Curses! Detroit EIGHT titles, Phila. 0 since ’83

In some ways, Detroit is a lot like Philadelphia.

Both are blue-collar cities, overshadowed by big neighbors, Chicago and New York.

Detroit and Philly also have franchises with long traditions in the four major team sports.

The Tigers and Phillies date to the late 1800s, the Lions and Eagles to the 1930s, and the Pistons, Red Wings, Sixers and Flyers have all been around for more than 40 years.

There is one big difference, though.

Last night, Detroit won its eighth championship in the past 25 years, as the Red Wings won hockey's Stanley Cup.

During that time, Philadelphia's trophy total is zero.

Detroit's parade list proceeds like this: Tigers 1984, Pistons '89 and '90, Red Wings '97, '98 and '02, Pistons again in '04, and the Red Wings once more this year.

That's more wins than Philadelphia has had championship-game appearances since the Sixers won the NBA crown in 1983. (The Phillies fell short in '83 and '93, the Flyers in '85, '87 and '97, the Sixers in '01, the Eagles in '05.)

Note that Detroit won in three different sports.

Note also during this span, the biggest wait for Detroit fans was a measly seven years, from '90 to '97.

Especially galling was that 1997 Red Wings win, because it came at the expense of the Flyers, whose coach, Terry Murray spoke about "a choking situation" and wound up getting fired.

Unfortunately, you can't take solace in the idea that Detroit's case is one of a kind.

Look at the two teams in the NBA Finals.

A Celtics title victory would the Boston area's eighth since '83, while a Lakers parade would be the L.A.-Anaheim area's 11th.

Don't want to count Anaheim? OK, then it's "only" nine.

About the only solace to be had today is that the Detroit Lions are worse the Eagles on the championship front. The Eagles haven't won a title since 1960, but the Lions last won it all in 1957 - and have never been to a Super Bowl.

At least the Eagles lost two - in 1981 and 2005.