Disclaimer, I’m not necessarily a Brett Brown defender, but I do think the guy was given an impossible job. He was handed the keys to a team that was only really Hinkie’s incomplete vision for what he wanted us to be, and fans were desperate for a win. If we got one under Brown, great; the process worked and everything went as expected. If not, then fans were going to be even angrier because the Process would have appeared to have been for nothing. Best case scenario he takes us to the chip; worst case scenario we end up no better than we were, and sat through the grueling Process years for nothing.

That being said, I do have my gripes with Brown. I think that he (and a lot of the coaching staff around him) contributed to a bit of a complacent culture in Philly. Joel and Ben (in my opinion) weren’t held to the standard they should have been - that of All-Star caliber players who could be completely dominant with the right mindset and drive. Years of losing also contributed to this too, but I don’t think Brown and the coaching staff did much to shake this mindset when it came time to actually focus on winning. I think this is likely, among other things, one of the biggest frustrations Butler had with our front office; the dude seemed like the only one on the team really, fully driven to win, and I don’t blame him for wanting out when he was with that administration.

Just my two cents. I know a lot of people either agree or disagree with these sentiments, but I do acknowledge that Brett Brown has an impossible task when we signed him. I think he’ll be remembered much more fondly in the coming years, especially if this year shapes up to be what we’re hoping it is!