Morning Extras: When The Spectrum Goes, Where Go Its Tenants?

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When logging on to Sixers.com yesterday I was greated with a lovely photo asking me to meet the Sixers Dancers. It seems the Sixers need to do something to get people in the stands, and close up encounters with the dance team may translate to a few more courtside sales. Hey, lonely men can dream...while watching some NBA hoops. Oh and by the way, that 'dance party' is like three blocks from my house, so anyone going to meet the Sixers dancers give me a call...so I can hide my daughter.

Anyway, the point: When clicking through to the main page, I saw a small banner on the top right that asked me to "Remember the Spectrum" with the birth and death date (1967-2009). Man, the concrete isn't even cold yet.

So the Spectrum will be gone in just a few months. I can remember a lot of memories from that building. I once had to scour the bowels of the arena to find the Beastie Boys bottles of water while they played 2-on-2 basketball before a concert at the Center. (Result: Fail). I was in the top row when the Phantoms won the Calder Cup.

Oh yeah, what the hell is going to happen to the Phantoms? I've looked online and the only thing I can find is a great breakdown from JULY that Wyshynski had over at Puck Daddy. If you Google search the term 'where will the phantoms play' and sift through the Phantom of the Opera links, there is a message board thread – people still use those? – giving some suggestions. I asked our own Matt P, who seems to be the resident hockey expert around here, and he wasn't sure that a decision has been made yet.

So, what is going to happen to the Phantoms? And the Kixx? And the in-season, smell up a city-block circus. And the Monster Truck rally that I've never been to but takes place every year on the weekend of my birthday. Where will all the excitement go?

LINKY DINKY DO:

• Maybe the Sixers should move back to the Spectrum. According to this report, they don't need as many seats as they get at the Center. The Sixers are 28th out of 30 teams in attendance. Phils hangover? This is an exciting young team who made the playoffs last year? I thought people cared about basketball in this town? (Note: I have turned down free tickets many times in the past two years. I'm as bad as anyone).

• The Flyers (whose website does not ask you to remember the Spectrum) lost to the Pens in a shootout. They were losing, they were winning, they were tied, they lost. Nobody could score in the shootout...it was riveting.

• Jayson Stark has the hot stove shopping lists. Phils: Bullpen depth, right-handed-hitting outfielder, a starting pitcher if they can't re-sign Jamie Moyer. He thinks Doug Brocail might be a good fit.

• So a few days ago I wrote that there was no way Andy Reid would be fired because we're all so happy now to have a title we don't care about coaches being fired anymore. Gonzo doesn't agree, officially calling for Big Red to be spit out into the trash (as long as he doesn't end up on my shoe...)

• Hillary Clinton might be Secretary of State. I still think it should could be John McCain.

• A great feature on the Haverford track coach, in the New York Times.

PHOTO PHUN:

Wednesday:

Winner, as called by Meech: am i PUSHING or PULLING, commoooon powertits - Will

Today, with a link:
• CC could be going to New York. They just aren't sure which New York. Which leads me to this photo of the day.

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