Comments on: Scenes from Spring Training: Phun with the Phillie Phanatics Part 3

By: Caroline - Philly Tourism

Caroline - Philly Tourism — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:02:42 +0000

Love that you got a picture of our Phanatic statue in there. He's one of 20 that will be all over Philadelphia this summer. We're actually in the process of naming that statue as we speak! You can vote on the name here: http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/phanatic-around-town-naming-contest/ Go Phils!

By: madhatters

madhatters — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:21:39 +0000

after part 2&3 I wanted the 5minutes it took to read them back. Thanks for a little insight into 3 and congradulations I will now read Part 4
Let’s Go Phillies!-!-!!!

By: Charles Gates

Charles Gates — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:33:45 +0000

Euphamism, anyone?

By: Joe L

Joe L — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:11:43 +0000

Re: Thome. A friend in Cleveland lived in the same condo complex as Thome when he first broke in with the Tribe (as a 3rd baseman – remember those days?). My buddy was friendly with a girl who lived next door to Thome, and she said Thome, more than once, came next door to unplug a drain, fix a toilet handle, etc. That’s why he is everyone’s favorite player. Starting third baseman for the Indians, and he’ll pop around to fix a leaky shower head. Love it!

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:59:35 +0000

Not funny at all. Half-assed. Unless the Deapartment of Health was using the same mobile command station, who was checking those horrible horsemeat and velveeta sandwiches? There are ways you can do both exterior and interior damage.
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Incidentally, I have been wondering for years who thought up the Phanatic and what in the name of Buddha it was supposed to be. It is easily as grotesque a figure as anything in the bar on Tatooine, under the microscope at the National Center for Disease Control or in the ladies room at a Young Republican’s clubhouse (and this is not an attempt to be partisan; I’m saving the Pelosi jokes for another mascot). For awhile I thought maybe it was a swine flu virus with an extra Y chromosome (and yeah, before all you medical and molecular genetics mavens out there start climbing on me, I know that viruses are smaller than most chromosomes but that would at least account for the bloat). Perhaps, like the picture of Dorian Gray, it had started out as a svelte and attractive sort of creature and gradually taken upon itself like some alien scapegoat all of the phestering bile, resentment, hostility, vulgarity, provincialism and culinary bad taste of the Feelies fans until it arrived at its present hideous manifestation. I see that in the photo of the Phanatic above above even its hair has fallen out, which while not necessarily a bad thing (fewer fleas) yet demonstrates that this perverse amalgam of unlike forms remains in process. Fascinating.
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Ergo, I hereby announce that this summer, I plan to undertake a series of detailed iconographic readings of all the unnatural, deformed, malformed, freakish, aberrant, twisted, repulsive, eldritch teratoid mascots running around on the baseball fields of America, Canada and Macondo – I am by no means blind to the reality that as loathsome as it is, the Phanatic is far from the only flagitous gorgon infesting our national pastime. One at a time, then, I will be offering up an interpretation of each team’s mascot, starting with the Feelies’ atrocity. I think we owe it to ourselves to understand what these things are doing out there, and what evil purpose they may actually serve.

By: Craig Calcaterra

Craig Calcaterra — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:21:51 +0000

Thome got a standing ovation. One of the bigger cheers of the day for anyone or anything. Very warm.

By: Craig Calcaterra

Craig Calcaterra — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:20:28 +0000

It’s the Scientology world headquarters. I saw a big building with the logo on it while driving around after the game. I assume that’s where they keep the aliens and mind control devices and stuff.

By: Jonny5

Jonny5 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:19:50 +0000

So, what was the crowd response to Thome when he came out of the dugout for his first at bat?

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:17:57 +0000

You see any wacky scientology stuff while in Clearwater? I think they have a bunch of administrative offices and a hotel/retreat in town.

By: d

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:05:54 +0000

very Phunny!
“You think the City of Clearwater wasn’t cognizant that 10,000 Philly fans were on the premises? They had a police command station set up right outside the ballpark. They know who they’re dealing with.”