Author Topic: The love affair with Philadelphia  (Read 56010 times)

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The love affair with Philadelphia
« on: March 31, 2015, 03:56:55 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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I have had an account on this board since pretty close to the beginning but have not really witnessed our fan base have such a collective crush on a fellow team as we seem to have here with the 76ers. Right now we currently have 3 front page topics on Philadelphia and we every couple of weeks (or more frequently) we have a thread on Embiid, Noel and previously, the value of MCW.

I get that the 76er's are doing something that seems fairly unique in terms of tanking by drafting injured players, drafting foreign players and being at the salary floor the last few seasons. That being said this stuff seems a little over the top. Are they a lot of posters second favorite teams? I know that we have a few regular posters that have come over from Philly forums (they have admitted as much in threads), but are there more then a couple? Are the 76ers the second favorite team of a lot of posters? Have they not been good at the same time as for so long that we forget they are a division and historical rival?

I personally think they have some really nice pieces in play with Noels, Embiid and either 1 or 2 upcoming top 5 draft picks. However, there are teams like Minnesota with Dieng, Wiggins, Lavine and an upcoming top 5 pick that appear to have an equally appealing future (not to mention more existing veteran talent). I can't even recall a single thread talking about how great Minnesota's future looks. What about Milwaukee? They have Giannis (board favorite), Jabari Parker, MCW and an interesting piece in Henson. That seems like a really bright future to me too.

Anyone care to explain this Philly phenomenon to me and why they are held in so much higher regard than the other young and potentially up and coming teams? Is it just more philly fans here? 

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2015, 04:02:02 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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If you think that tanking is a strategy worth pursuing, you've got a vested interest in the success of the Philadelphia 76ers. If you don't think teams should tank, you've got a vested interest in their failure.

You can't be Noel-tral on a moving tank, as it were. This makes them a hot topic for discussion.
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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2015, 04:04:08 PM »

Offline Donoghus

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There are people who are always enamored with what I call the "allure of potential". Injuries, skill limitations, etc.... aren't seen in these guys since they haven't step foot on an NBA court.  A guy like that gets some people wrapped up in "what could be" rather than "what they are or might pan out to be".  Essentially, the sky is the limit with these guys. 

You see it on here with the draft too.  You'd think every draft contained the next Jordan, Olajuwon, & Magic by the way some people discuss 

IMO, people are too wrapped up in the "sky's the limit" aspect of Philly if Embiid, Noel, & Saric all pan out plus the what-if of getting the top overall pick and using it on someone like Okafor who certainly projects as a top notch center.  People don't necessary look at other possibilities such as if one or more of these guys don't actually pan out/injury factor which could very well happen.  There are also people who insist that you need to bottom out to get good again in the NBA.


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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2015, 04:06:05 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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Gotta expect Noel threads happening on this board, he is a Boston(Everett actually) kid and a prospect with his ceiling hasn't come out of Boston since Patrick Ewing.

Heck, I think I was pimping Nerlens on this site when he was a sophomore at Everett High.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2015, 04:12:45 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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Gotta expect Noel threads happening on this board, he is a Boston(Everett actually) kid and a prospect with his ceiling hasn't come out of Boston since Patrick Ewing.

Heck, I think I was pimping Nerlens on this site when he was a sophomore at Everett High.

This is a fair point that I guess is easy to overlook. However, in terms of pumping up their other assets it is pretty bewildering. Doesn't Minnesota have a pretty bright looking future with Wiggins, Dieng, Lavine, Martin, Rubio, Pek and a top 3 pick coming in? Lavine has actually looked really good on offense the last couple of weeks.

In other threads on the board today posters are putting up stats for Covington, Sims, Thompson and others. Would we ever see a thread that posts the stats of Robbie Hummel?

If it is truly a weird spin off of the tanking debate I guess that is what it is. It just has taken a really bizarre and extreme turn.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2015, 04:14:15 PM »

Offline Lucky17

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You can't be Noel-tral on a moving tank, as it were.

I don't know whether to groan, or slow clap. I'll do both.
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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2015, 04:32:19 PM »

Offline indeedproceed

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Philly is also in our division. We play them 4 times a year, and hear more stuff about them. That's part of the reason we talk about them (I'd really disagree with the term "love affair") so much.

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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2015, 05:15:38 PM »

Offline Future Celtics Owner

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Gotta expect Noel threads happening on this board, he is a Boston(Everett actually) kid and a prospect with his ceiling hasn't come out of Boston since Patrick Ewing.

Heck, I think I was pimping Nerlens on this site when he was a sophomore at Everett High.
That's how I feel about Karl Towns.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2015, 05:21:54 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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You can't be Noel-tral on a moving tank, as it were.

I don't know whether to groan, or slow clap. I'll do both.
;D
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2015, 05:22:03 PM »

Offline greg683x

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There are folks here constantly dreaming of us getting our future long term big man and/or a top 5 pick in the draft.  Since the Celtics have played so much better than expected, I think a lot of folks have realized that Philly really is our only chance of obtaining one or the other.  Whether it be them trading one that they already have, or it be the fact that they might be the only team that theres a snowballs chance in hell that might trade a top 2 or 3 pick
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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2015, 05:32:07 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

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I neither love nor hate Philly; to me, the Sixers are just another team to beat.

As for Philly players, I certainly like the talent of Noel and Embiid, but I don't want any players who have major lower-body injuries before they even start their NBA careers.
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Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2015, 06:13:13 PM »

Offline colincb

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The Sixers are a long-time rival surpassed only by the Fakers.  I don't like them and I hate cheez whiz on a steak sandwich. Also think Hinkie's going to crash and burn myself.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2015, 06:29:47 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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The Sixers are a long-time rival surpassed only by the Fakers.  I don't like them and I hate cheez whiz on a steak sandwich. Also think Hinkie's going to crash and burn myself.

I am glad to see someone else acknowledging them as a rival rather than some great experiment. I don't believe I have ever seen posts about great moves the Lakers are making here...

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2015, 06:31:16 PM »

Offline AngryAndIrritable

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The grass is always greener on the other side. Even if there's a burned-out car on it and a mangy dog is taking a whiz on the flowers.

Such is the obsession with the 76ers with some on here at the moment. It's a game of 'if'. If Kelly O brought his A game all the time he would average 20+ppg. If Sully would stop eating so much he would average a double-double.

And if my grandmother had testicles she would be my grandfather.

Re: The love affair with Philadelphia
« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2015, 06:40:37 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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The Sixers are a long-time rival surpassed only by the Fakers.  I don't like them and I hate cheez whiz on a steak sandwich. Also think Hinkie's going to crash and burn myself.

I am glad to see someone else acknowledging them as a rival rather than some great experiment. I don't believe I have ever seen posts about great moves the Lakers are making here...

This probably has to do with the fact that the last time the 76ers and the Celtics were both legitimately good teams at the same time, Ronald Reagan was president.
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.