As I write this, it's a little under 36 hours from what will be only the 11th time since 1981 that our city has hosted a championship qualification game in a major sport. As co-mod of this forum, I speak to you as a season ticketholder, as a fan of the world's game, as a sports fan in general, and as a Philadelphian, born and raised. And 180 minutes away from the end of a 19-year pro sports championship drought in this town. You, the Charge, have been the singular, solitary reason for being a Philly sports fan in 2002. The winter, spring and summer of our discontent began in St. Louis, where the football team fumbled and pick-ed its way out of a Super Bowl; then the hockey team couldn't spell goal even if you spotted them the G, O, A and L; the hoops team, one and done on 100% merit, and then the REAL "fun" began, and then the losing-est month in the history of ball and bat in this town, from the losing-est franchise in the history of American pro sport, and that's saying something. ESPN The Magazine's website summed it up in 11 words on 4/30, words that ring as true now as they did then; "If it weren't for the Charge, Philly would have no hope." I raise a virtual toast to all of you; Melissa, Kelly, Jennifer, Lorrie, Mary-Frances, Rakel, Karyn, Benny, Erin, Michelle, Liu, Marinette, Kerry, Heather, Erica, Stacey, Zhao, Janel, Rebekah, Andrea, Tara, Mandy and Maite for a ride we fans will remember with pride, for giving us hope, for exceptional quality on and off the field. You have raised the bar for the other 4 teams. And left them eating your dust this year. To the city's best coaching staff, Mark; Pia, John, Tony, Darren, Duane...you made a commitment to winning, come hell, torn ACL's or high water. The Two Larrys (Bowa and Brown), Andy Reid and whomever the Flyers are coached by this minute could learn lots from your professionalism and work ethic. Hopefully the gang will stay together for 2003. To our GM and his staff; Tim, we have had issues, us on BigSoccer about the games themselves (Howard the Duck, the music, the t-shirt tosses). They would be downright intolerable on a losing team. But the good outweighs the bad, in the end. When the season does end, though, there are two pressing matters in particular; keeping Mark and Pia in the fold. Somehow. We're possessive that way; we've got it so good here, coaching-wise, that we don't want to share with anyone else. In a profoundly tough market to crack, with a "sports talk" radio station which goes out of its way to disrespect you at every turn, and will go into meltdown mode next week if you win Saturday (for they know that you will lay claim to the team that ended the drought and not their pet four teams...) you've gotten the word out about the team. Successfully. No matter what Saturday, no abso-fricking-lutely matter what, thank you all for giving us hope, for playing your hearts out; for being great athletes and great people, who are as accessible and easy to talk to as a next-door neighbor whom you know for a long time. Our loyalty will not waver or change. And we'll be back for 2003. Good luck Saturday, make FCII a Mia-free zone, and Charge Team Fighting! Paul Hanlin Jr.
I wouldn't identify my exact seat location, after all, you never know when you might not want some folk to know exactly where you are. Personally, I believe you need to enjoy the Charge for what they are. I don't believe comparing their success with other local teams success or lack of success is a WORTHY exercise. All that emerges is a phony sense of failure. El Guerrouj is the greatest miler ever, yet he's failed to win an Olympic championship, because in ATlanta. he was tripped and in Sydney, he got beat by Ngeny in a sprint finish. The lack of GOLD doesn't diminish his greatness. Similary, whatever happens on 8/17 or 8/24 won't diminish the enjoyment watching the Charge play. Validation by title is nice, but I don't believe it's the ONLY way. My subjective satisfaction more than suffices. But I'm probably one of a small population feeling that way.
There's been nothing phony, I submit about the meltdown of the other four teams here. Everyone talks about (and this is going to get offtopic in a hurry) the Eagles being 52 yards away, but if they didn't fumble the ball twice in the first quarter, mistakes they made themselves, it would have been vastly different. The Flyers rolled over and played dead against Ottawa, and the Sixers were a shell of what it once was, and then all the stuff that exploded afterward. Both one-and-done first round exits. The Phillies did lose a club-record 18 games in April, and are, won-loss wise, the worst franchise in not only American pro sports, but NORTH America as well. None of what I said in the second paragraph was manufactured. You may not think so, but I held back, actually... Where I got the '36 hours' till game time from, however, is open to question. Of course it should have read 48. But it's been a great season, title or no, and if I had to do it all over again, no matter the result Saturday, I wouldn't change a thing. I'd still be in my regular place, going on the regional rail back and forth. I think we're going to be suffering varying degrees of withdrawl once the season is finally over It's nervewracking to wait out these last couple days. But it's a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything, since this kind of sport event happens around here about as rarely as an accurate Arthur Andersen audit lol... Paul
I agree I agree with you, Paul. I always like to go by the rule that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, if the Charge are supposed to beat Washington on Sat (which I def. hope they will), then I'll be totally stoked to be able to root for them one last time this season. But, if they lose (which they better not..hehe), then I think that somewhere down the road, we'll find out why. But I'm certainly stoked for the game on Saturday. My friend and I have been thinking about it every day since we found out we had home field advantage. I'll be there in my usual spot in SD right behind the bench, cheering them on and man, will I cheer. Haha. I'd hate to see Washington in the final cause i think the Charge def. deserves it more. Good luck girls!!! ~Kara
And I would submit, there are NO interaction affects between how the Charge do and how any other sports team does. To hypothesize a linkage is total subjective nonsense. Causality has some measureable constructs. As to what happens in an ONE instance, say one game, I say there is a probablity curve of possible conclusions. Say the game was played a million times, X% of the time DC would emerge to advance, and X% the Charge would emerge. My subjective feeling is 60% or so the Charge would emerge, but it may be as high as 75%, I do say the Charge would have more talent and the wherewithall to clearly be 50%+. And this has nothing to do with betting odds, where the subjective feel of large numbers of people set the odds. There'd be more Mia bettors, which increases their value. So given the 60% or 75% range for the Charge, clearly there's enough room for DC to win. And if they do win, then on that day, they simply might be the better team. That's my take on all this. And I say be happy with whatever happens.