I think since PF can't be there for the final hooo-rah.. in my honor you guys should...

Drink about 15 beers
Pee in a sink
then throw up somewhere.

Wait those are sorta eagle traditions, not phillies traditions. Nevermind, carry on guys.

I was there 2 weeks ago - glad I got to see it before it's gone.

It promises to be a very emotional Sunday. Copman - how were you at the Vet 2 weeks ago and didn't let any of us Philly Outsporters know? Joe and I have been at most Phillies games in the past 2 weeks, we may have been at same game.

So when is the place scheduled to be dynamited?

Ha anyone heard how The Vet will be demo'd? I've heard (when the Red Sox played the Phils on Labor Day) that the stadium will have to knocked down with a wrecking ball. Implosion can't be done because of the subway under Broad Street. True?

Stadium is supp. to come down in February. Haven't heard anything definite about how it is coming down. Broad Street Subway is next to Vet, but not directly underneath it, so maybe implosion is a possiblity. I'll keep everyone posted as we hear more details.

Criminey, even to get that monstrosity destroyed, it causes headaches.

Um, so that leaves how many of those awful late 60's/early 70's multi-purpose stadiums left? Shea? Busch?

Believe it or not, Shea stadium is the 4th oldest stadium behind Fenway, Wrigley and that shithole in the Bronx.
I think Busch opened up a few years after Shea did.

Josh

According to today's Phila. Inquirer, stadium will be imploded in Feb. or early March. This is a link to an article titled "Everything Must Go", describing how Phillies will be selling off various parts of the stadium before implosion:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/6862676.htm

Not a day too soon. While I have many great memories of the place -- attended a World Series game there, the All Star game and many Eagles games it has really fallen into disrepair.

So Copman -- why didn't you let us know you were here -- maybe you were here during PhillyFan's State visit.

Geez -- and how could I forget Gay Day, duh...

I just made a call to the city of philadelphia PLEADING them to close the linc for a few games and make the eagles play in the vet for just a few games...

Not sure if it will work, but i did offer up 20 bucks to do it... so we'll see.

Yes, how could you? I know the Phanatic remembers you well!

One of my memories occurred 23 years ago today--1980. I might have mentioned this before. I took my 6-year-old brother to the first game of the 3-game series against the Expos, who at the time were a half-game behind the Phils in the NL East. A well-played 1-1 game suddenly ended when Bake McBride ripped the first pitch from Expos' pitcher David Palmer over the right-field fence leading off the bottom of the ninth. As we all leapt to our feet, my little brother was still in his seat, his view now blocked, asking "What happened? What happened?" So I had to pick him up to show the Phils celebrating at home plate. wink

Thanks for reminded me eek!

And I remember during that same game when you said you would dye your hair blond if the Phils made the playoffs -- see you even knew then that we were in trouble wink

I was just trying not to be presumptuous...good thing, huh?

There seems to be a change for Saturday--the paper says that the first ball will be thrown by John Denny and Steve Bedrosian, not Steve Carlton. I don't know why--perhaps they have something else involved for Carlton?

Implosion? Today's Daily News said a few studies need to be completed before a decision is made on if they can implode, although it is how they prefer to demolish the stadium.

That reminds me of the line I'm going to use if I ever hear an Eagles chant again at the Vet (I waited for it all last week but it never came): "This is a baseball stadium now--the Beagles don't play here any more!"

By the way, a home team has finally won at the Linc: the US women's soccer team, last night.

Anyone else wish to stick a nail in my coffin?

OK people, no pushing, get in line.

We would never do that to you...

The US women apparently have a good team. Imagine if the first team to win had been Temple... eek!

Temple or a womens sports team... come on think about which one i choose.

Temple football is so bad that you just have to get over your feelings against women's sports and accept the fact that it would be even more embarassing if Temple wins before the Eagles do.

From the Phillies:

Sorry, I never thought to do that!DARN - My partner & I DID have a great time in your city, we spent a whole weekend. We made plans to see an outsporter in Boston (our Fenway stop) but the plans fell through. We got stood up! Next time in Philly I'll definitely drop you an e mail :cool:

[ September 26, 2003, 07:37 PM: Message edited by: copman ]

You'd better!

