All of the negatives may be true to an extent but here's the great advantage for Philadelphia which I believe puts it at the top echelon of cities in the Northeastern U.S. Housing prices for modestly prosperous working class folks are affordable. New York City, Boston, Washington, I think not.
2
I'm glad to see Mr. Longman has come home for the holidays, but it's rather clear by this piece--one in a long trail disparaging Philadelphia (he called the city "irrelevant" in 2003, during the Sixers playoff run)--that his view of this city (through the lens of sports, at least) was framed long ago. It's frankly tired, and wrong. We Philadelphians love our teams and are particularly sad that the owners of the Sixers have robbed us of decent pro basketball. But to handpick some disgruntled fans (in one small part of the city) and to purposely deflate the success of our teams (the Phillies won the W.S. in 2008, yes, but they also dominated their division for the next four seasons), reveals more about the writer than the city. Instead of watching, sports loving Philadelphians are out running, skating, swimming, biking, playing soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, kickball, ultimate, bocce, tennis, court tennis (yes), and rowing, etc. We're rather more likely to celebrate a new link in the Schuylkill River Trail then care if the Union (which has somehow caught the mediocrity disease, if it such a notion was anything but sports writer nonsense) has made the playoffs.
Hey, the sixers are 2/3 with Ish Smith. Maybe now they'll now be just bad instead of a pit of sorrow.
We Philadelphians who wotnessed the continental congresses and Second Bank of the United States are especially outraged by the Eagles' failure to have won a super bowl.
1
Philadelphia is a great American city, totally unique in many ways. I would encourage all to come and be surprised!
4
My company's home office is in Philadelphia. It's a wonderful city. As a New York Giants fan however, I feel entitled to a tiny bit of smugness. One day I jokingly told a Philly co worker 'The Eagles will never win a Super Bowl in your lifetime.' He looked at me with a pained and woeful stare. 'Please don't say that,' he said almost breathlessly. I almost felt bad about it...... Almost.
We musn't overlook The Curse of the Pitbull, a seven-year malediction pronounced on the Eagles for hiring Michael Vick, a confessed torturer of dogs.
Vick used pliers to pull the teeth from a conscious dog, attached jumper cables to the ears of another.
When Vick was brought to Philadelphia by the feckless Andy Reed, the Curse was initiated-no super bowls, no world series, no championships.
Vick used pliers to pull the teeth from a conscious dog, attached jumper cables to the ears of another.
When Vick was brought to Philadelphia by the feckless Andy Reed, the Curse was initiated-no super bowls, no world series, no championships.
7
Kudos to the author for leaving out the tired cliche about Eagles fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus. It is rare to find a national sportswriter or broadcaster who can resist it.
4
Hockey anyone? This Flyers fan is disappointed the sport was not mentioned even though the team has a proud, winning history. I'm a transplant from the midwest, but will be a loyal Flyers fan wherever I live. Greatest game on earth.
Philadelphia reminds me of that middle child always competing for the attention against the older and the youngest of the family.
1
I was at a Phillies-Mets game in Philly a few years back and Jose Reyes, sliding into second base for a steal, hit his head on Chase Utley's knee and was knocked out cold (though thankfully his chest was resting on the bag so he was safe, at least). About five full minutes passed before he stirred and, as he was gently helped to his feet, about 75% of the crowd booed (the other 25% were in Mets blue and orange). Philly. Great city, brutal sports fans. They're getting what they deserve and may the winless streaks continue.
3
It would be nice to say that the fans could change it by not showing up, but the strength of the leagues means that even tbe pathetic Sixers have tripled in value while setting records for multiple-season futility.
Philly fans are unique. We happily stand in the cold all day to watch the Mummers -- it will happen tomorrow, as usual (except snow and ice are NOT predicted this time).
Personally, I'm a Philadelphian who continues to be a sports participant but dropped out of spectator sports -- not all of us care about what happens with some overpaid player or coach who is not really one of us anyhow. The Mummers -- now that's Philadelphia.
