Break Up The Sixers!

How about that, eh? Last night, the 76ers won their third straight since losing Elton Brand for the year, this time over the Suns. The boys from Phoenix were on the second half of a back-to-back, but any time you hold Steve Nash to two points and run a team out of the gym it’s a good performance.

Even better, it was the young guys who stepped up last night: Marreese Speights (the most efficient rookie in the game) had a career-high 24 points and 7 boards, while Thaddeus Young maybe atoned for this possible mistake by dropping 25, also a career high.

The 76ers are only 26-24, but they are more than a game over .500 for the first time all season and are only three games out of hosting a first-round playoff series. (Hollinger puts their playoff odds at 91 percent.) How ’bout that, eh, indeed!

The 76ers are still hyping their Spectrum farewell party on March 13; today they sent out an .mp3 of Dave Zinkoff introducing the 76ers back at the old arena. You can listen or download below.

Zinkoff introduction

While we’re at it, here’s the Inquirer’s recap of last year’s game if you’re not into the current sports stories (McNabb and the Eagles, somehow, and the Phillies packing up chewing gum to send to Scientology World HQ) on the landscape and want some actual sports to read about.

Oh, and also at The Spectrum this weekend? MONSTER JAM!!!

Spectrum To Be Razed; No More Circus!

Thanks to Philly.com for inexplicably running a photo of an elephant on the front page along with the Spectrum story. This actually reminded me of the best part of the old arena being knocked down: No more circus! Philadelphia just got better already.

The Delco Times had this, too, late last month.

It’s official: ‘Final year of the Spectrum’ [Inquirer]

Goodbye To The Spectrum?

Above, a possible rendering for the new Philly Live! complex that could replace the Spectrum. This rendering has the place knocked down; the Wachovia Center is at right.

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Imp’t Historical Site To Be Discussed

Comcast-Spectacor will unveil preliminary plans for development of the South Philadelphia sports complex — including issues regarding the demolition of the Spectrum — today at a news conference. The news conference by Comcast will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet, which you can only get in the city by subscribing to Comcast cable. The media will then write about Comcast afterward.

Early last week, the Delco Times broke the story of the Spectrum’s possible demolition, leading locals to reminisce about their favorite Spectrum moment. Some of we yokels probably even would say “Wing Bowl” when asked their favorite Spectrum event. Indeed, the Spectrum has been home to many events, none greater than Bill “El Wingador” Simmons’ first Bowl victory in 1999.

The plans involve the Baltimore-based Cordish Co, which has opened several “Live!” entertainment chains in the U.S. and wants to open its newest branch down in South Philly. I think the conference is at 2 p.m., but Peter Lukko isn’t going to say anything concrete, so whatevs.

Out: Spectrum. In: Chain Neighborhood.

Somehow I haven’t written about the possible demolition of the Spectrum so far, so let’s delve in. On Sunday, the Delco Times broke the story¹: The Spectrum might be demolished to make way for an entertainment complex. (Which is what is already there, but you get the point.)

The Daily News the next day added a few more details about the proposed complex. Cordish Co. has given several proposals to Comcast, which owns the Spectrum, at least one of which would demolish the arena and put in condos, a movie theater, a music venue, etc.

Basically, what they want to build is a chain:

The Cordish Co. describes itself on its Web site as one of the leading real-estate-development companies and most successful entertainment-operating businesses in the world. Recent projects, similar in scope to what is supposedly being proposed for Philadelphia, include “Power Plant Live!” in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Area, “Fourth Street Live” in Louisville Ky., and “Daytona Live!” outside Daytona Motor Speedway in Daytona, Fla.

Philly Live!, you will be relieved to learn, will have the exclamation point, which gives a neighborhood extra edginess.

¹ The story is gone from the link I saved, plus the Times has that awful Journal-Register website template with ridiculously long permalinks and zero readability.