Top 5 Spectrum Moments

Many things changed in the world when I was on deployment, among them the Spectrum, one of the nation's best loved arenas has closed.  The long time home of the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers, as well as countless college basketball games, concerts, and other events. Though not as large or sophisticated as the Core States/First Union/Wachovia/Wells Fargo Center, the Spectrum had a character that few buildings can match.  Let us take a moment to remember some of the Spectrum's greatest memories:

Honorable Mention: Rocky vs. Apollo
 Not eligible to be ranked being a fictional event and all, but the Spectrum served as the setting for one of the greatest movies of all time.


#5 J.J. Daignealt scores the winner
In the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, the Flyers were pitted against an Edmonton Oilers team that included Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Yari Kurri, and is widely considered the greatest hockey team of all time.  The Flyers trailed the series 3-2 when they returned home for game 6.  After the Flyers tied the game late in the third period, J.J. Daignealt scored  the winner, in what was probably the Spectrum's loudest moment.  The Flyers went on to lose Game 7 in Edmonton, in what was one of the alltime greatest postseason series in NHL history.





#4 The Shot
Among the many college basketball games hosted by the Spectrum was the 1992 NCAA regional between Duke and Kentucky.  With Duke trailing by a point with just over 2 seconds left, Grant Hill threw a court length inbound pass to Christian Laettner and the rest is history



#3 The Flyers win the Cold War
In 1976, the Soviet Red Army team, one of the most feared hockey teams of the world, embarked on a North American tour in which they defeated several NHL teams, and tied the vaunted Montreal Canadians, before concluding the series in Philadelphia.   The "Broad Street Bullies"  had been the scourge of the league, but they now represented the hopes of a nation.  The Bullies did not disappoint, winning the game 4-1, and inflicting enough hard checks that the Russians threatened to walk out.




#2 The Doctor is In
The 1983 76ers, the last Philly team to win a championship until the 2008 Phillies, were one of the strongest squads in NBA history.  The Sixers added reigning MVP Moses Malone to a team that  already included Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, and Andrew Toney.  The Sixers stormed through the playoffs, sweeping the Magic and Kareem led Lakers in the Finals.  Although they clinched the championship in Los Angeles, the '83 Sixers provided many great Spectrum moments along the way.





#1 The Flyers win the Stanley Cup
The title says it all, Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent and company defeated the Boston Bruins  to win their first Stanley Cup in 1974. They would repeat as champs the following season. Legendary broadcaster Gene Hart made the memorable call.