Our long nightmare is over!
Thoughts for the day
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sixers. 10, 9, 8, 76ers! Schedule the parade! The Philadelphia 76ers put together a trade on deadline to move disgruntled Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
With star Joel Embiid turning in an MVP season, and Simmons not with the team claiming mental health issues, the pressure was on to get some help. More often than not that ends in disappointment — particularly in Philly — either not getting value for a deal or not getting a deal done at all. This time, Daryl Morley, president of basketball operations for the Sixers, was able to get the deal done.
And the price wasn’t as steep as I feared — the Sixers get to keep their young, homegrown talent. The price was veterans Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. Not awful for the club (though a wee bit heartbreaking for me, I liked Curry) Curry, it should be noted, is Sixers coach Doc Rivers’s son-in-law. He’s now traded away both his son and son-in-law in his career. Must make for interesting conversation at the holidays.
Meanwhile, it seems Ben Simmons’s mental health issues have improved — he’s joining the Nets on their road trip this week. Imagine that? As pointed out on Twitter, Curry and Drummond get to play with Simmons next week and act like it’s all situation normal.
So, happy Friday! Today, everyone in Philly is walking around with a smile on their face.
Let’s put off the disappointment until things don’t gel, Embiid and/or Harden get hurt, or things fall apart in the playoffs.
The Six
No. 1
NBC Sports with Winners (with caveats), losers from Ben Simmons for James Harden trade.
No. 2
I’ve been letting this one simmer on the stove for a few days, but news that someone in former President Donald Trump’s administration took classified records (some top secret) with them to Mar-a-Lago when he left office, forcing the National Archives to go after them, is highly problematic. Mishandling of records is nothing new, in fact, it seems to be same-old-same-old when it comes to people in power. It’s ironic and hypocritical, however, when we consider Mr. Trump has criticized his opponents in the past for doing the very same thing, and that his rabid fanbase refuses to hold him accountable, or even acknowledge their own hypocrisy. It’s about principle. Both The Bulwark and National Review offer some food for thought.
No. 3
New York resident Wyverne Flatt and the village of Canajoharie are digging in for a fight over what Flatt claims is his emotional support animal — Ellie the potbellied pig. The village says Flatt is illegally harboring a farm animal in his home. A criminal trial may be in the cards.
No. 4
“We don't relish telling you this, but it's kind of a big dill,” says NPR. The Portland Pickles need your help finding their stolen mascot, Dillon T. Pickle.
No. 5
Dick Vermeil was elected to the pro football Hall of Fame by the senior committee. He coached UCLA to a Rose Bowl. In the NFL, he most recently coached the Kansas City Chiefs. He won a Super Bowl when the Rams were in St. Louis, leading “The Greatest Show on Turf.” But to me, he’ll forever be an honorary son of Philadelphia, coaching the Birds to their first Super Bowl in my formative years. He’ll be joined by, among others, Sam Mills, the New Jersey, Philadelphia Stars and NFL legend. Both honors are well deserved.
No. 6
I think there is some sort of big game Sunday? ESPN has your Super Bowl cheat sheet: Rams-Bengals predictions, in-depth previews, betting advice, stats to know, more.
Quote of the Day
"There's a disconnect in most people's minds that even though these animals were imported originally as pets, they were never intended to be food. There's still a lot of people who do that equation: Pig equals food." — Kathy Stevens, founder of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary for rescued farm animals and a supporter of village of Canajoharie resident Wyverne Flatt.
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About
Christopher Six is a passionate advocate of community journalism with more than 30 years in the media, corporate communications and marketing. An award-winning designer, columnist, illustrator, photographer and newsroom leader, he is a respected voice in journalism ethics. A veteran reporter, he has created and taught news writing seminars for community colleges and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
Editor’s Note
Pick Six is published most Mondays-Fridays. Sharing of stories does not equal endorsement, however, personal thoughts and commentary on those stories are 100 percent my own.