A couple of us are discussing The Highwaymen in another thread. While Merle wasn't a member of The Highwaymen, he knew all of those guys personally, worked with them many times, and shared that "outlaw" attitude. Now another one is gone... Merle had been in declining health the last couple of years, so he's no longer suffering. R.I.P. Merle, and thanks for the music.

Just a couple of years ago, Merle teamed up with Willie Nelson and Ray Price for "The last of the breed". Some very nice stuff they did on their double-CD. Since then, only Willie is left.
Have on Merle's great "Same train a different time" Jimmie Rodgers tribute album. He was born to do that album!

And, of course, there's the great Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho And Lefty".

Here's a later period Johnny Cash/Merle Haggard duet, "I'm Leavin' Now",  from Cash's 2000 album American III - Solitary Man: https://youtu.be/ZsoHV6mg7r8

Here's a new article/interview. So, shelving SMiLE was influenced by something Van Dyke Parks said...

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=22&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj9yfiexonMAhWMaD4KHbQ0D6o4ChAWCFgwCw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.japantimes.co.jp%2Fculture%2F2016%2F04%2F07%2Fmusic%2Fgenius-brian-wilson-beach-boys-mastermind-short-words-long-legacy%2F&usg=AFQjCNEcINA_62oPcWaRNpx_2drm8Kqujg&sig2=fLQtfIXsmTtvOikp3h8-8A

If Mike doesn't address Al's "firing" in his book, maybe Brian will address it in his. Or, at the very least, Brian can explain why he never came to Al's rescue in helping him get back in the band. Brian himself voted to give the license to Mike (for a fee of course); I wonder if he ever did anything to change it? Maybe that's why Brian keeps "hiring" Al for his band, maybe he feels guilty. That might explain why he continues to under-utilize Al.

Brian not helping to get Al back in the Beach Boys (when Al wanted back in) reminds me of that scene in The Godfather when Abe Vigoda (in this case Al) is about to get terminated, and he asks Robert Duvall (in this case Brian) for help, saying "For old time's sake...", and Robert Duvall responds, "Can't do it Sallie (Al)..."

Just to reiterate, I am not blaming anyone, nor am I taking the other side and making excuses. My point is specifically that I don't get the positions of "saving Brian" or "freeing Brian" or "rescuing Brian from the clutches" or "Landy wouldn't leave" or "what could be done?". I don't think those terms are accurate. Once they (Brian's family) saw any reason to get rid of Landy, all they had to do was stop paying the bills and start legal proceedings, and I am pretty sure they would've succeeded. Yes, the mental health community was different thirty years ago, but the abuse of individuals with mental illness was taken seriously by the courts.  

Or, maybe Carl thought the alternative was having Brian declared incompetent which meant a conservatorship.

My understanding is that they did get a conservatorship and made Landy the conservator. They could have kept the conservatorship and hired Landy under 'normal' arrangements, but chose not to. So far, I've only come up with one interpretation of that choice. I'm happy to hear others.

It's my understanding that Landy was "employed", not appointed. Isn't a conservator appointed by a judge after a hearing has been conducted? Again, I'm asking questions, I don't know the answers.

I've read a lot of articles that refer to him as Wilson's 'legal guardian.' I never checked the sources, so maybe that's a myth. It's also my understanding that Marilyn had, previously, a blanket POA. I'd assumed the 'legal guardianship' was established by that route. Wilson has said that Landy made threats to 'put him on the funny farm' if he wasn't compliant, so I took that as evidence that Landy had legal leverage.
If anyone has full knowledge of Landy's legal status, that would be good to know.
Perhaps the book will tell us.

I don't know what Landy's official status was, but you raise another issue I failed to mention in my original post - the POA. In 1976, Landy was hired and...fired. Fired! So, how was that done? The reason for Landy's services being terminated in 1976 was exorbitant fees. First, the Beach Boys withheld their contribution to Landy's fees. And, Marilyn Wilson, who I am assuming controlled the Wilson checkbook, stopped paying Brian's/their portion of the bill. And, Landy's gone.

