Well, be careful what you wish for, I guess. I vaguely recall sort of mentioning that I wouldn't mind it if the Sixers finished dead last in the league this season. As covered in the title, the Sixers have set a franchise record with 21 consecutive losses. Thank God this season is almost over, because this has been terrible. Of course, we are still going to be terrible next season, and don't you think for a second the Sixers are bringing in any real free agents next year to supplement the youngsters. They have to miss the playoffs next season or they will have to turn their first round pick over to Miami. After next year the pick becomes two second round selections, so what do you think Hinkie will do? Add talent to push for a 7th seed and first round exit, or let the young guys pay, learn, and lose next year? So let the countdown begin it will be just 19 months until meaningful basketball returns to Philadelphia!
1. 2013-14, Together we build….an Asterisk.
I mentioned this in passing last week, but I just want to revisit this thought. If the Sixers long term plans work out and the team becomes awesome, I have no doubt that the team's success will be undermined by the media constantly mentioning the 'embarrassing' way the 76ers procured their talent. I know I sound like the typical aluminum foil hat wearing Philly sports fan, and I know that hypothetical darts from fictitious Skip Baylesses shouldn't bother me as long as my team is good, but it is going to drive me crazy when it happens, and believe me its going to happen.
You could argue that it is already happening, I mean the Sixers seem to be getting more coverage this season for being the face of tanking, than they got at any point of the Doug Collins era for being half decent. Like those Josh Smith Atlanta Hawks teams became the go to example of a good team that wasn't good enough to matter, this Sixers squad has become the face of tanking. If there was a better way to build a contender I guess i he criticism wouldn't bug me as much, but how else would the critics suggest the Sixers go about building this thing?
2. 0-21, or 15 chances to go!
It appears I was mistaken when I predicted a Sixers victory last week, no worries tho! We got 15 games remaining this season and the Sixers are going to find a way to win at least one, right? Here is the remaining schedule, and the probability of a win in each game.
- 3/19 vs. Chicago 4%
- 3/21 vs. New York 35%
- 3/22 @ Chicago 2%
- 3/24 @ San Antonio 1.5%
- 3/27 @Houston 1.175%
- 3/29 vs. Detroit 29%
- 3/31 @ Atlanta 9%
- 4/2 vs. Charlotte 22%
- 4/4 @ Boston 25%
- 4/5 vs. Brooklyn 11%
- 4/9 @Toronto 7%
- 4/11 @ Memphis 3%
- 4/12 @ Charlotte 12%
- 4/14 vs. Boston 30 %
- 4/16 @ Miami 50% (assuming, LeBron, Wade and Bosh all are not playing)
So I remain fairly confident that the Sixers win 2 more games and hit the over on their preseason win total line of 16.5.
3. A quick pause from the NBA to call MLB bullshit!
This Jimmy Rollins nonsense is out of control. I remember the Phillies fired Larry Bowa for being a shitty manager ten years ago, yet somehow this guy is back and his "play the right way" bullshit seems to have returned as well. If there is one thing the media loves it is to pile on a black athlete for not doing it the "right way". Cam Newton and Russell Westbrook are the two most prominent cases in recent years, but its a long tradition in both Philadelphia and the media that goes all the way back to Dick Allen.
Does anyone actually remember 2006? Does anyone remember how badly this fanbase wanted to win a title? We would've given anything. You would hear fans saying things like, "The guy that leads us to our first title will never buy another drink in this town for the rest of his life!" or "They're going to build a 50-foot all statue of the man responsible!" Well Jimmy Rollins was the leader of those Phillies teams, and thanks to him, more so than any other single man, we finally got our title in 2008. Rollins was the best player on the best team in Phillies history, but somehow that has all been lost. In its place is a frenzy stirred up by media and anonymous sources, and furthered by a frustrated fanbase who should be directing their anger at the front office (featuring those anonymous sources) instead of a Phillies living legend. Nobody benefits more from this story than Amaro, who is off the radar for now as this melodrama plays out.
Officially, I hate the Yankees, and for the most part I hate Yankee fans, but ask them about platooning Jeter this year and they would want to fight you. He is their guy, he is their champion, and they would rather lose with Jeter than push him out the door. Yet in Philly, the city where bandwagons supposedly don't exist, we are ready to ditch a legend over a fake story planted by an inept coaching staff trying to motivate a player who doesn't need motivation.
Quickly, lets get specific. Jimmy doesn't hustle. Name me one game the Phillies lost because Rollins didn't hustle. You can't name one because that game does not exist. Yet I can tell you that the Phillies certainly lost games because they were missing Chase Utley, because Chase was on the DL. I am not going to criticize Chase, because he is freakin' awesome, but you can argue if he took it easier, maybe his knees would've held up better the last 6 years. The other big criticism I hear is that Jimmy doesn't take pitches, but Rollins has a career .325 average when swinging at the first pitch, so I think this criticism is way overblown.
I'd like to finish this by saying that this year's Phillies team is almost certainly going to be bad, but to allow Jimmy Rollins to be the scapegoat for this dismal season would be a shame. Jimmy is one of the 5 greatest Phillies of all-time, and I want so badly for him to never put on a different uniform. I am especially angered by all of this because deep down I know an all time great is going to get run out of town, and it will all be over a manufactured issue co-opted by the media to sell papers and get listeners during a down spring training.
4. I want Wiggins! or Exum
Let me preface this by saying that I am such an in-the-bag fanboy that I will support whatever Hinkie does on Draft Day, short of reacquiring Evan Turner. Theoretically, however, I want a shooting guard on this team capable of creating his own shot, and capable of being a dominant defensive player. So due to defensive concerns Jabari is out, and I don't want to draft anyone after they break their back, so goodbye Embiid. I want a long, aggressive, athletic team, that leads the league in steals, blocks, and dunks. I feel like the guy that best fits that team is Wiggins, but the reports on Exum hint that he could also be a force.
5. Lazy gimmick time!!!
Here are some Mount Rushmore's for the local 4 teams.
Sixers: Irving, Chamberlain, Barkley, Iverson
Phillies: Schmidt, Carlton, Ashburn, Rollins
Eagles: Reggie, Bednarik, McNabb, Montgomery (Honestly after Reggie, I have no strong feelings on this one)
Flyers: Clarke, Barber, Leech, Parent. Is it bad if your entire Mt. Rushmore is from 40 years ago?
SIXERS!!!!
