Comparing Phillies, Eagles fans
From: Gonzalez, John To: Ford, Bob; Fitzpatrick, Frank Subject: On the road again A fair amount of Phillies fans made the trip out to L.A. for the first two games of the NLCS. They seemed well-behaved. I generally believe that Phillies fans are Eagles fans are Sixers fans are Flyers fans, but I know Bob doesn't feel that way. Do you guys think there's a difference in how Fightin's fans travel compared with Eagles fans?
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: On the road again
A fair amount of Phillies fans made the trip out to L.A. for the first two games of the NLCS. They seemed well-behaved. I generally believe that Phillies fans are Eagles fans are Sixers fans are Flyers fans, but I know Bob doesn't feel that way. Do you guys think there's a difference in how Fightin's fans travel compared with Eagles fans?
From: Ford, Bob
To: Gonzalez, John; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: On the road again
This is like comparing the tenor section of Up With People with a horde of plundering Visigoths.
And, in some ways, I say that fondly. Eagles fans who travel have a great time, enjoy their own company immensely and can actually make a difference in the stadium of the home opponent. It shouldn't happen, but it does.
The flip side is that all those stereotypes about Philadelphia fans that Philadelphians hate are actually reinforced by the behavior of their neighbors as they travel the airports and highways of this great land.
Phillies' fans? Mostly seen, not heard. Appear to have mastered the use of silverware.
From: Fitzpatrick, Frank
To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John
Subject: On the road again
. . . Big difference. Not many Phils tailgaters can afford to make the trip, given the cost of beer-pong equipment these days. So the ones you get tend to be transplants and rich guys . . . but comparing them with Eagles fans is unfair, a little like comparing hens with Huns . . .
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: On the road again
Yeah, I'm not buying it either, Fitzy. Saying football fans are somehow rowdier and more vocal than their baseball counterparts is an easy, convenient argument. That's like saying Page 1 columnists are necessarily smarter and more thoughtful than their peers simply because they get better placement in the paper. They're both hollow arguments.
Whether they're football fans or baseball fans - and whether they hail from Philly or Portland - doesn't really matter. You can find jerks and low lifes wherever you look, just as you'll find good people who respect their neighbors and like to enjoy a game without causing trouble.
From: Ford, Bob
To: Gonzalez, John; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: On the road again
No, no, it's a reflection of the game itself. Not to get all Roger Angell on you or anything, but baseball is a pastoral, thoughtful game, even in October, and the tension of a great game is best played out in the nervous silence at the moment of the pitch. Football is violent, loud and messy, and that's just in the stands.
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: On the road again
To sum up: Ford thinks all Eagles fans are savages and he plans to hide his wallet whenever you're around.
I'm paraphrasing.