Here's why Philadelphia's run of 100 seasons without a championship is so depressing: Just before the era of futility began, Philly was arguably the dominant sports town in the entire nation.
I came of age in the City of Brotherly Love when the Phillies were a playoff regular and screamed my lungs out when Bob Boone dropped the foul ball and Pete Rose caught it in the 1980 World Series. I was in Section 737 of the Vet when Wilbert Montgomery broke through the Cowboys line to race to the end zone and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl. And like any Flyers fan, I was just as proud of their violence as their victories.
Then after the 1982-83 76ers swept the Lakers, everything fell apart. Rick Dempsey led the Orioles past the "Wheeze Kid" Phillies in the 1983 World Series. Sixers owner Harold Katz got too smart for his own good and shipped away Moses Malone and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 draft for nothing. The Eagles hire the brilliant Buddy Ryan but saddle him with the worst offensive coordinator in NFL history in Rich Kotite. And the Flyers resort to something called "Flockey Hockey," abandoning their tough guy approach in favor of finesse and falling apart in the process. Even the Rocky movies got progressively worse.
Most Philadelphians didn't care throughout '80s because the memories of those great teams were still so vivid and Dr. J, Mike Schmidt and Bobby Clarke were still around. Then we had new hope in the '90s with Randall Cunningham and the Eagles' dominant defense, that great '93 Phillies team, Charles Barkley in his prime and the arrival of Eric Lindros. But along came the Cowboys, Mitch Williams, Michael Jordan's Bulls and Lindros' father to ruin all those teams.
The new millennium brought Allen Iverson, Donovan McNabb and Ryan Howard, but they haven't gotten the job done either. Things got so desperate, we had to point to a horse, Smarty Jones, for hope. And even he choked.
Someone once asked me if I was afraid Philadelphia fans would lose their identity if we finally won a title. Sort of like Red Sox Nation lost its bite after Boston captured the World Series. Forget identity. We're the city that booed Santa Claus. We have plenty of identity. Give us a title. I'm sick of sitting at home watching my DVDs of Invincible and Rocky and daydreaming about walking down Broad Street with the gait of a champion once again.
I dare anyone out there to argue they've had it harder than us Philly fans. Sure, cities like Cleveland and Buffalo have fallen on hard times, but they were never that good in the first place. Give us your thoughts on notable losing sports cities.
Daniella Sarahyba
Melissa Haro
Manny Being Manny
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Not even Flyers fans expected them to get past the Sid's Kids.
Cassidy's Ultimate…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (13875)
Who are you kidding? At least you have some championships, teams that have gone to the Superbowl, to the World Series, to the NBA finals. Hello!?!?! NEW ORLEANS!??!
Albert Terr
New Orleans , LA
Total Comments (9)
"Sure, cities like Cleveland and Buffalo have fallen on hard times, but they were never that good in the first place."
Never? Yeah, you and I weren't alive then...but Cleveland had great sports teams in the 40's and 50's. The Browns in fact went to 10 straight championship games and won 7 of them. Only UCLA bball and the Celtics have better championship runs.
And many Cleveland teams have been there on the doorstep in my lifetime, but none have been able to break through. I can't think back upon the times in my life when Cleveland sports were dominant and had a ton of championships...so, how exactly is that better than being able to?
mgbode
Total Comments (147)
Buffalo wasn't that great? They only made it to four straight superbowls. Something not even the almighty Patriots have done. Plus we were stripped of our basketball team. Wide right.. Brett Hull skate in the crease.. 0 championships. Buffalo has it bad.
shutsal
Brooklyn , NY
Total Comments (1)
This is the dumbest article of all time. Cleveland hasn't had a championship since 1964. Which means uless you are at least 55 now you probably have no memory of ever seeing a championship. At least you, Andrew, can remeber a championship.
Michael Jordan started his rise to legend with 'the shot' against Cleveland. Elway had 'The Drive". We've had Mesa blow the 97 World Series. We've witnessed "the fumble". We even had our football team moved out of our city and win THEN win a Super Bowl.
