Fuck Howard Eskin

Howard Eskin was already pretty damn low on my list of human beings in this city, but today he reached a new low. There have been countless headlines and assumptions made about the Sixers-Simmons situation but there has to be a line drawn at some point. In a tweet, Eskin claimed that Simmons was faking the mental health issue that has been discussed as part of the reason he isn’t playing for the Sixers right now. Without any credibility in this statement, he started it by saying “according to sources”, as if that is reason enough to cut a man down at his knees in a situation that is evidently difficult regardless of the side you stand on.

When discussing Simmons, or any other player in this league, I don’t really care how you feel about them as players there is no reason to disparage them on a personal level. Ben Simmons, while acting out of line, is still a human being that has a history with mental health struggles, hate him as a player or hate his actions but it is incredibly irresponsible to discredit how a person mentally handles a situation.

According to Sources, belief by #Sixers Ben Simmons is faking injury and mental illness. He came in 2day and said he had back stiffness and mentally not ready to play. Mental illness is serious issue and team is livid Simmons went down that road. Team plans to fine him every game

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) October 21, 2021

This tweet was immediately followed up by Kyle Neubeck disputing these claims and calling any other report is reckless.

I don’t know anyone of any significance in Sixers’ org who would leak accusations Simmons is faking mental health issue, and team has (in recent past) offered to provide resources to Simmons there *if* it’s something he feels he needs help with. Circulating otherwise is reckless

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) October 21, 2021

We are all mad at Ben Simmons for the way he has conducted business in the recent weeks. Even I am on board with it this time, but under no circumstance is it okay to make an accusation about another person’s mental well being and diminish their humanity just because you want to make a brash headline.

There is no experience level, or credential that gives you the right to outlandishly make dangerous accusations about an athlete. Everyone champions mental health until it has to do with a player you don’t like, and Eskin should genuinely be ashamed of himself.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ZP2IfIZORwSgQ4ZOxZU5g?si=XcZTq-5MRcemsQSgfgk0Yw