Surprising since, judging by the tv feed, the Capitals' fans weren't doing a lot of... how you say... cheering.

Whatever. Like Philly has any room to talk about class. Philadelphia is a hellhole.

I was disappointed at those that threw stuff. It almost looked like the first person threw something, and then everyone else followed suit. I can understand the anger/frustration at the refs, but even then, I don't know why they threw things at the players.

Philly is a hellhole so it's OK to throw things at them? Come on now. Throwing crap on the ice was lame, no excuses.

^^^^^ that was me.

Yeah, throwing stuff on the ice was awful. Although it seemed like a lot of stuff, I don't think it was a whole lot of "fans" doing it. I saw a few jokers in the lower bowl throw multiple bottles--like one after another. They did it in 2002 too when we lost to Tampa Bay in overtime.

As for the fighting, I actually saw quite a few Flyers fans get congratulations and handshakes from Caps fans as everyone filed out. That's classy.

And nice picture of the urinal. I can just imagine Steinz with the camera, aiming it downwards as he stood in front of the urinal...

Throwing crap on the ice is classless. And as a caps fan, I apologize to Carter. That's bush league crap.

I've been pretty harsh in my criticism of Philly fans throughout this series. And up until the end of Game 7, I was proud of Caps fans as a whole. I don't make any excuses for the actions of those Caps fans that flung various debris onto the ice after the game. That is classless. Maybe not on par with pelting Santa Claus, but still a shame.

All this being said, no Philly fan should feel "vindicated" by the reaction of Caps fans. Our fans may have sunken down a level or two, but there's still a long way to go in order to hold a candle to Philly.

It is totally classless to throw debris onto any playing surface, and it's never called for. A few bad fans make the team and the city look bad.

But this happened at least twice before, against Tampa in 2002, and against Pittsburgh in 2000. The Verizon Center and the Caps must be more vigilant against these fools, they've got to set an example by handling the first throwers.

I was there the last time stuff went flying at the ice and it was pretty bad. I don't know if anyone was throwing stuff from upstairs this time but they were last time. That's not only classless, it's incredibly dangerous.

It was disappointing to see that display by a few Cap fans on television. It was even more disappointing to see the entire ice littered with trash. I understand hatred for all things Philly and disagreement with the officials, but that is not how things deserved to end for a team that gave us so much this season. If dumb enough to throw anything on the court, rink, or field of play, at least aim before throwing and be prepared to own up to it.

Yeah, the thing is while many in the national media bash Philly fans, the people in and around Philly realize the fans in the Baltimore / DC area are about as classless as you can get. No wonder no one wants to play down there.

Steinz,

Some of your best work. I think it's awesome that you're one of the few who calls fans to task for their unsportsmanship and classless behavior.

I just wish the leagues and players would too. And the arenas, by throwing people out and taking away their tickets for all future games. We don't need that.

Congrats to the Flyers for a great series, and to the Caps for a great, great run and a wild ride that will bring us all back next year.

You want to talk about class? How about Scott Hartnell taunting the Caps fans who had stuck out through the end of the game (unlike the Flyers fans who started leaving with 10 min left in game 6)? I personally didn't see it, but I have heard many many accounts of it to know it happened. I think that may have touched off a bit of the throwing stuff on the ice.

I'm not condoning those actions, but let's all be honest...the ones who did throw stuff were probably rather drunk, and who hasn't done something as or more stupid than that in their lifetime after drinking?

Please, Philly fans are the worst. Nothing says classy like telling me that we need to trade Sean Taylor (while at a Caps game??). Go to hell Philly. Our safety was innocently MURDERED.

Also, Withleather.com said it best when comparing the bottle throwing Caps fans to what would've happened in Philly if the results were different:

"Flyers forward Jeff Carter got a taste of one D.C. fan's ire when a bottle chucked from the stands hit him in the face after the game. Looks like it was just an empty plastic bottle, though, so the nation's capital still has a way to go before it can compete with the City of Brotherly Love-Beatings. In Philly that would have been a glass bottle. Filled with urine. Wrapped in barbed wire. And set on fire. Fired from a makeshift slingshot."

I saw you snapping that picture in the restroom. However, I maintained my life-long code of not speaking to people in the can. Apologies if you felt dissed. Heh!

These actions are STUPID no matter what city they occur in.

Fans think they are more "a part of the game" then they actually are or should be.

Totally the wrong way to look at it.

