City of Champions
With the Philadelphia Phillies winning the 2008 National League pennant, the latest chapter has been written for a 'City of Champions.'
The Phillies are the reigning National League champions in Major League Baseball – first outlasting the competition to repeat as NL East Division winners, then beating the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers to win Philadelphia's first league pennant since 1993.
Our City's other championship in 2008 came courtesy of the Philadelphia Soul, who dethroned the San Jose SaberCats in the Arena Football League's ArenaBowl XXII – the franchise's first championship in its five years of existence. The victory inspired a rally at City Hall, featuring local heroes and owners Jon Bon Jovi and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski.
Since the turn of the millennia, the City of Brotherly Love has hosted winners in other sports. Moving to the Liacouras Center this year, the Philadelphia KiXX of the National Indoor Soccer League have won titles in 2002 and 2007. In addition, the Philadelphia Freedoms (the team that inspired Elton John's hit song "Philadelphia Freedom") ruled World Team Tennis in 2001 and 2006.
In the other major sports, Philadelphia teams have 'flown to victories,' too. We cheered on the Philadelphia Eagles to five division titles in the past decade, as well as a National Football Conference title and Super Bowl berth in 2004. In 2001, we rooted on the Philadelphia Sixers to the National Basketball Association Finals. And while the Philadelphia Flyers have not reached the Stanley Cup since 1997, they tout the second-best winning percentage in the history of the National Hockey League and are perennial contenders.
As Philadelphia continues to win championships, it is also the City that crowns champions. Since 2000, we have hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships, Senior PGA Championships, NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, ESPN X Games, and two Olympic Team Trials for the 2008 Beijing Games – Table Tennis and Gymnastics.
Looking towards the future, our City will host the US Women's Open (golf) in 2009, Tiger Wood's AT&T National in 2010 and 2011, NCAA Wrestling Championships in 2011, and U.S. Open (men's golf) in 2013.
Philadelphia is also the annual site for many championships. The Army-Navy Game has become a Philadelphia tradition at Lincoln Financial Field, and will take place on December 6. In May, the Schuylkill River hosts the largest American intercollegiate rowing championship, the Dad Vail Regatta.
The month of June brings two major cycling races – the Philadelphia International Championship (the culminating contest for the men's Triple Crown) and the Liberty Classic (the last leg of the women's Triple Crown).
And for the fleet-footed, we also have the Penn Relays, Broad Street Run, Philadelphia Distance Run, and Philadelphia Marathon.
No matter what the game or event, in the words of Jaworski, Philadelphia "has the greatest sports fans in America." The fourth-largest media market, Philadelphians embrace all of their teams – whether it is waving the "Phils Phan" towels at Citizens Bank Park or spontaneously singing "Fly Eagles Fly" on the street. No matter what anyone says, one fact remains irrefutable: the City of Brotherly Love pours its heart and soul into its sports teams.
The Curse of Billy Penn
Some sports fans believe that the Curse of Billy Penn casts a dark shadow over the city ? much like the statue of Pennsylvania?s founder looms atop City Hall. Fans believe this curse originates in 1987 with the construction of the One Liberty Place skyscraper behind Penn?s back (both literally and figuratively), which broke a longstanding gentlemen?s agreement that no building could surpass the tip of William Penn?s hat on his statue. Today, many buildings rise high above City Hall. In the spring of 2008, Philadelphia?s new tallest tower ? the Comcast Center ? was completed. When the architects finished, they placed a figurine statue of William Penn atop the skyscraper hoping to reverse Philadelphia?s sports fortunes.
There are 12 cities in the United States that host franchises in all four of the major sports. For more than a quarter-century, 11 of those cities have won at least one championship from one of those teams. The odd city out is Philadelphia, which has not boasted a champion since the Sixers in 1983. Do the math, and you can count more than 100 combined failed seasons between the four major Philadelphia teams.
