Obsessive Fandom
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Obsessive Fandom
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Thinking a lot about obsessive fandom today, for a couple reasons. One is this report from High&Inside about Montreal Gazette writer Pat Hickey's car being vandalized during or after Game 1 of the Canadiens-Flyers series. Really not cool. Though Pat -- a very decent guy I knew back in my days as a hockey scribe -- thankfully is being very cool about it, not piling on to the "Philly fans are pigs" bandwagon. He knows this kind of stuff, sadly, can happen anywhere.
Serendipitously, today also is the publication date for a book about being an Eagles fan, called "Bury Me In My Jersey, A Memoir of My Father, Football and Philly," by Roxborough native, LaSalle grad and Temple lecturer Tom McAllister. It's an interesting book, but one that sometimes is as painful to read as it must have been to write.
Despite his academic background, which includes the incredibly presitigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, McAllister is the sort of Eagles fan who ... well, let's just go to McAllister's narration of his behavior at the end of a loss to Jacksonville at the Linc in 2006. Keep in mind while reading it that this is the first game his fiancee has attended as she attempts to decipher the rituals of Eagles fandom.
"As the Eagles strolled complacently off the field at the final whistle, I kicked the seat in front of me repeatedly until the cupholder snapped off and sprayed cracked plastic over the people in front of me. (A guy dressed as) Elvis yelled at me to settle down and I flipped him off. LauraBeth grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the concourse, shaking her head. We filed out of the stadium in silence."
That might not have been as cringeworthy as the scene set the previous year, at an Eagles win in Kansas City, when McAllister taunted and then smacked the foam hat off a Chiefs fan, and expressed puzzlement over the midwesterners' attempts to make him feel welcome.
The redeeming feature here is that the book is an attempt to come to grips with that behavior, by a man who has come to understand how childish and silly it was, some of it fueled by the death from cancer of his Eagles-obsessed father.
On the final page, McAllister writes: "Rather than handling my problems myself, I've been looking for the Eagles to solve them, to help me cope. My football obsession may have b rought me closer toDad, but now it is driving me further from the man he wanted me to be. I've used football as an excuse for immaturity, used it as a mask when I was afraid, hid myself from the real world."
The folks over at Igglesblog have an interview with McAllister today that is illuminating.
I was at that Jax game in 06',windy day.. there were a few undercover jags fans with their jackets zipped up so not to expose their ugly teel jerseys... we spotted them in the lot and proceeded to pepper them with a mixed cheeses and fruit platter that no one ate during our 5 hour tailgate... E A G L E S!!!— LVEagle28
bunch of losers calling mikey miss saying "i hate the flyers fans who are jumping on the bandwagon now blah blah blah"... grow up losers...- LVEagle28- you prove my point about non-season ticket holders, thanks! Keep living the dream in the lovely LV.— phila215
- we are the best fans in the world because we keep it real that makes us so into our sports team!!!! The eagles know mcnabb better then he might think so the eagles will make him pay this season!!!— eagles18
- Why do so many Americans, and especially Philly guys, feel the need to show they are the alpha male every second they are awake? My goodness, no wonder America(globally)/Philly(nationally) isn't liked. There is nothing wrong with rivalry and supporting your team/city, but there is a fine line that shouldn't be crossed. Somehow, we Philly fans always know how to cross it.— jeff518
I know that McAllister guy! He's a fine writer (a long-time commenter on philadelphiaeagles.com AND an Iowa Writers' Workshop grad) and a serious freakin' fan of the Birds. Can't wait to check out his book.— Leegles- Look, I am not going to defend Puke Boy, or the degenerates from Fishtown, or the hockey fans that did this to Frenchie's car...but seriously people, have you ever traveled outside of Philly, to a football, hockey, or baseball game? This stuff happens EVERYWHERE!!!! I've had beer cups thrown at me by a few punk Saints fans a few years ago when we beat them at the Super Dome. I've seen Bears fans throw stuff all over me and others leaving the Sunday Night game when we couldn't punch in the TD. All you people who whine and complain about Philly fans have most likely never left this state to experience another cities team(s.....by the way LVEagle28....THAT IS AAWWWWESOME!! Well done!— EaglesBleedMoney
- Interesting comments. I heard about this book a few days ago when it was mentioned on some blog sites. The insight given into the author's mindset makes it clear he is not your typical brutish, obnoxious eagle's fan, but rather more a "true" fan with deep rooted interests in the team. To phila215- I myself have been a rabid Eagles fan for years, yet only have been to a handful of games in that span. I hardly think getting the opportunity to go to one game per year makes me any less of a fan than you are. I myself will give this book a shot, I bet that I find more of myself in it, while at the same time re-live some of the favorite Eagles moments growing up.— chlong06
- LVEagle28- I also love how you were acting tough while tailgating on a mixed cheese and fruit platter- that's hilarious. Did you break the bank and get the XL size platter at Acme?— phila215
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Hockey+hooligans+appear+Montreal+court/3024477/story.html Maybe he should read the Gazette?
sounds like many iggles fans— wolf 4
No possible way to defend the morons who act like that. Poor behavior no matter how you slice it. Why pay to read about it when you are reminded of it for free every day?- @chlong06 - good point. I can go back with the Birds to the 60's championship. Haven't lived in the Philly area for 35 years - last game I saw was the Giants at the Vet December 1994. Still bleed Eagle green though and still see all the games at a local sports bar with some other Philly loyals.— dy_by_dx
- At the tender age of 12 at the Vet during a Phillies game I wandered into the men's room during the 7th inning stretch. Every urinal had a line, every stall had a line ... and every sink had a line (and nobody was washing their hands). THAT is all I needed to know about Philly fans.— dviljoen
- Phila215, you must dress like Elvis when you go to games...— Scobie1
