vince Carter, and the NBA would rather show LeHYPE james Witness Commercials then Magic games.
August 21st, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Reno Hightower says:
Doesnt the NBA make the schedule?? Why be mad at ABC??
August 21st, 2009 at 6:56 pm
scar all boros like chuck says:
Van gundys a bird
August 21st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Guitar Hero says:
who cares?
win a championship, i guarantee that will get you some respect.
August 21st, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Balla says:
Kobe vs. Lebron/Shaq will always beat out Kobe vs. Magic on Xmas Day ratings.
However, if it were Lebron/Shaq vs. J Dub (rookie year)/Vince (prime)…that would beat out any game Kobe is in.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
ab_40 says:
he’s a 70/30 coach in terms of decisions but he’s a great motivator and this is just another way of motiting his team.
I hope he can motivate VC to be an A-hole on the court that would be great for them.
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:29 am
Kevin says:
FUCK Stan Van Gundy
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 am
sh!tfaced says:
@22 is right. Stan Van Jeremy whining for respect as if he won a championship…
August 22nd, 2009 at 9:38 am
mapletown says:
Stan is just trying to pump up his team. He knows what he’s doing. Magic will still repeat as Eastern Conference champs.
August 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
tragicnomore says:
Yeah you got a good point, J Dub will be throwing some sick lobs to Carter. Now if Van Gundy doesn’t just mess up the rotation again..
August 23rd, 2009 at 1:35 am
. says:
Van Gundy gets to stay at home for Christmas. The NBA was kind enough to give him a home game for christmas and he’s still whining? also, he should say thank you to whoever put the schedule up. at least he won’t have to finish off the game feeling unsatisfied because they lost.
also, if the nba did set up a lakers vs magic match he would then complain about it being at home in LA instead of orlando and play the disrespect card again
August 23rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Ryan says:
Stan was making a joke.The Magic will win it all anyway.Dwight learned how to shoot and do post moves so the NBA is screwed next year GO Magic!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:01 am
jay says:
hmmm….svg should be complaining to lord stern and to be honest…shaq and bron vs kobe at staples..come on….that is a ratings extravaganza….no offense to Orlando but nothing beats that period!!!…all about bron and kobe…period!!!