The Ramos roundup is a weekly Philadelphia Sports column highlighting all the pertinent news of the week featuring the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, Sixers, and Union.
Report: Carter Hart Charged With One Count of Sexual Assault
According to TSN’s Rick Westhead, five players have now been charged with one count of sexual assault in the WJC Hockey Canada scandal, including Flyers goaltender Carter Hart. On Monday, the London Ontario Police will share information regarding the case.
It took me a minute to collect all the bits and pieces of information out there regarding this. And while I usually dedicate this space to the ins and outs of the Flyers season, it would be tone deaf on my part not to write at least in some small part about the seriousness of these allegations. Obviously, there should be zero tolerance for sexual assault. My thoughts are with the victim, who will have to relive the horror of what took place many times throughout this case. Her bravery to speak up should be commended.
Plainly, this is much bigger than sports in my opinion. Real people are being affected by this, as are families. Unfortunately, no matter the verdict, there are no winners here.
Also, follow Rick Westhead for more coverage. He’s done a terrific job providing almost minute by minute coverage of this case.
Embiid Out With Meniscus Tear
According to The Athletic, Sixers star Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with a displaced flap in his meniscus. This news comes after Philly said on Thursday that Embiid has a lateral meniscus injury. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Embiid will undergo a procedure this week to repair that injury, a team official told ESPN. A recovery timeline is expected after the procedure, but the expectation is that he will miss an extended period of time.
Any which way we cut it, this is devastating blow to the Sixers championship aspirations this season. Even if he could return for the playoffs, one would have to wonder how quickly he could get himself back into game shape. It also asks a young all-star caliber player in Tyrese Maxey to be the go-to-option in the offense with a significant drop-off after him.
Hopefully, the Sixers can avoid taking on water and fall in the standings.
Union Sign Anderson, Semmle; Plus, Bedoya is Back!
The Union have been busy leading up to their season beginning on February 24th. The club announced this week they have signed attacker Markus Anderson and goalkeeper Oliver Semmle. Anderson’s contract is a three year deal and comes to Philadelphia from the Primera Federación, Spain’s third-tier league. He played for CF Rayo Majadahonda, where he made 18 appearances (14 starts) and scored three goals.
Semmle’s deal is two year contract through 2025, with a club option for 2026. The 25-year-old German native will be added to the Union’s active roster following receipt of his P1 Visa.
Additionally, the club announced that captain Alejandro Bedoya has signed a new contract ahead of the 2024 season. What’s interesting about his new deal is that in addition to serving his on-field role, Bedoya will also take on a new role as Player Development and Front Office Specialist.
