Want to know more about the Communications Manager for the Orlando Magic? We thought so. Happy Monday! We have the lovely Melanie Curtsinger featured as our Female Sports Professional today so brighten your day. In addition to her present role, she has been in the sports industry for 12 years ranging from roles with the University of Kentucky and the Philadelphia 76ers! Find out how her planning ahead scored her entrance into her dream job path.

Please give us a little background on how you got to your current role: I am the communications manager for the Orlando Magic, so that means I do everything from setting up media credentials for home games to writing press releases, setting up interviews/appearances for players and coaches, producing the game-day program and even traveling with the team as the PR rep. I completed a year-long internship at the University of Kentucky athletic media relations department after I graduated, did another 13-month internship in my current department with the Magic after that and worked for the Philadelphia 76ers as a public relations coordinator before joining the Magic again full-time in January 2006.

I hate to sit here and tell you I told you so. So I won't do it. On two occasions I feel I have the right too. One being Jim Tressel and two being Dwight Howard. Right now I'll just focus on D12 because I'm sure I can go on and on about Ohio State. 

Playoff time, can you believe it? It's been one crazy NBA season so far, can't wait to see what the Playoffs bring!

Round 1:

Magic (52-30, No. 4 seed)

vs.

Hawks (44-38, No. 5 seed)

This season, The Hawks took the series 3-1 and, not to take away from the Hawks, but the Magic were in the middle of fighting some issues including sickness, injuries and the "blockbuster" trade! 

“I think our guys have been waiting for this for a while,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “If we’re healthy and play at a good energy level and play to our potential, we can beat anybody.”

Very recently a website and facebook fan page called StayDwight.com was started to encourage Orlando Magic center and superstar to stay in Orlando after his contract expires and I couldn't agree more! Howard's current contract runs through the 2012-13 season, but he could utilize an early termination option and become a free agent after next season.

Dwight has not only given new life to the Orlando Magic as a team, but he as also done so much for the city of Orlando. He is one of the most active members of the Magic within the community. Dwight is always donating time and money to children and families all around the city. He has won the Community Enrichment Award *five* times in the past six years and has his own non-profit organization, the D12 Foundation. His heart seems as big as his stature!

It was announced this week that the, always smiling, Orlando Magic Senior VP, Pat Williams was diagnosed with blood multiple myeloma, an incurable, but treatable blood cancer. During the press conference on Wednesday, he proudly stated that he plans to beat the blood cancer he has been diagnosed with and has started an aggressive treatment.

During the press conferene, he was wearing a shirt that stated: "The mission is remission." With the personal and professional history of this amazing man, believe it, he will beat this!

Following a history of generous giving, Dwight Howard is pleased to announce the launch of his new Orlando based foundation, the D12 Foundation with "Gifts from the Heart," this Valentine's Day. Celebrating the launch, D12 Foundation will make contributions to organizations close to Dwight's heart and motivate others to do the same. Dwight will visit four outstanding local charities to present donations and get to know the clients who benefit from these charities, as well as the teams that work endlessly to help those in need.

One thing I truly love about the Orlando Magic Organization is the solid fondation that is behind it year in and year out.  No matter the players or the win/loss ratio, they have a team that is backed by a huge heart and character and that is the DeVos family. Rich DeVos has owned the Orlando Magic since '91 and his family continues to have a huge hand in the entire organization.  However, not only do they run the back-end side of things (stuff the normal fan may not pay attention to) but they make it a personal goal to reach out to the players and motivate them for team and personal benefit.

We gave you a preview to the beautiful Amway Center before it opened, but now that the LadyBallers have been to a number of games and we are familiar with the place, it's time to give you the insider view of the best of the best! There is so much to take advantage of in and around this amazing venue. This post will be chock full of links to Yelp reviews as well, so be sure to check out what the rest of the Orlando community has to say!

Inside Amway:

Let's start with the Amway Center itself! This state-of-the-art building is full of beautiful decor, Magic info and history, and yummy food and drinks! With TV screens on either side of all the concession stands, you never miss a minute of the game. They even play the radio broadcast of the game in the restrooms! There are plenty of options to feed your hunger and quench your thirst no matter where you turn. The Center is also very conveniently located within walking distance of downtown restaurants and bars if you'd like to make an evening of it with dinner before and a night out after a game!

Rival: (n): one of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can posses.

After all these years, this may be the time where the Heat and Magic are rivals? Rivalries always add that extra notch in excitement. Teams hate each other, fans hate each other, and you actually count down the days until you meet again. Rivals make the world go round. We have Democrats and Republicans, Steelers vs Ravens, Duke vs Carolina, Yankees vs Red Sox, USA vs Canada, Potter vs Voldemort, and now Magic vs Heat.

The other night, as we were walking out of the Amway Center, we started discussing Jameer Nelson. One person in the group thinks he's an awesome point guard, while the rest of us think heneeds great improvement, and there are many point guards out there who are much better. I personally believe, he turns the ball over too much, is too streaky, and sometimes he just scores too many points. Don't get me wrong, Jameer brings something to the Magic that no other could probably bring, and that's a huge heart. We're talking stats here, and unfortunately fire and passion are not statistics. In all my years playing the game, I was always taught that a point guard is there to create points, not score them. So, in my mind a point guard should average 10 points, 10 assists, and 1 turnover, all in 40 minutes.