Dr. J’s Amazing Dunk

Tony DiLeo is out as Sixers coach

I saw this last nite on TV sports. Tony D has declined consideration for the Sixers head coaching job. So Tony’s Out!

This is not a surprise to me. Tony is a great basketball guy, a local guy, you know how Philly says it … he’s one of us. But he does not have the temperament or drive for the NBA coaching grind. He’s more suited to be GM than head coach. I’m glad to see he will return to his prior position. He has been a great asset and we will need him to keep the draft in focus while the GM Stefanski cranks up the coaching carousel.

The front runners for Sixers new head coach; former Sixers star Doug Collins, former Wizards head coach Eddie Jordon, Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson, and former Houston head coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Collins has the Sixers family thing going and Eddie Jordon is reportedly close with GM Ed Stefanski. But my choice would be Avery Johnson. I have been eying Johnson since he we let go for little reason this year. He’s a fiery guy that knows basketball and will get in your grill when needed.

Come on Eddie! Let’s make quick work of this decision. You got a lot of player personnel work to do.

You’ve just been thumped out of the Playoffs … what’s next?

You’re a professional basketball team. You’ve just been thumped out of the Playoffs … what’s next … Disney World?

It’s taken me a while to consider posting another journal entry after attending the spanking that was the Sixers last game of the season (Actually is was a tweet from Andy’s blog Looking Ahead For The 76ers that nudged me). As a long suffering fan and loyalist I was totally embarrassed! :( It is an understatement to say they did not meet the great expectations that were laid upon them. It was more like … these guys really stink.

But all but one team loses their last game. What’s next … let the figure pointing begin. I thought some of the silliness after the season (negative comments about the coach from Theo, Theo & Miller skipping the last team meeting, etc.) is an indicator that the locker room was full of questions marks. Sixerville was not the Whoville of the previous two seasons.

So the head coach is the first place to point the finger. Tony DiLeo’s status is a question mark. I don’t want to lay it all at his feet, but I don’t think he should be head coach next year. I have to give him props for what he did. He was placed in a terrible position. He did an admirable job. Heck he did a great job considering where they where heading. But I think a head coach with more credentials is needed to get them past the .500 level. Bobbing around the .500 level for another season is not tenable.

DiLeo should stay with the team. I credit him more than anyone for the talent the Sixers have been able to find in the draft. But the GM needs to get another head coach soon. So he can get “his” guys in here for next season and that starts with the draft.

But honestly I can’t dwell on the Sixers too much. It’s still painful when I do that. So my doctor says “Don’t do That”. The way they finished did not help their fans. It is those performances that everyone seems to remember. Not the comeback against the Rockets or the Lakers road win on the games’ last shot. It was the total lack of effort in Game 6.

… So what’s next?