WEBVTT - (UPDATED) Mailbag Monday | To Be or Not to Be "Overrated" 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:03.360 The seventy Sixers have made a statement to start the 0:00:03.400 --> 0:00:06.319 second half of the season, and they've done it shorthanded. 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:09.080 One thing we can say for sure, right here, right 0:00:09.119 --> 0:00:13.720 now in this podcast, Ben Simmons is not overrated. I 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:16.040 think it's see volumes when you look at the All 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:19.759 Star Game voting returns when the fans didn't vote him in, 0:00:19.920 --> 0:00:23.040 but it was a coach just steaks volumes. For the 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:25.400 people that actually have to plan for heads, they don't 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.319 have to spend too much time talking about this pretty 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:30.880 civil why he's not overrated. Also, this past week, fans 0:00:30.880 --> 0:00:33.760 returned to the Center and the atmosphere was fantastic as 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:35.800 the Sixers continue to show why they're one of the 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:38.760 best home teams in the NBA. I missed most about 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:42.760 whom being It's so loud and it's just beautiful, Like 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:44.559 I can't wait to see the fans bank. I'm going 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:48.320 to be so heavy. Your calls, your dms. Lauren Rose 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:50.800 and I run through them every week right here on 0:00:50.840 --> 0:00:57.639 a mail bag Monday, Lauren Rosen, we are back from 0:00:57.640 --> 0:00:59.440 the All Star break, and not only are we back 0:00:59.440 --> 0:01:02.200 from the break, the streak is over. This is a 0:01:02.400 --> 0:01:06.520 merry mailbag Monday, we are doing a mail bag following 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:09.640 a win for the first time in a while, at 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:13.280 least two. I think, what an impressive set of games. 0:01:13.360 --> 0:01:17.160 I have so enjoyed watching these three games, winning each 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:21.039 by twenty two points or more. I believe, two without Ben, 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:25.120 two without Joel, two on the road, three massive wins. 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:27.840 I love it. I love what I've seen. I really 0:01:27.840 --> 0:01:30.959 really do talk about not skipping a beat the seventy 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:33.480 six ers. I was looking this up earlier. In their 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:38.280 three games since the break, they're averaging well. First of all, 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:40.000 like you said, they haven't had both of their all 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:42.200 stars available in the same game, not once, and they 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:44.600 won't for a little bit. But they're averaging nearly one 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:47.440 hundred and thirty points on offense, shooting fifty four and 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:49.680 a half percent from the field, forty three and a 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.640 half percent from three, over eighty one percent from the line, 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.640 while at scoring their first three opponents by eighty three 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:59.240 points combined for a net rating of roughly twenty six 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:01.640 and a half by far and away the best since 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:05.880 the break. It's amazing, and again without their two anchors. Yes, 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:10.120 they're doing all of this behind really solid stuff from 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:12.400 Tobias Harris exactly what we're used to seeing in what 0:02:12.440 --> 0:02:15.959 we need from him as a city. When I say we, 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:20.120 I mean the city of Philadelphia and the reserves, I 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:23.720 mean what a stretch for fur con cork mause, for Matisse, thyble. 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:27.240 My goodness, they've been so good, Tony Bradley stepping up. 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:30.200 It's been really fun to watch these last few games, 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:32.640 and it leads me to believe that this team really 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:34.400 might have what it takes. If they're able to put 0:02:34.440 --> 0:02:38.320 stuff together like this against adversity, a very good sign 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:42.359 amen to that. It is a mail bag Monday. What 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:44.240 do we do? How do we do it? We respond 0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:47.720 to your voicemails and your DMS or mentions. Getting in 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:50.040 touch with us is simple. The pod line It's always 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:53.200 open twenty four seven three sixty five two on five 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.440 four zero three seven sixty three seven two on five 0:02:56.560 --> 0:02:59.200 four zero three pods put in your phone, save it. 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:01.400 Whenever you have a seventy six or thought, take question 0:03:01.480 --> 0:03:03.639 or comment, call us. We will get to it. The 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:06.680 voicemail is the preferred way for you to reach us. 