Philadelphia vs. the PhilliesPhilly fans finally have a winning baseball team. Now they just need to stop hating themselves.
Posted Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, at 4:12 PM ET
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StumbleUponIt's a sign of the franchise's growth over the last several years, however, that this kind of self-hatred has come to a halt (at least temporarily). I give most of the credit for this phenomenon to Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies' transcendent shortstop. Rollins is the anti-Rolen. Like his one-time teammate, Rollins was a high draft pick who hit the ground running when he came to the big leagues, coming in third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2001. But unlike Rolen, he has figured out how to survive in Philadelphia. Even better, he's figured out how to save Phillies fans from themselves.
Rollins' quest began at the beginning of last season, when he was quoted as saying, "I think we are the team to beat in the NL East—finally. But that's only on paper." Rollins' comment was widely ridiculed; the New York Mets had won the division by 12 games in 2006. The shortstop was prophetic, though, as a Phillies surge and Mets meltdown delivered the division title to Philadelphia on the last day of the season. Rollins backed up his words with a career year, winning the National League MVP. Just as important, he slammed six home runs against the Mets, his most against any opponent in 2007.
Beyond what happened on the field, Rollins' statement had a huge psychological impact. Finally, the team and its fans felt good enough about themselves to instigate fights with actual opponents rather than just amongst themselves.
For a time this season, though, Philly seemed on the precipice of returning to its old ways. In August, as the team was struggling, Rollins indicted Phillies fans on the Best Damn Sports Show Period. "When you're doing good, they're on your side," he said. "When you're doing bad, they're completely against you." In the short term, Rollins earned the usual helping of abuse, more or less confirming his sentiments. But in the long run, though, the comment was as strategically wise as the "team to beat" quote, both for Rollins and the franchise. Philly fans "like someone who occasionally speaks his mind," Westcott says. "They like to see a guy stick his neck out." They also like to see a guy who wins: Rollins played his best baseball of the season in September, and the Phils once again passed the Mets to make the playoffs.
Regardless of whether the Phillies beat Tampa Bay in the World Series, the team's relationship with its fans and the city depends the most on keeping alive what Rollins started in 2007. Given how evenly matched the Phillies and Mets have been over the past two seasons, conditions are ripe for the Phils to finally cement long-term hatred for an opponent. The players don't like each other, the fans don't like each other, and the teams play 18 times a year. The new ballpark in New York should also attract more Philadelphia fans to Mets home games, the same way Citizens Bank Park has drawn the New York faithful to Philly. "For the last couple years, a lot of Mets fans have been coming down here," says Fred McKie, another amateur Phillies historian. "We didn't like that."
Given his role as the resident neck-sticker-outer, it's up to Rollins to continue fanning the flames. If he's successful, it is my fervent hope that he'll permanently redirect the religious intensity of Philadelphia sports fans into more constructive avenues, like tearing down the Mets. And if, in the process, Rollins needs to occasionally remind the fans that they're unrepentant jerks most of the time, so be it. He's right.
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What's being overlooked here is the one-sided nature of fandom in professional sports: these athletes go out and play a GAME for millions of dollars. And if they don't do their job, fall into a rut, don't practice, run out a hit to first, throw balls, and the like we're supposed to cheer them? The rest of the world needs to catch up to Philadelphia. I'm paying how much for one ticket? And if a player isn't going to run out his hit, I'm gonna boo him. Hustle dammit.
Schmidt did just fine and so do the rest of the Phillies. And we'll cheer them on. Why? They're doing their job. But if they don't do their job, it ain't the managers' and owners' yelling they have to worry about. I'm paying the damn salary. Wake up fans.
--Pachomius
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Philly fans are like this in every sense. Ever seen a bad concert here? It's a tough crowd when you don't seem to put in an effort. If you do, their loyalty is canine and they will wear your shirts to bed and work. If not, you get the boot, and people take pleasure in booing your face if you show it. I mean, it's not called The City of Brotherly Love for nothing, right? Brothers are like that. They love you, but you had better stand up to the plate or you will be reminded at breakfast that you suck. No one hates that about themselves here, or regrets it. It's fun and it's family, just a really loud and opinionated one with great food, and amazing beer. Sometimes maybe too much beer (santa). But I heard he recovered nicely, eventually.
--cheesesteakswit
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Having lived for long stretches in New York and St. Louis -- both places with serious sports fans -- nothing compares to Philly, where I currently live. As brutal as the fans may be (to their own players and opposing fans), no place offers the sort of support for its teams as does Philly. The whole city is in to it. It doesn't matter who you are -- a little old lady or a two year old kid -- you probably have a Phillies hat or shirt (and an Eagles hat or shirt, and a Sixers hat or shirt), and since the middle of September you certainly have been greeting people on the street, in the elevator, etc. with a "Go Phillies!". As a transplant to this city, I can't really get behind the booing of our own players. But I already appreciate that when it comes to sports, at least in Philly, we're all in it together.
--stunts74
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You disappoint me Chris. The obnoxious Philly fan is a myth perpetrated by the out of town media. You should know better. Booing Santa . . . come on. It was 40 years ago and the young idiot playing Santa was obviously loaded and making a terrible embarrassment of himself. Booing that guy was, if anything, a defense of the spirit of Christmas.
Philly fans behave the same way as all northeast cities' fans do, passionate and knowledgeable, they know when and how to both cheer and boo. I suspect that the players appreciate it over performing in front of cow bell ringing know-nothings and LA fans out to enjoy a sunny day.
As for Rollins, what you didn't print was that he called the fans "frontrunners," a label not fitting a group that packs the arenas for all four pro teams despite more than 120 combined seasons without a championship. Most surprising was that Rollins was rarely, if ever, booed before that comment. After the fan trashing on national TV, Rollins was afforded dozens of opportunities to explain his remark or limit it to only those fans who do misbehave. He never did. […]
I think it fair to cite the positive responses by Philly fans. Notable among the displays of kindness is the fans' reaction to Mitch Williams after surrendering the Joe Carter home run in '93. Williams was traded within weeks. Upon his return to Philly as a visitor the next year, he was welcomed with a warm ovation. Presently Mitch is an analyst for the local Comcast network and is easily the most well-liked sports analyst in the city.
Another example is the response to Pat Burrell's struggles. After signing a $15 million a year contract, Pat went through 4 terrible years of .225 averages, bad swings, and crappy defense. Yet for the first two of those years the fans continued to applaud any sign of effort. Pat didn't get booed until his third year of the contract and that treatment stopped after one year. How about a bit of recognition for those displays of support? Displays that you would not likely have seen in Boston or NY, and possibly not even in the white picket fence baseball heaven that is St. Louis.
--Frank TJ Mackey
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"But now, as the Phils enter the World Series after posting their sixth straight winning season, I'm realizing that a genuine rivalry isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign that, after decades of futility, you've finally stopped losing."
The thing about that is- it may apply to the Phils, but what about the Eagles for example? Gigantic rivalries with the Redskins and Dallas for years.
The problem isn't needing a rivalry- the problem is the inevitable implosion. Philly doesn't get "beaten" in championships- we implode. The "self loathing" is because the losses are generally due, not to our opponents, but to philly not being able to close the deal. we get close- we're above average most of the time across all the teams- but we never seem to be able to go that extra inch that wins the big game.
--jms81
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(10/28)