That’s right everybody, Show Ya Luv! Many 76ers fans have probably become very familiar with this saying by now, but if not here’s a long story short. This phrase started as an inside joke on the team around the end of last season. Marreese Speights brought it to Twitter (many of you have probably seen the trending topic #showyaluv), and now it has become a saying fans everywhere embrace to support our team.

I decided I need to get on here and show my love for the 76ers and their huge win Thursday night against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls, before they take on the Miami Heat tonight. I’m struggling to even find words because it was just so incredible. For those of us who have been committed fans through the ups and the downs of this team, THIS is what we have been waiting for. Many thought we would struggle while trying to rebuild, but I think we’ve got it. I think Doug Collins has nailed the perfect lineup.

There is criticism because we don’t have a huge star. We don’t have someone who is going to go out there and drop 30 points every night or just dominate. Well newsflash we tried that, his name was Allen Iverson, and where did it get us? Oh, nowhere? Yeah, I’m not too concerned. What the Sixers have is not something you see too often these days. The Sixers work as a team and all support each other. It’s more exciting to sit down and watch and wonder “Ok, who is going to have the big game tonight?” We don’t have to panic when our “superstars” are struggling to make plays, because we have plenty of guys that will step up and pick up the slack. We have a roster full of guys who are going to step out on that court and play hard from buzzer to buzzer. Plus last I checked basketball was a team sport anyways, and wins are wins no matter how you get them.

Being a Philadelphia fan, we are numb to the haters, but right now I can’t ignore it. Many want to say we won on a technicality because Luol Deng was injured. Well, first off the Bulls have been doing just fine without him. Second, we were once again without Spencer Hawes, so I look at it as an eye for an eye. It was a fair win and it showed that we are indeed contenders in the Eastern Conference whether people want to admit it or not. The Sixers are 16-6, leading the Atlantic division with Boston 4.5 games back in second and as you can see in the Eastern Conference, Miami and Philadelphia are both just 1.5 games behind Chicago. Chicago and Miami fans can choose to ignore us, but don’t let them fool you. They feel us breathing down their necks at the top of the standings. They feel the pressure because it would just be to their detriment not to. But enough about that and back to Thursday night’s game.

The absence of Spencer Hawes is quite frustrating to Philadelphia fans. He just can’t seem to get healthy and stay healthy, but what is being a Philadelphia fan without a little bit of bad luck on our side, right? This is an instance though, where we have a perfect example of a struggle where guys have stepped up and picked up the slack. With Spencer Hawes injured, the 6’9” rookie out of Temple, Lavoy Allen, has taken the opportunity to make his presence known on the court. He may only be getting a few minutes here and there, but I like what I see. I believe Doug Collins has the ability to use Allen’s talent and develop him into a major factor for the Sixers in the future. Lavoy Allen is definitely a player you might want to keep an eye on.

If I have any consistent readers out there, you guys are probably wondering if I’m going to address what I had previously stated about Andre Iguodala and that answer is yes. I will admit Iggy did in fact make me eat my words. Now I don’t like to be wrong but in this instance I’m glad I am. Iguodala had a break out 3^rd quarter Thursday night, consisting of forced turnovers, dunks, and the majority of his points for the night. Iguodala went 2-3 with his three-point shots and finished the night with 19 points 9 rebounds and 4 assists. He has really begun to shine this season.

Finally, I am happy to see that the attendance at the Wells Fargo Center has been consistently growing along with the support for the team. They are currently on a 4 game win streak that hopefully continues tonight as they host King James, D Wade, and the Miami Heat. The Sixers are currently 1^st in the league in points allowed and I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I’d like to see that number drop tremendously. The Sixers definitely have a tough upcoming schedule in February facing the Magic, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Rockets and Thunder and how they handle it will most likely determine whether this shining moment of theirs is a fluke like many try to insist or a sign that Philadelphia fans’ prayers have been answered.

-The Next Big Thing

“You know…Sometimes it’s Spence. Sometimes it’s ‘Dre. sometimes it’s Thad. All the time it’s us.” -Elton Brand on the 76ers

Hey there! I know I was M.I.A. for a little while but I’m back and I’ll try to be more consistent from here on out for any of my readers who are still out there. I’ve missed a lot and I’ll try not to rehash too much. Many of you are most likely still recovering from the disappointing end of the Eagles’ season and others of you are probably bummed out over the Flyers’ loss to the Rangers in the Winter Classic at Citizens’ Bank Park despite their decent season so far, but right now I want to discuss the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers have one of the smaller fan bases compared to other sports in Philadelphia, but I have a feeling that could change in the upcoming years or even as soon as this year. Why’s that? Because Philadelphia loves winners. As accustomed to disappointment and losing as Philly fans are, the Sixers had been an extreme low in the past. They had their struggles, like every team does, then came along what I believe to be one of the best things to ever happen to the Sixers: Coach Doug Collins. Man, did he turn that team around!

