Philadelphia is the best sports city in the world. That isn't up for discussion.
The athletes that have came through, however, have certainly caused plenty of debate — and continue to do so.
May is "Once and For All" month on 94WIP, a chance for Philly sports fans to finally settle some of the best debates this city has seen.
Go to 94WIP.com/onceandforall
As we begin the process of deciding what the five debates we need to finally settle are, here is a look at 15 of the athletes that have caused the best and most passionate debates over the years:
** Note: These athletes are in alphabetical order **
Charles Barkley: The Alabama native became Sir Charles in Philadelphia, turning into one of the best — and most controversial — athletes in the city during his stay from 1984 to 1991. Barkley was eventually traded away to Phoenix for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry, a move that ended up being one of the worst trades in franchise history.
Randall Cunningham: Cunningham was an exciting player and played for one of the most beloved head coaches in the history of the franchise, Buddy Ryan. His highlight plays and rocket arm, however, resulted in just one playoff win in seven seasons with the Eagles. The debate around Cunningham centered around whether the Eagles could win with him at quarterback.
Joel Embiid: If he isn't No. 1, Embiid is certainly close to being the most debated Sixer in the history of the franchise. The selection of Embiid was debated from the second it was made, and as he sat for the first two years of his career, the debate only grew. Now, even as he has cemented his place as one of the best in the game, there is still plenty of debate on whether the Sixers can win with him as their best player.
Nick Foles: Is he better than Carson Wentz? Should the Eagles have kept the Super Bowl MVP? The questions around Foles are fascinating ones — and it doesn't seem the debate surrounding him is going away anytime soon.
Ryan Howard: From the strikeouts to watching his team get eliminated with the bat on his shoulder, Howard's historic rate of home runs never spared him from catching plenty of blame for the Phillies' struggles — even as he was leading them to one of the best stretches in franchise history. The massive contract he signed only added to the debate around Howard.
Andre Iguodala: Iguodala would go on to become an NBA Finals MVP, but in Philadelphia, he was tasked with being the No. 1 option on a flawed roster. The spotlight on him lead to plenty of debate as to whether he could be the best player on a championship-level team.
Allen Iverson: Where to begin with Iverson? Off-the-court, his commitment to being himself ended up changing the NBA, but he caught plenty of heat for doing it. On-the-court, his style of play was criticized and viewed as a selfish, losing style of basketball. Even leading the Sixers on a magical run to the NBA Finals in 2001 didn't spare Iverson from being one of the most debated and criticized athletes in the city's history.
Eric Lindros: An amazing player on the ice, Lindros' relationship with the Flyers off it caused plenty of debate. His parents jumping into the public spotlight and having a back-and-forth with the front office only added to the drama that surrounded the concussion-plagued forward during his eight-year run in Philadelphia.
Donovan McNabb: There isn't much debate that McNabb is the most accomplished quarterback in the history of the franchise. That is about the only thing that isn't debated when it comes to McNabb, however, who has been a lighting rod ever since he was booed as the No. 2 pick. From the NFC Championship Game losses, to his feud with Terrell Owens, to the speculation on whether he threw up in the Super Bowl, the mere mention of McNabb's name will always cause a debate in Philadelphia.
Terrell Owens: He was only in Philadelphia for a short time, but he certainly left his mark on the city. Viewed as the savior the team needed at receiver, Owens almost helped the team capture their first Super Bowl. His departure just one year later, which included drive-way sit-ups and a very public dispute with McNabb, is still talked about to this day.
Jimmy Rollins: The leadoff hitter for arguably the best stretch in Phillies' franchise history, Rolling wasn't afraid to get into it with fans, calling them out for what he felt was a front-running attitude to rooting for his team. There was also plenty of debate on whether he was a natural lead-off hitter, considering he sometimes looked to hit for power instead of looking to get on base.
Mike Schmidt: Viewed as arguably the best third basemen in the history of baseball, Schmidt wasn't spared from criticism during his career with the Phillies, as some felt he didn't care about winning and claimed a good portion of his production came during garbage time.
Ben Simmons: The Rookie of the Year in 2018 and a two-time NBA All-Star, the all-around numbers Simmons has put up has one camp in Philadelphia comparing him to players like Magic Johnson and LeBron James. Until he starts to shoot the ball from outside the paint, however, he will remain one of the most polarizing sports figures in the city.
Michael Vick: There were protestors outside of the NovaCare Complex almost the second the Eagles signed Vick in 2009. Some fans insisted they would never root for the Eagles again with Vick, who spent two years in jail for his role in a dog-fighting ring, on the roster. Vick starting his comeback story in Philadelphia, and briefly becoming the team's franchise quarterback, lead to plenty of debate amongst the fans.
Carson Wentz: Wentz has been the top topic in the city since he was the No. 2 overall pick in 2016. He reached the top of the Philly sports mountain in 2017, nearly winning the NFL MVP before he suffered a torn ACL in Los Angeles. Since then, Wentz has seen a statue of his backup placed outside of Lincoln Financial Field and multiple stories come out with anonymous quotes from teammates. Through it all Wentz has played at a high-enough level to keep his believers convinced he is the answer, but struggled just enough that a portion of the fan base remains skeptical. If the 2020 NFL Draft proves anything, it is that we are not even close to the end of the Wentz debate.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
