Top 10 Philadelphia Sports Games In 2011

Last year, I debuted my now annual end of year Top 10 list for best Philadelphia sports games of the year.  Even though there was so much less excitement and great games this year, the list is back this year, anyway!  Last year, I felt the ordering of the games, including what was the number one game, was very clear cut.  This year, not so much.  But I will make an attempt at it anyway.  With all the sadness, scandal, and shame this year has wrought on many a people in the area, perhaps looking back at the year's higher moments will be a plus for everyone involved and a good way to end a shitty year on a high note.  Just like last year, I will start with some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Union comeback verse New England Revolution:  Usually I try to only post wins on here.  After all, what is worth celebrating about a game that is not a win?  Well, in soccer there are draws, and when you have a 3-goal comeback in dramatic fashion, even if the match ends in a 4-4 draw, it is still pretty noteworthy.  And thus was the exact case when the Philadelphia Union hosted the New England Revolution on September 7, 2011.  New England Revolution 4, Philadelphia Union 4



The Kids Are Alright: Following a 2nd round playoff exit to Boston that saw numerous goalie changes, Ed Snider demanded a ridiculously overpay for a position not worth a ridiculous overpay.  In order to fit that overpay in, Paul Holmgren had no choice but to blow up the team, trading the previous faces of the franchise away for youth and draft picks.  Low and behold, the Flyers first game of the season immediately followed a 15-hour banner raising at Boston.  With many fearing a rocky year, the kids played a great game and the Flyers defeated the Bruins. Flyers 2, Bruins 1



Someone From Philadelphia Wins A Trophy!:  The New Mexico Bowl.  Yes, this is the kind of year that was.  A boring New Mexico Bowl makes the list. Temple 37, Wyoming 15.

Top 10 Philadelphia Sports Games In 2010

Now that everyone has annoyed me to death by airing out their grievances on this so-called holiday stemming from a TV show that has been canceled for 12 and a half years (I was forced to do this), I say it's time to celebrate the year that was! And by doing so, I will post after the jump my list of the Top 10 games Philadelphia sports teams played in 2010. Not that this needs to be re-stated, but this is just one man's opinion on how they should be ranked and this is by no means anything authoritative. Feel free to disagree in the comments.

Honorable Mentions

The Capital Mud Bowl: January 1. Playing on a football field that most high schools would call inadequate, Penn State battled the always entertaining Les Miles and his LSU Tigers on a New Years Day Bowl, winning it on a last minute field goal. Penn State 19, LSU 17. (click here for highlights)

Michael Vick Starts His 1st Game Since Release From Prison; Throttles Lions: September 19. Even though it was the Lions, they have been more of a hard luck team not quite as bad as their record indicates. Regardless of that, Vick tore apart the Lions defense in this game, not really remarkable in anyway other than for the resurgence of Michael Vick's career as a starter. Eagles 35, Lions 32. (click here for highlights)

Old Man Pitches Historic Gem: May 7. To Jamie Moyer, age is only this random annoying number. At the age of 47, the old man became the oldest pitcher to ever throw a shutout in MLB history when he allowed only two hits against the Atlanta Braves. Phillies 7, Braves 0. (click here for highlights)

Follow the jump for the list of the Top 10 list.

Top 10 Calls In Philadelphia Sports History

Yesterday, Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated put up a post listing what he felt were the 32 best calls by announcers in the history of sports. Now something like that is very difficult to do and the list is purely subjective (though I don't think many people will doubt Al Michael's call of the Miracle on Ice as #1), but something from that list was missing. No Philadelphia team's accomplishment/announcer cracked the list of 32. Sure Christian Laettner shot to beat Kentucky happened in the Spectrum, and Joe Carter's HR in the 1993 World Series had the Phillies on the wrong end of it (I have no recollection of 1993, so I can listen to the call without going into deep depression), but there was no Philadelphia announcer nor was any Philadelphia team actually accomplishing something (unless you count losing the World Series on a walk off HR an accomplishment). So without further ado, here is my list of the top 10 calls in the history of Philadelphia sports. Now let me warn you, I am a 21-year old college student who has no personal memory of anything before 1993. Sure I know some history, but I can't say I know every great call. If you feel something is missing, feel free to mention it in the comments and link to the video and/or audio of the call. The list is on the other side of the jump.

The Top 10 Things We Have Learned From This NFL Season

After the typical anticlimatic Pro Bowl to conclude the NFL season, I figured it was time to look back at the top 10 moments/people/ideas that came out of this season, not just from the Eagles but from the entire season.

10. Matt Cassel, who has not started a game since high school, will soon be a multimillionaire, by doing exactly what he has not done since high school!

9. This defensive scheme from John Marshall will guarantee that your team sucks. Good luck Oakland!

8. The referees clearly do not care about you and your bets.

7. At times this year, the Eagles looked like the 07 Patriots, at other times they looked like the 08 Detroit Lions, and yet, they made it to the NFC Title game.

6. The Arizona Cardinals played the entire month of December like the 08 Detroit Lions and yet they were 35 seconds away from winning a Super Bowl.

5. If the Chinese could give this NFL year a name, they would say it was The Year of the Cock. For futher evidence, ask Chris Cooley, Visanthe Shiancoe, and the viewers of Comcast Cable in Phoenix Arizona.

4. Just because Detrois is pretty close to Canada, does not mean that they play by the CFL rules! Somebody forgot to tell Dan Orlovsky that.

3. Mike Singletary is who we thought he was.

2. James Harrison is a beast.

1. Larry Fitzgerald is the king of all beasts.