Rocky Balboa. Cheesesteaks. The Liberty Bell. Broad Street.
And of course, a passion for its sports teams.
There are all terms that describe the city of Philadelphia.
In light of the Eagles winning their first Super Bowl title, I thought it was only fitting to comprise a list of why I love being a Philadelphia sports fan, and also why I consider it an honor and privilege to have grown up cheering on Philadelphia sports teams.
While at times it can be painful to claim yourself to be a fan of the Phillies, Flyers, Eagles or Sixers, it certainly all pays off when one of the beloved teams wins a championship.
Now, if you only allow what the media describes us as to contribute to your opinion of us, you must think we are truly scum of the earth. But today I am here to tell you what the media fails to tell you, and why Philadelphia sports fans are the best.
1. Philly fans travel... far.
Although most Philadelphia fans are found in Pennsylvania, you can find Philly sports fans almost anywhere. Whether it is simply traveling up to New York to watch a Phillies vs. Mets game, or even an Eagles vs. Chargers game in Los Angeles. It is not uncommon to see more of our teams' colors in the opposing team's arena or stadium.To further prove our dedication to our teams, on February 11, an Eagles chant broke out at a Flyers vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights game in Las Vegas. Philly fans show up no matter how far or wide for their teams and show their support.
2. Our players love playing here.
Our players love it here: it is a fact. Whether they are drafted here, get traded here, etc., players praise Philly fans for their unwavering passion and for pushing them to be better players. Our players never want to leave Philly. When they get traded, they ramble about how much they will miss it here, what an amazing city it is to play in, etc.
We show up to games and we cheer on our teams, and that's as much as a player can ask for. When a player claims that the team 'couldn't have done it without the fans,' they truly mean it. It is not a cliche when a Philly player utters this statement. The players love the fans, and the fans love the players.
3. The passion our fans have is unbeatable.
If there is one thing you can never question Philly fans on, it's their passion for their city and their teams. And although I hate to admit it, it is few and far between when our teams win championships, so when we do, the city goes crazy. As I'm writing this, I find it extremely difficult to truly put into the words the passion Philly fans possess for their sports teams. But it is certainly no secret how passionate we are when it comes to our sports.
Philly fans are notorious for being the most dedicated in sports; we have really gained ourselves a reputation over the years. And do not let the media fool you into thinking that we are simply just 'the fans who threw snowballs at Santa Claus,' because first of all, that was fifty years ago, and second of all, the Santa was drunk and he deserved it. Sorry.
4. Our city and our teams are enriched in history.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and of our entire nation. And because of this, our teams are enriched in the history as well. The Phillies were established in 1883, the Eagles in 1933, the 76ers in 1946, and the Flyers in 1967. We have long histories filled with loss, heartbreak, disappointment, but also amazing and unforgettable moments that make being a fan worthwhile.
The cliches that the city of Philadelphia is defined by also shine through our teams. The Phillies have a liberty bell that lights up and 'rings' every time a player gets a home run, the "Rocky" theme song can be heard at almost any team's home game, and you can get a cheesesteak or Chickie's and Pete's crab fries at Citizens Bank Park, The Linc, or the Wells Fargo Center. Although we are aware we are not perfect, we love our city and its traditions as much as anyone.
5. We appreciate every one.
By this statement, I mean that we appreciate everyone on the team, not just the star players. We believe that everyone is an asset. Better yet — if you win a championship here — your name will forever live in infamy, whether you were the top player or spent most of the time on the bench. For example, a player I will always remember is Geoff Jenkins who was on the Phillies in 2008. He didn't even play every day, he was only a utility player.
Yet, I will never forget him because of the role he played in the 2008 World Series — his lead-off double in the continuation of Game 5 is one that will live in the hearts of Philly fans forever and ever because this ended up being the initial go-ahead run. The Phillies won the game 4-3, thus winning the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays and bringing home a championship to Philadelphia for the first time in 25 years.
6. We NEVER forget.
Since history is such a vital aspect to our teams, we value the notion of never forgetting, or in other words, always remembering. Similar to the above, because we appreciate everyone, we never forget what you brought to the team. But on the other hand, we also never forget if you smeared Philadelphia or its fans at any point in your career. When a player speaks negatively about Philly, they should be expecting boos the next time they step foot on our home field, court, or ice. Not only do we not forget, we don't let you forget either.
7. We KNOW our stuff!
Never question the knowledge of Philadelphia sports fans. We pride ourselves on our sports smarts. Knowing your sports trivia is pretty much common knowledge here. It is not unlikely to find a Philadelphia fan that can recite stats for a specific player, the score of a game from weeks, months, or even years ago. We show our appreciation, we never forget, and as a result, we KNOW our stuff. Fair-weather fans and bandwagon jumpers are unacceptable; you either bleed the teams' colors or you can get lost. You live and breathe by the team, it's just the way it is.
I will never be embarrassed to call myself a Philadelphia sports fan; I've even theorized over the years that everyone is just jealous of Philly fans' passion and their dedication as a fan base. Of course, it sucks when your favorite teams lose, but it just makes it that much sweeter when you do win. Being a Philly sports fan has taught me many things such as patience, dedication, and appreciation.
In fact, it is because of the enthusiasm from Philadelphia fans and the enriched history of its teams that has inspired me to pursue a career in Sports Media. No matter the number of losses our teams accumulate, the negative portrayal from the media, or years we go without a championship, I would not trade growing up in the suburbs of Philly and being a fan of these teams for anything in the world. In conclusion, I'll let Eagles' center Jason Kelce's words from the Eagles' championship parade sum this up: "no one likes us and we don't care!"
