Bigger Than Tastycakes and Cheesesteaks

I’m used to the jokes and the jeers and the Philadelphia haters but I will admit that for an outsider, Philadelphia is a tough little city to understand.  It is often the forgotten middle child falling in between the great metropolis of New York City and the epicenter of our government otherwise known as Washington, DC.  It’s the city that’s accustomed to heartbreak and constantly watching Pittsburgh, our step sibling to the west, flash their black and yellow from the route of a championship parade.  This may be how the world sees us but for those who claim the city of brotherly love as home, we know otherwise.  To the inhabitants of this area, we are the prideful city constantly perched on the edge of greatness even if everyone else considers us nothing more than a stop on I-95 sandwiched between The City and The Capital City while sharing a turnpike with The City of Champions. 

The truth is that figuring out Philadelphia can be pretty black and white or better yet, red and white, green and black, or at this moment, black and orange.   The heart of a true Philadelphian is held by our sports teams.  The desire for sports greatness is bigger than our cravings for Tastycakes and cheesesteaks.  We fly and fall with the Eagles, deal with the constant mediocrity of the 76 Sixers, and put our high hopes on the shoulders of the Phillies but right now our championship dreams lie with our beloved Flyers.  Love hockey or hate hockey, if you cut anyone in this city open today, we will bleed black and orange.   

16 teams compete in the NHL playoffs; all with dreams of being the last team standing and the only team that gets to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Last year, the Flyers sniffed deeply and got a whiff of glory during their unbelievable and unexpected road to the finals but in the end were left with nothing more than the bitter taste of defeat in their mouths as they watched the Chicago Blackhawks dine on greatness on Philadelphia ice.  The will is there.  The want is there.  The desire is there.  But the question still remains, is that enough to bring the cup back to Broad Street? 

You may consider Philadelphia nothing more than a city with sibling rivalry and a sports problem but I prefer to call it home.  Maybe we are living in the shadows of those around us or maybe we have the will, the want and the desire for greatness but still come up short.  Regardless of the outcome, we will move on, change our colors and get ready to cheer a new chant because as one season ends, another begins.   We possess an unyielding loyalty that even through heartbreak, hope still remains.   Win or lose, we will always live to play another day. You may think a lot of things about Philadelphia but it's ok.  Underestimate us because that is when we thrive. The world may not know how great we are but they will. 

Tonight, dressed in my black and orange, I pray for a little greatness just like I have so many times before.  It’s game seven and in Philadelphia that means win or move on to 100% devotion to baseball season. 

“Philly fans are great. Everybody complains about them being the meanest. That may be true. But, at the same time, they're great because it does get you into the game." - Michael Strahan