Open Letter to Snider/Comcast

[tk76]

(At the risk of becoming Ricky v2...)

We have here a few of the die-hard Sixer fans that still truly care about the Sixers and their future. We are sick of the embarrassment this team has come to represent, and demand a new course. One that involves a commitment to long term winning instead of a yearly coaching change and attempt at the next quick fix.

We love the Sixers not just for their past successes but for their emblematic stars like Wilt, Dr. J , Moses, Barkley and AI. Individuals who did not always bring us the ultimate prize, but who represented different captivating eras of Sixers basketball. This post-AI malaise may not be anything new- as we had similar struggles after Barkley. But I never remember the team so focussed on the quick fix.

Ever since 2003 we have seen a carousel of coaches and quick fix players that make it near impossible for a fan to identify with the team. This pattern may have been set by Larry Brown, with his rapid make-over that built a short lived winner around AI. But while Stackhouse->Ratliff->Mutombo may have reaped rewards the team somehow transformed into a revolving door of coaches and players that has been dizzying for casual fan and die-hard alike.

Kukoc, Big Dog, CWebb, Andre Miller, Brand... Brown, Ayers, Ford, O'Brien, Cheeks, DiLeo, Jordan... when does it stop? What exactly does this team want to be- the East Coast Clippers? (and the new team jerseys seem like a close approximation.) Why can't we see a commitment to return to the Sixers old hallmark of being a star driven franchise.

No one is saying that it is easy to find this star and recapture what the Sixers used to represent. But we won't get there by masking the broken foundation and laying on another fresh coat of paint. Ownership has been acting more like a flip and sell real estate owner than someone who truly values the Sixers brand like the die hards here do.

Here is all I ask:

1. Bring in someone to run the franchise with a long term horizon, adequate resources and a proven track record of do what is needed to get a superstar and build a long term, sustainable winner winner. No short term fixers and no short term people.

2. Hire a coach that wins based on talent, basic good basketball and accountability. No gimmicky schemes. No blow-hard or ego driven guy who burns through a team in 3 years. Have the goal to become a team like Utah or San Antonio who rides out storms instead of being tossed about.

3. Do what ever is necessary to find and keep a franchise anchoring star. Don't be overly focussed on wins, playoffs or ticket sales until that star is in place. This does not mean tanking. It means playing young players and winning or losing based on their development. Just no more Millers or Brands to try and "Charlotte Bobcat" our way into a low playoff seed.

I honestly don't care what the team's record is next year. I don't need to have a "name" coach. I just want the team to be clearly headed in a winning direction. I want to know that at least at some point we will get our old Sixers back.

[ZzAzZ]

Nice work, but I think it should be made clear - NOT young players like Lou Williams and Willie Green(when he was young) just to say they're young. We have to recognize and seperate the Jrue Holiday's and Iguodala's from the Lou Williams' and Maurice Speights'.

[tk76]

Nah, let the young players play. If they losing ball then we will be in a better spot to replace them with better young players.

I don't mind losing with the Lou's and Speights of the world. Losing with Spoon and Sharone Wright got us AI. Better than barely winning with the Millers, Brands and Stephen Jacksons.

[The Guilty Party]

1- Well done and you definitely hit on the very same feelings that I have about this franchise.

2- I cringed when I read "Open Letter".

[tk76]

Was more inspired by Fagan than Ricky...

[Skates]

Sign my name to it too. Well done tk, no Ricky award for you.

They have to fire Stefanski, if they keep him he will have a 'win now' approach to keep his job, he has to. That will mean pushing us further into medicrity without a chance of getting out of it.

For so many years this team had Erving, Malone, Barkley and then after a dry spell, Iverson. A very long and unusual run of having a first team all-NBA quality player. It is time to get back there, hopefully the lottery gods will get us there this year, but until we do it's all just moving pieces around for the sake of moving them.

