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Thursday, April 19, 2001
Sixers: John Croce fired after theft caught on tape
Associated Press
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PHILADELPHIA – Pat Croce thought he was going to watch a
videotape of a player the Philadelphia 76ers were after. Instead,
he said he saw his brother taking money from Allen Iverson's pants in the
locker room.
John Croce was dismissed as conditioning coach of the Sixers in
January after general manager Billy King showed Pat Croce, the team
president and part-owner, tape of the alleged theft.
"There is no controversy," Pat Croce said Tuesday. "There was
an issue, a painful issue and it was put to an end immediately."
King authorized videotaping in the locker rooms at practice and
home and away games after players complained of missing money. Pat
Croce said the team used surveillance cameras as early as a year
ago but wouldn't discuss it further.
Dave Coskey, senior vice president, said the team will not
comment about the use of any surveillance equipment for security
purposes.
Neither the 76ers nor Iverson pressed criminal charges against
John Croce.
The Sixers originally announced that John Croce had resigned
Jan. 12 to pursue other work. Attempts by The Associated Press to
reach John Croce were not successful Tuesday. A phone number for
him could not be found.
Pat Croce said he first heard of the matter when King showed him
the videotape, taken at a road game between mid-December and early
January.
"I looked at Billy, I looked back at the tape and I looked at
Billy and he was hurt. He couldn't even talk," Croce said. "I
didn't know what to say. I felt sick, physically sick. Then I felt
angry. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
Pat Croce said he then told King to confront his brother,
investigate the matter and resolve it quickly.
"I met with John that night," Pat Croce said. "I talked to my
brother as a brother and an employer. I was so angry, but at the
same time I was concerned. There's something seriously wrong here
if you are going to do something for a couple bucks. It didn't make
sense. I thought he needs help."
Pat Croce said he called his brother back the next day, offered
a medical suggestion and hasn't spoken to him since. He went down
to Washington on Jan. 12 to personally apologize to Iverson.
"He said, 'It's nothing, Pat,' " Pat Croce said.
Iverson, in Toronto for a game against the Raptors on Tuesday
night, declined to comment after a morning practice.
Pat Croce said Iverson is the only player he knows to have lost
money, but didn't know how much was taken.
"Whether it's $2 or $42, it doesn't matter," he said.
John Croce was in his fifth season with the Sixers, and second
as physical conditioning coach. He is a certified strength and
conditioning specialist, holding degrees from St. Joseph's
University and West Chester University.
John Croce joined the Sixers after serving two years as a health
and physical education teacher and coach at Valley Forge Military
Academy and Junior College.
He was replaced by James Lloyd on Jan. 26. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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