What Philly Sports "End of an Era" was the hardest to swallow?

Posted March 19Mar 19

Seeing the BG/Kelce/Cox/Johnson core come to an end has been rough, but I think I have to go with the Phillies core of Utley/Rollins/Howard/Hamels.

That was the first Championship team I experienced and it sucked seeing those guys get traded away/deteriorate.

Honorable mention:

93 Phillies

04 Eagles

96 Flyers

March 20Mar 20

I think the 2000s Eagles hurt the most because they never won it and only made the Super Bowl once. They were a few games away from being a dynasty and outside of Philadelphia are just known as a very good team. When that window closed, I wished there was more to show for it.

It's before I was even born, but the Phillies in the late 70s also apparently hurt really bad because they kept winning the division and not advancing. But they won in 1980 and the end of that era finished off with a pennant in 1983, so they had something to show for that.

1

March 21Mar 21

Author

On 3/20/2025 at 1:49 AM, xzmattzx said:

I think the 2000s Eagles hurt the most because they never won it and only made the Super Bowl once. They were a few games away from being a dynasty and outside of Philadelphia are just known as a very good team. When that window closed, I wished there was more to show for it.

It's before I was even born, but the Phillies in the late 70s also apparently hurt really bad because they kept winning the division and not advancing. But they won in 1980 and the end of that era finished off with a pennant in 1983, so they had something to show for that.

Howard tearing his ACL and watching Utley, Lee and Halladay break down was hard to watch.

Then trading Utley, Haneks, Rollins and Chooch and watching Victorino and Werth play for other teams.

March 22Mar 22

The way it happened probably eagles. TO drama, mcnabb getting fatter and fatter, Dawkins leaving, Andy’s kid dying, then thinking we have something with chip and what should have been his dream team roster and him blowing it up.

2

June 7Jun 7

I feel like the BG/Kelce/Cox/Johnson Eagles are tough to qualify. They won a title together and they had a highly staggered exit. Lane is still here and won 2. I think there was a lot more sweet than bitter in that one.

Utley/Rollins/Howard/Hammels. They also "lose" points for winning a title. So there is some element of appreciating what they did together rather than just having a tough time swallowing it. However, they deserve consideration because it's a travesty that group only won 1 World Series. They easily could have had 3+.

For me, it's the ones that didn't get it done that sting. IMO, the '96 Flyers take the cake. The early 00's Eagles...also a travesty they never got one. I think the TO/Mcnabb drama, AR having more success and being remembered more as the Chiefs coach...that's just not a ream that has been or will be remembered fondly. As individuals, yeah, Dawk, Trotter, that OL...but history hasn't been kind to that team being beloved by the city.