Mina Kimes, Who Ripped Ben Simmons Constantly, Laments Fan Ripping of Ben Simmons
Before the Ben Simmons and James Harden press conferences, Super Bowl champion Torrey Smith took to Twitter. Torrey gets free beers in Philadelphia forever because he was on the title-winning team.
But some Sixers fans were annoyed when he seemingly backed Simmons on the mental health thing, which then led to a response from Mina Kimes:
I’m really amazed that people don’t understand that athletes may struggle mentally when they fail. I’m really in shock. That’s basic human stuff right there that folks act like they don’t understand.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) February 15, 2022
Especially now that fans have access to players like never before. I mean the shit I see on social breaks my brain and heart daily—can only imagine what it’s like to have an audience like him.
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 15, 2022
“The shit I see on social breaks my brain and heart daily” is a curious thing to say considering that Kimes consistently hammered Simmons on ESPN and social media.
Here she is after the Sixers went out and lost game seven to the Hawks:
In which PROCESS P (aka @PabloTorre) tries to divert the blame from Ben Simmons. SMH pic.twitter.com/jFDjNfeEib
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) June 17, 2021
Kimes:
“Doc Rivers did not channel the spirit of Shaquille O’Neal at the free throw line. Doc Rivers didn’t have zero field goal attempts in the fourth quarter. Last two games. Doc Rivers didn’t have one assist. Ben Simmons deserves all of the criticism coming his way… you have spent the last few years meticulously building an argument that Ben Simmons is a viable second star on an NBA team, and last night we saw that was not only a house of cards and a haunted house. It was a brick house, because that is what ya boi was throwing up, over and over and over and over. I am sorry to pile on Ben Simmons… but that was indefensible.”
She’s right, but that’s not the point. The point is that Kimes was one of myriad national media people ripping Ben last year, and now those same national media folks are taking this left hand turn and blaming fans for the mental health issue when the NATIONAL MEDIA WAS ALSO KILLING HIM AT THE SAME TIME! Everybody was killing him! They went after the man at the ESPYS, for Christ’s sake. You all contributed to this situation just as much as any typical fan or local media member did, so you gotta own it.
PHILLYJOYAL_ chiming in:
She even started deleting the tweets and then said "oh guys i didnt delete anything!" like what??????
— joyal (@PHILLYJOYAL_) February 15, 2022
How about this one:
This you? Kicking a man while he’s down? Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/9UJolXzc0I
— Hell Yeah It’s Go Time Von Bro Dude (@ericjawn) February 15, 2022
And this one:
me @Foxworth24
(failed 🤝)
trolling @PabloTorre about
ben simmons pic.twitter.com/fbozYSS1Vu— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 18, 2021
You can take any stance you want, just don’t contradict yourself. Don’t be a hypocrite. Mina stepped in it on Tuesday. It happens. Just gotta “do a better job” next time, as Andy Reid once said.
EDIT –
Looks like Dan Le Batard is also a hypocrite:
"I hope Ben Simmons comes back with a whole lot of F— you for Philadelphia. I hope he's hellbent on rage and teams up with these guys and comes for Embiid."
– Dan
🎙 https://t.co/LefjnqazPj 🎙 https://t.co/tewJlXWFRq pic.twitter.com/DVHGERkokF— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) February 15, 2022
#poll Was Ben Simmons loitering on offense?
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) June 21, 2021
EDIT 2:
Absolutely @mollyhannahm 👑👏 https://t.co/dpeJiS8WN7 pic.twitter.com/dT8ZdHiFbP
— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) February 15, 2022