Personally, I'm a Philadelphian who continues to be a sports participant but dropped out of spectator sports -- not all of us care about what happens with some overpaid player or coach who is not really one of us anyhow. The Mummers -- now that's Philadelphia.
3
As they sing in the musical 1776, set in Philadelphia:
"Foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy, Philadelphia!"
And of course, as favorite son W. C. Fields didn't say on his tombstone:
"Better here than Philadelphia."
To which I can only add:
"Yo! Adrian!"
"Foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy, Philadelphia!"
And of course, as favorite son W. C. Fields didn't say on his tombstone:
"Better here than Philadelphia."
To which I can only add:
"Yo! Adrian!"
1
I think W.C. Fields summed up the city best - when facing the rope he said he would rather be in Philadelphia.
Other than greasy cheese steaks and a cracked bell, it offers little to those traveling between NYC and DC.
Other than greasy cheese steaks and a cracked bell, it offers little to those traveling between NYC and DC.
1
“There’s a tendency to think of ourselves as being in the shadow of New York and Washington,” said Edward G. Rendell, 71, a former mayor of Philadelphia and governor of Pennsylvania....
Gov. Rendell - as a Philly native who has lived in DC for a long time, I can tell you that Philly is a much better city than Washington, DC. DC isn't a real city at all - it's like a Disneyland version of a city.
Gov. Rendell - as a Philly native who has lived in DC for a long time, I can tell you that Philly is a much better city than Washington, DC. DC isn't a real city at all - it's like a Disneyland version of a city.
3
New Yorkers aint feelin any better either.
Knicks are a joke, and has been for long, long time.
The Yankees season lasted just one day longer than the Phillies after missing the playoff for two years. And it will be another ten years before they win anything meaningful.
The Mets made it all the way to WS, after decades lingering in mediocrity, then promptly defeated by the Royals.
The Giants are now the Raiders/Chargers of the east
The JETS are barely coming out of long coma
The Rangers/Islanders...oh. Never mind
Happy New Year
Knicks are a joke, and has been for long, long time.
The Yankees season lasted just one day longer than the Phillies after missing the playoff for two years. And it will be another ten years before they win anything meaningful.
The Mets made it all the way to WS, after decades lingering in mediocrity, then promptly defeated by the Royals.
The Giants are now the Raiders/Chargers of the east
The JETS are barely coming out of long coma
The Rangers/Islanders...oh. Never mind
Happy New Year
3
New York?
Well, how about the Dodgers?
Oh, yeah, I forgot.
Well, how about the Dodgers?
Oh, yeah, I forgot.
At least it takes some of the pressure off Cleveland
3
Philly sports fans are passionate to the point of being irrational. I asked two friends from Philly this question: If your son was the quarterback of an NFL team playing the Eagles, which team would you root for? Without hesitation, each of them replied, "The Eagles," Astonished, I said "You would root against your own son?" They looked at me like I was crazy.
13
Oh my, what a surprise. Another NYT article bashing Philadelphia and its sports teams. I was positively shocked by the whole Philly positive paragraph in the article- must've slipped by the editor. What is it with New York's inferiority complex?
I left Philadelphia for Maryland in 2000 and have enjoyed the success of the Ravens, and now Orioles. But the Eagles, Flyers and Phillies of my childhood will always own my heart. Philly fans are ever devoted.
I left Philadelphia for Maryland in 2000 and have enjoyed the success of the Ravens, and now Orioles. But the Eagles, Flyers and Phillies of my childhood will always own my heart. Philly fans are ever devoted.
10
[[What is it with New York's inferiority complex?]]
New York is superior to "Philly" in every possible category.
New York is superior to "Philly" in every possible category.
1
Ask Bill Burr what he thinks of Philadelphia. You'll die laughing.
3
I live in a "winning" town and yet I'm a fan of my Philadelphia teams exclusively…losses and all. I can remember watching the Phillies and Flyers (the Broad Street Bullies) win it all and when they did we got out the pots and ladles, opened the front door and banged them with joy! As did everyone else in the neighborhood. That's how sweet it was and what we loyalists are looking forward to doing again. It will be worth the wait for sure.
