We don't talk about the 76ers much around these parts, but ever since Ed Stefanski was named as the team's new general manager, I've begun to follow the team with a little bit more of a curious eye than before.
For years it was the same thing over and over again... a forgettable supporting cast for the gifted yet troubled yet hustling -- but not in practice! -- Allen Iverson, resulting in a .450-ish record. Following the team made as much sense as Charlie Brown thinking Lucy wasn't going to swipe the football away. No, seriously, this year will be different. Not.
But with Stefanski on the scene, a fresh start seems possible. He's a Philly-sports fan having grown up in Drexel Hill, a basketball junkie who seems to think it's possible to believe in the power of scouting and the power of statistics. A breath of fresh air.
One of the ways we get this impression is through the interviews Stefanski has done. He seems to truly enjoy what he does and loves to talk about it. The latest of these is an interview with a blogger, Depressed Fan. And it was Stefanski who approached the blogger.
After reading the interview, you get the impression that Stefanski has an actual, real-life plan to improve the Sixers. In an era in the NBA when everyone is pressing up against the salary-cap, it appears as if Stefanski has managed to place the team in a position to have quite a bit of financial flexibility to rebuild, something his predecessor was never able to accomplish.
Call me an impressed fan.
