King Sized Failure

By John McMullen

Today, Billy King is nothing more than a punch line.

Once upon a time, the smooth talking, impeccably dressed, would-be politician’s dazzling personality won over the area’s scribes in record time.

You see, sportswriters are an insecure group. Privy to the exhilarating world of the athlete but unable to attain it, King made this pathetic, self-doubting group of wannabes feel important and got a free pass because of it.

But those days are over. Larry Brown’s former yes man has been such a miserable failure as the leader of the Sixers that the National media has taken notice and even King’s groupies at the two metropolitan dailies can’t save him now.

The carnage has been historically bad -- If not for an even more incompetent fool two hours up the Jersey Turnpike, King would be universally regarded as the NBA‘s Matt Millen.

Let’s take a look at the fiasco King has lorded over:

Since the 2001 Finals:

-King gave Dikembe Mutombo a $68 million extension even though the Jeremy Steven’s like center reportedly attended the same high school as Moses (and I don’t mean Malone).

-He then gave $35.5 million to an injured, beaten down Aaron McKie.

-Next was $29 million to a role player in journeyman point guard Eric Snow.

-How about a big free agent splash? Try $18 million to lure Greg Buckner to the City of Brotherly Love.

-Next up. $40 million to keep 6-foot-7 power forward Kenny Thomas.

-$25 million to get Brian Skinner back to Philadelphia, a year after King could have had him for the league minimum.

-$25 million to the ultimate one-dimensional player in Kyle Korver

-$60 million to the disinterested and injury prone Samuel Dalembert.

-And last but not least, King tried to give $20 million to yet another one-dimensional player in Willie Green before a torn ACL nixed the deal. (You have to feel sorry for Green, who now must find an equal sized-sucker to King. )

The Sixers’ leader also traded for Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson and Chris Webber. (To call those players dogs, as many have, is an insult to one of the noblest creatures in the world.)

His final act of ineptitude will likely be jettisoning Allen Iverson in the off-season.

Sadly, instead of revolting, a lot of Sixers fans will sit back and let it happen.

You see, through it all, most Philadelphia fans seem to want to blame Iverson for the Sixers‘ woes.

Why? Simply put -- Philadelphia fans are, for the most part, frauds.

Look no further than Iverson’s current saga to document the above statement.

In Iverson, the City has been lucky enough to watch one of the game’s 50-best players and the best 6-feet or under player in history, night in and night out for a decade.

Yet, few realize it and the town’s penchant for turning on A.I. when things go bad is troubling to say the least.

The tag line for the Philly faithful goes something like this.......”This is a blue-collar town. If you bust your a**, people will love you.”

Of course, that’s nonsense -- Just across the street from the Wachovia Center stands Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The most disliked player on the current incarnation of the Phils is none other than the third baseman, David Bell. If you know baseball, that would make sense in most towns -- To be kind, let’s just say Bell is not very talented and leave it at that.

But, if you happen to come across a Phillies game on television, sit down and watch a few innings. You’ll likely notice that one player busts his hump like no other -- The player’s name? You guessed it --David Bell.

So now we know the Philly faithful’s credo should read..........”This is a blue-collar town. If you bust your a** and you‘re really, really talented we might like you..............or maybe not ”

No one in the NBA plays as hard as Iverson but, as the Sixers continue to struggle, more and more of the City’s fans are putting the blame on the game’s ultimate warrior.

“He shoots too much.”.........”He’s a liability on defense.”.......”He doesn’t get others involved.”

And so many of those same fans think getting the ball in the lands of the anti-thesis of blue collar, one of the game’s laziest and softest players, Webber, is the answer.

Way to reward all out hustle and desire Philly.

Let’s ignore the fact that Iverson has taken his team to the finals.

Let’s ignore the fact that Iverson averages less shots per game than when the team went to the finals.

Let’s ignore the fact that Iverson’s assist ratio has nearly doubled.

Let‘s ignore the fact that it’s Iverson who gives the better effort on defense than Webber, Korver, Steven Hunter and so many other defensive cardboard cutouts that King has amassed in Philadelphia.

Let’s ignore the fact that Iverson has given the City a decade of excellence while Webber has given you a season and a half of bitching.

Ignore it all..........

No wonder Philadelphia hasn’t won a championship since 1983.

-You can reach John McMullen at jmcmullen1@comcast.net