The casual sports fan has no fucking clue who Ben Simmons is

[redseat]

I keep hearing how great Ben Simmons is, but I see LSU's record is 16-10.

15 or the 16 wins were because of him

source: ESPN

 

[NDHoosier101]

How can you not know how Ben Simmons is? You watch any game on ESPN and they constantly bring up his name and play, I mean damn, unless they're playing Kentucky or someone big out of conference later idgaf.

It's LSU basketball, I'm in Louisiana for work and everyone I talk to is a die hard LSU football fan, no one cares about basketball down here.

 

[antone112]

The harder ESPN pushes something, the more I resist. I know of him but have watched 3 minutes of LSU basketball this season. Just more entertained by good teams, rather than individuals.

 

[podsox]

Everybody sounds like skip bayless on here. The kid is an absolute stud. His team is god awful and the coach is equally bad.

 

[HammerDown]

I keep hearing how great Ben Simmons is, but I see LSU's record is 16-10.

He's great. He's the best player in college basketball and will be an instant superstar even if he goes to Philly.

 

[HammerDown]

Everybody sounds like skip bayless on here. The kid is an absolute stud. His team is god awful and the coach is equally bad.

Magic Johnson says he's the greatest in a generation but some B1G nutswinger hasn't heard of him so Magic must be wrong.

 

[Great Dayne]

The only reason I heard of him because of the recent segment on first take asking if Simmons is overrated.

 

[Great Dayne]

Hayes has been the MVP for MSU tonight. Settling for trash jumpers, turning the ball over and he's playing against Valintine who is destroying his slow ass. BENCH HIM NOW

 

[OregonDucks]

He's great. He's the best player in college basketball and will be an instant superstar even if he goes to Philly.

Sounds like the hype of every Philly first round player drafted over the last 6 years.

 

[Thruthefog]

I'm interested in this. This notion started a few nights ago when I was out with buddues. 1 if them is a CBB fan the other 4 not really. They're more CFB/NFL/MLB. Me and the guy who follows CBB were talking about Simmons vs Hield and none of the other 4 guys had any fucking clue who either of them were. I may try this because I think I'm right.

You two must be buying them beers. Otherwise, they wouldn't let basketball sissies hang out with them.

 

[broncosmitty]

Trust me many people know Ben Simmons.

ESPN fits him in any chance they get. People who only watch baseball(not even on right now) know him.

Who?

 

[HammerDown]

Sounds like the hype of every Philly first round player drafted over the last 6 years.

You're wrong.

Stick to Oregon football and leave everything else to us.

 

[Thruthefog]

Who?

You ran out of shit to read at the same time I did.

 

[broncosmitty]

You ran out of shit to read at the same time I did.

I thought this thread was aboot Zoolander.

 

[OregonDucks]

You're wrong.

Stick to Oregon football and leave everything else to us.

Wrong about what? The fact that Philly 1st rounders have lived up to their hype...? Just check Sixers record over the past few years for that answer.

OR about how good Ben Simmons is? He may be good, but I don't buy the hype he has been surrounded by. Basketball is one sport where one dominant player can actually affect how good a team is. And LSU's 16-10 record shows for that. LSU wasn't a terrible team before him, probably hovered around the same record as they are now without him.

If he was as dominant as ESPN is trying to make him, I would think LSU would be much better as again, basketball is the one sport (especially at the non-NBA level) where one dominant player can really increase a teams win total.

16-10 in a not so powerful conference isn't all that amazing. I don't see anything he is done in college to make me think this guy is so worthy of instantly turning a NBA franchise around. He may do very well at a well rounded NBA team that is mediocre now, but I don't think he goes into PHilly and suddenly makes the Sixers a playoff contender.

Goodness, LSU may not even make the tournament. I've seen 1 man shows in CBB put their team on their shoulders and at least get them into the field of 64,68,72 whatever the Hell they are at now.

 

[jontaejones]

I keep hearing LSU us going to get some kind of bubble help by having Simmons on the squad. Question is why? CBB fans are watching the tourney either way and casual sports fans A. Don't have any idea who Ben Simmons is and B. Watch the tourney only to see how their brackets are doing. Dies anyone really think the guy that only watches CBB in March cares about Simmons?? He or she does not. I promise you

College basketball fans will watch the tourney either way, but it's nice if there's star power. Star power can carry a team to the final 4, though I don't think Simmons is doing that.

As far as Ben Simmons, I don't think even some hardcore sports fans would know who he is. I don't know what it is around here, and I don't wanna sound ignorant, but white dudes in my area just do not watch basketball in general, and college bball in particular. At my office, people are crazy about football. People are talking about baseball season and its fucking February.

I'd say football, baseball, college football, hockey, and even soccer all rank above college B-ball here. But in Baton Rouge, I'm guessing people know who Ben Simmons is. So, in a roundabout, crude way, I guess my answer to your question is "It's highly regional."

 

[CatsTopPac]

Simmons isn't known by the masses because he plays for LSU, and they suck. I'm sorry, but one playerdoesn't make a team. LSU is particularly bad except him, and so he's not going to be able to carry them into rankings or a deep run in March. That's what you get when you want to go to some hometown school or non powerhouse as the #1 recruit. You're home, but you miss a bunch of team exposure and success, compared to being on a tier one team. He can still go first in the draft and do well, but he is missing out on everything that comes with being on a top ten team with a bunch of other studs around him.

The scouts know him and that's all that matters. Casual fans don't know him because even with ESPN pushing him, his team can't justify the attention. There is a difference between the publicity that Simmons has gotten this year, and what happens when the number one pick is on a perennial top ten team. Your stats are better, your team is better, and the spotlight is brighter.

Even for Simmons, it's tough to go 16 and 10 when you have a weak backcourt that cant get the ball in, and no other post players that can get boards. And losses will keep you out of March.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

Ben Simmons is damn good. His only flaw is probably involving his shitty teammates too much and not just scoring the ball on his own. Outside of injury, I see him as a future all star easily if not MVP type of player.

 

[Blitzville]

I keep hearing LSU us going to get some kind of bubble help by having Simmons on the squad. Question is why? CBB fans are watching the tourney either way and casual sports fans A. Don't have any idea who Ben Simmons is and B. Watch the tourney only to see how their brackets are doing. Dies anyone really think the guy that only watches CBB in March cares about Simmons?? He or she does not. I promise you

I hate to say this because it goes against what is truly right, but at the end of the day, this is about the almighty dollar. The networks and NCAA want teams in the field that are going to attract ratings. As a result, it is nearly impossible for a little known school from one of the lesser conferences to get an at large bid. I single Monmouth out because they have had some very respectable wins against decent non-conference power schools (USC, UCLA, Notre Dame and Georgetown), but make no mistake, if they do not win the MAAC Tournament in a couple of weeks, they are likely headed to the NIT.

Just like in football, the system is skewed towards the schools from the power conferences because they get the most coverage and attract the most fans--$$$$. Heck, there is still talk out there about doing away with the automatic bids and just picking the "best" 64 teams. The little guys would never have a chance if that were to ever happen, which it won't. If anything, the auto bids will stay, and the field will expand to 96. When that happens, the only controversy then will be about seeding on the 8/9 lines because 8 and above will get a first round bye in that scenario. The play-in games are just a testing laboratory for the eventuality of the field expanding to 96 teams and 7 rounds. Money dictates this will happen at some point.

 

[HammerDown]

"Never heard of the guy!" - @rmilia1