Didn't See That One Coming

Buckey Dent and Aaron Boone move over.

Chase Utley joined an elite club of Major League Baseball players yesterday. What club you ask? The infamous middle name club. Order the new social security card, because Chase Cameron Utley no longer exists. From this point forward, he will forever be known as Chase F. Utley.

During the Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Champion parade and subsequent ceremony at Citizens Bank Park, Utley was given the microphone by Hall of Fame voice of the Phillies Harry Kalas.

Chase matter of factly proclaimed, "World Champions". After pausing a second and looking at his teammates behind him, he shouted, "World F@%king Champions". The stadium erupted in cheers while parents everywhere turned as white as Casper the Ghost on this Halloween Day.

Many have criticized the Phils' second baseman for his remarks. Last time I checked this was America, where the freedom of speech is a right everyone has.

As a role model in the city of Philadelphia, should he have chose his words more carefully? Perhaps. There's no reason to use that type of language with thousands of children present and millions more watching live on television, where censors were caught unprepared for the atomic f-bomb, letting it air on virtually every news channel in Philadelphia. The crazy thing is that Chase Utley was the one who said it. Had those words come from Pat Burrell's mouth no one would have even blinked.

I hate to break it you but anyone who has ever attended a sporting event in Philadelphia has heard a thousand times worse language from every mean and rotten fan guzzling down beer after beer. Utley epitomizes the true Philadelphian. He's a bring your lunch pale to work kinda guy. He's got long hair, facial hair and ain't afraid to get dirty. Just because you speak one way doesn't mean that's who you are. Language has evolved in the 21st century and Utley's remarks weren't all that horrible.

Rugged on the outside, Utley, like so many Philadelphians, has a sincere and genuine inside. He works wonders in the community and has donated more money to various charitable organizations than most of us combined. We all have our faults and no one is perfect, but for the city of Philadelphia, Chase is the perfect representation of this city.