Wow, I never would have expected to read an article like this. It does a wonderful job of explaining the Philadelphia fan and putting us in a good light. We apprecaite this very much. Not all of us are consumed with booing, but there are traits that seperate the Philadelphia fan. I believe we are more invested, then say the Yankees fan who lives in the midwest. Now with this, we possibly know our teams better (I would say half, the other half jsut follow sports radio), but thus we can come to expect more and our appreciation for when players and teams really work hard and go above and beyond their expectations their is support in it's truest sense. I see I am rambling here (sorry, Phils made me celebrate too hard), but great article, and thanks for it.

don't worry. we won't let you down!

Wow, great article. And i agree, we won't let you down. And i mean this in a good way, not in a bad way like an over-consumption of booing for the hell of it, etc. It is engrained to truly appreciate our teams (not many NFL fans get more excited for the defense to get on the field then the offense like we used to 10-15 years ago). and the fans can be tough on the players, but i guarnatee everyone on this Phils team will be everybody's friend for a long time.

GREAT ARTICLE!

You are absolutely right...We boo lack of effort more than anything. Give us all you got and if you come up short but have blood on your face to prove you tried...then we are all right about it. Lack of blood = BOO.

Our players have the scars from playing in Philly. But come through for us and you will be doing local commercials for the rest of your life. Even Dick Vermeil who lost the superbowl but gave us 100% until we burned him out is still loved here. Even when his Rams beat our Eagles to play against New England in the superbowl, his face was and is still plastered on billboards and thats ok with us.

Its like when Pavarotti was booed as La Scala.  If you are going to stand in front of them and sing you better do it right no matter who you are. We would Boo Jordan, Babe Ruth, and Jim Brown if they didn't give us their all and earn the right to play in front of us wearing OUR uniforms.

Very ture - every bit of it.  There is just one thing missing in Philly - the Super Bowl Trophy.  We can't possibily rest until we get that.  Even after we finally win it we won't stop.  It will ony make us yell louder.

eff you celizic, you know-nothing wanna be....you never believed in this team

Joe Buck yourself

Philly fans go soft?  That's about as likely as Cowboy fans growing a brain.  It's about as likely as Braves fans growing new teeth.  Soft?  Where's that pack of D-Cells I just bought?

What a great article.

Celizic really gets it .....

Thanks, Mike.  Well said.  Philly fans are the best!

I live in Virginia but I am a diehard PHILLIES FAN so for us to be soft that will never happen.

I was there when the teams were at the top of there game I was a teenager watching it with my dad now I get to share this victory with my dad who lives in North Carolina. Go

Phillies your the best to the rest of our teams time to catch up.

Well said, Mike.  Philly fans are the best!

I remember in 1981, mere months after their first World Series victory in 100 years, Mike Schmidt (WS MVP) struck out with two men on late in a game AND WAS BOOED not only after the strike-out but again when he took the field the next half inning -- no Phillies fans will not soften.

Championships only come to this town once each generation, so we cherish these moments as much any fans possibly ever could.  Philly phans certainly know how to suffer.  Lord knows we've had our share of heartbreak over the years.   But there is no need to worry that it will diminish our passion (we may be less bitter, but that's not a bad thing).  If you wanted evidence that Philly fans haven't lost their edge, you got it at 10:12 PM last night when the fans booed Bud Selig received WHILE he was presenting the World Series Trophy to Dave Montgomery & Pat Gillick.  It takes a special breed of fan to do that.  I love 'em and am proud to be one!

Batter up there is no way we will get soft we want the best every time we watch a game and if you don't give it to us we BOO. I am so glad that the team came through the last time I jumped up and down so much is when they won there first I was only a teenager then watching it with my dad now I get to celebrate again with my dad even if I live in Virginia and he lives in North Carolina. We lived in Philly for 45 years and even though we moved we stayed Phillies Fans I am a mother of One Child who grew up being a Phillies fan for each on of our teams who ever plays for Philly thats who we CHEER FOR OR BOO FOR so come on EAGLES, FLYERS, 76ERS GET THE LEAD OUT IT'S TIME TO PARTY.

The streets of Tampa today are all shut down...as the bodies of TB fans who have jumped off the bandwagon litter the roads everywhere.  My HubbyPhan and SonPhan may live here, but our hearts are in Philly today.  We may have to settle for Spring Training in nearby Clearwater, but are looking forward to next March more than ever!!!

There is no such thing as a bandwagon Philly Phan!!!  Go PHILS!

Winning is everything to us! We love our teams win or lose,but this is truely sweet! Being a fan in Philly means that we know there will be years of disappointments but loving your team anyway. We also let them know when they don't try hard enough...after all we did boo Santa Claus....So we will Celebrate and then move on. Go Eagles,76ers and Flyers...and a big Thanks to all the Phillies!

