So here we are. Knee deep into the NHL Playoffs. The Flyers only need to beat the Penguins and they MAKE IT TO THE STANLEY CUP!

I say, way to be fellas, get to the Stanley Cup.

Please, just don't go and win it.

Stop the presses.... a column called Philadelphonic, wanting the Flyers to stop a foot before the finish line?

Well, yep.

Here's why.

Philly is a championship starved town. It gives us that mean reputation we have. Someday, we will have that parade down Broad Street, we haven't had a parade since 1983. So 25 years. No reason to dance in the streets. The great people of Philly deserve it.

So it should be another team...another sport to bring it all home.

Now I'm not a "hater" by any means. I'm impressed with the Flyers. But hockey in general, has left me cold. No pun intended. I was a rabid fan in the 90's. Then that 1994 strike happened. I found something else to watch. When hockey came back, I sort of cared, but not as much. Then the lockout happened. I thought "REALLY? More time off?" It came back, and I sort of gave up on it. Why bother, you know? Attendance was, and is down in major cities, but not Philly, the fans came out big time to support the teams...and after a year of no hockey, tickets still managed to sell for a minimum of 80$ a piece. So, no harm, no foul, I wished nothing but the absolute best for the Flyers and the fans.

But now, after hockey has been so "love/hate" with it's sport, players and fans, does it really deserve to break the long running championship in Philly? For me, sure, I'd be happy, but it wouldn't be the same if another Philly team won.

The Eagles? YES. We've paid our dues. We've had headaches, (TO), near misses (Super Bowl 2004) good times bad times. When the Birds dispatched the Falcons to get to the 2004 Super Bowl, I watched people with tears in their eyes, random strangers hugging, older fans telling their favorite Eagles stories. It was something special. The Birds winning it all? It'd be a big happy party.

The Phillies? 10,000 losses, years of struggle, headaches like Billy Wagner/JD Drew, the "Dark Ages" when Rico Brogna and Travis Lee were our starters. Phillies fans have paid their dues. A championship for the Phils? It'd be quite an event.

The Sixers? Who didn't get behind them on this playoff push? They were left for dead and had no "superstar". And you know what? They came back from the dead, and showed heart, lots of it, plus the Sixers were the last team to bring a championship home (1983. Thanks DR. J).

So that leaves the Flyers. The NHL is a league where it's version of Babe Ruth or Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, STILL manages to get traded and play for 4 teams. Some of these teams pretty much change their entire rosters, from top to bottom, pretty much every year. Fans who buy jerseys and support their favorite player....those jerseys are normally outdated within 6 months.  Exhibit A. Paul Coffey.

They Flyers made it to the Stanley Cup in 1997. I was watching it with a TON of fans, they were happy, but the tears just weren't flowing like when the Eagles made it to the super bowl, and there wasn't the dancing in the streets of Frankford Avenue like when the Phils won the NL East Last season.

So with lockouts, strikes, huge ticket prices, no tv coverage and a new team every year....I wish the best for the Flyers....I really like Briere, Biron, Upshall, and love the ORANGE AND THE BLACK song.

Just please, let another one of our teams break our drought.