The 2000’s: 2003
2003: Best Moments in Sports
Though it wasn’t demolished until early 2004, the final game ever played at Veteran’s Stadium was played on September 28, 2003 as the Phillies took on the Braves.
Though that game didn’t mean anything to the standings, it was the end of an era for Phillies sports. We were going to the big time as both the Phils and Eagles got brand new stadiums in the middle of the “stadium wave” that took over sports from 1994-present. But its impossible to forget all the memories the Vet held.
Who could forget the snowballing of Santa or Game 6 of the 1980 World Series, or the court and jails that were actually inside the stadium? How could you forget the great Philly teams of the late 70’s and early 80’s?
Personally my best Vet moment came in 2002 when the Braves Mike Hampton took a no-hitter into the 9th inning and though it would have been cool to see a no-hitter, there is something a little better about seing your team break one up in the 9th and win the game on a walk-off by Vet great Bobby Abreu.
By Ryan Hoffman
A Second Opinion
I’ve kept my posts broad and impersonal thus far, but 2003’s biggest event, for me, was one that did not occur. Namely, the Philadelphia Eagles (Iggles) should have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in a cake-walk victory over the Oakland Raiders Jan. 26, 2003. Instead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a hack, fake franchise utilizing a team built by Tony Dungy and executed by the opportunist Jon Gruden) slimed their way into a title. The way the NFC title game between the Eagles and Bucs was set up tipped overwhelmingly toward the Birds. In Philadelphia, in the cold after the Eagles destroyed Tampa in the regular season. Hell, Brian Mitchell even returned the game’s opening kickoff for a TD, giving the Eagles an early lead. But, no. In the last game EVER at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles offense put up a measly three points, Brad Johnson (the worst Super Bowl champion QB not named Trent Dilfer) somehow torched our D, and Ronde “Don’t Call Me Tiki” Barber picked off Dononvan McNabb for a 92-yard interception touchdown. Bucs win, 27-10. Maybe Philadelphia needed the Vet to close before a championship was seen, but that didn’t take the edge off this lose. I hurt for weeks afterwards and felt even worse watching the joke Oakland team lay down in the Super Bowl. Knowing the Eagles easily would have slaughtered the Raiders truly made this the most monumental sporting event in 2003.
