I’m not going to criticize the decision to bring Triple H into the Wells Fargo Center for his Game 1 bell ringing. It was awesome. We all clamored for it on social media, and coupled with Joel Embiid playing the role of Shawn Michaels to round out the DX pairing, it was by far the best part of Sunday’s flop.

You simply cannot have an amazing introduction with an active member of the roster who will be playing in the game and  then follow it up with such a colossal letdown of an effort. It was embarrassing and wasted an amazing effort from the 76ers front office to actually arrange for one of the preeminent professional wrestlers of all time to participate in the ceremony.

It was all for naught. And look, Triple H is amazing, he has a storied career, but the Sixers need to save face in Game 2 with a better showing in front of a wrestler who is better suited to ring the bell in South Philadelphia.

Here are four wrestlers who should be brought in to ring the bell prior to game 2.

The Sandman

This is a no brainer. Hell, you could probably go to Bob and Barbara’s on 15th and South an hour prior to the game and find him there. An ECW original and mainstay of the Philadelphia scene, Sandman has one of the GREATEST entrances in wrestling history. Just look at this:

It doesn’t get much better than that. Imagine him waltzing through a BUMPING Wells Fargo crowd, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blaring, him chugging beers as he walks through the aisles… pouring a beer into Embiid’s mouth. Bring in Joey Styles to scream out “OH MY GOD!” over and over and you’ve got a real winner. Sixers by a million.

Bonus points if he rings the bell with his Singapore cane.

Blue Meanie

Brian Heffron, AKA the Blue Meanie, another ECW original and one of the most unique gimmicks in wrestling, is a legitimate Philadelphia sports fan and would POP at the opportunity to ring the bell. Not having Da Blue Guy, the originator of the BWO and a prominent member of the J.O.B. Squad in WWE, ring the bell is a travesty. Have him ring the bell and bring out his good buddy Stevie Richards to show off their fabulous dance moves.

You know you’re over when you can get thousands of blood thirsty ECW fans to pop for The Village People’s “YMCA” and sing along as a guy with blue hair and a half shirt dances in the ring.

Mick Foley

Sure, he’s not from Philadelphia, but are you going to tell Cactus Jack he can’t ring the bell? I think not. Mick is probably more well known for his WWE days, but the hardcore legend did some of his best work with ECW in the mid-90s. Plus, he has so many options for actually ringing the bell. He’s got three personas (Mankind, Cactus Jack, Dude Love) with three SPECTACULARLY different bell ringing styles.

He could come out as Mankind and ring the bell with Mr. Socko or don his famous “Wanted Dead or Alive” Cactus Jack t-shirt and ring the bell with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. Dude Love could bring out his bevy of hippie dancers to ring the bell. So many possibilities.

Paul Heyman

The originator of ECW. Bring him out as his ECW persona with his leather duster and black baseball cap to cut a promo on the Hawks. Have him come out as the WWE Paul Heyman manager persona and have him declare Joel Embiid as a “Paul Heyman guy” and watch the Wells Fargo Center crowd POP like you’ve never seen them pop before. One of the greatest of all time with a mic in his hand, if the Sixers allowed him to cut a promo before the game you could mark the W down right now for Philadelphia.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is PAUL HEYMAN…..”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EyH-fU4h9g

Bring in any of these guys and the Sixers win by a million. Make it happen.