[The Guilty Party]

I thought her column was really good today. It seems as though everyone (fans and media) are frustrated by the running of this franchise. The fact that Luukko and Snider have remained sooooo quiet is an insult to the fan base. Come out like Croce did after the Greenberg/Davis year and admit that mistakes have been made but you're going to correct them. There is no face to this franchise. We know who's sitting behind the driver's seat but we can't tell if he has his eyes on the road or if he's busy sending text messages about the Flyers.

[tk76]

We know who's sitting behind the driver's seat but we can't tell if he has his eyes on the road...

Actually Stefanski is driving the bus. I would be probably be willing to give him a second chance if:

1. We knew Snider was committed0 to keeping him around long term so Stefanski did not have to be in job preservation mode.

2. Stefanski owned up to things "Croce style" and admitted that his attempt at building both short term and long term at the same time have failed and now there is a mess to clean up. But going forward he will be committed to long term success instead of building towards a good team with only good but not truly great players.

[LongLiveHinkie]

I thought her column was really good today. It seems as though everyone (fans and media) are frustrated by the running of this franchise. The fact that Luukko and Snider have remained sooooo quiet is an insult to the fan base. Come out like Croce did after the Greenberg/Davis year and admit that mistakes have been made but you're going to correct them. There is no face to this franchise. We know who's sitting behind the driver's seat but we can't tell if he has his eyes on the road or if he's busy sending text messages about the Flyers.

You should have said "running of this franchise or lack thereof" to be more specific. The problem with the Sixers is no one is running this team. It's like if you were the president and CEO of a company you started and just one say decided to go somewhere and never come back. The company would start to fall apart. There is no one running this team and it is a joke. Please sell the team.

[ZzAzZ]

If they losing ball then we will be in a better spot to replace them with better young players.

I don't have as much of a problem with playing and losing with them as I do with Stefanski acting like they are better players than they are when we all know better.

[Skates]

Let's add a p.s. to the letter.

p.s. Portland got knocked out of the playoffs. They have this fellow named Kevin Pritchard who transformed the team from the Jailblazers to a playoff team with future contender aspirations. He apparently didn't use his iPhone enough this year or something which made Paul Allen unhappy and therefore might be available. CALL to check on getting him to replace the walking dead man that is our GM. Thank you.

[tk76]

I'll second that.

[76ersPR]

TK76 - I will make sure your letter gets to the appropriate people. If you could DM your contact information to me, I would appreciate it.

[PhillyFan]

TK76 - I will make sure your letter gets to the appropriate people. If you could DM your contact information to me, I would appreciate it.

beautiful! listening to what the fans have to say/think is certainly the first step to success!

[tk76]

TK76 - I will make sure your letter gets to the appropriate people. If you could DM your contact information to me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks. I'll ask one of the moderators to send you my contact info.

[76ersPR]

TK76 - I will make sure your letter gets to the appropriate people. If you could DM your contact information to me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks. I'll ask one of the moderators to send you my contact info.

Many thanks

[HartfordWhalers]

Seeing that the organization might see this sort of message is the best off season update yet, or at least close behind winning the coin toss.

[Kobblehead]

I suggest you re-write the first paragraph and begin talking about how good a captain Mike Richards is going to be over the next few years. The key is to trick Snider into actually reading it. Draw a stick figure swinging a hockey stick in the header area above the lines on the loose leaf as well.

[tk76]

This team needs some sort of basketball advisory board. People who can ensure the team's long term vision is sound. Not paid people like the GM or Coach who have to look out for their short term future. But people who care deeply about the Sixers and what they should represent.

Bring together a group comprised of people like Dr. J, Croce, Billy C. and even Sir Charles. Maybe throw a journalist and a blogger or two or lifetime season ticket holder to add some diversity. Then have them meet yearly in a luxury box to assess the state of the franchise and ensure it is at least headed in the right direction.

Of course that sort of describes what the CEO's is supposed to be doing, but the Sixers should also draw on their franchises resourced both from its storied past and community.

[The Guilty Party]

TK76 - I will make sure your letter gets to the appropriate people. If you could DM your contact information to me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks. I'll ask one of the moderators to send you my contact info.

Many thanks

Done.