The Life & Times of ColeSlaw

A Portrait of Philly Phans

The whole Rush debacle got me thinking about the fact that the majority of Philly Phans really don't care what color their QB is. We only care that you go out and play a1 150% and win. If you don't do both of those things we'll boo you off the field and insult you yell at you and demean you to the utmost... and then be back the next week to cheer/(jeer?) our boys on.

I'm talking about the city that booed Santa Clause off the field back in the day:

For starters, yes, Eagle fans did boo Santa Clause and pelt him with snowballs. That it happened is an undeniable fact. But let me give you some insight to the circumstances that drove the situation to escalate to the point of bombardment by snowball. To begin, the Eagles fans had suffered through an incredibly painful 2-12 regular season. They were in the midst of yet another drubbing at half time, when a thin, wiry, un-bearded, very poorly costumed excuse for a Santa Clause came loafing out onto the field and started to hear boos from the crowd. Can't say that I would have done any different. The whole snowball thing, well that's kind of difficult to rationalize. Can't say I agree with that. Come on though, it was thirty five years ago....from

But let's not stop there... There's so much more...

some sports figures don't like playing in Philly because they have to deal with the crowds. Including pre-teens (we start em young)

Phllly Phans are loyal through years of hideous teams.

As far as we're concerned Kobe is a filthy traitor and should never set foot in Philly again especially wearing a Sixers Jersey. All-Star Game in Philly... we booed Kobe relentlessly. And rightly so... philthy trator!

We cheered when Michael Irvin was seriously hurt in a '99 game against Dallas. Having anything to do with Dallas is a Mortal Sin in Philly Football.

This Article contains a good list of Philly sports history highlights.

We have Phan sites like One Crazy Fan and Nest of Death That's right we have a phan site called the nest of death. The eagles nest would sound pretty weak comparatively. Also BroadSrreetBully.com, the Flyers have been known for years as the Broad Street Bullies.

We boo those who played for us but are now with other teams. Especially those who played poorly for us. Actually that's not true, just anyone who used to be in Philly. <- This article and the next also talk about fan tours who won't bring fans to Philly because it's too dangerous to be in our house with some other team's colors. These articles specifically deal with TB fan tours and I say good Stay out more seats for us.

Some reporters like to rant about this. Like this guy
This guy says he jsut doesn't get it. Of course you don't get it Dan, you're not a Philly Phan! To all these I say "If you don't like it then stay the @#&% out!" (Yeah I know... is ought fallacy, but just don't let my fallacy hit you in the ass on the way out!)

I'm pretty sure that we were the first city to have a judge on duty at games and a jail; both in the stadium. I couldn't find evidence for being the first but I did find these:

The rowdy fan behavior became so violent -- the 700 level of the Vet makes Raider Nation look like a tea party -- that the city was forced to permanently assign a Common Pleas Court judge to the Vet on game day. Judge Seamus McCaffery handed out fines and jail time -- while the game was going on! -- in a make-shift courtroom in the basement of the Vet, the only stadium in league history with a judge on the premises to process the criminal element in the stands.from

The place was considered so rough that the city opened up a jail — complete with a court and a judge — inside the stadium after a particularly nasty bout of drunkenness and fighting at a Monday night game between the Eagles and 49ers in 1997.from

Also here and here

In closing...
...frankly, I am hard-pressed to think of anything more perfectly Philadelphian than a long, sustained, and seriously venomous boo.
from
Amen Brother

In my research I did find one evil incident that absolutely sickens me.

Posted by slaw at October 6, 2003 12:20 PM | TrackBack