City of Brotherly Abuse
The Yankees are on the verge of another championship after last night's 7-4 win on the road over the Phillies, giving the Bombers a 3-1 edge in the World Series. "On the verge" is no lock for New York, if you recall the 2004 ALCS against Boston.
I was pondering what might happen tonight if the Yankees wrap it up in Philly when I happened to read something that David Wells wrote in the New York Post.
"When I was in Philadelphia earlier this postseason with Cal Ripken Jr., Dennis Eckersley and Ernie Johnson for TBS, we got booed. We were just doing our show out in center field and people were walking by saying, 'You fat piece of [bleep]...Tell Cal he's gay...Ernie Johnson sucks.' I'm like, 'Who the hell are these people?' We've got no part of baseball. We're doing the game and TBS stuff, and these Phillies fans are just f-bombing us to death."
I know how he feels. If you've been to many Phillies games at Nats Park, you know that their fans tend to leave a stain.
I don't really understand why some people feel the need to be so overtly offensive. It would be one thing if it were just the alcohol talking, but a lot of these folks seem stone cold sober and passionately dedicated to being as loud and profane as possible - Hey everybody, look at me!
Like many, I recall fondly the Nationals' first game ever, at Citizen's Bank Park, April 4, 2005. I did a radio show in the press box right up until game time and then sat in the stands with my wife. That day, Philly fans were on their best behavior, as we sat with a large group of Nats fans (the Phillies had been gracious enough to set aside a large block of seats), totally surrounded by the Quaker City faithful. There were no incidents, and I don't think there was much in the way of profanity either on the blustery day.
It was a different story a few weeks later when the weather warmed up.
Still, I give Phillies fans a lot of credit. They supported their team this year, start to finish, averaging more than 102 percent of stadium capacity. That's pretty remarkable, really.
We can only hope that when the Nationals start to win, the area will rally around them in much the same way, minus the bad behavior. I mean, c'mon, there are kids around...
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Categories (click for archive)Phil Wood |
I went to see the nats play two games in new york this year, and both times the new york fans were much nicer there than they were down here.
Looks like the Phillies fans have enough to "boo" about with their own team, after Sunday's game. Maybe to full fan base can deside who is cover third next time????????????????? This is a World Series game not a spring training practice. Nothing else Lidge-Felix and Manual might want to watch their words on this failed play.
I'm a believer in fan support but some people just carry it to far and tarnish the game totally.
Go Nats!!! RR-Upstate South Carolina
Phil,
GREAT work on that 60s in Washington documentary. Did you notice Jurgensen wearing the Curly W during that clip of the 60s Redskins doing running drills? Very cool.
You commented on how people were afraid to go into DC after the riots--that sense "that it could happen again." The Human Kindness Day violence in the 70s strongly re-enforced this view. Violence casts an incredibly long and poison shadow.
KM ===== Thanks. I need to ask Sonny what he did with that cap.