Why couldn't they "fire" Landy the second time around? I believe Landy was re-hired in 1982 by The Beach Boys' manager, Tom Hulett. Then, why couldn't the manager or attorney representing The Beach Boys from 1983 through 1990, at any time, draft a letter to Dr. Landy, in effect saying, "Thank you for your treatment of Brian Wilson, however, your services are no longer needed. Please cease all services immediately." This, of course, would be followed by the Beach Boys withholding their payment to Landy's fees. But who was the Power Of Attorney on Brian's checking account? Couldn't the manager or attorney also draft a letter to Brian's Power Of Attorney - whomever he/she was - directing THEM to stop paying Landy's bills? Wouldn't the result be the same as 1976? Landy would, in effect, be fired.

Again, this points to him having legal control.
In Love and Mercy Wilson/Cusack calls him his 'legal guardian'. They could fire him in the '70s because Marilyn had legal control and the evidence indicates they gave that over to Landy.

As I posted above, I don't KNOW what Landy's official status was, but I THINK it was simply...doctor. Landy was hired, whereas a Legal Guardian is usually appointed by a court. However, if those duties are abused, the guardianship can be revoked. Perhaps what was said in the movie was fiction.  

... Because I can't believe Carl would have made this move if he had any inkling Landy was going to have total control over Brian forever, and never willingly let go.

Sorry to keep quoting you in this thread, Lonely Summer. The last time I did it in this thread I thought there was a posse out for my head. I'm not singling your quote out, I just want to ask a question and make a point regarding it.

I never understood the train of thought that "Landy was never going away" or "so-and-so saved Brian from Landy" or "they couldn't get Brian away from Landy". I don't understand why Carl, or a member of Brian's immediate family, couldn't at any time terminate Landy's services.

When you contract a psychologist or psychiatrist or any medical professional for treatment, yes, there are certain terms. You sometimes agree to potential treatments (i.e one-on-one therapy, group therapy, drug therapy, special diets, special living conditions, etc.), you sometimes agree to one or a number of different doctors (in the same facility/practice), and you obviously agree to the fees. The one thing that is usually not a part of the contract or agreement is the term of the services. Yes, the doctor might recommend a preferred length of time for the treatment to be effective, but these terms are usually weeks, maybe months, certainly not years. Nobody is going to agree or lock into that amount of time, and I don't know if it's legal anyway. Does anybody know if Brian Wilson entered into a medical contract with Eugene Landy - for so many years?

So, why did Carl wait so long before he "rescued" or "saved" Brian from Landy? Well, there might be two reasons. First, look at Brian's life. Maybe Carl looked at Brain's physical health and saw that he was in the best physical shape of his adult life. Maybe he looked at Brian's lifestyle; Brian was off drugs, he was was well-groomed, well-dressed, got his driver's license back and was driving from place to place, had a nice house, was eating healthy meals, was actually going places, visiting places that were broadening his horizons, and had friends (if you want to call the staff who hung out with him friends). Maybe Carl looked at Brian's musical output - one critically acclaimed solo album, another "in-the-can", contributing to Beach Boys' albums, and being present for almost all of The Beach Boys' TV appearances including videos.

Or, second, maybe Carl looked at the alternatives to Landy and everything mentioned above. Sure, Carl could've initiated another search for a doctor who could "save" Brian. Or, maybe Carl thought the alternative was having Brian declared incompetent which meant a conservatorship. And, then there's the least desirable alternative...institutionalization. When Carl looked at those alternatives, maybe he thought the Landy 24 hour therapy - with all its negatives - was the lesser of the three evils.

For the first 6-7 years, the major complaints about Landy's treatment were issues like Brian not accepting or returning phone calls, Brian not spending time with his family, Brian not "liking" the Beach Boys, Landy's staff shadowing Brian, and Brian saying things about Landy like calling him his manager, co-songwriter, and producer. I don't know when the issue of over-medicating became a concern. Obviously they knew Brian was on "something", but did they know about the potential side effects or why the drugs were being prescribed (illegally) in the first place?

