With Philly, History Has Taught Me to Be Cautious

As Carlos Ruiz caught that final out, rather poetically on top of the NLCS symbol, I had a moment to myself to think about this season, the city and its fans. After the years of waiting and wondering the Phillies are finally going back to the World Series.

A place they had not been since a heart breaking home-run by Joe Carter shattered the dreams of a city that had not seen a title in 10 years. Now this city hasn't seen a title by any of the four teams in 25-years when Dr. J and Moses's Sixers did it in 1983.

Being only 21, I know the turmoil of the fans in this area have had to endure over the past two decades. In all every one of the teams has made one trip to their respective title rounds since the 1993 Phillies and all of them ended in heart-break and despair.

After the '93 World Series came the dreadful sweep of the 1997-98 Flyers in the Cup Final. After the Millennium changed the Sixers attempted to end the drought, but lost to a far superior Lakers team in 5 games in 2001. However, the 2004 Super Bowl loss by the Eagles was the hardest pill to swallow for this city and its fans.

To put it in perspective the Eagles were the franchise in the city at that point and have the longest individual drought dating back to 1960. Football is King in this city, but the Phillies are starting to steal the Disenfranchised football fans that are fed up with a complacent Front Office that resembles the Soviet Union toward the end of the Cold War.

So as the Phillies take back their rightful place amongst the Fans what I have learned from all this is that "Cautious Optimism" can prevent or at least lessen the blow in case this Phillies team falls just short like the other local sports. In a city that blames the championship drought on a William Penn statue above city hall the thinking can be hard to understand or even explain.

When outsiders criticize the fans in this area I know they just don't get it and never will. Those in Chicago understand with their beloved Cubs and the those in Boston used to understand it until their recent monopoly on Championships.

When you care so much you can't help but expect perfection because that is what the failed attempts at a title have taught the generations of fans to hope for and desire. To us perfection every night seems to be the only way to get it done and achieve the ultimate prize.

In the end I will root my butt off and immerse myself in this World Series like every other title round and playoff series. However, the potential for failure will sit in the back of my mine because the track record of Philly Sports teams is to reach far, yet never far enough for that prize we all covet so much.