Keep Hope Alive!!!

[BobCatsFanInTx]

You know guys that I can be rather pessimistic but I found hope in both our losses to the Magic. We came out flat and did not play up to our game plan yet when our guys settled down and played within themselves they showed they were not as bad as the early routes they were looking at.

I think these games would be competitive if our guys just settled down and played a complete game. I know our Bobcats are a seventh seed but they are a much better match up to Orlando than what we have witnessed. When we talk about our Bobcats lack of talent to the Magic I think we sell them short and that is just not right. We have seen the best of our Bobcats and they do have talent. Maybe not statistical talent but we have smart guys who are not slouches.

We have all seen the best of our Cats and when they do show up and focus they can compete with any team. Remember that some of the players we have came late in the season and that there is still a bit of feeling one another out. Not making excuses but telling it like it is.

When our Bobcats come home they will be ready to perform for the home crowd. They will feel more comfortable and the butterflies will be much less. Our Bobcats have one of the best home records in the NBA and one of the worst road records. Why should that not hold true to form? Our guys have shown to be class acts and in no way are they going down without a fight. The heart of the Bobcats can not be denied. They showed that by getting pummeled by Orlando and yet having the resolve to fight back. I expect being at home is just the tonic our Bobcats need.

Can I say without a doubt that our Bobcats won't get swept? No, and none of us can. That said I will go out on a limb and say that they will not go down without making it interesting. Expect our guys to be much more competitive because I will.

We know the kind of guys we have on our Bobcats and all of them have been solid human beings and a team we all can be proud of. No matter what happens, I am glad to be a Bobcats fan. Our guys gave us a great year and no Troll is going to come on our board and ruin our good karma.

To our Bobcats should they come to our forum.

Thanks guys for all you have done and for all the great entertainment you brought us. Thanks for our first playoff birth.

To all on BCP thanks for sharing with me this great ride. The season is not over but thanks are in order none the less.

To the Trolls. You can not harsh our mellow. We are proud of our guys and make no apologies for believing they could win. It is called being a fan.

[BlueandWhiteIgnite]

My goal is not to "harsh your mellow." I respect that you guys are fans and I think that's great. I came on here for some good-natured smack talk and cannot believe how quickly you (collectively) got your panties in a bunch. There's nothing wrong with believing in your team, just as there's nothing wrong with wanting a little back-and-forth about which squad is superior.

That said, your team tonight was flat-out awful. I don't feel like my Magic played particularly well and we kept you at arms' length throughout the game. It is clear that you are barely a playoff team and we are the defending conference champs. You are doing a great job of limiting Dwight, but Capt. Jack said it best...we were more aggressive tonight and it showed.

Best of luck in the next two games...I can see you taking one of them and I kinda hope you do so we can clinch in game 5 on our home court. Then again, it would be rather sweet to sweep you. We'll see how that shakes out.

[GoBobs]

Our problem all year has been scoring slumps. It looks a lot worse when we play teams that play good defense. If you look at any good offense in the league they are aggressive all the time. Our problem is 90% mental, we play not to lose rather then to win. LB needs to say to the team "don't worry about the turnovers guys be aggressive and put the ball in the hole."

We are still very much in the series. We just need to take care of business at home find ourselves and grab the big Mo in the process.

[Dr. Blotter]

I still have hope for this team. I have definite belief that we can take 2 games at home. What I think is that maybe after those 2 games at home, we can go back to Orlando and maybe have some confidence restored to this Bobcat team. Although I cannot say for sure that we will not get swept, I just think it is not in the nature of the Bobcats to lay down and let Orlando win 4 in a row, especially with 2 on our home court. All I can really say is Go Cats, and LB better get these guys motivated and also, these guys need to get themselves motivated, I feel like there is doubt within some of these players that we can really play against the Magic.

[BobCatsFanInTx]

My goal is not to "harsh your mellow." I respect that you guys are fans and I think that's great. I came on here for some good-natured smack talk and cannot believe how quickly you (collectively) got your panties in a bunch. There's nothing wrong with believing in your team, just as there's nothing wrong with wanting a little back-and-forth about which squad is superior.

That said, your team tonight was flat-out awful. I don't feel like my Magic played particularly well and we kept you at arms' length throughout the game. It is clear that you are barely a playoff team and we are the defending conference champs. You are doing a great job of limiting Dwight, but Capt. Jack said it best...we were more aggressive tonight and it showed.

Best of luck in the next two games...I can see you taking one of them and I kinda hope you do so we can clinch in game 5 on our home court. Then again, it would be rather sweet to sweep you. We'll see how that shakes out.

You are funny BlueandWhiteIgnite in that you come to our board to talk up the Magic and degrade a seventh seed sixth year franchise that has never been here.

It is obvious the Magic this season is a better and more experienced group than our current Bobcats. There is no debate to be had there. Where the debate can be had is that our Bobcats have proven they can compete with some of the best teams in the NBA. Isn't it likely that our Bobcats are not on paper anywhere near what Orlando is? However there is something to be said with playing smart and intense basketball.

Our only chance to beat the superior Magic team is to hope the Magic slip and play beneath themselves. Playoffs can be unpredictable as a few eighth seed teams have proven in the past. It is not likely seventh or eighth seed teams advance past the first round but it can happen. Seeing the Bobcats win and compete against some top tier teams it is not that big a stretch to believe they could have an upset. All we need is for Orlando to be overconfident. Ask Dirk Nowitsky and some of the current Dallas Mavericks how that works.

