Philadelphia police to wear Saints gear to keep order at Eagles game

ABC News (Philly) ^ | 01/03/2014 | David Henry

[Kid Shelleen]

-snip-

During the last home game against Chicago, 15 fans were arrested and 68 were ejected.

The police have a lot of eyes and ears in the stadium and some will be in disguise.

They'll be wearing New Orleans Saints jerseys and hats. So, be careful who you pick on.

[SZonian]

"Happy New Year to you. May this be a blessed year for you and your family. I still pray for you and yours."

Thank you and the same to you.

[needmorePaine]

Actually I offered nothing close to that argument. You brought up a story of 1 fat guy puking on others to illustrate what? Bad fan behavior happens everywhere, as I acknowledged. I didn’t deny this story because I remember it. The point is that a narrative has been established that Philly fans are exceptionally unruly when you’ll find the same issues in most major cities, especially in the Northeast and rust belt areas, and you’ll probably find it at many college games throughout the country. As Limbaugh says when talking about the media’s image of conservatives: there’s a template.

[mware]

Ah, but we had John Facadena too. The best sports announcer in the history of football.

[Dr. Sivana]

If you wear opposing team gear at a St. Louis game you will have people sit down and ask where you are from and welcome you to the city.

I went to the Rams-Cowboys game in 2004 (when Warner got injured) in the Jones Dome. The Cowboy fans surrounded me in the nosebleed seats (VV, in the corner) and they had no problem taunting the Rams fans outside the stadium (one standing on a fire hydrant) after they won on a last second field goal.

I wish the Rams fans should a little more life.

[Dr. Sivana]

A couple of notable incidents in Philly get repeated ad nauseum, and the template sticks.

Philly pops up regularly.

One, it is part of the Flyers historic persona.

Two, it affects baseball as well as football. I remember a game where a drunken fan had run out onto he field and attacked the Phillies' pitcher. The story was that this pitcher was known for throwing gopher balls, and that the fan announced that he was gonna give up a home run, and he (the fan) was gonna beat him up.

However, I remember nothing topping the Jets fans in Shea stadium dropping the security guard off of the upper deck head first to the concrete below.

[needmorePaine]

Philly pops up regularly.

Yes, that’s kind of the point. Other cities’ stories pop up too but aren’t repeated and repeated and repeated. A father-son team ran onto the field and attacked a first base coach in Chicago.

[Kid Shelleen]

Anyone remember when undercover cops posed as grannies to catch muggers?

Actually, I don't (gettin' old), but around here the cops only decoy as pedestrians or kids askin' for liquor.

The Frank Rizzo Philly PD used to have undercover cops pose as grannys ("Granny Squads", a decoy team) to catch muggers and other low lifes. The ACLU opposed the practice and it was eventually phased out.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Well, we will continue to disagree. I think they are awful. You think they are normal, if I understand you.

I don’t want to spend my snow day Googling stories of lousy PHL fans... :-)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“”Four or five fans in the next section rushed to help.””

SZ, just a note that it took fans “in the next section” to help.” I assume the family had other fans around them. Must have been fans from outside the city...

[needmorePaine]

It isn’t hard to understand. You must be a Giants fan. Lol. I didn’t really offer much of an opinion about my fellow Philly fans, but yes, they are generally normal for the region: very passionate and vocal and yes even obnoxious, but it is sports, not cribbage. My point was about a manufactured image and how it is often parroted.

[JimRed]

Philadelphia, worst fans in sports. Have been for at least 50 years I know of...

One thing's for sure though; can't blame the behavior on poverty! It costs an arm, a leg and your firstborn to attend an NFL game these days!

[JimRed]

The ACLU opposed the practice and it was eventually phased out.

Anything the ACLU (All Criminal Lovers Union) opposes should be redoubled!

[Prov1322]

Philadelphia, worst most passionate fans in sports. Have been for at least 50 years I know of...

Fixed that for ya...!

You may continue to believe the media meme of "Philly fans all bad" if you like but it is no different than any other Northeast (or Oakland) venue.

[Prov1322]

Ah, but we had John Facadena too. The best sports announcer in the history of football.

Facenda was a joy to listen to.

When it came to the Flyers, there was none better than Gene Hart. Another great memory of an announcer who could bring a radio broadcast to life. (Yes I know it's a football theme thread but the Flyers were noted earlier, so I'm on a roll now...stop me when I get to By Saam, Bill Campbell and Whitey Ashburn...)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“You may continue to believe the media meme of “Philly fans all bad””

Ive experience it firsthand, not via media.

[BwanaNdege]

I loved the opening scenes from the Baretta TV program.

Little old lay walking down crowded city street.

Punk kid dashes by her, grabbing her handbag which has a long shoulder strap. Kid gets to end of strap and the “little old lady”, Baretta in disguise, yanks the strap pulling the kid off his feet.

Baretta slams him face down on the sidewalk and cuffs him.

I love it!

[mware]

I teach 7th graders at a rural school in Atlantic County. Back when I was a student at that same school, Gene Hart was a middle school teacher. He taught there for several years.

[Prov1322]

I teach 7th graders at a rural school in Atlantic County. Back when I was a student at that same school, Gene Hart was a middle school teacher. He taught there for several years.

Very cool. I remember that he was a teacher before broadcasting and also may have started broadcasting local school games in NJ?

It brings a smile to my face when I hear his voice on some of the NHL Network Classic reruns of the Flyers Cup victories.

On a completely separate note, we lived in Vineland from '73-'76 and Mrs Prov1322 grew up in Bridgeton.

[mware]

My stomping ground is Hammonton.

[mware]

LOL, remember when the Flyers played the Russian national team, and they skated off the ice when some of the bull street bullies started to play rough?

There was a sign in Russian, and since Gene could read Russian they asked him to translate.

Gene heamed and hawed, the translation was that the Russians are fags.