It has been almost 10 months and counting since what was once known as the T.D. Waterhouse got its new name, Amway Arena.

One would think that by now, there would at least be some sort of signage up, but no. The building looks plain and forgotten.

Being that the building is over 18 years old, I suppose a facelift and a new name are in order. But what is the point of updating or remolding an old building or giving it a new name, if the team that all this is done for, hardly ever wins a game…let alone a championship.

The Orlando Magic want a building of prestige like other teams have. Well, maybe if they played like other teams played, then the people of Orlando would not mind it so much. Its like rewarding a kid who only gets C’s. You’re telling them that what they are doing is acceptable, when it isn’t.

Yes, a nice new facility would be an eye catcher, and maybe it will draw more celebrities here for concerts, etc… and yes, I’m sure I would enjoy it too. But at the end of day, this new name and new arena really isn’t for the people of Orlando. Its for the Orlando Magic. And if we happen to catch some of the goodness and hoopla that comes along with it, then that will just be an added plus.

Of course the odds that they begin playing baseball there are as likely as seeing the Diamondbacks World Series.

This past Saturday the University of Central Florida Knights welcomed students, fans and the Texas Longhorns to their new stadium.

The Brighthouse Networks Stadium completion only took one year and was under budget. Many awaited for opening day and they were not disappointed… unless you count losing to the Longhorns a disappointment.

Being one of many who tuned into the game, it was great from start to finish. It was the type of game that made you not want to leave your seat, not even to get up for more refreshments. Not even the lighning storm, in which fans and students were told to take shelter could put a damper on the mood that was radiated throughout the stadium which was packed to a capacity of 45,000.

And though the Knights failed to come back in the last few minutes of the final quarter, they certainly could not be blamed for a lack of trying. It was an awesome game and one which probably put the Knights in the minds of other teams, who never saw them before as a worthy competitor.

What does this mean for his career you may ask yourself…. it means that there is a good chance that he will never play football again. Granted, if he has actually done some smart investing with the rest of his money, then he could or rather should be able to live out his days and not ever have to work again.

Vick could be looking at a year or even more in jail… especially if the prosecution wishes to make an example out of him.

Life is about experiences and learning from them; I just hope that this is one lesson that has been well learned by other NFL players.

He has until 9am this morning to cut a deal or risk a five year prison sentence. Apparently his lawyers are advising him to take the deal which makes sense.

I mean, with all his cohorts singing like a canary, he really has no other choice. We all have seen the footage and heard about the setup for training and having dogs fight to the death behind his Virginia home… so really we don’t need to know anything else, do we?

And besides, its football season, not the Westminster Kennel Club.

Yes, tonight is only the beginning of Pre-Season, but the excitement is in the air. However, there are a couple of folk we won’t be seeing on the field. Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick is at the top of the list with his indictment hanging an ugly cloud over him wherever he goes. Talk about having a hobby…. with millions of dollars, surely he could have thought of something else to do than to supposedly operate a dog fighting ring.

Then there is Adam “Pacman” Jones who has chosen to try out the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). There was a mixture of cheers and boos as he entered the ring. Unfortunately no blows were exchanged… maybe next time. He is currently suspended for the entire 2007 season after being arrested six times, which is a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.

I will miss RB Tiki Barber, who retired from the New York Giants to put his degree to use with The Today Show.

What we can look forward to is how Randy Moss performs with his new team: New England Patriots, who are known their winningist style.