Editor Letter for August: Simply The Best
Read the latest from Editor Jennifer McKee.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW AN NBA GAME IN PERSON, IT WAS ON THE ORLANDO MAGIC’S HOME COURT AT THE KIA CENTER. It was a thrill to be part of the invited press, and the entire Orlando Magic team has media hospitality down to a science—treating me to on-site dining, a great courtside seat and all the stats I could want. I’ll be forever grateful.
When you watch a basketball game on TV, you don’t really get a feel for exactly how much takes place on the court live. Community groups are recognized. Dance squads break out into routines. And Stuff the Magic Dragon, the Orlando Magic’s mascot, makes many appearances.
Stuff, of course, is a play on the Peter, Paul and Mary song “Puff, the Magic Dragon.” But his name also refers to the basketball slang term “stuff,” which most frequently refers to making a slam dunk or blocking a play, particularly a slam dunk shot.
His arrival is one of my favorite parts of the game, aside from watching the skillful Magic players, who just ooze talent. It’s hard to take your eyes off the athletes.
I’d love to be Stuff. He’s got all the colors, with a pretty pink mane and wings, and pretends to snort fire. He gets to make everyone laugh, playing on a trampoline and busting out moves like no one’s watching. Stuff is free to be himself, unapologetically. We can learn from that.
Why all this talk about basketball in August? It’s our Best of ORL issue, and yet again, the Orlando Magic take top honors as your choice for Orlando’s best sports team. Flip through our feature that spotlights 35 first-place winners across seven categories. In all, we showcase 348 winners in 116 voting tiers—13 of them new. Voting was off-the-hook this year!
In addition to my love of sports, I also love a good roller coaster.Although these days, I lean more towards the mild than the wild. No matter which extreme you tend toward (or if you land more in the middle), you’ll want to consult our roller coaster guide to determine the best fit for you. Spoiler alert: Manta isn’t as gentle as the sea creature it’s named after.
It’s also time for our 2025 Hall of Fame, which recognizes professionals in Law, Medicine and Dentistry for excellence in their fields. Each professional has the distinction of being named by their peers to these lists a minimum of five times.
It’s hot out there, so be sure to hydrate, wear plenty of sunscreen and if you want to join me in some succulent seafood, you can find me digging into chilled shrimp at Twin Views at Evermore. Stay cool!