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:09.800 We love hearing from you. In addition to reading from you, 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:11.960 you can also get us on Twitter. I'm at Brian 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:14.280 Seltzer and then on Instagram I'm at Seltzer six or 0:03:14.280 --> 0:03:18.079 snaps Lauren is very easy and efficient Lauren Mrosen on 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:22.360 both platforms hit us up with whatever thought inquiry you 0:03:22.400 --> 0:03:24.560 may have. So the two themes Lauren I wanted to 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:27.919 set for this week's mail bag is number one, your 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:31.000 thoughts about fans being back in the arena. Maybe you went, 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:33.280 maybe you're going, you have a ticket lined up for 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:36.760 this homestand great, what have you missed the most about 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:39.560 not being at a game in over a year. And 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:43.000 then the other question was tell us why you think 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:45.840 Ben Simmons is not an overrated basketball player? Is that 0:03:45.880 --> 0:03:49.960 a fair two questions for the week? No doubt, No doubt. 0:03:50.760 --> 0:03:52.560 So I don't usually do this. I think you know 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:54.760 me well enough by now you out there the listener 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:57.040 probably knows me well enough. I'm not usually want to 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.680 get on a soapbox. I don't give many takes, I 0:03:59.720 --> 0:04:02.680 don't rant or ramble. I'm just gonna say this, hopefully 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:04.160 I can do it in just a few minutes. And 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:06.120 I'm sorry, Laren, I'm just I'm gonna hog some mic 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:10.640 time here, do it. I'm ready, So justin Kutcher. I 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.320 actually met him about ten years ago when I was 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:15.000 doing games on the radio for pant I worked for 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:18.000 the University of Pennsylvania before the Sixers. I called games 0:04:18.080 --> 0:04:22.200 for basketball and football, and Justin was working for some 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:24.880 TV outlet and he called a couple of penn games 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:27.640 and I had the chance to meet him, talk with him. 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:31.400 Super helpful, really nice. Just seemed like a genuine good dude. 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:35.040 So fast forward ten years later here we are. Didn't 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:36.880 stay in touch with him, kind of followed his career. 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:39.640 Clearly has done some great stuff. But I think this 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:42.360 is a situation and the reason why it frustrated me 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:46.400 and it still frustrates me so much, is that it's 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:52.560 a presumption of power or authority with a position of stature. 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:55.680 So if I unpack that just a little bit, there's 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:59.279 only thirty NBA TV announcing jobs calling games in the 0:04:59.440 --> 0:05:04.200 entire league. Justin's got one awesome, great resume, credentials to 0:05:04.240 --> 0:05:07.200 back it up. But just because you are in a 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:10.560 position like that does not necessarily mean you have the 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:15.600 authority to speak about things and make bold, reckless claims. 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.800 And I think, listen, you've been in the NBA and 0:05:19.800 --> 0:05:22.480 AP for three years. I've been doing this for almost 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:26.080 ten years now, and I think we would never either 0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:29.920 of us say we're X and O experts or anything 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:33.160 like that. But we talk to enough people, we hear 0:05:33.279 --> 0:05:36.320 enough things to be able to inform our opinions, to 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:41.280 try and give responsible, fact based statements and opinions when 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:45.680 we're pushing content out there. I just can't imagine, quite frankly, 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:50.040 that anyone in the league talking about players, coaches, executives, 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:53.880 would go on record or even off record and suggest 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:57.560 that Ben Simmons is one of the most overrated players 0:05:57.640 --> 0:05:59.479 in the league. I mean, look at how some of 0:05:59.480 --> 0:06:03.040 the players Ben's peers responded on social media when they 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:06.400 saw that clip of Justin saying what he said during 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:10.400 the game. Thinking back to what Doc Rivers told the 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:12.880 media about how when he went to make phone calls 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:16.960 on behalf of Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris for All 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:19.640 Star reserve spots. The coaches around the rest of the 0:06:19.720 --> 0:06:22.560 league they laughed Doc off the phone because they were like, 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:24.800 what are you calling us about Ben? For? Of course 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:27.680 he's an All Star. He's that good. So that brings 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:31.479 me back to this, what could that statement that Justin 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:37.480 made have been based on other than just reckless, baseless 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:41.040 opinions or views, something that he wanted to throw out 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:44.040 there and that I think is irresponsible, and that is 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:50.120 perhaps abusing a bit of the influence and reach that 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:52.640 his platform has, and that for me was the point 0:06:52.640 --> 0:06:55.920 of frustration. I'm with you, Selt. When I listened to 0:06:55.920 --> 0:07:01.040 the clip, I was confused and immediately thought that this 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:03.640 is just someone who hasn't been watching Ben over the 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:06.240 last couple of years, who hasn't looked at the stats. 