Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Chris Webber--Model Teammate

Hard to believe Chris Webber's gotten a reputation for being a locker room cancer.

Well, Sixer fans, there's no real positive way to spin this one. Webber's averaging about 4 minutes a game less in Philly than he played in Sacramento--apparently that's too much to sit for C-Webb. Since Webber arrived, the team is 3-3. Clearly, the positive impact I and almost everyone else expected hasn't happened for Philly. Chris Webber is a nice guy to the media--very easy to deal with--and that's why he gets away with so much; the guy lied to a grand jury, the guy's been death to the Kings locker room since Vlade left and no one's really called him on it. Now, it's starting in Philadelphia. I'll be shocked if the Sixers get it together this year.

Meanwhile, the Kings are 3-4 without Webber--sliding slowly down the ultra-competitive Western Conference playoff standings; they're dealing with a lot of injuries, yes, but the Kings are a headless snake right now. The locker room had gotten to the point where either Peja Stojakovic or Webber had to go--it was that bad. But is Peja a leader? The guy tightens up so much at the end of games it's embarrassing. Remember Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals a few years back against the Lakers? Peja taking the game-winning shot? Missed by at last 3 feet. The fact is--Mike Bibby will have to lead that team. And I don't think he can.

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