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Thousands of Philadelphians rejoyced in the streets of the city and suburbs last night as the Phillies managed to accomplish something for only the second time in their long history and more importantly, for the first time in 25 years. Philadelphia has a winner in on of the four major sports.
It may not be possible for people that live outside the Philadelphia metro area to understand just how plugged in the area is in sports. This IS a sports town and when one of the big four makes it deep in the playoffs there is more than the usual amount of water cooler talk going on. Outsiders may also not understand the Curse of Billy Penn and how far locals would go to overcome it. No matter the reason for such a long drought, I’m glad it’s over and I’m happy my oldest son could see it happen. Nothing left to do but savor the moment and feel the win!
Being a Philadelphia sports fan is a tough row to hoe. Watching the NFL playoffs without the Eagles in them is a hollow and ultimately unfulfilling experience. Yes, the Patriots are undefeated. Yes, this is not the year for the NFC to even bother thinking they have a shot at the title. That doesn’t stop any fan from dreaming as long as their team is still in the hunt. With the Eagles eliminated several weeks before the end of the season I watched each playoff game for itself and rooted for the team I hated less each week. For example, when the Giants and the Cowboys played I rooted for the Giants. No self respecting Eagles fan could ever bring themselves to root for the Cowboys, no matter who they play. On the other side of the league I found myself switching back and forth on rooting for then against the Patriots. Part of me wants to see the perfect season completed so the Dolphins from a billion years ago can but away their champagne and fade from prominence. Part of me wishes to see them lose if only to put a chink in their armor for histories sake.
Yesterday I rooted again for the Giants, the thought of having to hear about St. Favre for two weeks straight made me sick to my stomach. There never will be another player that is regarded so highly yet throws away so many games with stupid decisions. He has played a remarkable number of games in a row. He holds all sorts of records because of his longevity. He makes many mistakes just like the one he made last night that cost his team a trip to the Super Bowl. If Donovan McNabb had thrown the same pick (he has thrown very similar game killing picks), he would be hung, drawn, and quartered today. I’m sure Favre will get a pass.
So here we are, two weeks from the whoop-de-freaking-do Super Bowl. Who will I root for? Easy. The Patriots, only because I can’t stand the Giants (less so than the Cowboys but the hatred is still there) and having them win a Super Bowl would be horrible.
Such is the life and mentality of the everyday Philadelphia sports fan.
Last night myself, the three oldest boys and a few friends drove into Philadelphia to watch the Flyers play the Montreal Canadians. The Flyers were horrible, losing 4-1 despite having a near two minute five on three advantage in the 2nd period. The boys didn’t seem to mind the score and had a good time in what turned out to be very good seats despite being nearly in the rafters.
We spent a small fortune on food, talked a lot about being on sides and enjoyed each others company.
Unlike our last trip into the city for the Dinosaur show, where we arrived with five minutes left in the performance we arrived just a few minutes after the puck was dropped and left with ten minutes or so to go in the 3rd period. We were home and in bed before 11:00pm. I wonder how hard it was for the boys to get out of bed this morning.
I’m sure the title will end up disappointing some people, but Saturday night my wife and I went out for dinner, with other adults! For the first time in a long time we actually had a social evening with grown up people the same age as us. We went to the Tiki Bar at Manatawny Rd. Situated right next to the Manatawny Creek the bar features 4 fully stocked elevated charcoal grills (actually fueled with propane but with mesquite and other hardwoods just below the cooking grate. After being seated and having a few drinks we hopped in line and ordered our dinner from the deli case. A large variety of kabobs, marinated steaks, seafood and of course chicken can be picked from. You then head to any one of the open grills and drink and cook along with the other people in your party.
Our seats were right along the water and it was a great night with lots of laughing. If I had to guess I would say we were by far the loudest group there and had real fun having adult conversation. I was almost beginning to think we had forgotten how to do that.
It really makes me realize that we’ve neglected the social aspect of our lives and I’m determined to get that back.
