Do you ever watch ESPN or read ESPN.com and catch yourself thinking one or more of the following:

“This is not f@*%$*^ sports news.”   or “This has absolutely nothing to do with sports.”  

“This is a ridiculous argument.” or “No one would have reported this twenty years ago.”

Maybe it is just me but I constantly find myself yelling at segments I see on First Take and other speculative sports shows.  The thing about it is that once I yell, ESPN wins.  ESPN wins because even though the segment may have had no relevant sports importance or may be a completely ridiculous sports argument, it made me react.  Twenty years ago sports reporting was all real news and extremely professional.  Through social media arising and attention spans declining, the sports news world has completely changed.  Any average fan can now find the critical news they want in about two seconds on their phone.

So at a certain point what does ESPN have left to talk about that we haven’t already read or seen?  Controversy, that’s what.

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With the 2013-14 season coming down to a close, it’s almost a 100% certainty that the Milwaukee Bucks will finish with the worst record in the League and have the most ping pong balls at the 2014 Draft Lottery.  The 76ers had their share of chances to slide past the Bucks into the Association’s basement, but a few wins this season prevented them from doing so.

We all remember the wins against the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls, that rcoketed the Sixers out to a 3-0 start.  Those are the obvious choices to make the “costly wins of the year” list.  But, let’s dig a little deeper into the season, and look back and several other victories that helped cost the 76ers the best odds at the #1 draft pick in the 2014 NBA Draft as well as made Sam Hinkie’s blood boil.

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This Friday edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews upcoming 76ers’ games – features tonight’s opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, who defeated the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, own a 6-4 record in their last 10 games and are currently 1 game back in the standings for the eight seed in the Western Conference playoff race.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Memphis team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague  Chip Crain at 3 Shades of Blue.com, as Chip will answer Fo’ questions on his Grizzlies from us here at Philadunkia.
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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews upcoming 76ers’ games – features tonight’s opponent, the Toronto Raptors, who currently hold the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race and have won six of their last seven games.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Toronto team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague William Lou at raptorsrepublic.com, as William will answer Fo’ questions on his Raptors from us here at Philadunkia.

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Two words:  Cash Crane.

On a recent cruise to Mexico, I played this game while waiting for a spot to open at one of the blackjack tables.  I should’ve never gone near this machine.  It took my soul.

The quick premise: a bunch of bundled wads of a hundred ones and a three pronged crane.  For one dollar, you receive one try to wrap the crane around one of the wads of cash and return it to the drop zone.

While waiting for another showdown with that snake in the grass black jack dealer, Godwin from Zimbabwe, I tried Cash Crane for the first time.  Fool’s gold, I secured one of the bundles with the crane and everyone in the casino began to shout.  The crane was maybe four inches away from the drop zone when the bundle came loose and clanged off the side of it.  Everyone lost their minds as though I just missed the game winning jump shot in game seven of the NBA finals.  A group of people shouted “Feed the machine”.  Another group chimed in, “Everyone wins at Cash Crane”.  After that, I was hooked for the entire week and the truth is, no one wins at Cash Crane.

It is a one in a thousand chance.  Kind of like the odds of selecting a productive player in the 2013 NBA draft.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Boston Celtics who have lost six straight and took their worst beating of the season (26-point loss to Wizards) on Wednesday night, but boast the lovely Maria Menounos (pic at left) as their #1 fan.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Boston team (23-52) the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Kwapt B at red’sarmy.com, as Kwapt B will answer Fo’ questions on his Celtics squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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76ers General Manager Sam Hinkie entered this season with a very specific plan on where he wanted to take the franchise and so far, he has done a phenomenal job.

He’ll never admit it, nor will the word ‘tanking’ ever come out of his mouth, but Hinkie wanted the 2013-14 Sixers to be bad.

Historically bad.

Which they are.

The plan was to bottom-out, stock up on draft picks and build from the ground up.  As the regular season moves inside its final 10 games and teams are jockeying for position, both in the playoffs and the Draft Lottery, the Sixers currently are in line for a ridiculous seven draft picks.

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