Epic games tend to have epic names. All of them are triggering for the teams and fan bases that had to endure the pain of those occasional disasters and the reminder every time the highlights are shown, while others revel in the memories of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat usually in the form of some modern day miracle.
The Music City Miracle, Hail Flutie, The Immaculate Reception, The Minneapolis Miracle are at the top of the football hierarchy’s nickname list, virtually all ending in some stunning fashion that still leaves our mouths agape even for those with no skin in those games.
The Philadelphia Eagles have had their share of unfortunate big games that went awry but have also had a plethora of epic games that went their way, most, but not all of them against NFC East opponents – Miracle at the Meadowlands I, II and III, The Bounty Bowl, The Body Bag Game, 4th and 26, The Double Doink. The last two were divisional round games versus the Packers and Bears respectively.
But on the flip side there are two that stick in the memories of Philadelphians that thwarted great expectations for those respective teams and derailed their Super Bowl hopes. There was the now famous Fog Bowl of 1988 that saw (or didn’t see) the Eagles get knocked off by the Chicago Bears after a mysterious fog enveloped Soldier Field at half time and cancelled out a 400 + yards game for Randall Cunningham.
Bad Hair Cut
Getty ImagesPHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 19: The Philadelphia Eagles bench watch as Cornerback Ronde Barber #20 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs for a touchdown after intercepting a pass by Quarterback Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game at Veterans Stadium on January 19, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Buccaneers defeated the Eagles 27-10. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
I think the locals have gotten over that one but to a fan I can tell you that this town might never get over what will forever be known as the Ronde Barber game. It was the NFC Title game back in January of 2003 in the very last game at the Vet, with a trip to the show on the line. Barber picked off Donovan McNabb with just under four minutes left and took it back 92 yards to seal a 27-10 Tampa Bay victory and punched the Bucs ticket to the Super Bowl that year. But that nightmare could actually take a back seat to a potential new one this coming Sunday.
As an Eagles division rival the Commanders are probably the least hated behind the Cowboys and the Giants. All of that could change quickly though as Sunday’s game between the Birds and Commanders has a unique sidebar to it, that win or lose, has Birds’ fans already irritated and sour.
If you live in Philly and are a 76ers fan you’re probably not real thrilled about the team’s current state that is bereft of optimism for the immediate future. Without getting into too many details I’m guessing that you’re acutely aware that the “process” has been an utter disaster complete with a legit Sisyphus feel to it and is pretty much on life support as the success of the team has been directly tied to the deteriorating health of their enigmatic franchise piece in one Joel Embiid for the last 11 years.
The promise of The Process has run its course for the Sixers. They are dropping in their approval rating by the second in the hierarchy of things Philadelphians care about, and with it the front office as well as the ownership. In case you haven’t heard, a guy by the name of Josh Harris is the majority owner of the Sixers and quite frankly, he hasn’t done all that needs to be done to put his hoops team on a path to a championship. His basketball team has never made it out of the second round in an increasing humiliating fashion.
Well it just so happens the guy who just bought the Commanders last year goes by the same name. It’s not a coincidence but could be a nightmare because Harris has turned more of his attention to his football team and is one win away from taking over a four-win team last year and going to the Super Bowl the next, with a Philly rival mind you.
While he’s done some good things as the 76ers owner, the team has always been chaotic under his auspices. Harris completely botched the “process” when he let NBA Commissioner Adam Silver get involved and then subsequently downgraded then general manager Sam Hinkie to Bryan Colangelo.
When Colangelo was hired as his father was running the team, the term “optics” was thrown around a lot. That day the optics were horrendous and almost a decade later the optics are still out of sync with Harris.
Philadelphia loves its sports, and is a very provincial place. He knows that and yet Harris owns the Sixers and two other rival franchises, the Commanders and the New Jersey Devils. He also made a bid on the New York Mets when they were up for sale. He’s sitting on a pretty sweet portfolio, but unless it translates into championships here in Philadelphia then no one cares about his W-2.
More Magic?
Getty ImagesSP.0512.Magic.JK1980 file photo of LA Laker Earvin “Magic” Johnson attempts to pass around Philadelphia 76ers Julius Erving during game 6 of the NBA championships in Philadelphia. (Photo by Joe Kennedy/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Right now Harris is viewed as a non-virtuous enemy but if the Commanders win this weekend and Harris is accepting the NFC Championship trophy as a visitor, on Lincoln Financial Field soil, just a few hundred yards from where his basketball team plays, all Hell will break loose as he will immediately morph into the anti-christ, the next in line of a common enemy that Philadelphians can love to hate until the next purveyor of the apocalypse comes along.
But at least they can doll out the hate as they see fit because lest we forget that Magic Johnson is a Commanders’ minority owner. Do I really have to remind Philly fans about Game 6 of the NBA Finals in 1980 when Magic was a rookie filling in for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and torched the Sixers for 42 points and 15 rebounds to take the crown on Spectrum hardwood? Didn’t think so. Grudge on Philly!
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Sixers’ Owner to Become Anti-Christ Should Eagles Lose to Commanders Sunday