So my question is, why didn't Carl intervene in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, or whenever? He didn't need Brian's permission or cooperation. If Brian objected and refused to stop seeing Landy, Carl could've petitioned the court at any time, and, in my opinion, he would've won. I believe Carl could've presented enough evidence, with witnesses, to find Brian not able to care for himself. Hell, Carl's best witness would've been Dr. Landy himself. If Landy says that Brian needed his 24 hour therapy program, Landy is making Carl's case for him. If Landy says that Brian, because of Landy's successful treatment, is perfectly able to function in society without him, then fine, it's no longer necessary for Landy to treat Brian. Oh, it might've gotten ugly, and it definitely would've been painful, but it would've ended the relationship with Landy.

But Carl didn't do that. He didn't intervene. But he could've have. At any time. Again, I'm not casting blame, just discussing.

As far as Brian's will and Landy illegally involving himself in the changing of the will; of course that's important and despicable. But, the issue of the will alone, the legal evidence it provided, and the "gotcha" Landy aspect, wasn't necessary for Carl or anyone to "save" Brian. Carl DIDN'T NEED the will evidence to terminate Landy. As I mentioned above, Carl and family could've gotten Brian away from Landy in the previous 8-9 years, based on Brian's condition, other alternative treatments, and the fact that there was no term (months, years) for the treatment. What the will issue ultimately did was provide a way to prosecute Landy. Now, LEGALLY Landy could not treat Brian, almost like a restraining order. It also aided in the prosecuting of Landy for other illegalities which forced him to surrender his license, and I believe there was a also a financial settlement (I stand to be corrected on that).  

if I'm not mistaken, action against Landy began in 1988. The investigation took awhile, but Landy sure didn't do himself any favors in the intervening years, having his name all over Brian's album as executive producer and songwriter. I guess he convinced himself he really had some musical talent, and that his was the vision Brian needed for his new music. And it's true that the guys didn't hang out a lot in those years; there's one clip on the Endless Summer tv series where some young band is asking the BB's how they've stayed together so many years, and Brian, being Brian, utters the absolute truth: "Don't hang out together!" There were a lot of outward signs that Brian was getting better - first of all, he looked great! He was the only one in the group that looked like he could've been a surfer! And he was writing and recording again; the "Brian is back" hype in 1976 turned out to be very premature; but in 1988, with the solo album, it really did feel like he was back from the dead, reborn.

So, your theory - and I'm not disagreeing - is that The Beach Boys, Carl, Brian's family, DIDN'T think that Brian needed to be "saved" or "freed"; that Brian was actually doing well, or at least much better. Maybe they thought that despite their hardships (not being able to see or talk with Brian when they wanted, etc.), they would "hang in there" with Landy? I don't discount that theory at all.   

Or, maybe Carl thought the alternative was having Brian declared incompetent which meant a conservatorship.

My understanding is that they did get a conservatorship and made Landy the conservator. They could have kept the conservatorship and hired Landy under 'normal' arrangements, but chose not to. So far, I've only come up with one interpretation of that choice. I'm happy to hear others.

It's my understanding that Landy was "employed", not appointed. Isn't a conservator appointed by a judge after a hearing has been conducted? Again, I'm asking questions, I don't know the answers.

I've read a lot of articles that refer to him as Wilson's 'legal guardian.' I never checked the sources, so maybe that's a myth. It's also my understanding that Marilyn had, previously, a blanket POA. I'd assumed the 'legal guardianship' was established by that route. Wilson has said that Landy made threats to 'put him on the funny farm' if he wasn't compliant, so I took that as evidence that Landy had legal leverage.
If anyone has full knowledge of Landy's legal status, that would be good to know.
Perhaps the book will tell us.

I don't know what Landy's official status was, but you raise another issue I failed to mention in my original post - the POA. In 1976, Landy was hired and...fired. Fired! So, how was that done? The reason for Landy's services being terminated in 1976 was exorbitant fees. First, the Beach Boys withheld their contribution to Landy's fees. And, Marilyn Wilson, who I am assuming controlled the Wilson checkbook, stopped paying Brian's/their portion of the bill. And, Landy's gone.

