In what will most likely be a futile effort, the city of Philadelphia has once again greased up their literal poles ahead of tonight’s Super Bowl.
When the Eagles took down the Vikings in the NFC title game, Philadelphia used Crisco to try to prevent rioters/celebrators from climbing city property and endangering the property, themselves, onlookers, and all of the above.
It didn’t really work.
So they’ve changed tactics, switching to hydraulic fluid:
Philadelphia pole climbers: meet your match tonight. As predicted, no Crisco on the poles. Instead, police are using hydraulic fluid. And it's water resistant, too, they said, so this afternoon's rain won't make it any easier for you to climb. pic.twitter.com/5GvI9BRhaQ
— Caitlin McCabe (@mccabe_caitlin) February 4, 2018
By the time I found these guys around 1 p.m., they had already greased around 100 street poles since 9 a.m., starting at Broad and Lombard Streets, making their way up toward City Hall.
— Caitlin McCabe (@mccabe_caitlin) February 4, 2018
ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan had more:
The crew tasked with applying a slippery substance to poles had labeled themselves the “Crisco Cops” for the NFC Championship. This time the crew that was working up and down Broad Street, where much of the postgame action is expected to unfold, some six hours before kickoff, went with “Pole Patrol.”
The city of Philadelphia has plans in place in an attempt to control the crowds after the game, win or lose. Police commissioner Richard Ross would not specify how many officers would be on the streets.
“A lot,” he told ESPN earlier this week. “More than there were two weeks ago, and there were a lot two weeks ago. It’s a significant deployment package because you have to be ready for anything.”
The fluid should come in handy regardless; Philadelphia fans might end up taking to the streets no matter the result, and it’s possible a loss would put them in an even more destructive mood. Considering they’re 4.5 point underdogs (which, frankly, seems much too close all things considered), we have a good chance of finding out whether or not that’s true.
(Photo via Caitlin McCabe/Twitter)