Don't talk to me about Philly. You have no clue.
kevin0601
Chardon , OH
Total Comments (8)
Andrew,
I think you are wrong about the most losses by a pitcher in MLB history before the all star break. I sent you a couple messages with my findings. Thanks.
-Colin
cclerkin
Total Comments (16)
Philly has the worst fans in the Nation. It actually doesn't surprise me they've gone so long without a title. KARMA
CambodiDan
Vienna , VA
Total Comments (1)
These two articles are COMPLETELY idiotic. I'm from Ohio and live in Philly. And while folks here haven't won a title in a quarter century, fans in Cleveland haven't won anything since 1964 (despite coming close in football, baseball, and to a lesser extent, basketball). How about an article about how you have to be at least 50 years old to remember a team from Cleveland winning a championship?
mr2dco
Philadelphia , PA
Total Comments (1)
Cleveland hasn't had a title since the Browns won in 1964, Indians in 1948, Cavs have never won a title. Cleveland is by far the least successful sports city based on championships that has all 3 majors. It's alot more painful to never really been that good... At least Philly fans can reminisce about the glory days. Most Cleveland fans weren't alive for theirs.
rubes
Rockwall, TX
Total Comments (10)
O-H
rubes
Rockwall, TX
Total Comments (10)
Ok let's see if I missed anything here? The fans booed when McNabb was drafted, the fans booed Santa Claus. The football stadium has a court AND a jail in it because the fans are such law abiding and respectful people. I'm sure I'm only missing about a million different things that make the fans of any Philly team nothing more than a bunch of thugs and goons. Keep it up, I hope no Philly team EVER wins another championship!
racecar451
Whitehall, PA
Total Comments (2)
Cleveland takes pride in losing. If we ever won anything, we would have no idea what to do. We have had more heartbreak and close calls. How about game 7 of the 97 World Series?
A real "loser" wrote this article.
pdentropy
Cleveland , OH
Total Comments (2)
Look, it's New Orleans. On top of the Saints, the city had the indignity of having their Jazz move to Utah. Is there even a Jazz club in Utah? Come on. Philly has had some success. Please don't whine to those of us who haven't had ANY.
kryvar
Richland, WA
Total Comments (2)
I dunno, I think things here in Kansas City are pretty bad.
conman33
Kansas City , MO
Total Comments (38)
how can you say never that good in the first place? i am a clevelander and i completely defy this article. it is much harder to have teams get so close and break your heart year after year. the cavs were destroyed in the nba finals, and were constantly dominated by jordan during the pinnacle of the franchise in the 90s. the indians lost TWO world series in the 90s and got beat by the red sox last year after being up in the series. THE BROWNS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM US IN THE 90S and this is a football town. then finally we get back on track after being the worst franchise in football and we get robbed of a playoffs birth. and this is only in the past 15 years.
never that good? there has been no city in pro sports that has more opportunities for a title and has had its heart ripped out time and time again. oh yeah, and we're only two hours from ohio state.....
schneider.360
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (28)
and of course, poetically ,the last title we won was before the super bowl so we can't even get the NFL to officially recognize it. just more salt in the wound for cleveland fans.
oh and how about the staff at si thinking we're only the second unluckiest sports city in america? i guess we'll never get first in anything....
schneider.360
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (28)
Wah Cleveland. We're talking about credible sports cities here. Where the hell is cleveland? in indiana? I mean come on you name your football team after what i see in the toilet after eating a cheese steak.
HighFlyin5
Bensalem , PA
Total Comments (2)
I wouldn't expect some one from Philadelphia to be good at geography.
What the hell kind of name are Phillies or Flyers? At least the Browns are named after someone.
kevin0601
Chardon , OH
Total Comments (8)
wow, that might be the most ignorant post i've ever read.
schneider.360
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (28)
Cleveland has it worse. No Question. The Catch (Mays in 54), The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, Mesa's debacle in the 97 World Series, and the Browns moving to Baltimore and then winning a superbowl. Philadelphia at least has a title in the last 30 years. I would even argue that Buffalo has it worse than Philly. Four straight superbowl losses must be gut wrenching. Whoever wrote this article should be demoted.
Giusto5
Total Comments (1)
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