0:07:06.680 --> 0:07:09.560 I could be wrong. I don't want to assume that 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.760 someone isn't doing their research, but I just don't think 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:15.320 that that's a claim you can make having done your 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:19.239 research and having watched the tape. If anything, I believe 0:07:19.280 --> 0:07:24.920 Ben Simmons to be underrated. The only maybe maybe redeemable 0:07:24.920 --> 0:07:28.880 part of what he said was that Ben takes attention 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.800 away from Tobias. But even that I'm not sold on 0:07:31.920 --> 0:07:36.320 because I hate the narrative of disparaging someone to put 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:39.400 someone else up. Ben and Tobias have both been All 0:07:39.440 --> 0:07:42.200 Stars this year. It is not mutually, it is not 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:45.480 exclusive to to one or the other. The fact that 0:07:46.080 --> 0:07:49.920 the thesis or his closing point was that it takes 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:53.160 away too much attention from Tobias Harris. Okay, maybe he's 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:55.280 saying something nice about Tobias in there, but I don't 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:57.640 like the way that he got there. I believe them 0:07:57.640 --> 0:07:59.600 both to be All stars, and to be honest, I 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:03.760 believe I'm both to be underrated, period. That's how I feel. 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:08.080 I like that taking the opposite rate, you're going under 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:11.440 instead of over, which I would agree with. Look, and 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:13.200 this isn't meant to be some ran about whether or 0:08:13.240 --> 0:08:18.480 not play by play announcers are qualified to make statements 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:23.200 evaluating the talents and abilities and skills of players. Not 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:26.080 in the least. I mean. Listen, Let's take Tom McGinnis 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:29.320 for example. Tom's been in the NBA for over twenty 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:32.560 five years. He knows the game, he's seen it, he's 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:35.320 talked to people. Sure, if Tom's going to say something 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:37.880 about a guy, give an opinion or a stance and 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:41.440 a player, great, all for it. It's rooted in something 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:43.959 Sam goes from Mark zoom Off. If Mark says on 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:46.360 the broadcast, well I think so and so about this 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:49.240 player from that team. Are you gonna listen to it? 0:08:49.240 --> 0:08:52.080 And should you put credence into it. Of course, Mark's 0:08:52.080 --> 0:08:55.120 been in the league for like Tom nearly three decades, 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.400 but I think that's part of the problem here. Justin's 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:02.040 been in the NBA calling games in the league for 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:04.800 not even four months. And that's not to say he 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:08.280 can't do a great job saying that, Hey, this guy 0:09:08.440 --> 0:09:11.240 made that shot or missed that shot, but that's only 0:09:11.320 --> 0:09:13.720 part of the gig. When you have a platform like 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:18.079 that that has such a reach and influence and people 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:21.160 presume you to be an authority, you just got to 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:23.680 be more responsible than that. I think anyone who follows 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:28.160 this game, follows this league, understands how good Ben Simmons is. 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:30.880 I know Greg Popovitch doesn't know much and he hasn't 0:09:30.880 --> 0:09:32.920 done much in his career, but I kind of like 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:35.480 what Greg Poppitch had to say about Ben Simmons. I 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:38.040 did as well. I liked that everyone has sort of 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:40.560 sounded off and when they've done so, they've they've come 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:44.560 to the same conclusion that Ben not in fact overrated. 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:47.720 I also in general celts and it just rubbed me 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:51.360 this way. I don't like opinions presented as facts. I 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:54.280 think it happens a lot in our industry and It's 0:09:54.320 --> 0:09:57.600 fine if that's how you want to present your opinions. 0:09:57.640 --> 0:09:59.840 But when you mentioned Mark Zumoff, you mentioned Tom McGinnis. 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.240 They present opinions, it's very clear that their opinions, and 0:10:02.240 --> 0:10:05.680 they're not trying to present opinion as fact. And that's 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:08.120 just something that I try to look out for. Not 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:10.720 that anyone wants to know what my tricks to the 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.840 trade are, but I don't like when people present opinion 0:10:13.920 --> 0:10:20.000 as fact, especially when the opinion like this one was wrong. Yes, 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:22.920 and you know what, Justin on social media, he doubled 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.199 down on a statement. Good for him, but I was 0:10:25.240 --> 0:10:28.079 also pleased to see that if people had counterthoughts on that, 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.800 people have engaged with his account and certainly made known 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:35.760 what their opinions and thoughts about his take was, not 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.520 the least of which Ben Simmons on his Instagram story. 