Few things bring Philly together like sports. The city’s professional teams have had their share of ups and (many) downs. But lately the teams have been running like clockwork.
The Phillies are back in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The Eagles are 4-0 and the only undefeated team in the NFL. The Union of Major League Soccer sits atop the Eastern Conference and is preferred to reach the championship game. Meanwhile, the Sixers look poised to compete for a title after some outstanding off-season action. As for the Flyers, they still have Gritty.
Sport unites the Philadelphia region across the racial, political and economic divide, providing a welcome escape from everything but the incessant election and gambling commercials. When the teams win, it seems that the collective mood of the city and the region brightens.
Hardcore fans live and die by the Eagles. And lately life has been easy. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, just 24 years old, has stepped up his game and cleared the doubts many had about him before the season.
Last season, rookie coach Nick Sirianni was mocked for comparing the team to a flower that needs water and fertilizer to grow. After one loss, a fan threw a bunch of flowers at him.
» READ MORE: ‘I don’t think anyone can beat us right now’: Eagles are 4-0, proving they’re the NFL’s best | Marcus Hayes
As it turned out, Sirianni was right. The team is thriving.
The last time the Eagles started the season 4-0 was in 2004, when they went to the Super Bowl. Thanks to this year’s fast start, fans are dreaming of another Super Bowl parade like the one in 2018, which sent the city into turmoil for weeks. No pressure, guys.
The Phillies, on the other hand, spent a decade in the desert. After a series of waits for years to come, the Phillies will play their first playoff game in more than 4,000 days on Friday—the longest post-season absence in the National League.
Many young fans celebrated the end of the drought in the playoffs by posting on TikTok. The last time the Phillies were in the playoffs, TikTok didn’t exist.
To paint even more of a picture, the last time the Phillies were in the playoffs (2011), Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins were in the lineup. Donald Trump hosted Celebrity Apprentice. But the more things change, the more they stay the same: In 2011, gas prices were $4 a gallon.
Unlike the Whiz Kids of 1950, today’s Phillies are the Comeback Kids. The team was at 22-29 in early June and the season seemed lost. Manager Joe Girardi was fired and replaced by Rob Thomson, a bench coach who had never made it to the major leagues.
» READ MORE: The Drought Is Over: The Phillies secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2011
The Phillies thrived under Thomson’s calm approach, taking eight straight wins. Kyle Schwarber, who would have passed on to Phils’ scruffy World Series squad in 1993, started hitting home runs and several young players added a spark during the summer.
As the champagne was flowing in the locker room after the Phillies secured their place in the playoffs this week, Bryce Harper winked at the Philly faithful, whose team has won just two World Series in its 139-year history: “This is for the city. This is for the fans.”
Team owner John Middleton said the key attribute of success is “perseverance,” a trait the team and the city share. Then Middleton urged everyone to “enjoy” it. “This doesn‘t always happen.”
For now, let the good times roll.
