No matter how old you are, most Friends students can agree on one thing, Philly sports. It brings people all together in a way that not a lot can. Now not everyone is a fan, but everyone can agree that Philly fans have more passion for their sports than any other fanbase. Citizens Bank Park, (home of the Phillies) has 43,000 seats and yet for a postseason game, 45,000 people were in attendance waving their rally towels.
The biggest aspect that goes into which sports team someone is a fan of is location. When asked why she is a Philly sports fan, Violet Perloff ‘24 said, “My family is from Philadelphia and I grew up with them [Philly sports].” Many Friends students were born in the Delaware or Philadelphia area and therefore have grown up as Philly fans because those are the closest teams to support. However, if one’s parents are fans of sports from another city, this could also affect one’s allegiance. “I’m not a huge fan of Philly sports at all. Roll pats,” said Eamonn Grubb ‘25. He is a die-hard Boston fan due to his upbringing. This has caused a lot of tension between Eamonn and his friends. Now this might seem out of hand but that is just typical for Philly fans.
One thing that is admired, yet also hated most about Philadelphia sports fans, is their passion for their teams. When Kelly Green Eagles jerseys went on sale, you could find fans lining up as early as four am to purchase one. It is also a well-known fact that during the postseason for sports, (especially football and baseball) city officials have to grease the lamp poles to stop fans from climbing them. The opinions on whether this is toxic or not differ. “I appreciate the passion of Philadelphia sports fans, however, I think that some of the ugly fan behavior over the years has been pretty shameful at times, particularly at Eagles games,” said Upper School History Teacher Donny Morton. Eagles tailgates are always a lively scene and there has even been a wedding or two held in the parking lots of the Philly sports complex. Things have been known to get pretty nasty though, especially when it comes time to play Dallas. Anyone who is a Philly fan knows that the Eagles/Cowboys rivalry trumps all and it is a requirement to be sitting in front of the TV when those teams face off. Most non-Philly fans have a love-hate relationship with Philly and its spirited fans.
The gorgeous Derek Shepherd (aka Patrick Dempsey) recently won PEOPLE’s sexiest man alive but Philly’s own, Jason Kelce, was one of the finalists. This shows how Philly has some of the best-looking players in professional sports. Combine Jason Kelce with Bryson Stott and Aaron Nola from the Phillies, and you’ve got yourself quite a roster. “I’m more of a Travis Kelce person, lol,” Donny Morton commented. No matter which brother everyone chooses to support, they’ve both been doing pretty well. Travis, who plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been dating singer Taylor Swift. Now his older brother is getting voted to be a finalist for the sexiest man alive. The city of Philadelphia is certainly proud of its center.
The majority of the student body and faculty at Friends feels positively towards Philly sports and their fans whether it is out of admiration, tolerance, or support. Philly sports fans
proudly claim the saying “no one likes us, we don’t care” and use their brotherly love to give their teams strength to ring that bell.
