Philly Fans Dont Want To, But They Should Stop and Smell the Roses

From 1983 to 2007, the city of Philadelphia had 99 chances at a season that ended in ultimate glory, and season after season they fell short. Four times they made it to the championship round—once in all four major sports—and could not get the job done.

Championship memories in Philadelphia for two generations amounted to a walk-off World Series winning home run for the opposing team, the decimation of the so called “Legion of Doom” in a four-game sweep on the ice, our best baller who does not like practice, triumphantly stepping over, not Kobe, not Shaq, but the “great” Tyrone Lue, and finally our courageous QB blowing chunks in front of hundreds of millions of people on the way to a Super Bowl loss.

And that was just the last 26 years.

The grand history of Philadelphia sports goes something like this. The Phillies, Philadelphia’s longest tenured team, are the losingist franchise in professional sports history. The cities most beloved team, the “Iggles”, has yet to win a Super Bowl. The 76ers and the Flyers both had their share of success in late 70’s and early 80’s, but neither has recaptured that magic since.  

With all this said, it is but a testament to how special this Phillies team really is. Sports is about memories and the camaraderie that is shared between fans, whether it be family members in front of the home TV, or complete strangers at a bar.

This Phillies team—with the way they play and the way they win—has a great chance to go down as the greatest team this city has ever had. The last 14 months of Phillies Baseball have produced more of these special moments than some Philadelphia fans have had in half a lifetime.

Starting with coming back against the Mets to win the division two years in a row, to tearing through the playoffs last year on route to a World Series Championship, to this year’s numerous ninth inning comebacks, these Phillies have a knack for the dramatic and for winning.

For a fan, that’s a wondrous combination.

When you break this team down individually, you will find terms long not associated with this franchise. Terms such as “A top five player in baseball and the game’s best second baseman,” or “The league’s preeminent RBI and HR king of the last four years,” and how about “Former MVP and multiple Gold Glove winning shortstop.”

And let’s not forget the person that may be the most beloved figure during this magical run, their steady as she goes, ah shucks, just take it one game at a time manager, Charlie Manuel. Charlie, who started from Day One with scorn from the fans in the wake of the Phillies not hiring Jim Leyland instead, and those who did not take to his southern draw and southern nature. He has now morphed into a manager who pushes all the right buttons and has a team that quite literally goes to war for him.

Please understand this is all said before this Phillies team has finished writing its legacy.

They are currently one win away from the World Series, with their next probable opponent being the Kings of Baseball; also known as the New York Yankees. On top of that, they are also trying to become the first team to repeat since the Yankees of the late 90’s, and the first National League team to do it since the Reds of the 70’s. This is some very historic territory these Phillies are treading in.

Even if they fall short this year, this team is built to win titles for the next two to three years. When it’s all said and done and the core of this team leave its primes, the Philadelphia fan base could have very well experienced the greatest era in sports history the city has ever seen.

So Phillies fans, take one moment and relish all this team has already given you.

Be thankful for all the memories you have shared, and the players you will never forget. Also, look forward with a sense of pride and confidence knowing your team can get it done, and has gotten it done. Above all, this team loves playing the game, and the fans love them for it all the more.

So to these phantastic Phillies we say, thank you so much, good luck, and go get ’em.

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