Dave Uram
Dave Uram is an update anchor and fill in host at SportsRadio 94 WIP. You can follow him (@MrUram).
We’re often very negative when it comes to Philadelphia sports. Or – so I don’t speak for others – I’m often extremely negative in regards to the sports scene in town.
It would be easy to focus my column on ripping Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor this week because playing him Monday night would be a recipe for disaster.
But, I honestly feel bad for the struggling former first-round pick. It’s also Thanksgiving. There’s no reason to start the day off in a bad mood before the Cowboys become 10-1.
So, I started thinking about why I became interested in Philadelphia sports. Even though I frequently highlight what’s wrong with these teams, I didn’t become immersed in this madness because of James Thrash, Derrick Coleman, Wayne Cashman and Kevin Sefcik. There were many people and moments that helped create this monster over a 28 year span.
From No. 10 to No. 1, here are the 10 reasons why I’m thankful for Philadelphia sports over the years. Please feel free to disagree.
And to give you fair warning, Randall Cunningham, Buddy Ryan and the great Eagles defense of the late ’80s and early ’90s are left off the list, because I was barely five years old by the time that era was over. Nonetheless, thank you to that group of people very worthy to make a list like this.
10. The Broadcasters
While Philadelphia lacks an abundance of championships, it doesn’t lack exceptional broadcasters.. From the late Harry Kalas, to Merrill Reese, Franzke and LA, Jim Jackson, Mark Zumoff, Tom McGinnis, Tom McCarthy, Tim Saunders and many others, the city is privileged.
They also follow a long line of broadcasters that I was too young to follow, but I’d be remiss without mentioning Richie Ashburn, Gene Hart and Bill Campbell. The stories I’ve heard about them prove they set the tone for those names mentioned above.
I’m probably missing some other broadcasters as well, but that just goes to show you how lucky Philadelphia is with the people behind the mic.
9. Ed Snider
I tried to think of a Flyers player to put into my Top 10, but I couldn’t. Not one Flyer resonated with me growing up. Despite the Orange and Black always competing in the playoffs, the teams from the ’90s on up never reached the Stanley Cup as many times as the squads from the 70s and 80s. Those teams captivated the city much more than the Eric Lindros, Keith Primeau, Jeremy Roenick, Mike Richards and Claude Giroux squads.
However, I love Flyers hockey. I love going to the games. It’s the best sport to watch in person. So, I’m thankful for the late Ed Snider creating the Flyers and bringing the great sport of hockey to Philadelphia. Also, there’s no question the man wanted to win at all costs. I never got the impression that there wasn’t a dollar he would spend. Mr. Snider deserves all the credit for making hockey a part of this city. Thanks, Ed.
8. Donovan McNabb
I can’t believe Donovan McNabb made this list.
There are few former Philadelphia athletes that annoy me more today than “Number 5.” He’s passive aggressive and overly sensitive when it comes to how he was “treated” in Philly. Booing him at the draft was wrong and that was acknowledged, but then there’s the Super Bowl and the vomit incident. What’s so funny about the situation is, McNabb would be embraced for following his puking moment with a touchdown. Embrace it, Donovan!
As I’m typing this, I’m trying to remember why this pain in the butt made the list.
The truth is, when I was a kid, McNabb was my favorite Eagle. It’s hard to argue that other than champions Norm Van Brocklin and Tommy Thompson, McNabb is the best quarterback in Eagles history. Carson Wentz will probably be the team’s franchise quarterback for a long time, but there wasn’t one after McNabb and before Wentz. “Number 5” was without question one of the best quarterbacks in football during his prime and very talented.
So, what turned me? McNabb’s last game as an Eagle.
You can’t pull off a silly air guitar stunt pregame and then get your tailed whooped for the second week in a row by the Cowboys!
“Number 5” may always love you, but please exclude me from that group. Thank you.
7. Jimmy Rollins
The Phillies went how J-Roll went. Jimmy Rollins was a red light player that set the tone at the top of the order for the entire lineup. He was a home grown player who mustered through the rough years and was my favorite player during that 2007 MVP campaign. But, this is a lesson to anyone currently playing in Philadelphia – one stupid comment can change everything. I’m docking points from Rollins because he called the town “front runners” and never backed down from that opinion. The man is entitled to his thoughts, however, that comment was stupid in 2008 and remains dumb to this day.
6. Cole Hamels
It was a love-hate relationship with Cole Hamels. When the big lefty was at his best, he was dominant. When Hamels struggled in 2009, he couldn’t have been less likable, suggesting how he couldn’t wait for the season to be over. But in the end, Hamels is one of the 10 best pitchers in Phillies history and embraced the city he played for, despite being from laid-back California. Hamels deserves nothing but respect and that’s what I have for him.
5. Jim Johnson
There’s never a moment where the legendary defensive genius is forgotten. When national broadcasters talk about the great Eagles defenses of the 2000s, they always mention the late Jim Johnson. But, I feel Johnson should get even more credit for the success during the Andy Reid era, because I don’t think the Eagles are that good without his defenses.
4. Chase Utley
Similarly to No. 2 in this list, it took me a while to warm up to Chase Utley. In fact, I appreciate him more than ever as a Dodger. Every time I see him pull off a hard-nosed (likely dirty) play, it’s a proud moment because he honed that craft playing in red pinstripes. Utley is appreciated for always giving 100 percent effort, especially in terms of running hard to first base *cough* Rollins *cough*. Utley could do it all and the only reason why I never warmed up to him while he was here was because he was as boring as cement off the field. Yet, he did provide the greatest one liner of all time – “World F—ing Champions.”
3. Ryan Howard
Seems hard to believe that two players who didn’t win championships would top this list because ultimately, your legacy in this town is determined upon titles. But, when it comes to the great Phillies teams that did reach the highest pinnacle, Ryan Howard is my favorite and it’s because of the deep ball. The round-tripper is the most exciting play in baseball and no one was better at doing that on the Phillies than “The Big Piece.” Watching his career deteriorate over the years was tough, but his game changing moon shots are epic. Get him to the plate, boys.
2. Brian Dawkins
I didn’t start appreciating B-Dawk until later in his Eagles career. But, just like the No. 1 reason to be thankful for Philly sports this past half quarter century, Dawkins embraced the fabric of the city he played in and educated himself in what Philadelphia stood for. Dawkins’ energy was electric and unparalleled, and his play was vicious. There’s no question the Eagles still haven’t replaced what Dawkins offered in terms of play and leadership. They probably never will.
1. Allen Iverson
In my lifetime, there were two players that exemplified what the city was about better than anyone: Dawkins and Allen Iverson. The reason Iverson is No. 1 on my list is because he was the first player to spark my interest in this sports scene. Despite his many off the court issues, “The Answer” never slacked when it mattered most and always put his barely 6′, 165 lb. figure on the line as he wore the city’s emotions on his shoulder. There is no question that during his prime, Iverson was the best ticket in town and he’s the only Sixer in a long line of greats to fill the building. To this day, the 2001 Sixers remain my favorite team, even more so than the 2008 Phillies. If only they didn’t run out of gas against the Lakers.
Have any others that we should be thankful for? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook, or comment below! And have a great Thanksgiving!