Josh Innes: 'This City Has An Accountability Problem'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Sometimes an outside perspective is important.
On the day after Philly sports fans became a topic of criticism once again -- this time for fans throwing bracelets on the ice during the Flyers' 6-1 loss to the Capitals on Monday -- 94WIP's polarizing non-Philadelphia born sports radio host Josh Innes offered an honest perspective on the situation.
Although it was just 100 of 20,000 Flyers fans misbehaving, Innes believes it reinforces the city's negative sports fan stereotype.
"Here's the reality," Innes said on the 94WIP Josh Innes Show. "It does. I know reality is that the majority of people aren't morons that throw stuff on the ice and the majority of people aren't throwing batteries, and the majority of people aren't total meat-head dumb asses, right? Like, I know that. But when it comes to perception -- perception that becomes reality -- comes from just a small number of people. I'm of the belief that Philadelphia hates and it's mostly based on five people on Twitter that constantly harass me. But that's perception and perception becomes reality.
Listen: Josh Innes' Opening Rant on Philly fans
"And last night, what you saw in Wells Fargo Center is the last thing you want to see," Innes continued. "Hockey team getting blown out -- they're not even on the same level as the Caps, we know that. It was an ugly game, it was despicable, it sucked, whatever. But then to have morons throwing these bracelets on the ice, to have a moron during the moment of silence for Ed Snider saying, 'F the Pens.'
"So last night, when you do some of this stuff it just looks bad. So it's not about winning or losing, or losing 6-1, or getting beaten in the way. It's the fact that you embarrassed yourselves and you embarrassed people like me, or Marc [Farzetta], or Adam [Reigner], or Tank [Hollis Thomas] the entire city of Philadelphia is embarrassed by the actions of morons. And then it does make news. And then it's on Deadspin. And what happens is, the perception of this city -- which is a really passionate sports city -- the perception becomes that it's nothing but a bunch of meat-head neanderthals."
Related: Flyers Release Statement On Fan Behavior
Innes, who was in the stands with his girlfriend during Monday night's game, responded to people using alcohol and the game's result as excuses for the misbehavior.
"Stop blaming other people," he said. "Stop blaming other things, other substances. This city has an accountability problem.
"Stop blaming alcohol, stop blaming the results of the game, stop blaming other people. Start looking in the mirror. And this town has a major issue with that. It has a self-esteem problem, it has an accountability problem. Because everyone loves it when people talk about how tough the Philly fans -- 'They're Philly tough, they're Philly tough.' But when the media calls you out on being neanderthals, the couple of people that were...then you get your feelings hurt."
