Sixers Home Opener and Bell Ringer
Tonight the Philadelphia Sixers open the doors to the Wells Fargo Center for the first time this season as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the team’s home opener. The game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. eastern time.
A tradition unique to the Sixers is the guest bell ringer before each home game. This tradition sees some sort of relevant and notable person from the Philadelphia area hit a miniature, replica Liberty Bell three times with a hammer, which typically gets the crowd all riled up for the game.
In all my years as public address announcer for the Sixers, I have been fortunate enough to see many, many great bell-ringers since the tradition started, and people always ask who was my favorite.
And there is one that sticks out more than any other where I have been in attendance.
Doug Pederson.
It was April 11, 2018, and the Philadelphia Eagles were fresh off of a Super Bowl Championship – the first one in franchise history.
Not only that, but the Sixers themselves came into the game on a 15-game winning streak, and were headed back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season. It finally felt like the difficult days of The Process era were coming to a close, and a bright future was ahead, maybe even sooner than some Sixers fans thought after closing out the season on a huge win streak.
So when the arena lights went dim and I made the announcement that Pederson was that night’s guest bell ringer, the Wells Fargo Center crowd erupted in cheers that were deafening! Those passionate screams grew even louder when the spotlight illuminated the Super Bowl-winning coach wearing a Sixers playoff hoodie with the Lombardi Trophy in hand at center court!
Needless to say, the energy from the fans in the building that night transferred right to the Sixers themselves as they blew out their opponent that night in a 130-95 victory.
Their opponent that night? The very same Milwaukee Bucks team the Sixers play tonight.
As for tonight’s bell ringer, I do not have an answer yet. However, I know one thing for certain, it will be special and the atmosphere in the building will be absolutely electric!
Tune in to find out!
MATT CORD
Join me weekdays 9am to 2pm right after The John DeBella Show and before André Gardner from 2pm-7pm. CONNECT 3 at 10am for FABULOUS prizes, Noontime Nuggets at 12noon, and you can win concert tickets throughout the show for many of the upcoming MGK Concerts. Text in your requests at MGKMGK or call 215-263-WMGK. I end every show with a voicemail from my late father Jack Cord because he always left the coolest voicemails on my machine and phone.
Also the PA Voice for the Philadelphia 76ers for the past 26 years, and the Voice of NBA2K22 and NBA2K23.
Eagles Bye Week Check in on the 10 Players I was Excited About
QB Jalen Hurts – Check +++
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Fingers uncrossed. The guy has been an absolute stud this year. His leadership and decision making have both taken that next step. The Eagles have themselves a franchise QB. Not only are his legs a dominant aspect of his game, the threat of connecting with his receivers down field is there and it’s been great. Jalen Hurts is a really talented QB, and the Eagles are in a really good position with him leading this team.
Conclusion: Took the necessary steps in the offseason to get better. Top tier franchise QB.
The Corners – Darius Slay and James Bradberry – Check ++
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Studs. Possibly the best combo this team has seen. Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor were very good, Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown were very good. Darius Slay and James Bradberry have been GREAT. 6 games into the season they have a combined for 5 interceptions and 1 returned for a TD. What I missed during the initial write-up in the secondary was Howie trading for CJ Gardner-Johnson, who has come in to play safety and he also has 3 interceptions on the year. Teams are going to continue to have issues throwing on this secondary. Coming out of the bye week look for these numbers to go up as they play the Steelers, Texans, Commanders and Colts. All with middle to below average QBs.
Conclusion: Eagles must lock in Bradberry’s contract and keep this tandem together.
TE Dallas Goedert – Check
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Goedert is a top 5 tight end in the NFL which is great for an Eagles offense that is already stacked with weapons. Unfortunately the TE position is a disaster throughout the league. Not many guys putting up huge numbers. Good thing for Goedert is the Eagles only need him to catch what is thrown his way and be difficult to take down. He’s done both. The touchdown number is disappointing at 1 TD, but with so many mouths to feed + a QB who can run it in I guess that should have been expected. We’ll see if his TD numbers go up after the bye week.
Conclusion: TD numbers could be better, but he’s been the right TE in the Eagles system.
Pair of Defensive Rookies – Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean – Check + & check (I guess).
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Jordan Davis has been an absolute monster in the middle. He’s not out there for all the defensive snaps, partly because of the D-line rotation and partly because teams have been down so quickly against the Eagles that they need to throw. When this giant is in the game he has shown the ability to push other big men around with ease on the line of scrimmage. Nakobe Dean gets a minus, only because he hasn’t been able to get on the field. Kyzir White and TJ Edwards have been playing out of their minds which is keeping Dean off the field. That’s good for Dean to learn and adjust to the NFL. His time will come and as Tirico and Collinsworth said against the Cowboys, the Eagles are really high on him and expect him to be a very good lineback.
Conclusion: Drafting SEC players is good. Do more of it.
LT Jordan Mailata – Check ++
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Only 2 sacks allowed this season. A pillar on the left side of the best offensive line in football. Dominant. Credit to Jeff Stoutland University for building this player.
Conclusion: Stud. Great singer, great accent.
C Jason Kelce – Check ++
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Kelce continues to be the best center in football. If he continues to play at this level and stay healthy, why retire? At the end of each year we should all be buying him whatever keg he wants to keep playing for the Eagles, or at least come back and coach his handpicked replacement Cam Jurgens.
Conclusion: A Philadelphia treasure!
Devonta Smith – Check +
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Smith has taken that next step in his growth as an NFL wide receiver. AJ Brown opposite him has helped Smith continue to get open. His ability to go up and get 50/50 balls is great. He said his mindset on those is it’s either his ball or nobody’s ball. He will remain a really good 1B option for this offense as defenses have to keep their eyes on so many different weapons.
Conclusion: Skinny Batman. Drafting SEC players is good.
A.J. Brown – Check ++
(Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Has been a dominant WR. Opens up everything for this offense, draws defenders his way and still makes them miss. It’s only a matter of time until he catches a slant pass and takes it 80 yards for a TD. On the long list of Howie’s really good offseason and draft moves, Brown is probably the best. If you want to say drafting Hurts was his best I can’t argue that, but trading for AJ Brown has had the quickest impact on how this team goes.
Conclusion: Swole Batman. Trading for former SEC players who are stud NFL WRs is good.
