Next Year

I was going to wait until next year to start this site, but then I realized something. As a Philadelphia sports fan, I’ve been waiting for "next year" since the spring of 1983, when Julius Erving and the Sixers won the NBA Championship.

I thought "next year" was October 1983, when the Phillies knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers to advance to the World Series.

They lost to the Orioles in five games.

I thought "next year" was 1985, when the Flyers faced Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals.

The Oilers prevailed in five games.

I thought "next year" was 1987, when the Flyers and rookie goaltender Ron Hextall beat the Rangers, Islanders, and Canadiens in the Wales Conference playoffs and earned a Stanley Cup finals rematch with the dynastic Oilers.

Edmonton won in seven games in one of the most closely contested finals ever.

I thought "next year" was 1993, when the Fightin’ Phils, led by Lenny "Nails" Dykstra, Darren "Dutch" Daulton and the modern-day Gas House Gang tore through the National League and defeated the Braves in the NCLS.

Then Joe F. Carter took Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams deep in Game Six of the World Series and the Toronto Blue Jays won their second consecutive championship.

I thought "next year" was 1997, with Eric Lindros centering the "Legion of Doom" line and captaining the Flyers to the Cup Finals.

The Flyers were swept by the Detroit Red Wings.

I thought "next year" was 2001, when Allen Iverson carried the 76ers to the NBA Finals for a battle with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and a Los Angeles Lakers team that hadn’t lost a playoff game during the Western Conference playoffs.

Despite winning Game 1 (with Iverson stepping over Tyronne Lue after draining a jumper), the Sixers lost in five games.

I thought "next year" was 2004, when Donovan McNabb and the Eagles finally put all of the pieces together and won the NFC Championship. The Eagles would face the New England Patriots in Jacksonville, Florida in February 2005.

McNabb threw three interceptions in the Patriots’ 24-21 win.

Since then, the city hasn’t come close to winning a major sports championship, leading some to call Philadelphia the most tortured sports city. And sometimes it seems like "next year" isn’t happening.

But there’s hope.

The Phillies hadn’t reached the playoffs since 1993. That was until NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and the 2007 Phils won the NL East on the season’s final day. I know they lost in the first round, but the Phillies have the look of a contender for many years to come with Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels all entering the prime of their careers.

After finishing their 40th anniversary campaign with their worst season in franchise history, the Flyers have rebuilt through trades and free agency and are currently tied atop the loaded Atlantic Division of the NHL. Many of their key players are young enough that they figure into the Flyers’ long-term plans.

While the McNabb era in Philadelphia may be nearing its end, the Eagles have established themselves well for the future, with team MVP Brian Westbrook the focal point. Always prudent in terms of the salary cap, the Eagles will be able to add pieces and extend that proverbial window of opportunity.

The Sixers…well, at least they finally fired Billy King and seem committed to turning things around.

The bottom line is, I think this city is due (overdue, really) for an ascent to the top of the sports world in the near future. And as a Philly fan, I can't wait.

So, who’s next?