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Vikings fans take a beating in Philly, too
JrMacdaddy
Posts: 506 ✭✭
in Sports Talk
From the Startribune this morning:
PHILADELPHIA -- Rough game. But maybe a rougher crowd.
The Minnesota Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27-14 Sunday -- ending the Vikings' playoff hopes and season. But all the mother of Vikings lineman Chris Liwienski could talk about was how she and her family were physically abused by fans in the upper deck of Lincoln Financial Field.
Wearing one of her son's purple Vikings jerseys, Marie Hoppe said she was pushed repeatedly by hostile Philadelphia fans. Her daughter-in-law, Christina Liwienski, said she was hit in the head by a plastic beer bottle.
"We were warned that Philadelphia fans would be rough, the worst in the league, and my son begged me not to wear this jersey," said Hoppe, of suburban Detroit. "Fans are supposed to come to games, not thugs. But these people had their hands on me constantly.
"What are these people doing at sporting events like this?"
The announced crowd of 67,722 seemed determined to enhance a well-earned reputation as the National Football League's crudest. But the Eagles -- the top seed and class of the National Football Conference -- didn't really need any extra help against a Vikings team that finished the season 9-9 and looked every bit like the conference's lowest playoff seed.
With Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb dissecting the Minnesota secondary early and passing for two touchdowns, and facing a tough Philadelphia defense, the Vikings looked very much like a team that lost four of its final five regular season games and not like a team that upset the Packers in Green Bay in the playoffs' first round.
"Giving up 21 points in the first half doesn't help," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said.
Obnoxious and hostile
The Vikings offered their fans hope when quarterback Daunte Culpepper's 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter cut the Eagles' lead to 14-7.
"We still have a chance," Marie Hoppe said during the third quarter.
But she and her family had long given up on the Eagles fans. Joe Liwienski, Chris' 22-year-old brother, said he attended the "basketbrawl" game in Auburn Hills, Mich., where members of the Indiana Pacers exchanged punches with Detroit Pistons fans.
"This was 10 times worse," he said.
"The fans were obnoxious," Chris Liwienski said from the Vikings locker room. "They were chanting stuff to Randy [Moss] throughout the game. You expect that, but you don't expect them to abuse people in the stands trying to enjoy the game."
The few fans who came to the game wearing Vikings purple were greeted by a boisterous and hostile crowd that began sharpening their fangs in parking lots near the stadium at 6 a.m., presumably stirring their alcoholic beverages with rusty nails.
Mike Hughes, 39, of Excelsior, wearing a purple Randy Moss jersey on his back and his heart on his sleeve, walked right through the Eagles crowd that hurled obscenities and promised to throw even more at him.
"Batteries," he said. "They're threatening to throw batteries.
"I went to all but three Vikings road games this year," Hughes said. "I can tell you that Green Bay is nothing like this."
Scott Bain, 33, also wearing a Moss jersey, said he "never felt so lonely" as he walked briskly through a parking lot crowded with Eagles fans chanting obscenities and holding "Jacksonville or Bust" signs.
"We had upper deck seats, but we got so many warnings about what might happen to us that we sold them and bought club level seats on the street," said Bain, formerly of Anoka and now a lawyer in Washington, D.C. "We were told it was safer there."
Said Steve Beckman, 47, of New Brighton, in a well-worn (but not yet battered) Moss jersey: "They warned us not to wear this attire, but we didn't listen. I even rode the subway here.
"They told us that if the Vikings win, we'd better take a cab home, for our own protection."
"We still better watch out for batteries," said Jimmy Bahnson, 22, of Fridley, wearing a Culpepper jersey.
Philadelphia, which has lost the three previous conference title games, will try again next Sunday against Atlanta.
"How many disappointments can Philadelphia fans take?" asked John Groses, 74, of Media, Pa.
"This city's been through hell with its sports teams," said Tom Jones, of Milton, Del., whose bus is painted Eagles green, has Eagles logos in every window and has become a pregame meeting place for Eagles cheerleaders, fans and anyone looking for a photo opportunity or to commiserate.
