For the third straight year, we're honored to have long-time reader and commenter extraordinaire thekrisheim here to post his Philly sports year in review. His previous editions can be reviewed here and here, and they're definitely worth a look back before you head out tonight or while you try to wait out that hangover tomorrow morning.
Have fun tonight, party good, and make it home safe. With that, we turn the floor over to thekrish...
Things are good, really good.
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Take a look around, a look back, relive it, enjoy it, cherish it, because it hasn’t been this good in a long time. Bona fide superstars on 3 of the 4 teams, franchises locking up talent for years to come, always part of the ongoing 24/7/365 sports conversation, and, most importantly, optimism abounds in Philadelphia.
The support we show and the passion we bring is being rewarded on and off the field. 2010 didn’t bring us a parade and probably brought more heartache than celebrations, but the difference is we appreciate it now. Unlike anytime in the last several decades, if the team doesn’t reach its ultimate goal, the statement is that they will be back—and people actually believe it. Sure, the anger and pessimism is still there and our fandom and behavior will continue to be called into question (which is well deserved), but call me crazy, but I think we’re able to turn the page much more easily now. It is always going to be easier to rattle off 10 things you hate about Andy Reid than to list his 10 biggest strengths, but for the most part we’re a lot more positive in the 215 (I think). In large par, it's because of things like these:
Top 5 Wins of the Year
5. These
News
4. Were
3. The
2. Most
1. Fun
Top 4 Losses of the Year
4. No
3. Parades
2. This
1. Year
Fan Behavior
The Phillies bandwagon is out of control - Cliff Lee is back, the team has sold out 100+ straight home games, and the fans even help sell out some away games.
Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park are now social events, and like any good party, they’re are plenty of people there only to do stupid stuff. The empty seats and choruses of “boos” have now been replaced with fans (who pay their own money and have every right to be there) that somehow make us feel weird, mad, or, during the good times, make us laugh…
- The newbie “Superfan” who takes fandom to the uncomfortable level
- Attention Whore Asshole Who Is A Terrible Dresser
- The Drunks! Jetro! Flip Cup! “I don’t have tickets, I’m here for the tailgate and vomiting!”
- The Happy Couples. You see them all around the stadium. The guy loves that his girlfriend wants to go to the game and is into the sport, but maybe the only thing they have in common right now is the team.
The Year In Philadelphia Sports Fan You Tube *Non-Flyers edition
Top 5 You Tube Clips From Game 7 Flyers/Bruins
- Behind The Bench, Gonna Fight Edition
- “Fucking Nuts"
- History Will Be Made
- Escalators
- Gagne Goal
The Season-Long Halladay
Roy Halladay is the biggest athlete in Philadelphia and his acquisition was the biggest trade in this town in years. Halladay chose to come to Philadelphia & took only a 3-year extension (just like Cliff did, people forget that) and expectations were high and he over delivered. Halladay not only went out and piled up numbers and another Cy Young, but was on the mound for the biggest games.
Really, Really Dumb Non-Stories That Made It On TV And The Radio
- The Eagles do stuff to take away from the Phillies – This has to be one of the dumbest, most manufactured news stories of the last two years. People who perpetuate this line of thinking are not smart, that’s right – you’re not. Beat reporters who joke about it only make it worse. Jeffrey Lurie is not Mr. Burns, he does not sit in a dark room with pangs of jealousy plotting ways to get on the back page of the Daily News. Teams are teams, announcements are announcements, they happen sporadically and sometimes out of people’s control due to the press or leaks.
- “Spit On That Star”
- Michael Vick is “late” for the Atlanta game.
- Pukeman goes National
- Captain Janks
The Year In Donovan McNabb
- He got traded to where?
- He said what?
- He got how much money?
- He was benched for whom?
- He didn’t get booed?
Forgotten One
The 76ers are arguably the town’s winningest and most successful franchise, but times are bad. Really bad. Playing in a highlight reel-driven league where TV and your superstar dictate everything, the hometown team is severely lacking in the “It’s Fantastic!” department. It probably wasn’t a good sign when the # 1 draft pick, who dresses like this, signs with a Chinese shoe company, and the coach misses games due to vertigo of all things. What’s there to say about this team? They’re desperate. They’re boring.
Perfect Pitch
2010 was really, really, really the year people in the good ol' USA started to care about Soccer – no really - and in Philadelphia it was in CHESTER. Haters gonna hate and count me in as one that expected the Union to bomb, but the town added a new love this year and it wasn’t just limited to the Union. The world’s most popular sport held the biggest tournament in the world this year and the USMNT held its send off in a near capacity Linc (let's agree to forget the friendly at PPL).
The Supporting Cast
Not everyone has Scott Boras as an agent and their own TV Show. These guys not only contributed amazing blog fodder, but also came into Philadelphia and overachieved.
Year In Photos
Enrico and Matt love them some Flickr, but here are the year’s best snapshots…
Deserved Recognition
- Jamie Moyer remains the classiest, most forthright and most charitable athlete in our city.
- Samuel Dalembert was a headcase on the court, his time in a 76ers uniform could be described as erratic at best, but he exhibited two of the best personal decisions of the past year by bringing attention to the earthquake in Haiti and taking a red eye to Phil Jasner's funeral.
- The700Level + Comcast = the Delco boys go all professional and probably even have a real IT Department supporting them now. (Eds: Riiiiight)
Shout Outs
To those who we won’t forget…
Jonathan Broxton, keep coming back now, ya hear…
Bob Davidson, “Thanks”
Cody Ross – A song for you.
LeSean & Desean Dancing
Iggy -
Robin Roberts, you’ll be missed.
Predictions for 2011
The Flyers Win The Stanley Cup
Boosh is in the net, Ed Snider’s ego inflates to stratospheric proportions and the city gets a parade.
ESPN Philly dot com
Top 10 market with a top 3 baseball team, Mike Vick and a fanbase that will buy “Merry Cliffmas” T-shirts – it’s coming. My guess would be they lure away some key local talent and find a home for the local @Sportsguy33, John Gonzalez.
Jamie Moyer Officially Retires
Ever try to argue with an old person? They’re stubborn and right now Jamie’s stubbornness is mixed with his deluded sense of worth in Baseball, but sooner or later he will wise up, the rehab will be too much and he’ll come to his senses and join the Phillies in a non-player position.
Doug Collins Quits
The 76ers don’t play on National TV. Collins will watch too many National TV games and remember how good he had it. Citing health concerns and one too many stares down to the end of his bench, Collins packs it in and the 76ers will once again be in the market for a new coach (Jay Wright?).
Domonic Brown Is A Semi-Bust
He’s on the best team in the NL, replacing a guy fans loved, if he isn’t hitting .270 by May the pressure is gonna be on. I’ll leave the advance scouting to OneChair but I cant help but think that Brown could be just another Wes Chamberlain.
The Eagles Do What The Eagles Do
They create controversies, give the right guys contracts (Vick? Jackson?) and play the potential Lockout situation perfectly. Let’s hope one of these years the offseason doesn’t start until the second week in February.