Take a bow, Philly fans.
According to a sampling of 100 Major League Baseball players, Philadelphia fans have been branded “the most obnoxious” in baseball.
And damn proud of it, thank you very much.
The problem here is that many players misunderstand the definition of a fan. It stems from the word fanatic. We take that role literally around these parts.
You gotta’ problem wit dat?
We’re knowledgeable, critical, opinionated and sometimes over the line.
It’s something that a millionaire athlete can’t understand. A lot of players don’t understand Philly fans. Until they play here. Ask Cliff Lee. Or Roy Holliday.
We root, but not mindlessly. And we simply won’t tolerate those who don’t leave their heart and soul out there on those fields.
Ask Mike Schmidt. For most of his career, he had a love-hate relationship with the fans.
Schmidt is perhaps the greatest Phillie of all time, but he did it so effortlessly, with such an icy cool, that fans had a hard time warming up to him.
Most obnoxious fans? Maybe. The same ones who have now sold out Citizens Bank Park for something like 240 consecutive games.
That’s the thing. We always show up.
And we expect the players to do the same. Don’t, and they risk the fans’ wrath.
The Phillies are currently sitting nine and a half games out of first place. They shouldn’t expect a lot of hosannas from the fans who continue to jam into their gem of a bandbox in South Philly every night.
But we can still marvel at the majesty of elderly Jim Thome crushing a baseball 466 feet, as he did last night.
We aren’t always rational. It goes with the territory. That’s why they call us fans. Call us obnoxious if you like.
Very likely the most passionate, knowledgeable, “obnoxious” fans in the country.
Comments
It's such a "hack" bit to call Philly fans the most obnoxious. Don't forget we "threw batteries at Santa"
*yawn*
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