Many teams usually struggle coming back off a lockout. We saw that a lot this year with the NFL. Doug Collins and the Sixers were not about to let that happen. Everyone can see they came to play and they came to win. The Sixers are off to a 7-3 start with a tough loss to the Knicks last night, snapping their 6 game win streak, but we’ll get into that in a minute. The Sixers had five 20-point wins in their first 9 games this season. The last team to have five 20point wins in their first 9 games was the 1969-70 NBA champion Knicks. Now I’m not saying this to get anyone’s hopes up or saying that this means they’ll win it all. No. I’m simply stating the facts. Do I think they’ll win an NBA Championship title this year? No. But I do think they are on their way.

The Sixers have come back with an entirely new attitude. They bring it 100% until that final buzzer. They put their heart into it just like us Philly fans love to see in our teams. The 76ers are 3rd in the NBA in Field Goal Percentage, 4th in the NBA in Rebounds Per Game, 6th in the NBA in Points Per Game, and 7th in the NBA in Steals Per Game. This is a huge improvement for them. I know it’s early and I may be a little too excited, but what kind of Philadelphia sports fan would I be if I didn’t keep the ‘Phaith’?

As if I wasn’t excited enough already, last night’s game against the New York Knicks continued to slowly get my hopes up. I know, I know they lost, but let’s take a look at this. Last night was the 76ers third game in a row. They were tired. Many might say that is not an excuse but those are the people who have most likely never played a real competetive game of basketball in their lives. Basketball is tiring. It’s physical, fast-paced, and requires a lot of endurance. Playing at the level that they do, and playing three games in a row, I think it’s fair enough to use as an excuse as a contributing factor to last night’s loss.

Next, the absence of Spencer Hawes. Hawes has been off to an incredible start. He is 2nd in the NBA in Field Goal Percentage. He also leads the Sixers in rebounds and blocks. He was out last night with a back strain and his absence from last night’s game definitely took a toll on the team. Tony Battie started in place of Hawes. He started off a little shakey and he didn’t seem very confident. Spencer Hawes would have been a great help to the team last night at Madison Square Garden. However, Hawes is not the only player who seems to be evolving into a great star for the Sixers.

Jrue Holliday has taken the role of starting point guard and ran with it. He leads the Sixers in Assists and Steals and is a very close second to Lou Williams for Points Per Game (Holliday is in second by only 0.4!). Not to mention, the “Night Shift” as the Sixers’ bench is being called. It is very important that a team can have players come off the bench and contribute just as much as the starters do like the Sixers’ bench does. The Night Shift has been a very important part of the Sixers’ success so far. Although there is one player I have been pretty disappointed in recently and that is Andre Iguodala.

No disrespect to Iguodala, he is a great player, but I feel like he never fully blossomed into his full potential. Maybe he will be affected by his surroundings though. Maybe the attitude and success of his teammates along with help from Doug Collins will help him to succeed this season. I will say I enjoyed the tension between Iguodala and Carmelo Anthony last night. It’s always good to see guys get heated up now and then. It is unfortunate though that they did in fact lose, but I believe when the two teams meet again in March the outcome may be completely different. Former Eagle, Ike Reese, states it best in his tweet from the end of last night’s game. He said, “No Thad and Lou tonight, plus no Hawes! 3rd gm in a row, dont be discouraged. In fact, be ENCOURAGED with the way they play, HARD #showyaluv”.

All in all I have nothing but High Hopes (RIP Harry Kalas) for the 76ers this season. It may be early, but I think people need to get behind them and show support. The Wells Fargo Center is too empty during those games. Hurry! Get your seats now before the bandwagon rolls into town in a few months and I can promise you it will be full!

-The Next Big Thing

Unless you have been living under a rock, you are well aware of the recent Penn State University scandal. As many would agree, the situation is just absolutely horrible. In my opinion, Jerry Sandusky is scum, a digusting excuse for a human being, a monster. Jerry Sandusky: a name that has somewhat slipped through the cracks in the last few weeks. And why is that? He is the criminal. He is the monster. So why is it that every headline this week has been about Joe Paterno?

There were many people involved in this scandal that are in the wrong. I am not saying Joe Paterno was wrong or right. He should have gone to the police, but being on the outside, we don’t know every fact from fiction. It is currently a lot of he-said-she-said and everyone has a different story and perspective. What I do know is that the punishment for Joe Pa has been taken too far. When the Big Ten took his name off the trophy, I drew the line. I flipped my lid. I was and still am infuriated. Other people involved got to go on “leave”, retire, or whatever, yet Paterno, even after he announced he would step down, was fired immediately and not even allowed to finish the season with his team.

Paterno made that school what it is. Penn State football is everything that he is. His heart and soul have gone into that school and that team and this is how they repay him. They have not just tainted, but have completely destroyed his incredible 46 year career there. He dedicated his life to that school. I hope they’re happy, because everyone who was after Joe Pa, everyone who wanted him out, you got him. I’ll never understand this world and how people can just rip people down without even a second thought.

In the court reports, it says that one victim’s mother contacted University Police and that an investigation was done on Sandusky. Then, the investigation was ordered to be closed and no criminal charges were pressed. The fact that the police did know, makes me absolutely doubt that the Board of Trustees up there were 100% clueless as to what was being rumored to have been taking place.

