Rendell: Here's how to become a star in this town, Ben Simmons

DEAR BEN,

I am writing you this letter to give you tips on how to become a beloved athlete here in Philadelphia. But before I get into that, a few general tips you might find handy as you get acquainted with our great city:

The easiest way to ingratiate yourself to Philadelphia is by telling anyone that asks you about American football, "I don't know much being an Australian, but I do know that I hate the Cowboys."

I saw you on TV eating a cheesesteak from Dalessandro's in Roxborough (my favorite). As you will soon find out, it's hard to get a bad one here in Philadelphia. The famous places - Geno's, Pat's and Jim's - are all exceptional, but there are a ton of great neighborhood spots that are out of this world, too.

I assume you are a meat-eater, and while every one of our steak places is unbelievable, my go-to spot is Barclay Prime on Rittenhouse Square.

What other cities refer to as a sub or a grinder, we refer to as a hoagie. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but by all means, call it that.

Philadelphia has a diverse heritage and some of our words are a bit hard to pronounce, so here's a quick guide - Schuylkill (skoo-kill), Manayunk (man-e-yunk), Bala Cynwyd (baa-la kin-wood), and Passyunk (pass-shunk).

Philadelphia has a boatload of great historic and cultural sites. Over the course of time you should see them all, but I think the one that you would find the most interesting is the Franklin Institute. It is a great science museum, with an incredible IMAX theater and lots of great things to do.

Now for the really important stuff. You will win the fans of Philadelphia over and become truly loved if you do the following:

* Play your heart out. I know you had an Allen Iverson poster on your door growing up in Australia - we want you to play like Allen. Leave it all on the floor, give 120 percent. Sacrifice your body to get that loose ball or to keep the ball from going out of bounds. AI did that, and we loved him for it. I'm sure you've heard that our fans are incredibly passionate. That is absolutely true, and you should be conscious of that passion at all times. Don't play air guitar before the big game or smile and laugh when you make a turnover. This city's collective emotions are determined by what happens to our teams - when I was mayor, I could raise the city's wage tax after the Eagles won in the playoffs and no one would even know it - so show them you feel the same way.

* Deal with the fans the right way. If you take the above advice, you will rarely get booed. I can't remember AI or former Phillie Chase Utley ever being booed. But if booing happens, don't take it personally. It's just that we want to win so badly, and also because, truth be told, more than a few lunkheads attend every game. Even if you do get booed, never disparage the fans to the media. This can turn the fans against you and prevent you from being universally loved. For example, former Phillie Jimmy Rollins, a future Hall of Famer, called us "fair-weather fans" and he was never as popular again. If you are irritated with the fans, under no circumstances should you grab your crotch (google Jonathan Papelbon). If you are as good as I think you are, know that you will become a lightning rod, and how you comport yourself will set the tone for how the entire team is viewed by the city. But none of this should make you afraid of our fans. Understand that if you respect the fans and play hard for them, they will love you as no other city could.

* Know how to handle the media. Our media can be tough, probing and an overall pain in the butt. But they won't go away, so I suggest you try to make friends with them. If, by chance, you hear that radio host Angelo Cataldi has said anything critical about you, surprise him by calling the show. He will fold like an accordion and be your greatest booster. When we lose a game, always take the blame and never throw your teammates under the bus, as Chip Kelly or Donovan McNabb occasionally have done. Lastly, beware of a guy who looks like the King in the Burger King Commercial and wears a long fur coat!

* Become a member of our community. First and foremost, live in Philadelphia. As much as we say we are one region, Philadelphians grit their teeth when they hear that their sports stars live in South Jersey or have a mansion in Bryn Mawr. Besides, as a single young man you will find that downtown Philadelphia rocks - the restaurants and club scene are remarkable and we have a ton of great young people living in the area. Enjoy all of this excitement, but do it without getting in trouble. And always remember to leave a big tip. Do the things ordinary Philadelphians do - shop at the Reading Terminal Market or the Italian Market, eat a cheesesteak, see our amazing zoo. People love it when they see superstars doing what they do. Start a foundation and leave a legacy of meaningful charitable work (take a page out of the book of Eagle Connor Barwin, whose Make the World Better Foundation has raised over $1 million for Philly parks!). I hope you will play for us for the next 20 years, and, if so, you can have a huge impact on our city. Lastly, and most importantly, WIN!!!

@GovEdRendell