Philadelphia passion
What is the opposite of love? Hatred? Think again. Both are supercharged emotions. The true opposite of love is apathy. Philadelphia is a very passionate sports city. On one hand, passion is love. But on the other hand, passion is anger and hatred as well.
Hoops Habit
That passion can change. Just ask Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. He arrived and was hoped to be a standout pass rusher. But he delivered sporadically due to rapid coaching changes. Eventually, he did deliver on his reputation, and the fans have since lined up in tremendous support of him. But he stills carries the “He’s a bust” chip on his shoulder…
The passion of Philadelphia is a real force. So real, that Coach Brown invited Philadelphia Eagles great Brian Dawkins to speak to the Sixers team. His message? The passion of this city is like a riptide. Fight it, and you will be swept away. Flow with it, and you will reach your destination faster than you ever thought possible.
Results inconclusive
It’s far too soon to form a permanent conclusion about a young man trying to break into the NBA. He was an NBA consensus at three in the 2015 NBA Draft. That’s not trying to oversell the young man. It’s merely the description of how so many perceived his skillsets. And those skillsets are still developing.
The hardest argument to absorb is the “doesn’t fit the 76ers scheme”. Well, with the team launching both Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz in the backfield simultaneously, how can you be so sure? There has never been a point guard like Ben Simmons in the NBA before. And there has never been a single occasion in either the team or NBA history where two consecutive top-picks debut on the same team simultaneously. Nobody can “know” what this team scheme is.