Orlando, Dwight Howard wants you to know he loves you

We passed along the tweets from Dwight Howard last week that he was frustrated with Orlando fans, that he wants them to be louder during the regular season.

It wasn’t a fair criticism. Orlando just build a brand new stadium for the Magic and the fans have sold out 100 plus games. Knocking them came off poorly.

Howard didn’t want to come off that way (he is a guy who wans to be liked). He spoke with the Orlando Sentinel and tried to reassure the people of Orlando that he loves them.

“I want to clear it up. In no shape, form or fashion am I criticizing our fans. My whole statement was when the season’s around, and the playoffs come, it’s a different atmosphere. And if you want to win a championship, we all gotta act as champions. That’s players, coaches, and even our city. The city can win a championship, especially a city like ours. We need to come together, and not just for a couple games and the playoffs. If we’re together all season, there’s no doubt in my mind that we can win a championship. I will know that I have my city behind me.”

There’s more of Howard trying to spin his comments at the Sentinel. I don’t think at any point Howard was trying to belittle Orlando fans, he’s not a mean spirited guy like that. He just likes the playoff atmosphere better. We all do.

If Howard leaves Orlando, it will not be because of the fans or the building. It will be about rings and if he thinks he can win them there, nothing else. The fans will not see it that way, but they are certainly in Howard’s “reasons to stay” column.