Before becoming the founder and CEO of The Ringer, Bill Simmons built his career speaking from the perspective of the sports fan.
And despite his success and status, Simmons’ allegiance to Boston-based teams still runs deep and is frequently used for fodder on his podcast.
That was the case on Friday’s episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, in which the Sports Guy discussed the Boston Bruins’ second-round matchup with the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Stating that the best part of playoff hockey is “working up irrational genuine hatred for whoever your opponent is for your favorite team,” Simmons made it clear, “I hate the Panthers.”
After running down some “highlights of hatred for the Panthers,” including his belief that centre Nick Cousins is the dirtiest players in the NHL, defenceman Brandon Montour sticking out his tongue following fights and Matthew Tkachuk being “the anti-Christ” who he hopes gets punched in the handshake line, Simmons directed his ire toward the Florida faithful.
In an attempt to make fun of the @FlaPanthers, our old friend @BillSimmons says the average fan doesn’t even know what city they’re located in…
His answer “it’s Miami” #TimeToHunt @5ReasonsSports @ABaumgartner91 pic.twitter.com/GkproTUPvt
— Sean 5RSN🎙️🏀 (@SRochesterNBA) May 17, 2024
“Florida fans, settle down. You didn’t know what hockey was until like 1993. You literally didn’t have hockey. You’ve never won a cup. The average person who follows sports has no idea what city you’re attached to,” Simmons said. “You’re the Florida Panthers. Are you in Jacksonville? Are you in Orlando? Are you in Palm Beach? Nobody knows. The answer’s Miami. But literally most people don’t know that. You sit there and you’re dressed in red. You’re waiving your dumb hankies. You’re wearing your DeSantis 2026 t-shirts under your jerseys. Nobody knows where the f**k you play. F**k off.”
While the Panthers spent their first five years of existence in Miami, they’ve actually played in Sunrise — which is located more than 30 miles north of Miami — since 1998. Although Simmons’ hatred of the Panthers is admittedly irrational, it was humorous to hear him chide the Florida fanbase by claiming no one knows where they play, when that group apparently includes himself.
As for the rest of the rant, it was vintage Simmons, with him totally leaning into being a Boston homer. At this point, there’s no doubting how he feels about the Panthers-Bruins series — unlike his epic flip-flop on the Nuggets-Timberwolves series in the NBA.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.