Why couldn't they "fire" Landy the second time around? I believe Landy was re-hired in 1982 by The Beach Boys' manager, Tom Hulett. Then, why couldn't the manager or attorney representing The Beach Boys from 1983 through 1990, at any time, draft a letter to Dr. Landy, in effect saying, "Thank you for your treatment of Brian Wilson, however, your services are no longer needed. Please cease all services immediately." This, of course, would be followed by the Beach Boys withholding their payment to Landy's fees. But who was the Power Of Attorney on Brian's checking account? Couldn't the manager or attorney also draft a letter to Brian's Power Of Attorney - whomever he/she was - directing THEM to stop paying Landy's bills? Wouldn't the result be the same as 1976? Landy would, in effect, be fired.

Part of the reason for that, SJS, may be that during the 80's (based on anecdotal evidence) The Beach Boys only interacted with each other while on stage or in front of the cameras. There was no relationship, no friendship, no small talk, no nothing. Despite being family in some cases, there was no communication. This is very common with bands that have had long careers and been through the mill. It wasn't just Brian who was isolated from the group, they were all isolated from each other, and willingly so.

Excellent points, GhostlyTMRS, and I agree with you. I often thought it would be interesting and fascinating to know just what interactions - or lack of - the Beach Boys had among themselves...off stage.

However, Landy was a very unique case, and I would think, especially as Beach Boys - an important "subject". We know that none of The Beach Boys liked Landy, at least after a year or so. I would think that paying a significant part of Landy's fees had to sting. And, most of all, they wanted Brian back in the fold. While, again I agree with you that communication wasn't their strong suit, Brian Wilson was and always will be a priority, and I think they were united in their attitude toward Landy, even discussing it.

Or, maybe Carl thought the alternative was having Brian declared incompetent which meant a conservatorship.

My understanding is that they did get a conservatorship and made Landy the conservator. They could have kept the conservatorship and hired Landy under 'normal' arrangements, but chose not to. So far, I've only come up with one interpretation of that choice. I'm happy to hear others.

It's my understanding that Landy was "employed", not appointed. Isn't a conservator appointed by a judge after a hearing has been conducted? Again, I'm asking questions, I don't know the answers.

... Because I can't believe Carl would have made this move if he had any inkling Landy was going to have total control over Brian forever, and never willingly let go.

Sorry to keep quoting you in this thread, Lonely Summer. The last time I did it in this thread I thought there was a posse out for my head. I'm not singling your quote out, I just want to ask a question and make a point regarding it.

I never understood the train of thought that "Landy was never going away" or "so-and-so saved Brian from Landy" or "they couldn't get Brian away from Landy". I don't understand why Carl, or a member of Brian's immediate family, couldn't at any time terminate Landy's services.

When you contract a psychologist or psychiatrist or any medical professional for treatment, yes, there are certain terms. You sometimes agree to potential treatments (i.e one-on-one therapy, group therapy, drug therapy, special diets, special living conditions, etc.), you sometimes agree to one or a number of different doctors (in the same facility/practice), and you obviously agree to the fees. The one thing that is usually not a part of the contract or agreement is the term of the services. Yes, the doctor might recommend a preferred length of time for the treatment to be effective, but these terms are usually weeks, maybe months, certainly not years. Nobody is going to agree or lock into that amount of time, and I don't know if it's legal anyway. Does anybody know if Brian Wilson entered into a medical contract with Eugene Landy - for so many years?

So, why did Carl wait so long before he "rescued" or "saved" Brian from Landy? Well, there might be two reasons. First, look at Brian's life. Maybe Carl looked at Brain's physical health and saw that he was in the best physical shape of his adult life. Maybe he looked at Brian's lifestyle; Brian was off drugs, he was was well-groomed, well-dressed, got his driver's license back and was driving from place to place, had a nice house, was eating healthy meals, was actually going places, visiting places that were broadening his horizons, and had friends (if you want to call the staff who hung out with him friends). Maybe Carl looked at Brian's musical output - one critically acclaimed solo album, another "in-the-can", contributing to Beach Boys' albums, and being present for almost all of The Beach Boys' TV appearances including videos.

