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01 Nov 2009
In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
With the Eagles playing (destroying) the Giants this afternoon and the Phillies hosting the Yankees tonight, here's a Mike Tanier special in today's New York Times, attempting to explain Philadelphia fandom to the New Yorkers. Not strictly football, but strictly awesome.
13 comments, Last at 03 Nov 2009, 11:41am by Anger n S Philiy
Comments
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
The very last sentence was the best.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Philadelphia loves the grinder and hates the gifted. That people who should otherwise know better still pine for the return of Buddy Ryan, a lousy coach but a great quote, is a source of personal embarrassment.
Hail Hydra!
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
We love those who make what they do look like it took effort. Were it not for the outside thuggery, Iverson would be more beloved than Erving.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
I like the fact that Tanier punched a hole in the wall when the Eagles lost SB XV. So typical Philly-fandom!
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
It's even better that it's mentioned in the attribution footnote. As if that was why he was qualified to write that article. Hahaha I love it.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Whoops, double-clicked submit button, but I will say to #4 that Mets fans definitely do not switch sides and become Yankees fans. Sure, they are watching this World Series, and probably hoping for the Yankees in the back of their mind, but the baseball fans do not switch sides, and neither do the football fans. Joe Public might be a different story, but he's the same in every city.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
I'm pretty sure getting mad when your team loses in the Big Game is common to fans of sports franchises not located in New York. Having seven sports teams means never having to suffer through decades of misery, after all. No reason to be a Mets fan this year, not when the Yankees are doing well!
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Ashburn was quite a bit better than Rizzuto. Can't believe you glossed over the blatant theft of of Dr. J either, or didn't mention the refusal to embrace Dick Allen.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
There was probably a word-count restriction to prevent him from naming everyone. Doc was huge in his own classy way - but the Sixers will always be #4 in the hearts of the town.
As much as Doc was beloved, footnotes like Ricky Watters and Todd Pinkston are reviled with probably even more passion, simply because Philly is, and always will be, a football town.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Disagreed. No hockey player has ever captured this town like Iverson in 2001.
Who's hated more -- Stinkston or James Trash?
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Gosh, Bednarik may be the most underrated post WWII NFL Hall of Famer. Made the tackle on Jim Taylor which prevented the Lombardi-era Packers from winning 6 championships, and was the last guy to play extensively on offense and defense.
Hey, baseball was mentioned, so I will add this; Bobby Valentine had it exactly right, in going against the conventional wisdom last night. If your team is in the World Series, and you can't let your closer throw his best pitch, because a guy is on third base, then you have constructed your roster horribly, at either catcher or closer.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
As a Mets fan, I can attest to Bobby Valentine being an arrogant jerk, but the man does know his baseball. He actually reminds me a bit of Belichick v1.0 (The Cleveland Years) - excellent strategist, but absent the warm & fuzzies. But for a game like baseball, where the strategy is pretty rudimentary and you're on the road for 81 games, the payoff from that exchange isn't as great.
Re: In Philadelphia, Heroes with a Lunch Pail
Hay tough guy Tanier, yaasss you, thanks for waking the Phils up. You say your a Philly fan writting for the NY Times, yaa right there taking credit cards down at gino's know too. You woke the team up ...just like a New Yorker NEVER know when to keeps yasss mouths shut...well we it for yaassss in Philly see next year at the Phils ring cermoney...im outtaaa hereeee
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