The Broad Street Bullies

[methodwriter85]

Hey, if there are any big hockey fans here, here's a pretty cool documentary I watched called

. That was the nickname of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970's, because they were...well, let's just say that they weren't into playing a clean game.

The Flyers antics on the ice during the 1973-1974 and 1974-1975 helped lead them to two consecutive Stanley Cups. They gave the struggling city of Philadelphia a sense of hope and something to root for. And they apparently really, really pissed off the National Hockey League while doing it.

Anybody have any memories of the Broad Street Bullies? They must have been incredible and electrifying to watch. Watching this documentary, I got the reason why TetRefine who's a Boston Bruin guy refuses to cheer anything in Philadelphia.

[TetRefine]

Philadelphia sports fans in general are just pricks, and they fully embrace it. I thought Red Sox fans were nasty, they got nothing on Philly fans. I went to a Flyers-Penguins game with my roommate freshman year and I saw three middle-aged Flyers fans ruthlessly pick on an 8 year old for wearing a Crosby jersey.

 

I think this fits the attitudes of Philly in general. Despite being the fourth biggest city in the US, they are considered "not important" and "lesser" then the other three major East Coast cities. This feeling of inferiority carries over to sports and they become obnoxious and abrasive to make up for their feeling of inferiority.

[methodwriter85]

I don't know- I mean, we're boorish louts, but Pittsburgh fans are pretty bad, too.

Edited September 10, 2012 by methodwriter85

[TetRefine]

I don't know- I mean, we're boorish louts, but Pittsburgh fans are pretty bad, too.

 

I've never seen Pittsburg fans (or any other fans for that matter) ruthlessly pick on a poor eight year old kid for wearing a jersey. That just shows a complete lack of class, and to embrace it as a part of their fan culture is pretty sad in my opinion. Do we really want to turn into a sports nation of European soccer fans where opposing sides have to be kept at bay by riot police and concrete barricades?

Edited September 10, 2012 by TetRefine

[methodwriter85]

Okay, maybe that statement was colored by the fact that I spent 2 years in Steelers territory while being an Eagles fan.

 

It apparently used to be really bad, though, back in the 1970's and 1980's. So bad that the Vet(the old Eagles stadium) had a jail.

 

Here's an interesting vid that talks about the history of Philadelphia fandom.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhd1roUGHP0&feature=related

Edited September 10, 2012 by methodwriter85