NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
This chess match between the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons keeps taking one nasty turn after another. I’m not here to draw some type of Dave Chappelle/Transgender line in the sand but something is not sitting right with me.
The sports world has the complete 411 on the story between Simmons and the 76ers. But just a few days ago, things became a bit darker.
With the 76ers basically holding Simmons hostage, Simmons told the 76ers brass that he’s not mentally prepared to play. At first, fans understood. But not so much anymore. Here’s why.
There’s no doubt that Simmons is not much for the media. And after what transpired with the series against the Atlanta Hawks and the backlash he received, one can understand why Simmons is a bit leery with coming face-to-face with the Philadelphia media.
The day of his infamous banishment from practice scandal, Simmons was scheduled to meet with the media. Getting kicked out of practice made it easier for that not to happen. But that wasn’t the end.
The media went in on him. Hell, his own team didn’t hold back either. But Simmons and his camp had an ace up their sleeve. Mental Illness.
That’s not something one should play around with. There are people out here taking their lives due to mental illness. There are homeless individuals in the world suffering from this and if Simmons is playing a game just to get his way, he should be kicked out of the league.
But the issue here is, there is no way anyone can prove it.
What he’s dealing with is fear. You can read this and think otherwise but the truth is, Ben Simmons is scared to face the music. Maybe, just maybe that can classify as mental illness.
But what makes this weird is the timing of it all. The 76ers announced they will no longer fine Simmons for missing games due to a clause in his contract. The contract states that he must be paid if he’s unfit to play due to a mental health issue.
As a fan, what do we believe? Is something bothering Simmons or is he just doing this to get his way?
When he returned back to the 76ers after being distant the entire offseason and preseason, many figured he would come back and play the injured card. Sure enough, that’s what he did. Simmons informed the medical staff that he was suffering from back stiffness. However, he was still cleared to practice. And that’s when everything went left.
Maybe his agent Rich Paul finally dusted off the contract, read through it, and found the so-called loophole. Simmons went from not being paid to now sitting out, not being around the team, and getting his money. This puts the team in a tough spot. But what if he’s lying?
Once again, this is not something we should be joking about. Simmons could be telling the truth. Or, he and his camp found the greatest excuse.
Right after he met with his teammates and Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris came to his aid trying to show some sort of solidarity. Now they may end up with eggs in their faces. The talk around social media has been maybe Ben is dealing with real issues. Now that the language of the contract is out, fans are now questioning not just the news but the timing.
Remember, we’re all human here. We don’t know Ben Simmons and we have no real right to judge. But this is what we do. The movements have been shaky from the very beginning.
For his sake, I truly hope he does have mental issues. Not because I want something wrong with him but because if he’s lying, then he’s making light of an issue that’s destroying the livelihoods of many in this world. This is not a laughing matter here.
Basketball is a GAME, Ben Simmons. But Mental Illness is EVERYDAY life for millions of people. There is nothing funny about this. If he’s found to be lying, the Philadelphia 76es should be able to void his contract and he should get a lifelong ban from the NBA.
