Is this the year the Sixers climb atop the Philly sports hierarchy?

Philadelphia is undeniably a huge sports town and certain fans preen about their “4 for 4” status. Still, there exists a hierarchy, and who sits atop it is a certain combination of what part of the season we’re in, current competitiveness of each club, overall likeability of the team.

The last time the Sixers unquestionably sat atop the hierarchy was all the way back in 2001 for the Allen Iverson-led NBA Finals run. Between AI, still one of the city’s most popular athletes ever, an underdog status that you know Philadelphia loves, and a lunchpail defensive attitude that further endeared the squad to fans, it was a perfect combination for what became a magical playoff run. Could this be the year the Sixers ascend back up the Philadelphia sports mountain? Let’s examine.

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First and foremost, Philadelphia is an NFL city. The Eagles dominate coverage and conversation across the greater Delaware Valley. For anyone to pass the Eagles in the current hierarchy, it has to be a combination of another team being really good and the Birds greatly disappointing. This could be a tough hurdle for the Sixers to overcome, because the Eagles should be pretty good, currently sitting with the seventh-best Super Bowl odds, per Fanduel.

Still, the narrative is easy to construct. Despite winning a Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hurts is a somewhat divisive quarterback that a section of the fanbase would be happy to move on from. Last year left a bitter taste in fans’ mouths with a bunch of ugly wins that overshadowed the huge flaws in the offensive scheme. Sean Mannion is in as offensive coordinator this season, but the opening win over Washington was uneven, and the offensive line looks like it could be an ongoing issue. There’s every chance some tweaks are made and the Eagles go on to have a very successful season, but you can envision a scenario where things go off the rails and fans demand a major shakeup.

Next, we have the Phillies, and I have a much easier case to make than I would have needed a couple weeks ago. After a recent rough patch, a couple wins have settled things a bit, but there’s still plenty of concern with the…

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Publish date : 2026-09-18 17:15:00

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