It has been 23 years since Philadelphia last won a sports championship, the longest drout of any city with four major sports teams. That is a long time.
Hopes are once again up as we close in on the NHL playoffs, where the Flyers could enter anywhere from the 3rd to sixth seed.
But do the Flyers have a chance of winning their first Stanley Cup since 1974? My craving for a title tells me yes. My desire is so strong that I can block out how up-and-down the team has been since January.
But when reality knocks me upside the head, I see a team that comes out flat in games, looks great in some games, but does not even look like a playoff team in others.
Sure, the Flyers have the telent to be one of, if not the best in the Eastern Conference and maybe even NHL. They have arguably the best player in the game in Peter Forsberg.
But their lack of urgency and inability to play well consistently is a big concern. Today will start an important stretch, as the Flyers host the New York Rangers, whom they trail by three points. The red hot Devils (no pun intended) are even with Philadelphia. However, the Flyers hold their own destiny. Win out and the division is theirs.
Philadelphia could begin the playoffs either playing the Rangers, Sabres, or Devils. History shows any round matchup with the Devils would be no good (not to mention they have won nine in a row).
If the Flyers can turn up their play a notch and get hot at the right time, they have as good a chance as anyone to make it to the finals. But if they continue to play up-and-down as they have been, a first round exist is a real possibility.
For the sake of Philadelphia, let's hope the latter does not come to fruition. If it does, only six more months until the World Series.
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