August 20, 2008

Quote of the Day

Jon K of The Good Phight, on the Rollins situation:

While driving this evening, I was having my ears bled out by listening to WIP who always caters to the lowest common demoninator fan and justifying it by calling it passion. The host, whom I won't bother mentioning, was taking calls and defending the town for booing Jimmy Rollins. One guy called up and said that he booed Burrell relentlessly for the past 2 years (really?) but voted for him as an All-Star cause he finally is playing like he should, also booed Jimmy during all 4 At Bats and will continue to do so until Jimmy apologizes to [him] via the media. Are you freakin kidding me?

There seems to be an obvious disconnect with the fans (and radio people) who advocate booing. On one hand, they say it should invigorate the player, showing him that he isn't playing up to snuff (and an argument was seriously made that it pushed the Phillies to the 80 WS). On the other hand, it was argued, that the players should have thick skin and not let it bother them to the point that they lash out in the media. Well, which is it? It appears that they want to have their cake and eat it too. The players SHOULD listen, but only if it makes them "play" harder. The most ridiculous comment was that the fans of this city just want to see effort. Um, excuse me? WTF? Seriously?

Here's what I don't get. Philly fans pride themselves on being tough. Critical. "Holding others to a high standard." So why do they fall to pieces every time anyone hurls even the most minor criticism their way? You can tell Pat Burrell he sucks every day between 2004 and 2007 and that's your right as a fan, but if one national broadcaster mentions the booing-Santa-Claus incident, that's somehow monumentally offensive?

If there's one thing Rollins was wrong about, though, it was calling Philly fans frontrunners. I'd say the opposite is true- they act like they're losing even when they're winning. The Eagles have been to four NFC championship games this decade and the Phils are defending NL East champs who have been in first place most of this year. Listen to any three-hour block of WIP, and you'd think each team was the absolute laughingstock of their respective sports.

Credit where credit is due to Phils' fans, however: last night was Gay Community Night, and there was no unpleasantness at all, unlike in past years.

Posted by Stephen Silver at August 20, 2008 04:02 PM
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