The most memorable Philly sports quotes

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In sports, quotes are remembered as much as great plays in games. In Philadelphia sports, there have been plenty of quotable athletes over the years. A list of most memorable Philadelphia sports quotes must begin with one of the most infamous press conference rants of all time. 

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“We’re talking about practice? Not a game, not a game, not a game. We’re talking about practice, man.”  

Allen Iverson’s practice press conference has plenty of backstory, but it will always be remembered for this quote and the amount of times the word “practice” was uttered during this half hour on May 7, 2002. 

Part of the story behind Iverson’s frustration that day was the recent death of his best friend, something that was not immediately known by the media assembled that day until Iverson brought it up during the presser. In the years since, Iverson has poked fun at himself, as have so many others who have tried to replicate that day’s events to achieve a laugh. This will undoubtedly go down as one of the most notable quotes in the history of sports.

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This quote is as much (if not more) about who said it than what was said.  

Chase Utley, the quietest and most business-like member of the 2008 Phillies, would’ve been any Philadelphian's last guess to make a statement like this. In true Utley fashion, it was straight to the point. 

He approached the microphone at the big stage in the middle of Citizens Bank Park on Halloween of 2008 and uttered the words that will go down in Philly sports history: “World champions … World f***ing champions.” The statement has become part of the fabric of Philadelphia sports. 

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Charlie Manuel’s first few seasons in Philadelphia weren’t always sunshine and roses. There were losing seasons, an underachieving perception by the fanbase and a disconnect between the fans and a team that hadn’t reached the postseason since 1993. 

Beginning in 2007, that all changed. It began with a declaration from Jimmy Rollins (and an honorable mention on our list): “I think we are the team to beat in the NL East.”

Rollins’ words translated out on the field as the Phillies won the division that year. In 2008, it culminated in a World Series title, the first since 1980 for the Phillies. This quote from Manuel on the podium with the World Series trophy was his moment with the fans of Philadelphia, and it will live on forever.  

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It was arguably the signature play of the Eagles’ only Super Bowl title, and we didn’t even know how it happened until the days after the Eagles won the Super Bowl in February of 2018. 

When the NFL Films mic’d version of Super Bowl LII was released, we discovered the events that led up to Nick Foles catching a touchdown from tight end Trey Burton on the “Philly Special.” Foles suggested, “You want Philly Philly?” and Doug Pederson responded, “Yeah, let’s do it.” 

This will give any Eagles fans chills for a lifetime. The unconventional nature of the play and the confidence with which coach and quarterback agreed to run it near the end of the first half makes it arguably the biggest play in Philadelphia sports history. It took less than a year for this quote to be at the base of a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field. These are undoubtedly four of the most memorable words in the history of sports in this town. 

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These words came from the late former Flyers head coach Fred Shero to his team before Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final. In the years since, the players who won the Flyers’ first-ever Stanley Cup have proven this statement to be true.  

Walk around the Wells Fargo Center during a Flyers game and you’re bound to see a Bernie Parent, Bob Kelly, Bill Barber — the list goes on and on. The members of the 1974 Stanley Cup champions have walked together forever and though some, including Shero, have passed on, the spirit of the Broad Street Bullies still exists and always will.  

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Freddie Mitchell is far from the best player in Eagles history, but this sure was a memorable quote. Mitchell’s 4th-and-26 catch against the Packers in the 2004 NFC divisional round will live for a long time in Eagles history, too. 

“Despite the fact that he was a first-round draft choice and he had a nickname and he had attitude, he talked a better game than he played,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ray Didinger said. “But listen, he will always be remembered for the 4th-and-26. A lot of better players came to Philadelphia and played for the Eagles and won’t be remembered as vividly as Freddie Mitchell will be remembered for that one play.”

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“I think we are the team to beat in the NL East.” 

This quote from Jimmy Rollins began the greatest era of Phillies baseball in franchise history. 

“For who? For what?”

They say first impressions are everything, and this was the first impression Ricky Watters made on the Eagles in his first game after joining the Birds. On Sept. 3, 1995, Watters short-armed a pass from Randall Cunningham to avoid getting hit by a Tampa Bay defender and infamously uttered these words when asked about the play after the game.  

“Fo, Fi, Fo”

This quote actually began as “Fo Fo Fo” when Moses Malone predicted how the Sixers would fare in the 1983 NBA playoffs. In true Malone fashion, he predicted three sweeps. It turned out to be “Fo, Fi, Fo” as the Sixers swept the Lakers for the ‘83 title and lost just one game in the playoffs. They had “Fo, Fi, Fo” engraved into their championship rings. 

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