T.J. McConnell, point guard of your Philadelphia 76ers, is a Penguins fan. This is a tragedy, of course, but he can at least be partially forgiven as a native of Western Pennsylvania. Not like he had a choice in the matter.
But despite his flawed roots, McConnell still knows the truth when he sees it. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he had this to say:
“This isn’t taking a shot at Pittsburgh, but I think the fans in Philly are more diehard than fans in Pittsburgh. We won only 10 games last year and we still had sellout crowds. I’m telling you it’s one of the most passionate fan bases. When you start winning, that’s a city you want to be in.”
(Fact check: the Sixers certainly did not sell out games last year, but hey — the Flyers did even when they finished dead last in the NHL a decade ago. Anyway, not sure that was the crux of McConnell’s point anyway.)
It’s not taking a shot at Pittsburgh because it’s not “taking a shot” when you’re just telling the truth. Just like saying that the Penguins had an average attendance of 11,887 at their home games in 2003-04 isn’t taking a shot. It’s just the truth. Anyway.
