I’m not old enough to debate who was more of a Philly fighter between Briscoe/Frazier/Hopkins

And before someone says Jordan let us remember: they did his statue in between the first retirement and the comeback.

And I think Joe Frazier is more philadelphia boxing than Hopkins. Bennie Briscoe too for that matter.

My gripe with the statue is that I can think of a few guys more deserving than he’s fictional and you have the nerve to saying in an earlier post that “He’s Boxing.”

Tell that to Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Tyrell Biggs, Meldrick Taylor, Rodney Moore or the families of Lonnie Young and James Shuler.

Are your minds so literal that they can only derive meaning from literal, real-world figures? No one confuses the fictional Balboa with a living, breathing champion like Joe Frazier, but the whole point of art — particularly movies and literature — is to create characters who exemplify real-life virtues (or flaws) that allow us to see some of ourselves in those characters. By identifying with particular characters, we learn a bit about ourselves.

The Rocky movies were loved by millions of people, but that doesn’t mean those people conflate Rocky’s movie exploits with real-life accomplishments of living, breathing athletes. You guys have to lighten up a little. It is possible to admire real and fictional characters and not be considered a ‘dolt.’ In fact, it seems more doltish to be unable to grasp the idea that fictional iconic characters have informed all cultures since man staretd telling stories.

I mean…. people still think Jesus walked on water, and there are more statues of that character than there are of Rocky.

Wow just wow. So I guess 50 years from now the legend will become fact and Philly will revere “one of its own” as the true heavyweight champion of the world.

Rocky was 290 and 0 and ruled the boxing world for 50 years until his great great grandchildren begged him to hang em up…

Besides, LI-born Julius Erving actually brought a real title to Philly.

Eddie Murphy said it right when he said white people actually do believe those movies…SMH.

Hell, two whole theme parks and a movie studio are built around some cartoon characters from the mind of Walt Disney. Should we tear down Disney World and rebuild a park based on the lives of Abbott and Costello and the Marx Brothers?

Actors dressed as Ronald McDonald make a living shooting TV commercials for a multi-billion dollar restaurant chain. Should we oust McD’s and re-name all the burger joints “Emmitt Kelly’s?”

And I suppose we should drop Santa Claus and use Andy Reid as the new Christmas symbol of tidings and good cheer.

Rocky rules, my man…… I love Dr. J, but Balboa is more authentically Philly than Erving, whose ex-wife once said, after the Sixers got Doc from the Nets and Mrs. Erving found out she’d be leaving New York, “One does not wear mink coats in Philadelphia.” Would Adrian ever dis Philly like that? Adrian, or Pauly, would have hooked and jabbed Turquoise Erving right back to Long Island.

If Rocky was real then that would be a different story wouldn’t it?

Like Nino Brown said…Eff that! No renegotiations!

Rocky has got to go!

And by the way….. Rocky Balboa is a cultural icon. He’s Philly. He’s boxing. He’s heroism. He’s persistence. He’s honor. (At least in the first film. All the others all suck sh*t.)

We can’t be dissing the Stallion.