The game tonight was fast, only about 2:20 and could've been faster had Bobby Cox not made a pitching change with 2 outs in the 8th and no one on base with a 4-0 lead! Ridiculous. But the game was really dull. The Phils were lifeless and once the Braves figured out Vicente Padilla they rolled to an easy 6-0 win. I didn't even stay for the post-game fireworks. I saw the display in July, so I didn't feel the need.

The pre-game first-ball was tossed by Mike Schmidt to Bob Boone, but with the traffic/parking problems and crowds just arriving late, it was more than half-empty at the time. I hope people are smart enough to arrive early tomorrow and Sunday.

After the 5th, as the ground crew took the field for their usual cleanup, the PA announcer reminded fans that anyone running onto the field will be arrested, and then said, "And anyone who streaks onto the field..." And just like that, out ran a streaker onto the field!

Okay, it was the Phillie Phanatic without his jersey. And he doesn't wear pants anyway. But it was still funny.

And on the list of groups flashing on the scoreboard was this curious entry (and it was later shown a few more times with "Special Welcome" added: CGY Jolly Gay Men. Who ARE these Jolly Gay Men? Are they really gay? Are they really jolly? Are they really men? And what is CGY???? Hey scottie, call John Brazer or someone. Inquiring minds need to know!

There's still a little bit of magic in the ol' Vet! Two runs in the ninth--off John Smoltz--to tie the game, and one in the tenth to win!

It looked like it was going to be a long day. The pre-game ceremony honoring the All-Vet team was rushed towards the end due to a sudden downpour, which cleared up just as the ceremony ended. (And there were a few more quick hits of rain, too. Weird. From where I was sitting (under cover in right field--more on that momentarily) to my left the sky was clear blue and yet it's raining. Then in the second the Braves got 3 off Amaury Telemaco, including a homer by Javy Lopez. He then left the game. The Braves treated it like an exhibition, constantly replacing players and pitchers alike. Looking at the boxscore I see they used 26 players, including 10 pitchers!

Jim Thome's second homer of the day and 47th of the year (leading the NL, one shy of the Phils' all-time record of 48 by Mike Schmidt in 1980) landed about ten seats to my right! It went through someone's hands and bounced three rows further back. Like the season, so close and yet so far.

The Vet Countdown clock was changed from 3 to 2 last night by Steve Carlton, and from 2 to 1 today by Mike Schmidt. Who will change it for the final time tomorrow???

It sounds like fans have had a love/hate relationship with Veterans' Stadium over the years (have never been there myself). The other day I was listening to Jim Rome interviewing Jon Gruden, who was an assistant coach for the Eagles a few years back. He said one memory that stuck out for him was the large number of 'resident' cats roaming around the stadium. Apparently they kept down the rat population!

I don't think fans have ever really hated the Vet that much. Players and club officials may have, for various reasons. The only two people who really, desperately have hated the Vet are the Eagles' Jeffrey Lurie and Joe Banner.

[ September 27, 2003, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

Unlike the Flyers and Sixers (cannot stand 'em), the Phillies and Eagles have never been a direct rival of my favorite baseball and football teams. Thus, I must admit that I felt a bit bad for the way it all ended for the Phillies this year, considering that this is the end of the Vet. While the Marlins fans continue not to fill up seats (as it is strictly Miami Dolphin territory), the Phillies fans seemed a bit more deserving of a better fate.

Hey Philly Fan, My turn...
In their final game in the Vet, Philly fans, being true to form, boo a good player and all around good guy - Kevin Milwood. Granted that Milwood didn't have a stellar game, he is a free agent now, and he was a productive pitcher throughout the year. From Millwood's reaction of throwing his glove and hat into the stands, all with a smirk on his face, I believe he will not be back in a Philly uniform next year. I truely believe he will be back in Atlanta ready to fill in when Maddux decides to call it a day. Just so you don't feel completely bad about Millwood going 0-4 against the Braves this year, Glavine went 0-4 against the Braves this year too.

