A bold choice: Proudly hating sports in Philly | Morning Newsletter

Expect clear and sunny skies with a high of 70.

It’s indisputable that it’s a big week for Philly sports. All five Philadelphia teams are playing. Two are competing for a championship, and one is undefeated. The excitement is palpable and if you live anywhere near the city, it’s impossible to not notice.

I’m a bandwagon fan, I know. When Philly sports teams are doing well and it takes over the city, it’s a beautiful thing to witness. The robust city pride is enough for me to enjoy the moment.

But for others ... not so much. Our lead story uncovers how the staunch non-sports fans are dealing with boisterous fans.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Not everyone is a sports fan, I get it.

But Conor Corcoran outright hates sports. Only half of what he told The Inquirer can go to print. If some random stranger says “Go birds,” he’d say “Go ...” well, you can fill in the blank. When he sees a stadium full of fans, he only sees social divides and economic disparities. Few residents, he pointed out, can afford World Series tickets.

He didn’t stop there. The Philadelphia lawyer said his life changed when he developed an interest in books and new music and advised Philly fans to culture themselves.

Those are fighting words. But not everyone in this piece is that aggressive. Some are happy for the rest of us but simply don’t understand the hype and wish sports fans would quiet down.

And then there’s the charming story of a transportation planner who gained a new appreciation for sports after watching Bryce Harper’s epic game-winning home run in Game 5 of the NCLS.

Continue reading for some of the boldest takes in Philly.

A federal jury acquitted Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson on federal bribery charges Wednesday.

The crux: The government’s accusations that Johnson accepted payoffs from two nonprofit executives in the form of a sham $67,000 consulting contact with his wife, Dawn Chavous, didn’t convince the jury of five men and seven women. It appears the jury decision affirmed the defense’s criticism that the case lacked evidence and was strung together by investigators with facts “cherry-picked” to reach a predetermined conclusion.

Jurors also acquitted the couple’s codefendents, Rahim Islam and Shahied Dawan. They are the two former executives for Universal Companies, the South Philadelphia affordable housing nonprofit and charter school operator funded by Kenny Gamble, who were accused of providing the payoffs.

Don’t forget: Islam and Dawan will face a separate trial on additional charges that they embezzled more than $500,000 from the organization and bribed a school district official in Milwaukee as part of a separate scheme.

Keep reading for the latest information.

Who is the Philly lawyer who trolled the Astros for cheating with a billboard on I-76?

A. James Helm

B. Mark Sudder

C. Melissa Pearson

D. None of the above

Find out if you know the answer.

🎧 Listening to: Migos’ Tiny Desk (home) concert in light of the tragic news of Takeoff’s killing.

📦 Watching: The U.S. Postal Service is auditing Philadelphia post offices that have ongoing complaints about lost mail and stolen packages.

❌ Debunking: A viral rumor that the Phillies crowd was loud enough to register on a Penn State earthquake detector. It’s not true.

Hint: Water

CHERRI KILLYLUVS

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Georgina Simpson, who correctly guessed Connie Mack Stadium as Wednesday’s answer.

And that’s your Thursday. See you back here tomorrow.