Philly NFL Draft Provides Hope for Society

Our sports allegiances run deep, often passed down through generations. Our sports rivals run even deeper, often manifesting in violence against rival fans. Nowhere in the U.S. do sports allegiances and rivalries come to a violent head more often than at N.F.L. games. In fact, The Baltimore Sun did a in-depth piece on the NFL game day brawls after a Raiders fans had critically beaten a Ravens fan last year.

This weekend, the NFL Draft was in Philly. Eagles fans were everywhere and so were fans of every other NFL team. The finals numbers are in. 250,000 people attended the NFL draft, many of them wearing their team’s colors, and Philly Police say there were ZERO ARRESTS.

Zero arrests with Cowboys fans being loud and proud. Zero arrests with Patriots fans being their normal pompous, braggadocious selves. Drew Pearson trolled Eagles fans. Eagles fans put an ass on the Cowboys body. Carson Wentz ripped a hat off a Cowboy fan. There was a lot of good ribbing back and forth between fans of different teams, but nothing was aggressive and anywhere near violent. Zero arrests with 25 oz. beers being consumed for hours at a time.

It was as if all the fans from all the teams agreed to a cease-fire for the three-day event and it was amazing. This was an NFL Carnival and a good time was had by all, even the Philly cops working the event. A friend of mine was on duty for the weekend and had this to say: “Dude, it was an absolute pleasure working the draft detail. It was nice that our detail supervisors actually encouraged us to interact and not feel like robots keeping the peace. Great time!”

Check out some photographic proof of the peaceful fraternizing in this slideshow or below at the end of the article.

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This gives me hope. I can’t believe I’m saying that NFL fans give me hope for society, but they do.

I witnessed people putting aside their differences and hate to come together and simply have a good time as human beings. Eagles fans put up with Cowboys fans. Ravens fans broke bread next to Bengals fans. Fans of these different teams came together, drank and ate together, talked football and draft choices for 72 hours, and there were ZERO ARRESTS.

If this can happen, then maybe, just maybe Pro-lifers and Pro-Choice supporters can civilly come together. NRA supporters and Gun Control people might be able to sit in the same room without arguments breaking out. Tax-and-spenders might be able to converse with those who think tax-cuts and smaller government is the way to go without insulting each other.

What I witnessed this weekend at the NFL Draft was glorious. I saw proof that people are capable of putting down their deeply passionate beliefs and allegiances and engage positively with people of equally passionate opposing beliefs. Hate was shelved for the greater good of a good time. If football fans can do it, we can all do it.

Thank you, NFL. Thank you, Philadelphia Eagles fans. Thank you, NFL fans.