Once again this is all just in my personal opinion, but they have gone too far taking the winningest coach, Joe Paterno’s name off the Big Ten Trophy. Jerry Sandusky is the real criminal here and should be getting the brunt of the punishment, not Joe Pa. What’s next? I don’t even know if there is anything left for them to take from Paterno.

Grand Jury Report(not for the weak of heart)  http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2011/1107/espn_e_Sandusky-Grand-Jury-Presentment.pdf

-The Next Big Thing

This past Sunday, our beloved Eagles took on the Arizona Cardinals. Many had said if we could defeat the Cards and the Giants lost we might still have a chance. If only it were that simple. But let’s face it, as Philadelphia fans, we know it can never be that simple. Going into the week the match up didn’t seem too tough. The Cardinals were without Kevin Kolb and were starting their second stringer. Even Sunday, after it was announced Desean Jackson would be inactive for the game after missing a team meeting, there was still hope because, well he hasn’t really done too much in the last few weeks anyways. Unfortunately, it ended in yet another blown 4th quarter lead. The Eagles receivers seemed to have a case of stone hands Sunday afternoon. Even if Michael Vick put it directly in their hands they just couldn’t seem to hold on to it. For example, the beautiful pass Vick was able to get off and place right in the hands of Steve Smith as Vick was being tackled and knocked out of bounds (don’t even get me started on Vick’s lack of protection), and Smith let it slip right through his fingers. The receivers also struggled with getting open, leaving Vick with no other option than to run. When he is forced to repeatedly run he is bound to get hurt (broke a few ribs in yesteray’s game). He probably takes the most and some of the hardest hits than any other QB in the league, but that’s just in my opinion. Then there is the issue of the Eagles’ defense. Where to begin?

We’ll start with the root of the problem: Andy Reid. Ah, Andy Reid, the genius that he is hired Juan Castillo, an offensive line coach, as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. Brilliant. The Eagles paid big bucks this off season to snag one of the best man to man players there is, Nnamdi Asomugha, to shut down some of our toughest opponents. (Asomugha even took less money to be here than he could have gotten with other teams.) Well, apparently that means nothing to Castillo. He decided to take one of the best man to man players and force him to play zone defense. Asomugha should have been on Larry Fitzgerald, following his every move. But I guess Juan Castillo didn’t think so. Almost every single catch Fitzgerald made was when Asomugha was not covering him. On the other hand, Asante Samuel allowed Fitzgerald to have a heck of a game. Samuel is lazy. He is only concerned with getting interceptions and tries to cheat to the ball, and when that fails (and it fails a good bit) he struggles at taking guys down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he’s a bad player, I’m saying he doesn’t play to his full potential. I’ll end with the defensive line. If I were the Cardinals I would have run right up the middle over and over again. The Eagles’ seem to struggle when it comes to stopping an opponent’s run game. We allow too much pentration for my liking and they desperately need to work on that.

There is so much more I could complain about and criticize from yesterday’s game or any game this season for that matter, but I’ll leave it at that for now. Just like every other Philadelphia fan out there, our hearts are slowly breaking as the season trudges on, a familiar feeling to us all, but we’ll keep the faith til the end, and when it’s over, it’s on to thinking about the next season. It’s what we do. No matter how disappointing, no matter what Philly sports team, at the end of the day we’ll always maintain that small little glimmer of hope.

-The Next Big Thing

Well ladies and gentlemen, here it is. Due to my great interest in becoming a sports reporter for ESPN one day, it has been suggested to me quite a few times that I create a blog. After much thought and consideration, I figured it couldn’t hurt to try, right? This will start off as experimental, and who knows, maybe it’ll go great and I’ll continue…orrr maybe I’ll crash and burn, but we’re about to find out. Keep in mind, I have no knowledge of blogging whatsoever and I am new to this.

What I have come to like so far about blogging is the fact that I am completely in control. Since I’m in control, here’s how it’s going to work. This blog will be dedicated entirely to sports. That I can promise you. It will most likely focus on Philadelphia sports: Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), Sixers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), Union (MLS), and even Villanova (NCAA). Sorry to all of you out there who are not Philadelphia fans, I know there are a lot of haters, but stick with me. You never know, maybe the City of Brotherly Love will grow on you. On the other hand, maybe it won’t but always looking for good feedback and I’d never turn down a good arguement and a chance to defend my teams. Next, I may stray sometimes to whatever I feel I’d like to address that is currently taking place in the world of sports. It could be anything from scandal, like the news of University of Miami, to something as small as what is going on with different players in regards to Fantasy Football.

There is sort of a catch though. Since I am in control, I am not going to give you any information about myself. My profile will stay blank. I don’t want you to judge me by anything other than what I lay out for you in my writing. You will most definitely get my opinions on everything, that’s for sure, but other than that it can be left up to your imagination (at least for now while it’s experimental). I won’t even give you my name. All my posts will just be signed “The Next Big Thing”, which is what I hope to be in the sports reporting world someday.

So this is The Next Big Thing and I’m outta here (for now).