What makes Philadelphia sports fans tick? Here's what a sports psychologist says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Red October is hot. The Phillies haven't lost this postseason and the Eagles are 5-0.
It's good to be a Philadelphia sports fan.
And there's no doubt Philly fans are loyal and proud. They show up at home and on the road.
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So far, neither the Phillies nor the Eagles have lost in October. Philadelphia sports fans are known for their fierce loyalty and grit. But what's behind the Philly faithful?
Philadelphia sports psychologist Dr. Joel Fish said it's built into the fiber of the city.
"It's central to our identity," Fish said.
It's a loyalty Dr. Fish said is passed down from generation to generation.
"In Philadelphia, you have three, four generations of people who watched the Phillies, Eagles, Sixers, Flyers over time, so you have grandparents who pass it down to their children to their grandchildren," Dr. Fish said.
And those generations have shown up and caused chaos for opposing teams at Citizens Bank Park – one of the toughest ballparks for opposing players in Major League Baseball.
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"Especially in playoff games, Philadelphia home-field advantage is significant," Dr. Fish said.
It's significant because Philly hasn't always been a winner.
"The fact that we've had a scarcity of opportunity or championships I think makes Philadelphia even more unique. Why? Because it makes the hunger more unique," Dr. Fish said.
Unlike other major sports markets, like, New York and Chicago - Philadelphia lacked championship glory for a combined 100 seasons across major sports teams between the champion Sixers in 1983 and the 2008 World Series Phillies.
Dr. Fish said that hunger to win fuels Philly fandom and passion, especially at home.
"I anticipate this year's Citizen Bank crowd, this year's Eagles playoff crowd to be even louder, more vocal, more intense than it was last year," Dr. Fish said.
Game 3 Wednesday back at Citizens Bank Park is going to be exciting to say the least.