After the total implosion of the Eagles last year the majority of football fans in the Delaware Valley are choosing to sit back and wait before jumping on the bandwagon. The Superbowl run of the 2004 season is a distant memory. The pain of watching Donovan McNabb fall to the turf during a vain attempt at tackling a defender returning an interception not to mention the entire Owens debacle remains a fresh and angry sore. After just two games, this is looking like another roller coaster season.
The season home opener, against the New York Giants unfolded like the perfect day for Son #1 and I. This was his first pro-sporting event ever and what great seats we had. Thanks to my father, we were sitting just 3 rows from the field, 20 yard line, right next to the Giants bench. We made it inside the stadium before the opening ceremony and I watched my son’s eyes getting bigger and bigger as the gigantic flag was unfurled, the national anthem sung (with the last stanza almost overcome by what could only be described as truly thunderous applause) along with the 4 F-16 fighter jets flying low over the top of the stadium as red and white fireworks burst from the light stanchions. We settled in and watched the Eagles do no wrong for three quarters. By the middle of the third, the heat was next to unbearable so we walked up to the concourse to grab some ice cream. Soon after we settled in my father and a long time family friend also came up, chased away by the heat. We then decided it was time to head back to the car.
Of course, the game took a 180 after this with Jevon out for the year and a stinging collapse. This is going to be one of those games that people point to at the end of the year, the game that ‘got away’. The Eagles now play what should be an easy stretch of games before the final 5 games of the season which are murderous. Despite the up and down nature of the team, the quarterback has been more than steady – he has been quite good.
Whether or not he is good enough to carry the team through games they shouldn’t win is another story all together. I hate to say it, but this season feels like one that will end with the team in flux. I sure hope I’m wrong.
On Friday night our Cub Pack met at our church and drove in a semi-caravan to the Battleship New Jersey for an overnight camping trip right on board the ship. After some initial confusion regarding directions we were soon walking up the steps to enter the ship.
After some quick instructions we were escorted into the interior of the ship. It was obvious that getting used to cramped quarters was in order. We stowed our gear and quickly formed up to take our turn on the flight simulator. We sat through a ten minute simulation of flying a World War II Sea Hawk as it flew up and scouted locations for the battle of Iwo Jima. A short walk back to the ship and we were already forming up for dinner.
The food served on the ship was less than desirable and we overheard at least two men stating that the cooking was not navy cooking as it was much better. After throwing away most of the dinner we quickly split into two groups for our guided tour. The tour, which was close to four and a half hours, was an amazing trip.
Our guide had served on several battleships and knew his subject inside and out. We walked up and down decks finding ourselves transported back through the various eras the New Jersey served in. With the tour finally winding down around 11:30PM we slowly made our way to our racks.
The boys quickly fell asleep after all of the walking we did during the day. Throughout the night you could hear people banging various body parts into the cramped corners of the sleeping quarters. Morning quickly arrived with a call for chow and a fast shuffle to the top deck for morning colors. We then spent a few minutes getting pictures of the entire pack and slowly disbanded after the mandatory stop at the museum shop.
I would highly recommend this overnight trip to any cub pack looking for an alternative to a weekend camping trip. The staff was very friendly and helpful and made certain to keep the boys busy and treat them as close to new recruits as they could.
Wing Bowl XIII took place this morning in front of a capacity crowd at the Wachovia Center, the stadium where both the 76ers and Flyers play. Fans began showing up outside the Center at a little past midnight to ensure decent seating for the event. For those outside the area, here is how it started as detailed by Phillymag.com
And it all started as a lark, born of desperation and cynical glee. Back in January of 1993, Morganti mused, on-air, about the hapless Buffalo Bills, who had been to the Super Bowl twice. “Buffalo kept losing the Super Bowl,” says Morganti, “but at least they had a party.” Since the Eagles weren’t going anywhere, that pre-Super Bowl week held out the prospects of a lot of dead air. So Morganti proposed a “Wing Bowl” to be held on the Friday before the Super Bowl.
The first events barely filled the bottom of the old Spectrum (roughlt 16,000 seats). This year the doors to the Center (18,000+ seats) were closed at 5:30AM and people were turned away.
