It really happened, the outakes

The city celebrated its long-awaited World Champions today - the World fucking Champions, according to Chase Utley, reprieving his All-Star potty mouth.

We didn't go because both of our jobs have already been flexible with us throughout the playoffs, but I kept the game on mute in the office. It seemed that every time I looked up, Pat Burrell and his bulldog Elvis were on screen. (Pat's wife Michelle Fonseca was there, too.)

When I sent Christine an e-mail saying the Phanatic was starting the parade, she asked me not to give her updates so she could be surprised when she watched our recording of the parade. It was killing me, but I refrained, even when I saw Elvis riding in a horse-drawn beer truck.

It seemed like fun, but these massive gatherings aren't my cup of tea - especially getting to and from the event. But it gives us the opportunity to take one more look back at Wednesday. Here are some of the photos that didn't quite make the cut for our Game 5 recap.

Fans hung the unofficial motto "Why Can't Us?" behind home plate like a war flag. I liked it because it reminded me of Curt Schilling's "Why Not Us?" in 2004. I love that T-shirt - thanks Joe Wolf's Vertical Jump.


In case the field didn't get enough water on Monday and Tuesday, the grounds crew on Wednesday hosed it down again. Actually, they watered before Monday's game, too, in the light rain.


Pat Burrell was practicing his celebratory pose before the game started. Or maybe he was just warming up on a cold night.


I don't think I stressed how cold it was at the park this week. Our feet were feeling dangerously numb by the end of Wednesday. The relievers took coffee out to the bullpen. A bat boy followed later with a caterer's giant coffee urn.


Remember the Rays reliever who taunted us before the game resumed? Well, those relievers had a long, lonely, cold walk back to the clubhouse after the game.


The Phanatic was the first to wave the 2008 banner signifying the championship.


Cole Hamels got his MVP trophy. He's just the fifth player to win the LCS and World Series MVP.


After the game, the players' kids ran all over the field, and there were tons of family photos. I like this shot of Jamie Moyer and the fam.


J.C. Romero is interviewed wearing the red Phillies hat. I'm not certain of this story because I only caught half the radio interview, but some fan claims this was his hat that the players began passing around. We don't have a picture, but Charlie Manuel wore it as well.


Mitch Williams was long ago forgiven by the fans, but he got his official pardon on Wednesday. It read: "Mitch you're off the hook."


Other than Pat Burrell, no Phillies' family piques more curiosity than Jayson Werth's, at least on our blog.


Walking out, Christine wanted to see if they updated the All-Star markers for the 2008 season. They haven't. But we looked at the managers' section and realized for the first time that Charlie Manuel gets to manage the team next year. I wonder if he'll pick Pat Burrell if he leaves Philadelphia but stays in the National League.


Outside the ballpark, we saw the sax guy in the straw hat for the last time. He makes Christine happy. See you next year, sax guy.


[Elvis photo credit: Yong Kim, Philadelphia Inquirer]