Oh, Philly - where's your brotherly love?

The way I see it...Philadelphia needs to control its fans. The Eagles have long had a problem with their fans, beginning with the infamous 1968 loss to the Vikings, in which fans pelted Santa Claus with snowballs (even if the fans were just expressing frustration at the team and its management, you can't take it out on Santa, for goodness sake!) Then, in 1999, when Michael Irvin landed on his head, Eagles fans cheered, and cheered again as the stretcher was wheeled out to his motionless body. Pretty low, if you ask me. Their former stadium even had a section known as the Nest of Death, and a jail inside the stadium - with a court and a judge. You know - it comes in handy.

The Eagles aren't the only Philly team to earn the worst-fans label, though. The Phillies are no better. (I would say things about the 76ers, too, but they have enough problems without me picking on their fans.) In 1999 - which seems to have just been a rough year in Philadelphia all the way around - fans threw D batteries at J.D. Drew, because he hadn't signed with the Phillies who had drafted him, but rather with the Cardinals a year later. But even worse than that, when Matthew Scott, the first US hand-transplant recipient was asked to throw out the home-opening pitch of the 1999 season and the ball dribbled across home plate, the fans booed. A hand transplant recipient was booed on a ceremonial pitch. Just let that sink in for a minute.

It seems that lately, Philly is at it again. Earlier this month, a stupid teenager got the bright idea to run across the field at Citizen's Bank Park. He wasn't even streaking, so really, by Philly standards, this was a pretty tame offense. But stupid, nevertheless. As was the response by the Phillies' security, who tasered the poor kid. Seems the out-of-control behavior is spreading.

But there is one story that wins the prize for worst fan behavior. Ok, maybe second place prize - pretty sure nothing can beat booing Matthew Scott. But this dubious honor is awarded to a case that was settled just yesterday of a Phillies' fan who vomited on an off-duty cop and his little girl - on purpose.

It seems that in April, Matthew Clemmens, the vomiter, and his buddy were being pretty obnoxious throughout a Phillies-Nationals game. After Michael Vangelo, the cop, and his daughters had asked Clemmens and Friend to clean up their acts, the buddy was ejected, which, naturally, caused Clemmens to lean over Vangelo and his eleven year old daughter and vomit on them. Because isn't that what you do when you're irritated with someone? No? Really?

Clemmens did plead guilty, and the charges were dropped. But the point is, he was a Phillies fan, following in the great tradition of Philadelphia fans who have gone before. And, he probably will not be the last, leading me to the conclusion that something needs to be done in that city - and soon before someone really gets hurt.

Thanks to this article by Thom Loverro of the Washington Times for some of the background Philly horror stories.