The Philadelphia Phillies had a disappointing end to the 2024 MLB season. After advancing to the World Series in 2022 and falling just a game shy of getting back to the World Series in 2023, many thought this was finally going to be the year they get over the hump. It wasn’t. They had an extremely disappointing showing against the New York Mets, winning only one game in the National League Division Series.
A long-time Philadelphia sports fan myself, I’m more than confident that many fans of the Phils had a choice word or two during the MLB playoffs about their favorite team’s performance (I certainly did). But if anyone is still stewing over the early exit, the new Netflix documentary The Turnaround arrives at just the right time.
Having dropped on Netflix on October 18, The Turnaround centers on Phillies fan and “The Philly Captain” content creator Jon McCann, who during the 2023 season did something that bucked the usual perception of Philadelphians. As big free agent signee Trea Turner was struggling through the summer, McCann helped spur a movement to give Turner a standing ovation over a homestand in early August, rather than the fandom’s usual penchant for booing players not meeting their expectations.
Not to ruin the short documentary, but as many sports fans likely already knew since this happened more than a full calendar year ago, McCann’s call to action was enacted by the Phillies fans and Turner swung things around. He hit 16 home runs in the remaining two months of the season, the best stretch of his career, and the Phillies surged into a playoff spot, as we said, falling just shy of going to a second straight World Series.
But to be honest, what happened on the field is not actually the point of The Turnaround. Much of the short documentary focuses on McCann himself and his struggles with mental health that he has. We see him go to therapy, where he talks about how he can be extremely hard on himself, just as he is with Philadelphia athletes and others. McCann also reveals that he contemplated suicide.
McCann says in the documentary that his parents’ support for him while he was at this low moment was crucial. This, it is implied, is what inspired him to show Turner “love love,” not the tough love (sometimes just outright criticism) that Philly is known for.
Sports elicit strong emotions out of people, but what McCann’s own story and his actions remind us is that sometimes the best way forward for someone going through a tough time is with support, not criticism.
Now I’m not expecting or even suggesting that Philadelphia sports fans — or any fans of other teams — forgo booing or showing their trademark tough love every now and then, but it’s worth remembering something McCann says: “It’s nice to be nice sometimes.” That’s a message that can really help when you or someone else is going through a rough time.
The Turnaround is now streaming exclusively on Netflix, meaning you need a Netflix subscription to watch.
