<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If you're waiting for Pat Croce to magically re-emerge as part of a group interested in buying the 76ers... Don't. Although fans and season-ticketholders regularly clamor for his return, Croce said in an e-mail response that he is "not involved" in any way. "I'm flattered when Sixers fans ask me to come back, but I am not part of any investor group attempting to purchase the team," Croce said. "I remember my quest 10 years ago to own and operate the team... It was an exciting time for those 5 months, full of anxiety, thrills, disappointment and, ultimately, conquest. Way cool! I wish the winner well." Croce became president of the Sixers, with 2.5 percent ownership stake, when Comcast-Spectacor acquired the team from Harold Katz in April 1996. He was involved for 5 years, including the remarkable run to the NBA Finals in 2000-01. He resigned July 25, 2001, when an attempt to gain more responsibility failed. He currently is working with Donald Trump in an attempt to bring a casino to Philadelphia. In a statement released Friday night, Sixers chairman Ed Snider confirmed that Comcast-Spectacor, the team's parent company, had hired a Wall Street firm to review offers, should any come. In the statement, Snider said "multiple parties" had shown interest in the team. "We have been approached by multiple parties interested in purchasing the Philadelphia 76ers, particularly in the wake of recent press speculation," Snider said. "While this is not the first time we have received such inquiries, we have decided to engage the services of Galatioto Sports Partners, an industry-leading sports-investment firm, to help us evaluate our strategic alternatives, including a sale or a new partnership. We emphasize that no decision has been made to sell the 76ers." The Oregonian reported that Sal Galatioto led the sale of the Phoenix Suns in April 2004. The Suns brought a price of $401 million, the highest in league history. The Sixers' current ownership purchased the team for $130 million.</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brian:</div><div class="quote_post">Can you blame him? I wouldn't want to spend any money on this team either</div> It's not because he doesn't want to spend money on the 76'ers. He left the management on bad terms, and if I had to guess he will be getting back into sports ownership sometime soon...
Pat Croce was the best thing to happen to this franchise besides AI. He was an awesome Front Office guy in Philly and it's a shame he won't be back because then you guys because he's smart enough to know that Billy King isn't cutting it as a GM.
He was one of the reasons for our success during the Larry Brown period. It's too bad he doesn't want to come back to us because he would be a positive addition to the franchise.
