Nobody is printing "Jesus hates the Phillies" shirts, because the team doesn't inspire that kind of contempt. Philadelphia has a much different image, the city and its baseball team more blue-collar and scrappy.
The cheers of "Beat L.A!" had hardly faded before fans took up the cry of "Beat New York!" - and that was one of the milder chants. As thousands poured out of Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, after the Phillies dismissed the Dodgers, they already were sure whom their team would face in the World Series.
"--- the Yankees!" one fan yelled.
"Beautiful!" another called in response.
It was fun to watch the Phillie Phanatic wield a grounds-crew tamping tool to smash Dodgers batting helmets. But the thought of him pulverizing Yankees gear was sublime.
"This is our grudge match," said Gary Papouschek, a 46-year-old transplant coordinator at the Jefferson Kimmel Cancer Center. He wants revenge for the Yanks' 1950 World Series sweep of Philadelphia's Whiz Kids.
Longo, the Reading Terminal Market worker, is rooting for the Phillies even though he's not a big fan. He roots first for the Mets, second for the Phillies, and third for whoever is playing the Yankees.
"The Phillies, that team's got magic," he said. "They got a confidence that's not arrogance. The Yankees confidence is arrogance. I can't stand that."
Bob Cole knows the feeling.
Outside of Bob & Ron's World Wide Stereo in Montgomeryville stands a huge sign that says, "Phillies fans turn left" - into the store's parking lot, and - "Yankees fans may turn right."
It's Cole's way of showing his allegiance to the Phils, and casting his store as the home team in a battle against its across-the-street, out-of-state competitor, Sixth Avenue Electronics.
"We're rabid Phillies fans here," Cole said. "We're fighting this huge New York-North Jersey firm."
New Jersey endures its own baseball schizophrenia, split between people in the south who adore the Phillies, and those in the north who root for the Mets or Yankees.
The only thing that unites North Jersey and South Jersey is Bruce Springsteen. And he's not scheduled to perform at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are booked, though, starting tomorrow.
"They're a dynasty-type team," said Arun Singh, a medical student at Thomas Jefferson University. "It's time for the Phillies to make a name for themselves. Not just last year, not just this year, but in history."
Contact staff writer Jeff Gammage at 215-854-2415 or jgammage@phillynews.com.
Inquirer staff writer Matthew Spolar contributed to this story.
