"ESPN Research"

I f@*&ing hate ESPN and their television dominance. They drive me nuts with columnists who are never right with their predictions, their anti-South bias and their sheer laziness. (Just last week the ugly white guy on PTI declared the Magic can't play defense.) They have spent more energy covering a Knick PG who hasn't played a minute this year, than they have watching a cohesive Magic come together and climb to the top of the league.

Hey ESPN, here's an idea for you. Open a Southeastern U.S. bureau and spend some time in Florida. In case you don't know, Florida has great weather, outstanding High School, College and professional sports. But maybe I'm being too hard on them. Their research into the mysterious Florida has uncoverd a pro team having a "special" season.

I guess I shouldn't gripe about this almost too-late discovery. Except most of the pinheads employed at ESPN had them 8th or 9th in the East this year, and definitely, absolutely, way behind the Sixers and Raptors.

Anyway, from today's Daily Dime

ESPN Research

Magic Enjoying Special Season

The Magic's Dwight Howard is a leading candidate for the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, Stan Van Gundy has done one of the league's best coaching jobs and few players have shown more improvement this season than Jameer Nelson.

While all of those individual accolades are nice, Orlando has championship dreams. The Magic, who are 33-8:

• Are tied with the Celtics for the most wins in the league;

• Have won seven straight and nine of their last 10

• Have won 11 straight games at home

• Are now 17-5 on the road and 18-4 vs. the Western Conference

• Defeated all three Western Conference division leaders on its just completed West Coast trip

• Swept the Lakers and Spurs in their respective season series for the first time in their 20-year history