The history of Philadelphia sports is chock full of drama. One of the reasons we as a fanbase can come across as a bit crazy is that we have been put through a lot. Just look at the last decade of the Sixers, and there is more drama with them alone than an episode of Real Housewives. Multiple players forcing their way out, GMs with burner accounts, and a never-ending onslaught of second-round exits. But it is not just the Sixers. As a fan base, we are no strangers to betrayals.
In fact, the Phillies are honoring one of the sources of those betrayals this weekend. Scott Rolen is going onto the Phillies Wall of Fame this weekend. There are sure to be some fans who give him the ovation guys normally get when they get that honor. But so many fans are still sore from the time he forced his way out of Philly, and may feel some kind of way when his face is being put up there amongst the other Phillies greats.
And he is not alone. There was the time when a team Owner tried to move our beloved Eagles to another city. You can also talk about the time Ben Simmons tried to force his way out. Carson Wentz losing his mind because of his backup QBs. A Defensive Coordinator who took a job elsewhere while he was supposed to be preparing for the Super Bowl. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
So ahead of Scott Rolen being honored, let’s look at the greatest betrayals in Philly Sports history. People we showed nothing but love and support too, only for them to stab us in the back. Even if some were not successful in doing so.
Here are 10 of the Biggest Betrayals In Philly Sports History:
Terrell Owens Goes To The Cowboys
It was bad enough that T.O. threw a tantrum and forced his way out of Philly. But then the team he chose to go to was the Cowboys. There is no chance he didn’t purposely choose the Eagles’ biggest rival out of spite for how things ended in Philly.
He is not the first big name to go from the Eagles to the Cowboys. But he is one of the most impactful Eagles to make that change. Randall Cunningham was mostly a backup for the Cowboys. Harold Carmichael had just one catch with the Cowboys and spoke about hating his time there. Tommy McDonald was traded to the Cowboys, against his own will. But T.O. chose the Cowboys and was still in his prime.
He has repaired his relationship here a little bit after leaving the Cowboys. But it is hard to forgive a guy who refused to live up to his contract and then went to the enemy.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ben Simmons Lies To Force His Way Out
Philly fans loved Ben Simmons more than anybody at one point. For years Philly fans were his biggest defenders. Lots of us forgave all of his fault. The not shooting, the lack of aggressiveness, the poor FT shooting. And when National Media trashed him, we rose to his defense. Then he passed out of a dunk, and fans were rightfully pissed. Suddenly he didn’t want to play here anymore, and his camp was leaking bogus stories to any reporter who was willing to take their fake stories and run with it.
To think they actually claimed Sixers fans would protest him outside of the Sixers practice facility, or that Tyrese Maxey (who was with the same agency) would also be traded out of Philly. They leaned on one reporter particularly, who kept putting out those fake stories without asking questions, in hopes they could make us look like the villains.
Ben didn’t realize how good he had it here. And if he had sucked it up, came back, and actually improved, he would have been beloved again. If he lived up to half his hype, or at least tried to improve, Sixers fans would be naming their kids after him. Instead, he wormed his way out of the city, and now no one in the NBA takes him seriously.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Carson Wentz Can't Handle Competition
Like Ben Simmons, at one point Carson Wentz was a Superhero to Phill fans. We went to war with various reporters who tried to put him down. An Irish guy who covers the NFL named Cian Fahey became a villain in Philly because he was Anti-Carson Wentz. But he just couldn’t handle people liking his backup. And it hurt his game.
Was it fair to Wentz that they were drafting QBs behind him? Maybe not. But if he went out and played like he did in 2017, Hurts would have never had the chance to replace him. Instead, he let the mental part of his game impact the physical part and never regained his 2017 form.
Is falling apart as a player betraying us? Maybe not. So it may not be fair to put him on this list. But It was also hard to leave him off given how far he fell from the city’s savoir to a pariah.
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Jonathan Gannon Throws The Super Bowl
Okay, maybe he didn’t actually throw the Super Bowl on purpose. But with how awful his coaching performance was in the Super Bowl, he may as well have. People already didn’t like him. Then we learned he took a job with another team while he was supposed to be preparing for the Super Bowl. And then his defense had one of the worst performances in Super Bowl history.
No one can blame him for wanting a better job, where he can be the Head Coach. But to take it while you are still with another team, and then perform so poorly, is unforgivable. His defense got 0 stops in the second half. If they got one, just one, there would have been a parade for the Eagles. Instead, we have to put up an NFC Champions Banner, and he is the number 1 reason why.
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
James Harden Quits On the Sixers
Harden was at one point beloved here. When the Sixers first traded here, many fans were convinced he was the guy who would put us over the top. Instead, it was more of the same, and he pulled the same playoff disappearing act Ben Simmons always did. And also like Simmons, he threw a hissy fit to force his way off of the team. Only he made his hissy fit even more public, while Ben hid behind fake reports.
We should have known better. It is the same thing he did in two other cities. But our hope for the team blinded us to what Harden really was. And even though he just recently opted into his contract, he did not want to honor that contract. If he didn’t want to be here, why didn’t he just opt out? Oh because he wanted the best of both worlds. He wanted both his money, and to be elsewhere. And somehow it was the Sixers’ fault no one wanted to trade for him. We can already see the Sixers are better off without him.
. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Scott Rolen Calls St. Louis Baseball Heaven
I do not have the same hate for Scott Rolen many other Phillies fans do. I was not old enough at the time to have strong feelings for what he did. But for many who followed the Phillies in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Rolen is the greatest villain in Phillies history.
Like many other guys on this list, he forced his way out. Then he landed in St. Louis and declared it Baseball Heaven. In fairness, the Phillies did suck at the time, and the Cardinals did not. But it is easy to understand why Phillies fans would feel he stabbed them in the back. Especially when he didn’t even play on Scott Rolen Night with the Phillies.
(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Ryne Sandberg Quits On the Team
No one likes a quitter, and Sandberg literally tucked his tail in and ran away when he realized he was over his head as the Phillies Manager. The heir apparent to Charlie Manuel couldn’t handle to heat of being a manger. Didn’t even make it through 3 seasons before he gave up, and left the Phillies in the wind.
(Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
Chip Kelly Breaks Up The Team
Is being bad at your job and moving all your best players a betrayal? Chip at the very least betrayed his players. He inherited a very talented Eagles offense, and slowly let all of them, including Desean Jackson and LeSean McCoy walk. Anyone who wasn’t completely on board with the Chip Kelly way got sent out. It is probably why he got worse every season before he was fired before the end of his 3rd season. And why he got just 1 season in San Francisco.
(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
JD Drew Doesnt Want To Be a Philly
JD Drew never even actually played here. But Phillies fans hated him anyway. The Phillies drafted him, and couldn’t sign him. He went on to have a fine career. And it’s not like the Phillies missed out on too much. But being rejected was a type of pain Phillies fans still have not forgiven.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images).