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:41.520 So that's I apologize on. I apologize for hagging the mic. 0:10:41.760 --> 0:10:45.000 I apologize to you listeners out there for going on 0:10:45.040 --> 0:10:46.640 that rant. I just felt I had to do it. 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:48.840 All due respect to Justin. He was a great guy. 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:52.640 I have nothing against him personally. I'm just reacting to 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.280 a statement that was made. It happens to be a 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:56.440 person that I met once or twice. No Ill Will, 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:58.600 but I just felt I had to do it well 0:10:58.600 --> 0:11:01.320 add that as well, No Ill Will. It's a tough 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:04.600 job play by play covering this league. It's not easy 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:08.920 to do. Gotta give a little bit of leeway maybe 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:12.720 for some types of takes. This one just not a 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:14.679 great one. But wish him the best and hope that 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:17.880 he improves his takes. At the end of the day, 0:11:17.880 --> 0:11:20.240 mail bag money is about you the populace out there, 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:25.080 so let's get to it right now. You have one 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:28.880 new message at jaw five nine eight two zero zero 0:11:29.000 --> 0:11:32.280 nine nine on at Twitter. Ben Simmons is not close 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:34.559 to overrated. He is the best defender in the NBA 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.720 guards one through five. Even though he does not shoot 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:39.560 anything outside the paint, he rebounds FA till states and 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:42.320 gets sixteen points per game. His role can become a 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:45.640 bit bigger now with him beat out ghost sixers hashtag 0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:49.000 here they come. I'm with it. The guards one through 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:53.839 five thing is an underrated plotline. Who else in the 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:57.720 league can as successfully guard one through five as a 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:01.040 guy like Ben Simmons. That is so hard to do. 0:12:01.559 --> 0:12:04.559 He's a big guy who can absolutely put the clamps 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:07.520 on little guys, and he's a big guy who can 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:11.280 fight up in the post against big guys. Nobody else 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:14.520 in this league does that, certainly not the way that 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:17.800 Ben does it. Guards one through five, maybe best defender 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:22.160 in the league. Great teammate, makes his teammates better appreciated 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:25.720 by his teammates. The list goes on. I'll save you 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:29.000 from the rest of it. I'm gonna call for a 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:33.040 vibe check here Ben Simmons vibes in that game on 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:35.880 Sunday against the Spurs. Honestly, I don't think I've seen 0:12:35.920 --> 0:12:38.120 anything like that from him in the time that he's 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:40.400 been with the team. He was, you know, looking up 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:42.520 to the crowd, playing the crowd the whole time. Maybe 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:44.920 it was easier because there were fewer fans in attendance, 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:48.760 but just his energy in that game was tremendous. Well, 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.439 Ben has been training a lot with Dwight Howard and 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:53.840 there are some good things he can learn from Dwight Howard. 0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:56.320 Maybe one of them is showmanship, because both of them 0:12:56.400 --> 0:12:59.280 were so excited to see the fans. They were doing 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:01.760 it all, they were showing off. It was cool to 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:04.360 see Ben engage with this group it's clear that he 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:07.280 missed them. He's been a little bit more demonstrative this season, 0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:09.680 in my opinion, and it was cool to see him 0:13:10.000 --> 0:13:13.680 be demonstrative, be expressive, be emotional and have fans like 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:16.400 feed into it. And then Ben kept typing it up 0:13:16.400 --> 0:13:18.640 and the fans kept typing him up. It was really 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:21.040 cool to see. It's reminding me now of all the 0:13:21.080 --> 0:13:23.360 conversations we've had about how excited we are for things 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:26.920 to start going back to normal. And while last night's game, 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:28.920 by no means it did not feel normal to me, 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:30.960 but there were little moments where I don't know if 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:34.800 I appreciated an interaction between a player and the fans 0:13:34.840 --> 0:13:38.240 in the room enough in the past. It was cool 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:40.360 to not take that type of thing for granted. It 0:13:40.400 --> 0:13:42.440 was cool to watch Ben loved it, the crowd loved it. 0:13:42.520 --> 0:13:45.640 I loved it. It was really cool. To the podline, 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:49.920 we go, you have one new message. Ben Simmons is 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:52.479 not one of the most how ready plays in NBA. 0:13:52.720 --> 0:13:55.199 He's not one of the most overready plays in the NBA, 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:58.280 because if he was, he would not be winning actual 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:02.920 awards they actually haven't. He would not be averaging