It’s a tiny nook bar in a gritty South Philadelphia neighborhood, a hangout no greater than the row homes that encompass it. A gaggle of possibly 30 locals, some pals for 50 years, collect at Huge Charlie’s Saloon each fall Sunday, filling the place to the brim.
Generally you wanna go
The place all people loves your staff
Think about, a Kansas Metropolis Chiefs bar within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, the place authorities must grease the sunshine poles to maintain jubilant Eagles followers from climbing them — and even that doesn’t work. But, even with Philadelphia squaring off towards Kansas Metropolis in Tremendous Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the patrons of Huge Charlie’s nonetheless stomach as much as the bar within the stomach of the beast.
“This is our neighborhood, and it works because we’re neighborhood guys,” mentioned Paul Staico, who owns the institution 5 blocks from Lincoln Monetary Subject. “So you have Eagles fans, Chiefs fans mingling every single day. It does happen.”
It gained’t be occurring Sunday, although — at the least not on a grand scale. As he did two years in the past when the Eagles and Chiefs first met within the Tremendous Bowl, Staico closed the bar to the general public and invited solely a small group of family and friends. He didn’t at all times like the best way the bar was portrayed by native media.
“Last time around, a couple of different TV stations kind of made us look like the bad guy,” he mentioned. “I felt like we’ve been here so long they shouldn’t have put a spin like that on it.”
For that recreation, which the Chiefs gained, Staico initially had deliberate a Tremendous Bowl occasion and bought tickets. When the primary 150 bought out in two hours, nevertheless, he realized the occasion was getting too huge too shortly. He feared the intersection could be clogged with journey shares, and he didn’t need strangers meandering the unfamiliar streets in Chiefs jerseys.
“If you were wandering anywhere outside of this neighborhood you’d have trouble,” he mentioned. “I don’t want to have that on my hands.”
Staico is a Philly man by and thru. He loves the 76ers, Flyers and Phillies and celebrates them at his bar. He pours gallons of Budweiser and Coors, however a number of Yuengling and Rolling Rock too. There are six TVs at Huge Charlie’s, and at any given time there’s one among 5 motion pictures taking part in: “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Jaws” and — naturally — “Rocky.”
Actually, there’s a scene in “Rocky” that was shot close by.
Huge Charlie’s Saloon proprietor Paul Staico, middle with finger up, gathers with patrons at his South Philadelphia bar.
(Courtesy of Paul Staico)
“Sylvester Stallone walks through a convent that’s near a church that’s two blocks away,” Staico mentioned. “It’s my parish.”
So why, within the identify of Sly, does Staico root for the Chiefs?
It appears his late father, for whom Huge Charlie’s is called, was a gambler who wager on Kansas Metropolis to beat Minnesota in Tremendous Bowl IV (which, coincidentally, was performed in New Orleans). It was 1970, and younger Paul hadn’t began grade college.
“I remember him telling me we need the red team to win,” Staico mentioned. “They won, and the next day I got a bike. I was loyal after that.”
Just a few years later, Charlie purchased the bar. Paul stayed loyal to the Chiefs, despite the fact that they weren’t on TV in Philadelphia greater than possibly a recreation per season. Years later, his household obtained a satellite tv for pc dish and his fandom grew.
Charlie died in 1983, and finally Paul and his buddies started watching video games on the bar. The group grew and commenced to build up Chiefs memorabilia — jerseys, helmets, posters, cups — and embellish their hangout.
When NFL Movies showcased Huge Charlie’s in 2003, then stunned everybody in 2023 by bringing former Chiefs (and Eagles) coach Dick Vermeil by for a go to, the place turned greater than a neighborhood curiosity.
“That really put us on the map,” Staico mentioned.
Michael Puggi, who grew up across the nook from Huge Charlie’s Saloon, holds a duplicate of the Lombardi Trophy that was gifted to the bar.
(Jessica Griffin / The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Sooner or later, the spouse of Kansas Metropolis defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo stopped by and introduced her father. They beloved the vibe of the place. Quickly sufficient, Spagnuolo dropped in with a present: a duplicate Lombardi Trophy from the Tremendous Bowl win over the Eagles.
“After we got the one,” Staico mentioned, “I said I gotta get the one from 1970 too. Then over the years we won a couple more, and now I’ve got four trophies in the back of the bar.”
A relentless move of Chiefs followers take selfies with these shiny silver keepsakes.
However not this Tremendous Bowl Sunday.
“We’re gonna take a knee,” mentioned Staico, South Philly’s reply to Sam Malone.
Cheers to that.
