Out of Town, Out of Mind

Rooting for Your Guys on the Road is No Mean Feat

THIS WEEKEND I'll be in Washington to watch the Phillies play the Nationals at RFK. I'll have my Phils cap on, and I'll make a lot of noise for the boys in gray, conveniently forgetting just how much hatred I have for the out-of-towners -- day-trippers, vacationers, whatever -- who wear their teams' garb to Citizens Bank Park. It's a fine line to walk, this notion of rooting for your guys in person during a road trip. You want everyone to know whom you're there for, and you're proud as hell for having the stones to show up in a hostile environment. At the same time, you run the risk of a beat-down should you display your pride too obnoxiously. This thought was running through my head when I was in Baltimore last weekend, when the Yankees were in town. Bombers fans were everywhere, with their A-Rod and Jeter jerseys, and like typically self-possessed New Yorkers, they didn't give a damn what anyone thought of their Yankee fervence. One guy I spied sitting at a sidewalk cafe wearing a New York t-shirt that read "Got Rings?" On any other person I'd assume this was a note about deep-fried onion products; on him there was no doubt it referred to diamond-laden jewelry awarded for World Series championships. Had I been an Oriole fan, I'd have dumped a beer on the son of a bitch; as a Phillies fan, all I could do was seethe with jealousy.

Comments

[Tom]

Shows what I know: I would have thought "Got Rings?" referred to his age.

[Matt]

I have no problem with someone wearing the opponents' garb to my home teams' games. It shows character -- or something. I've certainly done it enough times at away games for my teams.

No, my beef is with people who sport a team's colors when that team isn't even playing in that game. That burns me up. Have some respect for the two teams playing, you know?

[MAW]

I'm a Phillies phan living in LA, and I was at the game on Sunday, wearing my Phillies uniform and hat with pride. My brother and I were seated in the right-field bleachers, and enjoyed booing JD Drew all afternoon.

Only a few people gave us crap, including one guy who sighed "Oh, great, Phillies fans..." when we found our seats, but overall, the experience was pleasant.

[Chris]

Slighty OT, but what the hell. I attended a PSU football game in Columbus, OH a few years ago, and got lot's of flack for wearing my blue #39. I had a bouncer at a local sports bar tell me "If you go in, you're on your own..." and the people at the party I attended that night (Halloween, no less) didn't appreciate the fact that I wore my school's colors (and drank better booze). It made for a wonderful experience, no sarcasm intended.

[Tom G]

At a Nationals game though, you'll see hats and paraphenalia for almost every team in baseball.

In a way, that was something that was sort of charming when I saw a game there last year. There were a ton of people there who were just plain glad to be at a baseball game, any game.

At the same time, I got the impression that they would support the Nats, but only until they played their original favorite team.

[John Salmon]

Enough already for booing JD Drew.

That got old, oh, five years ago.

[John Salmon]

"with booing"...

[gr]

i believe the statute of limitations on JD does not exist. meanwhile, i am sick to death of red sox fans showing up everywhere, including at phils-nats games. you have all become the new evil empire.

[Neo]

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