When Real Life Succession Hits Philly Sports
First of all there aren’t really any spoilers involved in this missive so I’m not ruining the ending of a show you should have finished weeks ago!
Watching the MAX series Succession which I thought was brilliant in its casting, length of series and character development it got me thinking. First, why couldn’t it have had an ending I liked? Secondly, what happens to our favorite family businesses when the leader passes? How do they create that plan of succession to the throne. Only one of the Philadelphia sports teams has taken that into deep consideration.
Jeffrey Lurie has always been ahead of the curve as an owner. He has a balance in aggressiveness and forethought that few business leaders have ever shown. He has created an organization that survives momentary dips in performance and has enjoyed long term relevance. They have a long term vision but choose when it is appropriate to go all in on pursuing a championship. Lurie displays a calm and focused presence that has benefitted this fan base. For those who watched the series, he is everything that Logan Roy is not.
Lurie has already created and let people in on his succession plan. His son Julian will be the one who ascends to continue the legacy that his father began. The 28 year old has the title of “Business and Football Operations Strategy” and grew up loving the Eagles. He was educated at Harvard and spent multiple seasons working in the NFL Offices in Manhattan. He’s being exposed to every facet of the team and when his Father decides he is ready to walk away, he should be well prepared to take over. I love the plan. I trust Jeffrey Lurie. It all works.
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What about the other teams? John Middleton owns the largest percentage of the Phillies and has grown in his leadership control. As it is a group ownership, the idea of who will be in charge later is a matter of question. It also should leave people concerned about the approach they will take. Middleton has been quoted before that “nobody cares whether I make money or lose money” and that is true. Fans want a winner. Middleton has done everything he can to get that for the fans. It is clear he has studied the Eagles model and he does his best to connect with the fans. He works the crowd at games and understands this fan base. We are blessed. I hope the next leader has the same mentality but that is far from a certainty.
The 76ers appear to have no plan in place. Ownership certainly has a plan but it centers about building a new stadium. I’m tentatively in support of that but a long term vision never has been the 76ers reputation when it comes to the actual product. The Flyers are owned by a conglomerate which I never prefer. You are subject to the whims of corporate suits who are answering to a board and a stock price.
Not surprisingly, the Eagles seem to be in the best position when it comes to a succession plan. They won’t be seeing the drama of the Roy’s or the fallout of a fight for the big chair.
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The Philadelphia Phillies Road Winning Streak By The Numbers
Team Batting Average: .264
In order to go on this type of a win streak, the offense has to be producing at a high level, and the Phillies’ has. Batting .264 might not sound like a lot, but the Miami Marlins are hitting .264 for the season, the 3rd best mark in all of baseball. That puts in perspective just how hot the Phillies have been at the dish during their road-winning streak.
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Run Differential: +36
During the Phillies road winning streak, they have outscored their opponents by a combined 36 runs, a whopping run differential over 11 games. That means that they are scoring, on average, about 3 more runs a game than their opponents. These aren’t just one run games; the Phillies offense is out-slugging the opposition on the road, an impressive feat.
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Team ERA: 2.18
Oh yeah, it hasn’t just been the offense that has been fueling the Phillies’ road-winning streak. The pitching has been arguably better than the hitting, as evident by the 2.18 team ERA. The starters have been staggeringly good, the bullpen has been beautifully effective, and opponents have had no shot to put up a significant amount of runs. THAT is how you win baseball games.
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Errors: 7
What’s funny about this winning streak is that the Phillies’ defense has not been all that good, even with their 11 straight wins. They’ve made 7 errors in their last 11 road games, which is more than an error every other game. That’s not a good mark to aim for, and yet, the Phils continue to win games. This is not only a credit to the pitching staff overcoming rough defense, but a sign that there is still better baseball to come from this team.
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Historic Context: 1976
1976 was the last time the Philadelphia Phillies’ franchise had a road-winning streak of 11 wins or better. That team finished with 13 straight wins on the road. Besides the 1976 team and this current streak, only the 1887 Phillies reached the 11 straight road wins mark. This has been a historically good run of games away from home, and with 4 more road games before the All-Star break, the 2023 Phillies could stand alone before long.
(Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)
