For the Indians, an icy reminder of the torment of streaks
Of all the bewildering, maddening, disappointing and ultimately expected Flyers failures in the Stanley Cup playoffs since 1975, none was as deflating as the crash of 1980.
Still loosely connected to the 1974-1975 dynasty, the 1979-80 Flyers would accumulate an NHL-best 116 regular-season points before falling in the final round to the Islanders. Though most conveniently remembered as the year official Leon Stickle missed a New York offside infraction in the deciding Game 6, the season by then had a greater definition. That’s because in it, the there was an indication that the Flyers would not, could not be beaten.
From Oct. 14 through Jan. 6, the Flyers went 35 games with--
out losing. The record remains, and since NHL games no longer end in ties, it may last forever. As if it matters.
The Cleveland Indians recently have become the Flyers of 2017, generating the longest winning streak in American League history and baseball’s longest since the New York Giants won 26 consecutively in 2016.
For pure, in-the-moment joy, the Indians have the right to bask in their achievement. But that streak has only increased the pressure on them to show as much excellence in October.
The Tribe has not won a world championship since 1948. It must have caused their fans much torment. But if that streak continues this October, the torment will double. Once a team hints that it is unbeatable, it cannot fail when it most matters. If so, the best it can do is run behind the cover of another Leon Stickle.
••• The Eagles won by 13, on the road, against a division opponent that for them had been tough to beat. Their quarterback made mystical escapes and impressive throws and decisions. They were strong on third down. They defended with passion.
Thus, the standard sports question: Believe what happened in Washington … or consider it a one-day exception?
Sunday, the Birds will be in Kansas City, where Andy Reid will have had 10 days to savor a victory over New England and obsess over ways to outperform Doug Pederson, his former assistant. Yet the Birds opened at just 4.5-point underdogs. And that says that the know-italls have made the proper call: The Eagles have a good chance to be real this season. If so, it will show Sunday.
Eagles 28, Chiefs 27.