Brett Brown Key To Sixer Success

Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown rubs his head in reaction to a turnover against the Miami Heat during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat won 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

“Water Torture”

The Philadelphia 76ers have had one of the most futile two year periods for any professional sports franchise from the city of Philadelphia. In fact, the team began Brown’s second season with a 16 game losing streak. That streak smashed previous records, but not in a good way. Brett Brown gets the struggles of a team built on the promise of tomorrow at the expense of today. Brett Brown was asked what it is like to coach a team that surpasses such a record set in 1972-73. He responded in a surprisingly optimistic manner.

"“It isn’t hard. I asked my guys ‘Tell me the team that had the longest losing streak to start the season.’ One of them knew. I said, ‘Tell me the names of three players on the team.’ Nobody knew. I said, ‘Who was the general manager?’ Nobody answered. I said, ‘Tell me who the owners were.’ Nobody knew. I asked who the coach was, and they all knew.”"

That optimism comes with a price. The price is that the head coach must believe that tomorrow will be better. Brown can weather a storm temporarily, but he is far too professional and classy to say the reality. But I’m not, at least not on this topic. The cavalry had better arrive this season. Progress had better begin to show up in the win column.  The Sports Medicine, the Analytics, the Top Talent, and the promise of a better tomorrow had best begin to congeal now, before it’s too late.

This man Brett Brown is a patient man, more patient than many who be ranked inferior in basketball wisdom, and coaching ability.   Brett Brown is in deep in this organization, sitting upon the helm of the ship now in the very eye of the storm.   Going into the storm willingly was bad enough.  But now that the team has been battered in the two years of losses, faltering at the ticket office, and now the team must find a way back through the buffeting and painful process to find success again?

The “bostralian accent” speaking Brett Brown signed the Philadelphia 76ers was brought in on a four year deal with eyes wide open, realizing the team was a likely four-year project. (we have since learned the team is on a seven year plan). He discusses the team here:

He didn’t hesitate to take on the huge challenges of a team with a roster build that remained out of sight. Nerlens Noel was drafted with a hope to return to the basketball court following a sucessful rehab of his knee. Then he was asked to repeat that process for a foot injured Joel Embiid. He’s been asked to await the return from Europe of another top prospect Dario Saric. And he continues to do so. But the pain of losing, the pain of watching the stadium seats empty before the game concludes, knowing that tomorrow’s crowd will likely be fewer spectators, cuts this pround man deeply.

"“The good news is it’s the NBA, you get another game tomorrow. The bad news is it doesn’t go away. It’s like water dripping on your forehead, and there’s no place to hide. And so as a group, we have to figure out a way to compete. The thing I feel bad about is that to see what they do every single day. They don’t cheat. They don’t take off days, they work their tails off. The whole process is solid. but to come out here and play a game like that (against the Dallas Mavericks). They are the leagues oldest most experienced team and we are the league’s youngest least experienced. And it shows. “"

Next: Final Countdown