Santoliquito: Philly Fans Ask For Stereotype, Which Goes Beyond U.S.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — This was beyond the scope of New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami or Dallas. This railing against Philadelphia sports fans began at an impromptu, get-to-know-each-other conclave taking place half way around the world, in Beijing, China, in 2014.
It became a point of conversation among international amateur boxing representatives from China, Europe, South America—and one bystander from the United States, to be even more specific, one from the Philadelphia area. They each took turns introducing themselves in the informal setting, and where they're from, and what great fighters were produced from their areas.
Obviously, the one from Philly had a lot to beat his chest about, with Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier, Danny Garcia, Julian Williams, Meldrick Taylor and Tommy Loughran considered "Philly fighters." It's when a few of the Chinese reps, and a couple of Europeans blurted out laughing, almost in chorus with one another, that Philadelphia is not exactly the ideal place you want to go to take in a game though.
Apparently, the reputation of the city's fanbase precedes it. One of the Chinese delegates spent substantial time in the U.S., as an Ivy League grad, and once went to a Phillies-Red Sox game in Philadelphia, and another actually attended an Eagles' game in November 2011 with a friend from Chicago. Neither had the most pleasant experiences—and it wasn't because of the venue, nor how the teams treated their customers, but because of unruly, loutish fans. The European contingent had family and friends in the United States, and were forewarned, the one place in America you never want to see a game is Philadelphia.
The guy from the Philadelphia area tried to explain that it was all overblown. That Philly gets a bad knock ever since fans supposedly pelted Santa Claus with snowballs. It's lazy journalism by writers from other cities. They have to cling to Santa and the snowballs, because they have nothing else to grab. Fans in other cities, he pointed out, do far worse classless things. The other men from around the world had a tough time believing that.
And then Monday night occurs.
It was supposed to be a celebration of a great man, beloved Flyers' owner Ed Snider, and the gift he bestowed on the area—the Flyers. Then the very fans who Snider provided a great amount of joy to over the decades tread on his memory by throwing their glow-in-the-dark wristbands on the ice in the third period of the Flyers' 6-1 blowout to the Washington Capitals. Public address announcer Lou Nolan urged fans to "show some class" during the first wave of stupidity, and boldly scolded the other fools when the second wave of band tossing led to a Flyers' bench minor for delay of game.
Related: Flyers Fans Fuel Philly Stereotype With Embarrassing Display During Loss To Caps
"Okay, those of you that have been throwing bands have done it now, two-minute bench minor for delay of game," said Nolan, a deep tone of anger in his voice. "Way to go."
How did the dolts react?
They cheered.
Wayne Simmonds tried to implore fans to stop their antics to no avail. Nolan wasn't the PA announcer as much as he was the public voice of reason—and his pleas went ignored, too. The Flyers' players got into a brawl with 7:43 left to play, but that's a part of the game. The Flyers organization shouldn't bear any blame for this, other than the horrible way they played. It doesn't, nor shouldn't, give fans carte blanche to behave like whiny, incorrigible children that didn't get their way. That's what Monday night's display was about.
You made the call. Once again, the Philly fanbase swan dived proudly into the thick mire of stupidity. And sports fans in this city wonder why they're viewed with a certain jaundiced eye. They ask for it. They made what was supposed to be a pleasant family experience into a dumpster fire. It's a scope beyond New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami or Dallas.
Yes, the dopey standing Philadelphia sports fans have goes beyond the borders of this country.
This morning, the Philly guy who was in China received an email from one of his Chinese friends: "Told you Joe, Philly fans are nothing but [expletives]."
