Eric Lindros the Most Influential Philadelphia Athlete

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Bah. Ivan Drago is coming for you.



I think 1, 2, and 4 are absolute classics. 3 is pretty rough, and 5 is ok. 6 was also pretty rough. But that's three classics out of six!

Rocky V is one of the worst movies ever made.

 

[BernieParent]

I'd definitely go with MSE's affirmation of Bobby Clarke as the most influential Flyer, with my namesake as the second. Though I am first and foremost a hockey fan, though, I'd think that the likes of Mike Schmidt and Julius Erving would be far and away the leading candidates for Philadelphia athlete. I don't know enough about the Eagles to speak intelligently on that front.

It depends, of course, on what we mean by "influential".

 

[StoneHands]

It probably doesn't help that someone in their mid 20's probably wrote this article and never saw some of the legends of this city play their sports.

As far as recent athletes go, zero people cared about the sixers until Iverson came then they were huge for years and the minute he left, nobody cared about them again. There were times where they would sell out every game and then he would get hurt and they wouldnt have half the seats filled even on a winning team.

 

[Sawdalite]

Thank you!!!!!

Rocky is a fictional character. The man who portrayed him is not from Philadelphia. Hell, the boxer he was loosely based upon wasn't even from Philly. Never got the whole fascination amongst Philly sports fans with Rocky.

And yeah. The movies really weren't that great, people! The first one wasn't awful, but the sequels were pretty much steaming piles of ****.

FWIW: IIRC Sly was born in NYC but spent all his formative years in Philly... Conversely, Richard Gere was born in Philly but raise in New York... Which would you and anyone else say both depicts a Philadelphian and is accepted as a Philly guy; which are we in Philly proud of? The Bayonne Bleeder, Chuck Wepner, had the heart and drive of the accepted Philadelphia Fighter... and really wasn't from very far away. Stallone wanted that basic Wepner story and wanted to glorify Philly Fighters, IMO, and wrote his story for a Philly local... I see nothing wrong with that and nothing there that should take anything away from Rocky nor Sly himself.

That not awful movie won The Academy Award for best picture... who in the Business wouldn't give one of their nuts for that?

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Rocky V is one of the worst movies ever made.

You think? I always thought it was decent. I'd rank them in this order:

Rocky IV
Rocky I
Rocky II
Rocky V
Rocky III
Rocky VI: Adrianne's Revenge

 

[Sawdalite]

It probably doesn't help that someone in their mid 20's probably wrote this article and never saw some of the legends of this city play their sports.

As far as recent athletes go, zero people cared about the sixers until Iverson came then they were huge for years and the minute he left, nobody cared about them again. There were times where they would sell out every game and then he would get hurt and they wouldnt have half the seats filled even on a winning team.

IMO Clarke took a fledgling Franchise and Sport in Philly and spearheaded it to national fame... and was one of the main the impetuses that bore millions of Flyers fans -- most of whom previously thought a hockey puck was a person in Don Rickle's audience -- and the Flyers still have loyal fans who back their team even in the rare seasons of suckiness... Iverson revived an established fan base that had a somewhat solid core and were fans who knew the well established Sport, and at one time or another played the game... I'd say that Clarke bay far was the more influential of the two... and while maybe not as great as some other Philly athletes, he was more influential than them also, since Hockey was a fringe sport in Philly before he came... I'd say that the same case could be stated for Bernie, only IMO to a lesser degree.

But, if the question were to be expanded beyond athletes... to Philadelphia Sports Figures, I'd say Mr. Snider by a large margin... for pretty much the same reason, but also because he bore the Flyers and built the Spectrum and Center, and had the foresight and guts to bring the NHL to Philly... and not only be successful, but also to make the Flyers what they are today to the fans and the City.

 

[laundryman]

I'd say Iverson. He resonated with fans in a way that even Jordan never could

 

[Cassano]

Kobe AINEC.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Kobe AINEC.

Huh, other than being born here what exactly has he done for the city?

 

[member 30781]

Huh, other than being born here what exactly has he done for the city?

I think it was a joke....

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I think it was a joke....

I hope so.

 

[Hockeypete49]

I think somebody had too much time on his hands one day.

 

[Robert604strom]

As a canucks fan,and a sports freak,i also like the eagles,but hands down it has to be Bobby Clarke. All my older uncles or older guys i work with always mention Clarke when it comes down to the hay-day of hockey and the Flyers History. Lindros will always be up there but things like his injurie issues,fights with Clarke stopped him from being way bigger than he could have been.
And the Kobe thing he was born in philly wasnt he? So if the question was most influential philly born athlete,he would have to be my choice also.

 

[Fragmuffin]

For someone outside of Philly (and the states for that matter) i would say that the most heard of athlete is, hands down, Iverson. No contest, and you don't even have to be a sports, let alone basketball fan to have heard of him. Hope that helped to shed some light the influence question

 

[whskybarJM]

first off you lose all credibility hating on Rocky I and I will include rocky II. it is one thing to not enjoy the movie but to flat out hate is a testament to your character.

second, the Corestates/FU/wachovia/fargo center was built to house lindros.

Most influential? Dr. J would be the most influential.
you could make a case for mcnabb considering the NFL is a powerhouse

Most beloved? the championship flyers. No question. They walk on water in this city