Philly truly is the city of champions

The Eagles went 58 years between championships, but the Villanova Wildcats didn’t have to wait that long.

Just call us the City of Champions.

Just 57 days after the Eagles ended their Super Bowl drought with that dramatic 4133 win over the New England Patriots, we’re once again celebrating a national title.

The Eagles went 58 years between championships.

The fans of the Villanova Wildcats didn’t have to wait nearly that long.

For the second time in three years, Villanova is the ’Cats’ Meow when it comes to college basketball.

Jay Wright’s squad captured its second national crown in three years Monday night when they rolled over Michigan, 79-62.

Here’s a little-known fact: This is apparently the first time that the NCAA men’s hoops championship resided in the same city that held the Vince Lombardi Trophy — you know, that little trinket they give away for winning the Super Bowl — in its mitts.

Yes, some regions have celebrated both, but not one city. Until now. Sure, we know some people will want to quibble. There is no shortage of Villanova vitriol out there.

Most of it seems to center on the fact that the campus is not actually in the city. They are correct. Delaware County proudly claims as the Villanova campus.

There are other issues as well. We’ll leave those to the haters.

None of it will stop us from joining the party.

The Main Line campus erupted shortly after Monday night’s final buzzer as fans poured out into the streets to celebrate the win.

Plans for another parade, no doubt to be held downtown, where the echoes of that thunderous party held to celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl win still linger in some corners, were announced later Monday afternoon.

The Wildcats completed a dominating season by dismantling another national power.

Think Villanova has the Wright stuff? Yeah, just a little. And we’re not talking about just the coach.

The ’Cats dominated. They won all six of their NCAA tournament games by more than 10 points.

In fact, they blew away both of their Final Four foes by 16 or more.

Their stiffest challenge came when they suffered an uncharacteristic off night offensively and had to clamp down defensively to put away West Virginia.

In the process, the tiny Catholic school from the Main Line joins the very upper echelons of college basketball programs. They now sit right there beside such names as UCLA, Duke, Louisville and Kentucky.

They are now one of only four programs to win two titles in the span of just three years.

Last year they also reached the tournament before an unexpected early second-round loss to Wisconsin.

What do these numbers all have in common? 26, 23, 12, 12, 16, 17. No, they’re not the winning Powerball numbers. But they are winning numbers. Those are the margins of victory in Villanova’s NCAA Tourney run.

Monday night they trailed early in the first half, when they called on Super Sixth Man Donte DiVincenzo, who exploded for 31 points as the ’Cats pulled away.

DiVincenzo, a product of Salesianum High School in Wilmington, lit up the Wolverines for the most points ever scored in an NCAA tournament game by a non-starter.

He personally scored nine straight points and was named the tournament’s top player.

This “Super Nova” of a performance should shatter once and for all this city’s image of lovable losers.

The Eagles are Super Bowl champions.

Villanova has now won their second NCAA title in three years.

We are trusting the process as the Sixers head for the playoffs appearing as if they are finally ready to make a run, even with the most recent injury to Joel Embiid.

The Flyers are in the playoff hunt.

Now if we could only help Gabe Kapler figure out how to use his bullpen.

Congratulations to ’Nova Nation.

And the region they call home.

Let’s face it, when it comes to sports, we consider ourselves Philadelphians.

And today we live in the City of Champions.