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The Flyers’ Season is Currently a Success and the Sixers’ Season is Currently a Failure
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I agree with this sentiment from Flyers Redditor U/FlyFreaky55, who proclaimed that he’s “tired of all this negative bullshit.“ –
“This team has made incredible strides this season and finally has an identity starting with Vlad and continuing with some excellent young talent. We all know the Achilles heel for this team has been a shit PP for the past five seasons. It has held them back from being a perennial playoff team and has cost them so many close games, most recently during this series against the Canes. I really hope that Danny addresses this issue during the offseason with coaching changes and implementing a new strategy with Toco.”
Yeah. Hear hear! Let us not forget that the Flyers had no business being in the second round of the playoffs. They were absolute garbage in January and we were asking why Danny Briere didn’t move Risto at the deadline while wondering whether or not Travis Konecny would waive his no-movement clause. The Matvei Michkov stuff was more toxic than WIP after a big Eagles win. They needed the Olympic break and a ridiculous March and April run just to get into the postseason, and they’ve been playing with house money ever since.
So it’s all gravy at this point. Not only did they improbably win a playoff series, and end the Penguins’ Big 3 era, but they got a ton of experience against both the Yinzers and the Canes and they now know what it’s gonna take to win a Cup. As far as I’m concerned, the season is a huge success no matter what. They could lose 37-0 in Game 4 at home and it will still be a huge success, because they overachieved tremendously in a rebuilding year.
THAT’S THE FACT, JACK!
As for the Sixers, I saw this poll the other day and it’s some of the dumbest shit ever. Not necessarily the poll itself, but the responses:
This should be 0% yes and 100% no. Why? Because the whole point of the Sixers is to get out of the second round for the first time since 2001. They’ve been trying to get to the Eastern Conference Finals ever since they exited the Process era. Why would this Sixers season be a success at all, let alone “already” a success after a first-round triumph? Because they finally got over the Celtics hump? Well whoop dee fuckin’ doo! You finally exorcised the demons, just to… get back to the 2nd round! If they lose to the Knicks it’s the same story – they’re stuck at this same point in the playoffs and can’t seem to figure it out.
So no, it’s not a success. They have three max players and enough talent to advance. Anybody who thinks beating the Celtics in round 1 and then losing to the Knicks in round 2 amounts to a success is smoking crack. What the hell is wrong with you? Until the Sixers tear it down, the measure of success is winning more than one playoff series in a year, which they have not done since Apple announced that they were releasing a new technology called “iTunes.” If the bar is so low that we’re celebrating Joel Embiid being healthy enough to win a first round series, then we need to tear it all down to the studs and start over.
Anyway, we’ll see if they can pull off another minor miracle. Game 3 on Friday night.
note: sorry if this blog sucked, I’ve been sick all week and I’m dragging ass
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com