sixteen 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:05.719 eight and eight, and he would not be averaging twenty one, 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:08.960 seven and seven for the Muffle February. He would just 0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:11.400 like to look at box score and numbers and just 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:13.280 do that. Oh but Simmons hasn't improved since you got 0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:16.040 into the NBA. And Simmons is twenty four years old 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:20.320 and he's made aught MBA thirteen and aught NBA Defensive 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:23.520 First Team. That is incredible. He's only stepped his defense 0:14:23.680 --> 0:14:28.000 up this season. He's looking everybody down and he's improving 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:31.360 his supporting game. He had forty two against the defensive 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:35.520 Player of the Year. That's incredible. So I know he's 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:38.280 going to step it up and beat out and everybody's 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:39.920 just going to see, Oh, maybe Ben Simmons is not 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:42.720 one of the most over eighty players NBA. He's incredible. 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:46.280 Rack Dad call that was tremendous. We were getting stats 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.840 spat at us left and right, and I think two, 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:52.160 Ben is going to step it up with Joel out. 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:53.960 I think he's shown that in the past. I was 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:56.520 like reading a resume and I was impressed. I would 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.480 hire the person with that resume to play basketball. Setting 0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:05.520 not overrated. I agree the awards don't tell the whole story. 0:15:05.640 --> 0:15:07.840 They never do. But when you're getting them at the 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:10.440 rate that Ben Simmons is getting them, at the age 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:14.400 that Ben Simmons is incredible stuff. The best is yet 0:15:14.480 --> 0:15:16.720 to come from Ben, especially if this year is any 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:19.760 indication He's gotten better on a lot of levels. And 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:23.040 I'm very excited to see how the resume continues to 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:25.960 fill itself out over the next few years. Yeah, pretty 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:29.000 much since February, Ben off the charts his last fifteen games, 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:32.160 nineteen and a half points, nearly sixty three percent, shooting 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:36.160 almost seventy percent from the line, seven boards, seven and 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:38.840 a half assists, and one and a half steals per 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:42.360 game with three double doubles. You love to see. It's 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:46.080 you have one new message. The other question we asked 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:50.840 this week, especially on the Sixers at Sixers Instagram story sticker, 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.400 which you can look for every either Saturday or Sunday. 0:15:53.480 --> 0:15:55.720 Going into our next mail back, mondays, what are you 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:57.960 most looking forward to about being back at the center 0:15:58.000 --> 0:15:59.920 should you be fortunate enough to go to a game? 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:03.320 Alana Robbins says, stoked to be part of why the 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.480 team has the biggest home court advantage in the league. 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.760 With the angry snorting emoji face Lauren. The game on 0:16:10.840 --> 0:16:14.640 Sunday makes the Sixers now forty six and five at 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:17.040 the Center and games played in South Philly since the 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:19.880 start of the twenty nineteen twenty season. Notable that one 0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:22.360 of those five they had seven players like I don't 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:24.760 even know if we should really be counting that right anyway. 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:29.000 So cool to have those fans back. I can't say 0:16:29.040 --> 0:16:33.560 it enough. I remain cautious about the safety. I want 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:36.520 to make sure that I'm promoting mask wearing and promoting 0:16:36.600 --> 0:16:39.720 distancing when we talk about fans on this show. But 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:41.720 it was so great to see them back, even in 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:45.240 a limited capacity. They made such a difference. The guys 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:48.120 set it after the game. Doc Rivers set it after 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.240 the game. It was really really cool to have them there, 0:16:51.320 --> 0:16:55.240 and even though their number was smaller than usual, maybe 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:57.720 they were mightier than usual. It was a really cool feeling. 0:16:58.160 --> 0:16:59.840 We asked on Instagram, what are you most looking for? 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.440 Two about coming back to the Center? K Cam seventy 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:06.560 one says Chickie and Pete's see Franco one two two 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:09.080 nine says flying back from Miami for one. It's been 0:17:09.200 --> 0:17:12.520 so long. Love that loyalty. I love it as well. 