Before There Was Iverson, Lindros, Barkley and T.O., There Was Johnny Mac

Jason Whitlock, the provocative sportswriter for Foxsports.com, recently labeled Allen Iverson as a "fraud" because Whitlock feels AI has never been concerned about winning, with the possible exception of his 2001, Larry Brown-induced, run with the Sixers. Phil Sheridan picked up the subject and noted that pathologic attention-getters like Iverson, Terrell Owens, and Eric Lindros have extremely loyal fan bases no matter how bad their behavior on and/or off the court. This phenomenon is not without historical precedent as illustrated a generation ago in New York when John McEnroe ruled men's tennis.

The Swede Bjorn Borg had dominated the game until McEnroe broke through in the early 80's. Borg was a stoic player who rarely displayed emotion and who was perhaps the most popular and recognizable international athlete of his time. If scientists went into a lab to design Borg's polar opposite, surely they would have come up with McEnroe, a brash native of Queens, New York. More problematic for Borg, the New Yorker's game posed a problem for the Swedish star. Borg was the ultimate baseliner while McEnroe was a net-charger and volleyer. Against most players, the Swede's top spin ground strokes and foot speed eventually prevailed. And in their early matches, the more experienced Borg had the upper hand, but soon the American was intercepting those ground strokes and producing sharply angled volleys for which Borg had no answer. McEnroe prevented Borg from winning the U.S. Open, the one Grand Slam event that was to elude Bjorn. So frustrated was the Swede that he retired while still in his 20's.

McEnroe had already developed a reputation for volatility and tempestuousness, but curiously, when Borg was on the scene, McEnroe kept his temper "somewhat" in check. With the stage to himself, the American seemed to lose all self control. In every match it seemed just a matter of time before he exploded over a line call or some other perceived injustice. He would verbally abuse linesmen, who were usually volunteers, and often delay play for 15 minutes or more.

These episodes reached high theater at the U.S. Open in New York. The National Tennis Center was a short distance from McEnroe's home and at night matches, spectators - not your grandfather's tennis fans - would turn out with the hope of witnessing some fireworks - they were rarely disappointed. When McEnroe acted out, the patrons would roar their approval, and encourage him to go further. It was a bizarre scene, especially since this is the gentlemenly game of tennis we're talking about, not hockey or pro wrestling.

McEnroe was allowed to practice his shtick with impunity, even at international competitions like the Davis Cup - as a superstar he had become untouchable by the Bud Selig-like tennis hierarchy. And all the while, like Iverson and Owens and Lindros and Barkley and others, McEnroe had his ardent defenders. Even today, Johnny Mac continues to cash in on his Peck's bad boy image in commercials and the broadcast booth, while at the same time being treated as an elder statesman of the game. Perhaps in 10 or 15 years, Allen Iverson will be doing American Express commercials.

Eric Bruntlett and the Best Trade in Franchise History

In November 2007, the Phillies made the trade that, when all is said and done, will probably turn out to be the most significant in franchise history. Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and Michael Costanza were sent to the Houston Astros in return for Brad Lidge - and Eric Bruntlett. The value of Lidge needs no elaboration but it's easy to overlook Bruntlett even though his addition has already payed big dividends.

Bruntlett played five seasons with the Astros as a utility player averaging about .250 at the plate over that time. With the Phils, he was in effect replacing Michael Bourn who had served as Pat Burrell's legs in 2007. That is not to minimize the contribution of Bourn who provided excellent late-inning defense and in just over 100 at-bats, stole 18 bases and scored 29 runs. His speed - he probably could have anchored the Olympic 400m relay - was a huge factor in late game rallies. Losing Bourn was not trivial.

But Bruntlett, minus the explosive speed, is also an excellent athlete with the additional dimension of being able to play the infield. He filled in when Jimmy Rollins went down early last season and after a shaky start performed admirably. For the remainder of 2008, Eric reprised Bourn's role as Burrell's alter ego. Bruntlett hit only .217 for the season but came up with some key hits late in the campaign. He had a very strong spring and provided a pinch-hit double on opening night. With the Phillies' shortage of right-handed hitters on the bench, Eric Bruntlett has the opportunity to elevate his role on the club from pinch-runner and defensive replacement to offensive weapon.

You never know in baseball. Michael Bourn could win the Triple Crown. Geoff Geary might win the Cy Young Award. Michael Costanza might be named Rookie of the Year. But right now, Lidge and Bruntlett for Bourn, Geary and Costanza ranks right up there with the Louisiana Purchase.