Or, second, maybe Carl looked at the alternatives to Landy and everything mentioned above. Sure, Carl could've initiated another search for a doctor who could "save" Brian. Or, maybe Carl thought the alternative was having Brian declared incompetent which meant a conservatorship. And, then there's the least desirable alternative...institutionalization. When Carl looked at those alternatives, maybe he thought the Landy 24 hour therapy - with all its negatives - was the lesser of the three evils.

For the first 6-7 years, the major complaints about Landy's treatment were issues like Brian not accepting or returning phone calls, Brian not spending time with his family, Brian not "liking" the Beach Boys, Landy's staff shadowing Brian, and Brian saying things about Landy like calling him his manager, co-songwriter, and producer. I don't know when the issue of over-medicating became a concern. Obviously they knew Brian was on "something", but did they know about the potential side effects or why the drugs were being prescribed (illegally) in the first place?

So my question is, why didn't Carl intervene in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, or whenever? He didn't need Brian's permission or cooperation. If Brian objected and refused to stop seeing Landy, Carl could've petitioned the court at any time, and, in my opinion, he would've won. I believe Carl could've presented enough evidence, with witnesses, to find Brian not able to care for himself. Hell, Carl's best witness would've been Dr. Landy himself. If Landy says that Brian needed his 24 hour therapy program, Landy is making Carl's case for him. If Landy says that Brian, because of Landy's successful treatment, is perfectly able to function in society without him, then fine, it's no longer necessary for Landy to treat Brian. Oh, it might've gotten ugly, and it definitely would've been painful, but it would've ended the relationship with Landy.

But Carl didn't do that. He didn't intervene. But he could've have. At any time. Again, I'm not casting blame, just discussing.

As far as Brian's will and Landy illegally involving himself in the changing of the will; of course that's important and despicable. But, the issue of the will alone, the legal evidence it provided, and the "gotcha" Landy aspect, wasn't necessary for Carl or anyone to "save" Brian. Carl DIDN'T NEED the will evidence to terminate Landy. As I mentioned above, Carl and family could've gotten Brian away from Landy in the previous 8-9 years, based on Brian's condition, other alternative treatments, and the fact that there was no term (months, years) for the treatment. What the will issue ultimately did was provide a way to prosecute Landy. Now, LEGALLY Landy could not treat Brian, almost like a restraining order. It also aided in the prosecuting of Landy for other illegalities which forced him to surrender his license, and I believe there was a also a financial settlement (I stand to be corrected on that).  

Happy Trails to 76ers GM Sam Hinkie...we hardly knew ya. As I posted a few times previously, I was a supporter of The Hinkie Plan. I felt that Doug Collins severely damaged the franchise, making it at least a three year rebuilding process. On top of that, it was Sam Hinkie's goal - and the franchise's - to build, not just a yearly contender, but a championship team. While the first three years were kind of disappointing, I thought that next year would finally be the Big Turnaround.

For me, as far as Sam Hinkey's legacy, my biggest disappointment was not the accumulated draft picks - that was Sam's biggest achievement - but the actual players/talent that Sam did acquire with some high draft picks during his three year tenure. Admittedly, Sam did have some bad luck with the ping pong balls. All that being said, Sam could've "salvaged" things and made everything OK next year if all the pieces fell together. I still think things will come together to some extent next year which will make Sam's legacy even more interesting. If the 76ers do become a championship franchise, how much credit will Sam Hinkie get? I guess that's a big "if"...

A couple of us are discussing The Highwaymen in another thread. While Merle wasn't a member of The Highwaymen, he knew all of those guys personally, worked with them many times, and shared that "outlaw" attitude. Now another one is gone... Merle had been in declining health the last couple of years, so he's no longer suffering. R.I.P. Merle, and thanks for the music.

Amazon has the boxed set available for pre-order at $59.98 or $69.98 for Blu-ray.

Spectacular. Brilliant. Both track and slideshow. And you even managed to include The Three Stooges!

