PHOENIX — Beat L.A.! MAN.. DID THAT FEEL GOOD!
Beat L.A.! Echoing through the walls of Chase Field, the D-backs swept the Dodgers out of the playoffs and moved on the NLCS for the 3rd time in team history.
Beat L.A.! Nearly 50,000 fans were yelling it before the game even started, and didn’t let up.
Beat L.A.! In our Valley, those aren’t just words you say when playing a team from Los Angeles. You mean them – like down to your core. We live by those words. It’s our motto.
The chant doesn’t belong to Phoenix, but it’s been commonly used since the 1980s during the legendary NBA battles between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. It rolls off the tongue like chanting “U-S-A”, it’s a universal language. As much as politics and opinions divide us these days, the desire to beat L.A. unites us.
Beat L.A.! Yelling it at the top of your lungs goes back generations. It’s more than just a rallying cry, it tells folks which side of the aisle you’re on.
Phoenix and L.A. don’t get along. Never have – never will.
The hate runs deep because the memories are so strong.
From those legendary battles between the Suns and Lakers in the late 2000s. Then a double dose when the Suns knocked off both the Lakers and Clippers on their way to the 2021 NBA Finals.
The Cardinals have struggled to find success against their L.A. divisional rival, including the Rams embarrassing them out of the playoffs in 2022.
The Coyotes still haven’t recovered from the Kings eliminating them in the 2012 Western Conference Finals.
Beat L.A.! This series win is for all those times we had to put up with Dodger fans filling BOB on a regular season night. Blue filling our park is as disrespectful as it was to see the Dodgers celebrate in our pool in 2013 after clinching in the NL West Title.
Beat L.A.! This is for all those years the Dodgers treated the D-backs like a little brother. Bullying them around the division. Well finally, little brother had enough and punched big brother in the mouth.
Beat L.A.! David slayed Goliath. The D-backs finished 16 games behind the Dodgers in the division, yet here they are – handing them one of their most embarrassing postseason exits.
Beat L.A.! This win is for people like GM Mike Hazen, who found solace in baseball and building a winner, despite going through the unthinkable tragedy of losing his wife last year. People like Torey Lovullo’s unshakeable positivity and belief. Shout-out to the front office for sticking with Lovullo through the dark days. Former shortstop Nick Ahmed – who is no longer with the team – but did everything possible to help the young guys be ready for this moment. Players like Christian Walker, Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, who never stopped betting on themselves and are now cornerstones of this franchise. I can go on and on… and that’s what makes this BEAT L.A. extra special. The people who helped the D-backs go from 110 losses two years ago – to 4-wins away from returning to the World Series.
Beat L.A.! MAN.. DID THAT FEEL GOOD!