I was in the car speeding home after the game (which I watched at my cable-TV-less girlfriend's house) to try and catch the post-game interviews on ESPN. When they announced Selig's name on the radio, I booed loudly as well.

The "boo" in Philadelphia is like the word "shalom" in Hebrew. . .it takes on many meanings depending on the context.

There is the "Schmidt Boo" when a great player does something less than great, and the boo means something akin to "we all know you're better than that, you're held to a higher standard and we won't let you coast on what you've done before; don't get too big for your britches".

There's the "Ivan Dejesus Boo" when a terrible player plays terribly, and it means "are you fucking kidding me, why the hell is this guy out there." This is an expression of sadness, frustration and disgust. This has been the boo that I most identify with Philadelphia fans over the past 25 years.

There's the "Darryl Strawberry Boo" or the "Larry Chipper Jones Boo" (potentially renamed the "Evan Longoria Boo"), which comes after an opposing team's great player does something great, and is a bookend to the weirdly respectful but derisive chant ("Daarrrrryyylll" or "Eeeevvvvaaaa") that comes before the play. This is an expression of something like shame or powerlessness, a realization that the taunting didn't work.

There's the "JD Drew Boo" (soon to be renamed the "Bud Selig Boo"), which is an expression of anger at someone perceived to have screwed over the hometown team. This is the boo that (in the days of Veterans Stadium) led to people winding up in stadium jail. EDIT: Actually, this is probably better named the "Terrell Owens Boo", but the visceral hatred for Owens is so great, that it's probably in a class by itself.

There's the "We Have a Reputation To Uphold, Even Though We Kind of View It Ironically, Boo". This has always been my favorite one. It's the booing of Destiny's Child in the 2001 NBA Finals, it's the booing of Santa Clause and the booing of countless bad performances by regular guys missing promotional field goals at halftime of Eagles' games. It was the booing of the mention of the Rays last night.

Then there's the newest one, which I wish I had been there last night to participate in. . .the "Chevy Camaro Boo". This boo is an expression of sheer, unadulterated joy. . .using the language that a Philadelphia sports fan knows best. This is the "boo" that, together with this call and the image of Ryan Howard belly flopping on Lidge and Ruiz, will stick with me and form the core of my memory about last night.

Excellent post Gyuri, I agree 100%, it should be a preface for every column on Philadelphia fans' behavior.

The parade is scheduled for tomorrow at noon- which conflicts with the kids Halloween school parade.. what to do, what to do.

Bravo, indeed.

You should post it on Posnanski's blog; he'd appreciate it.

Great indeed, but you forgot the Ja Rule 2002 NFC Championship boo, which sounded like the death metal song of all death metal songs. The song that the most Satanic, darkest, belchiest death metal singer says after hearing, "damn, we're not that hardcore."

Harry Kalas and Meryl Reese: You Philly bastards are certainly blessed to have two of the best.

I can't think of a hotter crowd, other than Game 6 of the 96 Series. However, of course, baseball was robbed of the BoSux wrapping it up on the road twice.

JV,

I missed the Ja Rule boo (I was living in Frankfurt then, and watching the game on a soundless TV at a bar).

We really are lucky to have Kalas and Reese. As a kid, I never really appreciated Harry because he tended to say such inane things (and I wasn't old enough to recognize just how special his voice was). As it is now, after every important Phillies game, I search the intertubes for Harry's call of the key plays.

By the way, the great Roger Angell agrees that booing Bud Selig was a good thing (see his last two lines).

I certainly agree that it was an "astounding mini-game." After all that nonsense, I'm happy to have seen such a quirky and magnificent part of baseball history.

The current President of AdvaMed, the industry organization that lobbies for medical device companies, sounds a lot like Harry Callas. So whenever I hear him talk, I think he's going to start talking about Ryan Howard, etc.

That must be disconcerting. I don't think I would be able to deal with one of my clients sounding like John Facenda. For one thing, I'd always find myself humming that orchestral version of "What do you do with a Drunken Sailor" that NFL Films is so fond of.

Angell proves yet again that he is The Man.

I feel strangely responsible for Gyuri missing the Ja Rule boo (without even being completely sure who Ja Rule is).

Yeah, I do blame you, Ursus. Seriously, though, I'm pretty sure you told me about where to go watch American football games, so I really have you to thank for not missing out on the more important parts of the game.

I just tried to go to the parade, and I might have seen Werth (could tell by the hair) and Victorino (by the lack of hair). It's not a good place to be if you're claustrophobic.

A woman in the mob was complaining about being pushed because she's pregnant. Good call on coming someplace where attendance could be in seven figures. And you too, people bringing very young children way too young to know what's going on and wailing in fright.

I really need to change my username to Miss Anne Thrope.

My friend (went to same high school, and worked in UCLA athletics, so knew Chase Utley better than I did), who is now living in Philadelphia, just called to let me know that Utley said "world FUCKING champions!" at the rally, and the TV censor bleeped everything he said out after he already dropped the f-bomb.

You should be proud of your homeboy for that play in the top of the 7th; it was sheer class (marred only by the idiot commentator comparing him to Jeter).

I didn't watch the game or any of the highlights--have a link?

Heliotrope wrote:

QUOTE:
I really need to change my username to Miss Anne Thrope.

That's a brilliant name.

Oh, and I couldn't agree more about parents who subject their small children to such things.