Sunday, August 17, 2014

What it means to Live and Breathe Philly Sports

McNabb you suck! Iverson get off the court! You’re a bum Burrell! Lindros you’re a loser! These are phrases every Philadelphia sports fan knows all too well. When you’re ours your ours forever. Anybody else you are the enemy. Our love for our athletes is unbelievable. A Philadelphia athlete has to be a specific type of athlete to play in this city and be successful. But once you do something great here, your name will live on forever. Players that play here can lift up the entire city. They can bring together white collar and blue collar workers. You have to be a unique player to play here, and you have to have the ability to let nothing bother you and play your heart out. Shawn Bradley once said about Philadelphia fans, “The problem with Philadelphia fans is that they want you to play every game like it’s your last one. So, truly what does it mean to be a Philadelphia sports fan

The City of Brotherly love we don’t show too much love for our players, but when we do, they won’t only know it but the whole world will know it. Here we love our teams, our players, and our sports. In this city we wear our hearts on our sleeves. We yell and scream at the players who have done so much for us. Whether it is Donovan McNabb or Allen Iverson, our way of showing love is cursing, screaming, and freaking out at our players. That is because we do not want the best for them but for our city, that is because these players are our family and our lives. No matter what life has thrown at the City of Philadelphia, we have always had sports; the Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies to rest our hopes and dreams on. We might not have the most Championships, we might take the back seat to LA and New York with sports success, but no one can say they try harder every season for their teams then the Philadelphia fans do. Philadelphia fans have had bad seasons and rough patches, but we still have hope. We are able to have hope because of our miracles such as 4th and 26, the step-over, or a World Series. We are passionate fans. We love our teams and players. We will believe in you until you prove us to be wrong.  As Billy Wagner said about Philly fans, “Those people, it doesn’t matter how successful you are. I don’t get it. They boo you. They scream at you.”

Philadelphia is a town of hard working individuals, and we expect the same out of our athletes. We want the best for not only them but us as well. We expect you to go out every game and play like it was your last game, if you do that, and with stand our hate you will live on forever in this town. Players like Iverson who played his heart out and gave his all to the city of Philadelphia; to take a team of rag tag guys to a championship and to play with so much heart. A guy like Pat Burrell who tried his hardest, dealt with the hate of Philly fans because he didn’t live up to his potential, but brought us a championship. These are guys that will be remembered in this city and guys we love, because they played their hearts out. Guys with the true Philly attitude, the never quit give 110% are the guys we love. I asked what does it mean to be a Philly sports fan? To live in the City of Brotherly Love? It means to love your team so much that you are willing to hate on them, it means to support your guys to the death, and finally it means to give your all to your city and players, and hopefully they will give it back to you. It takes a special type of player to play here, because we are no ordinary fans, we are Philly fans. 

-Brett


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