The 2019 State of Philadelphia Sports: Dawn of a Golden Age?
The wait is over. Bryce Harper has put pen to paper, and officially become the newest young superstar in the city of Philadelphia. This painfully drawn out free agency saga, in which both Harper, and Manny Machado were initially low-balled by teams’ offers, ends with both players slated to earn more than $300 million in their respective deals. Phillies fans waited for months with baited breath to see if owner John Middleton would make good on his promise to spend “stupid money,” and though it took longer than most expected or desired, the Phils finally got their man. This concludes an exciting offseason where the team added some star power in addition to Harper, who will join a lineup that already includes fellow outfielder Andrew McCutchen, catcher J.T. Realmuto, and shortstop Jean Segura. The Phillies also added veteran All-Star reliever David Robertson to bolster the back of their bullpen. Oh and don’t forget about that Rhys Hoskins guy.
For a team that was in first place most of the summer in 2018, these kind of moves immediately open a window of contention. Add Harper to that already impressive mix? Citizens Bank Park is going to be rocking for years to come, and fans should expect the return of “Red October,” come postseason time.
It's on. pic.twitter.com/wFaGQRXIo3
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 2, 2019
The 2010’s haven’t been particularly kind to the “core four” of Philadelphia’s sports organizations. The Phillies won their last of five straight division titles from back in 2011, and were upset by the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in the NLDS. Every fan remembers watching Ryan Howard hit the ground in pain, tearing his Achilles while making the final out of the season. This would spell the beginning of the end for the dynasty that brought the city a World Series title in 2008, and the Fightin’ Phils haven’t seen the postseason since.
As far as the Flyers, following their miracle run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, the team has fluttered between success and disappointment. There’s been a revolving door in the head coach’s office that seems to open every 2-3 years since they parted ways with Peter Laviolette.
The Birds? Andy Reid’s “Dream Team” blew up in his face, and just two years ago the organization was still reeling from the lasting impact of Chip Kelly, Doug Pederson had gone 7-9 in his first year, and Carson Wentz’s top weapons included Dorial Green-Beckham and Nelson Agholor 1.0.
And then we have The Process. It may seem like decades prior, but just 7 years ago we watched Doug Collins’ squad, led by Andre Iguodola and Lou Williams surprisingly take down the Chicago Bulls, and battle the Boston Celtics to seven games. Then came several years in the Eastern Conference cellar, a few top injured draft picks, over 200 losses on Brett Brown’s resume, and the sacrifice of Sam Hinkie.
All this brought us to 2018. The Process finally came to fruition, the Phillies started to turn the corner on their rebuild, and every Philadelphia fan will remember where they were on the night of February 4th, 2018. What will be looked back on as one of the bleakest periods in the history of Philly sports is now firmly in the rear view mirror, and it appears we’re witnessing the dawn of a new golden age in Philadelphia.
The Eagles kicked it off by ending their lifelong Super Bowl drought. They followed it up with a down year, but overcame decimating injuries, won a road playoff game, and came within one Alshon Jeffery drop of the NFC title game. The Sixers culminated The Process, won a playoff series, and assembled their Big Four. Now Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler and co. are streaking toward a deep playoff run, and are primed to do so year after year. Since firing Dave Hakstol, the Flyers have climbed back into the playoff picture, and Carter Hart has been better than anyone could have expected out of a 20 year-old. And the Phillies made the more noise than anyone this offseason, and now boast what is arguably the most potent lineup in the National League.
So what is the state of Philadelphia sports? Well, the Phillies are ready to kick down the door back to the postseason, the Sixers finally have a team that will stand toe-to-toe with anyone in the NBA playoffs, and the Eagles, a year removed from bringing home the first Super Bowl in franchise history, have set themselves up with the kind of Head Coach/Quarterback combination that most teams dream about.
The list of current stars in the City of Brotherly Love goes on and on… Joel Embiid, Carson Wentz, Rhys Hoskins, Carter Hart, Tobias Harris, Bryce Harper, Alshon Jeffery, Claude Giroux, Aaron Nola, Jimmy Butler, Fletcher Cox etc. And with three of the four team’s currently established a legitimate title contenders, and the Flyers seemingly not far behind, that number could grow even larger.
It appears as if Bryce Harper would like some company in Philadelphia 👀
(via @LeVeonBell) pic.twitter.com/HOYtBKsPM6
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 1, 2019
Bottom line: fans are in for some exciting new memories down on Pattison Avenue. Philly Phaithful should buckle up and enjoy the ride.
