This city sucks sometimes. That fact was no better evidenced than by the sometimes ridiculous reaction to Sam Hinkie and tanking. This guy is a fraud! How can you support a team that is trying to lose? This is a disgrace!

All nuance, all pragmatism was gone. Lost in the THEY’RE NOT WINNING NOW takes was the fact that Hinkie, whether or not the right guy to lead the team forward, was collecting assets that have turned into Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric and Ben Simmons. It didn’t even take that long. Three years. The Phils were stuck in neutral for longer than that, without even trying. It may have ultimately been Hinkie’s decision, but the derision he faced locally certainly did no favors for him sticking around. Lo, can we handle Superstar Ben Simmons?

Simmons is not Allen Iverson. Flashy, showy, rich and imperfect, Iverson, on the surface, seemed like everything Philly hates in an athlete. But on the court he was warrior. An undersized, carefree warrior. He won us over long before he ever crossed-over Jordan. Imperfect, but the perfect athlete for Philly. Simmons most likely won’t be. He will be guarded, at times inaccessible. Each statement will be carefully scripted. We’ll see him at awards shows in locales with warmer climates, prettier women, and decidedly different values. He’ll probably date Rihanna, or Selena Gomez. Maybe both. He’ll get profiled by a business publication curious as to how young superstars invest their money. He’ll play for Team Australia (but not this year), work for Foot Locker, and run for Team Nike. Talking heads and sports talk radio-calling knuckleheads will hate that. He’s not one of usThis guy doesn’t want to be here. He takes nights off. They’ll come fast and furious, all while ignoring the fact that Simmons could potentially be first-team All-NBA one day.

We give everyone a chance in the beginning, but all it will take is one goofy incident – Simmons mails in a late-game set, reportedly has a problem with X teammate, and then is spotted dining in NY with Lorne Michaels just hours after a heart-wrenching OT loss at the Wells Fargo Center – for us to turn on him.

I, for one, am thrilled that the Sixers are in position to draft Simmons and that I get a genuine star to blog about. Most knowledgable fans are, too. But Simmons will be different than any athlete we’ve experienced. Simmons won’t be easily embraced by the loud minority of chucklefucks, like the idiot who called into 97.5’s Bitch and Complain Line – itself only encouraging this bullshit – this morning and complained that the Sixers are once again also-rans because the Knicks got tattered human pile of bones Derrick Rose. That guy will be the first to bitch about Simmons having a substantially better life than him. We need to weed those people out and just focus on the player. Well, you all focus on the player, and let me handle the Superstar staring. Let’s not screw this up.