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The Sixer Sense
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Sixers Need New Pappy Jack To Outplay Pierre Jackson

By Bret Stuter

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Nov 16, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Jackson State Tigers center Pierre Crawford (34) shoots over South Florida Bulls center Jaleel Cousins (15) during the first half at USF Sun Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Sixers Need New Pappy Jack To Outplay Pierre Jackson

The man just recovered from a devastating Achilles heel injury. The man finally JUST signed his NBA contract with the Philadelphia 76ers for four years. The man JUST finished summer league. Somehow, the bar just got raised on him?

Yes.

There is no other way.

Sixer general manager Sam Hinkie can only bring talent to the team. Raw talent. He can defer, delay, decry, dollarize, deport that talent, but his is purely the grocery shopper.

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Sixer head coach Brett Brown can only grow that talent to the NBA caliber. He can coach, coddle, communicate, kick, concatenate, or even candidly bench the players. But his is the chef role. He can prepare the players.

So what happens to this tossed salad of a roster? What brings it all together? What makes this group of talented individuals into a true NBA team?

The leader.

"A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of themselves and their contribution to praise the skills of the others – Norman Shidle"

And so this team needs a spokesperson. A player on the court who doesn’t let adversity rattle him, nor success influence him into overconfidence. A player whose focus is so definitively on the moment, the play, the game, that nothing else will influence that outcome beyond the the floor.  A floor general.  A mentor.  A motivator.  A friend to all.  A tactician.  A rule follower and enforcer. This team needs Pappy Jack.

Now this is not the hot handed scoring threat of Pierre Jackson who set a scoring record in the D-league by putting in 58 points.  Well, a little of that.
This is not the Pierre Jackson who had to struggle through the pain of recovering each day by listening to the voice inside of him telling him that he can do it.  Well, a little of that, too.
This is not the Pierre Jackson who turns disbelief and discounting his talent into a gauntlet of motivation, focussing all his energies into the quality to disprove the disbelievers.  Well, yes, a little of that too.

Pappy Jack was born to be a Sixer. Pappy Jack connects to the fans of this team. Pappy Jack “gets it”.

In fact, the 76ers need everything Pierre Jackson has ever been, to be right now.  The scorer, the focus, the motivator – but not just for Pierre Jackson – but for the entire team.  Pappy Jack needs to be so much inside, that he can share with his teammates outside.  Pappy Jack is motivated by those who slept on his success.  #TheySleep became his mantra.   Now he needs to convert that mantra into a group chant.   The team of talented individuals must somehow unite their skills, form their chorus, and deliver a cohesive play on the basketball court. To do so, they need a strong leader.  Someone who has faced adversity, and tasted success.   Someone whose belief in himself and his teammates is so bright, so burning, so full of confidence that there is no room for doubt, even when the world stares in disbelief. Its tough to be at the top, in charge of the fate of a city. But you are not alone Pappy Jack. I have been a fan of Philadelphia professional sports for over 50 years. The city is careful who it opens up to, but it is definitely rooting for you. Apparently, you notice.

And there he is.  An NBA player, a professional athlete,  a skilled man, and maybe a little bit more, a young man who is wiser beyond his years.  He is more comfortable giving credit to Philadelphia fans than taking the credit for himself.  Yes, you are that leader.  Suit up Pappy Jack.  The Philadelphia 76ers need you.

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