Phrustration in Philly

by John Gorman
Love of Sports Correspondent

Not since Rocky III has their been a championship parade down Broad Street.

But, as the movie says, “We all can change!” And there’s a chance we could be planning one for sometime in the next two weeks.

It’s no secret that the 2-1-5 tends to believe they’ve fallen on some rough times. A whole generation without a championship - what’s the fourth-largest metro area in America to do?

However, if one was to take quick stock in what’s transpired since they released Return of the Jedi and E.T., it’s safe to say it hasn’t been all bad.

The Flyers have been one of the NHL’s winningest teams, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 1985, 1987 and 1997, in the midst of appearing in the playoffs an astonishing 18 times.

The Sixers have ratcheted 14 postseason appearances, including an NBA Finals cameo in 2001.

The Eagles made the playoffs 12 times, reached their conference championship game four years in a row and also played a close Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2005.

Additionally, the Phillies themselves are no strangers to bonus baseball, having reached the World Series twice prior to this year, in 1983 and 1993. If they didn’t run into teams from the A.L. East, they’d almost certainly have won convincingly.

Any guesses on who they will play in the World Series this year? That’s right - a team from the A.L. East. Should Tampa advance and defeat Philly, the Phils would become the first team to lose the World Series to all 5 teams in that division.

But let’s not be so negative, Philadelphians. It hasn’t been so frustrating. Cheesteak nation has accounted for 47 playoff appearances in the last 25 years. That’s more than any city not on the East Coast not named after a state.

The City of Brotherly Love has opened its arms to Ron Hextall, the Legion of Doom, Mike Richards, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson, John Kruk, Curt Schilling, Ryan Howard, Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook. Players who’ve been coached by the likes of Ken Hitchcock, Larry Brown and Andy Reid.

Oh, and there’s Villanova’s 1985 upset NCAA Basketball victory over Georgetown in 1985.

And Jon Bon Jovi’s own Philadelphia Soul are the 2008 Arena Football Champions!

I guess what we’re trying to say here is ... it hasn’t been that harsh for the folks in New York’s sixth borough.

Just to be super clear, how about a list of some other cities that haven’t won a title since 1983? How about New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Buffalo, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Nashville, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Columbus, San Jose, Las Vegas, Orlando, Sacramento, Cleveland, San Diego and Seattle. That a long enough list?

So, as we make up some scrapple and plug in our Hall & Oates, hoping the Phillies can break a generation-long drought, lets pause for a minute and reflect on the events of the recent past.

It hasn’t been all spilled milk and broken glass.