Say What Now???

T.J. Simers, a lazy columnist for the Los Angeles Times, has been putting out some absolute filth focusing on Philadelphia fans during the NLCS. It's the same old junk that we have all heard before and as I said it is just lazy to rehash the same stories over and over and over again.

It is a long winded trend to criticize Philadelphia fans for their ill-advised behavior on a number of occasions. The booing of Santa Claus, batteries being thrown at players, cheering for injuries of opposing players, booing Donovan McNabb on draft day and any other flat out nonsense you want to pick. But T.J. Simers, in a cowardly act, somehow blamed Philadelphia fans for the unruly behavior of Dodgers fans in the NLCS games in Dodgers Stadium this past week.

From today's column in the LA Times [link];

SEVERAL DODGERS fans e-mailed complaining about the fan experience in the stadium for Game 4.

"I am not sure I will take my son to another Dodger game any time soon," wrote Ken Gowey. "It makes me absolutely ashamed to be a Dodger fan."

I was afraid of this, knowing some folks born in Philly have probably moved here and become Dodgers fans over the years.

The thing is, you just can't take the Angryville out of them, which obviously explains all the problems in Dodger Stadium.

Yes, "Angryville" is his clever moniker for Philadelphia. And yes he just completely dismissed the behavior of Dodgers fans and blamed it on Phillies fans or natives of Philadelphia who for whatever reason abandoned their team and switched allegiances to the boys in blue.

I have news for you Mr. Simers. Philadelphia is quite the opposite of "Angryville" today. Perhaps you would have known that if you were responsible to do some research, but I suppose it is easier to whip out the old file with a stock column about Philadelphia being unpleasant and obscene.

But in all seriousness, Simers has the gall to say that Philadelphians and their behavior "obviously explains all the problems in Dodger Stadium"? It has been well documented this week that Dodgers fans are not the angels that Simers seems to think they are.

Mr. Simers, I invite you to read any of the following posts;

• Bloodthirsty Dodgers fans - Evan Brown
• Fans are different in La la land - Delaware Online
• Dodging Abuse - No Joshin'
• Dodgers fans: The most classless fanbase in America - Somewhat Opinionated
• In the Belly of the Early Departing Beast - The 700 Level

Ready for the video evidence Mr. Simers? Observe...

Seems to me that the Dodgers fans are the only ones to blame for unruly behavior. Now as for the old tired Philly fan bashing by regional and national media...enough already.

Santa Claus? That happened in 1968. Once.

"And no event has been as exaggerated, misconstrued and inaccurately recalled."
The Great Philadelphia Fan Book, by Glen Macnow and Anthony Gargano