OT: Maurice Cheeks gets the boot.

JWizmentality · Post #1 » by **JWizmentality** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:44 pm

They said EFJ was a likely candidate for the job. All I have to say to Sixer fans is..."You're royally screwed if you hire EJ." Then again, Elton Brand would be his ultimate wet dream. As someone else brought up earlier, it will be interesting to see if the media blasts the Sixers the way they blasted us for firing EFJ. Cheeks deserved far more leeway than Jordan.

mhd · Post #2 » by **mhd** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:46 pm

Yeah, Philly actually pushed Detroit last year, despite an inferior roster.

Kanyewest · Post #3 » by **Kanyewest** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:19 pm

It's not like the 76ers had any significant injuries like the Wizards have had over the past few years. EJ would be on the hot seat as well if the Wizards were healthy and were last in their divison. People complain that EJ's overall record was not above .500. Cheeks didn't have a single season above .500 when he was with the 76ers.

I agree that the 76ers overachieved last year. But I don't think taking the Pistons to 6 games is any better than taking the Cavs to 6 games.

Maybe Cheeks shouldn't have been fired. Signing Elton Brand may have ruined the chemistry that the team originally had to close the 2007-08 season. But the team clearly doesn't have it anymore. Similar to Eddie Jordan, Cheeks overachieved with his roster. When he failed to meet unrealistic expectations, he became the scapegoat.

Post #4 » by **LyricalRico** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:43 pm

Why don't they just change the title from "Head Coach" to "Interim Coach" for every team?

MJG · Post #5 » by **MJG** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:15 pm

They aren't playing well, an that roster is pretty much set for the immediate future. Seems like the thing to do to me.

mohammed10 · Post #6 » by **mohammed10** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:14 am

Eddie Jordan is prolly driving up to Philly as I type this...

bulletproof_32 · Post #7 » by **bulletproof_32** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:34 pm

Reggie Theus was just fired.

I didn't want to start a new thread but dang this is getting ridiculous.

I can't remember a time when this many coaches were fired so early in the season.

long suffrin' boulez fan · Post #8 » by **long suffrin' boulez fan** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:58 pm

All of these firings do impact the Wizards. Assuming the Wes Jr. chat is just Ivan prattling on and assuming ETap doesn't wake up and smell the coffee, this team will be in the market for a head coach.

There aren't that many really great coaches out there... and the ones who will be really sought after (Coach T for example) are likely to look at Abe's Mom and Pop Shoppe and decide to look elsewhere.

keynote · Post #9 » by **keynote** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:00 pm

Wow. Theus, too? This is looking like the NHL.

It's one thing for TOR and PHI to make a change: those FOs made big acquisitions during the offseason, and expected their team to contend. And the prevailing opinion in this forum on EJ's performance over the past 5 years has been well documented.

But what did SAC expect out of Theus?

mhd · Post #10 » by **mhd** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:05 pm

I think the justified firings were:
1) EJ
2) Whitmann (That guy was terrible in Atlanta and Minny)
3) PJ (would not play the young players)
4) Mitchell (time ran its course)
5) Cheeks (Management did him no favors with its emphasis on slowing it down)
6) Theus (Kevin Martin has barely played this year)

JWizmentality · Post #11 » by **JWizmentality** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:24 pm

^^ Disagree with Cheeks and Theus. They deserved more time.

Post #12 » by **LyricalRico** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:46 pm

I didn't watch much of the Kings but they never seemed to continue the momentum from the stretch they had where Martin and Udrih were tearing it up. I don't know what the problem is but they have definitely underachieved IMO.