9
Each state has one great city. Pennsylvania has Pittsburgh. Philly is a dump and its sports teams just reflect this reality.
2
Au contraire, I'm from the Philly area but I went to the University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a provincial little steel town, Philadelphia is the cradle of the United States! You should spend some time in Philadelphia, visit Independence Hall and maybe you will understand the significance of what took place there.
1
Can we please have some fairness about the cliche of the Phillies with 10,000 losses? After all, they have been around since 1883. Let's compare them to a New York team. During the Mets' existence since 1962, the Mets have lost an average of 82.9 games per season. Extrapolate that to the same number of seasons the Phillies have been playing, and you get 11,000+ losses for the Mets. Don't turn the Phillies' antiquity against them.
21
You're talking about he Mets, right? The team that was in the World Series this year? The team that finished 27 games ahead of the Phlllies, right? I just waned to be sure I got that right.
1
Using your logic, the NY Mets have won more World Series than the Phillies although both teams have only won 2 since 1962.
Nice try, but you cannot compare what the Mets might do in the future against the reality of what the Phillies have already accomplished.
Nice try, but you cannot compare what the Mets might do in the future against the reality of what the Phillies have already accomplished.
1
The Phillies, the third oldest franchise, were the first to reacb 10000 losses. Many have since done so -- Braves, Cubs, Pirates, Reds-- and the rest are right behind.
1
They don't call it LOSERDELPHIA for nothing.
3
No one calls it that except you.
19
Ive been living and working in Phila for my entire life. I remember the whiz kids and the 60 Eagles. I listen to sprots radio almost every day. I never heard anyone call it this except you.
19
I do feel for our cross-state rival, but for a city that has had the state's funding machine at it's disposal since time in memorial it has done so poorly with it. Their ownership has been transient and their fan base fickle. Luck defines some of the issues but their ownership breeds the biggest defeats.
Look to the Steelers vs. Pirates. Good owners make a bigger difference than most.
Look to the Steelers vs. Pirates. Good owners make a bigger difference than most.
7
The Pirates? You gotta be kidding me. Just prior to the last couple of years they had twenty consecutive years of sub-500 baseball. And, that with a lot of number one draft picks because they were so bad.....
You're absolutely right. Good owners do make a difference. Case in point. Just compare the ownership of the Flyers to the Penguins, whom you conveniently forgot to mention. Blessed with an ownership that went bankrupt, a player, Maroi Lemieux, had to buy the team. And the current Pirstes ownership...please don't even talk about them and their 18 year losing streak. Pittsburgh, bah humbug!
The "state's funding machine at it's [sic] disposal?"
That comment betrays complete ignorance as to how state politics in Pennsylvania work, where Philadelphia is perennially overtaxed and underfunded in return. PA legislators tend to deride Philadelphia and dismiss its concerns even as they benefit from its economy and the taxes it puts into state coffers.
That comment betrays complete ignorance as to how state politics in Pennsylvania work, where Philadelphia is perennially overtaxed and underfunded in return. PA legislators tend to deride Philadelphia and dismiss its concerns even as they benefit from its economy and the taxes it puts into state coffers.
2
I'm convinced it's Philadelphia Sports Radio and Philadelphia Sports media which is killing Philadelphia sports teams, I've never seen a more negative, pompous group of so called sports know it alls who do nothing more than rag non-stop about anything they can find to fill air time. It's funny how you take a market like New York and have a team with the same record and the media and news papers are't throwing the team or the players under the bus like Philadelphia sports media... Yes Philadelphia got what we deserve.
24
That is such a loser attitude. Actually Phila is a pretty vibrat place, as the NYT has recognized on several occassions http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/01/11/travel/52-places-to-go-in-...
7
I know it's been discounted lately but it seemed to be the truth and if so, that might explain the bad karma in Philly.