Webber and A.I. blow off fan appreciation night
April 19, 2006
| By Dennis Bakay
| 
Discuss
Get ready for the circus again. Allen Iverson and Chris Webber have fans in an uproar after basically slapping them in the face tonight by refusing to sit on the bench during the final home game of the year. Added to that, Iverson pulled up in the parking lot at 7:05. This was eerily reminiscent of Iverson showing up late 3 years ago for what turned out to be Larry Brown’s final game as Sixers coach in their game 6 loss to the Pistons.
Billy King was quoted as saying after the game “Shit is going to change next year” when grilled about why Allen Iverson and Chris Webber were late and absent on the Sixers' bench. Mo Cheeks looked like he was going to throw his microphone up in the air in disgust as 610 WIP’s Howard Eskin hit him with follow-up upon follow-up question in regards to this latest debacle for the Sixers.
There are reports swirling that Iverson and Webber were seen in a luxury suite during the game. Other reports had them staying in the locker room. The bottom line is, they were absent from the bench. Never mind that that they were late. That would be excusable had they even stayed on the bench and even waved to the crowd, the same crowd that endured this garbage for 41 home games this year--the same crowd that pays their salaries.
It’s inexcusable and it’s disgusting. Ultimately it shows a
lack of control by Billy King and he deserves all the blame for assembling
the NBA’s answer to the concrete ship. In case you're wondering about
that reference there is a concrete ship that is offshore in Jersey and never
made it very far off shore before sinking. Sounds familiar doesn’t
it?!
Added to that, this reeks of consumer fraud in so far that the fans were purchasing tickets for one reason; they figured there was a very good possibility that this would be Iverson's final game in a Sixers uniform. The news wasn't broken until about 5:30 that he and Webber wouldn't play. Billy King acknowledged that he knew since the shoot around hours earlier that they wouldn't play. The fans were screwed. People called into WIP and reported having driven up from Maryland for this game only to arrive and see what amounted to a preseason game. It's pitiful.
Where do they go from here? Do they jettison Iverson and Webber? It’s not that easy in a league with a salary cap that is more complicated than a CIA assassination plot; allegedly, we know what their “official” position is! It would be in their best interests to begin exploring both options and start clearing cap space. It’s time to give Isiah Thomas a call. If anyone would take Chris Webber’s horrible contract it would be he. The time is now to change the personality of this team.
Enough is enough as the old adage goes, or Ya Basta if you know Cuban.
The Sixers official position is floundering and it’s been getting more and more ugly by the day. This will be an important off-season, as a matter of fact the most important off-season for this franchise in a decade.
In my humble opinion they should sell the entire team on ebay. They should set the buy it now price at “anything to spare the fans of this drek any longer.” I doubt that’s an official buy it now fee, but it would be a perfect fit for this broken down product. This team is anything but a fit; it’s an amalgamation of dysfunctional components akin to a 1972 Ford Pinto, like the one my father used to own. Ah, the days…the days when the Sixers were an exciting team seem like decades ago. It’s hard to believe it’s been just 5 years when this team went on that magical run to the NBA Finals.
Stay tuned. Things are about to get very interesting in this soap opera.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
