Philadelphia Sports Has Found Its Feet Again

By George Kondoleon | May 22, 2016

May 20, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Union fan celebrates after a victory against the D.C. United at Talen Energy Stadium. The Union won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Philadelphia sports were looking pretty bleak just a few months ago, but now it may be looking more promising than anyone expected.

The world of Philadelphia sports has had probably some of it’s darkest days in the past year or so. The Phillies finished at the bottom of the MLB last season, the Eagles had their Chip Kelly-ignited collapse, the Sixers were the Sixers, the Flyers missed the playoffs, and the Union finished the standings at the worst position in their existence.

The fans who follow Philadelphia sports closely were unsurprisingly aggravated, upset, and looking for change. The city’s sports glory had fallen off since the great run from 2007-2011, and the all 5 teams of Philadelphia were looking lowly.

That trend has seemingly taken a 180 degree turn.

The Philadelphia Phillies have shocked the league with their hot start, finding them near the top of the NL East. The team has made smart moves to bolster their rotation, and have been led by an overachieving bullpen. The team is closing in on the typical Memorial Day Weekend landmark while still continuing their hot trend.

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And it’s not just a flash in the pan. The Phillies are looking like possibly the city’s most promising franchise. Maikel Franco is one of the best young power bats in the league, Aaron Nola‘s command is incredibly polished for his age, Cesar Hernandez has stayed consistent, and they are doing it all without outfielder Aaron Altherr.

This list hasn’t even mentioned the farm system. Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Roman Quinn, Jorge Alfaro, and J.P. Crawford are all promising prospects looking to break through the majors shortly and to make Philadelphia sports fans happier than ever.

The Philadelphia Eagles have some promising players of their own. After trading a haul of picks for QB prospect Carson Wentz, the future seems to look brighter than just a few short months ago. The Philadelphia Eagles have flooded the offense with young talent to try and match their incredible skill on defense.

Coach Doug Pederson must move the franchise from the tumultuous Chip Kelly-era, and the offseason moves that have been made make it seem like that era will be forgotten sooner than later.

The Philadelphia 76ers have moved on from the debated Sam Hinkie-Process era. Not to say it makes them more “promising”, but the new Bryan Colangelo regime does insinuate more winning sooner. What does make them promising was obtaining the first pick in the draft, allowing them to decide between to impact players in Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram.

The team has an influx of talent coming in. Dario Saric and Joel Embiid will finally be making their Sixers debut. Coach Brett Brown will seemingly finally be coaching a respectable roster, and the team may be in a better position today than ever.

The Philadelphia Flyers went from perceived bottom feeders, to playoff surprises and Philadelphia sports saviors. The beacon of life in Philadelphia sports will continue to shine thanks to core guys like Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, and Claude Giroux, but the promise lies with goalie Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.

The Philadelphia Flyers shouldn’t be looked at as bottom feeders much longer, and the team may be in the best position of all Philadelphia sports teams to become the closest to their league’s pinnacle.

The Philadelphia Union have been the city’s “other” team. Soccer becoming prominent in Philadelphia seemed to be an impossible task, but the Union may be making their way into the hearts of Philadelphia sports fandom.

The Union’s season did not go as planned, although the team got hot and recorded their second consecutive runner-up finish in the U.S. Open Cup.

The team has started their season with a respectable 5-3-3 start, putting them at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference. The team led by promising defender and hometown hero Keegan Rosenberry, the Union will surely continue to be a fun team to watch this season.

So, Philadelphia sports may not be in such an abysmal place after all. The Phillies and Flyers have overachieved and look promising, the Eagles are making the right moves to prevent themselves from being bottom-feeders, the Sixers are finally getting things to fall their way, and the Union are starting to make an impact in Philadelphia sports.

Next: 5 Best Starting Pitchers In Phillies History

It’s time for Philadelphia sports to be looking up, and the city should be gearing up for another great run.