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:14.760 There's so many things that make these types of moments 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.399 special to people. So whether that's chickens and PiZZ or 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:20.080 who you go with, or what time of year you go, 0:17:20.320 --> 0:17:23.800 there are so many emotional associations to seeing games in person, 0:17:23.880 --> 0:17:26.639 and I think, especially now, like we've already said on 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:29.399 this pod, you're going to start to appreciate things that 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:31.159 you used to take for granted a little more. And 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:34.680 that sense of just sheer joy, happy to be there 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:38.400 was on everybody's face last night, and that was really cool. 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:42.640 Only one dot Joseph three, Oh god, I don't know everything. 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:44.840 That's what I'm looking forward to about being back, looking 0:17:44.880 --> 0:17:48.720 forward to everything. I would agree. Tierny Morrison says, welcoming 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:51.879 Tyrese Maxie to Philly last night, he got a great 0:17:51.920 --> 0:17:55.760 ovation against the Spurs coinciding with a frosty freeze out possibility. 0:17:56.040 --> 0:17:58.680 What a great set of circumstances for the man featured 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:01.680 in our latest here they come presented by Geico Video 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.159 Series Tyrese Maxie to get out on the floor in 0:18:04.200 --> 0:18:05.800 front of fans. I think they really do love him 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:07.600 and it was nice to see that against the Spurs. 0:18:07.920 --> 0:18:10.679 It was cool and Tyrese was robbed of the traditional 0:18:11.200 --> 0:18:14.520 first intro to the fans experience that we've seen other 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:17.800 rookies get over the last few years. Philadelphia is thrilled 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:20.960 to have Tyrese Maxie as part of the family, and 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:23.960 it was cool for Tyrese to have the opportunity to 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:27.960 feel that in a very sensory way. People were so 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:31.239 excited to see Tyres and the other rookies that got 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:33.480 to join the fun last night. We actually got the 0:18:33.520 --> 0:18:36.679 submission before the game on Sunday was played. Diehard Philly 0:18:37.240 --> 0:18:39.280 told us an igs what is he looking most forward 0:18:39.280 --> 0:18:41.639 to about coming back to games? Channing, I thought, this 0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:44.960 is ironic refu suck that did happen at the end 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:47.719 of the first half and they Hey, the fans did 0:18:47.760 --> 0:18:50.080 not miss a beat. They were back and better than ever. 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:52.800 They remembered all they were up to their old tricks 0:18:52.880 --> 0:18:55.560 in the best way. It was great. It was really nice, 0:18:56.200 --> 0:18:57.480 and it was also great to hear some of the 0:18:57.520 --> 0:19:00.240 players just shout out the fans after the game. And 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:02.720 compared to how the energy was at such a higher 0:19:02.760 --> 0:19:05.960 level at the Center compared to other atmospheres on the road. 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:07.840 How about this one, Lauren, the last one from our 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:12.880 Instagram submissions, Bree Hornberger says, I'm looking forward to going 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.360 to my first game with my best friend who made 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:20.640 me a fan during the bubble. I love that new fans. 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:24.320 There are people, there are Sixers fans with new children 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:26.480 that they didn't have last time they were at games. 0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:29.240 We're going to see some new baby and toddler Sixer 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:31.800 fans in the coming weeks and months, and I'm very 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:35.879 excited to welcome that submission and everybody else into the family. 0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:41.320 All right, let's switch over to our Twitter mansions at 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:45.560 Medina GRN six O nine n J says, and this 0:19:45.720 --> 0:19:49.440 was in response to Tobias Harris's remarks about not making 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.040 the All Star Game. Bro, you got game. We all 0:19:52.160 --> 0:19:55.600 know you're nice, Stay hungry, stay tenacious, get it done. 0:19:55.640 --> 0:19:58.080 When you're on the floor, come playoff time, you will 0:19:58.119 --> 0:20:00.840 wreak havoc on the opposite Asians. So that was in 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:03.040 response to a tweet that Lauren you and I put 0:20:03.119 --> 0:20:06.440 out there about Tobias Harris him summing up his thoughts 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:08.000 on not making the All Star Game. He said it 0:20:08.080 --> 0:20:10.760 was disappointed, but essentially, and this was part of the 0:20:10.840 --> 0:20:13.800 quote that he's going to put a bounty on the 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:16.320 heads of the coaches and media members who did not 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:18.920 show him enough respect in his mind, and he's played 0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:20.720 like it so far. I love that attitude, and it's 0:20:20.760 --> 0:20:23.000 nice to hear the fans supporting him as well well. 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:25.120 So you're the one that has pointed out this statistic 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:28.440 all along, But since Tobias was not officially not named 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:30.680 to the All Star team, the Sixers have not lost 0:20:30.720 --> 0:20:35.119 a game, and that's independent of personnel, opponent. Home wrote, 0:20:35.200 --> 0:20:38.600 they have not lost a game, and that is worth something. 0:20:39.359 --> 0:20:42.440 Tobias Harris has always been motivated, He's always been driven. 0:20:42.520 --> 0:20:46.040 He's always brought the utmost professionalism and class to his job. 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:48.880 And now he's bringing a little more edge, a little 0:20:48.920 --> 0:20:51.399 bit of a chip on his shoulder, something to prove. 0:20:51.960 --> 0:20:55.119