The man who became famous for wearing a Bud Light cardboard box on his head has decided to sound off on his perceptions of the intelligence of Red Sox fans. Via Michael Silverman of the Herald comes this quote comparing his old and new fan bases.
“The difference between Boston and Philadelphia, the Boston fans are a little bit more hysterical when it comes to the game of baseball,” Papelbon said in an interview with a Philadelphia CBS radio station. “The Philly fans tend to know the game a little better, being in the National League, you know, the way the game is played.
“I’ve had a guy take of his prosthetic leg and throw it in the bullpen in Boston,” Papelbon said.
Now, I'm not going to try to defend all Sox fans since a good percentage -- as with almost any fanbase -- can act pretty stupid. But the team he uses as a comparison is laughable. I know he's trying to endear himself to the Philly faithful -- and smart move on his part -- but to try to make Philadelphia fans out as smarter and better behaved than Boston fans is crazy.
Philly fans are notorious. The stories about applauding Michael Irvin's injury and throwing snowballs at Santa are well known. They once threw batteries at JD Drew. I mean, these are not Cardinals fans.
And somehow Sox fans are insanely into the games but don't know the game of baseball? What were people doing while watching the games for decades? It's not like it's an action-packed sport where you tune in for the spectacle. If you follow baseball with any regularity, you get to know it pretty intimately. What else are we supposed to do when it takes 25 seconds for a pitch to be delivered?
But keep talking, Pap. I'm sure after a few months in Pennsylvania (or have you even gotten there yet?) and two weeks in Florida, you're in a position to judge.
