A Hallmark Philly miss, a Flyers playoff run, and Wildwood after midnight

The Philadelphia Flyers are up 3-0 in a playoff series.

They went into Pittsburgh and took two. Then got here residence, performed their first playoff recreation right here in eight years, and gained that, too.

At this level, it’s not a fluke. It’s a state of affairs. And proper now, that’s doing a lot of labor for this metropolis.

Because the Phillies are… not. At the second, they appear to be a crew that forgot hit and are hoping nobody notices if they simply preserve jogging on the market.

So, sure, the Flyers are exhibiting up like this issues.

Young, quick, a little fearless, and out of the blue very snug with all of this. Playing like they’ve finished it earlier than when, on paper, they actually haven’t.

And now they’re residence, up 3-0, with a constructing that’s again to being what it’s within the playoffs.

Former players talk about the noise, the energy, the feeling like you have an army behind you. Also: People screaming at you from the fifth row and which means it.

Which is how you understand it’s actual once more.

Playoff hockey in Philly isn’t delicate. It’s loud, emotional, and a little unhinged in a approach that makes all the pieces else really feel much less pressing for a few hours.

And proper now, that’s sufficient.

A Hallmark film set in Philadelphia premiered last weekend.

It aired at 8 p.m. Saturday (through the first Philadelphia Flyers playoff recreation in six years) so, naturally, nobody right here watched it.

But our columnist Stephanie Farr took the time and… oh no.

In this model of Philly, everybody may be very earnest, very put-together, and very into decoding Revolutionary War love letters. Cheesesteaks are eaten neatly on a park bench. The Liberty Bell is simply open always. Someone says “wooder ice” like they practiced it within the mirror (as a result of they most likely did).

No one is yelling, or double-parked, or arguing about something. Which is how you understand it’s fiction.

A actual Philly Hallmark film has one of many love pursuits textual content “on my way” and nonetheless be 20 minutes out. There’s a full argument about the place to get a cheesesteak that turns into a second argument about whether or not it’s even price it. Someone’s aunt has a sturdy opinion. A SEPTA delay turns into a plot level. A neighbor is yelling, and nobody is aware of why however everybody accepts it. That’s the Philly Hallmark film we wish to see.

There’s a working web concept proper now that each time Matt Damon does a interval piece, he ends up looking like a Phillies third baseman.

Somewhere between the mustache, the dust, and no matter is going on with the hair, he retains touchdown squarely in Brandon Marsh territory — not precise, however shut sufficient which you can see the resemblance.

The replies to the unique social media submit solely made it worse (higher):

“Sir Jean ‘Chipper’ de Carrouges IV.”

“the last (pitchers’) duel.” “wily Odysseus, with a solid RBI.”

And right here’s the place it actually will get good: This might be Matt Damon’s private nightmare.

This is a man who bleeds the Boston Red Sox. For him, this sort of comparability most likely isn’t simply improper, but additionally deeply offensive.

It’s not inaccurate. The Phillies have a casting kind: a little dust on the face, some questionable facial hair, possibly the hair’s doing its personal factor below the cap, wanting like they simply rolled out of a doubleheader it doesn’t matter what time of day. What Matt Damon is giving in all of those examples.

So by the appears to be like of these images, in the event you advised me he was batting seventh and hitting .214 proper now, I’d consider you.

The Philadelphia Flyers are heading into the playoffs blasting “Man I Need” by Olivia Dean in the locker room after wins.

Which, if you concentrate on it for greater than 5 seconds, is form of humorous.

Philly sports activities has a sturdy observe document right here, too. “Dancing On My Own” is mainly town’s pledge of allegiance due to the Phils.

But there’s something very particular about a bunch of hockey gamers — totally equipped, most likely bleeding a little — singing alongside to “Man I Need.”

And proper now, all of Philadelphia would most likely agree that the Flyers are being the boys we want. They’re going on the market, hitting individuals, profitable video games, and letting us consider in one thing once more.

Olivia Dean taking part in within the background makes it that a lot sweeter.

And in the event that they preserve profitable, the music stops being ironic and begins being sacred. Either approach, it’s ours.

A man from New Jersey is among the finest Jeopardy! contestants ever, and he retains beating individuals from Philly.

Which raises an uncomfortable query. Are we… dropping to New Jersey?

Jamie Ding — 28 wins, practically $800,000, casually chasing down a few of the largest names within the present’s historical past — has taken out multiple local contestants along the way. Smart people. Penn people. Wharton people.

And him. From Jersey. This shouldn’t be superb.

To be clear, this isn’t how the dynamic is meant to work. We make the jokes. We win the arguments. We completely don’t get run off a Quizzo stage by somebody from Mercer County carrying orange shirts.

Yet that’s precisely what is going on. We’re watching this man buzz in quicker, reply higher, and stroll away prefer it’s nothing.

Even worse, he’s likable. Thoughtful. Calm. The precise form of individual you don’t need proving a level like this.

The solely factor maintaining this from being a full-blown disaster: He missed a Lucy the Elephant clue. Which goes to point out: You can rack up 28 wins, however South Jersey will nonetheless journey you up.

The Wildwood boardwalk will start closing from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. — a well mannered approach of claiming: Everyone go residence.

Some tattoo retailers, ice cream spots, and late-night pizza locations stated: Can we at the least get one other half-hour? The commissioners stated no. But additionally… form of?

Because whilst town handed the rule, officers made it clear they’re not precisely planning to clear individuals out each night time. If it’s calm, it’s calm. If it’s not, then they’ll step in.

So the boardwalk is closed. Unless it isn’t.

This is being framed as a security challenge — crowds, late nights, the truth that Wildwood at 2 a.m. can get a little out of hand. All true.

But it’s additionally Wildwood.

This is a place constructed on the concept nothing good occurs after midnight, and additionally that you must completely nonetheless be on the market anyway.

Now there’s a plan. 1 a.m., lights out. Boardwalk’s closed. Chaos hours are formally over.

Or, at the least, relocated.