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.

8 Days A Week: IN CASE YOU'VE MISSED IT.

Well here in the Philadelphia Sports scene, as usual it's been a tense week filled with stress enough to give any loyal Philly sports fan an ulcer. In case you missed it. Here's the last 8 days in Philly.

MONDAY: March 31st. OPENING DAY. Here we go, Crazy Brett Myers on the mound, and as of the 4th inning he's COOKING up the Nationals. As of the 5th? Not so much. Crazy Brett leaves the game. The Phightin Phils tie the game up. Until Flash "Flush" Gordon takes over and does what FLASH DOES BEST. Messing everything up and ruining my day. Flash gives up 5 runs. Phils lose. Flash you know this isn't spring training anymore right? This looked like batting practice.

TUESDAY: April 1st. TOM GORDON DOESN'T ruin my day! Um, because the Phils had a day off. Here's a time to think about Philly representing in the NCAA Tournament! GO VILLANOVA! Oh wait VILLANOVA is gone. With Villanova gone, and the Phils not playing, let's follow the EAGLES LITO SHEPHARD trade rumors. He's part of the Roy Williams Trade! Wait that was the Philly paper's way of an April Fools Joke. I hate April Fools Jokes.

WEDNESDAY: April 2nd. PHILS are BACK! And COLE "PATROL" HAMELS is just kicking it. A great 8 inning performance! And the offense? They helped this performance by cranking out.....one hit. Against the Nationals. They made some guy who's name I don't even remember look like CY YOUNG. Another loss. A one hitter by some 38 year old guy who's been on 5 teams in 3 years.

THURSDAY: April 3rd. OH NO. Jamie Moyer is giving up lots of runs. I'm a big Moyer fan though. The Phils come back! YES! Flash Gordon gets in the game! NOOOOOOO! Flash does what he does best....which is almost blow the game. However as he does what he does best, giving up hits, giving walks, having a great time ruing everyone's day, something odd happens. He gets out of the inning! YEAH PHILS WIN. One win, 99 more to go.

FRIDAY: APRIL 4th. Apparently hockey is still a sport. Apparently the playoffs have almost started. Apparently the Philadelphia Flyers have made the aforementioned playoffs. Way to go fellas. Also in CINCINATTI, the Phils WIN AGAIN! Kyle "Crazy K" Kendrick, doing the darn thing. 2 in a row. "We win tomorrow, that's what they call a streak"-MAJOR LEAGUE

SATURDAY: APRIL 5th, 1pm. BOOM Ryan Howard CRUSHED a home run. Big time. BIG TIME. Then Chad Durbin comes into the game, the new Phil! Comes out and decides to do his best Tom Gordon impression. He walks a lot of hitters. Phils lose it in the 9th. However, the Philadelphia 76'ers? The team left for dead since the beginning of the season? Well they played their hearts out, and have now made the playoffs for the first time in 3 years.

SUNDAY: April 6th. SUNDAY. It's a day of rest. Unless you're Brett Myers and giving up runs again. Phils lose. Plus my girlfriend Beyonce marries JAY Z and not Tim C. Tough day. Tough day indeed.

MONDAY: April 7th. Jimmy "J ROLL" Rollins smacks a lead off home run, Geoff "the Jenk" Jenkins goes long ball, Pat "the bat" Burell with 2 spanks as well.

All of this helps Cole Patrol Hamels lock up a win. This game is done in time to watch Memphis play Kansas for the NCAA crown. I've had Memphis as "hype" the whole tournament I said "no way they'll get that far" well Memphis DID get that far and proved me wrong, Kansas for the win in the thrilling ending seconds.

Tense game. Memphis played it well. It was just a tough, tough loss.

At least that sort of thing happens in places other than Philly.

Take care and be well,

Your Friends at Philadelphonic.

Like Jon Gruden and his sun visor. Grabbing every single quarterback that he can.

Is this troubling to anyone else?

Let's go down the list:

Brian Griese

Chris Simms

Luke McCown

Bruce Gradowski

Jeff Garcia

Plus he still has rights to JAKE "Handball" PLUMMER and his ratty beard...

 and many mock drafts have The Gru taking Joe Flacco, QB out of University of Delaware in the draft.

Something is amiss here. Who needs 7 qb's?

It sort of reminds me of RETURN OF THE JEDI when they built that new Death Star. Just shadiness all around.

Gruden I'm watching you.

At least you didn't do something really stupid like give Javon Walker and his one working leg 55 Million Dollars. No one would ever do that.

Wait. Al Davis did? Okay.

Well at least he's not picking up Philadelphia's garbage. I mean who on Earth would go out and get Thomas Tapeh? I forgot about even when he was on the field. And signing Philly bust Jevon Kearse? No one could grab those two could they?

Oh wait, Brad Childress in Minnesota did. Take it easy Andy Reid-lite. What will you do next? Buy the old astro turf from the old Veterans Stadium in Philly to put in Minnesota?

So just all in all a very strange week in the NFL off season. I look forward to seeing who Gruden signs next....chances are, it's a QB. Who will it be? Ron Jaworski? Michael Vick? David Carr? Joey Harrington? Davis Carr? Randall Cunningham? Actually Childress would probably grab him too.

Keep an eye on that man. He's up to no good. Never, EVER trust anyone in a sun visor.

Take care and be good,

your friends at Philadelphonic.