Phillies Madness - elite eight results and your comments

From a field of 64 Phillies video highlights, we now have our Final Four. Bedlam at the Bank will take on the 1980 World Series final out on one side of the bracket, while Roy Halladay’s postseason no-hitter goes against the 2008 World Series final out in the other. Two incredible individual feats against the franchise’s two championship moments.

I could make a case for any of the remaining videos to win it all. Bedlam at the Bank was absolutely electric. The 1980 World Series win was the first championship for a franchise that has been around since 1883. The 2008 World Series win may be even more special than 1980 for those of us who were born in between. And while someone wins the World Series each year, Doc’s masterpiece was just the second postseason no-hitter of all time.

Here’s how voting played out among the elite eight:

Ashburn Region

1 Bedlam at the Bank 73% – 2 Stairs rips one into the night 27% 

I thought this would be closer, because Stairs’ moment was part of a successful World Series run while Harper’s was part of a run that ended two wins short. But the voting is on video highlights of the moments, and the scene at Citizens Bank Park for Harper’s shot was… well, bedlam. Placed side-by-side, the video of Stairs’ home run out in LA doesn’t have the same juice.

The matchup generated a lot of conversation:

• “This is an insanely tough draw but on the basis that I truly believe Bryce Harper will go down as the greatest Phillie of all time, and this was his signature moment + the catharsis of all the bullshit we had gone through to get to that point, all the criticism he’d faced, etc.” – @PHILLYXFREEDOM
• “This is the toughest call of what’s left.” – @OnTheRun_HM
• “Stairs should have more love. We actually won.” – @MartyFunkhawser
• “Stairway to heaven easily” – @monstraussity
• “The Matt Stairs shot is elite. But recency and being there makes this not close.” – @Nite_Bright

So Bedlam at the Bank moves on. Can it take down an actual World Series win?

Roberts Region

1 1980 World Series win 66% – 2 Chase Utley deke 34%

Chase Utley’s popularity among Phillies fans made this surprisingly close. But as incredible as the deke play was, I’m glad 1980 came through with the W. And I wasn’t the only one:

• “That Utley play was legendary, but McGraw striking out Wilson to end the 97-year drought? This shouldn’t be close.” – @DaleShreiner
• “34 percent must not have been alive in 1980 so it doesn’t count to them. Only thing I can figure. This should be damn near 99-1.” – @Jeff_Dewees
• “There’s that anger coming up again” – @Carp_113

The 1980 win faces a similar challenge in this upcoming round: a signature moment from an immensely popular superstar.

Schmidt Region

1 2008 World Series win 98% – 3 Victorino 2008 NLCS HR 2%

Not much of a competition in this one, and rightfully so. It’s hard to vote for any 2008 moment over the final out.

Carlton Region

 2 Halladay postseason no-hitter 68%– 5 Rhys bat spike 32%

Rhys Hoskins’ bat spike had a great run as a 5 seed, but there was no universe where it was going to take down Doc’s historic no-hitter. The spike probably shouldn’t have even reached 32%. Recency bias is real.

• “This is a joke, right? Anyone that votes Hoskins is an idiot.” – @MattAction

Here’s how the bracket looks going forward. The @PHLY_Phillies twitter account will post the next two polls on Monday evening. By Tuesday night we’ll have a finals matchup.