Le Basketbawl

If Your Old Pal New York Vinnie was in charge of picking out a “Theme Song” for all of Pro Sports there is only one tune that I would choose. New York Vinnie would use the old Janet Jackson song “What have You Done For Me Lately” because nothing could be more Frickin ideal to describe the mind-set of Pro Sports fans. Today Yankees skipper Joe Girardi could walk into any restaurant in all of New York City and get himself anything on the menu for free. That is what happens when you win the World Series; however if he goes the next five years without making the MLB Playoffs fans will be screaming for his scalp.

Past glories are great; once you have retired. Just look at John Elway who will be able to ride his tales of athletic achievement until the day he passes away. However if you are an active player sports fans tend to have pretty short memories. You could be an All-Star for five straight seasons but if you have two bad years in a row the whispers will start that your career is over. In order to maintain popularity you have to maintain good numbers. Once the stats go down your popularity will begin to plummet.

There were lots of expectations heaped on Elton Brand last year when he signed a five year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers last summer for a reported sum of $80 million. The former Los Angeles Clippers power forward was expected to make  Philadelphia an elite team in the Eastern Conference putting them right up there with Orlando, Cleveland and Boston.

Well as you are probably aware that never happened for Brand and the Sixers; just when he started to get a feel for the team’s offense the big man was injured. He had a surgical procedure on his shoulder ending his season early and not long after that the Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks was terminated. The team did make the Playoffs and played the Orlando Magic tough in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs but were eliminated.

Brand spent the summer rehabbing and said he was in great shape when he got to training camp. However the team now had a new head coach former Wizards bench boss Eddie Jordan and a suddenly improved player in Marreese Speights. Speights because of his offense (20 points and 8 rebounds in the loss the the Phoenix Suns Monday night) has started to get more minutes than Brand. Speights played the final 16:27 of the game on Monday while Brand was tied to the bench.

Needless to say Brand is extremely disappointed in this turn of events. Brand told “The Intelligencer” “This is very difficult. I just root the team on. Hopefully, if I get a chance, I’ll be there to box out, rebound and do what we have to do. The guys are playing well, so the decision’s made. … You kind of get to expect it a little bit.”

Brand is still the starter at least at this point in Philadelphia because of Speights defensive shortcomings. However Coach Jordan told reporters that Speights is staring to improve on the defensive end of the ball. That could mean a new starter in lieu of Brand. You are not going to be paying a bench player $16 million per season. So is Brand’s time with the Sixers starting to come to an end?

Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy felt personally betrayed last Summer when Brand signed with Philadelphia instead of re-signing with Los Angeles. However would the Clippers want Brand after drafting Blake Griffin with the number one pick in this past NBA Draft? It would have to be a creative deal with most likely center Chris Kaman and at least 2-3 other players from L.A. Could “MY BOYS” be involved as the New York Knicks have Larry Hughes whose contract worth $13 million this season expires at the end of the season making him a valuable bargaining chip?

New York Vinnie does believe that the days are numbered for Brand with the Sixers. Elton might end up with his “Philadelphia Freedom” a lot sooner than he ever thought possible in the Summer of 2008.