Sixers Give Mo Cheeks a Contract Extension

Great move. Im glad to hear this, Cheeks is a good players coach. I was a few hours early to a game when he first came back, I was standing out front of the Wachovia Center when a car pulled up and Mo got out, I stopped him and told him it was great to have him back and we shared a few words. Right then I realized his personality and that the team was in good hands. I personally tend to listen to people better when they listen to you and arent the “my way or the highway” type, thats the type of coach he is.

ES has done a superb job, I think everyone realizes that. This is just another solid move that shows the fans he wants to keep the team moving forward and focused on basketball not the business.

Ed probably should have waited a bit, maybe during the season, but Mo the kind of person he is deserves it.  When you look at his career as a player and as a coach, he has been great and great with players.  His coaching experiences in Portland and Philadelphia were and are very interesting.  With the Blazers, he had a load of talented players (Pippen, Rasheed, Stoudamire, Sabonis, Bonzi, Patterson, Dale Davis, Derek Anderson, and up and coming Zach Randolph in the day).  Loads of talent, 49 and 50 win teams in his first two years, but they had some “technical” difficulties and early first round exits: the “Jailblazer” label for his players and somehow a guy like Cheeks had to be involved in such a mess of personalities.  Bright spot, though was the National Anthem assist for Natalie Gilbert in the 2003 Playoffs  Game 3 before tip off.  Then after the 02-03 season, the Blazers organization decided to remove the “cancers” and unfortunately Mo was bumped by management.  I am glad that Mo got a second chance with us in the summer of 05.  Mo just seemed to fit well with the organization, since his playing days and his days as an assistant coach for Johnny “One Year” Davis and Larry Brown.  Unlike his Portland experience, his team lacked the talent and the depth and people kept rallying for a “Fire Cheeks” campaign.  The end of 05-06 was terrible, especially at the end of the season and with AI and C-Webb being “no- shows” at Fan Appreciation Night.  Reporters kept asking Cheeks questions about the “no-shows” as opposed to the win against the Nets.  Then since December 19, 2006, Cheeks had better players to work with once Iverson was traded and C-Webb was released.  They had a competitive roster which was close to getting a playoff spot, but fell short to some more consistent teams.  Last season, was amazing in terms of us making the playoffs despite the kind of roster we had and that second half turnaround. Thank Ed for helping Mo out!!!  Now, here we are, and Mo will now have the best of both his Portland and Philadelphia experiences:  A Deep Team With Character!!!  Congrats and Good luck  MO!!!        

Now he has a shot to coach a talented well rounded team with good attitudes. Way to go Mo! I hope it works out for him. It’s easy to nitpick moves during a 48 minute game and long season. Obviously, players with character want to play for him and that is more than half the challenge. Go Sixers! Suede and I will be rooting for them in the building come opening night .   

Morty, agree with you that onemore year is enough, lets see how he handles juggling the minutes this year. The next step [going deep in the playoffs] is a lot tougher; though I wish him well.

I’m happy for Mo.  He belongs here in Philly.  On the personal side, anything I have ever read, seen, or heard about him only makes me like him more.  By all appearances he has a good relationship with the players and he relates well with them.  Jim Lynam has said a few times that Mo has a bit of the preacher in him and it seems as though he is able to connect with the players.  He believes in them.  He certainly held them together during some rough early and mid-season stretches.  The X’s and O’s, I don’t know.  Like I’ve said before, now that ES has stocked the cupboard there are no more excuses for not winning.  It’s on Mo to put it all together.  If he does not, there is no place for him to hide now.  The bottom line for me is if ES thinks this is the way to go, I won’t argue.  He obviously sees something there that he likes and I will defer to his judgement.

suede: agreed about well wishes for Mo, of course. Mo seems like a real good guy, and Doc Rivers proved that you don’t need Phil Jackson or Larry Brown to win a championship, so who knows?

One more year with more to come hopefully; This will be the MOST talented and LEAST knuckleheaded group of players Mo has ever coached and winning should help the guys who!s minutes get cut a bit, hopefully.

I understand but still wonder about the flood of optimism, based on personnel influx, in a year where Moses Malone is again exchanged for Jeff Ruland.  Mo, Mo, Mo!  Will Cheeks be coaching Knicks or Spurs in a few years?

Rob, I hear what you’re saying regarding flipping the national image switch but it’s a long way to Tipperary from here.    “Rocky” has smelly armpits.  Dr. J is a corporation unto himself; I never bought him as a Philly guy, though the ball-palmed acrobatics and flights to the hoop were fun to watch.  Sixers do seem to have an intrinsic positive vibe at present, but I hear Derrick Coleman and Chris Webber have applied for Henry Bibby’s vacant coaching spot and that their resumes are presently under review.  All kidding aside, season should be fun for optimists and pessimists alike. 

National media regard:  father, NY; mother, LA; achieving son, Boston; workmanlike son, Chicago; ugly stepsister, Phila.  Just the way it is.         

Interesting article in the Daily News about Andre Miller. Sounds like he really wants to stay with us.  He also had a few nice things to say about Cheeks.  Check it out.

I do agree with Andre Miller and the intersesting comparisons to some of those old legendary point guards.  Those guys were old yes, but they were well conditioned to still make a big impact.  Andre Miller is a well conditioned athlete, an Iron Man.  Rarely does he miss a game.  Also, before the achilles injury to Brand, even his conditioning was great, similar to that of a Karl Malone.  It would be cool if the Sixers do establish a Stockton-Malone kind of pick & roll.  Of course, we will further examine the Stockton-Malone style of play when we talk about the Utah Jazz!  Looking forward to that!!  Durability and conditioning are very important and it develops consistency for a team!!