Philadelphia crowd chants "F**k Ben Simmons" at an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) event
Ben Simmons’ insistence to sit out the season rather than play for the Philadelphia 76ers has apparently gotten the ire of the population living in the place known as the City of Brotherly Love.
Despite possibly losing an estimated $360,000 for every game he fails to suit up for the 76ers, the All-Star guard has dug in with his demand to be traded. This is a gesture that is not lost on the fans of the 76ers and residents of the city itself.
In the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) spectacle that took place inside the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA last Wednesday, Philadelphia 76ers fans serenaded Simmons with something vulgar that the minors should not hear or repeat.
They decidedly made their feelings known with this chant:
They started a “F**k Ben Simmons” chant at an All Elite Wrestling match in Philadelphia 🥴
(🎥 @DrPhil1881 )
https://t.co/vHE4DslYXo
The City of Brotherly Love can certainly go after one of its own, particularly if it feels betrayed. The fans are letting Simmons know that after years of being patient with him through injuries, inexperience and lack of shooting, they do not appreciate him just turning his back on the fans without getting some sort of repercussions.
Is this the first time that Ben Simmons got ridiculed in Philadelphia after his trade demand?
This is not the first well-documented situation and most likely will not be the last. A reporter from FOX 29 publicly called a trash can getting swept by the river as 'Simmons trying to get away'. While the comments received some backlash, others completely agree with the narrative.
FOX29 Philadelphia just did Ben Simmons dirty
(h/t @ProCityHoops )
https://t.co/EFxCZXLMZo
A few weeks ago, a Philadelphia resident named Eugene Bozzi successfully wrestled an alligator into a trash can. As if that feat was not viral enough, he commented that he’s not going to flee from the scene like what Simmons is doing and instead grabbed the basket he used to capture the alligator.
"I’m not going to be Ben Simmons. I’m gonna get me this basket."
Eugene Bozzi, the Philadelphia native who went viral last week for catching an alligator in Florida, took a jab at Ben Simmons during an interview on Eyewitness News.
FULL INTERVIEW: cbsloc.al/3A3cXy8 https://t.co/y8bY4nhaZe
The scene from the AEW event, though, is taking this Ben Simmons thing to a different level. Although there is no way to count how many among the audience were actually chanting, it’s safe to say that a majority of them were busting their lungs out in expressing their emotions.
Taking shots at athletes is not uncommon, particularly if the athlete is popular. The starting guard of the Philadelphia 76ers is finding it out the hard way.
As it stands, the chants and name-calling could continue for some time as both Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia front office are not budging an inch in their respective stances.
Buckle up folks, the Simmons-76ers ride is going to get bumpier!