Worst Possible Outcomes
by Michael Levin on Jan 9, 2010 11:16 PM PST
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PrintIf a tree team falls wins in the forest Palace, but nobody's watching, does it make a sound count?
I admittedly watched exactly none of this game. I haven't even seen a highlight. So I'm allowing my frustration for a different team write this recap for me. Congrats Jordan for a well-deserved win. After watching the past two weeks, it's amazing to me that the Eagles even won a game all season. But that's for another thread.
The Sixers beat a woeful Pistons team on the road, spurred by a 26 point halftime lead. This marks the 12th straight loss for Detroit, dropping them to within a half game of us in the loss column. I'd say their nausea-inducing season is even more surprising than ours considering the amount of talent they have, both young and old. However, they're dealing with a new coach just as we are, and seem to be going through intense growing pains.
Anyway, tonight the 11-win 76ers were led by 25 points off the bench by Elton Brand on 10-16 shooting. I'm not really sure who he matched up against, but I'm gonna guess it was Charlie Villanueva for most of it, who has no business trying to cover EB. Dalembert logged another good game, shooting 8-9 from the field with 16 points and 9 boards in a team leading 38 minutes of action (!). While Sam played almost the whole game, Marreese Speights spent only 6 minutes on the court, grabbing 4 boards and keeping his psyche relatively in tact against a very light Pistons frontcourt.
The combination of Willie Green, Lou Williams, and Jrue Holiday went for 35 points shooting over 50% and a startling 5-6 from beyond the arc. Jrue had 6 assists and no turnovers while having a hand in containing Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey. 26 minutes for Jrue is good, 6 minutes for Mo is not. At this point, we'll take what we can get. Unfortunately, what we got was a win against a team that could end up finishing with a worse record than us, and a better shot at a high draft pick.
My apologies for the lack of humor, wit, and character that usually pepper my writing. Sorry this sucked. It was a painfully tough night. Your hometown boys face Chris Paul and the Hornets at home on Monday. We're tied with Indiana with the second worst record in the league, but Detroit, Golden State, and Washington are threatening to suck harder. God speed, Mr. Jordan. God speed.
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In this situation, are Detroit, Golden State, and Washington other women? Or are they still cities? Just trying to clarify so I can really get that “sucking” imagery.
by Michael Levin on Jan 10, 2010 8:06 AM PST up reply actions
A win against a bad team doesn’t show anything other than even with a bad coach and a uncertain offensive game, a team can win against an inferior opponent.
Make no mistake about it, Detroit is one of the worst teams in the league, and they have less talent and ability that some appear to think.
I doubt a win of this quality will cause anyone to think that Eddie Jordan suddenly has gotten a clue. At this point I wonder what Eddie will have to do to cause Stefanski to pull the trigger. The Sixers have too much talent to lose to the worst teams in the league. They actually have the talent to beat some of the better teams, and this is the problem, or tragedy as it were.
If Ed Stefanski believed as I did that the Sixers had the potential to win 50+ games, then he would have fired Jordan by now. I’m not sure what he is thinking other then that he is unhappy. Lots of people are unhappy, the only thing I’m sure about with regard to that, is that continuing to do the same thing will only ensure that you stay unhappy!
Don’t cry about the Eagles – of course my attention was on their game and not the Sixers, but I did check in at half-time and flipped back and forth enough to see the end of the game. The Eagles got beat by a better team, our O-line and D-lines were no match for the Cowboys. At the skill positions, the Eagles have great talent, but without time McNabb couldn’t connect enough to move the ball effectively.
Indeed the score was tied 7-7 and although Dallas was scoring relatively easily, the real problem was their inability to to control the clock and give the defense a chance to rest. The overturned interception call- a bad overturn by the way, since the statement by the ref that the ball touched the ground was not conclusive based on the video, there is no way that they could see if the ball was actually on his forearm, before bouncing into the air. In fact, it was clear that the ball hit him in the chest and fell downward onto his arms, and then was flicked up, where he grabbed it and made a possession. That call, plus the two subsequent turnovers in short succession sealed their fate.
