Let down.
Philadelphia sports fans are a passionate lot. I'm one of them. I grew up watching all of the local teams (even the Philadelphia Firebirds AHL team), and I love to see games in person. Especially Phillies games. I'm also a big champion of Philadelphia, and I always feel compelled to tell people about this city and what makes it awesome.
Last night I went to a Flyers playoff hockey game. The game was great - lots of action, lots of scoring, and even a couple of fights. But for me, much of the joy of watching the game was negated by the drunken, inconsiderate, homophobic, annoying rants of "fans" that have lost all sense of decorum in a public setting.
Let's be clear, it's not everyone. It's the minority. But it's a growing minority. And it always seems that no matter where I sit, no matter what game, playoff or preseason, I'm surrounded by the morons. They are efficiently spread around the arena to ensure your experience is appropriately tarnished, no matter where you are. The Flyers games are bad enough. Eagles games might even be worse.
Last night, there were about 10 Buffalo fans seated in front of my friend Paul and me. I'm used to a fair amount of ribbing of opposing fans, it's expected. But this was brutal. Whenever the Sabers scored, the fans would stand up and cheer only to be greeted with a chorus of "Sit down, f*ggots" and "Get the f*ck out of here." And that was the milder stuff. All of this while a young family of five is seated next to me with three kids under 6 years old. Even as the Buffalo fans just tried to watch the game, they had to face constant screaming at them 2 feet from the backs of their heads. They could feel the cheesesteak breath.
I was embarrassed.
Even before the game, in the parking lots and on Pattison Avenue, Hummers and SUVs adorned with Flyers stickers would drive around and berate anyone wearing a blue jersey. And the insults were filthy. Like, filthy filthy. It was sad.
My perspective has changed. I have a 6 month old. And while I know when he gets older his eyes would light up watching all of the lights, energy, and action of the whole experience, I would never in a million years want to subject him or my wife to that kind of nonsense. It's too bad.
I have spent a lot of time defending Philly sports fans to others. But it's really getting harder for me to continue to do that. You can make it tough for opposing teams to play in your house. Please do. But things have degraded to the point where it's just not fun for me anymore.
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