Are you 'Trusting the Process'?

As you hear the chant "Trust the Process" in arenas around the NBA when the Philadelphia 76ers are in town, many believe that phrase is solely attributed to the newly crowned Sixers' franchise player Joel Embiid. However, there is more to that chant than just the freshman sensation out of the University of Kansas, who many compare to Hakeem Olajuwon.   

Someone had to give birth to this freakishly athletic 7'2 big man. No, not his mother, but former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie.

Four years ago, many Philadelphians were stuck on how to feel about a Sixers team that was making the putrid Eastern Conference Playoffs as a number eight seed with a below .500 record - that shouldn't sound new, actually, because it still happens in today's NBA. 

You might remember names such as Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Lou Williams, none of which were franchise-altering players. It was time to blow this core up. 

Then arrived the extinguisher, to do just that. Hinkie warned the Philadelphia fan base ahead of time that they were entering a rebuilding mode and to "trust the process." But the question many fans pondered was for "how long?"

Hinkie exterminated the Sixers from competing in the NBA, to the point where their roster was basically a team full of D-leaguers. The only bright spots to take out of these three years of horrid losing records were higher draft picks and Hinkie's mastering of trading for assets. 

It looks like Hinkie's timetable was a four-year plan, and four years later, the Sixers have a team to be excited about.

With Hinkie gone, insert Jerry Colangelo, the mind behind the Toronto Raptors current nucleus of young talent. Colangelo's goal is to stop mapping out the design and start building. 

You can finally start to see flashes of Sixers' head coach Brett Brown's roots (San Antonio Spurs) in their style of play with actual talent at his hands. Sharing the basketball is a beautiful thing to watch.

And who could forget Ben Simmons! The 2016 number one pick is supposedly almost back to full strength and could see him on the court paired with Embiid as soon as this year.

Thanks to a very loyal and surprisingly patient Philadelphia fan base, they're "trusting the process." 

Sixers changing for the better; future looks bright

Courtesy of Philly.com

While their losing record may not have portrayed a successful 2014-2015 season, Sixers basketball has been very entertaining to watch.

In a season with an overhaul of roster changes, head coach Brett Brown certainly had one of the more difficult tasks in the NBA. Losing faces of the franchise like Michael Carter-Williams and KJ McDaniels during the trade deadline can hurt a rebuilding team, especially a team as young as the Sixers.

Yet whatever group he was dealt, the tough-minded coach still managed to keep his guys in sync and get the best out of them every single game. You can't overlook the amazing job Brown has done with a youthful core, mostly comprised of depth players.

There also has to be credit given to Sixers General Manager Sam Hinkie for his daring decisions and ability to take the heat in a well-mannered way. With MCW and McDaniels gone, Hinkie and the Sixers staff found replacements in Ish Smith, Isaiah Canaan, Thomas Robinson, all of whom have contributed greatly to the second half of their season.

Even blossoming power forward Nerlens Noel talked about Smith "being the best true point guard he has ever played with," possibly a slight crack towards his former AAU and pro teammate MCW.

Since the departure of Carter-Williams, Noel's game has drastically risen. Offensively, he looks much more confident. His footwork down low in the paint has been flawless and when his team needs him most, he has stepped up to take pressure shots in tight games.

Joel Embiid, the Sixers' first round pick from last year, hasn't played all year. The Cameroonian center has been rehabbing and despite any setbacks, looks to be ready for next season.

With Noel and him as the two bigs as well as a guaranteed top 3 spot in this year's draft, the Sixers could be a force to be reckoned with. Oh, and don't forget about the tons of salary cap money they have available to spend in free agency. Don't worry Sixers fans, the future looks bright; it's better than the Knicks!

Most Interesting Headlines of Super Bowl XLVIII

Super Bowl XLVIII media week has come and gone for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks-- and boy was it a cold one in New York City. Now, there's only one more day until the big game!

Several interesting storied headlines have emerged from the media for this matchup:

• It's the number one ranked offense (Broncos) versus the number one ranked defense (Seahawks).

• Broncos QB Peyton Manning vs. Seahawks CB Richard Sherman: Sherman unsurprisingly called out Manning for having a "duck arm." Manning responded, saying that his duck arm managed to throw a lot of touchdowns and yards this year. 

• Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch stayed consistent, keeping quiet with the media. Seems like he wants his play do the talking. The Broncos defense need to slow "the beast" down to really have a chance in this game. Lynch also quietly signed a sweet deal with Skittles, which have been a good luck snack for him during games.

