Opposing coach's description of CBP is T-shirt material originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Phillies manager Rob Thomson attended Monday night's Philadelphia Sports Writers Association dinner, where he accepted the award for Team of the Year on behalf of the organization. Thomson piloted the Phils to the World Series after taking over 50 games into the season and was rewarded for his masterful managing with a contract extension.
It feels safe to say the Phils have the manager spot in a good place for the next few years.
As he spoke Monday night Thomson told a fantastic story about the unbelievable atmosphere that was Citizens Bank Park this past fall, an unholy mixture of joy for the city's baseball team and contempt for any and all visitors.
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I'll let Thomson tell it himself:
"After everything was over, World Series was done, I got a phone call from a friend of mine who was coaching with another team that we'd played in the playoffs. We were just talking about the games we played and all that, things that went on. I said, 'What did you think about the atmosphere in the Bank?' And he said, 'You know, our team - they couldn't concentrate, they couldn't think straight.' He said, 'Playing in your stadium, the way you guys played and the electricity of the fans,' he said, 'it was four hours of hell.' I swear to God."
Jeeeeez. What a quote. If the guys don't have t-shirts that read "Four Hours of Hell" ready for batting practice at the Phillies' home opener vs. the Reds on April 6, something has gone horribly wrong.
It was truly a sight to behold throughout the postseason, between the relentless booing of every single player on the Padres, the cheater chants lobbed at the Houston Astros, and the impeccable "D-U-I" chants that rained down on Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna. Phillies fans had waited a decade for postseason baseball to return to South Philly, and when it came back around they made the most of it.
Numerous Phillies players commented on the unbelievable atmosphere and the way it was affecting the games throughout the playoff run, including Bryce Harper calling it "nothing I could ever dream about."
After adding Trea Turner and improving both the rotation and the bullpen, there's good reason to think the Phils will be back in the postseason next October.
And if the boys in red and white keep playing entertaining baseball, Citizens Bank Park will undoubtedly be a torture chamber for opponents once more.
