Danny Green Believes Sixers Fans Need to Make a Change
The Philadelphia 76ers have only employed the veteran sharpshooter Danny Green for one season, but the outspoken three-time champion has had a lot to say through his lone year in South Philly.
Although the season is over and Green is likely to test free agency and could very well be on another team next season, Green is still very much relevant in the city of Philadelphia as his podcast 'Inside the Green Room' is on NBC Sports Philadelphia's regular rotation these days.
In addition to his personal podcast getting airtime on local broadcast networks, Green has recently made an appearance on NBCSP's John Clark's podcast. During the 30-plus minute conversation between Clark and Green, the veteran forward praised Philly fans for their support throughout the year but couldn't do it without offering up some criticism to how they go about things sometimes.
When asked about the city's boobirds, Green bluntly made it clear that the tough love from the crowd sometimes has a negative effect on players rather than positive. And because of that, Green believes fans need to reconsider how they go about supporting their team on game nights.
"It has an effect on everybody, and I think that'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. That's the one thing I would disagree with or dislike. Some guys use it as motivation, some guys have a chip on their shoulder, but I think that needs to change. They need to be riding with us, regardless of how things are going." h/t Adam Hermann.
Green isn't the first player to make a comment like that, and he likely won't be the last. For decades, Philly fans haven't been hesitant to turn cheers into boos when their team isn't playing up to par. It's a well-known fact that professional players in Philly have to be mentally tough to survive in the hostile environment when teams or players aren't performing up to their potential.
Green's opinion is understandable and valid in some ways, but he can forget about trying to convince Philly fans to keep cheering even when things are going bad. It's been suggested many times before, and it always fails. I wouldn't expect a player who's donned a Sixers uniform for just one season to be the one to convince thousands of fans to change their ways anytime soon.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.