Thanks again for all the links and information, Rocker, Ron, and Lonely Summer. What you guys posted makes sense...unfortunately. The timing just wasn't right for The Highwaymen commercially, as crazy as that seems now, being those four are such icons today. But, I get it; those were different times.

I spent a lot of time the last couple of days listening to and watching The Highwaymen on YouTube, and, for what it's worth, these are my observations:

There is something "not quite right" with a lot of those Highwaymen songs. I mean, it's like they almost make it, they almost get there, but, somehow they do fall a little short. Don't misunderstand, I like them, some a lot, and their voices were still in fine form. I guess I can't help comparing them to the previous "glory days" of Willie, Waylon, Johnny, and Kris. Maybe those guys did, in fact, peak as songwriters, though Willie in particular had a few more up his sleeve - I love "Still Is Still Moving To Me".

I especially enjoy the live performances. Obviously they were enjoying themselves, and they also appeared to take a certain pride in their own individual songs. It's like they knew they were good, but yet still wanted to prove it to each other, and obviously enjoyed the audience's reaction. I think they really liked the adulation, and they deserved it.

All that being said, as I said in my above post, I am still a little surprised that, between those four songwriters, they didn't maybe luck into another big hit. You guys explained how they faced some obstacles, but a great record is a great record. I wish I would've seen The Highwaymen live. I have a feeling I would've gone to see them a couple of times. I was lucky enough to see Willie Nelson twice as an opener for Bob Dylan, and I'm serious, I actually enjoyed Willie's sets more. We don't know how much longer Willie and Kris are going to be around. Willie has had some lung problems and Kris has talked about some memory issues. I think I'm going to purchase this Highwaymen boxed set.

Thanks, Rocker, for the time and effort in assembling those links. They're great! I have to comment on one in particular, and that would be the Holmes 1991 interview. I can't believe the questions that interviewer asked - and got answered! Those "loaded" questions were bold to ask anybody, but to ask those four outlaws? Wow! And, he actually got them to sing (well, recite...) some songs right off-the-cuff.

I like all four of those guys, and years after their death, I still miss Johnny and Waylon. I saw an interview with Willie a few years ago and he was talking (I don't know how serious he was) about reforming The Highwaymen with, I believe, Merle Haggard and (maybe?) George Jones. Obviously that didn't come to pass.

Rocker, I have a quick question for you. As I mentioned above, unfortunately, I "missed" The Highwaymen era. So I just wikipedia'd them, and checked out their discography. I'm assuming they sold out every concert, but it looks like, for some reason, they didn't overwhelm on the record charts. Their first two albums did pretty well I guess, but the third didn't. And, other than their debut single, "Highwayman" (which I do remember hearing), they never had another hit single. That's surprising considering the songwriting chops of the four members; it kind of reminds me of the Beach Boys. Anyway, should have one of their songs done better? Did they save their best material for their solo albums? Was there a hidden gem that should've been a hit?

An interview from New Zealand.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/78451999/the-beach-boys-brian-wilson-battles-on

Thank you, kiwi surfer, for the link. I enjoyed the article but these sentences made me feel a little...uncomfortable:

"But I have only 20 minutes by telephone. Then just 15, with the promise of a nameless manager listening in to ensure I don't stray too far from the nominated topics..."

Here's the official site for the Highwaymen updates:

http://www.highwaymenmusic.com/

And the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNWXtDRCyBE

Do you think this oughta be a topic on it's own? I could start a new one. I guess this could be interesting for other's as well who don't usually look into a Country Music-thread.

Wow, I gotta pick that up! That's almost 50 live songs and the concert DVD runs 2 hrs and 39 minutes. That'll make a great CD for the car or a "go to" listen when you're bored.

I was very late in coming around to Willie, Waylon, Johnny, and Kris's solo music, so that whole Highwaymen era went right over my head. Now, I'm a fan of the four, and I'm looking forward to really getting into The Highwaymen, so, yeah, it's own topic or thread is welcomed! 

...I won't be surprised if this book comes off like WIBN take 2, with Melinda as the savior instead of Landy.

