There were many years there where I thought that Sixers GM Billy King was the best manager of the four Philly sports. Andy Ried was continually missing the boat with first round draft picks (how’s Freddie Mitchell doing for ya); Bobby Clarke was still wearing the black eye of his vendetta with Eric Lindros and family; and Ed Wade was reaching new levels of ineptitude with his management of the “small-market” Phillies. Yes, at least one mover and shaker was making things happen, thank goodness for Billy King.

But time distorts, and forces us to look under some rocks that we hadn’t overturned before. Billy King was signing big name players because he was signing big dollar checks. He continuously overspent on mediocre talent which subsequently killed their trade potential as well as the team’s agility. Unable to move the dead weight, the team was forced to accept substandard expectations, and all the while Allen Iverson was not getting any younger or healthier.

I am going to miss having Iverson in Philly. He has been the icon of the Sixers for my entire adult life. I do not begrudge him moving on, he’s seeing the end of his career on the horizon and would like to see another shot at glory before he leaves the game. The Sixers are not only nowhere near giving him that ring, they are not even close to formulating a team that has playoff potential in the gawd-awful Eastern division.