Villanova Should Not Be A Heavy Underdog Against Carolina

In March 2005, Villanova played North Carolina in the Sweet 16. Nova was without star forward Curtis Sumpter who had injured his knee in the 2nd round against Florida. Without Sumpter, the Cats were heavy, heavy underdogs against a loaded Tarheel team - a squad including Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, Sean May, and Marvin Williams that was even more talented than the current group. But Nova played the Heels to a standstill, losing 67-66 to the eventual champions with the help of a terrible traveling call against Allan Ray with 9 seconds to play.

So the Wildcats have a chance at a reversal of fortune when they play NC next Saturday and while Carolina will be favored, Nova will not be the long shot it was in '05 or for that matter in 1985 against Georgetown. North Carolina has balance and depth - but so does Villanova who can get scoring from at least as many sources as the Chapel Hill bunch. For the past two months, the Cats have been playing as well as anyone in the country when you consider their competition. In particular, their defense has been otherworldly. What that "D" did to 30-win Duke and Gerald Henderson was nothing short of humiliation- if it were a boxing match, the ref would have had to declare a TKO. Nova actually should have beaten a fine Pitt team by a wider margin. That they didn't is a tribute to the collective heart of Blair, Young, and Fields (Fields' two free throws to tie the game were a profile in moxie).

But to beat Carolina, there is little margin for error. Their size poses match-up problems but no more than Connecticut to whom the Cats lost a tight game in the regular season. Ty Lawson, of course, poses match-up problems for everybody, but the Nova guards should be able to attack the 5' 11" Lawson as well. If the team can hold its own on the boards, avoid foul trouble (the downside of playing their aggressive brand of defense), and survive some early-game nerves, Villanova basketball could be on the verge of something very big.

The Re-Emergence of Thaddeus Young

Going into this season, there was probably no player on the Sixers with greater upside than Thaddeus Young. As a rookie in 2007-08, he struggled early in the season and saw limited playing time. But in the second half of the year, Young thrived in the team's new up-tempo system where his athleticism was on full display. In the off-season, he worked on his outside shot and this paid dividends as the 08-09 campaign kicked off. However, this was short-lived as the team in general, and Young in particular, went into a deep funk, probably at least partly due to difficulty in adapting to the presence of Elton Brand. The Georgia Tech star averaged only in the low double figures for the first couple of months and then picked it up only to the 14-15 ppg level with a poor shooting percentage. He seemed confused, indecisive and was settling for too many three-point attempts.

But in the last 4-6 weeks Young seems to have regained his confidence. He is going to the hoop with authority, taking advantage of his speed and elevation, and his left-handedness. In March, he has been averaging 20 ppg and scored 29 last night in the win over the Timberwolves. The Sixers now have a very solid threesome of Young, Miller and Iguodala who are capable of scoring 60 or more points in a game and this triple threat presents a challenge to opposing defenses.

In order to make a run in the playoffs, these three need to keep their foot on the gas pedal, but they will need help. This is where the coaching staff needs to think outside the box. Lou Williams and Marreese Speights are excellent offensive players who need more minutes. Yes, you sacrifice some defense and rebounding but it's worth the risk. They don't necessarily have to start but it should be possible to up their playing time. Williams is only averaging 23 mpg and Speights 15 mpg. Williams in particular is such an explosive scorer that if he saw 30-33 minutes, he could well score 17-20 ppg. The rest of the roster - Dalembert, Green, Ivey, Marshall, Evans - is just too inconsistent.

Sixers Squander "Big Win", No Offensive Superstars in the Big Dance

SIXERS SQUANDER A "BIG WIN"

The Sixer loss to Phoenix a couple of nights ago completely negated what might have seemed to be a very significant road win over the Lakers the previous night. The fading Suns have been imploding and may not even make the playoffs but Philly could not ride any momentum from their "big" win in LA. That "big" win surely must now be considered a fluke, enabled primarily by Kobe Bryant's foul trouble. Dalembert, Speights and Ratliff combined for 4 points against Phoenix. Iguodala managed only 11 points. Unacceptable. Webster may have to add a new synonym for "mediocrity" - the 2008-09 Sixers.

SEARCHING FOR AN OFFENSIVE SUPERSTAR

With the absence of Davidson and Stephen Curry from the Big Dance, there is a notable absence of a true offensive superstar - someone who can carry his team with successive 30+ point nights through the tournament. Basketball is a team game but this is an element of March Madness that I will miss.

Sixer Malaise, Bobcats in Rear View Mirror, Pitt's Tourney Chances

Sixer Malaise

The Sixer win over the Raptors Wednesday night comes under the dog bites man category. But the home team needs any kind of win right now, so they can't be too fussy over the caliber of the competition. Likewise, Sam Dalembert had a monster night, for him, 18 pts and 13 rb, but against pretty much phantom opposition. But it shows how important he can be for the team, particularly when Miller and Iguodala are having sub-par nights. For reasons which are not altogether clear, this Sixer team just does not seem as dangerous as they appeared 4-6 weeks ago. They are not as energetic, perhaps because the two Andres - their two most important players - are pretty banged up. The team's defense is spotty and yes, their outside shooting deficiencies keeping resurfacing. At times, Andre Miller looks like their most reliable shooter and that's not a good sign.

