The Phillies are in the midst of a playoff battle that has gripped the city with anticipation. The Eagles are currently undefeated and the Philadelphia Union are tracking down a trophy of their own. Has there ever been a better time to be a Philadelphia sports fan?
Whether you’re a 5/5 die-hard or someone who just casually watches the Birds on a Sunday, this City truly has something for everyone right now. Don’t believe me, just look at the current state of affairs.
Philadelphia Union
They may be the newest team in Philadelphia, having only been founded in 2010, but success is beginning to find one of the most exciting teams in MLS. After reaching the Semi-Final of the ‘MLS is Back Tournament’ in 2020, they went on to finish top of the league and win their first ever Suporters Shield.
Fast forward to 2022 and they set a club record for the biggest margin of victory ever against D.C United in a 7-0 romp, and look set to claim the Eastern Conference crown, with eyes on a second Supporters Shield in 3 years.
Sprinkle in the rise to stardom of former Union wonderkid, Brenden Aaronson, who now plays his soccer for Leeds United in the Premier League, and it’s hard not to fall in love with this team, its fans, and the current trajectory.
Homegrown heroes, silverware chases, and rivalries with all your favorite cities to hate – the Philadelphia Union may well be the hottest team in the City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia Eagles
The last time the Philadelphia Eagles went 5-0 was 2004. If you’re not all in already, it’s time to put on your warpaint.
It’s been a tumultuous road since the scintillating highs of Super Bowl 52. Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson were exiled and a new era has been ushered in. While it took some time for the wheels to get moving, a thunderous 2022 offseason set Nick Sirianni and his shiny and explosive QB, Jalen Hurts, up for success. So far, so good.
With one of the easiest schedules in football, a roster filled to the brim with young talent, oh, and a bevy of draft picks for the future (including the Saints’ 2023 first-rounder), the Eagles are out to show that they’re not just here to fluke a playoff appearance. They believe they can sustain success and begin an exciting new winning window in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies were easily one of the most exciting teams in baseball this year, but for the most chaotic reasons possible. They started off by going on an offseason spending spree to acquire as many dominant bats as possible. However, it didn’t take long for the wheels to fall off and for the team to fire Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start.
In stepped Rob Thomson. With a little bit of magic from Kyle Schwarber, a returning Bryce Harper after he battled injury, and the rise of Alec Bohm, the Phillies began to surge back through the summer and put themselves in a position to race for a wildcard spot.
The race itself was everything you would’ve expected it to be – an absolute mess. And that’s why we loved it so much. It feels like an eternity since that dreamy 2008 season when the Phillies last won a World Series, and somehow even longer since they last made the playoffs in 2011. But the wait was more than worth it because we got to enjoy the rise, fall, and then resurrection of a team that has just enough underdog status to drive everyone who’s not from Philadelphia absolutely crazy, and win the hearts of those who just can’t get enough of the Fightin’s.
Philadelphia 76ers
Much like the Phillies, the Sixers fell from grace a long time ago, but their road to redemption was an arduous one. Sam Hinkie’s now-infamous ‘process’ saw the team tank away game after game, season after season, to have a better shot at drafting franchise-altering players. One of those was Jahlil Okafor. Another was Ben Simmons. But the one who matters most is undoubtedly the man who should’ve won the MVP award last year, Joel Embiid.
Embiid has become the centerpiece of the team and has stood the test of time, whereas names like Simmons simply failed to. It wasn’t just players, either. Hinkie was expelled as GM and his replacements were given the boot after a strange Twitter scandle. What a time that was.
Daryl Morey stepped in as GM in 2020 following the bizarre meltdown as someone with a pedigree for building winning teams. Best known for his work with the Houston Rockets, it didn’t come as a surprise to anyone to see him rush for the phones to acquire James Harden when the opportunity first arose.
Harden joined a team that had just drafted Tyrese Maxey, who looks like he could be the next real young star in Philadelphia, and took an offseason pay cut to remain with the team and help them further build out the roster.
The Sixers have endured a lot of playoff heartbreak over the last five years. Whether it was the Ben Simmons-led collapse against the Hawks, or the gut-wrenching Kawhi buzzer-beater that shattered hearts everywhere, the Sixers have been through a lot. But with the team finally in a position where the bench is stable and Joel Embiid is surrounded by non-toxic talent that can enhance his game as opposed to dim the spotlight, this season could be one of the most fascinating in a long time.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are unquestionably the most unexciting team in Philadelphia and that in itself is heartbreaking. The era of the Broad Street Bullies, the joy of 1975, and even the exciting career of Claude Giroux feels like an eternity ago.
Chuck Fletcher preached a soft rebuild in the offseason only to leave the team with no cap space and flood the roster with aging vets and declining talent. Fans were left heartbroken after already having to stomach a 25-win season.
There are still some reasons for optimism, but the young talents of Carter Hart, Owen Tippett, and even Joel Farabee might not be enough to stop the ship from sinking this year.
