It’s difficult to capture the passion of Philadelphia sports in movies or TV shows. The closest-knit, 4-for-4 fan base in major North American professional sports is tough to crack for outsiders.
However, Philadelphians love local references and acknowledgment. They’ve seen some great recognition on the big screen over the years.
A “Philly” Thing
The idea of a “Philly thing” has grown to enormous levels in recent years.
It’s why athletes, coaches, and executives can pander to the fan base so easily. Nick Sirianni, Bryce Harper, and others have built themselves some favor with the (harmless) strategy.
There’s something about Philadelphia pride that gets the sports fan bases riled up like nothing else. The Eagles can play Rocky clips at home games for decades. They know it invokes the identity of the city. The underdog sports narrative has been the focus of countless sports movies, but none of them can land quite the same way as the one about a Philadelphian who has to scratch and claw his way to glory.
People see It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia or Abbott Elementary, and they recognize places they go to regularly. It creates civic pride in a way that a Phillies yearbook or a documentary about an old Eagles season can’t do.
Some of the local writers and directors who have worked to create these hit shows have added plenty of great touches that only people from the City of Brotherly Love would be able to pull off.
References to Philly sports on the big screen aren’t too difficult to find. However, crafting accurate portrayals with attention to detail to capture the pulse of the fan base and the hearts of Philadelphians is a much greater goal.
How many narratives have given proper and accurate recognition to Philadelphia sports, local fandom, and the civic pride it represents? The list extends far beyond Rocky.
Invincible
Vince Papale was a great underdog story. The Delco native made it onto the Eagles with a minimal professional football background. Disney might’ve stretched the truth a little bit for plot convenience, but at least the Eagles made it onto the big screen.
Make sure you credit Tony Luke for a line in his Invincible cameo that was ripped off by a fan at a tailgate years later.
The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon
Tony Danza playing an Eagles kicker wasn’t the greatest idea for a movie plot. Jeffrey Lurie got to make a cameo in the type of movie that can attract young fans to professional spots despite some noticeable flaws.
The Eagles have made it onto the big screen much more often than most NFL franchises. Give Lurie some credit for the added exposure.
42- Acknowledging History
Most of these references are about celebrating Philadelphia sports. However, 42 acknowledged an inconvenient truth in Phillies history.
Former Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman was guilty of severe racism as Phillies manager in 1947. Philadelphia city council formally apologized in 2016 for the events recreated in 42.
30 Rock- Upper Darby's Own Tina Fey
Tina Fey wasn’t shy about her Philly roots in 30 Rock. The Upper Darby native said it pretty well.
“Philly rules: Cheesesteaks, Bobby Clarke, Will Smith. Your town sucks.”
She impressively proved her brash Delco trash talk again when criticizing Jonathan Papelbon for his “Philadelphia handshake” that landed him a suspension.
The Office
A setting in Scranton lent itself to Philadelphia sports references. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons were still a Phillies affiliate when the show started. Kevin also got excited that time he read about the Eagles winning the NFC East.
The best Philadelphia sports references in The Office came from Jim though. His character got to meet legends like Julius Erving and Ryan Howard (and not the character named Ryan Howard).
The World Series Defense
“The World Series Defense” became famous because it introduced the running bit of Mac’s obsession with Chase Utley. It included other great references to the 2008 World Series and the rowdy passion of Philadelphia sports fans.
The most creative part was the story of how the gang missed out on the first part of Game 5, the infamous rain delay, and the World Series clincher and parade.
Getting trapped in a closet at the old Holiday Inn didn’t sound too realistic on the surface, but it was the perfect bit for an outrageous series of events. The humor appropriately captured the ridiculousness of the real events.