Good riddance to Kevin Millwood, the so-called ace. That overrated piece of garbage. He was NOT a productive pitcher all year. He sucked most of the second half. He gave up 11 hits in 4-plus innings today. He was given the lead twice and coughed it up both times in the very next inning. He deserved the boos that he got, not that it was even that loud--Pat Burrell got booed worse than that--until he threw his glove and cap into the stands. He's probably known all year that he didn't want to come back, and it showed in his pathetic second-half performance.

It'll be great to see him in an Atlanta uniform next year, helping the Braves choke yet again (whether in the regular season or playoffs). Or let him join Scott Rolen in St. Louis and they can have their little pity party every day. At least Rolen continued to produce, unhappy as he may have been.

He did participate in the postgame ceremonies and didn't get booed nearly as much. Had he just walked off the mound in the 5th inning he would have heard very little if any boos after the game. (Burrell got mostly a loud ovation.)

To Millwood's credit, he showed up after the game--unlike Jose Mesa, nowhere to be seen.

All of the postgame ceremonies just blew me away. It was really well-done. Amazingly, I didn't cry all that much. I got choked up a few times all day, but that was all. I guess I've just been so inundated in the last 2 weeks with baseball past and present that I was able to keep it together.

The final change of the countdown clock was by Harry Kalas, whose first year with the Phils was the year the Vet opened. It was a pretty likely choice since he hadn't done it all year and since Carlton and Schmidt had done it the prior two days. I think it would've been good if they sort of linked the past and present and had Kalas and Jim Thome do it. (Bobby Abreu got to change it one night this year and not Thome? What's up with that?)

The Phanatic's last dance after the game was to..."Last Dance" by Donna Summer, naturally. And after the 7th inning they dragged out "YMCA" yet again. Geez, it was a big gay summer down at the Vet!

[ September 28, 2003, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

You know...

While at the bar watching the beloved Iggles victory... i look up in the bathroom and see the phils on espn2. Was somewhat fitting to have the last game on in the bathroom...

Anyway they did put the game on outside in enough time to see the last few outs.. ect ect ect... very nice...

They have a TV in the bathroom at the bar? That's overkill if you ask me. wink

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
[QB] Good riddance to Kevin Millwood, the so-called ace. That overrated piece of garbage.

I was at the Vet yesterday and almost choked on my beer when Harry Kalas announced Philly Fans as the best in the world. And even during the ceremony after the game when all the players are being announced from 1971-2003, Millwood gets booed going to the mound. It wasnt enough when he got pulled in the 4th inning?? He has to listen to it again during a ceremony?? NO class.
I guess the best fans are the ones that boo their own team, call their players names, tell them they suck. Amazing when they get more respect on the road than they do at home. The Detroit Tigers got a standing ovation when they won the other day. Was it to clinch a play-off spot? NO. They will have only the second worse season in baseball history. They avoided surpassing the 1963 Mets. Those are fans that rose to their feet and applauded. Would that happen in Philly. OF COURSE NOT. No one would show up to support the team. They have to start getting close to a playoff spot for the fans to start showing up to the game. And believe me I had season tickets since April so I know when the "fans" started showing up.
Players feed off the fans in any game. The negative karma that Philly fans show only affects the players. And then the city wonders why a championship has not been won in a generation.
Being a fan is not only when your team is in first but when they are in last as well. Philly doesnt have fans, they have groupies. People who are on the bandwagon while its hot.
I love baseball, I moved here and became a fan of the Phillies. I dont boo the players that I am supporting. I think anyone over 30 looks stupid yelling out things like "you suck Burrell". Like its gonna do anything. They do it for laughs to see how many in the stands can laugh with them. Just keeps anyone from wanting to play here. I hope Pat Burrell finds what his problem is and is successful next year. God forbid we drive him out of town-then what do we look at??
Jim Thome is very well liked right now-hmm-wonder if he has a slump next year-do we all boo? Yes, Millwood, Burrell, Thome make millions. They are paid to perform well. We are all paid to do our best. When I don't do a good job at work, I don't get booed.
To a better season next year Phils.

Have you been drinking?

