Wilt Scores 50+ at the Spectrum

December 1967 Wilt Chamberlain becomes the 1st 76ers player to score more than 50 points in a game at the Spectrum.

Philly Wins!

Congrats to the Phillies! 

Ding Dong! The witch is dead,It's been a long time coming, but the curse is over!



 

It's okay to be excited

Sixers fans ... It's okay to be excited. Really ... it is. The new season is about to start and by all objective accounts the Sixers organization has made improvements in the off season.

Hope springs eternal just like the start of any season. Anything is possible. Now that the Phillies are poised to end the curse of Billy Penn (the conclusion to World Series game 5 is today). Why not dream of reachin' the stars.

It's okay to get excited about Elton Brand. The guy is a legit go to player. In the pre-season he has demonstrated he can dominate from the low post (as he did in a 18 point 1st quarter versus the Knicks). And he has quieted any questions about his health. So I'm looking forward to watching him play.

I'm excited to see Iggy continue to progress. Say what you will about the fat contact. But you have to admit how much of a surprise it would have been to start the season without AI. But now that he's got the new contract ... will his production go down? I don't think so. The improvements made should offset that the tendency to sit back and relax 'cause of contract security. No I'm expecting Andre Igoudala to step it up. I looking to see an even greater display of amazing skills.

And Sweet Lou looks solid. The new contract makes him legit. No check that. His play last season made him legit. The contract's just a confirmation. I'm getting excited about seeing the whole crew ... Reggie, Andre Miller, Thad Young, and Slamin' Sammy. Even the new comers. I'm ready to start hoopin'!

I will start my trek to the arena soon. The game has been moved up to 6pm because of all the craziness with the Phillies game. It was a great week-end for Philly sports teams. I'm excited to see the magic continue. Go Sixers, Go Eagle, Go Phils ... the curse is over ... the curse is over! Go out and win!

Sixers 1st Game at the Spectrum

October 1967 Chet Walker and the 76ers move from the Philadelphia Civic Center to the Spectrum and play their first game on October 18, 1967

Iggy's Stat Card

Sixers News Widget

Sixers beat Knicks the second time around in pre-season

I'm checking out the high-lites of pre-season and I'm getting excited for opening nite.

Sixers comeback against the C's in pre-season opener

Repeat after me .... it's only pre-season ... it's only pre-season ... it's only pre-season. So the fact that the Sixers came back to beat the Celtic's Wednesday nite should not be cause for celebration or tears. It's just a meaningless game. The Sixers lost the game if you had to watch the highlights on ESPN without knowing the score. The final score was Sixers 98 Celtics 92. The Sixers out scored the C's in the 2nd half after trailing by 10. But the Celtic's starters played only an average of 16 minutes. Understandably the Sixers' starters averaged more like 25 minutes. Mo is still feeling out the new line-up.

I'm just happy to see the season getting started. I am anxious to see how the Sixers look when the final score counts. I'm anxious to see Thad take the next step. He played most of the game (35 minutes, 21 points). He seems to be the wildcard this season. If he continues to step up the Sixers will create huge match-up problems.

I'm anxious to see the impact of Elton Brand. It's not a matter of "if" he has an impact. It's a matter of how much of an impact he will have. I noticed that a recent poll on Sixers.com still projected Iggy as the teams leading scorer (49% Igoudala, 42% Brand). Who knows. They Sixers have to be better. They won't sneak up on anyone this year. Brand seems to make that a certainty.

No more Wachovia Center ?

The massive slide in the economy can't help but trickle down to the world of sports. It's not ticket fees or merchandise sales that fuel the NBA. Its advertising. Spectator faces a challenge with the pending demise of Wachovia. The venue known as the Wachovia Center , formerly know as the CoreStates Center, will have to change its name. What do you do? I wondering if the name licensing agreement accounts for such an event.

Anybody big enough to buy Wachovia already has a stadium or arena don't they? I saw the Met's new stadium this summer. Citi field is slated to open in 2009. And Wells Fargo, the other suitor, has more than one area that bears its name. And what would you call such a place .... the chuck wagon?

Is Willie Green the odd man out?

Is Willie Green the odd man out? With the exception of the Brand acquisition, I can't help but view the off-season moves the Sixers made as an indictment of Willie Green. The streaky shooting guard is back at it again this season ... working harder than every, but many see him as a player who's talent has taken him as far as he can. He is what he is. As last season's starter, Green averaged 12.4 points per game but shot 28.5 percent from the three-point line. The Sixers were the worst (as in dead freak'n last) in 3 point shooting. That inability to stretch an opponents defense was a glaring weakness in the playoffs last year.

So the Sixers have added Ivey, Rush and Marshall to shore up that stat. Coupled with the log jam of Sixers swingmen, Willie's minutes are projected to be reduced. So it will be interesting to see how he responds. If he can consistently come in and lite it up he may be a contributor this season. But if past history holds true to form ... he will get a token appearance early in the 1st half. He will get a few more minutes if he makes his 1st shot. He will sit if he doesn't.

But who knows ... the pressure may elevate his game.