The day Philly stopped being a joke
The day Philly stopped being a joke
Philadelphia's been a punchline for as long as I can remember -- long before most of us were around, even. After all, it was way back in 1940, in a movie with Mae West called "My Little Chickadee," that W.C. Fields famously stood on the gallows and told his executioner, ""I'd like to see Paris before I die. Philadelphia will do." Back in Fields' day, the knock on the City of Brotherly Love was just that it was so dull -- closing up at 10 o' clock, second prize is two weeks in Philadelphia, yada yada yada. Over the next seven decades, as pro sports increasingly became the city's remaining portal into the nation's consciousness, you could add the epithet "boorish" to "boring" -- there were snowballs at Santa Claus (sort of) and catcalls for just about anyone.
Oh, and did I mention that we're fat?
Everyone said the real problem was that Philadelphia -- the nation's sixth largest city and fourth largest TV market, birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution -- was a victim of a strange condition: low civic self-esteem. And what brought that on? A lot of things, some of them self-inflicted like our "corrupt and content" political culture -- but there was also a severe case of sibling jealousy, the sibling being our colonial cousin of New York City.
Even at the start of the 19th Century, Philadelphia was still the center of the nation's culture and higher learning -- and then the Industrial Revolution hit. Philly plunged right in, manufacturing everything under the sun, from steam locomotives to Stetson hats. New York decided instead to manage -- and occasionally gamble -- the profits. You know how that worked out (when was the last time you wore a Stetson hat -- or were transported by a steam locomotive?) Just 100 miles to the northeast, New York became a black-hole-like force, sucking the energy from Philadelphia, stealing everything from our talented college grads to foreign tourists who never even saw the nation's founding city as they whizzed down the New Jersey Turnpike from the Statue of Liberty to the Washington Monument. New York got Broadway, the UN, the World's Fair...and baseball. The Yankees won more World Series' than any other team, while the Phillies lost more games than any other franchise in America -- in any sport. Even the Mets, who didn't exist until 1962, won a World Series before the Phillies finally did in 1980.
Bad behavior became the mask for a city's collective anxiety. It wasn't just the notorious 700 Level at the dank, concrete Veterans Stadium, where wearing an opponent's jersey meant maybe sparing your life...maybe. Here at the Philadelphia Daily News, back when the Eagles became title contenders (but nothing more, of course) in the 2000s, we had a regular feature that inside the newsroom was officially known as "hater's guides" to the cities that the Eagles were playing that week, even if the "city" was actually a Wisconsin Nice burg like Green Bay. You didn't need Sigmund Freud to diagnose the pathology of Philly's "haters guides."
Then there was a day when everything seemed to change.
It was July 8, 2007. The Phillies, out of the playoffs for nearly 14 long years, having lost an epic 9,999 games, were playing an afternoon game at Coors Field in Denver, when a wind-whipped thunderstorm raced down the Rocky Mountains to stop play in the 7th inning. The grounds crew was struggling so much with the winds that a couple of workers were trapped under the heavy tarp. The Rockies had already retreated to the clubhouse, but a posse of Phillies -- led by centerfielder Shane Victorino -- dashed out into the downpour, pulling back the tarp and freeing the trapped workers. "When it draped over the guys, I was worried that somebody might suffocate," the head groundskeeper said later. "It was really cool the Phillies came out and gave us a hand."
When the game resumed, Victorino hit a home run and the Phillies went on to win. A few days later, they lost their 10,000th game, as expected, but it was no big deal, not to the players and suddenly not to the city. This incarnation of a once-woeful baseball franchise seemed to carry none of the old baggage of the 21st Century. Philadelphia began to take a closer look at itself.
In 2007, it was becoming increasingly clear that America's prosperity was a house of cards, built up on easy credit and something called mortgage-backed securities, illusory dollars that flowed down to Wall Street, in the crooked heart of that long-envied New York City. The Phillies seemed to epitomize their home city, where the core values of our once-mocked blue-collar culture -- honest hard work and, as shown that afternoon in Denver, pitching in to help a stranger in need -- were now a source of pride. Philadelphia looked around and realized that maybe its low self-esteem was misplaced. In fact, often now it was New Yorkers -- lured by a walkable and more affordable city with a restaurant scene that W.C. Fields could never have dreamed of -- who showed up to look at our refurbished lofts and rowhouses near Center City.