I'm EXPECTING that.

I know that TWGMTR was released some time in early April, and if I remember right, Spring Vacation got leaked some time several weeks before the album came out. I remember hearing it on tumblr some time in May and thinking it was a great song.

Other than the closing trifecta, "Spring Vacation" is my favorite song on TWGMTR. I love the intro, the melody, the flow, and just that "Beach Boyish" sound/feeling. I thought it was a better choice for a single than the title track, and I wish it would've been given a shot...in the SPRING of 2012.  

"My life has been written about over and over again, and that’s mostly okay with me. Other people can talk about my life. Sometimes they’ll get it right and sometimes they’ll get it wrong. For me, when I think back across my own life, there are so many things that are painful. Sometimes I don’t like discussing them. Sometimes I don’t even like remembering them. But as I get older, the shape of that pain has changed. Sometimes memories come back to me when I least expect them. Maybe that’s the only way it works when you’ve lived the life I’ve lived: starting a band with my brothers that was managed by my father, watching my father become difficult and then impossible, watching myself become difficult and then impossible, watching women I loved come and go, watching children come into the world, watching my brothers get older, watching them pass out of the world. Some of those things shaped me. Others scarred me. Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference. When I watched my father fly into a rage and take swings at me and my brothers, was that shaping or scarring? When we watched him grow frustrated with his day job and take solace in music, was that shaping or scarring? Those are all memories but I can’t get to them all at once. I’ve had a whole lifetime to take them in. Now I have a whole book to put them out there."

I wonder who wrote that ^ for Brian? I hope somebody tells him...

It's hard to limit it to one, so I would say most of Brian's solo performances on TV. Many a night (early morning actually) I turned off the TV at 12:38 AM thinking, "Why did they put him through that?" and "Did they really gain anything from that?"

One long - the talking (arguing?) on "TM Song", and one short - Carl's son saying "Hi" on "The Trader". I know I'm in the minority here, but I think both songs would've benefited WITHOUT the spoken word(s).

I'm so, so happy people are talking basketball again! (I won't lie, I'm almost entirely burned out on BBs discussion. But general music, bball, and politics? Hell yes.)


SJS: DEFINITELY don't mind you chiming in! Here are some thoughts I have on your comments / each player.

2013 - Noel. You're right that he's not a game-changer, but I do think he's going to be a really good complementary player for some time, assuming he can stay healthy. He's a very good defender, pretty good rebounder, and while not a good offensive player, he's shooting a good percentage. I like that because it means he's not pretending to be someone he's not. What I like about him paired with Okafor is that he covers up Okafor's defensive shortcomings, which is to say lack of rim protection. For the 6th pick overall, he's a solid player. (I know everyone thinks lottery picks = stars, but history shows that's silly.) And he's still only 21, so he can definitely keep getting better.

2013 - MCW. This was actually a great transaction by Philly, selling high. That trade gets them the Lakers' first rounder in 2017 (because it's top 5 protected this year and they're bad enough to keep it this time), unless the Lakers somehow manage to get a top 3 pick again ... but with Randle, Russell, Clarkson, another top pick, and plenty of cash to spend, you have to assume they're going to be back on track. That pick will very likely be a better player than MCW, who isn't likely a starter in the NBA. He just can't shoot (yet), and isn't good enough elsewhere to make up for that shortcoming.

2014: Embiid. Definitely sad and scary. We'll see what happens, but history isn't kind to bigs with injuries.

2015: Okafor. I wouldn't be surprised to see them trade him, actually ... even if Embiid can't play. They could get value for him and Noel (as he ages and adds bulk) is perhaps a more interesting option in the middle. This also frees up the PF spot for Saric. I don't worry about his off-court stuff, though. I think that was just the stupidity of youth. He has no real history of problems.

The players under contract next season are below; guys with a team option are italicized.