By the way in the Cincinnati game, Chad OchoCinco had a touchdown late in the game that was ruled an incompletion. Their coach was a jackass for not challenging the ruling. The end result of all this was a field goal and too little time for them to come back. It amazes me that even with instant replay and all this technology that teams don’t challenge the refs more often. The judgement these men display in making their calls is very inconsistent and fails to withstand scrutiny. In contract to the NBA, these refs are significantly worse, and this was NFL playoff games, meaning the best crews were working the games.
By the way in the Cincinnati game, Chad OchoCinco had a touchdown late in the game that was ruled an incompletion. Their coach was a jackass for not challenging the ruling.
The ruling was fine, he didn’t control the ball all the way to the ground…Incomplete.
The overturned interception call- a bad overturn by the way, since the statement by the ref that the ball touched the ground was not conclusive based on the video, there is no way that they could see if the ball was actually on his forearm, before bouncing into the air.
They clearly showed the ball bobbling as well as hitting the ground. I think that we are just bitter and finding excuses.
"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." - Wilt Chamberlain
Or he just doesn’t know what he’s talking about?
by jemagee on Jan 10, 2010 11:42 AM PST up reply actions
Bobbling, that’s garbage. It his hit chest and caroomed downwards onto his forearms, which were under his body and in shadow. Yes the ball got close to the ground, but it has to be conclusive for them to overturn the ruling on the field, and it wasn’t.
I’m not bitter. Dallas was the better team and clearly deserved to win. The Eagles had every opportunity but were unable to stop Dallas on offense or match their output.
how many times have they changed the rule for what determines a completed pass seems like it changed alot in the last 10 years
by killacaravagio on Jan 11, 2010 3:48 PM PST up reply actions
cincinnati used both their challenges in the first quarter,
they couldn’t have challenged the chad ochocinco catch
Dalembert and Brand both played very well and got ‘legitimate’ minutes, there weren’t tons of minutes for speights to find in the first place.
by jemagee on Jan 10, 2010 9:41 AM PST reply actions
I wouldn’t mind seeing a lineup where they’re all on the court at the same time. Not for any extended period of time, but we’ve gone small so many times this year, I’d like to see what would happen if we got more big bodies in there for a couple minute stretch.
by Michael Levin on Jan 10, 2010 10:58 AM PST up reply actions
You want to see a line up with Speights, Brand and Dalembert all at the same time?
Why?
by jemagee on Jan 10, 2010 11:05 AM PST up reply actions
Funsies? Can’t hurt any more. Brand and Mo stay 10 feet from the basket most of the time anyway. If we play a zone on D (gasp), we could dominate the rebounding. I just think it’d be an interesting look for a team that is going nowhere.
by Michael Levin on Jan 10, 2010 1:25 PM PST up reply actions
You just envy Gasol/Odom/Bynum and want to see the sixers version :)
by jemagee on Jan 10, 2010 3:02 PM PST up reply actions
Haha it’s not quite that impressive. And we don’t have anyone as versatile as Odom. But yes, it’d be interesting.
by Michael Levin on Jan 10, 2010 3:26 PM PST up reply actions
They did it once during a game, with less than impressive results. I think it could work, but they would have to be carefull with defining roles so they don’t get in each others way. If Speights and Brand were better ball handlers and passers it could work well.
God forbid they get in each others way. What would happen then? We could LOSE GAMES!! No!
by Michael Levin on Jan 11, 2010 10:00 AM PST up reply actions
I’m gonna go ‘head and assume you’re joking because since you’re online there are limitless other places you can check for this information. In addition, my post itself is riddled with bitterness about how awful they played. But just in case you’re really inquiring, they lost. Embarrassingly.
by Michael Levin on Jan 10, 2010 1:27 PM PST up reply actions
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