Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
The phenomenon that is Philly fans
Being a fan of Philadelphia sports teams is no easy feat some years. We know all too well the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. We know the heartbreak of blown leads, the pain of player injuries, the slipping away of the season.
When things go south, we grieve, we vent, we scream, we cry. But one thing we do not do is give up. We know next year will be another emotionpacked season.
Through many lean years, we have mastered the art of saying, “There’s always next year.”
And then every once in a while, that prediction comes to fruition!
If you are a true fan, you will vividly remember Feb. 4, 2018. The words “Philly Philly” will bring a smile to your face. The underdog Philadelphia Eagles, led by backup quarterback Nick Foles, stunned the New England Patriots and won the Super Bowl. These are the memories that get us through the bleak years.
I have been a Philly sports fan as far back as I can recall. Remember the Broad Street Bullies? (aka the Philadelphia Flyers) They had an incredible run in the mid-1970s, winning the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975.
As a school kid, my notebooks were covered with phrases like “Only the Lord Saves More than Bernie Parent,” and “Jesus Saves but Clarke Scores on the Breakaway!”
I even remember the headline in the Philadelphia Inquirer in ’74, something like, “Flyers Win the Cup, the City Dances with Joy!” Ah, the glory days!
Then came 1980. The Phillies won the World Series! The Flyers made it to finals! No, they didn’t win, but what a ride. The Eagles also made it to the Super Bowl … they didn’t win either, but again, fans were deliriously happy with that season. The Sixers had a similar story, losing in the finals. But what a great year to be a Philly girl.
Philly fans are passionate. They are loyal. They love to celebrate, and they love their teams. They are vocal, they are true. The words fairweather are not in their vocabulary. They are proud to sport their fan gear, no matter where they are.
Emotions are high for our Phillies and Eagles. Suffice it to say, the past few weeks have been a lot of fun. The Eagles are undefeated. The Fightins won their series against Atlanta to advance to the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres. The excitement around Brittany
Pointe where I work is palpable.If you are a fellow sports nut, you get this. I sure hope after baseball season and then football season, I’ll be able to say, “I’ll see you at the parade!”
If you are not into sports, I hope this short walk down sports memory lane helps explain why we are the way we are. Don’t even get me started on college sports.