PG - Kendall Marshall
SG - Nik Stauskas
SF - Robert Covington, Hollis Thompson, Sonny Weems
PF - Nerlens Noel, Jerami Grant, Carl Landry, Richaun Holmes
C - Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid

Add to that Dario Saric and a top 5 pick, plus possibly--probably?--a scoring wing via trade or free agency, and a point guard from somewhere. (Ish Smith can't be the answer...though he helped A LOT this year.) Still a bad team, but it's going to improve with Colangelo weighing in.

Great insights, Captain. I'm impressed by your in-depth knowledge of one of the worst teams in the history of the NBA!

I really don't (strongly?) disagree with your assessments. I guess Noel is the one player we view differently. I'm not as impressed with his defense, especially against the better offensive big men in the league - the ones he will be covering. He has not stopped them and has gotten into foul trouble. I hope you're right that he can/will get better. I haven't seen significant improvement from season one through season two. Time will tell...

As I said above, from Day One, I was on board with The Hinkie Plan. Sam's goal is simple. He is trying to build a championship team, not a perennial playoff team, but a championship team. And, Sam believes that the best way to achieve that goal is with superstars, not just with very good players, but with superstars (yes, I know there is a twelve man roster to fill but you know what I/he means). So far, after three drafts, he has drafted just one realistically, potential superstar - Jahlil Okafor - and even he is flawed. As you posted, Noel is a complimentary, solid player. He's not a superstar. Will Embiid be a superstar? Saric? As you correctly stated, the Michael Carter-Williams trade was a good one, but even he was a failed, initial draft choice.

After three drafts with multiple high draft picks, Sam has not done well in achieving his goal - specifically in acquiring superstars. There are still a lot of "maybe's" - Noel, Embiid, Okafor, even Saric. What Sam HAS DONE well is acquiring assets/draft picks. But, now - NOW - is the time to convert them. This draft is critical. He has to nail his lottery pick(s), Saric has to fit, and with a little luck, Embiid will....heal.

I hope you guys don't mind my chiming in. I'm still following the 76ers. I'm still a supporter of The Hinkie Plan. The problem is, or the bottom line is, you have to pick the right players. Let's take a look at Sam's picks:

2013 - Nerlens Noel - He's not a game-changer; he'll have a game with 15 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks...and then disappear for the next four games. Hasn't developed an offensive game; durability also a question mark.
2013 - Michael Carter-Williams - traded
2014 - Joel Embiid - Still hasn't played a second. I've heard/read that he probably won't play Summer League either. Forget being a star, will he ever be a dependable NBA player?
2015 - Jahlil Okafor - Could average 20 pts. per game for the next ten years, but he's a defensive liability, lacks stamina/durability, and has/had off-court problems. Still "a kid", though, just 20 years old.

So, after all of the tanking and high draft picks, disappointing frankly. Enter Jerry Colangelo. So far, though, Jerry hasn't done much. He brought in Mike D'Antoni; frankly I don't know what contribution D'Antoni has made. Ish Smith was brought in to run the offense. He started well and the team won a few games, however, has since regressed. And, finally, Elton Brand was signed to mentor (babysit?) Okafor.

This off-season is crucial. They should have two very high draft picks. From everything I've read, Dario Saric is coming over. And, hopefully Embiid will be ready by the start of next season. If all of those moves pan out, that's quite a turnover of the roster. They need a point guard badly. They'll probably retain Grant, Covington, and Smith. That COULD be a respectable roster. The PR team is saying that Sam Hinkie is still running the show, but I've also heard that Jerry Colangelo has the final say on all moves. It should be interesting.  

  

Good to see another Sixers follower. All astute points, I agree that this offseason is crucial, especially with the rumours that Noel's morsle is suffering from the constant losses and the fact that Okafor seems to be acting out (tho not recently) in a Demarcus Cousins-esque manner. If we can target the right free agents that understand the aims of the team rather them just looking at the sixers as a team with a sh*t ton of cap room to hand out, this may just be the last season of tanking save the 2017 draft being unmissable of course (which it looks as tho it may be).

Yes, this should be the last year of tanking. Obviously, free agents weren't part of the plan over the last three years, but, hopefully, they can attract a quality player (or two?) who, like you said, sees a team on the rise. Maybe that's when Colangelo's "connections" will pay off!