As a Bobcats fan I'll take a first round victory regardless of the circumstances.

So I don't mind you talking smack on a Bobcats forum but remember it really means squat. Your team has experienced playoff success and our team is there for the first time. You look small talking trash and running down a young organization in the playoffs for the FIRST time in it's history.

You may want us to take the bait for some innocent banter but we really can not talk shit back being that this is new territory for us. If you want to have a friendly debate with some teams fans do it when your team advances to play teams that have been to this stage. Our Bobcats are learning as they go.

Yes some of our guys have been in the playoffs but not with this team and in these circumstances. Plus a few key players on our Bobcats have never been in the playoffs. They are young and learning. No matter what the experienced players have to tell them.

[CatNation]

God I wish there was a way to get Chris Paul here. He would solve all our offensive problems and we'd still be an elite D team. We'd be a top 3 east team easy.

[BobCatsFanInTx]

God I wish there was a way to get Chris Paul here. He would solve all our offensive problems and we'd still be an elite D team. We'd be a top 3 east team easy.

Cat Felton is not our problem in these playoffs. CP3 is a great player but I don't buy that the pg position is our biggest weakness. We need consistency at the PF and C positions. TC has played better as of late but in the early stages of the season we were losing games because our C position was not one of strength. CP3 can make players better but how much better? I think a lot of our problems come from many different places and to put the blame on Felton because he had a few weak playoffs games is just flat out wrong.


Without Raymond we don't even make the playoffs. He, Jax and Crash held our team together. Those three guys gained chemistry and helped our Bobcats fight through some tough patches. So I refuse to throw any of those three under the bus.

CP3 is great and yes he was injured for a stretch this season but he was around enough to make his NO Hornets team better than last year and it did not happen. As it turns out Byron Scott WHO I LIKE AS A HEAD COACH, got made the scapegoat for the players short comings. The year before Byron was the hero. CP3 is not GOD in basketball sneakers and for that matter MJ.

Speaking of MJ, "The Greatest Of All Time," he could not win all those championships without so many talented players around him. Yes he may have nearly by himself taken a few weak Bulls teams to the dance but he sure as hell does not hoist the trophy without great teammates and a great head coach.

Our guys are YOUNG as an organization and there have been a lot of changes since coach Brown took command. If you want to talk about get CP3 and the such than give our current lineup a full off season and at least half a season to see where they are at. If Felton is to be the Goat at that time so be it. As of now it is too early.

On a side note I am not sure our Cats are more than a 5 seed with CP3. Surely not the place most championship teams come from in the NBA.

[BlueandWhiteIgnite]

You are funny BlueandWhiteIgnite in that you come to our board to talk up the Magic and degrade a seventh seed sixth year franchise that has never been here.

It is obvious the Magic this season is a better and more experienced group than our current Bobcats. There is no debate to be had there. Where the debate can be had is that our Bobcats have proven they can compete with some of the best teams in the NBA. Isn't it likely that our Bobcats are not on paper anywhere near what Orlando is? However there is something to be said with playing smart and intense basketball.

Our only chance to beat the superior Magic team is to hope the Magic slip and play beneath themselves. Playoffs can be unpredictable as a few eighth seed teams have proven in the past. It is not likely seventh or eighth seed teams advance past the first round but it can happen. Seeing the Bobcats win and compete against some top tier teams it is not that big a stretch to believe they could have an upset. All we need is for Orlando to be overconfident. Ask Dirk Nowitsky and some of the current Dallas Mavericks how that works.

As a Bobcats fan I'll take a first round victory regardless of the circumstances.

So I don't mind you talking smack on a Bobcats forum but remember it really means squat. Your team has experienced playoff success and our team is there for the first time. You look small talking trash and running down a young organization in the playoffs for the FIRST time in it's history.

You may want us to take the bait for some innocent banter but we really can not talk shit back being that this is new territory for us. If you want to have a friendly debate with some teams fans do it when your team advances to play teams that have been to this stage. Our Bobcats are learning as they go.

Yes some of our guys have been in the playoffs but not with this team and in these circumstances. Plus a few key players on our Bobcats have never been in the playoffs. They are young and learning. No matter what the experienced players have to tell them.

Great stuff. I totally respect where you're coming from. I don't see the Magic overlooking you guys or succumbing to overconfidence as we learned our lesson with Philly last season. You guys are just a few pieces away from becoming an Eastern Conference powerhouse and I look forward to charting your progress in the years to come. Best wishes.

[mj4life]

something i think that gets lost on alot of people is that the nba is a totally different animal than most other prof. sports. it is rare that a team in it's first post season together make a deep run. most of the time it's a gradual process over a couple of seasons, if we win the next two it changes the series but i still see us losing in 6. the magic are as good as advertised and they have spent the last couple of seasons fine tuning their roster and developing some players(redick) we will do the same over the next season or so and become more of a contender as we implement our style of ball(i think this is the way MJ wants his team to play whether LB is here or not)

[mj4life]

and to add on my earlier post i will use the Magic during the howard era, in their first postseason appearance the got swept by the pistons the next year they beat toronto but lost in the second round again to the pistons and lost last year in the finals to the lakers