Joe DeCamara Opens With 76ers Rant: 'It's A Total Disgrace'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Joe DeCamara trusts the process, I promise.
But even the most adamant and loyal process trusters, like DeCamara, are furious with the way the Sixers have handled the injury situations regarding Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Related: Report: Ben Simmons' Foot Not Fully Healed
DeCamara opened his show alongside Jon Ritchie on SportsRadio 94WIP on the morning after news broke that Simmons' foot is reportedly not fully healed, with a rant.
Listen: Joe DeCamara's Sixers rant on Friday, Feb. 17th 2017
"We knew from the jump this was a tricky injury," DeCamara said on Friday's 94WIP Midday Show, reacting to Bryan Colangelo's statement released on Thursday night regarding the status of Sixers' No. 1 overall pick. "We heard from people that this was an injury that can be tricky and if it doesn't heal properly it could keep him out the whole season. OK! Fine! Then he stays out the whole season.
"But be real with people! Be real with fans who have endured year, after year, after year waiting. And just look them in the eye and say, 'Here's the deal. He's really not healing the right way. We're gonna shut him down. We hope to have him ready for next October.' Don't try to sell hope for freaking February and March and tickets and excitement and hoopla.
"Somewhere along the line in the chain of the hierarchy of that organization, they are either lying or they are intentionally deceiving people who have put money and years of love into this organization. And they're spitting in people's faces. Just be real. Be authentic. Be honest.
Related: Bryan Colangelo Believes Sixers Can 'Make Playoffs' Next Season
"I just think it is incredibly, incredibly, incredibly disrespectful to a loyal fan base, that the fans are just being treated like rag dolls back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I just find it reprehensible that the 76ers organization feels that they can take a fanbase that has been so loyal through such a process and treat them like this. It's awful, it's absolutely awful."
Related: Brett Brown 'Fully Expects' Ben Simmons To Play This Season
Ritchie believes the Sixers have mislead the fan base on the injuries in hopes of selling more tickets.
"We are starving for any sort of basketball positivity and they're trying to ride that wave, massage this situation, take advantage of the great feeling in this town and it's sort of at the cost of the trust of the fan base at this point," Ritchie said.
Related: Sixers Reveal Joel Embiid Has 'Very Minor' Meniscal Tear
"If the guy [Simmons] is hurt just say he's hurt, no problem!" DeCamara yelled. "We might be frustrated and all that, but just say he's hurt and he's not gonna play. It's a disgrace. It's a total disgrace.
"We've been here with the Sixers before and apparently we're here again in a different regime under [Sixers general manager Bryan] Colangelo. It is astounding that they feel they can do this."
