PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Taj Shuib grew up in South Philadelphia. So, in his eyes, it was “against the law” not to support the four major sports teams who call that neighborhood home.
But, while most in this area will likely have the Birds as their top team, for Shuib, it’s the Flyers and Phillies, followed by the Eagles and Sixers.
“I’m an African American man, so it’s, like, different because, you know, in our culture, it’s like, you know people don’t like hockey,” Shuib said.
He was introduced to the sport as a fifth grader going to Dunbar in North Philadelphia. His teacher wanted them to learn something new, so they started playing hockey in gym. He loved it. Perfect timing, too, because this was in 1986, not too long before the Flyers went on their 1987 run to the Stanley Cup Final where they heartbreakingly lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games.
Shuib has developed a first-hand knowledge and memory of all things Flyers, as well as the Sixers, Eagles and Phillies.
“I keep on telling him,” said his friend Askia Harris, “you need your own podcast because no one knows Philly sports like you. And then, what gives him the upper-up, to be Black, and he knows hockey better than anybody I’ve ever known. He can talk about hockey for hours and hours.”
Harris said there was a time when he and Shuib were arguing about the best 30 for 30 documentaries from ESPN.
“We were trying to go through the list. He was like, ‘No, the best one is the Wayne Gretzky one … You don’t know what that meant to Edmonton when they lost him.’ He broke it all down. I’m like, ‘Oh God, this is different. This is different. He loves hockey.’”
And it was that passion that helped him overcome significant adversity in the past couple of years.
In April 2022, he had a mild heart attack, a pulmonary embolism and a stroke on the same day.
“I overcame a lot of obstacles,” Shuib said, “and I’m so blessed to still be here.”
Shuib, a man of faith, believes his experience has given him a new lease on life. He got married last month on his 48th birthday and is grateful to be alive. He uses a cane to get around and credits Philadelphia sports for helping him persevere.
“Because it would put me in a happy place,” Shuib said. “When I’m sitting there depressed, worrying about if I’m gonna be okay, and all that, it was just such a motivation. Every time I watch any Philadelphia sports, I can’t sit down, I’m always screaming at the TV.”
Harris said he’s like a brand new person now.
And, recently, he jokingly told his wife that anything less than a World Championship for the 2024 Phillies would lead to a second heart attack.
So hopefully for Shuib’s sake, the 2024 Phillies get it together and go on the run Shuib and other passionate fans hope for.
“I’m handicapped and I’m gonna start doing backflips and cartwheels [if] they win the World Series,” he said.
To hear more of Shuib’s story, check out KYW Newsradio's Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week:
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