While the FOX team completely fucked up handled the announcing duties for Saturday’s matinee vs the Mets, one of the Phillies usual broadcasters, Chris Wheeler, was busy lending his services to Highland Park Fire Company’s annual Independence Day Parade.  Not only that, but Muffin was actually the Grand Marshal of said parade.   It’s quite the honor for the Marple Newtown High School alumnus, and he surely didn’t disappoint the thousands of rabid Marple Newtown residents who were said to have camped out the night before just so they can secure a spot where they could catch a good glimpse of the WFC color man as he passed by.

Show ‘em who’s World Effin Champs, Muffin:

Perhaps the most accomplished Philadelphia athlete of my lifetime, Bernard Hopkins, was a panel guest on Comcast SportsNet’s Daily News Live earlier this week and got in on a little Phillies talk while he was there. It’s always fun to listen to Hopkins talk sports, mostly because he knows what he’s talking about and he’s so candid about it, but it was extra special to hear him gush about the Phillies and let everyone know he wore his throwback Schmidtty jersey to the parade.

After reaffirming his hatred of Andy Reid, The Executioner echoed the sentiment of an entire city in regard to the Phillies winning the World Series when he admitted that now, he can finally rest.

And if the hardest working man in boxing since 1988 can finally rest, I feel as though I can as well.

Listen to Bernard:

Are you interested in seeing the most depressing before and after pic you will see in your entire life?

On the left is Pat The Bat, left-fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, leading the World Series parade while being pulled by eight Budweiser Clydesdales down Broad St. accompanied by his lovely wife Michelle and dog Elvis.

On the right?  Pat Burrell, designated hitter for the Tampa Bay Rays, in the middle of the pack of the “Welcome to Charlotte County” parade while being driven in a Pontiac convertible along Taylor Street all by his lonesome.

Go ahead and click on the picture for a larger version, sick-o.

‘08 Burrell/Flickr | ‘09 Burrell/St. Petersburg Times

SPOTTED! Making his way through the crowded parade route is none other than Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 from the Halo series.  I’m sure this has nothing to do with the fact that the celebration coincided with Halloween:

SIGHTING! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was also there, at 18th & Market, spreading the good word:

Photos provided by Flickr members Lana 182 and PhilliesNation, respectively.

And the entertaining parade videos keep rolling in…

Here we have a group of young Phillies fans who decided to set up shop on top of a FOX 29 news truck parked outside Citizens Bank Park on the morning of the parade. On the hood of the truck, a petite young lady who barely looks old enough to buy alcohol begins to take her frustration out on the front windshield as she incessantly smashes it in with her foot. No word on what she could have possibly been angry about. I mean, the Phillies parade was probably minutes away from arriving and it’s the middle of the afternoon, but this windshield obviously did something to annoy her.

After what I consider to be a fair request of “Show us your tits!” is denied, the girl’s shoe comes off of her kicking foot. Surely, this would be the end of her window smashing — BUT NO! She just casually slides her sneaker back on and continues kicking the shit out of that windshield. That’s when one of Philadelphia’s finest spots the girl, whips out his trusty Nightstick, thwacks her on her knee with it, pulls her off the hood, and tosses the handcuffs on her.

Then, the other fifteen-or-so kids slide off the news truck while a nice “Fuck the police” chant breaks out.

The End. (I’m telling you, it’s quite the action packed 2 minutes and 16 seconds)

Pictured above in the brown fedora, Oakley shades, argyle sweater, and red checkered button-up, is none other than the most fashionable man in broadcasting, Sarge Matthews.

That gorgeous photo was captured near Broad & Oregon by the lens of the distinguished R. Bradley Maule of Philly Skyline at the Philadelphia Phillies parade of champions Friday afternoon. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend stopping by B-Love’s site and checking out the gorgeous photography; ESPECIALLY his pics from the Phillies games this year.

Go now.

Philadelphia, 31 October 2008, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE | Philly Skyline
2 November 08. WFC: World Series Champions | Philly Skyline

Being that it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Pat Burrell will not return to the Phillies next year, this afternoon might have been the last time we see him as a member of the Fightins’.

Sad, I know, but at least The Bat went out on top:  A World Champion whose double in the eighth inning wound up being the winning run scored in Game 5.

And during the parade today, Mr. Burrell, his lovely wife Michelle, and dog Elvis were the leads in the parade, seated in a Budweiser carriage powered by eight Clydesdales.   Not a bad way to go out:

After the jump, some more shots of Pat & family from the parade:

Read more »

At three o’clock this afternoon, the Phillies will give away a mere 112,000 tickets to enter either Citizens Bank Park or Lincoln Financial Field for the conclusion of tomorrow’s parade.

By way of the honorable Mayor Michael Nutter, Fox29 has the info:

The Phillies will give out free tickets to both stadiums on the Internet only, at 3 p.m. ET, on the Phillies official Web site at www.phillies.com.

The parade will start at 12 noon at 20th and Market Streets and end at the Complex.

People can stand and watch the parade at any point on the route to the Sports Complex.

Fox 29 has learned that part of the parade in Center City will include a ticker-tape parade, before the celebration heads south on Broad Street.

Mayor Michael Nutter also says the city has dozens of sponsors to underwrite the parade, and the Eagles have donated the use of the Linc for the parade.

Gates will open at 10 a.m. for free ticket holders at the two stadiums.

YO!  GO HERE NOW! Thank Beale later.

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