clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

76ers' Sunday Morning Shootaround: The Billboard Edition

In this edition of the Sunday Morning Shootaround, we explain why you'll have to pay for your Big Macs from here on out, Scott O'Neil debuts the flyest Easter suit of all time, and we'll tell you how you can get up close and personal with all of your favorite Sixers.

By Roy Burton

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

If you've ever wanted to meet Henry Sims, your wait may soon be over.
If you've ever wanted to meet Henry Sims, your wait may soon be over.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

It's true, it's true... the era of Big Macs (and forced McDonald's puns) is over.

The Philadelphia 76ers have parted ways with McDonald's and have aligned themselves with Papa John's and founder/uber annoying pitchman/Peyton Manning's BFF John Schnatter.

(For the record, Pizza Hut is far superior to Papa John's but beggars can't be choosers.)

This year, after every 76ers' regular season win, home or away (all 15 of them), you'll get a 50 percent discount on your online order the next day by using the promo code SIXERS (you can check out the full press release here).

Also, in their unending quest to increase the obesity rate in the Delaware Valley market share, Papa John's will also offer a large, one-topping pizza for $7.76 every Monday through Wednesday during the season to fans who use the promo code SIXERS776.

Better Ingredients. Mediocre Basketball. Papa John's and the Sixers.

-----------------------

Here's the TL;DW (too long, didn't watch) Cliff's Notes version:

- If you bought single-game tickets on October 8, Scott O'Neil said that your name will be "immortalized" on a billboard somewhere in Philadelphia. I hope they extend the offer to people who buy tickets on Stubhub: These $3.38 seats are calling my name.
- O'Neil also said that if you run into him at a game, he'll hug you. Hopefully, the hugs don't end up like this.
- At the end of the interview, O'Neil shows off his suit jacket with a Nerlens Noel jersey sewn in the lining. Somewhere, World B. Free and Sonny Hill are figuring out how to step up their respective sartorial games before Opening Night.
- And most importantly, A MASCOT IS COMING IN DECEMBER. #TeamBFranklinDogg

----------------------

If you think this is going to be like the annual Beach Bash, then you are sadly mistaken, my friends. At the October 24 Fan Fest, ALL of the 2014-15 Sixers will be in attendance (and not just the ones who lost the Rock/Paper/Scissors battle) along with the Sixers Dancers as well as the Phlight Squad (no word on whether the Drumstix will be performing.)

During the event, only children will be allowed to ask questions of the players (this is probably a smart move), and afterwards, the team will sign autographs and give out gift cards and clothing to kids in need. All in all, it sounds like a pretty cool way to get up close and personal with the team, and if anyone reading this decides to go, we'd love it if you sent us pictures.

According to the press release, Fan Fest will officially kick off Sixers Blue Week, presented by Independence Blue Cross and hosted by Tobias Funke.

------------------------

With Liberty Ballers' editor/freelance writer Dave Rueter taking a much-needed vacation, The Evster over at The 700 Level wrote a Rueter-esque post about the Sixers' 1990 SkyBox card set.

For the uninitiated, SkyBox cards were all about the bold photos and the graphic enhancements provided courtesy of Corel Draw and/or Paint Shop. There was no space on the back for three-point statistics (shout out to Doug Collins), but the SkyBox folks were way ahead of the curve by providing per-48 minute numbers for each player. Hindsight is 20/20, but if Jim Lynam had just played Scott Brooks every minute of every game (per-48: 15.7 PPG, 10.1 APG), the Sixers probably could have won 70 games that season.

Without this article, I never would have known that some man named Lanard Copeland ever suited up for the 1989-90 Sixers. After an espresso-sized cup of coffee in the NBA, Copeland played 16 (!!!) years in the Australian National Basketball League, averaging 20.1 PPG. Lanard Copeland: Just one of the many talented superstars released by the 76ers during the infamous tenure of one John Nash.

------------------------

The NBA: Where our good friend Bauser21 getting press row access happens.

-----------------------

Out of the 100 people who write for Liberty Ballers on a regular basis, Michael Baumann is in the top 1%. He has a book coming out this week. You should buy it.

(Note: The book isn't ENTIRELY about Kevin Sefcik - there's a good 15-20 pages in there about Shjon Podein as well.)

More From Liberty Ballers

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Liberty Ballers Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Philadelphia 76ers news from Liberty Ballers