Phillies Vs. Reds: Why a Philly Fan Is Still Worried

A funny thing happened when I tried to sleep last night... I couldn't. At first, I wasn't sure why, then I remembered something I had almost forgotten, and I quickly got out of bed.

I had to shave.

After all, since  '06 I have grown a playoff beard for every Philadelphia postseason appearance,and I'm not about to stop now.

(Full disclosure: I can't really grow a beard, and even if the playoff's stretched to December I would having nothing more than a very hairy neck and a lot of nervous stares from mother's who thought I was ready to abduct their kid in the grocery store.)

Despite my petifile beard growing abilities, the fact that it was less than a day away from the Phillies postseason opener and I hadn't bothered to shave yet was the interesting part. After spending my life following the team with the most losses in Major League history, was I actually comfortable with the Phillies NLDS series with the Reds? As I shaved my very slight 5 O'Clock shadow I thought about it, and the answer is no.

It doesn't matter to me if the Phillies had the best record in the league. It doesn't matter if we are the only team that every expert on ESPN.com picked us to win. Call me a worrier, call me a spoil-sport, call me what ever you want, but the bottom line is I'm a Philly fan.

So yes, I'm worried.

The Phillies will be favored to beat the Reds, whoever they play in the NLCS, and probably whoever they see in the World Series. (Please don't accuse me of jinxing the team, I'm only speaking in hypotheticals here). But still, it's the Phillies and its hard to imagine them being a favorite in a mid-July game against the Pirates, let alone favorites to win the World Series.

These were the thoughts going through my head as I lathered on my Barbasol, while at the same time i remembered how much I loved the way this team battled through injuries and everything else, in the process becoming my favorite Phillies team ever, even beating out the 2007 team and their amazing Septemper. 

Of course that '07 team followed that up with a no-show against Colorado in the NLDS, much like most of my favoritePhilly teams'. ('93 Phillies, 96 Flyers, '00 Sixers, The Donovan McNabb era.) Forgive me for being reservedin my praise.

However, with the Phillies gearing up for another World Series appearence, its hard not to be fired up for Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and of course Roy Halliday to be pitching deep into October. They are the team to beat of course, but I won't feel safe until they are spraying the bubbly.

If this doesn't make sense, then you aren't a Phillies fan. If you are, then I hope you grow a beard with me, maybe even dye your hair so you look like Billy Idol (I "won" a bet in 2007 to do just that. It worked for the Phillies, not for me.), and watch the team that has quietly become of the most successful team's in National League history.

Either way, I'm glad I shaved, and I hope I don't do it again for a month.