With Nick Nurse taking over the Sixers’ job, the future of James Harden could be in doubt. Even though he has had a short stint with the Sixers, Harden has been considered to be a “bust” in certain circles.

Contrarily, the 2000-01 Sixers weren’t exactly expected to end up in the NBA finals, nor were the 1980 or 1993 Phillies.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column - reminiscing about the 1960s, 70s, 80s and sometimes beyond - I will take a look at some of Philly’s famous Sixers and Phillies busts, some of sports’ most underrated personalities, and some pop-culture items along the way.

Do you remember Dennis Awtrey and J.D. Drew? And how was Ultraman?

Sloppy Sixers ... Harden surely was expected to be a consistent, major contributor with the Sixers, and he never reached his expectations. Over the years, another who may be considered a bust was George McGinnis, who was supposed to be the missing piece to a championship in the late 70s. A player in a real underdog role came to the Sixers for McGinnis, when the team dealt “Big Mac” to Denver for Bobby Jones - who became an integral part of the franchise.

Then there is 7-6 center Shawn Bradley, the player mos often recognized as the biggest bust in the organization. He was chosen No. 2 overall in the 1993 draft. Starting in the late 60s, early 70s and through the early 90s, the Sixers have had numerous busts - primarily top draft choices.

In 1969, the Sixer drafted forward Bud Ogden (No. 13 overall), but he was a deep sub off the bench.

The 70s saw a flurry of players who never materialized as projected.

In 1970, the Sixers shockingly drafted center Al Henry (12th overall) and passed on Jim McMillian, Nate “Tiny” Archibald, and Calvin Murphy (we know how that turned out). They also had high hopes for 6-10 center Dennis Awtrey, who they chose in the third round. Awtrey spent two years in Philly before going on to have productive seasons in Phoenix.

Two years later, the Sixers drafted guard Freddie Boyd - who was picked fifth overall and expected to pump some young blood into the franchise. Following Boyd were Terry Furlow (1976), Glenn Mosley (1977) and Jim Spanarkel (1979).

The next decade saw the likes of Leo Rautins (1983), Leon Wood (1984) - a future NBA official - 6-11 Christian Welp (1987), and Kenny Payne (1989). Any of those guys sound familiar?

Besides Bradley, Sharone Wright and Larry Hughes never quite cut it in the 90s.

Phillie Phlops ... On this date in 1997, the Phillies drafted J.D. Drew as the top overall pick in the draft, being regarded as the top college player in the game. But he became an instant villain when he decided to re-enter the draft. Drew never reached his full potential.

Ten years earlier, the Phillies thought they had another generational player when they signed Tigers catcher Lance Parrish, who was supposed to be another big bat in the lineup behind Mike Schmidt and Juan Samuel. Parrish became another villain and was shipped to California after two years.

Some of the Phillies’ drafts picks that didn’t pan out were pitcher Mike Martin (1970), catcher John Stearns (1973) - even though he had some good years with the Mets - catcher John Russell (1982), pitcher Brad Brink (1986), outfielder Jeff Jackson (1989), pitcher Tyler Green (1991), outfielder Chad McConnell (1992), pitcher Wayne Gomes (1993), and outfielder Reggie Taylor (1995).

Other Phillies who flopped along the way were shortstops Steve Jeltz and Desi Relaford, and outfielders Wendell Magee and Danny Tartabull to name a few. Tartabull is certainly near the top of the list due to his very short stint.

Another Classic Game ... In 1970, 3M was regarded as a cutting-edge company, and they also delved into sports games.

Big League Baseball - like many others - involved dice and a spinner with charts that would feature all of the aspects of a traditional game. Unlike their other games, this version didn’t feature pro player profiles. I didn’t have this one, but had their basketball and football versions.

That Animated Series ... In 1966, Ultraman was introduced as a series in Japan. It became popular in this country during the 70s as part of afternoon cartoons. He was a Superhero who could fly and had a laser as a weapon, but you never saw his face and he didn’t speak. Do you remember watching?

Underdogs and The Underdog ... The 2000-01 Sixers were a true underdog with the likes of George Lynch, Eric Snow, and Toni Kukoc in the lineup - along with Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo. You have to be a diehard Sixers’ fan to remember Raja Bell, Jumaine Jones, and Matt Geiger off the bench.

Both the 1980 and 1993 Phillies have had their travels well chronicled - as well as the 2017 Super-Bowl winning Eagles with their “Philly Special.” And don’t forget the 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats with their upset victory over Georgetown.

On the national scene, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spolestra began the finals with 108 career playoff victories, tying him with former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers. Spolestra is truly an underrated coach and an underdog.

Growing up, we all remember the 60s cartoon series, “Underdog” featuring Sweet Polly Purebred and villains Riff Raff and Simon Bar Sinister. Underdog’s real identity was Shoeshine Boy.

Do the Dew ... Saw a commercial recently about Mountain Dew, and it brought back memories of my youth. Drinking a Mountain Dew always was different, and it seemed to be one of the new sodas in our decades. I remember my female cousins would drink Fresca, when they were dieting. It also had a unique taste.

However, Mountain Dew’s formula dates back to the 1940s before Pepsi raised its awareness in the mid-60s.

Memory Lane ... Every week, I will look back at a former player, coach, manager or media member from our yesterday. Do you remember Eagles’ linebacker Mike Mamula?

Even though I didn’t really highlight the Eagles, Mamula could be considered one of their busts. He was one of the highest-rated players in the combine, and was the Birds’ top pick in 1995. However, he never fulfilled his prophecy, as he registered 31 1/2 sacks in five seasons. His highest total was 8 1/2 in 1999. He was out of football after the 2000 season.