Flyers fans proudly show off their ‘pettiness’ with a Sidney Crosby embellishment billboard in South Philly
A billboard poking fun at the Penguins center and his embellishment penalty will be displayed on I-95 North through the weekend.
Flyers fans aren’t letting Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby live down his embellishment penalty in Wednesday’s playoff game. Drivers stuck in rush hour traffic on I-95 North will now have something to chuckle over after one local travel agency erected a billboard ribbing the future Hall of Famer for his “flop.”
The billboard features a photo of Crosby lying face-down on the ice after a high-stick from Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway sent him to the ground. Hathaway was given a penalty for the high stick, but Crosby was also subsequently penalized for embellishing the hit, much to the delight of Flyers fans getting their first taste of home playoff hockey in eight years.
On the billboard, located on I-95 Northbound in South Philadelphia between Exit 17 for PA-611/Broad St. and Exit 19 for I-76/Walt Whitman Bridge, the Crosby flop image is framed by a dictionary-style definition of hockey’s embellishment penalty.
Joe DiBiaggio, the owner of local sports travel agency Phans of Philly, was the mastermind behind the billboard, alongside his advertising partner, Monica McGrail at Keystone Outdoor Advertising.
“I think we Philly fans have a level of pettiness. But I think with the Flyers especially, it’s been so long since we’ve been in the playoffs and we’ve been so hungry,” DiBiaggio said. “I just think it’s an unbelievable moment for us fans.”
Being able to revel in the wins and dunk on opposing teams is something DiBiaggio and McGrail couldn’t pass up. Before Wednesday’s game even started, DiBiaggio planned to erect a billboard; he just didn’t know what yet.
» READ MORE: Sidney Crosby got a penalty for embellishment. This Flyers fan from Fishtown gave him a look that spoke for everyone.
After the Flyers’ win on Wednesday that gave them to a 3-0 series lead against the Penguins, DiBiaggio sent a slew of billboard ideas to McGrail.
“She loved the idea with the embellishment definition so we just ran with it, and I mean it was a matter of less than 24 hours from when the game ended that we had it up and running,” DiBiaggio said.
The Crosby billboard will stay up until Sunday, and fans can view it safely from the Jetro Lot behind Lincoln Financial Field. DiBiaggio, whose travel agency organizes large group trips to away sports games, is already planning another billboard and more trips as the Flyers continue their playoff run.
This isn’t DiBiaggio and McGrail’s first rodeo either. Back when the NFL was debating the legitimacy of the Eagles’ Tush Push last year, they put up a “You Tried, We (tush) Pushed Back” billboard.