Come on, Mr. Reid (comment #5), there's no need to take a swipe at Braves fans.  I love the Braves, and I have several teeth.  Anyway, congrats to the Phillies and their fans.  Enjoy your championship. 

you suck celizic,  boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! 

Just Loaded up my Freezer with 6 dozen CheeseSTeaks. Out of town Philly fan for 30 Years.. I Was 16 Watching Pete Rose Spike the ball at the Vets astro-Turf! ..Schmiditty Jogging the bases and the nastist slider .I have ever seen Lefty Carlton....Lidge has a nasty Carlton Slider as well brought back memories...Being from NY I want to Thank the Mets for STealing Billy Wagner...As the Phils go for Back to Back Championships.. Its nice to have a great closer who pitches lights out in the big games...WHile the Mets are paying Wagners fat salary for eating sunflower seeds in the dugout.... The Fightin Phils going for the reapeat!!!!! 

Wait. Wasn't Celizic warning us too be "very afraid" of those panzy Ray's? Wasn't he, and the rest of those other bandwagon jumpin, know-it all, Philly hatin' sports writers predicting the Ray's to win it all? And so what we boo our teams when they stink, and cheer when they win. That's how we do it around here. People who aren't from around these parts will never understand it. It's called passion and Philly pride my friend. It is that unique passion we have that sets us apart from the rest. To all my fellow fan's- Let's live it up! This is our holiday and this season belonged to us! Go Phils!! 

Thank you, for a truly insightful article. Very few non-natives could so clearly express the mindset of Philadelphia fans. Let me add one thing;

Philly fans posess in great amounts an important trait, which is quite obviously lacking in many of the fan bases you mentioned, particularly Boston's. We are born and raised with a great sense of perspective. I myself am a personal example; my earliest memory is crying uncontrollably after the Wild Thing gave up that crushing homer to Joe Carter in 1993. Now, 15 years later, I am sitting here in my college dorm room (hundreds of miles away) promising you that we Phans won't go soft in the slightest because we understand just how sports work. We understand that we are not the only great sports city in the country; there is no Bostonesque sense of entitlement here. We celebrate hardware, not lament a lack thereof. We will never be soft, and never be afraid of losing seasons. We will not boo losses, but we will boo any player who does not exemplify our values - if a player does not work to earn the salary we fans pay, he will hear it. So, soft? I think not.

Ive been to citizens bank park and i was shocked to see people yelling racial slurs at me and my family..i didnt know they had soo many low life fans...im glad i punched this jackass in the face when i left...like the punk most of you are he did nothing but run his yappp during the entire Mets Phillies game...yelling a bunch of offensive crap that had nothing to do with my team(Yes im a Met fan!) ...till the end of the game came and when  i cought him outside...well he wasnt so tough.....oh i hope he's reading this..

Desert fox, you and the rest of the pathetic philly fans should just celebrate your half a** victory and not worry about what the Mets and Braves Organization or players are doing...

To the Mississippi Guy, I agree with you wholeheartedly!  I am a die-hard Phillie fan but have an abiding respect and admiration for the Atlanta Braves.  They are a great ballclub with Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, and it was unfortunate that you could not hold on to Mark Teixeira (not sure of spelling).  He will probably be one of the most sought-after first baseman this offseason. 

When the postseason began, I ran into a Phillies fan who now resides permanently in Atlanta.  He came to Philadelphia to attend the first game of the NL Division Series against Milwaukee, and he said that the only problem with the Braves organization is the fanbase.  He said that the fans just don't turn out any longer to support the Braves, and that is disheartening because Bobby Cox and his players are a classy organization and deserve better from the fans.  I think down south there is more of an interest in college football than in professional sports, and that could be the reason for the lack of interest.  But I do hope it changes for Atlanta.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes for the Phillies.  It means a lot from a fellow NL division team opponent!

Best regards.

To Mississippi Guy, I agree wholeheartedly with your comment!  I may be a diehard Phillies fan, but I have a deep abiding respect for Bobby Cox and the Atlanta Braves.  How can anyone not like Chipper Jones or Brian McCann?  They are outstanding players, and it was unfortunate that you lost Mark Texeira (not sure of spelling), probably the best first baseman in MLB.

I ran into a fellow Phillies fan who now permanently resides in Altanta.   He came up for the NL Division series against Milwaukee, and he told me that the only problem with the Atlanta Braves organization is the lack of fan support, which has been trailing off in recent years.  He said that the fans are just not there for the team.  Apparently, Atlanta residents have more of an interest in college football than in professional baseball.  That is disheartening as the Braves are a terrific organization.

Anyway, thank you very much for wishing the Phillies well.  That means a great deal, especially since you are a NL Division opponent!

Best regards!