Philly a bandwagon town? The flyers, eagles and sixers have had great crowds and a ton of support. The phillies have been a pathetic organization for YEARS. If anything, philly will support any team.. so when they stopped going to phillies games after the last strike.. i say good job. The organization just didnt have a few bad years, they sucked as an organization. Now, as they try to build the team again, they will slowly bring people back.

Now as for you "booo" analysis.. lemme tell ya dude, i flew thousands of miles... put down a nice chunk of change for iggle tix... hotel.. car.. ect ect ect.. just to see the team suck the joint up... i'm supposed to cheer cause they tried hard? Screw that man... be a lemming if you want, i'd never be one.

If you want to see bandwagon idiot fans who will cheer at the wind, come to a dbacks game.. you'd like it there better.

I snipped the rest of this utter stupidity to talk about one statement...

I've had season tickets as well, plus I have the stats on the attendance for this year and last, and you're completely wrong. Attendance has been up ALL SEASON LONG.

As to another statement, about how you don't get booed at work: give me a break. No one pays to watch you work.

Now they're really coming down to the end: they were auctioning off all kinds of Vet memorabilia yesterday to raise money for Phillies Charities. Lockers, signs, etc. Somewhere around $700,000 was raised. After work I went down to the Wachovia Center, where the event was held. I met scottie there and we hung out. Besides the auction they were selling various souvenirs and excess giveaway items. So for five bucks I am now the proud owner of a Pat Burrell Louisville Slugger bat!

They also had current and former players in autograph and photo booths. So now, scottie has a picture of himself with Mike Lieberthal. I think he also proposed that they run off to Massachusetts and get married, but I can't prove it. wink And Eric Milton, newly acquired starter, was there as well and looked really good. And for Jim Allen: he shaved off the goatee that I had noticed in some old Twins highlights. Completely clean-shaven.

While scottie was in line longing for Lieby, I was watching the auction for the banner showing Rich Ashburn's retired number. They started the bidding at $1,000 and in hundred-dollar increments, within about two minutes they were near $5,000. It ended up getting the highest bid of everything they sold, at $10,100! It was amazing to watch.

They also sold pieces of the turf, the outfield wall and little jars of dirt from the field but the lines were so long we didn't bother to wait. Besides, I already have a piece of the only turf that counts: the turf they used in 1980!

Later sometime, I will post a link to a very special picture -- all I'm saying is that mdphl will get a big kick out of it! wink

By the way, still no definite word on an implosion date. They're knocking down as much as possible without explosives (such as the ramps leading to the gates) first.

To think you could get your hands on Pat Burrell's bat for only $5.... BTW, how many inches and how many ounces? wink

Well, I've been too busy fondling it to actually measure...but it is quite a piece of wood!

A pic that mdphl will LOVE!

Phanatic loses his head at the auction!

Did his sworn enemy mdphl take it?

JIP -- hey the Phanatic is two-timing me????

And all of this time, I thought you were my friend and he was my...well, we'll leave it at that

At least we know none of the Philly fielders took the head--they can't hold onto anything! wink

~Adam

You mean the Eagles' wide receivers, right? wink

hey guys, I drove by the new Spring training facility tonight and it looks beautiful. There even seems to be luxury boxes. I was driving on one of the worst highways that is next to the stadium so I was having to really pay attention to traffic but... I have no clue why this would have been but "Finding Nemo" was playing on the trinitron at 5:00 p.m! Maybe the construction workers needed some get up and go!

Kenny - thanks for the update. Did you stop in and say hi to Pat Burrell -- he needs a "pick me up" after last season. Imagine Kenny helping a Philly team -- we promise not to tell PhillyFan. wink

Ha! Especially don't tell him that when I was a kid I used to go to the Spring Training games. I grew up less than 2 miles from Jack Russell Stadium.

Hmmmm, looks like it just might be time to update the location line there kenboy.... i suggest EX infront of it.

Well - it looks like I opened a can of worms -- what is that saying about letting sleeping dogs lie? eek!

First the Philly Phanatic loses his head and then the Sixers lose their head coach. Coincidence?? Who knows what the Flyers or Eagles will lose?

~Adam