National Basketball Association

Forget Tough, Philadelphia 76ers Fans Excited

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Perennially, Philadelphia fans are subjected to the snowballed Santa story. But forget the tough reputation, Philadelphia 76ers are downright excited this season

Another year, and that means national media has queued the annual “Snowballed Santa in Philly” article. Again. And the nation makes no distinction of the sport, as Philadelphia 76ers fans know all too well. But lost to the nation is the blue collar mentality, the very fiber which keeps an entire population moving because one foot is always on the ground. If you follow Philadelphia sports, you have heard and firmly believe these idioms:

The proof is in the pudding.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Or don’t pour the milk till you’ve opened the box.
How about don’t take the picture till you’ve removed the lens cover.
You shouldn’t answer till you’ve heard the question.
Can’t start the car until you put in the key
Shouldn’t read the book till you’ve opened it up.

Skepticism is a thick and vital part of the Philadelphia culture. Vital in that the city’s fan base continues to love and support its teams despite the recent slumps. No team has failed more in the sports section win column than the Philadelphia 76ers.

But that is about to change. The team has assembled the prototype roster with which to surround 2016 top draft pick Ben Simmons. While it will be a work in progress, it’s a huge leap forward. You see, in addition to Simmons, the team will debut two red-shirted rookies in the form of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. Their arrival has changed this team, permanently.

Has the mood softened in the hearts of the Philadelphia 76ers fans? If you scratch the surface, you find a pragmatic “we’re not there yet” staunch reply. But it masks the excitement that has been building for the past three years.

How can you measure the excitement that nobody admits to? Simple. As reported by Josh Wilson just three days ago, team ticket sales are up. In fact, the Philadelphia 76ers are the hottest tickets to buy in the NBA now.

Fans are rallying to support the team now. Some are open and overly optimistic about it, but don’t expect to find the majority doing so. But excitement is there regardless.

We’re talking again. We have opinions we are willing to share once more. Fans are openly debating, as though the band is playing a familiar song, and the dance floor floods with new dancers. The fans are getting comfortable about the team and the direction again.

For the rest of the NBA? We’ve awaited the debut of Embiid and Saric for two years. This is our time to dance now. If you don’t approve, you know our response. If you don’t, just read the nest snowballed Santa story.