For the first time ever the returning champion was not only an outsider but a woman to boot! At a little over 100 pounds the ‘Black Widow’ came close to winning for a second year in a row, falling to a returning champ by just one wing.
Yes it’s disgusting. With lots of drunk people. Add the ‘Wingettes’ and you have a testosterone packed morning.
If the energy level in that building were to have any effect on the outcome of Sunday’s game the Eagles would coast to victory!
Two of the hottest news items in Philadelphia are on a collision course for this weekend.
The area is buzzing in anticipation of Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Falcons. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a report on an Eagles player, advertisements for pep rally’s, analysis, spotlights on the best place to see the game if you don’t have tickets.
Fighting for the spotlight is the weather. Local meteorologists are pointing to a developing storm that could possibly arrive the day of the big game and possibly drop almost a foot of snow on the Philadelphia area.
With the game scheduled to be played on Sunday afternoon, the network news stations are in near apoplectic shock. The two biggest ratings earners for them both presenting themselves at the same time is almost too much for them.
I’ve always viewed the weather forecast with a healthy dose of skepticism. Accuracy is not a hallmark of the predictive capabilities of our local weather men and women. Honestly they seem to get it wrong more often than right. I’m not talking about a little wrong here. I mean way wrong. Blizzards become flurries, forecast downpours become drizzles. I say that it is time for the people to take action.
Nothing can be done with the Eagles mania, it will either end this Sunday or increase to the point of no return. The weathermen however, can be controlled.
I propose a change to the salary structure of these people. From now on they will be paid only when their forecast falls within an acceptable limit. For example, if they forecast 4-6 inches of snow and anywhere from 2-8 inches falls they would receive their full pay for the week. Anything outside that range would result in their pay being docked based on how far outside the accepted amount they were.
This would require specific limits on what a person could predict. Otherwise we would have people predicting weather with ranges outside the useful. I really think this would cut down on the weather sensationalism we are currently experiencing. God knows we need less of that.
While reading a newsgroup I came across this guy and his page dedicated to a Philadelphia only television show from my childhood.
Starstuff was based on the premise of a boy that discovers a girl from the future via his computer. It ran for one season and ended with a cliff hanger. The boy was moving and did not know if he would be able to contact the girl in the future.
This show aired on Saturday, pretty early in the morning. If I’m not mistaken, The Candy Apple News Company aired right after Starstuff. Searching for Candy Apple News turned up next to nothing for me. If you find it somewhere, let me know.
Any time I caught the show it seemed to be one of the same 4 or 5 episodes over and over again.
I’m amazed at just how much info this person has dug up. Look here for even more Philadelphia Radio and Television history. An amazing collection of Philly specific television shows.
On Sunday Philadelphia sports fans shed a tear for the Vet. This dirty old pile of concrete served as home to both the Eagles and the Phillies for as long as I can remember. Sparkling new homes for both teams sit along the wreckage of the multi-use stadium that was the object of scorn for many years. Players would often tell stories of rats that rivaled small dogs in size. The local and national media played an endless loop of young, fresh faced cadets falling from a broken railing at an Army/Navy game. Jimmy Johnson, the coach of the rival Dallas Cowboys dodged snowballs as he ran off the field. Fans fought, cried, lived and died with their Birds and Fightin’ Phils. One fan went so far as to fire off a flare gun on a Monday night Eagles game.
To people and players from outside the Philadelphia area, the Vet was an eyesore, the ugly cousin that people would not make eye contact with, let alone acknowledge as part of the family. At its core it was what Philadelphia is – a hard working underappreciated blue collar slob.
Maybe that is why so many people find themselves missing it. Now the area waits for the new stadiums to gain character and flavor. We can only hope they are home to more winning than the Vet. For all it’s ‘charm’ the home teams didn’t win too many championships while it was home.
I took this picture during my last trip to the Vet. I’ve yet to see a game at the Link (the Eagles new home) and the Phillies new stadium has yet to open. I think I will make it down to both sometime this year. I’ll try to park in one of the 5500 new parking places that replaced the Vet.
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