Hello once again world. I would like to share some intimate details about myself with you. So we can get to know each other a little bit more.

I, a Philadelphia native, date a boy who is from Massachusetts. This boy is an intense Boston sports fan. Now that you know that, I would like to get some things off my chest:

Because of the influence of my sports oriented significant other and the joy I experience when I watch a team win, I have started to cheer for Boston teams. There, I said it. It’s out there in the open for all to see.

I just can’t help myself.

I have never claimed to be a sports expert. I know the essentials and some facts about some of the greats. Even though I grew up with four brothers and SpotsCenter was always on the TV at almost all hours of the day, except at 4pm when Oprah was on and 5pm when Action News aired, I can’t say I know it all, although I probably should. But, I know enough to know what a good team looks like. While I always have faith in my Philly teams, no matter how tragic they are, watching a team win and go to the playoffs or championship is so exciting.

I have only seen my teams do a few exciting things:

-I was fortunate enough to see the 1993 Phillies do very well in person, but I was 5 so it’s a vague memory.

-I saw the Phillies win the World Series in 2008. That was magical.

-I saw the Sixers go to the NBA finals with the Lakers….Allen Iverson was my hero for a while. Ya know, I met his mom once? So, technically I met him. I did stand behind him before. I also watched the Sixers go to the playoffs and lose to the Celtics. That was hard.

-I watched the Eagles go to the Super Bowl and lose to none other than the Patriots.

-I rarely watch the Flyers, but I know they haven’t won a Stanley Cup since I’ve existed.

Basically, not much has happened since I’ve been on this earth.

In my experience of dating a Boston fan for almost two years now, the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, and I guess the Bruins too, are exciting teams to watch. They haven’t won any titles, but they’ve been consistently good, more consistent than my teams. I’ve gone to a few Celtics and Red Sox games, although I prefer to say they were Sixers and Phillies games. I haven’t been to a Patriots game, yet, but if this Boston boy is going to be around for a while, I’m assuming I’ll get there eventually. I don’t have much of a desire to go to a Bruins game, but I would if the opportunity arose. I even watched the Bruins when they were playing for the Stanley Cup. I still can’t believe I have done such things.

This post is not a resignation of my life as a Philadelphia fan, oh no, it is merely a confession of a girl divided. A division of interests. The desire to cheer for my home teams mixed with the desire to cheer for their rivals. Now, if the two teams play each other, obviously I will cheer for Philly. There’s nothing I like more than laughing in my boyfriend’s face when a Boston team loses, but on the other hand I do enjoy sharing in his celebration when they win.

Now, I know what you are all thinking “this girl is a fair weather fan. She only likes Philly when they win.” Yes, I know that’s on your mind. My boyfriend has called me this term before. My brothers also tease me, saying I only watch sports at all because of my boy and I knew nothing about sports before I met him. Do they realize I’ve spent my life listening to them babble? Let’s be grown ups, shall we?

But should a girl be persecuted for wanting to support her boyfriend and cheer for the teams he likes?  Of course not. That is our job as women, to support our men. Where would they be without us? Should a girl be persecuted for cheering for a team that’s good? Of course not. I still watch my teams, I cheer when they win and I call them bums when they lose, but I never stop watching….or stop buying fan apparel. They make the cutest shirts these days.

So, what’s a girl to do? Hide her excitement and be a typical, bitter, angry Philadelphia fan? Or simply enjoy sports for sports no matter the team winning?

Oh, the struggles of a woman. I shall continue on as a girl divided and only hope that one day my Philadelphia teams will be victorious. Until then, I will cheer for both sets of teams.

Pictured below is some unfortunate evidence of my interest in Boston and on the other hand my disdain for them: