Christie: Philly Fans Are Worst, but Giants Fans Are OK With My Cowboys Fandom

In a story late Monday night, the New York Times’ Michael Barbaro reported on a conversation “overheard” recently. In it, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that “these Philadelphia fans, they are the worst in America.” This got a lot of play in the media, but I think much of the coverage has missed a wider point.

Barbaro continues in the Times piece:

He recalled that when he took to the field with Mr. Jones at a previous Cowboys game against the New York Giants, who play their home games in New Jersey: “I didn’t get booed. Giant fans waved, said hello, asked for autographs, didn’t give me a hard time.”

“But these guys?” he added of Eagles fans.

Oh, Giants fans. I actually thought better of you.

People shouted mean things at Chris Christie when he was in Jerry Jones’ box for the Eagles’ game in December. “I will tell you, there were some fans sitting below Jerry’s box that were yelling fairly unspeakable things at me,” Christie said on WIP.

Christie was OK with it: “But you know, that’s part of the game … If they want to take some anger out at me, I’m all — I have no problem with it at all.” Christie’s a politician: While three weeks is pretty quick to change his feelings on Eagles fans, it’s not surprising he did so.

The main issue here is the behavior of Giants fans. Christie was on the field in New Jersey with Jerry Jones after the Cowboys beat the Giants and Giants fans were just OK with it? Nobody booed? People said hello? People actually asked for the autograph of a man standing next to Jerry Jones? (The image I have in my head is one of Christie and Jones skipping arm-in-arm across MetLife Stadium’s field, and until there is photographic proof to debunk it, this is what I’m going with.)

When you live in Philadelphia you become friends with lots of Giants fans. One of the things you can bond over, as an Eagles fan, is your shared hatred of the Dallas Cowboys. I am disappointed that Giants fans were so amenable to the governor of their team’s home state trampling the field — with the owner of the most hated franchise in sports. Sure, it was likely one-percenters fawning over Christie on the field, but that doesn’t excuse it.

I am certain some people shouted rude things at Christie and some went too far. But Christie should not get a free pass for his Cowboys fandom. It’s fair game to boo the governor for being a Cowboys fan — Christie even said so himself! After this dereliction of duty by Giants fans, I will not make the mistake of overestimating them again.

In fact, I think I’ll start accusing my Giants fan friends of being Cowboys fans. No sense in not having fun with it.

[NYT]