Philly Sports Fans: An Outsider's Perspective

**I should state first that, while there's nothing wrong with expressing love for the product of your choice, the following is just my dry comedic attempt at talking about how a specific lot of you get. Not that this won't be met with fans justifying their reasons (some that I can guess will be agreed upon), but all that said, let's start.


Look, I can't speak for all the cities that have their teams being repped by the locals, but I couldn't help but think about how Philly fans can be. There's something in the air, water, whatever's consumable and vital to daily living that just turns them into borderline cannibals.

Even before social media was a phrase (because it was a thing in the late 90s, but that's another story), you could see it in the eyes of anyone wearing the jersey of their respected "squad," the way they speak about said squad as if they're on the field with 'em, but these are general characteristics of (fellow) sports fans/enthusiasts/mainlining fiends.

But Philadelphia. I swear.

If for some reason, you wanted to recreate a scene from a zombie apocalypse movie, walk into a Philly sports bar on game day with the jersey of a team outside their peripherals. If you're lucky, you'll get a few verbal lashings and curse words going your way, some of this without being drunk, mind you. You're free to dish them right back at them, too. It's one of those rights we have as an American, and as fan of our team of choice.  

But there's the other sect, the ones that will sadly choose to get physical with you, because apparently humans (especially football following humans) aren't allowed to think for themselves, and believe that you must love the team you live closest to, and not who you're spiritually closest to.

These are usually the ones that are subjective in knowledge of some "other team" called the Steelers, that share lands with a state called Pennsylvania, which Philly is allegedly located there, too (Note: It is). There's two well-respected teams in the same mass of land, but from September to February, Philly becomes its own city-state, converting their money to ones with the faces of Dick Vermeil, Randall Cunningham, and Buddy Ryan just for kicks.

But even with all their die-hard rambunctiousness, there's actually respect for them in most of this. These are the fans that stick to the team during good and bad times, and there have been some heavy ones in even recent years. These are the ones that can function knowing that, just like themselves and others they care for in their lives, the team's gonna' have some messy periods. What better people to count on than those that are there when you're down, versus who's only there when you're up? You people are good, and so long as you're not part of the angry mob of pitchforks and torches to those opposed to your team(s), stay that way. In the economic and political donnybrooks this world's in lately, we need to save that type of passion for that, to a point.

Unless, of course you're doing it to Dallas fans. Then it's kinda' justified.

Sorry, that's my East Coast side coming out. Carry on.

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EotY post? Why not?

Forgive me if I go on a tangent with this, because it's been a while since I've done a full blog, and even longer since I've done anything speaking about the year that's passed. Believe me, as I've tried to write this type of entry a few times, already, but after a few clean slate reboots, I think I got the hang of this, again.

Emphasis on think.

So this year actually began with breaking into something known as karaoke. Not so much a big deal when it's read by someone that's used to showing themselves off to the public (for better or worse), but for those that know that public displays of talent(s) are few and far between, reactions have ranged from "It's about time," to "You've never done that before!?"

Hey, some things you just have to warm up to, but you also can't wait forever on them. Sometimes, you just gotta' jump, and the more you do it in unfamiliar grounds, the easier other things can become. You'll surprise yourself at what you can do, and what you'll stand for in times like that, be they good or bad.

Another thing to speak on is the term "friendship," one that will remain tested and altered for all time. Again, I'm reminded about how some get strengthened, others get weakened, and the others that remain flat, and/or based more on what you "liked" of theirs on a social media site, then actually taking a moment to call or write (back), despite distance. Even when those matters are for legit, unforgivable, or even selfish reasons, it happens to us all, and even as you read this, you might think of some people this speaks to. Whatever your definition of friendship is, just make sure you treat everyone you know the way you want to be treated. Besides, everyone's got enough of a battle on their hands without the threat of misplacing trust in another human being.

Back to something more specific on me, though, this was the year that I stepped into the cinema ring again with another live action production. Two, actually, though one has been the target of bigger interest due to its themes of horror and drama. I'm proud of what I've done, and everyone that's taken part felt the same. But it's the audience that you're checking out the most, and for the most part, it was well-received.

For a time, I was worried, me being the novice/intermediate horror film nerd that I am (especially in comparison to most of the cast and crew) trying to direct a horror short, and with an implied theme that's been used to sickness in more high-budgeted media. We got it in, though, and all I can say is that I hope it can be done again, even in other genres.

