Flyers, Devils Celebrate New Season With Street Fights

Sports fans in Philadelphia get a bad rap as one of the worst groups of sports fans in the country. There's the old legend that they booed Santa Claus and there's the factual occurrence of their booing Donovan McNabb. But, as with any sweeping generalization, there's a part based in rumor and legend as well as a part somewhat based in truth. While details are still sketchy about what happened one thing is clear -- Flyers and Devils fans decided to open the season with a bang with some European style hooliganism on the streets of New Jersey and Philly (Note: Fair warning, there are some graphic, NSFW descriptions after the jump).

The Flyers and Devils squared off at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday night. As you might expect, a good amount of the folks in attendance came in from Philly for the game. The Flyers won easily by a final tally of 5-2 and even led 4-0 early in the third. And afterward things got really crazy. It was probably due to a combination of excitement for the start of hockey season, alcohol and general douchebaggery that helped to create fan-on-fan royal rumbles on the streets.

I mean, it's sports. There's alcohol. There are dimwits. This is what occasionally happens and to single out the Philly fans for one video (Ed. Note: the video in question has been pulled down by YouTube.) and some rumors is certainly not indicative of the whole bunch. Clearly some Devils fans are a part of the melee, as well. But come on, it's only the first game of the season. Do these guys really have 81 more fights -- not to mention playoff bouts -- in them? Pace yourselves!

But in all serious, there wound up being a pretty scary situation after some people got back to Philly later in the night.

According to The700Level.com, the fighting managed to find its way back to Philly and it was nothing to joke about. This is an account from one of their readers.

When we got back to the The Arena bowling alley in the Northeast, there were cop cars everywhere and a big brawl taking place. These were all Flyers fans fighting. I don't know why. I guess drinking all day had something to do with it? Anyway, some guy comes walking by with his buddy screaming, "Call an ambulance!" He had been stabbed and his intestines were literally hanging out! There was blood everywhere. We were just a little freaked out and didn't want to be stabbed so we left.

Yeah, people, come on. There's no place for that anywhere especially in sports. Think about that word for a moment. Sports. We're talking about sports. Let's hope for the best for all involved.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-05-2009 @ 12:22PM

kfogs1957 said...

NJ does not get a pass, In my opinion the attitudes (and I lived in North Jersey & in Philly) in both places is misery. people wake up in the morning with a chip on their shoulder and hate life. If someone told you this story, and said guess which fans were inviolved, no doubt Philly would have been guess #1 or 2, NY or NJ would likely be in thentop three as well. I don't know how you change the attitude, but spend a few days in Philly or Newark and you will just shake your head.

10-05-2009 @ 2:44PM

Mark said...

I appreciate you backing up us Philly fans. But you neglected to mention that it was a Devils fan who instigated the brawl outside of the stadium. That is also according to the700level.com.

Of course we have a horrid stereotype due to a bunch of different altercations. But, at least from my vast experience at Philadelphia sporting events, it's visiting fans who begin to provoke our fan base. In some occasions, not most, these visiting fans deserve what they have coming to them.

10-05-2009 @ 5:09PM

jesse said...

"it's visiting fans who begin to provoke our fan base. In some occasions, not most, these visiting fans deserve what they have coming to them."

really? does that include the time where one of the season ticket holders i used to sit near, a 65 year old grandmother, had beer spilled on her at the wachovia center and needed a police escort to the bathroom because of the threats she was getting? or how about the time my friends fiance was punched in the face by a guy 4 times her size because she had raiders colors on at an eagles game? but yeah, you all wear halos, right? it's always our fault, right?

you know what, though? im glad that happened after the game. we need to make it hard for blueskirt and phailure fans to come here. i wish there were more like me in the stands who dont take kindly to assholes in orange or blue with bad cases of oral diarrhea who think that its their second home arena.

10-05-2009 @ 4:06PM

Peter said...

Yep... Lets move the team to Newark.... It will be much better then playing at the Meadowlands.

Swore I'd never take my son to another Devils game after the move - and this just solidifies it.

10-05-2009 @ 4:41PM

dont group us devils fans in with classless trash in halloween colors. that whole knife fight ordeal happened between flyer fans after they got off the bus in philly, and involved more than one person getting stabbed in the back. literally. one of which was a cop. you wont see people in devil red doing things like that.
as for the comment about never taking your son to a game in newark, good. stay out. leave the arena to the real fans. if you have never been there, who are you to judge? newark is on the rebound, with the rock being the epicenter, and quite honestly, its rather nice. i'll bet you'll take that kid of yours to a yankee game, which is in a certifiable urban warzone, though.

10-06-2009 @ 11:37AM

xqqme22 said...

I remember years ago at Nassau County. Philly fans would come to the games in buses.A friend of mine was walking out afer one of these games and was blind sided by a punch to the face by a person wearing a Flyers Jersey.He took of toward the Philly buses and my friend never saw his face. Nice fans in Philly.

10-06-2009 @ 1:11PM

steveoh said...

Philly fans involved in something like this isn't surprising. Weren't they throwing batteries some years ago at an Eagles game?

10-06-2009 @ 2:21PM

surlaglace32 said...

Just a clarification- the batteries were thrown at a Phillies game ;-)

10-06-2009 @ 2:44PM

Dan said...

im sure it was the devil fans provoking this brawl... philly fans are loyal to their teams..

10-06-2009 @ 4:05PM

StevefromSacto said...

Flyer fans being rowdy? Stop the presses!

10-06-2009 @ 4:07PM

OK, then, it was Flyer fans who threw beer cans at our charter bus. And the damned fools didn't even drink the beer first!

10-08-2009 @ 7:02AM

holden204 said...

Philadelphians use sports as an excuse to engage in mob behavior. It's cowardly. Worst fans in sports.

10-08-2009 @ 8:19AM

Asterix said...

Wow, Philly fans acting like jerks. What a shock.

And I love the Philly fan stating, "In some occasions, not most, these visiting fans deserve what they have coming to them."

You know if someone acts like a jerk, what you normally do is walk away. The Devils fan may have started it, but I'm sure the Philly fan, instead of diffusing the situation, esclated it.

I'm a Caps fan (live in DC area), I hate the Penguins more then anything, but their fans, while annoying, are fine. Philly comes to town and it's a bunch of drunk jerks trying to start fights.