• Russell Wilson possibly becoming the second African American quarterback to win a Super Bowl in NFL history -- former Redskins QB Doug Williams was the first. This one I didn't hear much about and I really don't know why.

• Duracell came out with a commercial featuring Seahawks FB Derrick Coleman, the first legally deaf offensive player in the NFL. Check out the inspiring commercial:  

• What is the true meaning of "Omaha" and all of the other random words Manning yells at the line of scrimmage? No one will ever understand, but hey, it' s working. 
• Jersey boys Broncos running back Knowshown Moreno, growing up in Middletown, and Broncos safety Mike Adams, a Paterson native, get to play in their home state. Adams may even walk home from MetLife stadium if his team wins on Sunday. 

• Manning looking to silence his critics once and for all about his brother, Giants QB Eli Manning, being "better" than him because of his two Super Bowl rings. With a win, Peyton will surely put that outrageous thought to rest. 
  

This year's Super Bowl should be a game for the ages. Rarely have number one seeds met up in the big game, especially these past few years. Bring on the cold weather, even though it's supposed to be in the high 40s.

MY PREDICTION: Broncos 28, Seahawks 21 

Do or Die in Big D

This year, Santa has a special gift for the city of Philadelphia: an Eagles versus Cowboys Sunday night showdown with playoff implications on the line. Yea, don't think it can get much better than that!

Coming off a dominating 54-11 mauling of the Bears last Sunday night, the Eagles were flawless in all three phases of the game. 

On offense, quarterback Nick Foles continued looking sharp in the pocket and even on the run, as he rolled out a few times, completing big passes to his receivers. One of those receivers was Riley Cooper, who has had a monster season and seems like he catches everything in his path. Running back LeSean "Shady" McCoy does everything--literally--from catching the ball out of the backfield, making his defenders look like cones and having a motor that never stops running. And, oh by the way,
Shady is the NFL's leading rusher with 1,476 yards and is just 37 yards away from breaking Wilbert Montgomery's single-season rushing mark of 1,512 in 1979.

Defensively, the Eagles bounced back after allowing an inexcusable 48 points against the Adrian Peterson-less Vikings. The defensive line manhandled the Bears' offensive line and was able to get after quarterback Jay Cutler. Linebackers Mychal Kendricks and Trent Cole led the way -- Cole with three sacks and Kendricks with two. A lot of credit has to go to the Eagles cornerbacks as well, as Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher bottled up and kept stud wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery in check. Cornerback Brandon Boykin even had a pick six of his own in the fourth quarter.

Never attempting to kick to kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson two weeks ago against the Vikings --instead kicking a short floater, giving Minnesota better field possession throughout the game--Chip Kelly and his staff decided to change things up against the Bears. They showed confidence in their special teams by kicking to Chicago's dangerous return man Devin Hester. The special teams forced a key fumble, which allowed the offense to score the second touchdown of the game and go up 14-0.    

Now, it's time for the Eagles to look ahead to week 16 against their hated rivals, the Cowboys. There have been reports that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will be out for the remainder of the season with a back injury, but the Eagles cannot overlook a team without its franchise player. You know what happened the last time they did that (cough, cough...Adrian Peterson). Dallas' anchor on defense, Sean Lee, is also expected to miss Sunday's game.

The Eagles have been lucky this year, with not having to play against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Lions running back Reggie Bush, Peterson and now, Tony Romo, who will most likely be watching from his hotel room:

However, a great team always has a combination of luck and skill on their side, and that's exactly what Philadelphia has going for them right now.

One Week Away: Eagles, Redskins

We are exactly one week away from the start of the Eagles' 2013 NFL season. What better way to kick off the season than being on Monday Night Football against your division rivals in the Washington Redskins?!

The nation is excited to witness "a little something" from both teams. 

For the Redskins, RGIII, who is coming off a torn ACL, is the big storyline, as he makes his much-anticpated debut. His speedy recovery has greatly impressed the football and medical world, helping him earn the superhuman title, a la Adrian Peterson from last year. His miraculous recovery process was well-documented in ESPN's, in conjunction with NFL Films and Gatorade Productions, "RGIII: The Will To Win." 

On the other side of the ball, the Eagles are a team that have cleared house, implementing a never before seen system in the NFL, a set of new players and most importantly, hiring a genius college coach. Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly has taken over the reigns in Philly. He has given the fans a huge dose of hope and is helping turn the page on the Andy Reid era, which contained many agonizing "I gotta do a better job" moments. Out with the slow repetitive monotone expressions and in with high-energy and enthusiasm. Now, Eagles fans will be seeing a lot more licking of the lips and a lot less clearing of the throat - you see what I did there in those last two sentences, comparing Reid and Kelly? Just making sure! 