It's been said over and over again but the Sixers have to run if they're going to make any noise in the next couple of months. To fully exploit Thaddeus Young and Iguodala, they should be filling the lanes. And if the break isn't there, they should push the ball up anyway. They should be doing this on every possession but it's not happening, not even close.

Bobcats in the Rear View Mirror

Charlotte is a hot team and has moved into the playoff picture. While it's very unlikely, if the Sixers collapse, the Bobcats could catch or surpass them. It would be both ironic and embarrassing if Larry Brown's crew was to upstage his old team.

Pitt's Tournament Chances

The University of Pittsburgh has had another outstanding season under Jamie Dixon. He, like Jay Wright, does a remarkable job without the benefit of the top heavy talent at the likes of North Carolina and Connecticut. Pitt hasn't gotten past the Sweet 16 in recent years but this year they are projected #1 seed and many are predicting them to be a Final 4 team. I hope they're right, but I don't think so. They just don't have a margin for error as they are small and depend so heavily on Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields. But Blair is prone to foul trouble and Fields is hurting. Young is their best player and a real blue chipper, but unless they get exceptional production from their role players like Wanamaker and Dixon, too much pressure will be put on Young to carry the offense. Of course, much depends on brackets and match-ups, but I think this very likeable group of overachievers will come up a little short, again. Unfortunately, last night's loss to West Virginia in the Big East Tournament only reinforces this thinking.

The Best Center in the NBA?: Hint - It's Not Dalembert

The Best Center in Basketball?

Is Yao Ming the best center in basketball? That would not be the first choice here, but when Richard Justice, the respected writer for the Houston Chronicle made that claim recently, it gave pause. Justice sees Yao on a regular basis and the Chinese star certainly possesses remarkable skills for a 7' 6" man, notably a soft shooting touch. And he certainly has solid numbers, 20 ppg and 10 rpg. But he is slow and plodding, usually late getting down the court, prone to injury and he seems to tire quickly. Dwight Howard gets my vote. Young, more athletic, more of a defensive and rebounding force, with solid numbers of his own - 20 and 14. But it's noteworthy that there isn't more competition. The center position, particularly with Shaq in the twilight of his career, is just not the glamour position it once was. Most of the big men now tend to be role players, specialists, and very few are offensive minded.


Samuel Dalembert - Perpetual Work in Progress

Sam Dalembert is definitely not in the conversation when discussing the best centers in the NBA. In the Sixers-Hornets game last week he spent most of the time on the bench with his head in a towel. Perhaps with his French heritage, he has an existentialist bent and was contemplating the meaning of life. Or perhaps he was lamenting investing his money with Bernie Madoff. But the best guess is that he was displeased about his meager playing time. After getting lit up by David West, admittedly a tough match-up, for 14 points in the first quarter, Dalembert finished the night with only 12 minutes and 2 points.

The Seton Hall alumnus has a penchant for pouting but he now in his 7th year and he needs to get over it. He will be paid well over $30 million over the next three seasons and there aren't many professions where a mediocrity can pull in that kind of cash - investment banking does come to mind though. Kate Fagan did a nice job in the Sunday Inquirer of enumerating Dalembert's shortcomings. In all his time in the league, has he learned a single post-up move? If he has, it's the best-kept secret since the Manhattan Project. In the Hornets game, Dalembert took 4 shots. One was an off-balance baseline jump shot, a terrible percentage shot. Another was a tear-drop, a la Tony Parker, from 5 feet - this should have been an emphatic slam dunk. Last night against the intimidating Oklahoma City Thunder, things went from very bad to very, very bad as Dalembert tallied 0 points and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes. At times, he looked absolutely bewildered by what was going on around him.

Yes, Dalembert's primary roles are defense and rebounding. But when the Sixer offense is sputtering, as it has been lately, a no-offense center is a real liability. And when you throw in the tendency to commit silly fouls, is it any mystery the team found little interest in Dalembert as the trade deadline approached in February? Signing him to a huge long term deal was one of the biggest mistakes the previous front office regime made and it will continue to be an albatross around the neck of this team as it attempts to move to the next level.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, Dalembert is far from their only problem right now. Since the All Star break the team has been mired in mediocrity. Last night, against the dreadful Thunder, they were dreadful themselves. Right now, they are indeed looking like a one-and-done team in the playoffs.