I can't think of another game where I've seen anything other than octopi, rats, or hats on the ice.....maybe the occasional givaway pompom.

The display was disgusting, and just because you think that some other city may have done worse excuses it, then, I'm real sorry you feel that way.

So Kim, throwing stuff on the ice is a horrible crime, yet having complete lack of respect for a fallen player and his fans is okay in your book?

I'm not condoning the throwing of objects, but let's at least be honest about the situation. Your one-sided view makes me feel sorry for you.

Nikki is right. While I am not proud of the way the Caps fans reacted last night, it's important to point out that this is in no way a pattern for DC fans like it is for Philly. We lost in overtime in game 7 of a VERY competitive series ... the fans just let the frustration get the best of them. We were SO close and to lose like that was heartbreaking.

I also find it ironic, Kim, that you are resorting to cheap "I feel sorry for you" jabs when discussing sportsmanship and tact. Let's remember these are opinions we are expressing. I doubt Nikki needed or cared for your "sympathy."

How is this not a pattern. It's the third time since 2000 that the Caps have been eliminated at home and junk gets thrown on the ice (the Tampa series, and the Pens in 2000). Doesn't matter how it ends, just don't throw stuff.

When was there a 'fallen player'? Someone died? Was there a serious injury? I don't recall any of these things in this series.

Once again, a great series is tainted by these final moments by a few Caps fans, and those that condone such actions.

And yeah, I feel sorry that some feel justified to carry out such actions.

Read my previous post regarding Sean Taylor, Kim. Stop defending Philly fans and their horrible lack of sportsmanship. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/1999/10/11/philly_fans_ap/

Uh. Not defending Philadelphia fans, or that of anyone saying anything about Redskins at a hockey game. I'm trashing the idiots who threw stuff on the ice at the Verizon Center.

And anything that anyone did say or do (or what one thinks that one may say or do) does not justify throwing stuff on the ice or at players.

You all must not get out to various sporting events much. THERE ARE SPORTS "FAN" IDIOTS IN EVERY CITY. New York. St. Louis. Dallas. Boston. Cleveland. Philly. Arizona. Yes, even DC, although you all seem to be blown away by it. Should all Redskins fans be judged by the behavior of the Dead Tree Crew? Should all Caps fans be judged by the losers who littered the ice, and the players, last night? Should all players' families be chalked up as as stupid as a local sports celebrity's, who deliberatly sit in the seats of opposing teams' fans just to see what happens and get them riled up? I've already mentioned that the only time I've seen a man hit a woman was at a Redskins game, after an Eagles win. It was ridiculous. Should I judge all the male sports fans in DC the same as I judge that idiot who hit a woman?

Of course not. So please stop helping the media perpetuate the myth that one small group defines an entire city of fans. It's silly, and makes you look petty and like sore losers.

Sorry, Kori, you may not choose to see a "pattern", but there are incidents of poor fan behavior AT JUST ABOUT ANY SPORTING EVENT ON ANY GIVEN DAY, IN ANY CITY. Ignore the fools at every event, at every instigation, and don't give them the attention (re: blog posts, "letters to the editor", yelling back at them) they are looking to get from you, and more specifically, the media.

That's making this a pretty broad argument, Teddy. You basically just described the general definition of an assh*le. And yes, they are everywhere.

As a Philadelphia fan who lives in DC, I can vouch that DC fans can be just as ruthless as Philly fans; just as anyone can go to every city around the world and find fans people are ashamed of because of awful game time behavior. Philly fans are stereotyped for the bad actions of a few. So you need to be careful with your stereotypes see beyond that there are a lot of great and classy fans who just love their city and appreciate a good game. I think the entire point of this article is to say no bad or classless sports fan is any better or worse than the next in another city. Get off your high horse Nikki.

I would guess that a soccer fan from Europe or South America might actually find this type of classless behavior tame...

Hahaha. Please, a small few? My experiences with Philly fans, including Philly fans I call my friends, have never been nice, polite or any other positive adjectives I could throw in here.

Defend your city all you want Heather, but it doesn't change my opinion of Philly fans. MY opinion based on MY OWN experiences.

(Opinion (n) /əˈpɪnyən/ [uh-pin-yuhn]: a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.)

