Sports fans in Philadelphia and New York are nothing if not passionate. But when does that passion cross a line and what does that say about these proud sports communities?

In March, you may remember Giants quarterback Eli Manning telling a story about an experience he had at an Eagles game in Philadelphia.

Per Newsday ...

“You go there, and that 9-year-old kid is giving you the double finger,” he said. “Not a thumbs-up. Not, ‘We’re No. 1.’ And he said something about my mom; I had to Google what it was. It’s just different. It’s a different culture.”

He has been at it so long, he said, that he has seen young Philadelphia fans grow up before his eyes. “Now I see him and he’s got his 9-year-old kid with him,” Manning said, smiling. “Same deal. It runs in the families down there.”

Well, it turns out New York fans can be equally as harsh, rude and obnoxious as Philly fans.

Former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley appeared Wednesday on WFAN’s “‘Boomer & Gio” show, during which he talked through an incident with a young Mets fan.

“I remember coming off the field one time and there was a boy – he was 10 years old – maybe,” Utley recalled. “As I’m walking to the dugout, he looks me right in the eyes and he goes ‘I hope you blanking die.’ And I looked right at his dad. I’m like I can’t believe this. He’s 10 years old, he said this. Maybe his dad is going to say it – and his dad repeated the same thing as he’s going at me.”

Sports can bring out the best in us. But sometimes when passion is misguided, sports can also bring out the worst in us. There’s no justification for verbally abusing athletes, especially when the hateful words are coming from the mouths of nine-and ten-year olds. Let’s face it: at that point, kids are just repeating words and mimicking behavior learned from their parents. And there’s no excuse for any parent teaching that kind of language and behavior to impressionable children.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.