Brazilian supporters left the Rocky statue untouched at Philadelphia Stadium on Friday, refusing to dress it in team colors before the World Cup match against Haiti. Thousands of Brazilian fans made the visit, but the bronze figure stayed in its trunks and boxing boots.
Green and Yellow Movement warning
JESSICA A. BOTELHO reported that the statue remained unchanged throughout the day. A fan group called the Green and Yellow Movement had warned supporters on social media to keep their clothing to themselves, and visitors took the advice by leaving no Brazil jerseys, scarves or flags on the statue.
Rocky curse in Philadelphia
The restraint fit a long-running superstition around Rocky in Philadelphia. The statue, created in Sylvester Stallone's likeness and standing 9-foot-11 and 1,300 pounds, is treated by some visiting fans as a target for a playful test before major sporting events.
Brazil supporters appeared unwilling to risk the so-called Rocky curse, which has followed previous visitors who dressed the statue in their team gear and then watched their side lose. On Friday, they left Rocky exactly as they found him, fists raised and untouched.
That leave-it-alone choice is the whole story for the next wave of visitors: the statue stood ready, unaltered, and the warning had already done its job before the crowd moved on from the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
