The Media Guide opens up with the Philly Sixers Media Members... let's take a look at the crew in 1999:
Wait.. who's that in the lower right?  Can we get a closer look?
That's Steve Smith, in his pre-"Stephen A. Smith" days.  Oddly enough, this picture looks like it could be from the late 80's, early 90's, based on his style (mustache, fade).  This was 1999 though!  Even I stopped rocking fades around... okay, I still had a fade in 1999.  People at my job tease me whenever they see my pics from the parties back in 1999.  Still, "Steve" looks like he's one Cross Colour shirt shy of a cameo in an early TLC video.

And he's not the only one in Philly at the time throwing it back:
Tom Moore covered the 76ers for WKRP radio in Cincinnati.

I had almost forgotten about Gilbert Gottfried's failed attempt at sportswriting.

Seriously, if you had forgotten all about this team (and I'm sure most of you have), what final record would you have expected from this squad right here:
Let me run that team for you, from top left to right: Bruce Bowen, Matt Geiger, Tyrone Hill, Larry Hughes, Allen Iverson (looking a bit down), Jumaine Jones, George Lynch, Todd MacCulloch, Aaron McKie, Nazr Mohammad, Doug Overton II, Billy Owens, Theo Ratliff, and Eric Snow.

Now, keep in mind that the second and third best players (in retrospect) - Bruce Bowen and Larry Hughes - were traded during the season, along with Billy Owens, for Toni Kukoc (who, FYI, came off the bench).  I'll spare you the picture of Billy King smiling, but in case you are wondering who got what... the Bulls got Bowen, John Starks and a #1 pick in that deal, and the Warriors got Hughes and Owens.

Now I want you guys to think about that roster, and guess what their final record for this season would be.  Answer coming up in a bit.  But first, let's look at the 76ers staff:

Looks fairly normal... you got your Corporate Sales Manager, your Staff Accountant, your Box Office Staff, and... your mascot?

My favorite picture in the whole guide.  He wore a suit to work for photo day!  He wanted to look professional in his photo.  What a mascot!

On the flip side, you have Jim, the executive producer (big dawg) of the Sports News:

While everyone else was wearing a suit and tie, Jim decided to go Crockett & Tubbs on everyone, and work a blazer and t-shirt.  Very professional, boss.

I know this is going to seem like a cheap shot, but I really do love the stats guys.  Even in college, I found the stats guys at games the most fascinating characters.  Our basketball team's stat guy was profiled in the college newspaper - he hadn't missed a game in like 50 years, was in his late 70's, and could still tell you every number ever - most points in a season, highest game ever, etc.  Check the 76ers stat team out:
Don't they just all look so happy?  They love their jobs!  I'm telling you, most stat guys (at least the ones that do it professionally) love taking down the numbers.  They can be a little obsessive about that sh*t, too, but that's why do what they do.  I guarantee you they all love their jobs.

Cameras, on the hand... cameras sorta confuse them.  Check out the dude to the left of Don Rickles:
Yes, John Everts seems a little perplexed by the photo shoot. 

Hey, here's that 76ers roster again.  I just can't get over how talent-less it was:
Their record this season: 49-23.  26 games over .500!  If you for one second forgot how good Allen Iverson in his prime was, please look at that roster again.  He almost won 50 games with a team that had Matt Geiger and Todd MacCulloch starting!  He took them to the Finals the next year, and might have won if he wasn't going against the Lakers dynasty in their prime. 

Allen Iverson is still the most underrated player of this era.  People will point to his 41% FG rate, and act like you know, like he's Jamal Crawford or something.  Jamal Crawford is someone you can point to their 41% rate, and use it to represent his value (or lack of) to a team.   But Iverson?  Sheeeeet, Allen Iverson is a freaking MVP.

Yes, this could be the opportunity to drop in a photo of the cheerleaders in 1999 (wonder where they are now), but I was more intrigued by what was right below them (insert sex joke here):
 
The Sixers have (or had) a houseband?  Word?  Is that common with basketball teams?  Do they play live at the games?  How does that work?  Are they in a box near the front court?  Are they like off to the side, like a band on a talk show?  Do they play entrance music for each guest?

The Sixers houseband:
Dig the sax, man.  That's the Allen Iverson of musical instruments - underrated, underappreciated, but highly successful at its peak.
/forced analogy theater.

Multiply choice time:  What's the scariest photo of these four:
A) Hip-Hop in a bondage outfit.

B) Pat Croce and his long arms molesting a bunch of African-American kids.

C)
Alien Iverson.  Or...
D)
The 1998-1999 76ers Opening Day (and Closing Day) starting lineup:  Lynch, Ratliff, Geiger, Iverson, Snow.  That team went... 28-22... in a strike-shortened season.  Again: How is Allen Iverson not one of the three best players of his era?!?  Can you imagine replacing him with any other guard, and still having a winning season?

Speaking of that 1998-1999 season, my personal favorite item in the guide book:
Yeah, they may have lost the Finals to the Spurs, but that 1999 Knicks team is still one of the most entertaining I've ever seen in the NBA.  Sprewell, Camby, Houston... and they are still the only 8th seed ever to make it to the Finals.  They even did it without Ewing, who got hurt during the playoff run.  Incredible.  Too bad the Spurs had to ruin everything.  I tell you, it's almost seems like the Eastern Conference sucked in those years, from 1999-2003, because almost you had some highly improbably teams making the Finals, only to be crushed - the Knicks, 76ers, Nets... even the Celtics came close one year, right?

Thank goodness the Pistons came along to fix the Eastern Conference, ending the free for all.

Okay, let's finish with my two favorite items in the book:
The Lloyd World B. Free stat page.  I always wondered what the "B." stood for in World's name. 

And Pat Croce having a Dr. Strangelove moment, as he "took over duties as 76ers President...".  Yeah, let's call that photo "Dr. StrangeCroce, or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The 76ers". 

Seriously, that's one scary happy dude.