Orlando

Does Orlando Need a Rim Protector?

Published

11 years ago

October 13, 2015

ORLANDO, FL ( FNN Sports) – Having a premier rim protector is a commodity that wins championships in the NBA. It is difficult to find a title-winning team that went through the playoffs without one. Rim proctection does not exclusively entail blocking attempts to the basket; rather, it also involves altering shots as well as disrupting offenses. The Orlando Magic does not have one starting for them currently. Sure, if Aaron Gordon bulks up, he could become a rim protector in the likes of Draymond Green and Dennis Rodman. Nikola Vucevic could become a defensive presense in the paint, but he lacks the athleticism and instincts necessary to carry such a burden. Does this mean Orlando’s roster is fundamentally flawed?

While Dewayne Dedmon is certainly a high-flying shot-blocker who could turn into a watered down version of DeAndre Jordan, it is nearly impossible to insert him into the starting lineup. Doing so would mean slotting Vucevic at power forward; in pairing Vucevic against a four, one of his strengths for the team, rebounding, is severely obstructed when he has to contest a perimeter shot. He also would not have the athletic ability to defend small-ball fours like Draymond Green. Benching Vucevic is also out of the question since he is such a critical component to the starting unit’s offense.

It will be difficult for this team to win playoff games if they do not have a man in the middle anchoring their defense. Hopefully, Coach Skiles has defensive ploys to mitigate the lack of a rim protector, but such schemes can only go so far. For it to work, rotations have to be absolutely perfect, something that will take a while to achieve with this team. It will be safe to conclude that the roster is flawed if it does not generate a winning record within the next two seasons. If it is unable to, trading pieces of the core would have to occur in order to contend for a title. The Warriors had to give up one of their stars, Monta Ellis, in order to acquire Andrew Bogut. The Thunder had to give up one of the key pieces of their core, Jeff Green, in order to acquire Kendrick Perkins (in hindsight, the trade did not necessarily win them a title, but the principle is still there).

This season will give management a chance to see how the current plethora of talent can function as a unit. If the team does not follow their projected improvement, getting close to .500 or greater for the season within the next two years, roster shakeups will be inevitable.

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Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.