Well your opinions really don't change the realities I know Nikki. But you are a little delusional to try to claim all Philly fans are bad. Just seems to be very uneducated. But seeing how I grew up in Philly and lived here for 5 years I don't see how MY experiences are not worth noting when people sit here and bash people like me..a Philly fan. But your entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to defend myself with my experiences. But you might want to do some more research on fans that just aren't Philly. Once again the entire point of the article and most of the comments on here. Thanks and enjoy this beautiful day,

Sincerely,
A classy Philly fan :)

This is the first mention of any poor DC fan behavior at any game (aside from the HBO piece on FedEx earlier this year). The reason we are even discussing this is purely b/c we were playing Philly, if it was another team we would be having this discussion. No other city in the world has the reputation Philly has, this is not by mistake or the "bad actions of a few" as High Horse Heather puts it. Nor is this just me Philly hating - I have been there and experienced it first hand. About 10 years ago my first trip to the Vet (w/ Skins gear on of course) got me at least a half dozen direct spits in the face. I could tell you about another thirty things that happened to me but you get the gist. Explain why no other NFL stadium has a jail in it but Philly. The city is a dump and it's people exude that same "dumpy" behavior.

Seriously? Of course I know not ALL Philly fans are bad. I was simply stating that I have had not-so-pleasant experiences with the majority and obviously Philly fans have a reputation, you can't deny that fact.

If you are going to sit there and call people uneducated you might want to learn the difference between your and you're.

Once again I don't exhibit that kind of behavior and neither do my friends or family. The point is you can't judge all fans when there are plenty of people like me who are at the games even if we aren't always the majority. Everyone has their opinion and their experiences. These are mine which is the point these comments. The reason we are discussing behavior is because of the things that happened last night. This should not simply be isolated to which fans are classier Philly or DC..its just the sad realities of sports fans. Just like someone pointed out if you go to Europe the fans over there do much worse. I don't try to defend all Philly fans and I won't ever say that all D.C fans are unclassy because of a few experiences I have encountered. There are just 2 sides to every story which is why I commented in the first place. That's all.

People do stupid things when they are wasted. I think we can all agree to that at least.

You are beating a dead horse. Stay classy Heather.

Frankly, I'm pleased that the Caps fans are starting to show a bit of attitude. About time.

Stay Classy DC.

Even Philly's arena football team teaches their cheerleaders to trash talk: http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2008/04/arena-football-league-gets-even-more.html

but philly booed santa claus!!!!!!!

youre new baseball stadium still has 5 dollar seats - dont pretend to be a sports town

Classy or not, Flyers win either way! Have fun going back to ignoring the NHL until next playoff season.

have fun booing your team in the next round when they're losing to the canadiens...

But they won't throw garbage when they do lose.

Though Montreal may look like College Park again when they win.

I agree, we could have done better at the end... But I guess that's how some deal with their emotions.

After the heartbreak loss in a split second, I realized we have so much to be proud of!!! What an awesome season.... Our Guys ROCK!!!! We are the SE Champs! And we have proven that we will be a force to reckon with next season! I'm counting down the days until 08-09!!!

Now to my post...

Talk about CLASSLESS PHILLY FANS... well, it starts in the FLYERS FRONT OFFICE! I ordered lower level tickets through the front office for Game 3. The sales representative I spoke to was Ryan Ciavaglia (at least that's the only Ryan on their website in sales). (I've never spoken to him before that). He knew at that time I already had tickets for Game 4 so I thought our 'business' was done. Prior to Game 6, Ryan called asking me if I needed tickets. I informed him that no, I was set and we were once again in the lower bowl.

Well it only gets worse... Not only did he call me on Tuesday around 3PM leaving a voicemail saying that he hates Ovie and he's sorry that Caps fans got their hopes up last night (Monday) 'cause the Flyers were going to win tonight (meaning Tuesday), I received another voice mail on Wednesday at 3:45PM! I ignored the 1st message caulking it up to it's all in fun with supporting your home team. The 2nd, well, that's uncalled for!

Here's the transcript:

"Hi Tracy. It's Ryan from the Philadelphia Flyers. It's 3.45. Looking to see who the Caps 2nd round opponent is ... Oh wait a minute that's right, you guys didn't make it to the 2nd round. I'm sure your head is buried in the sand. We are over here gloating and having a great time. Look for us in the Stanley Cup. See you next year."

That is completely unprofessional. Thank goodness the Washington Capitals Front Office has high standards. None of the individuals I know would ever imagine leaving such a message.

I hope MTL advances!

Fine, your front office can move to the second roud of the playoffs.

Tracy, I hope you saved that voicemail, otherwise I'm going to have to call you a liar.

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