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This New Yorker Saying the Phillies Have a “Trash Fanbase” Shows a Fascinating Lack of Self-Awareness
By Matt Schultz
Published:
This video of a Phillies fan proudly giving the double birds to Juan Soto Richard Harkaway-style made the rounds on Monday:
In my opinion, this is a real nice video. This is what it’s all about. I truly believe this is a normal, healthy way to make an opposing player feel unwelcome in your favorite team’s ballpark. Nothing personal was said. No one was in danger. The Phillies fan wasn’t even yelling; he just very calmly and confidently flipped the double birds for a weirdly long amount of time. That’s what’s up.
Everything about this video is great. I love that at one point, the fan adjusts his pants/seems to pull up his shorts a little, then resumes the double flip-off. I love that the Phillies fan moves his arms out and back a few times to really emphasize the flip off. I also really like Juan Soto’s reaction. Love that he just stands there, unmoving, arms crossed, staring back at the Phillies fan. Credit where it’s due: that’s a very funny thing to do. I love that it became a kind of standoff between these two guys, only interrupted when a security guy asked the fan to cut it out. I like thinking about the possibility that – had security not intervened – this standoff might still be going on days later, both Soto and the fan now exhausted, hungry, thirsty, sunburned, but unwilling to lose the battle…
Overall, it’s just a wholesome shit-talking moment between a fan and player. Totally harmless, very fun – 10/10 stuff, in my book.
Which is why I was pretty taken aback when I saw a Mets fan whip out this wild take:
This tweet is almost too good to be true. It’s so damn funny. I thought maybe the guy was being sarcastic at first, but after taking a glimpse at his profile, it’s crystal clear he’s being 100% serious: He really thinks a Phillies fan flipping off Juan Soto is the epitome of a trash fanbase. And he really is saying that with zero irony or self-awareness after the New York Knicks fanbase – many of whom also root for the Mets – just went on the most violent, dangerous, and offensive run of fan behavior that’s ever unfolded in American professional sports.
They attacked opposing fans:
They attacked non-fans just trying to get around the city:
They tried to light a Spurs fan’s hair on fire:
They attacked Victor Wembanyama:
They made signs like this:
They attacked J.R. Smith:
They stole trash cans:
They pepper-sprayed other Knicks fans:
They beat the hell out of other Knicks fans:
They punched each other’s asses:
Mets fans are out of their damn minds. Hope they’re enjoying watching their team this season. I know I am. Only 87 more games to go, my friends.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…) email: M.Schultz@sportradar.com