"We gear ourselves up for these games, but the worst has happened so many times."
The worst happened in the upper deck, in the corner of the end zone, Chris Liwienski said.
"I tried to warn them," he said of his family. "It's like these fans have hit a new low."
PHILADELPHIA -- Rough game. But maybe a rougher crowd.
The Minnesota Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27-14 Sunday -- ending the Vikings' playoff hopes and season. But all the mother of Vikings lineman Chris Liwienski could talk about was how she and her family were physically abused by fans in the upper deck of Lincoln Financial Field.
Wearing one of her son's purple Vikings jerseys, Marie Hoppe said she was pushed repeatedly by hostile Philadelphia fans. Her daughter-in-law, Christina Liwienski, said she was hit in the head by a plastic beer bottle.
"We were warned that Philadelphia fans would be rough, the worst in the league, and my son begged me not to wear this jersey," said Hoppe, of suburban Detroit. "Fans are supposed to come to games, not thugs. But these people had their hands on me constantly.
"What are these people doing at sporting events like this?"
The announced crowd of 67,722 seemed determined to enhance a well-earned reputation as the National Football League's crudest. But the Eagles -- the top seed and class of the National Football Conference -- didn't really need any extra help against a Vikings team that finished the season 9-9 and looked every bit like the conference's lowest playoff seed.
With Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb dissecting the Minnesota secondary early and passing for two touchdowns, and facing a tough Philadelphia defense, the Vikings looked very much like a team that lost four of its final five regular season games and not like a team that upset the Packers in Green Bay in the playoffs' first round.
"Giving up 21 points in the first half doesn't help," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said.
Obnoxious and hostile
The Vikings offered their fans hope when quarterback Daunte Culpepper's 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter cut the Eagles' lead to 14-7.
"We still have a chance," Marie Hoppe said during the third quarter.
But she and her family had long given up on the Eagles fans. Joe Liwienski, Chris' 22-year-old brother, said he attended the "basketbrawl" game in Auburn Hills, Mich., where members of the Indiana Pacers exchanged punches with Detroit Pistons fans.
"This was 10 times worse," he said.
"The fans were obnoxious," Chris Liwienski said from the Vikings locker room. "They were chanting stuff to Randy [Moss] throughout the game. You expect that, but you don't expect them to abuse people in the stands trying to enjoy the game."
The few fans who came to the game wearing Vikings purple were greeted by a boisterous and hostile crowd that began sharpening their fangs in parking lots near the stadium at 6 a.m., presumably stirring their alcoholic beverages with rusty nails.
Mike Hughes, 39, of Excelsior, wearing a purple Randy Moss jersey on his back and his heart on his sleeve, walked right through the Eagles crowd that hurled obscenities and promised to throw even more at him.
"Batteries," he said. "They're threatening to throw batteries.
"I went to all but three Vikings road games this year," Hughes said. "I can tell you that Green Bay is nothing like this."
Scott Bain, 33, also wearing a Moss jersey, said he "never felt so lonely" as he walked briskly through a parking lot crowded with Eagles fans chanting obscenities and holding "Jacksonville or Bust" signs.
"We had upper deck seats, but we got so many warnings about what might happen to us that we sold them and bought club level seats on the street," said Bain, formerly of Anoka and now a lawyer in Washington, D.C. "We were told it was safer there."
Said Steve Beckman, 47, of New Brighton, in a well-worn (but not yet battered) Moss jersey: "They warned us not to wear this attire, but we didn't listen. I even rode the subway here.
"They told us that if the Vikings win, we'd better take a cab home, for our own protection."
"We still better watch out for batteries," said Jimmy Bahnson, 22, of Fridley, wearing a Culpepper jersey.
Philadelphia, which has lost the three previous conference title games, will try again next Sunday against Atlanta.
"How many disappointments can Philadelphia fans take?" asked John Groses, 74, of Media, Pa.
"This city's been through hell with its sports teams," said Tom Jones, of Milton, Del., whose bus is painted Eagles green, has Eagles logos in every window and has become a pregame meeting place for Eagles cheerleaders, fans and anyone looking for a photo opportunity or to commiserate.