As for other matters that can be spoken about, there's something to say about those that speak about what they want to do and get it done, versus those that want something done but have valid reasons it's not done on time, if at all. It's worse when it's something you've got others involved with and are halted because some may choose to participate when they want to, but when it's something that's all in your own hands, you have look at yourself and wonder what's the holdup?

Lacking motivation, time, unexpected events in personal life, any of that can fall against us, but you have to remember that if you have a growing group of people interested in what you're doing, then you have to find a way to keep that interest alive. Not only in the audience consisting of friends, family, and people you just haven't met (yet, if ever), but in yourself. Because no matter what we do, what type of business we're looking to be in, or are in now, nothing feels better than knowing that we completed something. That's more than anyone out there that gets enveloped by petty excuses to why they never even get started on their ideas. This year, like others, have been full of that, and while this has involved the biggest creative growth for me, very little to nothing should hold us back from turning any of our concepts into reality.

So I guess that's the best I can say about this year. I'm sure I might say something similar next year, should I allow myself to do another one of these. Just feels good to write something with a certainty towards what can and needs to be shared, especially when it's outside of my usual fictional writing. Have a fine intro to the New Year, and I'll back soon enough.

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Advice to football fanatics I will encounter for the rest of my life.

I get it. I'm a big enough guy to be playing football for your favorite team, especially when they're not doing so well. While you're wishing that I fulfill the fantasy that others have been in my ear about ad nauseum since high school, I'll be in the booth, either programming, or directing the event(s) to which your team can win or lose in HD without me. That's how I choose to make "your squad" look good.  

Before finally going to sleep for the night.

Just a quick note that I wanted to log.

I may not be here for a long amount of time, but for the time I'm allowed, I'd like to know that I did enough of the things I was afraid to do, because of the shallow judgement from many strangers and most loved ones. What's life without a little bit of defiance, a break from the norm? So long as it brings no harm, do what you feel is needed to get done, so you can rest easier in your later years.  

Things the "Internet" Ruined: Lists (and tributes)

For as long as modern means of communication have been around, there's always been lists that people use to state the order in which they approve of something, be it most or least favorite movies, types of people, friends, weapons, porn stars, what-have-you. But even before modern means of expressing these lists such as the internet, there's always been those that seem to feel as if they weren't thought of when someone of another background (and possibly of bigger importance to a community they both speak to) doesn't put their suggestions into a list. Such expressions include...

"What about...?"
"Why isn't [insert choice] on here?"
"You forgot (to say)..."
"(What?) No..."

Those are the people that forget that, while they have the free right to express their opinion just as much as the author did, they can use said freedom to create their own version of the list that they felt wronged by, because it didn't consider their feelings.

This happens a lot with artwork, as well. Say, an artist does a tribute to some 80s cartoon icons, and someone who had no prior input to the picture feels that it's missing someone that the artist probably considered, but decided to go another direction for any given reason. Maybe they couldn't fit them on the pic, maybe they never heard of the character you hold so dear. Or maybe, instead of complaining about what the artist didn't do for Your (self-imposed) Majesty, ask them if they could do another one with that character in mind, or some singular tribute to them.

As much energy as it takes to govern another's choice of expression in this case, it takes about as much to make a humble suggestion, or perish the thought, an actual compliment for even doing a period-based tribute ('cause we're still sticking with the example, here).

Some people are doing these lists and tributes out of their own free time, usually with careful thinking attached to it. Yeah, they run the risk of other means of disapproval, within the shallow realm of "this sucks" without a reason why it does so (triple that when posting it online), but hopefully those other people can learn that if you weren't part of the process, then it shouldn't be a question as to why your suggestion/demand wasn't met. Artists can be considered many things, but it's certain the greater majority of them don't negotiate with creative control terrorists.

tl,dr remix:

Don't like what they did? Move on to what you do like, and/or make your own. Maybe even as a reply to that one.

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Over a year later...

...and it's gonna' be a post as short, if not shorter than the last one I left. Never mind how embarrassing it looks to have said "holla' at your boy," 'cause it just don't have the same pop as as does when you actually say it. I'll try not to do that  again, but no promises. Can't wait to see what else I wrote so far back that'll render me embarrassed, but I have to clock in, for now.

Yeah, that's another big turnaround from my last blog. I'm a working man, again. So we'll end there :)

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