Good karma moved to the baseball field. By the end of the 2007 season, the Phillies passed the fast-collapsing New York Mets to win the National League East on the season's final day, and in 2008 they did roughly the same thing, only this time the confident yet likable bunch led by Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Victorino and the rest went on to win the World Series. But there was still one hurdle up I-95. That would be Yankees, with their 26 rings and their 4-game sweep the only time they'd met the Phillies in the World Series, way back in 1950. And in 2009, Philadelphia and New York were on the ultimate collision course. Would the old self-esteem bugaboo come back, to curse the Cradle of Liberty just when it was back on its feet?
We braced ourselves. Yet here at the Philadelphia newspapers, there was never a second's thought about a "haters' guide" -- for us that just seemed soooo 2002. The focus was on the field, on the Phillies and their amazing professionalism and self-confidence. In the Big Apple, it was a different story. On the eve of the World Series showdown, the New York Post launched a broadside at its cousin, the one with the insecurity complex in remission. "GOTHAM TREMBLES," the New York Post dripped with sarcasm. "The Frillies are coming to town!" Illustrating the front page: Shane Victorino...in a red skirt?
Huh?
"PITY THEM PHILLY PHOOLS," said the inside headline (I guess, uh, because "Rocky" fought Mr. T in one of the movies?). "Their fans are second-rate and so is their city." The story went with predictable and not very funny lambasting of cheesesteaks and hoagies and fans who are animals, relying heavily on cliches from the 1970s and 1980s. And Victorino in a skirt just wasn't based on anything -- it was all so pathetic and sad. Now it was New York doing the "haters' guide." There was no push here in Philly to respond in kind. Why should we? On the playing field, we're already the defending world champs. Philadelphia had once been the most joked-about city in America. Now? They got nothin' on us!
This year, the Yankees moved into the House that Madoff Built, a $1.5 billion sterile replica of the legendary old ballpark across the street, lined with luxury boxes for the inside traders and associated con artists who can afford them, with huge blocks of overpriced seats sitting empty behind home plate -- even during Games 1 and 2 of the World Series. In Philadelphia, raucous Citizens Bank Park is our civic temple, a place where the defining image of the 2009 season didn't involve boos or batteries, but a dad hugging his two-year-old daughter after she threw away a foul ball. No wonder New York is so jealous of a city that is so confident and -- dare we say it -- so happy, that is coming into its own in opening moments of a new millennium. Confident enough as a city that even losing this World Series -- which to paraphrase Clint Eastwood, is not going to happen -- wouldn't change that.
You could say that July 8, 2007 -- with its miracle of the wind-blown tarp rescue, in far-flung Denver -- was the day that changed everything. Or maybe it was just the day that a beaten-down city finally looked in the mirror and simply realized what it had going for itself all along. Either way, it almost makes you feel sorry for New York, and sorry for the Yankees.
Almost.
Philly is no "joke." I like the town, the passion of the fans and the baseball team the Phillies have put togther. I can firmly state on behalf of every single New Yorker, however, that we are NOT, have never been, and will never be jealous of Philly. It seems rather ironic that the writer claims that the haters guide is so 2002 and then seemingly devotes 1/2 of his article to bashing NY. Just remind me, who is offering the $500 prize for the best answer to "Why hate the Yankees?"— cfmansfield- When it your turn to stop being a joke Will?— Living_Legend
- Ummmm.... take a look around this city. We ARE STILL a joke! We're about to end up as the national punchline because of a transit strike at the World Series, all because our massive underclass is full of GREED and ENTITLEMENT. And let's not forget that classy South Phila Trash-ette screaming "get me a purse! get me a purse!" to her boyfriend as he looted the Robinson's luggage store on Walnut Street after last year's win as someone filmed with a cell phone camera that got played for DAYS on the national news... Filthadephia SUCKS!!!!— westphiladelphian215
- Well written, oh so true, and very tongue in cheek with nice GOTCHA with an EXCLAMATION POINT at the end.— sterlings
- OK, I can't stand your politics, Will...but that was a cool piece. One thing a liberal and conservative can agree upon--the Phillies rock!— ChrisInConshy
Comment removed.
