Sixers

Adam Aron Seeks Fantasy Advice… ON THE SIXERS

By Kyle Scott

Published: Apr 18th, 2012 · 4:58 PM EDT

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Should we ask them. Yeah, let's ask them.

Hey there– is this thing on? Sixers post here. Don’t mind me, just talking about the basketball team.

Earlier, Sixers CEO and Twitter nut Adam Aron solicited fan opinion, as he has done all season long. This time, however, his discussion topic was not about a mascot or anthem singer or asking which color works best for interior drapes at The Well. It was about personnel.

A team president, on Twitter, soliciting fans’ opinions on anticipated offseason moves… before the season is over.

Boy, nothing says I have confidence in you guys for the playoffs like a how do I fix this window-dressing-driven product? plea.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a picture of a farmer shooting a horse with an Andre Iguodala head to Tweet at Aron, but perhaps he’ll get that message…

This is crazy on so many levels. Let’s list them:

1) Yeah yeah, I know– we all love the idea of directly impacting our team’s offseason moves. But, really, there’s a reason why we’re fans, bloggers, media, etc., and not GMs. I mean, could you imagine David Montgomery or Ruben Amaro throwing out that Tweet?* Rube would just set up an auto-respond: You’re fucking clueless, you dolt. That would never happen (the Tweet, not the auto-respond– I could totally see Rube doing that). So what kind of confidence should we have in the Sixers’ ability to, you know, make their own decisions and, um, win. The social media thing is cool, to a point, but then it just becomes uncomfortable. Which is where I think we’re at now. 

2) The new ownership group’s honeymoon is officially over. Like, that first Tweet from Aron was it. Official. Done. Honeymoon over. No nookie for you! At least not until you do some chores… like hanging those pictures, and disposing of Andre Iguodala. 

The start of the season was the perfect blend of new ownership excitement, a team returning intact, and a great Xs and Os coach. The Sixers were able to catch other teams off-guard, with a blend of well-balanced, passionate – and dare I say intense – basketball, even if we have learned that it was never that proud. Now the rest of the league has had a chance to catch up. Teams that made offseason moves have gelled, the favorites have turned it on, and the Sixers are no longer catching anybody by surprise. Their coach went from great to slightly annoying, the players may or may not hate him, Evan Turner is nuts, Iguodala is what we thought he was, and the Phillies and Flyers serve as ample and welcome distractions.

3) Or, really, 2.5. The new owners, I think, are finally figuring out that running a basketball team, with an invested fan base (as small as it may be), is much different than running a hotel or cruise line or ski resort. Fans, in general, are supremely knowledgable about the product– the team. Gimmicky things – like mascot contests, new anthem singers, and 50-year-old wood giveaways – are great. But, if after a while the team doesn’t win games, which the Sixers aren’t right now, then no one will care. Instead of reeling people in, you will insult your most loyal followers and push them away. And those fringe fans will never truly sink their teeth into whatever shit is being tossed into the water. Don’t give me that goofy looking rubber minnow, just throw a slab of bunker on there and I’ll eat until my fish tits are sore.

While a tell us how to fix the team Tweet may be an extremely progressive way of running a basketball team, it kind of has a bit of a Mickey Mouse feel to it…especially since the playoffs begin next week. So much for going for the title, as insane as that concept might have been.  

Guess there’s always next year.