Danny Green criticizes sports fans in Philly: “They can’t come after you”

Danny Green’s exit from the NBA playoffs with a calf injury against the Atlanta Hawks was an underrated blow for the Sixers as their championship run went miserably – again.

Most of Philadelphia’s anger has been directed at Ben Simmons and Doc Rivers – pretty much every team has injuries and that’s part of the game – but it’s hard not to imagine how the Hawks series could have turned out if Green had been on the ground as an offensive outlet and a veteran presence.

The three-time NBA champion is a pending free agent, another piece of the offseason puzzle that Daryl Morey and the brains of the Sixers will need to assess as they plan for next season.

And for the most part, Green was pretty committed and honest in his first year as a Sixer. His show “Green Room” was an insightful and interesting look behind the curtain on the player frame of mind and perspective of a guy who was very successful in the NBA playoffs. Green has generally been appreciated and appreciated by the Sixers fan base for his leadership on the pitch, understanding of the game, and timely shots.

But this week, Green lightly slammed Philadelphia sports fans for being overzealous to the point of being harsh, in his opinion.

Appearing on John Clark’s “Takeoff” podcast with NBC Sports Philadelphia, Green expressed some of his frustration with fans and their reaction to Ben Simmons’ playoff arrival. Here’s a transcript from NBC Sports Philadelphia:

CLARK Do you think the crowd, and Philly, can have an effect on someone like Ben at these times?

GREEN: Of course. It’s having an effect on everyone, and I think it’s something that needs to change in the city. I love our fans, but when things aren’t going well they can’t turn on you. It’s the one thing I wouldn’t agree with or like. Some guys use it as motivation, some guys have a chip on their shoulder, but I think that needs to change. They have to ride with us no matter how things go.

We’re the # 1 team in the East, we always play well, and in some games they boo us – that’s part of the culture here, part of their way of showing they love us – but with a guy like ben, and other guys, i think they should stay behind them and stay next to them as long as they can, until the horn sounds. And even there it is there. He has given so much to the organization and the city, on and off the pitch, that he deserves that respect and support.

Hope the thing turns out for him and the city of Philly, so where they don’t have that mantra as fans of being cold, rude, and one of the worst in the league, because we have had a great time this year, we had a great outing. When they came and allowed the fans to come back into the building it was amazing, they had amazing energy, which we needed and I loved it. I hope that will change for him and for the city. [NBC Sports Philadelphia]

As you might expect, many people have already objected to these comments and the characterization of the non-supporting Simmons fans, who received roaring cheers for simply going to the foul line and making one. both.

There are a few things to unpack here.

First of all, Green is probably barking in the wrong tree and should just know that failure shouldn’t be covered up with any reference to fans. Their contribution to a team’s aura is far from zero, but at the end of the day it’s the guys on the pitch who have to perform and rise above the adversity of the game itself. Even President Biden knows that Philly fans are obnoxious, but generally very knowledgeable.

Second, the lasting memory for fans of this year’s Playoffs won’t be the boos that rain down at the end of another Game 7 loss, but rather the abjectly shocked and depressed faces of the people watching from the stands after that. ‘huge tracks melted. To understand the majority of the fans here, you have to look that pain in the eyes.

The revolt against Simmons, Rivers, and the collective team that followed is more about how they lost than anything else.

At Green’s point, some segments of the fan base are just plain rude and cruel. It is not unique to Philadelphia. Green and his future wife have received death threats from Lakers fans after missing a key blow in the NBA Finals last season. It’s more about the general pressure of being a professional athlete, watched and scrutinized by millions of people, than a reflection of a particular city that has gained a bad reputation largely because its teams tend to lose in a historically aggravating way. The Philly teams are rarely horrible unless they blatantly rebuild themselves, but they also never quite achieved the kind of dynasty status that would quell fan frustration.

In fairness to Green, he could have been more critical than he actually was. Philly fans are going to overreact because their souls just got crushed and they’re fed up with this conversation. Green has tried to balance his criticism, at least a little, while saying fans should love the team and the players unconditionally. It’s unrealistic and unrequited by players leaving cities that love them because of the business of the game. Everyone gets it, and Green at least tries to acknowledge the fans’ point of view.

“A lot of frustration over the years, I understand that. We had a golden opportunity this year, and there will be a lot for years to come with the guys you have here. But enjoy it, love them. “Green said. “I love our fans, but I try to let them know, ‘Protect us, cheer us on, stay with us as we support you, whatever wins and losses. “We’re humans and people too. We’re not zoo animals where you can throw things or be on our side when it’s convenient. I love Philly City, and I love the fans. It has been quite an experience for me for the one year that I have been here. “

The guy is honest about how he feels, agree or disagree, and it’s just a window into how players tend to view fans. Grounding teams isn’t about the convenience of wins and losses. Riding with the team doesn’t even have to be about execution. It is a true assessment of the team’s strategy and the effort of its players to surpass themselves and develop.

Green probably feels empowered to say these things because he’s got three rings, he’s a free agent, and he’s become more of a mercenary at this point in his career than a man of the hype. Dwight Howard’s comments urging fans to support Ben Simmons weren’t that different in their overall intent, but Howard was a hype man for Philly fans all year round and he carefully avoided direct fan criticism. .

Gamers think of the game differently than fans. That’s fine – and that’s to be expected – but they also need to know their audience and the situation. A dramatic playoff collapse caused by predictable shortcomings that haven’t been addressed is going to be booed into oblivion because fans care deeply about the team. They invest enough time and money to be rightfully sad and angry when the team fails, especially under these pitiful circumstances.

It’s not that Green is wrong in wanting Philly fans to support, especially young players. Their humanity and feelings are not lost on anyone, and the worst aspects of sports fandom should be exposed when toxic. Most fans try to do this job in message boards and discourage anyone who is classless.

But Green is wrong not to acknowledge that Philly fans are already supportive – more than most – and the bloated vitriolic feeling he perceives is just a byproduct of focusing on the strongly negative segment of the fan base. To truly understand the fans’ gripes, Green has to live up to that downcast look in the crowd as a 26-point lead evaporates.

It happened and it’s over now. Most of the fans here are constructive and are already busy trying to project how the team will improve next season.

Whether or not Green chooses to stay here will say a lot about how much he enjoyed playing for the Sixers organization and the Philadelphia fans. He had a good year, he missed the playoffs and the fans appreciated what he brought to the table.