Anyways, there are many questions going into this NFC East divisional matchup: How will RGIII perform without taking any snaps during the preseason? Will Chip Kelly's system work in the NFL? Has Michael Vick learned his lesson from last year and will he succeed in this fast-paced, supposedly high-scoring offense? Can the Eagles defense do just enough to pull out victories?

We shall see how everything unravels starting Sept. 9th. Hoping for Kelly to bring a champion-CHIP! 

Hinkie makes his mark

In the moments leading up to the 2013 NBA Draft, most Sixers fans weren't too enthused about the pool of talent in the college ranks or even the team itself after its disappointing 2012 season; players like supposed savior center Andrew Bynum gave "The City of Brotherly Love" hope, - something they hadn't had in a long time - believing they could compete with established teams like the Miami Heat or Oklahoma City Thunder. That all ended, well, from the start, when Bynum wasn't cleared to play half the season, then, ultimately, the entire season.  

However, newly appointed Sixers GM Sam Hinkie had other plans. The Former Houston Rockets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations raised eyebrows around the league as he traded the Sixers's sole all-star point guard Jrue Holiday and a second round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans - yes, that's their name - for Nerlens Noel and a future first rounder. Bold, bold move, Hinkie. Such a risk, but I like it!

Even the emotionless Holiday had to have dropped his jaw when he heard the news!

Typical Holiday face

Hearing he had been traded face

Don't get me wrong, I will miss Jrue, but the Sixers were going no where and needed to start from scratch.

The first step in the process was receiving a big man, and they did in Noel. The University of Kentucky product looks like quite the talent, yet follows a disturbing pattern among Philadelphia centers...knee injuries. He is coming off a torn ACL.

The youngster with the high top hair shows a lot of promise with his athletic and blocking abilities. His flaw is obviously his weight; it's a necessity, especially in today's NBA, that he puts on 10-15 pounds of muscle, which will prevent him from getting knocked around by other physical centers.   

And then there's the number eleven pick, Michael Carter-Williams. He's gotta be good, right? He has three names!

In all seriousness, I like the Carter-Williams

pickup. He has big shoes to fill in Holiday, however, his physical characteristics give him a favorable shot to succeed. The 6 foot 6 point guard out of Syracuse has good passing instincts and a solid basketball IQ. If he improves his shooting, I think he can develop into an all-star point guard.  

Hinkie has a plan, and that is to value youth and build through the draft. Then, once the players develop, you add more talent in next year's draft, and Philadelphia becomes an attractive destination for the 2014 free agents. In that class, players such as Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony become available...enough said! 

The Year of the Bundesliga

No longer are the Spaniards moguls of European club soccer, as was displayed recently in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Spanish clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid were not able to crack the German code in Bortussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Even the German media were able to predict a Spanish butt whooping in an ad they ran during the Champions League.

Madrid were defeated by Dortmund 4-3 in aggregate. In the first leg, Los Merengues were beaten

4-1; they were showed up by Dortmund's one-man show Robert Lewandowski, who netted all four goals. Lewandowski's stock sky-rocketed after his classic performance, stewing transfer rumors with teams including Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Despite a 2-0 victory against Dortmund in the second leg, Madrid just didn't have enough goals to advance themselves into the finals.

Not even Master Tactician Jose Mourinho, coach of Real Madrid, was able to pull a page from his precious book to help overcome a huge deficit - almost, but no cigar, Jose! His days in Madrid now become numbered as the rumor is that he will be moving on to coach his former team in Chelsea.

  
On the other side of the bracket, Barcelona had no such success against a strong, well-coached Bayern side; the Blaugranes were trounced 7-0 in aggregate. Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova and his defense looked puzzled during the first leg with an injured Lionel Messi ineffective in a 4-0 defeat. Vilanova was criticized after the game on whether he should've played Messi or not. Why not play the 2012 Ballon D'Or winner?!

So Vilanova silenced his critics by benching his star forward for the entire length of the second leg; yes, I did not stutter: "Lionel Messi DID NOT PLAY in a Champions League semi-final game." He sat and looked on helplessly from the bench, watching his teammates get out-sprinted by the blazing speed of Franck Ribery and out-hopped by the German sensation Thomas Müller. The Bavarians kept the pressure on as they defeated Barca, 3-0.     

Now, both victors will move on to Wembley Stadium in London, where the UEFA Champions League final will take place. It's an all-German final and what a showdown it should turn out to be. All Hail the Bundesliga!