201220931
Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins sealed a playoff berth for the Flyers and filled me with immense pride for our hockey heroes. There are those who have barked and will continue to say “So what?” since the team sealed the eighth and final Eastern Conference postseason invitation, earning the club a matchup against the top-seeded Washington Capitals, but that win and its predecessors show that these players and this coaching staff have heart. Who cares what number seed appears by their name come tonight’s opener? When mid-April hits, these squads are equals.
The triumph over the Penguins, easily my most loathed NHL franchise, led me to think about other times when I have found myself thrilled to call myself a Philadelphia sports fan. Here is a list of such moments.
10) The 76ers resign Elton Brand: The power forward is five days older than I am, so I have always felt this pull toward following his hoops career. When he came to the 76ers in 2008, I applauded the addition and wished him well when the team parted with him four years later. Since the once-proud club has become the league’s laughingstock, I nodded on Jan. 4 when then-general manager and president of basketball operations Sam Hinkie signed the two-time All-Star to be a positive influence on its young roster members. Will the 37-year-old be back come this fall? While the nice guy will not finish first if he returns, I think his class puts him far above most of the NBA’s supposed role models.
9) The Eagles throttle the Cowboys: The previous sentence has happened quite often lately, but I am referring specifically to Sept. 3, 2000, as the Birds opened their season with a 41-14 road annihilation of their NFC East Rival. It set the tone for an 11-5 season, signaled their rejuvenation as a championship contender, and irked thousands of Cowboys fans.
8) Matt Stairs takes Broxton deep: On Oct. 13, 2008, Matt Stairs made middle-aged men proud by crushing an eighth-inning offering from Jonathan Broxton in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. Two days after the 7-5 win in Los Angeles, the Phils punched their ticket to the World Series with a 5-1 triumph at Dodger Stadium.
7) The Flyers acquire Eric Lindros: Oh, what might have been! The Flyers acquired the 19-year-old star on June 30, 1992, with an arbitrator ruling that they had cemented a trade with the Quebec Nordiques before the hated New York Rangers. Three seasons into my fandom but with no playoff games to speak of, I immediately saw Lindros as a savior and loved his style of play. Unfortunately, injuries and disagreements with management would come to mark his tenure here, and he ended up with the Rangers after all in a 2001 trade. Nevertheless, he made me the very proud owner of an 88 jersey.
6) The Sixers make the NBA Finals: The entire 2000-’01 campaign for the Philadelphia 76ers is etched in my brain, especially as its conclusion coincided with my college graduation. Having nurtured a serious dislike for the Los Angeles Lakers, I believed our guys would win the championship, but Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and company vanquished them in five games. That club won more games than the last three 76ers teams combined. Think about that.
5) The Eagles convert on 4th and 26: Freddie Mitchell is serving jail time for tax fraud, but on Jan. 11, 2004, he cashed in on his potential by gaining 28 yards on a catch from Donovan McNabb as the Birds faced the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field. The fourth-quarter grab set up a game-tying field goal and helped the team to carry the momentum into overtime, where another field goal sent the visitors back to Wisconsin.
4) The Eagles execute another miracle: Any loss by the New York Giants is a cause for celebration for me, and I was giddy Dec. 19, 2010 when the Eagles, trailing 24-10 entering the fourth quarter, scored four touchdowns in the final frame to grab a 38-31 victory. The final score, a 65-yard punt return by DeJean Jackson, came with no time left, meaning Eli Manning and his sour puss had to process the choke without any chance to make amends.
3) Roy Halladay tries on perfection: I had always wondered how Roy Halladay, who spent 12 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, would look in red pinstripes. On May 29, 2010, he looked absolutely flawless, throwing the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history against the Florida Marlins. It’s a great thing Doc was impeccable, as the Phils scored only one run for him.
2) The Phillies win the World Series: I know a few people who cannot recall a single loved one’s birthday or remember an anniversary yet know the significance of Oct. 29, 2008. With a strikeout of Eric Hinske, Brad Lidge completed a five-game World Series triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays and sent me and thousands of others to Broad Street to regale their efforts. Two days later, let’s just say a few more folks witnessed their parade and heard Chase Utley’s famous estimation of what the team had become.
1) The Flyers stun the Bruins: In the grand scheme, disliking a sports team does nothing for someone. That aside, I absolutely hate the Boston Bruins. Up three games to none in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, the Beantowners blew their series edge and completed their collapse in Game 7, during which they held a 3-0 lead, May 29, with Simon Gagne playing our hero. ■
Contact Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
