The internet really, really wants Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to show up in Philadelphia for the upcoming World Series.
See Cruz — ostensibly a Houston Astros fan in the way most politicians perform the role of “sports” “fan” — got heckled by New York fans at a Yankees game during the American League Championship Series. The Astros advanced past New York to play the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. The internet, or at least the portion that doesn’t like Cruz, which is…significant…wants a repeat performance of Cruz’s embarrassment, but this time in Philly.
See, Philly fans have a reputation for being surly and inhospitable to outsiders and, well, they almost certainly would not take things easier on Cruz. In New York, Cruz was greeted with F-bombs, booing, and middle finger after middle finger. He we also reminded of his escape to Mexico during a massive Texas emergency and former President Donald Trump insulting his wife. Cruz has, of course, sucked up to Trump nevertheless.
A large segment of Twitter has long reveled in Cruz’s humiliation and worked to prove his hypocrisies. Now it’s just dying for him to go to Philly just to see what the hell happens.
OK, so, truth be told, I am a Philly sports fan. As a fan from that part of the world, the lazy thing to do here is to bring up how Philly once threw snowballs at Santa — it was 1968, and it was just some guy literally plucked from the stands — but I’ll just say the city is extremely passionate about sports. It has a very rugged, F-you, us-versus-the-world vibe and that’s exactly why it’s beautiful. The sports stadiums, especially during big games, are places that are not welcoming to outsiders. Meanwhile, the Phillies are in the World Series on a miracle run and the Eagles are undefeated — suffice it to say, the fans are primed to get rowdy.
So it’s no shock that the internet is hoping, praying, begging Cruz to walk into a ballpark filled with that energy. Hell, Philly fans are probably even more politically aware right now considering they’re seeing countless ads for the high profile senatorial race between Dr. Oz and John Fetterman in Pennsylvania.
Even someone as high profile as MSNBC host Chris Hayes brought up the idea of Cruz going to Philly.
“If Ted Cruz really wants to be a man of the people, mix it up with the regular folk…I’ve got an idea,” Hayes said on air. “I suggest he buy a ticket for Game Three of the World Series in Philadelphia next Monday and sit up in the stands with the real fans.”
It would almost certainly be…quite the experience. The World Series begins on Friday, with the first game in Philadelphia being played on Monday. The internet waits eagerly to see if it happens.
