Some Perspective on Rivalries

With the Flyers-Penguins series set to get underway this weekend, you'll hear the word "rivalry" thrown around quite a bit, and in the buildings housing the games, the comments under the posts here, and everywhere that fans congregate, you'll see why. It gets intense. You start to hate people you don't know. And usually, it can be fun, adding a little spice off the ice.

But there's a line. And unfortunately, that line is being crossed too often these days. Off-the-ice/field events should not be making headlines, and certainly not the obituaries:

Ticked off by an earlier scuffle and taunted by anti-Yankees chants, a 43-year-old mother pulled out of a New Hampshire parking lot last week and rammed into one of the Red Sox fans taunting her, prosecutors said today.

The man who was hit by the car is now dead.

The Sox-Yankees rivalry is one of the best in all of sports. But whatever happened in the bar (I don't know what exactly transpired), and certainly outside of it, is simply outrageous and tragic, and it sullies all that is good about the competition.

I won't pretend I know the details. Clearly I wasn't in Nashua on that night. I only bring you this today in the hopes that we can all keep this rivalry business in perspective.

Comments

[Tony]

That is just horrible. I mean what is wrong with people. Yes i participate in taunting and verbal sparring with rival fans. I've even thought it would be nice to punch one to get him to shut-up (thought, not acted on). Events like this just highlight what is wrong with people today and then the media takes it and runs using such a broad brush that it paints all us "passionate" fans in the same color as these "sociopathic" fans.

[michael]

'YOU DON'T TAWK ABOUT MAH YANKEES LIKE DAT' 'I KILLED DA GUY!? FAHGEDDABOUTIT!'

[Does it matter?]

Interesting video of you classy Flyer fans... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RjIPYVKvlQ

[gootman]

Wow, some canadian asshole is walking around with a camera and he got a negative reaction, big surprise. Yes he would've still got shit but people turn it up for a camera.

AND EVERYBODY STOP FUCKING SAYING CLASSY, you are not Ron Burgundy and the phrase has got tired and overused.

[michael]

"AND EVERYBODY STOP FUCKING SAYING CLASSY, you are not Ron Burgundy and the phrase has got tired and overused."

couldn't agree more, its up with "being thrown under the bus" as one of the most annoying overused phrases of the last few years.

[Tony]

does it matter: none of those fans were trying to hit the guy with the camera with a car

[Tony]

does it matter: none of those fans were trying to hit the guy with the camera with a car

[enrico]

Hey, Everybody look at this video of this drunk fan of your team! CLASSSY! Santa Claus! LOLOMFGROFL!

[Chamomiles Davis]

Somehow Michael Wilbon will find a way to blame Philly fans for this incident.

does it matter: They had it coming.

[johndewar]

Anyone else get the feeling that there will be at least one of these tiresome "philly fans are bad" stories with the advent of this series against the Pens? I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[theKrisheim]

next time this guy should walk around with a camera rolling, a Habs jersey and a "free mumia" hat.

[Does it matter?]

You idiot. I'm making fun of your stupid player who was gravely injured by an empty plastic beer bottle after the first round game 7, when I say "classy."

[PhillyFanintheBurgh]

Before any of this Pittsburgh - Philadelphia crap starts I just want to point out the joke that is a Penguins fan. During my freshman year at Duquesne (which is across the street from the Mellon Arena) we used to go to the games 15 minutes before they started, get in a student rush line and get seats almost on the glass for 20 bucks because NOBODY went to see the Pens and they wanted to fill in the lower levels. Crosby was debuting and as a hockey fan I had to see him. I went to the last Flyer game of last season (worst in Flyers history) and saw a packed arena that still got up for the Devils game. Pens fans are just returning and most didn't see a game between 95-2006. Flyers fans never left.

[Johnny G]

hey dale good to have you back... i like how he is talking shit about one of our young players giving a post game interview getting hit with garbage from a washington fan... and saying that him making a comment about it makes him stupid... how ignorant are you?

[michael]

"Pens fans are just returning and most didn't see a game between 95-2006. Flyers fans never left."

well that is pretty obvious since they were going to move the team up until this season.

[Sanganoski]

To P. F in the Burgh, being a Flyers fan since their inception, I remember when the voice of the Flyers, Lou Nolan, would "invite" all the spectators in the Spectrum who were seated in the upper level to come down to a lower level seat that was available and enjoy the rest of the game. It wasn't until a few seasons later that in an interview he said that it was a marketing ploy for the benefit of when the news media would take a photograph of the on ice action that when said photograph was published it would seem as though there was standing room only to watch Flyers games. That was then.....and NOW?????, good luck!! if you can even get a "sniff" of the inside of the Wacovia Center!!!

[Tkmycall]

The Caps fans are "classy". Every time one of them hits a nice drive or sinks a tough put they clap politely.

[TUH]

To p.f.intheburgh. don't forget that most people thought that the pens were going to leave the city during that time, which created mix feelings towards the team. But, i was going to Pitt during that period and student rush was the best!

[PhillyFanintheBurgh]

TUH - Student Rush was the best. This year I had to get up at 630 in the morning and camp out to get into the Flyers-Pens afternoon game.

[Walklett]

God damn I was waiting for someone to call shenanigans on the word "classy." That shit has to stop.