Orlando Magic 20th Anniversary and Jersey Unveiling

MAGICAL NEW UNIFORMS
By Alex Barrett


ORLANDO, Fla. – Fans of all ages gathered at the historic Cheyenne Saloon in downtown Orlando to be part of the Orlando Magic’s new jersey unveiling and 20th anniversary season. The Magic celebrated jerseys and memories of the past by having a fashion show runway-type presentation of the uniforms of their past, as Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson, and Bo Outlaw, Along with All-Star center Dwight Howard, sported the history of the Orlando Magic jerseys at the same location that the Magic unveiled their original duds back in 1989.

“With this being our 20th anniversary season, the uniform change allows us to pay tribute to our history with the return to pinstripes, as well as look forward to our future with a modern approach,” Orlando Magic COO Alex Martins said. This is the fourth uniform change the Magic have made since entering the league before the 1989-90 season.

The adidas design team, along with input from the community and players alike, designed a new, reflective yet still modern looking jersey, bringing back the pinstripes that the fans loved so much, which now flare at the shoulders to accentuate the design, adding a new modernized letter and number font, and placing a secondary logo on the center back of the jersey by the neck, the first time this has been done in franchise history; the sides of the jersey have also been accentuated with contrasting mesh inserts. The new jerseys will lead the Magic into a new season full of expectations on the court, and into a new era in which they will also receive a new stadium, the Orlando Events Center, due to be ready for the 2010-2011 season.

Community Ambassador Nick Anderson, a former All-Star with the team and the Orlando Magic’s first draft pick on the franchise, said the jerseys have a good combination of all concepts on previous jerseys, from the first one on down the line. “I really wish they would have had these when I played…” and he added, “These jerseys bring a new excitement to our team, which was already exciting before. We have high expectations, and if everyone knows their roles and stays healthy this season, there’s no reason we can’t reach the NBA Finals this year.” When asked about the preseason pickups of Mikael Pietrus and veteran guard Anthony Johnson, Anderson added, “Otis [Smith] really hit a home run here. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he shored up our defense and played to our abilities to hit jumpers and three pointers, as well as giving us a seasoned veteran to back up Jameer Nelson. And don’t forget first round pick Courtney Lee, either; he could be the best addition of all of them.”

After the unveiling, gold-medal winning Dwight Howard was all smiles, as always. He received a standing ovation, but more importantly, a key to the city from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. Dyer also proclaimed September 23rd as “Dwight Howard Day” in Orlando, and Howard interviewed after the presentation; “We just saw these before you guys did, and I am so glad we got some new jerseys. I love the team chemistry at this point, even with our new players, and I know it’s just a shirt, but this helps bring us together as a team and as fans as well.” Dwight also noted the depressing post-season loss to the Pistons as something they have worked on this offseason, and the turnout today shows the fans care. Howard gave the jersey design an “A++” and has hopes for it to be “the only jersey to be seen at our games.”

The fan and community reaction was just as powerful as the players, and the reaction to the new jersey was nothing short of ecstatic. UCF students Rachel Scott and Alex Rivera, whom are long time Magic fans and were one of the first in line when the doors opened at the Saloon, loved the new look. “The pinstripes are my favorite, I’m glad they brought them back,” said Scott, a senior legal studies major. Rivera, a sophomore at the school thinks the Magic can take it to the playoffs this year, and noted; “We can win it all.”

Orlando Magic Fanatic Jerome Wilt was in attendance for the festivities as well, and was thrilled about the new look for the Magic. “It has a new-school style, but keeps the old-school appeal.” He went on to add “The 20th anniversary patch was a perfect addition to the jersey as well. I can’t wait to see those on the court. It’s just a jersey; but this is our year.”