If you are a Phillies fan and a Twitter user, then two nights ago you most certainly were made aware of the conversation that was occurring regarding the 2008 parade that commemorated the club’s first World Series title in over two decades.
For those that don’t have Twitter (shame on you!), allow me to fill you in: A certain print writer with a connection to a certain city questioned whether or not there were actually 2 million people in attendance for the parade that took place on Broad St last Halloween.
The article in question was from NBC.com’s D.J. Short…
You get the point. Exaggerating the size of large gatherings is nothing new, whether we’re talking about political rallies or the Florida Marlins. If Philadelphia wants to think two million people were there, good for them. It’s worth noting that an estimated 1.5 million people turned out for the Yankees’ parade earlier this month, a figure that seems much more realistic, if not conservative for New York.
When the article hit, a flurry of controversy swelled up from the Phillies faithful, hell bent on countering such blasphemy. Within minutes, a Facebook group was formed to disprove the charge.
However, the article in question, the one from NBC.com, was a reaction piece that cited the source article from The Inquirer’s own Peter Mucha, who used some exact, and at the same time, not so exact figures to come to the conclusion that there could have been no more than one million fans out in force on that beautiful day in 2008.
The article, for lack of a better term, was bunk. A fluff piece that served no other purpose than to fill 1,000 words on a Sunday. And why not? It’s not like there is baseball to write about, unless you count the Juan Castro signing as anything more than trivial.
But to those proud fans who wear their hearts on their sleeves and bonded with the thousands upon thousands of other fans as Pat Burrell led the Champs down Broad, I ask this: Who really cares?
Does it make much of a difference if there wasn’t two million out that day? It doesn’t take away from the title, or Brad’s Perfect Season, or Cole’s dominance, or Carlos’ biggest little hit of this career, or Pedro’s series winner and so on and so on and so on.
At the end of the day, it matters not that there was two million people or two people at the parade. The Phillies are still the champs, regardless of what some writer has to say.
*****
In other Phillies news, fan favorite and all around good guy (and story) Chris Coste has signed with the New York Mets. According to Fargo’s The Forum, Coste agreed to terms with the Mets and will be placed on their 40 man roster, however he is not guaranteed to be with the team on opening day.
And while the thought of Coste playing for the “rival” New York Mets might be unsettling to some, let me remind you of something: The Phillies released him in the middle of last season so Paul Bako could backup Chooch. PAUL BAKO!
So let’s keep that in mind when and if Chris makes his return to the City of Brotherly Love wearing Metro-blue.
24 Comments on “2 Million Phillies Fans Can’t Be Wrong”
Leave a Comment
- Mookey on The Origin Of Harry’s, “Chase Utley, You Are The Man!” Call
- World Fargin Roy Halladay Beard Champion '010 on The Origin Of Harry’s, “Chase Utley, You Are The Man!” Call
- Rufus on The Origin Of Harry’s, “Chase Utley, You Are The Man!” Call
- World Fargin Roy Halladay Beard Champion '010 on You Could Field An Entire Team With Ed Wade’s Ex-Phillies
- will.H on The Origin Of Harry’s, “Chase Utley, You Are The Man!” Call
Phila-Centric
- 700 Level
- Balls, Sticks & Stuff
- Beerleaguer
- Big Five Post
- Crane Kick Chronicles
- Crashburn Alley
- Finger Food
- Fire Eric Bruntlett
- Fortress of Pillows
- Four Days Rest
- High Cheese
- High Hopes
- House That Glanville Built
- Long Drive
- Macho Row
- Maule of America
- Nittanydelphia
- Okayplayer
- On The DL
- On The Edge
- Phightin’ Phils Phorum
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philebrity
- Philled In
- Philliesflow
- Philly Gameday
- Philly Gossip
- Philly Skyline
- Phils-ville
- Phinally Philly
- Plunk Chutley
- Swing and a Long Drive
- The Dalembert Report
- The Fourth Outfielder
- The Good Phight
- The Insider
- The Pattison Pundit
- The Sexy Crimes
- The Shibe Times
- The Third I
- The Zo Zone
- We're the Team to Beat
- Whiz Witout
- Who Does He Play For?
- WSBGM’s
General
December 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am
HAHA, stupid yanks couldn’t pull 2 million to their parade…..
thats all i got from this post
December 1st, 2009 at 9:48 am
Muscles?
December 1st, 2009 at 9:58 am
i hate Paul Bako … Good Luck to Coste
December 1st, 2009 at 10:03 am
I read that Inquirer “article” and wondered why in the holy fucking hell it was necessary to write about parade attendance a year and a month after the fact. I don’t care if it WAS to fill 1000 words on a Sunday. I’d have preferred to read “Yankees suck” 500 times.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:17 am
Yea Paul Bako is pretty terrible. I still dont understnd that move other than to bring in a lefty catcher… i guess? And The amont of people at that parade doesnt matter, i agree, but when some dope who doesnt even know philly or our passion or our love, or our fans, and writes for a corporate sports companie such as NBC, it jus ticks me off. GET LOCAL.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:44 am
Coste looks kinda like Kermit the Frog.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:46 am
http://talksportsphilly.com/?p=1077
December 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Please note when you compare crowds at the 2009 and 2008 parades…
2008 Parade route: Approx. 4 miles.
2009 Parade route: Approx 7/10 of a mile.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Brian Schneider? Is he related to Rob Schneider?
December 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
i still love Coste….he should have been with us until the end…Paul Bako is a joke and a half…should have kept Marson
December 1st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
What?
December 1st, 2009 at 1:31 pm
dlhunter?
December 1st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
More mediocrity behind the plate. The only good thing is it seemed Schneider always hit the phils well….
December 1st, 2009 at 2:58 pm
A standing ovation for Chris Coste when he makes his first trip to Philly next year? I would hope so.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
are you there god? its me, dlhunter…
December 1st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I love Coste’s comments about his signing. It almost sounds like he isn’t even happy about it but just did it because it was his only offer. He said he thought the Mets would be the “last team he would ever sign with.”
Thattaboy Costey…maybe you should just burn down Shiti Field during your first trip there.
December 1st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
um yeah im pretty sure brian snieder (or however u spell his name) is going to make up chooch not Bako
December 1st, 2009 at 6:09 pm
How ’bout this?; who the hell knows what 2 million people spread out over Broad St. and Market looks like.
WTF?
December 1st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
How ’bout this; there was an assload of people there for that Parade.
I think that spells it out.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:26 pm
@LEEisGOD: Should have kept Marson…? Do you recall for whom he was traded?
December 1st, 2009 at 10:51 pm
@spacecoyote- YEAH i know..i’m not dumb…but dang..they get rid of someone that could be amazing and get like one of the worst catchers…Paul Bako though? ha ha come onnn…hopefully this new guy will be good
but, i actually heard that Marson didn’t get along well with the pitchers..none of them really liked him or his style…so i guess that could be a good part of why he was dismissed…but he is so good..oh well
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Also, Lou Marson isn’t that good…..he had the worst power numbers of anyone ever in the history of ever ever ever.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
I remember how USA Today wrote right after the parade that there were “tens of thousands” at the parade. Probably the same guy who wrote this article.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 am
Coste sucks. Good riddance, just another chance to boo him IF he even plays for the Mets at all.