GANNETT CONTENTONE
Mike Lopresti: Gannett sports columnist
Originally published: November 1, 2009
Minute by minute Philly, NY count down Sunday battle
By By MIKE LOPRESTI, Gannett
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia vs. New York. It's D-Day. In the afternoon, the Eagles vs. the Giants. Across the street at night, the Phillies vs. the Yankees.
A day in the life of a two-city sports relationship that makes the cobra and mongoose look like golf buddies.
10:30 a.m. - Riding the orange line to Lincoln Financial Field, there's a chance to read how the 76ers beat the Knicks the night before in overtime. Elton Brand had mentioned Friday night how the Sixers were like lots of other Philadelphians in their rancor with New York colleagues: "They don't like us, we don't like them."
11:30 a.m. - Who in the tailgate lot looks like good interview subjects? How about the two middle-age men with bullhorns?
"We hate New York," says David Schofield, and have you ever tried to carry on a serious conversation with a guy wearing a yellow beak?
"Every part of it, every bump of pavement," John Pilsey says.
The question presented is what would happen if any poor fools in Giants shirts happen by their tailgate party.
Pilsey: "We'd hit them with a hot dog."
What better way for two friends to spend Sunday morning?
Schofield: "This is our church, the corner of Broad and Pattison."
1 p.m. - Kickoff nears, and scenes from "Rocky" are interspersed on the scoreboard with Eagles highlights. The case could be made - and New Yorkers do - that Philadelphia's most famous athlete is a fictitious boxer from Hollywood.
A popular wardrobe choice in the stands is green Eagles jerseys and red Phillies caps. The stadium looks like a Christmas tree.
2:35 p.m. - It's a New York nightmare. The Eagles score a touchdown on their third play, then intercept Eli Manning's first pass. And so it goes, until the lead is 30-7 at halftime.
3:33 p.m. - It's 40-17, and here come the first chants of "Let's go Phillies!"
4:03 - Final seconds. The Eagles cheerleaders are now holding baseballs.
4:15 p.m. - "What a great day in Philadelphia today," Eagles coach Andy Reid says. Well, so far.
4:45 p.m. - Donovan McNabb, thrower of three touchdown passes and friend of Ryan Howard, ends his news conference with a Phillies pep talk.
"I'm looking forward to a big win for the Phillies," he says. "We set the tone today."
5:05 p.m. - Thoughts while walking 300 yards from Lincoln Financial Field to Citizens Bank Park: The Giants have won three Super Bowls, the Eagles none. The Yankees have won 26 World Series titles, the Phillies two. Probably best not to say that too loudly around here.
6:30 p.m. - News release: Television ratings are 42 percent higher than last year's Phillies-Rays World Series. There's a reason networks worship the Yankees.
8:23 p.m. - First pitch.
8:25 p.m. - Yankees get first run, scoring nearly as quickly as the Eagles.
8:26 p.m. - Alex Rodriguez is drilled by a pitch for the third time in two nights. In the Yankee dugout, Joe Girardi's glare could microwave soup. The only other time a batter was hit three times in a World Series was 1925.
8:27 p.m. - Umpires meet, then issue warning to both dugouts. Crowd starts chanting at Rodriguez, "You took steroids!"
Already, this is more combative than the football game.
10:10 p.m. - Phillies, behind 4-2, put two leadoff hitters on base in the fifth. But neither Chase Utley nor Howard nor Jayson Werth can deliver. It's like the Eagles not scoring in the red zone.
10:52 p.m. - Utley's homer cuts the gap to 4-3 in the seventh and C.C. Sabathia leaves after 107 gritty pitches on three days' rest, a true warrior performance. The Giants should have had him at linebacker.
11:18 p.m. - Pedro Feliz sends a Joba Chamberlain 3-2 pitch into the left field stands to tie the game 4-4 in the eighth inning. The crowd is even louder than across the street when the Eagles sacked Eli Manning.
11:38 p.m. - And just as quickly, silence. Rodriguez doubles in a run, Jorge Posada singles in two more, and everything happens after two outs against Brad Lidge. In comes Mariano Rivera. The Phillies fans hardly bother to jeer.
11:47 p.m. - Yankees win 7-4. The long day ends in a New York-Philadelphia draw. But not really. The Yankees lead the World Series 3-1 and have the champagne on ice. The home team, and its city, are crushed. Charlie Manuel, and Donovan McNabb, must hope Cliff Lee can save the Phillies.
Contact Mike Lopresti at mlopresti@gannett.com.
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ABOUT MIKE
Quote: "Of course, I have to say who won. But I'd better say more. If not, I'm useless. They don't need me. I have to give readers something extra than what they've seen on TV. Or why read?"
Favorite sport: college basketball.
Career: Sportswriter, (Richmond, Ind.) Palladium-Item, 1970-1981; Gannett News Service and Gannett ContentOne, since 1982.
First GNS assignment: Super Bowl XVI.
Born: Richmond, Ind.
Ball State University graduate.
Married since 1976.
In the press box
World Series: 27
Final Four: 28
Super Bowl: 26
NBA Finals: 25
Masters: 25
Olympics: 14
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