"I Wish I Started My Career Here" -- Bryce Harper Knows Ball, And He Knows That Philly Has The Best Fans In Sports
We've tried to say it for so many years in so many different ways. But every time Bryce Harper gets in front of a microphone to talk about Philly fans, he's able to explain it so much more eloquently and precisely than Philly fans could ever explain ourselves. This guy just gets it.
Philadelphia is undeniably a hard city to play in, and I get that it's not for everybody. With that being said, the only athletes who hate playing here are the ones who just view the game as a job, they care more about the paycheck than actually getting out there and putting in the work to be the best player/team they possibly can be, and immediately start to suck their thumbs and cry the moment they get called out for it. But as long as you're someone who loves the game, loves to compete, and appreciates being held accountable? Well then that's the exact type of crowd that you want in your stands every single game. Iron sharpens iron.
But sometimes in life, much like the doors to get into your local Wawa, a pull works better than a push. And while Philly isn't typically known for pulling our athletes up, we at least have the feel for when it's necessary. Whether that's treating every shot Markelle Fultz made like it was a buzzer beater in a game 7, or giving Trea Turner a standing ovation during every at-bat to help him snap out of his slump. As long as Philly fans can see that you've been putting in the effort but just can't seem to mentally get over that hump, Philly fans have no issues with pulling you along rather than just shoving you in the back. Looks like it got the job done for Trea, at least.
Bryce Harper says he wished he played his entire career here. Trea Turner literally just bought a billboard to show his appreciation for the fans this past weekend.
And then you've got Bryson Stott calling out the national media for their consistent dumbassery when it comes to the Philly fanbase.
Sure seems to me like guys love playing in front of this crowd. It all starts with Bryce and his understanding of how this town operates, but the whole damn team gets it. It really makes you start to realize that whenever athletes leave Philly and trash the fans on their way out of the building, that's just the biggest admission that they're too fragile to deal with a fanbase that just wants to see you try.