Okay, Doug Collins. You Got Me.

We at Liberty Ballers have said a lot of not nice things about former Sixers coach Doug Collins over the years. The LB/RTRS Lottery Party booed him whenever he came on screen. But maybe we've been too harsh on the guy. And maybe me realizing that has to do almost entirely with him jumping on a Birdman lyric the other night.

That's like, way too much for me to handle. Early 2000s rap, something I unabashedly love, quoted by Doug Collins, someone I thought I outwardly loathed. I had to sit down.

But why do we hate Doug Collins? Or rather, why do I? I won't speak for all of us-- but for me it was how he used his Old Basketball Guy charisma to make excuses for his horrible decision-making as coach and leader of a useless team headed nowhere.

Now? Now he's just another muted talking head in my periphery during pregame shows. He's not bothering anyone. He's Saruman after Isengard is destroyed. And the Sixers are set up with a tremendous front office and a much more charismatic, less pedantic coach. Four lottery picks in two years, no more Kwame Brown, barely an Arnett Moultrie... the shadow of Doug has almost entirely disappeared. Not much reason to hold the grudge anymore.

Keep doing what you're doing, Doug. You're good, we're good, allow me to make a request for Ja Rule next time.