Philadelphia sports fans have a reputation for being ruthless. But as mean as they can be to those they hate, they’ll go to war for you if you’re on their good side. Phillies, Sixers, Eagles, it doesn’t matter. They’re just way too passionate about their teams.
That passion has made Philly one of the ultimate sports towns in the world. But as you may know by now, not everybody’s suited to deal with such an enviroNment, as fans may not always be rational.
Ben Simmons faced an abnormal amount of criticism amid his holdout with the Sixers, with even news outlets trashing him on state-wide television. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to take a shot at the former fans when finally asked about his days in Philly.
NBA News: Ben Simmons Says Sixers Fans Always Have Something To Say
“People in Philly just want to have something to say about f**king anything, man,” Simmons told JJ Redick on ‘The Old Man & The Tree.’“Like, everything. Like literally everything. I post a picture of a f**king car or a dog and I got reporters saying ‘You should be in the f**king gym’. Like, come on, man, but yeah, for sure. Philly is obviously a sports city. My experience playing there was incredible. Like, for the most part, it was incredible. I had a great time. Like, the fans are unbelievable.”
Simmons Values His Time In Philly, Claims It’s A Unique City
But It’s not like everything was bad or negative. Simmons did say that he enjoyed his time in the City of Brotherly Love, and wanted to set the record straight and affirmed that he doesn’t hate the city or the fans:
“I still have an apartment there. So I do own some real estate in Philadelphia, still. So I feel like I’m part of Philly still, but it’s just unique,” Simmons added. “Like, even being in Brooklyn now, it’s completely different. Like this is a different experience for me and I value just that time I did spend in Philly, because I was able to learn and grow in that city and I got friends for life there. I got—my brother lives there. Like, I got family there. So, yeah. Philly’s great. I think people have like a thought that I think that I hate it.”
Still, it’s quite clear that Simmons will never be welcome in Philadelphia again. He’ll always be booed and cursed at. That’s just the way it’ll go, even if his feud was with the organization, not with the fans or the people.
