The Streak is over!

The Philadelphia 76ers have great uniforms.  That's about the best thing that can be said for a team whose loss Monday night sent them to 0-15 on the season. Lest we forget, they also lost their last 10 games of the 2014-2015 season, meaning they are on a 25-game losing streak. Jahlil Okafor has been impressive in his debut season thus far, but even he can only do so much as a 19-year-old carrying the burden of keeping afloat a franchise with the buoyancy of the Titanic. He'll be thankful to not have to see Hassan Whiteside any time soon, that's for sure. The discovery of rookie TJ McConnell has been a big positive. His assist-to-turnover ratio is better than 2-to-1, which is exceptional for a player who lacks NBA experience. His 48% shooting is also a great sign, but it's also not a great sign when the starting shooting guard is shooting just 33% and the team's most veteran player is shooting 38%.  And, I won't even address the Joel Embiid injury situation. This franchise has been a dumpster fire for quite awhile, and those who seek warmth can gather around it for quite some time.

The Philadelphia Eagles spent the weekend embarrassing themselves, and everyone who sports the team's colors, in a disgusting, wretched, and soul-crushing 45-17 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa is lead by a rookie quarterback who made his Sunday opponent look as if they hadn't been in the NFL before. The rampant booing and subsequent 4th-quarter-empty-seats were indicative of the supporters' feeling towards a team that could have seized control of their division, but squandered the opportunity. Where they entered November with a glimmer of hope, they sent their season-ticket base to Turkey Day contemplating whether or not to even watch the "Iggles" continue their swoon into the purgatory better known as irrelevance.

Then, there is the Orange-and-Black Attack, and their seemingly endless succession of tribute nights and retirement ceremonies. Unfortunately, as of late, those celebrations have been the high point for the home fixtures. When not losing in the heart-breaking fashion of an overtime defeat (which is nothing new to the Philadelphia Flyers given their shootout proficiency - or lack there of), they've been blown out of their own building.  Another common thread to resurface for the Fly-Guys is not having an undisputed number one goaltender.  Steve Mason entered the season with that title, but injury and an opportunistic Michal Neuvirth brought that back into doubt.  Neuvirth recorded his third shutout of the season in November, but it was in Winnipeg.  The relative frigidity in the Wells Fargo Center dated back to, of all things, an overtime win against the New York Rangers on October 24th.

That was until Shane Gostisbehere rifled a slapshot past Carolina Hurricanes keeper Eddie Lack for a 3-2 overtime victory last night.  Philadelphia sports teams, as many an outlet liked to point out, had been winless at home in the month of November.  It was the first win for a Philadelphia team since...

...Sebastien Le Toux converted his penalty kick against Orlando City for a 1-0 victory back on Sunday, October 25th.  The ticket-buying public in the Delaware Valley has not been getting great return for their money recently, given that tonight is just the second home win in the previous 30 days.  Maybe that goal from "Ghost" can remove the haunted feel this region's team have at present.