"We gear ourselves up for these games, but the worst has happened so many times."
The worst happened in the upper deck, in the corner of the end zone, Chris Liwienski said.
"I tried to warn them," he said of his family. "It's like these fans have hit a new low."
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Comments
Nice guy, but he should have used some of the positive comments also. An article he published Saturday was also negative about the Philly fans attitiude toward their teams when they lose the big game.
I told him that the city "has been kicked around since W.C. Fields was making movies" and seems to have to do more to get respect - hence their fans have extra devotion to the teams.
Didn't see too much abuse, other than the vocal razzing, even in the airport after the game. I made sure to approach Vikings fans and let them know we wished them good luck.
Not all Philly fans are idiots, and for the most part they are great sports.
I will say this. I think I was on an elevator in the Vikings hotel with the daughter of the owner, her husband and family. Welcomed them to Philly and wished them good luck in the game. She was a snob and did not even acknowledge my comment. He had on Vikings gear and just said "you can't tell we're Vikngs fans can you". The younger people with them had no comment either. Maybe the cold weather freezes their emotions.
These people were more snobbish than the Panthers fans last year, and they were nose high ne'r do wells.
I say if you want to complain about Philly fans then don't ignore the good ones when they welcome you to their city.
I witnessed a few guys wearing Moss jerseys, Culpepper, even a TICE (turns out they were friends of his) and the worse that happened was finger pointing and a few expletives - big deal.
Batteries? Gimme a break.
I would bet money that this woman is exaggerating the whole thing. She went there knowing what people say about us, and when nothing out of the ordinary happened, she made it up.
aconte
bridesmaid of the NFC....you all know that right?
JS
NOT THIS YEAR JOE
<< <i>
NOT THIS YEAR JOE >>
Hmm I think I've been hearing that from Philly fans for 4 years now...
Philly fans as a whole of course aren't that bad, but the repeated stories makes me believe that these types of things do happen in Philly.
Like Vick, it is exaggerated. If it was the case, so be it. But it isn't ...
I will be the first to say that I didn't think the Eagles had a prayer against St. Louis by the way. Tampa and Carolina were different stories
I noticed that Philly fans try to bait folks verbally. I'd say if you challenged them back verbally then they would initiate a physical confrontation...that was just my gut feel.
I'd say if you are in the cheaper seats that it is much more likely to get into a confrontation.
Now I was at the Falcons game this weekend and I saw maybe 5 Rams wearing supporters the entire night. Philly should be scared about facing ATL --- they're tough. Excellent special team, solid defense and a QB that moves at a level so much faster than anyone else...that you just can't defend it. Dunn & Duckett are a formidable combo. Should be a great game. Without TO, I think Philly loses.
SKOL VIKINGS --- maybe next year ---- #1 thing is Glen Taylor as Vikes new owner --- sell Red sell
Erik
Dallas probably has more Eagle fans than boys fans, and Tampa Bay are most likely there because they can't get NASCAR tix, so they go watch some football team play and get drunk.
and perhaps also can't get tickets for the opera.
Having been to several stadiums in my life, the Vet was by far the worst.
HOF Quarterbacks Football
<< <i><<< Tampa Bay are most likely there because they can't get NASCAR tix >>>
and perhaps also can't get tickets for the opera. >>
Haha you are so funny.
I guess you wouldn't know that they have been sold out of season tickets for years now, and have a waiting list over 50,000 people long to buy them.
Philly fans will boo anyone...they are the raider fans of the east. They think because they are in public and in large numbers they can do whatever they want.
Again I am not speaking of ALL philly fans, but those who think a ticket to a football game is a ticket to be confrontational.
We have planned to invade New Jersey.
Remember these Chuck Norris Facts
1. When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the Earth down
2. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, Chuck Norris can actually roundhouse kick you yesterday
3. There are no such things as lesbians, just women who have not yet met Chuck Norris
sorry, if I knew that was you I would have introduced myself first