The Curse of William Penn

This is my first film project. If you know nothing of the Curse of William Penn, here is a summary.

The William Penn Statue was first perched atop City Hall building at Broad and Market Street in Center City Philadelphia over a century ago.


In 1984, plans to build Philadelphia's first skyscraper - One Liberty Place - had commenced. The 945 foot glass skyscraper, to be located only three blocks west of City Hall, would exceed Penn's hat by a whopping 397 feet.

Philadelphia sports teams had, up until that point, enjoyed a wealth of success - back to back Stanley Cups for the Flyers in 1974 and 1975, an NBA title for the Sixers in 1983, and the appearance of all four major sports teams in their respective finals in 1980, concluding in a World Series Title for the Phillies. The Golden Age of Sports in the City of Brotherly Love was brought to a halt in 1985, only a few months after discussions to build Liberty One had commenced, when Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers hoisted the Stanley Cup following a win over the Flyers in game five.

Since then, the Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers, have gone 0 for 7 in Championship finals, accumulating in an 88-season drought - the longest of any city with four professional sports teams. Meanwhile, the City of Brotherly Love now sports seven skyscrapers that rise above the ever mysterious statue of William Penn. Interestingly enough, all of the offending buildings stand to the west of City Hall as the city's founder faces northeast, conceivably giving Penn an unobstructed view of the Delaware River (where he and the Quaker settlers originally landed in the late 1600s). Whether the buildings were constructed keeping Penn's view in mind or not, the fact still remains that Philadelphia pro sports fans have been deprived of a championship for 22 years...and counting.

www.phrustratedphan.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• ryan
• howard
• mcnabb
• iverson
• football
• curse
• philadelphia
• fan
• passion
• william
• penn
• matt
• kirk
• flyers
• sixers
• eagles
• phillies

[FriendlyWalrus]

Why are you using a Boston folk song as the background music for a film about philadelphia?

[62kirk]

Maybe for the same reason Nike used it in their commercial with Shawne Merriman And Steven Jackson. Or maybe since it has nothing to do with Boston because it was written in 1992 for the movie The Last of the Mohicans.

[FriendlyWalrus]

maybe the song was remade for Last of the Mohicans. Maybe it was actually written by South Boston local and Cork County Ireland native Trevor Hogan in 1848.

[62kirk]

The Rolling Stones originated in London, England yet their song "Gimme Shelter" opens the movie the Departed, a movie which I'm sure you know is set in Boston. Your argument does not hold much weight. Music is Universal my friend.

[FriendlyWalrus]

Yeah but the main song for the departed was a dropkick murphys song, a band from Boston. So your point isn't valid.

[62kirk]

It's a little ridiculous to say that since a man wrote this song over 150 years ago in Boston, and has since been reworked and rearranged, and used as the focal point in many other pieces, I can't use this song. Music is not and should never be limited to one specific thing. But I guess you're right;)

[FireChidori]

@saml760 eagles are shit now, good luck with your kevin kolb

[miked13179]

@saml760

"The Flyers are tanking another season"? Sometimes we all need to eat our words Sami just be glad its a fellow Philly fan spoon feeding you and not some F#$%er from New York or Dallas.

[miked13179]

@saml760

But how about showing more support for your team when they aren't playing championship level. "Flyers are tanking another season" well if this is tanking it I am glad to be with the Orange and Black. last year they were ousted by the Stanley cup winning Penguins, the year before they were ousted by the Penguins in the conference final. Pretty good results to a season where only one can say they are the champions and half can't even say they made the playoffs.

[miked13179]

@saml760 That year no-one gave them a shot (you I presume) but like my brother who was so disappointed when they lost to Arizona in the nfc championship you probably started bashing Andy Reid and D Mac and nothing but a SB ring would have made you happy. Philly teams have traditionally overcame the odds to go beyond expectations. This years flyers are perfect example. Sure we want more championships.

[miked13179]

@saml760 The Flyers were a shootout away from watching the cup now they are in the finals. bet you didn't expect them to beat Jersey in the first round but now that they are in the final anything but a championship and they are a bunch of bums right. The Eagles of 2 years ago. pretty much needed the planets to align to get in the playoffs and a win from Oakland over Tampa make it.

[usurper70]

at least you don't have it as bad as cleveland

[fudgy0025]

great job! finally the curse is over atleast for the phillies, but there is still alot of work to do! lets go philly sports!