| Farewell, Old Friend - Wednesday, July 16, 2008
287 Views :: 0 Comments ::  :: Michael Bradley It was a sultry June evening, and the shouts were almost deafening: "BEAT L-A! BEAT L-A!" Earl Cureton had just unfurled his baby hook shot over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Sixers were on their way to a second straight (of four) 1983 NBA Finals win over the Lakers. At that moment, The Spectrum was Valhalla, Eden, Nirvana, Xanadu and Heaven all rolled into one beer-soaked package. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the world. Any Philadelphia sports fan who grew up in the 1970s and '80s has a whole mental photo album of Spectrum nostalgia tucked away in his mind. Whether it's a Flyers Stanley Cup moment, a Sixers memory or something to do with the Phantoms, Wings, Kixx or concerts, the arena has played a vital role in building the city's identity -- for better or worse -- since it opened in 1967. The Spectrum was "America' Showplace" for years, but since the opening of the Wachovia Center next door, it has been a much smaller brother, especially by today's standards of corporate sports entertainment. The Spectrum lacks the luxury boxes, the concession options and the sponsorship opportunities of its giant neighbor, and that alone made it vulnerable. More than that, the Spectrum had outgrown its need. It was great to have a home for the Phantons, Kixx and (sometimes) Wings, but the old building was in need of major repairs that weren't necessarily smart business to make. So, it's coming down. That's a sad bit of reality. The memories, however, remain. Everybody has one, and they should nurture them, just as they remember a trip to the Vet, Connie Mack Stadium, JFK Stadium or Baker Bowl, should you have been "fortunate" enough to be there. Times are changing, and the economic realities mandate a new approach to that bit of prime South Philadelphia real estate. That doesn't mean The Spectrum should go quietly. If Ed Snider is truly torn up about the decision to close the joint, then let's make 2008-09 a celebration of the building. The Sixers and Flyers should each play a home game there. Pick a hapless opponent that doesn't necessarily sell out the Center and put the game in the old home. Comcast-Spectacor concert bookers should encourage the classic acts to play a date in The Spectrum. Yeah, it might cost everybody a bit of dough, but what better way to send out a huge piece of Philadelphia cultural history than with a great farewell tour? Get on it, people. The Spectrum has less than a year left, and it deserves a proper send-off. |
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