The Phils and the Fans

Let’s get this off our chest right now. I am a firm believer in the notion that when you pay outrageous sums for a ticket to a pro sporting event, fork over a ransom to park, then are gouged for a hot dog and beer, you are well withing your rights to boo.

Still, I will admit that the signature Philly sound that rained down on Brett Myers and the Phils Sunday night may have been a tad premature.

Just minutes before, the Phillies raised their World Series Championship banner. Have we forgotten last autumn already? The curse is over. Billy Penn be damned. We’re not losers. But we remain among the most tempestuous fans in sports.

We proved that again Sunday night. After a lot of pomp and circumstance involving the celebration of their title, the Phils finally got around to playing the game. That’s part of the problem. It’s entirely possible the Phils’ heads remained in the year that was emplazoned on that flag that now flies so gracefully over Citizens Bank Park. That would be 2008. Unfortunately, they are now playing games in the 2009 campaign.

Yes, it’s only one game. We were reminded of just that after the game by a churlish Jimmy Rollins, who feigned mock disgust after the loss.

“My heart is broken that we lost “a” game,” Rollins said, his voice and expression dripping with sarcasm. The emphasis was on the “a” in that sentence. Meaning there are 161 more games to play. Probably a little early to jump to any conclusions. Point taken, Mr. Rollins.

But there is still something that rankles when athletes react this way. It’s pretty obvious that one of us don’t get it: Either the fans remain too prickly, too quick to jump on a negative and offer a vocal commentary, or the players still simply “don’t get it.” They don’t understand the passion of the fans, nor the high prices they pay to enter the rarefied air of the exalted playground that taxpayer dollars helped build.

All will be forgiven tonight should the ancient one, Jamie Moyer, mow down the Braves. But should Moyer offer up an outing mimicking his last few starts in the Grapefruit League, look for a familiar sound to rain down from the stands.

It’s a new year. We’re a game behind the Mets, who won yesterday.

Maybe the Phils could take a page out of Notre Dame’s book: Play like a champion today.

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