As the Sixers season spirals down the tubes, the team is doing everything it can to keep the focus off the court. Today's example,
a profile written by Phil Jasner about the Sixers new VP of Marketing.
I guess you have to hand it to the Sixers PR department for being able to sell a guy who's been working the NBA beat for 28 years on a 1,200-word puff piece in the midst of what is possibly the worst stretch of games we've seen out of this team in 15 years. Kudos, I guess.
Since my interview with a beer vendor fell through, I guess we're going to have to talk hoops. Disappointing.
If you missed last night's SixersBeat, you can
listen to the replay here. Among other things, we talked about Jrue Holiday, and this is something I'd love for someone to dig a little deeper on.
If you recall, on draft night, Chad Ford mentioned, almost in passing, that there was some kind of
minor issue with Jrue's shoulder that may need to be corrected (presumably surgically), at some point. Fast forward to 5 or 6 games ago when he caught a hip trying to fight over a screen and clutched his shoulder. I was worried at the time and Ford's quote stuck in my mind. Fast forward again to practice when Jrue blocked Willie's dunk attempt and further injured the should. Finally, fast forward to the pregame on Wednesday night when Kate Fagan tweeted that Jrue was only shooting left-handed and he was scratched from the lineup soon thereafter. Add all of this up and I'm legitimately concerned that this "strained rotator cuff" is more serious than we're being led to believe.
What do you guys think, something to worry about? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
Houston comes to town tonight, I'll be around all day with updates and you can expect your preview/game thread some time after 5pm.
So may be Jrue have had a relapse of old injury?? Damn, that's not good... I hope it's not true...
I do recall that Chad Ford piece mentioning the shoulder problem. I suspect it is / was true and am hoping it isn't cropping up again. The way things are going this year though he'd need surgery soon.
Question for you: What do you think needs to occur for Eddie Jordan to be canned? Do you even think it is possible this year or do you think Stefanski will avoid it at all cost as then he'd be next in line?
Well, there's one thing for certain... there's practically no chance of Eddie Jordan getting fired if there isn't a public outcry for his head on a platter. And by public, I mean the Philly media and, to a lesser extent, the national media (and ESPN). Since so few people seem to care about the Sixers, that hasn't yet happened and I honestly have to wonder if it'll happen this season at all. It seems we could go 15 and 67 and the city would let out a collective yawn rather than a unified voice of disappointment and disgust. People like Kate, Phil, Cooney, and the whole crew on WIP have to start calling for this a$$hole's head... it's their friggin' journalistic obligation to do so, for crying out loud! What in HELL are they waiting for????
Yes, responding to public outcry is a strong way to run a sports franchise.
If the sixers fire Jordan cause the fans want them to - they should close up shop - there are legitimate reasons to fire Jordan - the fans not liking him isn't really one.
If they believe Jordan can get this roster to win - please - ignore the fans - if they don't believe he can get the roster to win - fire him - but don't say 'well the fans don't like him, fire him' - the fans loved reggie evans
Agree 100% even though I don't like what you say! So, using what you say, the only way to get a new coach is to get a new GM? Correct?
Bah! You obviously don't need a GM to get fired for his boy to get axed. They're not attached at the hip.
And public sentiment has some affect... don't let anybody tell you otherwise! GMs shouldn't make decisions based exclusively on it, but they certainly take it into consideration... and they should. Hell, the public won't scream for a coach to get fired if he's winning games, I'll tell you that much. If I'm a GM and I don't listen to the fans when they ask me to fire a coach who's almost single-handedly dragged a competent team down to the bottom of the eastern conference, then I'm just as responsible for the team's demise as he is.
I think the point is the fan reaction doesn't matter, the GM should be firing the guy based on killing the team, regardless. Honestly, I don't think most fans gave an opinion either way on Jordan. They aren't going to games because the team stinks and they don't even care enough to figure out why.
That's not what he was saying, is it? I think he was saying that Stefanski won't feel any pressure to do anything about EJ if no one cares. You don't fire your buddy if there's no reason to do it. And, I have to agree that the city of Philadelphia doesn't seem to give a rat's ass about the Sixers right now.
It comes down to ticket sales though, right? No ones coming to the games, so Stefanski and Snyder know there's a problem with the product. But, anecdotally speaking, most Sixers fans probably think the problem is the players. People bitch and moan about Iggy and Elton, but not enough of them realize that the coach should be the one they should be accusing.
Anyway, regardless of how you think a GM should run an organization, you shouldn't take the fans' opinion lightly... and I don't think Stefanski does either. He just won't do anything til the crap hits the fan... I think that's why Dutch is calling out the media for not doing their due diligence and getting the real word of what the problem is (i.e. EJ) out to the fans.
My bet is that they're a package deal. I'm not sure a GM can hire his buddy to coach then fire him in his first season without being dragged down with him. The one caveat would be if Stefanski's hands were tied financially. Washington picked up $4m of Jordan's contract.
I really don't think that was the case though. Jordan was ES's guy, it's sink or swim with him.
hey whats up everybody.
i always thought the name of the blog 'depressed fan' was a little overstated, and kind of funny. now, neither are true.
this season has been nothing short of depressing. and there's nothing funny about it. for me, a bad team can be funny when they don't have any talent and you get to root for some hapless scrubs. but this team supposedly has a lot of talent. i didn't have the highest expectations; i'd like to think of myself as a realistic fan. but watching the few games i've seen this season (i live in nyc), i'm seeing a team that just doesn't really care. i can't tell if they gave up on their coach already, or it's a bad mix in the locker room, or whatever. but they really suck, and they know it.
sorry for stating the obvious, but this season is beginning to piss me off more than any other that i can remember. i need a freakin support group.
You've come to the right place.
I see no reason for Jrue not to get his shoulder fixed if he needs to. With this stupid coach, he is not going to get the minutes he needs to why not get it fixed. Maybe when he is healed, he will have some coach that knows how to coach a team and he will start as our point guard. Amazing how quickly this team has gone down the tubes.
Btw, if anyone wants my ticket for tonights game, you can have it. It is a cheap ticket but less painful to watch as it is behind the backboard upstairs! Atleast I did not waste big money on them this year!
I here Mo, Frank and Scott as examples of coaches who got the ax after a bad start. But none of those guys were in their 1st season with a team.
Can someone provide examples of coaches who got fired early on during their first year with a team?
I can't think of any. People would rather kill a team than admit a mistake.
You guys are depressing. Atleast you do not give any false advertising!
Ayers and Doug Moe. Ayers after 52 games (21-31 two years removed from the Finals.) Moe after a 19-38 start (lots of parallels.)
Dannie also pointed out back in the infamous '73 season Roy Ruben "led" them to a 4-47 start. Might as well have been led by another famous Rubens.... Paul.
There you go... precedent for the removal of Eddie Assclown. Well done, TK.
Good job Brian, you out twitter Fagan by 3 minutes on the Jrue Scoop
Via sixers on Twitter, Jrue is available tonight.
I'm setting the over/under for Jrue at 6:30.
I'm going with the under.
I'll go with the over...unless he get hurt
tk whats your over under on how many wins we get this season?
Minutes this game. I'm guessing he'll be behind Green in the rotation.
I am choosing the under, that shit bird Billy Greene needs his minutes
I'll go over, but not by much. Jordan goes with Willie/Jrue in the back court together in the second quarter, instead of Ivey/Willie