Extra, Extra! Palin Gets Booed in Philadelphia - Forbes blog

http://blogs.forbes.com/trailwatch/2008/10/extra-extra-pal.html

Palin Gets Booed in Philly! This is sure to be the headline splashed across television and newspapers Sunday morning, the day after the Republican Vice Presidential candidate and hockey mom from Alaska drops the puck at the ceremonial face-off for the Philadelphia Flyers' home opener on Saturday night at the soon-to-need-a-name-change Wachovia Center. What will be missing from the news: the jeers were deserved.

As every sports fan knows, no one is safe in front of Philadelphia fans—they have never needed a reason to boo anyone in their ballpark, stadium or arena. As usual though, the boring chorus of media scrutiny will chalk the behavior up to the stereotypically described obnoxious Philly fans. This time, especially, they will be wrong.

To preface, as a Philadelphia sports fan, I have never condoned or participated in my fellow fans' questionable behavior. Rather, I have felt, especially in this age of rising ticket prices and the city’s championship drought, there is something sacred between a paying fan and his/her right to reasonably react to events on the field or ice.

Unlike the savages in other cities who riot in the streets (Colorado Avalanche fans after their 2001 Stanley Cup victory), hurl weapons at opposing players (a hunting knife was thrown by a defeated Yankees fan at Angels’ Wally Joyner in 1986), and partake in random senseless acts of violence (this past summer a Red Sox fan beat a man sitting in his car with his family after a night of fireworks on Cape Cod for simply displaying a New York State license plate), Philly fans’ deafening loud juvenile shouts seem tame. Santa Claus, Mike Schmidt, the great third baseman and former Philadelphia Philly, and Michael Irvin, the former Dallas Cowboy, successfully walked away from Philly fans’ taunts. I hope that will be the case for Palin.

more at link above

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/2008/10/gov-palin-booed-in-philly.html

If you’re wondering, they booed.

Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate and hockey mom to the masses, dropped the puck on the Philadelphia Flyers’ season just minutes ago, with Scott Gomez taking the ceremonial draw with Flyer captain Mike Richards. (Palin even moved in on Gomez for a peck on the cheek. That was awkward.) A sign on the scoreboard read: “Flyers fans, show the class of Philadelphia and welcome America’s #1 hockey mom … Sarah Palin!”

Class of Philadelphia, you say? Palin’s entrance was greeted with a burst of boos - a Philly favorite - though there certainly was a sizable contingent of clappers among the orange-clad in the stands.

So, to the hockey: Nigel Dawes’ lackluster start has earned him a game in a suit. The second-year winger was scratched, with Patrick Rissmiller seeing his first action of the season. Steve Valiquette also gets his first start in the nets.

In the time I’ve written this, it’s become 3-0 Rangers and Philly looks like it’s still on the golf course. Better pay attention to the hockey - yo, Secret Service! Down in front!

*end of article*

I believe it was Olbermann who questioned the use of a taxpayer funded stadium for political ends. The owner of the Philly team is a huge contributor to McSame.