Would A Phillies Fan Choose Between Utley And Harper? (VIDEO)
Philadelphia Sports Fans are well-known for their passion for their teams and the players who wear the uniforms. For many, asking them to choose their favorite player is as difficult as asking a Parent who is their favorite child.
The TV Show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia features some of the most accurate (and exaggerated) portrayals of how passionate Philly Sports Fans can be. Star Actor Rob McElhenney is a lifelong Philly Sports Fan and used some of his own experiences as storylines for the show.
Over the years, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia utilized Rob's real-world sports fandom as a catalyst to get different Philadelphia Sports Athletes on the show. Eagles Legend Jason Kelce and Phillies Superstar Ryan Howard are among the list of famous cameos on the show.
One of the most famous storylines from the TV Show involves Rob's character "Mac" writing a "love letter" to Chase Utley. Mac's dream was to have a catch with the Phillies' Legendary Second Baseman, a narrative that led to Utley's cameo on the show a decade after the original story arc.
Major League Baseball decided to use this story from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as part of their promotion for this year's London Series with the Phillies taking on the National League East rival New York Mets.
But a controversial question was brought up in the aftermath of Chase Utley discovering that Rob McElhenney wrote a "love letter' to Bryce Harper. Rob attempts to downplay his relationship with Harper as a "fling" but Utley tells Rob he has to make a choice and can't have a catch with both Phillies Superstars.
So there are two questions to be asked of Phillies fans:
1. If you had to choose between Chase Utley and Bryce Harper, who would you rather have a catch with?
2. Is it fair to make a Phillies fan choose between two of the most popular players in Franchise History?
I say it is easier to answer the second question than the first because, for any Philadelphia Sports Fan, the answer should be obvious: it is UNFAIR to demand that choice be made.
Choosing between Utley and Harper is similar to asking an Eagles' fan to pick between Jason Kelce and Brian Dawkins or a Sixers fan to choose between Allen Iverson and Julius Erving!
The difficulty of answering the first question comes down to a multitude of factors. For Phillies fans of a certain age, the 2008 World Series Championship Phillies team is near and dear to their heart. Even though Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard were MVP Award winners, Chase Utley is one of the most beloved Superstars in Philadelphia Sports over the last 30 years.
Bryce Harper is viewed as a larger-than-life Superstar for younger Phillies fans and non-Chase Utley diehards. Harper is a future Baseball Hall of Famer and one of the biggest sports stars in Philadelphia Sports History thanks to his competitive nature combined with elite baseball talents.
Considering Bryce Harper has three of the top 15 best-selling Phillies jerseys this season, I think many people would choose the two-time National League MVP to hang out with.
But that seems to be a more difficult choice for "Mac" as you can see below:
Speaking of Phillies Star Players, their Ace Starting Pitcher Zack Wheeler has not just grown his reputation with his elite pitching, but his family has grown too. So much, he had to move into a new home and sell his Center City Condo. Check out where the Phillies' Right Handed Pitcher use to live:
Phillies Pitcher Zack Wheeler Selling Beautiful Center City Condo For $1,990,000
Gallery Credit: EeE