You know being a transplanted Philadelphian, and knowing many others, living in another city does really make you appreciate what you HAD! That old saying of "you don't know what you really have until it's gone" is true. Philly is a great place, and there is a ton to do. Its nightlife is vibrant, and its culture is second to none. I've lived in Richmond, Virginia for the last 14 years, and I'll tell you I'll always call Philly home. Richmond is nice, but it's no Philly...All of my family still lives in the Philly region, so I do visit often. Many people I've spoken to that aren't from Philly have always had nice things to say about it. Appreciate what you have and really enjoy what it has to offer. Go reconnect with your city--I wish I can do it more often now that I'm older.— cange30- That is the most beautiful thing a Mets fan ever wrote!— Blinq
- Recently had to move to Los Angeles and miss the hell out of Philly. I'm representing Philly red in a sea of Dodgers blue and, believe it or not, am commanding RESPECT... Also, with murph's article on Hamels at 20 and a few others, this WS is bringing the best out of Philly writers. A new era indeed.— Lando_M
- I was born & raised in Philly, have lived in Wisconsin for last 15 years. I still consider myself a Philly Boy. I never felt we were a second rate city or in anyone's shadow. Let the scribes & media say whatever they want. Philly is tops to me. The cradle of liberty, soft pretzels, cheese steaks, hoagies, scrapple, the Eagles, Flyers , Sixers & yes the champion Phillies! Philly rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— philadavephia
- Comment removed.
- Hell yeah! Philly pride in the house! NY has been overrated for a LOOOONG time.— LarzNero
- Comment removed.
- Nice idea, focussing the article on that game in Denver. I remember the game, but never realized it was played with 9,999 losses - interesting side note. Also, great article, I say "Philadelphia", but you can say "Philly" if you want...— weir99
- Some of us who grew up in the Philadelphia of Mayors Clark and Dilworth, planner Ed Bacon, and American Bandstand and later sampled New York never could understand the naysayers. Philadelphia is a city where everyone who wants a home can afford one, often in breathtakingly beautiful neighborhoods you simply can't find in other cities, a city with world-class art, music, recreation, and history institutions that only three centuries of prosperity could have one must spend millions to be happy. We've always had everything we wanted here. It was only a matter of time until the rest of the world found out.— rbbloom
- Andrew Sullivan
- Blinq
- Blogorrhea
- Blonde Sagacity
- Free Republic
- Instapundit
- James Taranto
- ScrappleFace
- The Corner
- Buzzmachine
- Eat the Press
- Editor and Publisher
- Media (Huffington Post)
- Media Bloodhound
- Mickey Kaus
- Pressthink
- Romenesko
- The Inksniffer
- A List of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago
- Above Average Jane
- BlankBaby
- Citizen Mom
- Keystone Blog
- Metroblogging Philadelphia
- Phawker
- Philadelphia - America's Hometown
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philebrity
- Philly Future
- Phillyblog
- Phillyist
- The Clog
- The Next Mayor
- Welcome to Phillyville
- Young Philly Politics
- Afro-Netizen
- All-Spin Zone
- Atrios
- Bad Attitudes
- Billmon
- Booman Tribune
- CorrenteWire
- Fables of the Reconstruction
- iFlipFlop
- Kiko's House
- MyDD
- Philly (Dragonballyee)
- Rowhouse Logic
- Slacktivist
- Suburban Guerilla
- Tattered Coat
- upyernoz
- AmericaBlog
- Andy Borowitz
- BuzzFlash
- Crooks and Liars
- Cursor
- Daily Kos
- David Sirota
- Drudge Report
- Echidne of the Snakes
- Fire Dog Lake
- Glenn Greenwald
- Hullabaloo
- Jesus' General
- Jon Swift
- Josh Marshall
- Juan Cole
- Kevin Drum
- Mad Kane
- Majikthise
- Matthew Yglesias
- Oliver Willis
- Raw Story
- Swing State Project
- Talk Left
- Taylor Marsh
- TBogg
- The Carpetbagger Report
- Think Progress
- War and Piece
- Wonkette
- A Citizen's Blog
- Balls, Sticks and Stuff
- Beer Leaguer
- Dick Polman
- Phillies Nation
- Philling Station
- Shallow Center
- The 700 Level
- The Good Phight
